About 10,000 of Khan's supporters, many of them piled into hundreds of trucks and cars, left from Lahore on Friday. The convoy's journey, expected to be capped with an open-ended rally in Islamabad, could present a significant challenge to the new administration. The rally could potentially also turn violent if police move in to disperse Khan's supporters. Charges to be announced for Paul Pelosi's suspected attacker Affirmative action before Supreme Court again: CBS News Flash Oct. 31, 2022 An update on "Ballet in Exile" | 60 Minutes A judge has denied Rudy Giulianis motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit from Georgia election workers over statements he made about the 2020 election. Donald Trumps one-time personal lawyer was sued by Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss last December for alleged defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy. The pair, who are mother and daughter, alleged that Mr Giuliani claimed they had suitcases of illegal ballots and committed other fraudulent acts to try and impact the result of the presidential election. But the former New York City mayors attempt to have the case thrown out was denied on Monday by US District Court of Columbia Chief Judge Beryl Howell. In doing so, the judge ruled that the entirety of plaintiffs claims may advance to discovery, according to ProtectDemocracy.org. The plaintiffs in the case claim that Mr Giuliani knowingly and repeatedly disseminated false information about their work for Fulton County, Georgia, during the 2020 election. Ms Moss testified before the house January 6 committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol and described how she was accused of committing electoral fraud by senior members of the Trump campaign, including Mr Giuliani. The former president has falsely claimed that electoral fraud cost him the state of Georgia to Joe Biden, who went on to win the White House. Both plaintiffs allege that the claims against them have resulted in death threats, online harassment and abuse. Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman served their community and their country. In return, Rudy Giuliani and his alliesand otherstold vicious lies that turned their lives upside down, said Von Dubose, Partner at law firm Dubose Miller LLC. Todays ruling is an important step toward righting that wrong, repairing the unwarranted damage to Shaye and Rubys reputations, and ensuring accountability for those who spread lies to undermine our democracy. Michael Gottlieb, Partner at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, added: The truth matters and lies have consequences. We are pleased that this case will move forward, and that Ruby and Shaye will have their day in court to expose the lies that Rudy Giuliani and his allies perpetuated to further their political agenda. ATLANTA (AP) A federal judge on Monday declined to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed against former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani by two women who served as election workers in Georgia in November 2020. In the lawsuit filed last December, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Shaye Moss accused Giuliani of defaming them by falsely stating that the pair had engaged in election fraud while counting ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The lawsuit says Giuliani repeatedly pushed debunked claims that the mother-and-daughter pair pulled out suitcases of illegal ballots and committed other acts of fraud to try to alter the outcome of the presidential election in Georgia. In an opinion accompanying Monday's order, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell in Washington described the situation that followed the November 2020 election, when the vote totals in several key states were so close that the results were not immediately clear. As election workers across the state worked long hours carefully ensuring the accuracy of the election, the Trump Campaign and its allies, including Giuliani, engaged in a media offensive that at best questioned, and at worse condemned, their work, Howell wrote. Moss had worked for the Fulton County elections department since 2012 and supervised the absentee ballot operation during the 2020 election. Freeman, her mother, was a temporary election worker, verifying signatures on absentee ballots and preparing them to be counted and processed. As the false allegations about them circulated online, the two women said, they suffered intense harassment, both in person and online. Moss detailed her experiences in emotional testimony before the U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The committee also played video testimony from Freeman during the hearing in June. Moss, who is Black, said she received messages wishing death upon me. Telling me that Ill be in jail with my mother. And saying things like, Be glad its 2020 and not 1920. Story continues A lot of them were racist, Moss said. A lot of them were just hateful. In a court filing in June, Giuliani argued the lawsuit should be dismissed because the claims against him are inadequately pleaded and are barred by First Amendment protections for free speech. Howell rejected those arguments, allowing the lawsuit to move forward. Despite the repeated debunking of the Trump Campaigns claims of voter fraud in the election in Georgia by state officials and private organizations, Giuliani persisted in pushing those very claims and began taking direct aim at plaintiffs in the process," Howell wrote. A lawyer representing Giuliani in the defamation lawsuit did not immediately respond Monday to an email seeking comment on the ruling. Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman served their community and their country. In return, Rudy Giuliani and his allies and others told vicious lies that turned their lives upside down, one of their lawyers, Von Dubose, said in a news release. Giuliani's spreading of debunked claims about Freeman and Moss has also caught the attention of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who's investigating whether Trump and others illegally tried to influence Georgia's 2020 election. Willis has told Giuliani's lawyers he could face criminal charges in that investigation. The defamation lawsuit originally named right-wing cable news channel One America News Network, its owners and its chief White House correspondent for also pushing the debunked claims. They were dismissed from the suit in May after reaching an undisclosed settlement with Moss and Freeman. The two women also have filed a separate defamation lawsuit against The Gateway Pundit, its owner Jim Hoft and his brother Joe Hoft, a contributor to the conservative website. That lawsuit is pending in Missouri. By Stephanie van den Berg THE HAGUE (Reuters) -Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday ruled that prosecutor Karim Khan can resume his investigations into atrocities in Afghanistan, a probe that had been put on hold for more than two years. According to the ruling, published by the ICC, the judges said the investigation could move forward as Kabul "is not presently carrying out genuine investigations" into the alleged crimes under the ICC's jurisdiction, as it had earlier insisted. In August, a year into Taliban rule, prosecutor Khan had urged judges to allow the probe to move forward and warned that crimes were continuing in Afghanistan. In September last year, Khan announced he wanted to resume the probe into crimes by the Taliban and the ISIS-K militant group. He said prosecutors would "deprioritise" looking into suspected crimes by U.S. forces and Afghan government troops. The judges, however, stressed that "the present authorisation relates to all alleged crimes and actors that were subject" to the prosecution's 2017 request to open a probe. That request names the Taliban, Afghan government forces and United States forces as possible groups involved in alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity but does not mention ISIS-K. The office of the prosecutor of the ICC was not immediately available for comment. Afghanistan is one of the longest-running probes by ICC prosecutors and has been beset by legal and practical delays. The initial preliminary examination started in 2007 and it is only with this latest decision that a full-scale investigation can move forward. It is unlikely that the Taliban will cooperate with any ICC investigation. In their ruling, the judges said they had repeatedly requested addition information from Kabul but all requests went unanswered. The withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan, completed a minute before midnight on Aug. 30, 2021, came as the Taliban swept to power after a 20-year insurgency with a speed and ease that took the world by surprise. Story continues Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and his government collapsed. In July, the UN mission in Afghanistan said that the Taliban were responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and inhumane punishments in the months since they toppled the previous government and seized power. (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Editing by William Maclean, Angus MacSwan and Nick Macfie) The Air Force is moving forward with experiments to test whether a two-person crew could safely fly a KC-46 Pegasus tanker in an emergency. A solo pilot and a fuel boom operator with the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, on Oct. 25 took to the skies for two KC-46 sorties on a military test range, the service said Oct. 28. Flying tankers without copilots is one idea Air Mobility Command is trying out as it considers the tactics it may need in a possible military conflict with China. The Air Force has stressed that approach would not be the norm. Air Force considers removing co-pilot from Boeing KC-46 tanker crews Launching missions with a skeleton crew could lessen the number of potential American casualties in case of attack, or make the crew more nimble in a crisis. Multiple small crews could swap out in shifts during around-the-clock sorties, another concept the Air Force is fleshing out.. During the flight test, the McConnell airmen completed a simple flight path before adding in refueling tasks, the Air Force said. The boom operator was co-located in the cockpit with the pilot, except when performing boom operations, and a second instructor pilot was on board throughout the entire mission to serve as a safety observer, the Air Force said. Air Mobility Command called the test successful but did not immediately answer what the boom operator was allowed to do in the cockpit. The service has suggested additional training so airmen can learn the basics of other crew positions. Supply chain woes delay KC-46 refueling system upgrade to 2025 The Air Force has thoroughly considered the risks of removing a tankers copilot and how to minimize potential problems, wing commander Col. Nate Vogel said. This mission was practiced extensively in flight simulators, he said in the release. Each phase of evaluation has been carefully considered, taking into account crew safety, aircraft capabilities and existing federal aviation standards. Story continues But the idea has raised eyebrows among military watchers who question its motives and safety, particularly as the Air Forces new aerial refueling platform continues to struggle with major design flaws. The service has refuted claims that its enduring pilot shortage is whats driving the concept. The KC-46 is cleared to refuel most U.S. military aircraft. It recently received the go-ahead to participate in everyday missions worldwide despite lingering hardware and software woes. Air Force says KC-46 can refuel planes around the world except one The Air Force plans to buy at least 179 KC-46 airframes under a $4.9 billion contract. Boeing must spend nearly $7 billion of its own money on required improvements to the plane. The Pegasus is intended to be a more versatile, resilient tanker than earlier designs and carry up to 65,000 pounds of cargo. Officials expect it will be only provisionally functional until around 2025 or so, when design fixes are available. In the meantime, Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Mike Minihan is pushing hard to convince others that despite its remaining problems, the KC-46 is ready for prime time. Nobodys going to care about my plans for the KC-46 or my fleet in 10 years if I lose tomorrow. I need it now, he told reporters in September. I am extremely straightforward with Boeing in my concerns about quality, timelines and cost. But if I can put an incredibly capable tanker in the fight, then why wouldnt I? SAVANNAH, Ga. Georgia gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp compared legislative records and critiqued plans for the future of Georgia in a debate Sunday in Atlanta. Both candidates repeated talking points from their previous debate, which covered topics like education and health care access. Abrams and Kemp also revisited inflation, law enforcement and crime. But they also treaded new ground, particularly around affordable housing, voter integrity and inflation. Kemp talked more candidly about supporting Georgia's new abortion restrictions, which includes a six-week ban, while Abrams addressed Georgia's gun laws and their effects on business and safety, referencing the cancellation of Atlanta festival Music Midtown and the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings. The hourlong session was the second and final debate ahead of the 2022 midterms. WSB, an Atlanta-area television station, hosted the debate. Early voting continues through Friday. Election Day is Nov. 8. Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter Here's what you need to know about the debate and its impact on the governor's race. Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams, from left, shakes hands with Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp as Libertarian challenger Shane Hazel stands at right following the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series in Atlanta, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. Repeats from the first debate When it came time to discuss crime, Kemp relied on an oft-repeated campaign slogan. "Ms. Abrams is going to attack my record because she doesn't want to talk about her own record," he said. Kemp insisted that Abrams wanted to defund the police, alluding to a quote she gave in a CNN interview discussing the Black Lives Matter movement. Abrams countered by saying Kemp had failed to adequately invest in law enforcement agencies. "Local law enforcement are experiencing shortages that are not being funded by this government and federal COVID money as a bonus is not the same as a plan for their investment," she said. Abrams also criticized Kemp's approach to dealing with crime. "I'm happy to talk about my record, sir. I've done so repeatedly. But I've not been in office for the last four years. So I was not the governor when gun violence went up in the state of Georgia," she said. Story continues Kemp responded by pointing out his work to combat gang violence, a platform he also ran on in 2018. "I knew there was a gang problem. And that's why I ran with a very straightforward agenda to create a gang task force at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to join with the locals to help them with prosecution and locking up gang members, going after those that are selling dope on our street and killing our kids and our community members," Kemp said. What's new in Kemp's, Abrams' talking points Kemp's campaign has been dogged by the question of abortion rights since the overturn of Roe v. Wade and enactment of Georgia's six-week abortion ban. On Sunday night, the governor attempted to get in front of the criticism by pointing out other policies he characterized as "pro-life," like foster care and adoption reform. "I understand that people can disagree on policy, but at least people know where I have been. I've been consistent. I've been transparent. I've done the exact things I said I would do," Kemp said. Abrams appeared to corner him with the assertion that Georgia's new restrictions would lead to authorities investigating miscarriages. Kemp also would not give a definitive answer as to whether he would support further legislation on abortion. "Let's be clear, he did not say he wouldn't," she said. "We know that under the law that he signed, women can be investigated for miscarriages and other pregnancy losses." Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams face off in a televised debate, in Atlanta, on Oct. 30, 2022. The two also traded barbs over Georgia's gun laws. Abrams said state gun laws were not only costing them business pointing out the decision by Music Midtown to cancel over safety concerns but lives. "We are a state that does not have a waiting period, which is why a young man was able to secure a weapon and kill six Asian women in three different locations in less than two hours," she said in a reference to the 2021 Atlanta-area spa killings. Kemp defended the state of Georgia's gun laws, which were changes earlier this year to allow for permit-less carry, also known as constitutional carry. "There are over 20 states that have passed constitutional carry, giving law-abiding citizens their legal right to protect and defend themselves and to legally carry," he said. "When she's talking about all these other people, they're breaking the law" On affordable housing, Kemp said the state was doing fine, using COVID-19 relief funds to assist those adversely affected during the pandemic, whereas Abrams said COVID-19 relief checks and state government "wishy washiness" was not enough. Key themes from closing statements In his closing remarks, Kemp emphasized that he believed Georgia was prospering. "I'm so optimistic about the future of our state," he said. "We're seeing economic opportunity, no matter your ZIP code or your neighborhood, because we've been focused on strengthening rural Georgia and many other things. Kemp said he believed Abrams was "trying to scare" voters. "Unfortunately, Stacey Abrams said we live in the worst state in the country," he said. Abrams closed with a look towards struggling Georgians, urging them to act. "Under Brian Kemp's four years as governor, crime has gone up, six hospitals have closed, housing prices are skyrocketing and communities are in turmoil. [Georgians] are worried about their rights and they're worried about their futures," she said. "But I want to do better by you." This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Brian Kemp, Stacey Abrams debate covered voter integrity, housing What We Know About the Deadly Halloween Disaster in Seoul (CNN) Most weekends, the narrow alleys of Itaewon, the neon-lit nightlife district in South Koreas capital Seoul, are busy with partygoers and tourists. Now it's the site of one of the country's worst disasters. On Saturday night, tens of thousands of people flooded into the area in central Seoul to celebrate Halloween but panic erupted as the crowds swelled, with some witnesses saying it became hard to breathe and impossible to move. More than 150 people were killed in the crush, with dozens more injured. Authorities have now launched an urgent investigation to find out how what was supposed to be a night of celebration went so horribly wrong, as families across the country mourn and search for missing loved ones. Here's what we know so far. Why were the crowds so big? Itaewon has long been a popular place to celebrate Halloween, especially as the holiday became more popular in Asia in recent years. Some even fly into Seoul from other countries in the region for the festivities. But for the past two years, celebrations were muted by pandemic restrictions on crowd sizes and mask mandates. Saturday night marked the first Halloween since the country lifted these restrictions lending it particular significance for many eager participants in Seoul, as well as international visitors including foreign residents and tourists. Hotels and ticketed events in the neighborhood had been booked solid in advance, and large crowds were expected. RELATED: Severely Damaged Plane Makes Emergency Landing What happened? Witnesses told CNN there was very little if any crowd control before the mass of people turned deadly. Videos and photos posted to social media show people crammed together, standing shoulder to shoulder in the narrow street. Crowds are not unusual for that area, or for Seoul residents, who are used to jam-packed subways and streets in a city of almost 10 million. One eyewitness said it took some time for people to realize something was wrong, with peoples panicked screams competing with music blaring from the surrounding clubs and bars. Story continues After the first emergency calls came in around 10:24 p.m., authorities rushed to the scene but the sheer volume of people made it difficult to reach those who needed help. Video posted to social media showed people performing compressions on other partygoers lying on the ground as they waited for medical assistance. The thousands of people in Halloween costumes contributed to the widespread sense of confusion and chaos. One witness described seeing a police officer shouting during the disaster but some revelers mistook him for another partygoer. The cause of the crush is still under investigation, though officials said there were no gas leaks or fires on site. Who were the victims? The casualties were young, mostly in their teens and early 20s, authorities said. Known for its nightlife and trendy restaurants, Itaewon is popular among backpackers and international students. Among the 154 dead were at least 26 foreign nationals, according to authorities, with victims from countries including the United States, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway, France, Russia, Austria, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. All but one of the victims have been identified, South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said in a briefing on Monday. The toll included 56 men and 97 women, South Korea's Interior and Safety Ministry reported. As of 5 p.m. local time Sunday (4 a.m. ET), the number of injured had risen to 133, of whom 37 were seriously injured, the ministry said. The Seoul city government said more than 4,000 missing people reports had been received. That number could include multiple reports for the same person, or reports filed Saturday night for people who have since been found. Police said there is no active search for those reported missing as they believe no one went missing from the scene; rather, they said the missing person reports have been used to help identify those who died. What was the official response? Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Interior and Safety, said on Sunday that a considerable number of police and security forces had been sent to another part of Seoul on Saturday in response to expected protests there. Meanwhile in Itaewon, the crowd had not been unusually large, he said, so only a normal level of security forces had been deployed there. As the disaster unfolded Saturday night, more than 1,700 emergency response forces were dispatched, including more than 500 firefighters, 1,100 police officials, and about 70 government workers. President Yoon Suk Yeol called an emergency meeting and urged officials to identify the dead as soon as possible. But even hours later, families were still waiting to find out if their loved ones survived. In the immediate aftermath, many people were transferred to nearby facilities, while bodies were taken to multiple hospital mortuaries. Families gathered at sites near the scene, where officials were compiling the names of the missing and deceased. Yoon promised to implement new measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again, saying the government would conduct emergency inspections not only for Halloween events but also for local festivals and thoroughly manage them so they are conducted in an orderly and safe manner. The government will also provide psychological treatment and a fund for families of the deceased and injured. Authorities have declared a national mourning period until November 5, and designated the district of Yongsan-gu, where Itaewon is located, a special disaster area. Questions being asked As a stunned and grieving nation grapples with the tragedy, questions are also emerging about how such a disaster could have unfolded in a popular area where people are known to gather. Its hard to pinpoint what might have triggered the crush but authorities would have anticipated high numbers ... before Saturday night, said Juliette Kayyem, a disaster management expert and national security analyst for CNN. There is a responsibility on the part of the authorities to be monitoring crowd volume in real time, so they can sense the need to get people out, she added. Suah Cho, 23, was caught up in the crowd but managed to escape into a building along the alley. When asked whether she had seen any officials trying to limit the number of people entering the alley, she replied: Before the incident, not at all. Another eyewitness described the situation getting worse and worse, saying they could hear people asking for help for other people, because there were not enough rescuers that can just handle all that. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. STORY: Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was also seen visiting the rubbish-strewn alley in Seouls popular Itaewon district, as investigators photographed and used equipment to measure its width and incline. Authorities said they were analyzing footage from more than 50 closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras as well as from social media to find out the exact cause of the accident and said they would continue questioning witnesses and shop employees near the site of the incident. Witnesses said chaos erupted when people surged into one narrow, sloping alley that was packed with crowds, resulting in the crush that killed at least 154 killed and injured 149, with 33 people in serious condition. Kroger associates wearing the multi-colored heart in question and a Kroger store The Kroger supermarket chain has settled a lawsuit via a consent decree with two former employees in Arkansas who claimed they were fired for refusing to wear aprons with a rainbow heart which they felt violated their religious beliefs. The two believed the heart was in support of the LGBTQ+ community. On Thursday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced the Kroger Limited Partnership I agreed to pay $180,000 to former employees Trudy Rickerd, then 57, and Brenda Lawson, then 72, in return for dropping their suit. Both employees were subsequently disciplined and fired in 2019, although Kroger maintains they were not terminated in retaliation for their actions. Rickerd and Lawson were 57 and 72 respectively at the time they were fired from their positions at the Kroger supermarket in Conway, Ark. The employees will receive about $70,000 each, according to NBC News. The EEOC commends Kroger on its decision to create a policy describing the process for requesting a religious accommodation, Faye A. Williams, regional attorney of the EEOCs Memphis District Office, said in a statement announcing the agreement. This policy will provide guidelines for requesting religious accommodation. The parties in the case worked in good faith to resolve this matter, and the Commission is pleased with the resolution. The Memphis District Office has jurisdiction over Arkansas, Tennessee, and portions of Mississippi. Kroger maintains they did not discipline or fire the employees over their religious beliefs but did agree in the consent decree to create a religious accommodation policy and provide enhanced religious discrimination training to store management. The women believed the emblem endorsed LGBTQ values and that wearing it would violate their religious beliefs, the EEOC said in a press release announcing the suit in 2020. The suit alleged the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964d which bans religious discrimination in employment. Kroger introduced the apron with a rainbow heart embroidered on the bib in April 2019, and reportedly required all employees to wear the apron. Lawson, a deli worker employed by Kroger since 2011, had offered to cover the heart with a name tag. Rickerd, a cashier with Kroger since 2006, had given management a letter outlining her objections to the symbol. Lawson was terminated June 1, 2019, and Rickerd May 29, 2019. A hughe barrage of Russian strikes rained down on critical infrastructure in Kyiv and other key Ukrainian cities on Monday, knocking out water and power supplies across the country just a day after Moscow accused Ukraine of attacking its Black Sea Fleet. The onslaught left hundreds of thousands of residential apartments in Ukraines capital without light, heat or running water, its mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Kharkiv, in the north east, was also plunged into darknesss after two strikes hit critical infrastructure facilities and the subway shut down, and there were also emergency blackouts in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk. Russias defense ministry said its forces carried out strikes with long-range, high-precision air- and sea-based weapons against the military command and energy systems of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin said the strikes were in part a response to alleged drone attacks on his Black Sea fleet.He indicated more action could follow.Thats not all we could have done, he told a televised news conference. Kyiv has been facing power outages to deal with attacks on infrastructure (Getty Images) Rights groups such as Amnesty International say attacksd on critical infrastructure are possible war crimes. Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister said, that Moscow was targeting its energy facilities as it lost ground at the frontlines of the war. Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraines critical infrastructure. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians, Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister said. Dont justify these attacks by calling them a response. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians. The attack comes two days after Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack against Russias Black Sea Fleet off the coast of the annexed Crimean peninsula. Ukraine has denied the attack, saying Russia mishandled its own weapons. Foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said missiles had hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities, causing electricity and water outages. Story continues Russia is not interested in peace talks, nor in global food security. Putins only goal is death and destruction, he said. Engineers are working to restore power following damage to an energy facility that powers about 350,000 apartments in Kyiv, the capitals mayor said on Monday. This map shows the current state of the war in Ukraine and locations of bombings on 31 October (Press Association Images) Specialists, together with other emergency services and authorities are doing everything possible to stabilise the situation as soon as possible, he wrote on the Telegraph messaging app. Russia launched the biggest air strikes since the start of the war on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities this month in what it said was a response to an attack on its bridge to Crimea. Russian forces have shifted their focus of strikes to power systems and the distribution grid, damaging Ukraines electricity system. Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky has said 30 per cent of the countrys power stations have been destroyed since Russia launches the wave of targeted strikes earlier this month. Additional reporting by agencies It has been nearly 50 years since Alyssa Metcalfes sister found the handless body in the dunes 2 miles east of the old Coast Guard station in Provincetown. Since then the The "Lady of the Dunes" case has had a permanent place on the Provincetown Police Department's website. The "Lady of the Dunes" has now been identified as Ruth Marie Terry from Tennessee, 37 at the time of her death, according to a Monday announcement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. The news was announced at an Oct. 31 Federal Bureau of Investigation press conference, and included Provincetown Chief of Police James Golden, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Levy, as well as state and federal law enforcement authorities. The FBI identified Ruth using investigative genealogy, a unique method that can generate new leads for unsolved homicides, as well as help identify unknown victims. This technique combines the use of DNA analysis with traditional genealogy research and historical records to generate investigative leads. What we knew in 2019Can a new method to study DNA solve give a name to the 'Lady of the Dunes' Over the years, the Lady of the Dunes case has caught the attention of each police chief and detective in Provincetown, starting with James J. Meads, Sr., who was chief when the body was found. Meads died in 2011. In 1980, the body was exhumed from the burial plot in the church cemetery for blood samples; 20 years later, it was exhumed again for DNA sampling, to see if it matched that of a woman who came forward as possibly the mother of the victim. A clay model was made of the womans head, and age-regression drawings were completed in 2006. Listen to episodes of the 'Lady of the Dunes' podcast by Wicked Local and the Cape Cod Times Use the links below to list or find us in the Apple podcast app In 2009 and 2010, then Provincetown police Detective Monica Himes and then-Police Chief Jeff Jaran worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia, and other investigators who convene regularly to discuss cold cases, to come up with a three-dimensional, color composite image of what the Lady of the Dunes might have looked like at the time of her death. Story continues Over the years, researcher Bruce Jackson, who ran the undergraduate biotechnology and forensic DNA science program at Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley, continued his studies of the case, including a visit to the site in the dunes in 2015 with five students. After Jackson died in 2016, the state medical examiners office removed the biological materials that Jackson held at the college, Neil Buckley, the colleges vice president for finance and administration, said in 2019. As a forensic DNA expert, Jackson had a standing relationship with the Provincetown Police Department since the 2000 exhumation, Police Chief James Golden said in 2015. The sampling taken in 2015, with the students, consisted of tablespoons of sand, Golden said at the time. In 2019, prosecutors were examining a new method for the use of DNA evidence and genealogy to generate leads in cold criminal cases on Cape Cod and the Islands. The Lady of the Dunes was one of two cases that were the primary targets of the effort, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael OKeefe said then. Learn more about this cold case:How to find out more about the 'Lady of the Dunes,' identified as Ruth Marie Terry How the Lady of the Dunes was found In Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties, there are four unidentified bodies and another 16 instances of unidentified human skeletal parts, which have been found mostly on beaches and in fishing nets, according to a government clearinghouse of missing, unidentified and unclaimed person cases in the U.S. In total, there are 11 unsolved homicides in the jurisdiction of the Cape and Islands District Attorneys office dating back to the 1970s, according to a spokeswoman for the office. Among the four unidentified bodies are two cases that overlap with the unsolved homicides, including Lady of the Dunes. After almost a half-century and countless hours of investigation, the case is the oldest unidentified dead person in Massachusetts included in the clearinghouse records. On July 26, 1974, Metcalfe, who was 10 years old at the time, had stayed in town to go to the horse stables while her parents and her sister, Leslie, visited with friends at the C-scape dune shack. Previous coverage:Lady of the Dunes mystery reinvigorated Were going to examine everything that we can with respect to whats left of the remains, OKeefe said of the Lady of the Dunes case. Leslie, then 12, and their parents had been hiking back to the Province Lands Visitor Center after a day at the shack with friends. A couple of their friends dogs were following them, when one of them caught a scent. The dog kind of started barking at something as they were hiking across, so my sister went to follow and see what the dog was barking at, Metcalfe said of what her family told her. That's when she found the body. Photos:Provincetown cold case 'Lady of the Dunes' identified as Ruth Marie Terry of Tennessee Leslie Metcalfe, who died in 1996, primarily remembered that the body had no hands and that it appeared to be a dead deer, based on the coloring of the womans skin, her sister said. Their parents and Leslie doubled back to the dune shack to tell everyone there, and then someone took a Jeep to find park rangers and bring them out. The womans head was nearly severed from her body, and she had been in the stand of scrub pines for at least a week, having died from a blow to the head, police said at that time. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'Lady of the Dunes' podcasts: What is the story of Ruth Marie Terry Lafayette, Ind. In response to the recent developments in the homicide case of Liberty German and Abigail Williams, Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski shared support and solidarity of neighboring city, Delphi. Roswarski also paid thanks to those in law enforcement who helped make the recent arrest in the case possible. Doug Carter, superintendent of the Indiana State Police, announced Monday Richard Allen, 50, of Delphi had been charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Libby and Abby. Carter added the probable cause affidavit remains sealed. Mayor Tony Roswarski speaks during a blue mass, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, at St. Mary Cathedral in Lafayette, Ind. TOP NEWS:Delphi man charged with murder in killings of Libby German and Abby Williams "Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the families of Abby and Libby, and all the citizens of Delphi and Carroll County, as we go into the next chapter of this tragic situation," Roswarski said. "We also thank and pray for all those in law enforcement and the criminal justice system who have worked tirelessly for justice for these girls, and will continue to work diligently to bring closure to this incredibly sad crime." West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis, who was out of the country until just recently, also shared his thoughts and support with Delphi. "I heard on my way home last night from the Chicago airport after returning from Ireland with my wife Mary about the arrest of Richard Allen in the Abbey and Libby case, and I was moved to tears," Dennis said. "As a former police officer, a father and a grandfather, I cannot express how relieved I was that such a monster was arrested and will be brought to justice. Even though there is nothing that will ever fill the hearts and souls of Abbey and Libbys families and friends, the arrest of Richard Allen will aid the family in their daily struggle with this incredible loss, and start the healing process the families, friends and the entire community. I will continue to keep them all in my prayers." Margaret Christopherson is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email her at mchristopherson@jconline.com and follow her on Twitter @MargaretJC2. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 'Incredibly sad time' for community as arrest made in Delphi murders Sangamon County Historical Society logo The last person executed in Sangamon County went to the gallows with a new suit, a plucky attitude and one last request no women were permitted to witness his hanging. James Hayes, 29, was put to death shortly after 10 a.m. Dec. 16, 1927, for the murder of widow Dolly Flatt, 45, on a farm north of Berlin. Hayes had worked on the farm, but had been fired after Flatts 12-year-old daughter complained of his unwelcome attentions. When Hayes was dismissed, the girl said, he threatened to return and kill both women. Hayes did return that night May 24, 1927 and broke through the door of the womens bedroom with an ax as they ran out the door. The girl escaped, but her mother tripped on a screen door in the yard. Hayes struck Mrs. Flatt in the head with the ax. She died a few days later at St. Johns Hospital. Hayes was found guilty in July, despite his attorneys arguments that he was mentally deficient, and sentenced to death. The Illinois legislature already had rewritten the states execution law to require that all death penalties be carried out by electrocution at a state prison, but the law applied only to crimes committed after July 1, 1927. Hayes cooperative attitude during his trial and stay in jail impressed authorities enough that they saw to it he went to his death wearing a donated new blue serge suit, white shirt and figured bow tie. His brown shoes were highly polished, reported an anonymous Illinois State Journal reporter who witnessed the hanging. Canvas screened the gallows (borrowed from Macoupin County) from the view of about 1,000 onlookers who gathered outside the county jail yard for the event. Only people with admission passes, including a dozen physicians, watched the hanging. At Hayes request no explanation was reported women were excluded from the group of witnesses. Against all odds, Hayes kept his spirits up to the end. The Journal described the scene. Hayes went to his death with an air of gameness that marked him since the day of his arrest in a district school house near Berlin. Story continues The slayer went to his death smilingly, with no apparent disappointment because a last legal effort by Attorneys Edmund Burke and W. Edgar Sampson, to halt the hanging, failed. When told that courts had closed their doors to him he said he was ready. You wont have any trouble with me, Hayes said as he shook the hands of his jailers for the last time. I will walk all the way. Funeral services were held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, after which Hayes body was taken to Mound City, the home of his mother, for burial. Originally published on SangamonLink.org, online encyclopedia of the Sangamon County Historical Society. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Sangamon County's last execution was in 1927 when man went to gallows A group of North Carolina lawmakers has called for a U.S. Justice Department investigation into two deputies traffic stop of a bus carrying students from Shaw University, a historically Black university. Paulette Dillard, president of the Raleigh, North Carolina, university, has alleged that students were improperly searched during a traffic stop in Spartanburg County. [T]his scene is reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s armed police, interrogating innocent Black students, conducting searches without probable cause, and blood-thirsty dogs. Its hard to imagine. Yet, it happened to the Shaw University community, and it is happening throughout this nation in alarming fashion. It must be stopped, she said in a statement. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said in a news conference Monday everything the president said was untrue. He said the traffic stop was one of 39 that day involving an effort known as Operation Rolling Thunder, begun because of the frequency of drugs being transported by buses. The effort resulted in 24 arrests and seizure of 102 pounds of marijuana, 2 pounds of meth and guns. On Oct. 5, deputies pulled over an unmarked bus with tinted windows because the bus was weaving, Wright said. They could not see in the bus, he said, adding that officers and the driver had a cordial conversation. They asked to inspect the cargo hold and the driver opened it, Wright said. The one K-9 there was on a leash, and alerted on one bag, which was searched. Officers found a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. Officers searched two other bags and found only clothing and toiletries, a video released by the Sheriffs Office showed. None of the students were taken off the bus, Wright said. The bus driver was given a warning. A university representative said Dillard would have no further comment since an investigation is underway. Five members of Congress Deborah K. Ross, Alma S. Adams, David E. Price, G. K. Butterfield and Kathy Manning wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland last week asking for his office to investigate. Story continues We write to urge you to conduct an expedited and independent review of the unfounded search of 18 Shaw University students earlier this month, as well as a pattern-of-practice investigation of the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office, which conducted the search, the letter said. The chartered bus was taking the students to the Center for Financial Advancement Conference in Atlanta. Multiple deputies and drug-sniffing dogs searched the belongings of the students and staff in the vehicle, the letter said. No illicit materials were found and the students were left unnerved, confused, and humiliated. The letter said the Congress members were deeply troubled by this unfounded search of Shaw students. The letter said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper,asked North Carolina Public Safety officials to express his concern to South Carolina law enforcement. The letter said the Spartanburg Sheriffs Office has patterns of misconduct. They cited a lawsuit filed in 2014 filed by a Black former detention officer who said people in the department used racial slurs and provided him with inadequate training compared with what white officers had. The officer Brian Blalock was fired in 2012 after a physical confrontation with an inmate. The parties settled that suit, but the details were not released. The Congress members also cited Wright saying in 2020, We had every opportunity to kill two Black men and we did not do it, while defending how deputies handled two arrests. We believe transparency and accountability are necessary for ensuring justice for the Shaw students directly involved in the incident, as well as the larger Shaw and Raleigh communities, the letter said. Wright said in the news conference he does not tolerate racism and wishes it would die an ugly, cruel death. We didnt do anything wrong, he said, calling Dillards statement libelous and slanderous. Dillard said she has asked the universitys general counsel to investigate whether there is any recourse the school could take about the way students were treated. A university spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment on Wrights press conference. He was joined by Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller at the press conference, who agreed the officers did nothing wrong. Facebook has created a designated portal through which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can directly report claims 0f disinformation to the company. Despite shuttering its widely unpopular Disinformation Governance Board in early 2022, the DHS has continued its underlying plans, documents obtained by The Intercept revealed. Among the topics which the DHS has prioritized to target include the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, racial justice, U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the nature of U.S. support to Ukraine, Ken Klippenstein and Lee Fang reported. The investigation relied heavily on leaked memos, emails, and documents, as well as public documents stemming from an ongoing lawsuit. It shows that, despite the DHSs initial backtracking of the disinformation council, it remains actively involved in lobbying tech companies over misinformation and disinformation. Platforms have got to get comfortable with govt. Its really interesting how hesitant they remain, one Microsoft exec (formerly a DHS official) texted DHS director Jen Easterly in February. The investigation focuses on a sub-group within the DHS known as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CISA, along with the FBI, met regularly with social-media entities as recently as August. Notes show that during these meetings, platforms such as Twitter were requested to process reports and provide timely responses, to include the removal of reported misinformation from the platform where possible. Vijaya Gadde, former general counsel for Twitter who was fired this week as part of Musks efforts to clean house, was part of an advisory committee overseeing CISA at the time. During her tenure, Gadde helped draft a report advocating that the body expand its role in the information ecosystem. One of the Intercepts biggest findings was that the FBI agent who played an instrumental role in pushing social-media platforms to censor the infamous New York Post story about Hunter Bidens laptop continued to shape DHS policy discussions. Story continues The DHS Facebook portal remains active, and the government agency, Meta (Facebooks parent company), and the FBI have yet to comment on the matter. More from National Review A Tennessee woman's speech defending the LGBTQ community went viral over the weekend, marking the latest flashpoint in America's simmering culture war. Jessee Graham, a mom of four from Columbia, gave an impassioned three-minute speech in front of the Maury County Board of Trustees after the county's public library director, Zachary Fox, was allegedly pressured to resign. Fox's resignation last week came after months of community pushback over the library's display of LGBTQ books for Pride Month in June. Community members were also dismayed when Fox's bar, Bad Idea Brewery, hosted a drag brunch last month. "Although we understood the pressure that Mr. Fox and his family were under due to the onslaught of baseless allegations from a few politically motivated individuals, we regretted that he felt he had to leave a role that he served very well," Joel Friddell, the board's chairman, said in a statement to NBC News, adding that the board "was unanimously in support of Zac staying on as director." Graham's speech, which was delivered last week and was viewed over 1 million times on both TikTok and Twitter as of Monday morning, also touched upon the broader culture war conservatives and right-wing activists have waged over LGBTQ issues and children. This year, conservatives have launched an unparalleled campaign to ban LGBTQ books across the country, passed laws prohibiting the instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity at school and demonized drag performers as threats to children. "I've never been sexually assaulted at a drag show, but I have been in church, twice," Graham, 33, said. "The men at the church told me it was my fault." "They haven't done anything to anyone," she went on, nodding to LGBTQ onlookers. "I am so sick of listening to this weird, fake pious crap about Christianity being the reason behind, 'We have to protect the kids.' Jesus didn't go anywhere and condemn people! He did not ever walk into any place and spew hatred and lies and completely annihilate a group of human beings who just want to exist." Story continues In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Graham said it was hypocritical for Fox's critics to draw on their Christian values while condemning drag performers. "It is hugely offensive to wipe away so many assaults that are currently being investigated at church while you're pointing a finger at people who are just being authentic and happy," she said, referring to the revelations about widespread child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church over the last several decades. "There's not even a comparison of the two." For months, conservatives have also characterized gender-affirming medical care as "child abuse" and the education of topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity as the "indoctrination" of children. But in her speech last week, Graham flipped the script; she said that what's abusive is denying children knowledge and health care. "You don't need a moral compass to recognize that something is wrong when it immediately hurts other people," she said in her viral speech. "So, why are we even here? Why are we even doing this? Why does hate even have a platform? I am so sick of these straight, white Christian males who are already at the top of the food chain acting like someone is out to get 'em! Leave them alone!" Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who went viral earlier this year for her own speech defending LGBTQ issues as "straight, white, Christian suburban mom," applauded Graham's speech on Sunday. "Hate will only win when people stand by and let it happen," McMorrow, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter. "Jessee Graham will not let hate win." Similar to McMorrow, Graham said she felt compelled to use her privilege as a straight, white woman to lift up others. "I felt a responsibility to my own children to show them what a good human being is supposed to do when there are people who are under attack and they don't have a voice to stop it," she said. Graham said she never expected her speech to go viral but hopes it will encourage others to speak out against hate. She added that she is willing to endure any consequences she may face as a result of the speech, including career ruin. "If worst comes to worst, I'll move back in with my parents, and I'll talk a bunch of mess," Graham, who currently works in real estate, said. "Because at the end of the day, my kids are going to inherit this world, and it is my job as a mother to make sure that they are safe. And how can they be safe if hatred continues to get a platform?" Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) currently has a 10-point lead over his Independent challenger, Evan McMullin, according to a new Emerson College survey. The poll, published on Monday, found that 49 percent of likely Utah voters said theyll vote for Lee in next weeks election, while 39 percent of respondents offered their support for McMullin. Seventy-one percent of Republican respondents said theyll vote for Lee in next weeks election, and 23 percent said they will cast their vote for his opponent. Seventy-one percent of Democratic respondents said they will vote for McMullin, while 6 percent said theyll support Lee, according to the poll. Among independents, 46 percent of respondents said theyll vote for McMullin, while 36 percent said theyll vote for Lee. Fifty-two percent of respondents said they have a favorable opinion of Lee, whos seeking a third term in the chamber, while 44 percent of those surveyed have an unfavorable opinion of the incumbent. Forty-seven percent of those surveyed said they have an unfavorable opinion of McMullin, who ran for president in 2016, while 41 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of him. The Emerson College Polling survey was conducted from Oct. 25 to Oct. 28, with a total of 825 respondents participating in the survey. The polls margin of error was 3.3 percentage points. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Students who attend Nansemond Parkway Elementary School are learning the power of pleasantries. Theyve already learned the simplest of small courtesies Hello, Good morning, Thank you can, over time, generate profound effects. Leisa Duckwall had worked for four years as a food nutrition service worker at the school, serving students breakfast and lunch. But not once had she ever seen a student say Hello or Good morning or even Thank you. Not once had she ever seen a student say what they wanted to eat. If they wanted chicken, theyd point at the chicken. Duckwall, who is deaf, hadnt ever seen a student say anything to her until this year. Now, the entire school is learning sign language, the students specifically to better communicate with Duckwall. No more pointing, now, there are words, including Hello, Good morning, and Thank you. When asked how its made her feel, Duckwall got straight to the point. Happy, she said. Before spreading to the entire school, it started in Kari Maskelonys fourth grade classroom. Maskelony grew up with hearing impaired family members. Many of her friends are deaf. She knows sign language, but throughout her life, has witnessed her loved ones frustrations when people were unable to be understand them. I noticed that all the kids realized that Ms. Duckwall couldnt hear them, Maskelony said. But they were all pointing to what they wanted, and then, she would have to point and have them say yes or no. One day in the cafeteria, Maskelony struck up a conversation with Duckwall while waiting for her fourth graders to finish lunch. The two casually signed back and forth until the teacher looked over her shoulder. And the kids were all watching us, Maskelony said. The next day, Maskelony asked her students, Do you guys want to learn how to sign to her what you want for lunch instead of pointing? They said yes. The class started with the basics of what they would need to know for interactions with Duckwall. They started with the main dishes, learning the sign language words for chicken, fish and other typical school cafeteria cuisines. Story continues Next, the students learned to sign letters. If a student wanted a side of rice, they would sign the letter R. If they had a preference for carrots, theyd sign C. And they just wanted to learn more. So I was like, OK, lets keep going, Maskelony said. It didnt take long before principal Janet Wright-Davis heard about what was going on. I thought, You know what? Is it just Ms. Maskelonys class who are doing it. Lets teach the whole school, Wright-Davis recalled. Lets teach the whole school sign language. Morning announcements at Nansemond Parkway Elementary arrive via video monitors in classrooms. A portion are now dedicated to learning sign language. One new word is taught every week. Not only is it great for the kids because they can learn a new skill that they can carry with them and actually use with other people that they meet, but I think it (is) great because equal inclusivity and equal access is so important, Duckwall said, with the assistance of a interpreter. Its just something that we dont often see. To have this happen in her school because of something that she worked on with a teacher, Duckwall said is really important to her. Hopefully it will inspire some other schools to do the same, she added. Students can be seen walking down the Nansemond Parkway hallways signing Good morning to each other. The teachers claim their students love sign language. The adults claim the kids think its fun, and they agree. Every single fourth grader in Maskelonys class gave sign language a positive review. Dylan Gustafson, 9, said he practices his sign language skills at night before falling asleep. And Demond King Hopkins, 10, views sign language as a useful skill thatll potentially come in handy later in life. If you have a girlfriend thats deaf ..., King Hopkins said. Isis Baker, 9, said her favorite sign is the word for chicken because I love chicken which she often selects in the cafeteria but not barbeque (chicken), she explained, because barbeque just tastes nasty. Liam Wine, 9, said the sign for Good morning has been the hardest to learn so far because it requires a linear progression of four separate gestures. But he added the feeling of accomplishment once hed mastered the word made it all worth it. And they all thought their collective hard work was worth it, if for nothing else, to make Duckwall feel included. Lindsay Lohan hasn't fully pulled back the curtain on her new life in Dubai where she moved with her husband Bader Shammas. But it's clear that she's pleased with the anonymity that she's gained while living in a place with no paparazzi. While the 36-year-old actress told Cosmopolitan that there's "too much" social media today, she was quick to acknowledge the positives in public figures having a tool to tell their own story. Lohan on the cover of Cosmopolitan's The Work issue. (Photo: Ellen von Unwerth for Cosmopolitan) "When I first started out in the business, none of us had a say in how to control our own narrative. There were paparazzi pictures, and then people ran with it," she said. "So I think it's really good that in this day and age, people can say who they are and who they want to be. And I admire and appreciate that. I'm a little jealous because I didn't have that." Lohan famously grew up in the hey day of tabloids and paparazzi who captured photos of young stars like herself, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears and published them alongside sensational headlines. All three have talked about the impact of being followed and photographed and have tapped into social media as a way to reclaim their image. Lohan, however, explained that it's still an adjustment. "I think it moves really fast and I just try to keep up as best I can," she said. "And I check everything before I post it. I'll send it to people. Because you have to." She's also realized the importance of not impulsively engaging with haters on her platforms. "You have to take everything people say with a grain of salt and just be you. And slow down, because everyone's so quick right now," she told the magazine. "People just don't stop. You've got to chill." Although she's enjoying her more private life in the United Arab Emirates, Lohan assured readers that acting in front of a camera is still where she feels most at home. "I kind of just immerse myself in it right away. It's just like, something happens. And it's always been like that with me. I just change. I get comfortable right away," she said. "The second Im in front of the camera, everything else stops." Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. DAgostinos is a neighborhood institution right on Mass Ave in Arlington. Sam DAgostino says his family deli and market is a place where they remember your order and your name. Its funny sometimes we get compared to Cheers sometimes, says DAgostino. You walk in and everyone knows your name. Its part of an atmosphere that we want to create. The folks at DAgs, as the locals call it, like to give back to the community they feed in a big way. DAgostinos is going to build a 200 foot Italian on the Arlington High School football field as part of a fundraiser for FoodLink. Also located in Arlington, the non-profit rescues food from major grocers and donates to needy families. The sub will be eaten by town staff, but the donations will feed families and connect the community through food. Tuesday, the 8th is when the event is. Its election day. And that can be a very polarizing day. What we wanted to bring each side, no matter what side of the coin you fall on into a common place to enjoy food, to enjoy drink, to enjoy each other. Its no small task. The deli crew is gonna set it up on the counter and have someone cut the bread, someone cut the cold cuts and someone build the sandwiches and wrap them and deliver them. Theyll work off hours to tackle this huge lunch order, its worth it. You can go to DAgostino Food Fighters on Venmo and donate. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Hopewell High Schools marching band has been invited to play the 2022 Peach Bowl in Atlanta that is set to be held Dec. 31. However, last Friday, the school announced that it had fallen short of the funds needed to attend. Out of its $85,000 goal, the school said it had only raised $60,000. Their goal was to raise the remaining $15,000 by Tuesday. On Sunday, the school announced that it not only met its goal but exceeded it with a final tally of more than $21,000. despite the tight deadline. ALSO READ: Charlotte woman who captured the hearts of millions diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer A lot of one-worders, said band director Curtis Bells about what came to his mind about achieving the goal. [Its} unbelievable. Student here says woohoo. Boy we were hustling. This is incredible. Bell said that it is the bands first time being invited to the Peach Bowl and the chance of a lifetime and they couldnt have gotten it done without the community. For them to come together in such a short deadline and just make this thing happen for us was just, its just unbelievable, Bell said of the community. ALSO READ: Former Panthers player hosts annual fundraiser supporting kids with heart defects The school also released a statement about meeting the goal. This is truly the beginning of a journey the Titanium Sound Band was always meant to be on, the school said. But we needed our community to get us there. The best is yet to come, because of you. Bell and his group are excited for the opportunity to showcase a show they have worked on for months. Hopewell High Schools marching band has been invited to play the 2022 Peach Bowl in Atlanta that is set to be held Dec. 31. Even for me, myself, its a memory that Ill carry with me forever, Bell said. So Im just excited. Money is still coming in, according to Bell. If you wish to donate to the band, click here. (WATCH BELOW: Charlotte Rescue Mission calling on community for Thanksgiving meal donations) Country singer Luke Bryan is defending his decision to invite Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to a show Friday night after getting pushback on social media. According to a video clip shared on Twitter, Bryan told concertgoers they were going to have "some fun" and "raise some money tonight for the great state of Florida," referring to proceeds from his shows going toward the Florida Disaster Fund, which is raising money for people impacted by Hurricane Ian. Bryan's shows in Florida were initially postponed in September due to the hurricane. He then proceeded to welcome DeSantis to the stage, according to a video shared by user @bonnieupright. As the politician made his way to the stage next to Bryan, he threw caps onto the crowd. Not everyone was pleased. On Twitter, people responded to the video with disappointment. "Another country artist I now cross off my list," user @JSteeleNW wrote. DeSantis just walked out on stage at Luke Bryan. Its deafening in here. pic.twitter.com/WHelgPCxM1 Bonnie Upright, APR (@bonnieupright) October 29, 2022 Another Twitter user wrote: "Hey @lukebryan most people are good but #RonDeSantis is not one of them. Im incredibly disappointed in you and will no longer support your music or @AmericanIdol as long as youre on it." "I had my suspicions about @LukeBryan and his political leanings. He was already on my list of artists whose music I refuse to purchase for fear of my hard earned money going into the pockets of election deniers and democracy assassins," wrote @Leob4w on Twitter. "Many thanks for confirming!" Will DeSantis run for president? The candidate I saw during the Florida debate is worrisome. Then Sunday, Bryan shared a statement on Twitter defending his decision to give DeSantis a platform at his show. Story continues "I typically don't respond to stuff when I'm getting run down on a social platform but here's the deal," Bryan wrote. "I understand Governor DeSantis is a very polarizing figure. But I grew up in a country where if a governor (asks) you if they can come and raise awareness to help victims of a natural disaster you help." The "polarizing" DeSantis has drawn his own backlash in recent months he was one of the politicians behind Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law, sent migrants to Martha's Vineyard as a political stunt and cracked down on voting rights in Florida, according to video obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. The Florida governor also shared photos of the two onstage Saturday on Twitter, writing: "Thanks for letting me crash the party last night, @lukebryan!" More: Border shelters warn migrants about human trafficking after DeSantis flights to Martha's Vineyard Thanks for letting me crash the party last night, @lukebryan! pic.twitter.com/GCuTELFOM9 Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) October 29, 2022 In his statement, Bryan added that he has "generally stayed out of politics throughout my career" and "knew people would chatter about this." But for him, it was "more important" to come back to Florida "after a large portion of people have been affected by a natural disaster in a state where people have been good to me " and "raise awareness." "This is all I'm saying about this. I'll be outdoors with my boys. Enjoy your Sunday. Love y'all," he concluded. American Idol: Luke Bryan wants to 'ugly cry' after autistic singer's inspiring audition This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luke Bryan defends inviting Governor Ron DeSantis to Florida show By Jake Spring SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Environmentalists, world leaders and sustainable investors on Monday cheered the victory of Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has promised to protect the Amazon rainforest and restore Brazil's leadership on climate change. In his victory speech, Lula pledged to clamp down on illegal logging, mining and land grabbing that have driven the surging deforestation of the Amazon over the past four years under President Jair Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday's election. "Brazil is ready to retake its leadership in the fight against the climate crisis," Lula told a crowd of supporters in Sao Paulo. "Brazil and the planet need a living Amazon." Destruction of the Brazilian rainforest hit a 15-year high under Bolsonaro, who rolled back environmental protections, and pushed for more mining and commercial farming in the region. Bolsonaro's office and the Environment Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Lula has vowed a sweeping overhaul of environmental policy, on par with the proposed Green New Deal in the United States, although there are doubts if he can get such an ambitious agenda past a Congress where Bolsonaro's allies have the upper hand. He may have an easier time re-establishing Brazil's role in international efforts to address climate change. Lula's environmentalist ally Marina Silva told Reuters on Monday that the president-elect would signal Brazil's renewed global leadership on climate change by sending representatives to next week's COP27 United Nations climate summit in Egypt. The representatives, who have yet to be selected, would form part of an unofficial delegation, as Lula will only assume the presidency on Jan. 1, she said. Lula himself may even join the delegation, at the invitation of some Brazilian state governors, his senior policy adviser Celso Amorim told journalists later on Monday, adding that it would depend on whether the exact travel dates will work. Story continues Silva said that Brazil would demand rich countries provide financing to poor countries to respond to climate change and give compensation for permanent "loss and damage" from climate change. But international funding will not be a pre-condition to protecting the Amazon, as Bolsonaro's government has signaled. Norway is ready to discuss restarting a fund for Amazon preservation with roughly 3 billion reais ($573 million), its Climate and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide said in an emailed statement on Monday. Bolsonaro's government had halted the so-called Amazon Fund in 2019 citing unspecified irregularities. Under Lula, Brazil will also discuss expanding its national targets for cutting climate-related emissions, said Silva, his former environment minister from 2003 to 2008. In Lula's third term, he will likely announce targets for cutting methane emissions - a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide - from livestock, power plants and other sources, she said. Lula also plans in early 2023 to hold a summit including Amazon nations and developed countries with an interest in preserving the forest, an adviser told Reuters last month. BRAZIL BAN LIFTING? Investors focused on environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) also welcomed Lula's victory. Nordea Asset Management, a wing of giant Nordic bank Nordea, said it is considering lifting its ban on buying more Brazil government bonds that was instituted in 2019 when huge fires in the Amazon provoked global outcry to protect the rainforest. Responsible investing head Eric Christian Pedersen told Reuters he was "optimistic" the quarantine on its Brazil bond holdings would soon be lifted. The firm, with roughly 237 billion euros ($234 billion) in assets under management, only owned about 100 million euros in Brazilian sovereign bonds when the prohibition took effect. Robeco, which manages 200 billion euros in assets, including at least 5 billion euros invested in Brazilian equities and debt, also takes a positive view on Brazil "for now" based on Lula's comments on sustainability and other matters, portfolio manager Daniela da Costa-Bulthuis told Reuters. Environmental advocates also cheered Lula's proposals for the Amazon, but cautioned that his agenda would face enormous political resistance. Marina Silva, who won a seat in Congress this month, said Lula aims to create a new national climate authority to oversee efforts by all ministries and agencies to combat global warming. But he will face a more hostile Congress where Bolsonaro's allies are close to a majority in both houses. "The nightmare is almost over," said Marcio Astrini, head of the Climate Observatory lobby group, while noting Bolsonaro still had two months in which he could sign off on new policies. "It will be a long journey to rebuild what was destroyed." ($1 = 5.2397 reais) (Reporting by Jake Spring; Additional reporting by by Gwladys Fouche in Oslo; Editing by Brad Haynes and Aurora Ellis) By Lisandra Paraguassu and Marcela Ayres SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who narrowly won Sunday's election, has been cagey about potential Cabinet choices while on the campaign trail, but some names of trusted allies are expected to be in the new government on Jan. 1. They include Workers Party stalwarts Alexandre Padilha and Fernando Haddad, former governors Wellington Dias and Flavio Dino, and new allies Simone Tebet and Marina Silva who helped Lula defeat far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Most speculation has focused on who will be his finance minister, which will be a major signal to investors of his commitment to fiscal discipline. If Lula has settled on his pick, he has not yet told even his closes aides. "He banned any talk of this because in a tight election, anticipating names could have a negative impact," said a senior member of Lula's Workers Party who requested anonymity. Two strong contenders for finance minister are Padilha, a former health minister, and Haddad, the former Sao Paulo mayor who lost his race for governor of the state on Sunday, according to sources in the Lula campaign. They also gave a nod to Dias, who like Padilha has taken part in meetings with businessmen to discuss Lula's plans for the economy. However, one of the sources said Dias, a former Piaui governor who was elected to the Senate, had a stronger shot at being Lula's chief of staff. Another Lula aide said Aloizio Mercadante, the coordinator of Lula's election program who has made financial markets wary with his interventionist proposals, would be a stronger name for planning minister than finance minister. MARKET DARLING Another candidate in the mix, met with eager speculation from investors, is market darling Henrique Meirelles, a former banker whom Lula appointed central bank governor at the start of his first presidency in 2003. Meirelles was finance minister in the government that replaced impeached President Dilma Rousseff in 2016, drawing lasting ire from some in the Workers Party. Story continues Lula has not released details of his economic plans or how he would pay for extending more generous welfare benefits next year. That would require changes to Brazil's constitutional spending cap, which has led to much speculation about Lula's commitment to fiscal discipline. Flavio Dino, the former Maranhao governor who also won a Senate seat, is very likely to be in the Cabinet and could be Lula's justice minister, the sources said. Tebet, a centrist senator who placed third in the presidential race before campaigning for Lula in his runoff against Bolsonaro, will likely be rewarded with a Cabinet post. She would be a strong pick for agriculture minister, sources said, as she comes from farm state Mato Grosso do Sul, although she has said publicly she would rather be education minister. Marina Silva, who was Lula's environment minister when he first assumed the presidency in 2003, but fell out with his government and left in 2008 to found Brazil's Green Party, also campaigned for him against Bolsonaro. Sources said she is slated to take a new government role coordinating the fight against climate change by promoting for "green" economic development. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Sao Paulo, Marcela Ayres in Brasilia and Sabrina Valle in Houston; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes and Grant McCool) Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi attend mass in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Sopa Images / LightRocket via Getty Images The man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home and attacking her husband with a hammer went there looking for her and planned to kidnap her and break her kneecaps, according to a federal indictment released Monday. David DePape, 42, had "zip ties, tape, rope, and at least one hammer" with him, according to the indictment, and was "prepared to detain and injure Speaker Pelosi" following the break-in at their San Francisco home early Friday morning. "DePape stated that he was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her," the indictment says. "If Nancy were to tell DePape the 'truth,' he would let her go, and if she 'lied,' he was going to break 'her kneecaps.' DePape was certain that Nancy would not have told the 'truth.'" In an interview with the FBI, DePape allegedly said he "viewed Nancy as the 'leader of the pack' of lies told by the Democratic Party," and "that by breaking Nancys kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions." DePape is now facing both state and federal charges for the attack. Federal prosecutors have charged him with one count of "assault of an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties" as well as one count of "attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties." If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 50 years in prison. The San Francisco district attorney's office also charged DePape on Monday with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elderly abuse, false imprisonment of an elder, threats to a public official and their family, and residential burglary. He faces 13 years to life in prison if convicted of the state charges, interim District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said during a news conference. According to the federal indictment, DePape entered Paul Pelosi's bedroom while the speaker's husband was asleep and "stated he wanted to talk to 'Nancy.'" When told she was not there and wouldn't be home for several days, DePape said "he would sit and wait." (The speaker was in Washington, DC, at the time.) Story continues The speaker's husband was able to call 911 from the bathroom, telling the dispatcher at 2:23 a.m. that there was a man in the house who said he was going to wait for the speaker to return. Police arrived at the home less than 10 minutes later, and found the speaker's husband and the suspect "both holding a hammer with one hand," with DePape "holding onto Pelosis forearm" with his other hand. When officers asked DePape to drop the hammer, he allegedly "pulled the hammer from Pelosis hand and swung the hammer, striking Pelosi in the head." Officers then restrained DePape, while Pelosi "appeared to be unconscious on the ground." According to a motion to detain without bail filed by San Francisco prosecutors on Tuesday, Pelosi "remained unresponsive for about three minutes" and woke up in "a pool of his own blood." DePape knew that Pelosi had called the police, according to the indictment, but allegedly told investigators he didn't leave "because, much like the American founding fathers with the British, he was fighting against tyranny without the option of surrender." Pelosi, 82, suffered trauma to the head and body from being "severely beaten" during the hammer assault, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation, the AP reported. The speaker's husband "is receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery," Drew Hammill, a spokesperson for her office, said in a statement. He was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Friday morning where he successfully underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and "serious injuries" to his right arm and hands, according to the speaker's spokesperson. "The Speaker and her family are thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers from friends, constituents and people around the country," Hammill said. "The Pelosi family is immensely grateful to Mr. Pelosis entire medical team and the law enforcement officers who responded to the assault." Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon, Jenkins said it was clear from DePape's statements while inside the Pelosi residence that the attack was politically motivated. "We know that there have been tragedies in this very city of political leaders in the past, and so its something that we have to take very seriously," Jenkins said, presumably referring to the 1978 assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk. "It's very sad to see that we are once again at a point in history where people believe that its OK to express their political sentiments through violence." In the motion to detain, Jenkins's office said DePape told officers and medics on the scene that he was "sick of the insane fucking level of lies coming out of Washington, D.C." and that while he didn't want to hurt the speaker's husband he was on "a suicide mission." "Hurting him was not my goal," DePape said, according to the document. "I told him before I attacked him, that he's escalating things, and I will go through him if I have to." CNN reported that DePape had shared social media posts espousing debunked conspiracy theories, including that COVID vaccines are deadly, the 2020 election was stolen, and that police did not murder George Floyd. Two blogs apparently written by a person named David DePape were filled with racist, antisemitic, and other bigoted statements, and pushed conspiracy theories about how "the elites/ruling class" censor information. A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department would not confirm to BuzzFeed News whether police believe the suspect wrote the content, but his daughter told the Los Angeles Times that at least one of the blogs was his. DePape is estranged from his family, family members told CNN. Baseless conspiracy theories have circulated since the attack, including one Elon Musk promoted on Twitter just days after buying the platform. On Sunday, Musk tweeted a link to a post from a fake news website called the Santa Monica Observer that claimed DePape is a male sex worker who was in a dispute with Paul Pelosi, who was drunk. The claim has no basis, and the post made no effort to verify it. The Santa Monica Observer which falsely portrays itself as a news outlet has published outrageous fake news stories in the past, according to the Los Angeles Times, including ones that claimed Hillary Clinton died and a body double was used to debate Donald Trump in 2016, that Trump appointed Kanye West to the Department of the Interior, and that sunlight could cure COVID-19 patients. Musk later deleted the tweet. In her Sunday news conference, Jenkins said she was aware of such conspiracy theories and firmly pushed back against them. There is "nothing to suggest that these two men knew each other prior to this incident," she said. "I think there needs to be a respect for what that family has endured, what Mr. Pelosi has endured and is recovering from," Jenkins said. According to officials, DePape gained entry into the speaker's home by breaking through a rear glass door. Jenkins said there was no security present at the time of the break-in. DePape appeared in court on Tuesday with his right arm in a sling as he entered a plea of not guilty. His court-appointed attorney, deputy public defender Adam Lipson, told reporters after the hearing that DePape dislocated his shoulder during his arrest. Jenkins said on Monday that her office planned to file the motion to detain him without bail due to "obvious and severe public safety risks." According to the motion, DePape told Paul Pelosi he couldn't "be stopped" and had other targets. "Violence has no place in this city," she said, "and we will work vigorously to hold the defendant accountable." UPDATE Nov. 01, 2022, at 22:57 PM More on this Xi sends condolences to S. Korean president over stampede in Seoul Xinhua) 08:09, October 31, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence Sunday to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol over a stampede in the South Korean capital Seoul, which caused heavy casualties. In his message, Xi said he was shocked to learn of the stampede. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi extended deep condolences over the deaths and sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured. Several Chinese citizens were unfortunately killed or injured in the accident, Xi said, expressing his hope that the South Korean side will make every effort to treat those injured and handle the follow-up matters properly. On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also sent a message of condolence to South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) In this Feb. 22, 2017, file photo, Indiana State Police provide the latest details of the investigation into the killings of teenage girls Liberty German (left) and Abigail Williams in Delphi, Indiana. J. Kyle Keener / AP More than five years after two girls were killed in the small town of Delphi, Indiana, a 50-year-old man has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder. Richard Allen was arrested and charged last week, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter announced in an emotional news conference on Monday. Allen is accused of killing 14-year-old Liberty Libby German and 13-year-old Abigail Abby Williams, who disappeared after being dropped off at a trailhead on Feb. 13, 2017. After a massive search in the town of about 3,000 people, their bodies were found in a wooded area nearly 24 hours later. Richard Allen Indiana State Police Allen has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond. A trial date has been set for March 20, 2023. When Indiana State Police announced Friday that theyd have an update on the case Monday, it sparked a frenzy in the true crime community. Amateur sleuths and local residents who had been following the case intently for the past five years spent the weekend posting a slew of information and speculation about Allen. Many were incredulous that no one had identified him despite his resemblance to a police sketch and video of the suspect. Video of the suspect had been key evidence that police and investigators pored over for years. The girls last known location alive was a bridge where Libby had shared two photos on Snapchat. Police would later reveal that Libby had also recorded video of the suspect walking toward the girls on the bridge. Days later, investigators released two grainy stills of the suspect from video captured by Libby, along with eerie audio of a man saying "down the hill." People reported on Feb. 27, 2017, After reviewing evidence, [Carroll County Sheriff Tobe] Leazenby says it appears the girls initially took pictures for fun but later became uncomfortable and recorded the video as a way of ensuring evidence. Five months later, in July 2017, police released a composite sketch of the suspect that would become ubiquitous for years, it could be seen plastered in storefronts throughout Delphi, in news stories about the girls killings, and on tens of thousands of social media posts and online message boards like Reddit. It was described as "an artist's composite of the information" collected by investigators from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Story continues Additional audio was later shared with the victims families, police said, which included Libby and Abby chatting about "stuff girls talk about" and in which they also mention the man. Police have been famously tight-lipped about the investigation from the outset, declining to reveal how the girls died and sharing very few details about the crime scene. And despite the suspect's arrest, they still refused to share that and other information Monday. "The investigation is still ongoing," Carroll County prosecutor Nick McLeland said. "For that reason, the probable cause and evidence in the charging information will not be released." He later cited the "extra scrutiny" on this case and his desire for the prosecution "not to be tarnished or tainted" if the evidence is made public. "Again, he's presumed innocent and so it was important for me in this case to do that," McLeland said. At a news conference in April 2019, however, investigators played chilling video of the suspect approaching the girls on the bridge, along with a longer audio clip of him saying, Guysdown the hill. The inclusion of guys added significant context to the clip, as it further bolstered speculation that he was ordering them to walk to a more secluded area where he would kill them. At least one tabloid described it as a death march. Indiana State Police also in 2019 released a second composite sketch, which was markedly different from the first. In fact, police said the sketches were of two different men, and that the original depicted a 40- to 50-year-old person of interest who was no longer considered a suspect. The man in the second sketch is much younger in his 20s to late 30s, police said. In May 2022, the Murder Sheet podcast obtained a copy of a March 2017 FBI warrant to search the home and property of the man who owned the land where the girls bodies were found. The FBI agents affidavit for the warrant, which was also posted by the local News & Review, includes details not previously shared with the public by investigators. For example, the affidavit states that a large amount of blood was lost by the victims at the crime scene, but the girls had no visible signs of a struggle or a fight. Furthermore, the affidavit says that the killer may have taken a souvenir, saying, It was also discovered that the [redacted] of one of the victims was missing from the crime scene while the rest of their clothing was recovered. It also appeared the girls bodies were moved and staged. While the FBI agent identified the landowner, Ron Logan, as a suspect in the girls deaths, he was never arrested and died earlier this year. Meanwhile, another man connected to the case is in jail awaiting trial on 30 counts of child exploitation, possession of child sexual abuse images, and obstruction of justice. In a probable cause affidavit, police said the man, Kegan Kline, admitted to creating a fake online profile, "anthony_shots," to meet underage girls and receive explicit photos. According to a leaked transcript of a police interview with Kline, the account communicated with Libby before her death. Despite the connection, he has not been named as a suspect in the killings. The reward for information leading to the identification of the girls killer topped $325,000 as of spring 2021, but Carter refused to say whether that factored into Friday's arrest. Monday morning, a reporter asked McLeland how he felt after conducting a nearly six-year nationwide investigation only to find your guy down the street from your office." "That's a hard question to answer it's mixed emotions," McLeland said, admitting that "it's concerning that he's a local guy." "It's bittersweet," he said. "It's a step in the right direction." We believe you are hiding in plain sight, Carter said at the April 2019 news conference, directly addressing the suspect. If Allen is convicted, it would seem Carter was right. More on this A man was found dead with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle that crashed into a fence behind a business near 67th Avenue and Thomas Road. A man was found dead with a gunshot wound inside a crashed vehicle on Sunday night, Phoenix police said. Officers responded to a shooting call at about 11 p.m. Sunday near 67th Avenue and Thomas Road, police said. There, they found a car crashed into a fence behind a business with Leonel Pineda-Valdez, 27, inside. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Preliminary information suggests the shooting occurred prior to Pineda-Valdez getting inside his vehicle. Police say the shooting appears to have taken place behind a building on the northwest corner of the intersection and after the shooting, Pineda-Valdez got inside his vehicle and drove into the fence. Police said any suspects were still outstanding as of Monday afternoon, and detectives were investigating what led up to the shooting. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 27-year-old found shot and killed inside a crashed vehicle in Phoenix One man may have taken getting into the Halloween spirit a bit too far after he allegedly stole pumpkins from a local Kroger over Halloween weekend. On Oct. 29, officers with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) responded to an incident at the Kroger, located at 1366 Poplar Ave. A manager told police a man had walked out of the store with unpaid merchandise, according to an affidavit. Officers found the suspect at the corner of Poplar and Cleveland pushing a Kroger cart with 3 orange pumpkins and one Heineken beer, records show. The suspect, identified as Warren Smith, 50, was then taken back to Kroger to be identified. The manager and a security guard said Smith was the person who stole the pumpkins and beer, police said. Smith was then taken to 201 Poplar. Hes charged with Theft of Property less than $1,000, records show. Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: WASHINGTON A pair of U.S. Marine Corps exercises in the Pacific this month focused on working side-by-side with allies as the Marines pursue more sophisticated ways of sensing coastal waters and picking out targets. The 3rd Marine Division commanded forces in two separate exercises, Resolute Dragon in Japan and Kamandag in the Philippines, that both questioned how Pacific Marines could quickly disperse to key maritime terrain and then team up with local forces to find and hit threats ashore and at sea, exercise leaders told Defense News. While the two exercises had different objectives, 3rd Marine Division leadership coordinated their deployment from Okinawa, Japan. Division leadership also picked times to coordinate actions across both exercises, simulating the kind of disaggregated fight the Marine Corps expects in the future. Kamandag was set in some of the most vital locations in the Pacific if the U.S. were ever called upon to defend Taiwan. Marines departed Okinawa and spread out throughout the Philippines, operating in locations on the western island of Palawan, near capital city Manila, in remote jungle in northern Luzon, and in small islands between the northern Luzon shore and Taiwan. One island involved in the exercise, Basco, is about the same distance from Taiwans southern shore as Naval Station Norfolk, Va., is from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division and members of the Northern Army, Japan Self-Defense Force, coordinate operations in the Bilateral Ground Tactical Control Center during Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 11, 2022. (Cpl. Lorenzo Ducato/US Marine Corps) Some of the exercise events focused on command and control and sensing the battlefield alongside Philippine Marine Corps units, while others included bilateral combined arms events. In northern Luzon, the goal was to become familiar with the terrain that we might operate off of with our allies in a crisis, and also develop the necessary understanding of what the sustainment and resupply situation would be for us in areas like that, Col. Erick Clark, commanding officer of 4th Marine Regiment under 3rd Marine Division, told Defense News. Resolute Dragon, which this year took place on the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan, was focused on operating Bilateral Ground Tactical Coordination Centers, according to Col. Jonathan Sims, commanding officer of 12th Marine Regiment under 3rd Marine Division. Story continues Sims, who has spent several years operating alongside the Japanese, said U.S. and Japanese units often have liaisons in each others operations centers to ensure they have matching operational pictures, but he said the effort gets quite unwieldy. In recent years, the two militaries have crafted a concept for these bilateral coordination centers; due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Resolute Dragon 22 was the first exercise testing the concept on a larger scale, Sims said. For the 12th Marines, he said, we dont do anything without Japanese partnership, nothing. And so really the imperative here was that we go out and start to run our operations together, absolutely side by side. The next step will be to move this type of exercise to more tactically relevant locations, including the islands between mainland Japan and Okinawa, and the islands between Okinawa and Taiwan. U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jonathon Sims, 12th Marines Commanding Officer, and Japan Self-Defense Force Gen. Yuichi Togashi, 2nd Division Commanding Officer, discuss operations in the Bilateral Ground Tactical Control Center during Resolute Dragon 22 at Yausubetsu Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 2, 2022. (Cpl. Lorenzo Ducato/US Marine Corps) For both exercises, the first test was arriving at the locations on time. What we continually see is that theres just not enough military-tagged Department of Defense lift to move the division and my regiment to where it needs to go in a contingency or crisis, Sims said. 12th Marines traveled to Hokkaido via civilian lift and Military Sealift Command ships. He said the deployment went smoothly, though ships like dry cargo ship Sacagawea and roll-on/roll-off ship Dahl might not be available during an actual fight. Sims said his unit must consider other options to ensure it can always deploy when needed. We have to solidify plans to be able to get there as early as possible and then be able to partner up with our allies, whether its Japanese, Filipinos or otherwise, Sims said. The Marines headed to the Philippines used a range of military ships and aircraft, including amphibious assault ship Tripoli. A forward command element from 3rd Marine Division even rehearsed scrambling from its Okinawa headquarters to the Philippines as part of an Alert Contingency Marine Air-Ground Task Force Drill using U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J planes, spokesman Lt. Col. Kurt Stahl said, part of an effort to ensure this lift is ready on short notice. Once there, part of the Marines challenge was applying new gear to the rugged environments. Clark said the jungles of northern Luzon stressed the radars and small unmanned aerial systems the Marines typically use to sense the environment and look for targets. U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Stephen Gay, an unmanned aerial vehicle operator, with 1st Battalion, 2d Marines, launches a Stalker XE-25 during KAMANDAG 6 in San Vicente, Philippines, Oct. 4, 2022. (Lance Cpl. Michael Taggart/US Marine Corps) These systems were developed and tested in the United States, but 4th Marines needed to use them in the heat, humidity and triple canopy jungle. Clark said his Marines learned about employing these sensing capabilities in tough weather and terrain and would use those lessons to refine how they gather, process and share information. Clark noted Marines near Manila for Kamandag and in Hokkaido for Resolute Dragon used High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers, something of great interest to the Philippines and Japan as they modernize to conduct littoral operations in a similar manner to the U.S. Marines. He said Japan has a shore-based anti-ship system, and the Philippines is interested in pursuing a coastal defense sensing and fires system. As we work with them, whats a little more difficult than developing the technology is developing credible processes in order to employ them in a timely manner that will be relevant to the speed of the battle, Clark said. What you saw up in Hokkaido with 12th Marine Regiment working with their adjacent Japanese Self Defense Force, and then with the 3rd Marine Division down in the Philippines, is really how we work these processes, how we go from finding a target to addressing that target, and how we take those lessons learned and cycle them back into the joint force. Sims said understanding the flow of information is key which is why the bilateral coordination centers are manually inputting information for now. He said Resolute Dragon helped each ally understand how the other obtains, inputs and shares information. The coordination centers will eventually pull all sensor information into a single digital common operating picture for U.S. and Japanese forces to share a goal 3rd Marine Division set for 12th Marines but that will require additional maturation of processes and equipment. U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Jay Bargeron (center), 3d Marine Division Commanding General, and members of the Northern Army, Japan Self-Defense Force, coordinate operations in the Bilateral Ground Tactical Control Center during Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 12, 2022. (Cpl. Lorenzo Ducato/US Marine Corps) Even as this pair of exercises worked through developments in procedures, concepts and tech, Sims said the cultural element was most critical. Its an effort to ensure that any time we plan to do something, any time we go out and execute, any time were operating or training, thats its partnered. Out here, where its an imperative that we partner, the III [Marine Expeditionary Force] and particularly 3rd Marine Division understand that we have to build a culture of interoperability, Sims said. Thats the future. Marisa Tomei loved the idea of "The Big Bang Theory" but the role was not right for her. Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images Marisa Tomei read with Jim Parsons for the female lead of "The Big Bang Theory." The role of Penny was not right for her but she thought the concept was "iconic." Tomei says she is just as disorganized as the character when it comes to traveling. Marisa Tomei was almost cast as Penny, the girl next door who befriends her nerdy neighbors on "The Big Bang Theory." "I thought it was a great script, and that's why we went so far as to check it out," Tomei told Insider in an interview promoting her partnership with Briggs and Riley. "And it's such an iconic kind of setup, all those archetypes, the scientists, and then the kind of little hottie and the whole thing." She did not predict "The Big Bang Theory" would become the ratings juggernaut for CBS the show became, running for 12 seasons. "I certainly didn't know it was going to go on that long," said "The Watcher" star. Jessica Radloff first revealed that Tomei was considering the role in her oral history of the show "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series." Radloff reported that other actors who almost played the role of Penny included Tara Reid and Elizabeth Berkley. "I had the part of Sheldon for a long time before everything was settled. I read with Marisa Tomei. Johnny was cast by then, but he was doing a play in New York. I had come back to read with her," Parsons said in an interview for the book. Marisa Tomei almost played the part of Penny (center), who was eventually brought to life by Kaley Cuoco, on "The Big Bang Theory." CBS Tomei said even though she didn't end up in the show, she still thought the concept was great. "It wasn't really the right fit for me at the time, but I really did enjoy the script itself," she added. Millions agreed with her. Nearly 18 million people tuned in to the series finale on May 16, 2019. Tomei told Insider she does share a significant character trait with Penny (who was eventually brought to life by actor Kaley Cuoco): She can be just as disorganized. Tomei says she wishes she used packing cubes when hitting the road, but, "I haven't graduated to that level." Story continues "I just put it in," she continued. "I always have high aspirations of packing in a very organized fashion, and then it just winds up being shoved in." Marisa Tomei attended the Hammer Museum Gala in Garden wearing a tiny bag, but says she travels with deep luggage. Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Hammer Museum Tomei carries tiny clutches on the red carpet but said she appreciates the room Briggs and Riley offer her to shove her favorite looks in their suitcases. "There's extra space in these new Briggs and Riley luggage," she said. "They're extra deep so I can fit even more things in, but it's still as compact." Read the original article on Insider Onetime professional Australian rugby player Joe Reaiche, a member of the Church of Scientology until 2005, was actor Danny Masterson's stepfather. Reaiche has not spoken with his children since his excommunication. (Bob Croslin / For The Times) Each day at Danny Masterson's rape trial, the front two rows in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom are filled with the actor's family and close friends. Like Masterson, his mother, Carol; his wife, the actress Bijou Phillips; his brothers and two half siblings, and his friend Chris Wadhams are devout Scientologists. They've listened without reaction to graphic testimony by Masterson's accusers, chatting quietly with him during breaks and leaving court with him at the end of each day. Not among them is a man who helped raise Masterson and his siblings, his former stepfather, Joe Reaiche. Excommunicated from Scientology in 2005, the former professional Australian rugby player said neither Masterson nor any other members of the family have spoken to him since. "When it happened, I cried. Its my kids. I raised my children and now theyve turned against their dad," Reaiche said in an interview with The Times. "Not because of my decision, but because of the churchs decision. Thats the evil of disconnection." The "it," Reaiche said, was the decision by church officials to declare him a "suppressive person" a designation that expelled him from the religion and required other Scientologists to cut ties with him. Actor Danny Masterson, left, stands with his attorney Thomas Mesereau during his arraignment on rape charges in an L.A. County courtroom. (Lucy Nicholson / Pool photo) The concept hangs over the Masterson trial. In a pretrial ruling that set out how much jurors would hear of the church's inner workings, the judge allowed the prosecution to cite the religion's policy on declaring followers as suppressive to help explain why the accusers, who were raised as Scientologists, waited long periods of time before reporting Masterson to police. Masterson is accused of raping three women between 2001 and 2003. The women allege he plied them with alcohol before assaulting them and sometimes attacked them while they were unconscious. Representatives from Scientology, they've said, pressured them not to report the crimes to the police. The two women who have taken the stand in the trial so far said they avoided going to law enforcement out of fear of being labeled suppressive. Story continues "Thats significant for a member of the church," Deputy Dist. Atty Reinhold Mueller told jurors in his opening statement about the concept of "being declared." "What that means is the church and members of the church have to detach from you. You are essentially an enemy of the church. Your friends, your parents ... they all have to detach from you." The Church of Scientology told The Times the practice of declaring followers suppressive is "very rare." The church also says it has no policy requiring Scientologists to stop talking with someone after they are found to be suppressive. Declaring people suppressive is "no different than the practices of disfellowship, excommunication and shunning, practiced by other religions when one member of a group engages in unethical conduct which is damaging to the group as a whole," Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw said. For Reaiche, the ejection was swift and done even before the church informed him of its decision, he said. "I called some of my buddies of 20, 25 years. No one responds. Thats weird. I call my kids. No one responds," he said. The next day he received the letter. "They let everyone else know that I was declared except me," Reaiche recalled. "All of a sudden, overnight, its like they all died." Her fear of suffering that fate led Jen B., one of Masterson's accusers, to wait a year to report her rape to the Los Angeles Police Department, she testified. Like the other accusers, the woman is being identified in court records and during testimony by her first name and last initial to protect her privacy. As a second-generation Scientologist, Jen B. said, she thought her friends and parents would disown her if she reported Masterson. "I was a Scientologist and Mr. Masterson is a Scientologist and you cannot report another Scientologist in good standing to the authorities," she testified. "My understanding is I would immediately be guilty of a 'high crime.' High crime comes with the penalty of expulsion from Scientology. You cannot speak, have contact, anything with a person who has been expelled. Declared a suppressive person is the label I would receive." Jen B. wrote a letter in April 2004 to Mike Ellis, the church's international justice chief. "I am writing to you for help. I would like permission to file criminal charges and civil suit [against Masterson] if I feel I am up to it and not fear being declared," she wrote, according to the letter, which was used as an exhibit at trial. In his response, Ellis did not assuage her fears, prosecutors said. "Mr. Ellis response a few days later tells her she needs to review the alternatives and consequences carefully. What that meant to Jen B. was that she could not go to police or she would be declared," Mueller said in his opening statement. Pouw said Mueller misrepresented the intent of Ellis' response. The Church of Scientology denies that people are punished for reporting crimes committed by other Scientologists. Another accuser, Christina B. who dated Masterson for six years in the late 1990s and early 2000s also feared being declared suppressive. She told no one outside the church about the rape for 10 years, prosecutors said. She waited 15 years before reporting it to police. "If you were to have been declared a suppressive person, what impact would that have had on you?" Mueller asked the woman during her testimony. "Im afraid I would not have survived that at the time," Christina B. replied. Christina B. left the church in 2016 herself. Her friends who were Scientologists completely disconnected from her, according to her lawsuit filed against the Church of Scientology and Masterson. Jen B. was declared a suppressive person in 2016 after reporting her rape to police, according to her lawsuit. Pouw denied this. Reaiche had already been drifting away from the church for years when he was kicked out, he said. "They were too gung-ho in the church and I was watching from the side," Reaiche recalled of his family. He and Carol Masterson divorced in 1995, but he maintained a close relationship with Danny and Chris Masterson as well as his biological children Jordan and Alanna and lived in Los Angeles until 2004. He worked as a physical trainer for Danny and Chris Masterson after they secured roles in big Hollywood shows. Reaiche moved to Atlanta in 2004 and said his ties to the church had grown tenuous, when "all of a sudden I get a phone call and Im summoned [to Florida] to appear in 24 hours ... before a Committee of Evidence." He made the trip to Clearwater, Fla., where the Church of Scientology has its "spiritual headquarters." In a small room, four church officials spent two late-night hours interrogating him about allegations that he had used Scientology practices and teachings in a "squirrel format" church lingo for a non-sanctioned manner. Reaiche said he was training others in a program that was similar to Scientology, but less expensive than what Scientology charges its followers to advance through the various stages of its teachings. Six months later, Reaiche was declared suppressive. He alleged that the church tried him in a "kangaroo court" and that denying the charges did nothing to help his case. "In November of 2002 Joe used squirrel ethics tech on a non-Scientologist in order to 'introduce' her to Scientology," officials wrote in the order they issued declaring Reaiche a suppressive person. For a time, Reaiche sent Christmas cards and birthday cards to his family, but eventually he gave up. He wishes he could show up to support the family for Masterson's trial, but knows his presence would make everybody uncomfortable. "There will be no weddings for me. I don't know my grandkids. It's tough. ... But I suck it up," he said. "Still, thats my family. To see them in court, its not easy. Thats all I'm saying. Its gotta be tough for them." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Medford woman who allegedly urged rioters to storm the U.S. Capitol has admitted guilt to a charge arising from the Jan. 6 insurrection. Stephanie Hazelton said, This is the battle as she approached the Capitol during the violent incident in 2021, a court record alleges. She texted the next day, The first shot has been fired of the revolution, according to an account agreed to by both sides of the case. Hazelton, 50, pleaded guilty on Oct. 14 to a charge of civil disorder and aiding abetting. Hazelton, also known as Ayla Wolf, could face a possible prison term of eight to 14 months in prison under a sentencing guideline that would find her offense involved physical contact. She is expected to challenge that guideline before the sentencing judge. If the challenge succeeds, a remaining guideline would recommend a lesser penalty of up to six months in prison, with the possibility of no time in custody, the plea agreement says. Her attorney, Nicholas Smith of New York City, could not be reached for comment. For Subscribers: The surprising details behind New Jersey's rise in gun sales Separately, a Wrightstown man is to be sentenced next month for his part in the 2021 insurrection. Marcos Panayiotou, 30, would be the third local suspect to be sentenced on a Jan. 6 charge. Two men Lawrence Stackhouse, 34, of Gloucester Township and Robert Petrosh, 53, of Mays Landing were ordered to spend time in custody under sentences handed down earlier this year. Another suspect with South Jersey connections, 63-year-old James D. Rahm Jr., was found guilty on Oct. 13 of felony and misdemeanor charges. In announcing Rahms verdict, the Justice Department identified him as a Philadelphia resident. It previously said he also had a home in Atlantic City. The Capitol breach occurred as supporters of then-President Donald Trump sought to prevent Congress from formalizing the election of President Joe Biden. More than 880 people, including about a dozen from South Jersey, have been charged during an ongoing investigation, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Story continues Authorities have said the rioters caused more than $1.4 million in damage. Hazelton approached the Capitol around 2:45 p.m., using her cellphone to record the chaotic scene, according to the joint description of her actions. Theyre tear gassing everybody, she said. Hazelton allegedly urged the crowd to move forward! They cannot stop us all! the statement said. It says Hazelton entered the Lower West Terrace tunnel, "which was packed with rioters pushing forward against Metropolitan Police Department officers in riot gear with riot shields Before entering the tunnel, Hazelton waved rioters to advance, the statement says. She entered the tunnel while chanting around 2:47 p.m. and moved towards the front of the crowd to confront the MPD officers, the statement says. More: Lindenwold man accused of taking part in Capitol riot Earlier: Cases moving slowly against Capitol-riot suspects from South Jersey It contends Hazelton stayed at the front of the mob for about three minutes, while members of the crowd pulled riot shields from officers and assaulted them with poles and batons. It says she left that position briefly, then returned for about four minutes, while rioters used strobe lights to blind officers and continued to assault them. Hazelton left the tunnel around 3:02 p.m., then repeatedly called for reinforcements, the statement says. "We need more men! Keep going! Keep pushing, men!" Hazelton called to a crowd massed outside the tunnel, it adds. "We need more helmets! More helmets!" she said.According to the statement, Hazelton entered the Capitol two more times before leaving around 3:14 p.m. Hazelton sent a text the next day saying, "Yeah I was at (the) door the entire time from 1 to 6 and we did not make it in! That was a set up." The text also referred to the insurrection as the start of a revolution, the statement says. In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump breach the Capitol in Washington. More: Sewell man is 10th South Jersey resident accused of Capitol riot role U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates scheduled sentencing for Hazelton on Feb. 1, 2023, in his Washington, D.C., courtroom. Hazelton, who was released after her arrest in January 2021, has also agreed to pay $2,000 in restitution, her plea agreement says. In the other cases, Panayiotou is to be sentenced Nov. 8 at federal court in Washington, D.C. He admitted guilt on Aug. 26 to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.Three other charges against him were dismissed. Panayiotou faces a potential sentence of up to six months in prison and up to five years on probation. A statement of facts says Panayiotou was inside the Capitol from around 2:23 p.m. to shortly after 3 p.m. He took photographs and videos while walking through Statuary Hall and an area outside the House Gallery, the statement says. Panayiotou, previously identified as a Philadelphia man, was released after his arrest in Wrightstown in December 2021. Also: Stackhouse on June 17 was sentenced to 14 days in jail and 90 days home confinement, according to the Justice Department. He was ordered to spend three years on probation and to pay $500 restitution. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2022. Like Panayiotou, Stackhouse pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. In a pre-sentence memorandum, a defense attorney said Stackhouse has demonstrated remorse for his role in the riot. He regrets even more consuming the propaganda and conspiracy theories heavily promoted on social media, said public defender Ubong Akpan. The memorandum said Stackhouse, "like many others, believed the propaganda that former Vice President Mike Pence had the power to overturn the election." It said the 33-year-old sheet metal worker has been challenged to find stable employment since his arrest in March 2021. In a separate memorandum, a federal prosecutor asserted Stackhouse wore a Proud Boys hoodie during the riot. The prosecutors memo said Stackhouse had previously inquired about joining the right-wing nationalist group. But Akpans memorandum said Stackhouse chose to wear the PB shirt because it had had Trump 45' and the red, white and blue colors matched his bandana." "His poor decision to wear a 'PB' shirt made people believe he was associated with the Proud Boys, of which he was never a part, it said. Stackhouse also was ordered to pay $500 in restitution for damages. More:'What happened, must never happen again': Rep. Liz Cheney, a top House Republican, again hits Trump over Capitol riots 'I was sick to my stomach': George W. Bush says Jan. 6 insurrection 'really disturbed me' Petrosh, the 53-year-old operator of a party-supply store, received a 10-day prison term in March for his role in the riot. He was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to spend one year on supervised release. Petrosh also had to return two microphones stolen from the Capitol, according to a Justice Department spokesman.He agreed to pay restitution of $938 for the microphones. Petrosh admitted guilt in January to a misdemeanor charge of theft of government property. Rahm was found guilty of five charges after a one-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan in Washington, D.C. According to a statement of facts in his case, Rahm entered the Capitol through its East Rotunda doors at about 2:43 p.m. and left 10 minutes later. He carried a flag and recorded a video in which he said, among other statements, We broke the door down. Were going in. The crowd cheered after Rahm yelled, I think we stopped the vote, the statement says. Rahm, who was released after his arrest in February 2021, was found guilty of a felony obstruction of an official proceeding and four related misdemeanor offenses. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2023. Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Jan. 6 riot: Medford NJ woman allegedly urged rioters to storm Capitol Reuters One focus of the redesign codenamed "Highland" is to reduce the number of components and complexity in the interior of the Model 3 while focusing on features that Tesla buyers value, including the display, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the revamp has not been announced. The revamp of the battery-powered sedan, which could also include some changes to the Model 3s exterior and powertrain performance, will go into production at Teslas factory in Shanghai and the companys Fremont, California plant, two of the people said. Teslas Shanghai Gigafactory will put the redesigned Model 3 into production in the third quarter of 2023, they said. Malcom X On Sunday (Oct. 30), it was announced that two men who spent decades in prison for the 1965 assassination of human rights activist Malcolm X would receive settlements for their wrongful convictions. Their lawyer David Shanies told the media his clients would be granted $36 million for the injustice. Muhammad Aziz, Khalil Islam and their families suffered because of these unjust convictions for more than 50 years, he said in a statement. Shanies continued, The city recognized the grave injustices done here, and I commend the sincerity and speed with which the Comptrollers Office and the Corporation Counsel moved to resolve the lawsuits. Twenty-six million will come from the city of New York and another $10 million will come from the state. ABC News obtained a copy of his statement, which added, Police and prosecutorial misconduct cause tremendous damage, and we must remain vigilant to identify and correct injustices. At the time of their exoneration, then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. expressed his remorse for the two mens wrongful imprisonment for the killing of Malcolm X, calling it serious, unacceptable violations of law and the public trust. Islam passed away in 2009 and Aziz is now 84 years old. Last year, prosecutors admitted that witness intimidation and suppression of exculpatory evidence caused the two men to be imprisoned. In addition to the statement from Shanies, a spokesperson for the New York City Law Department also announced they stand by the former district attorneys decision. The department added that the settlement brings some measure of justice to individuals who spent decades in prison and bore the stigma of being falsely accused of murdering an iconic figure. Malcolm X was shot and killed in Upper Manhattans Audubon Ballroom while delivering a speech on Feb. 21, 1965. Although Mujahid Abdul Halim admitted to killing the activist, Aziz and Islam spent decades behind bars for the crime. The $36 million settlement will be split equally between Aziz and the estate of Islam. The remains of unidentified woman known as the "Lady of the Dunes" is buried in St. Peter's cemetery in Provincetown. [Merrily Cassidy photos/Cape Cod Times] WEST BARNSTABLE It has been nearly 45 years since Alyssa Metcalfes sister found the handless body in the dunes 2 miles east of the old Coast Guard station in Provincetown. It's kind of always stayed with the family, Metcalfe said recently at her home in West Barnstable. There's this, I don't know, do you call it a kinship with the case? After all these years, Metcalfe and others still hold out hope that the woman known as Lady of the Dunes may one day be identified, and investigators are considering a new way of making that happen. Listen to this podcast for much more on the 'Lady of the Dunes' mystery Prosecutors currently are examining a new method for the use of DNA evidence and genealogy to generate leads in cold criminal cases on Cape Cod and the Islands. The Lady of the Dunes is one of two cases that are primary targets of the effort, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael OKeefe said. Were going to examine everything that we can with respect to whats left of the remains, OKeefe said of the Lady of the Dunes case. A different type of DNA profile is needed in the case, but a specialized lab may be able to extract what is needed, and investigators are currently looking into that possibility, OKeefe said. We have gone through this process in another case, OKeefe said of the second case his office is working on, which he said he could not yet discuss publicly. A meeting is planned in May for district attorneys and their staff from across Massachusetts and prosecutors from California and elsewhere who have expertise in the new use of DNA profiles from crime scenes or unidentified bodies, combined with genealogy family-tree building, to generate leads to find living suspects and identify dead, unnamed victims. Were bringing Greg out here, OKeefe said about Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten, who was among six district attorneys involved in a prominent case in California where a living murder suspect was identified last year after a six-month effort based on a lead generated from DNA evidence he left at scenes of his alleged crimes, combined with the identification of a close relative through genealogy. Story continues Totten and Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, both board members along with OKeefe of the National District Attorneys Association, are leading workshops for prosecutors across the country on what is now being called genetic genealogy. From a law enforcement standpoint, it is a huge step forward that allows us to solve cases that historically we've not been able to solve through traditional law enforcement DNA technology, Totten said. Unsolved homicide In Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties, there are four unidentified bodies and another 16 instances of unidentified human skeletal parts, which have been found mostly on beaches and in fishing nets, according to a government clearinghouse of missing, unidentified and unclaimed person cases in the U.S. In total, there are 11 unsolved homicides in the jurisdiction of the Cape and Islands District Attorneys office dating back to the 1970s, according to a spokeswoman for the office. Among the four unidentified bodies are two cases that overlap with the unsolved homicides, including Lady of the Dunes. After almost a half-century and countless hours of investigation, the case is the oldest unidentified dead person in Massachusetts included in the clearinghouse records. On July 26, 1974, Metcalfe, who was 10 years old at the time, had stayed in town to go to the horse stables while her parents and her sister, Leslie, visited with friends at the C-scape dune shack. Leslie, then 12, and their parents had been hiking back to the Province Lands Visitor Center after a day at the shack with friends. A couple of their friends dogs were following them, when one of them caught a scent. The dog kind of started barking at something as they were hiking across, so my sister went to follow and see what the dog was barking at, Metcalfe said of what her family told her. That's when she found the body. Leslie Metcalfe, who died in 1996, primarily remembered that the body had no hands and that it appeared to be a dead deer, based on the coloring of the womans skin, her sister said. Their parents and Leslie doubled back to the dune shack to tell everyone there, and then someone took a Jeep to find park rangers and bring them out. The womans head was nearly severed from her body, and she had been in the stand of scrub pines for at least a week, having died from a blow to the head, police said at that time. The Lady of the Dunes case has caught the attention of each police chief and detective in Provincetown, starting with James Meads, who was chief in 1974. On the fourth day after the body was discovered, the headline in the Cape Cod Standard-Times read Homicide victim still unidentified, which unbeknownst to Meads and the Cape Cod National Seashore park rangers at the time would still ring true more than 40 years later. In 1980, the body was exhumed from the burial plot at a church cemetery for blood samples; 20 years later it was exhumed again for DNA sampling, to see if it matched that of a woman who came forward as possibly the mother of the victim. A clay model has been made of the womans head, and age-regression drawings were completed in 2006. Note: Pinpoints below are general locations of discovery and are not exact. Minimize map to see more locations | Source: NamUs.gov / Map: Gregory Bryant/Cape Cod Times I wasnt even born yet, said former Provincetown police Detective Monica Himes of the 1974 case. In reading up on the case as a new detective in 2008, Himes said she was looking for what was missing and how the pieces of the case could be assembled. I was interested in carrying on the work that had already been done, with the command staff guidance, she said. In 2009 and 2010, Himes and then-Police Chief Jeff Jaran worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia, and other investigators who convene regularly to discuss cold cases to come up with a three-dimensional, color composite image of what the Lady of the Dunes might have looked like at the time of her death. Video: A visit to the gravesite of 'Lady in the Dunes' Over the years, researcher Bruce Jackson, who ran the undergraduate biotechnology and forensic DNA science program at Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley, continued his studies of the case, including a visit to the site in the dunes in 2015 with five students. After Jackson died in 2016, the state medical examiners office removed the biological materials that Jackson held at the college, according to Neil Buckley, the colleges vice president for finance and administration. To the best of the colleges knowledge, the biological materials from the case that were removed by the medical examiner included tissue samples of a leg, left scapula, right scapula, ribs and hair samples. As a forensic DNA expert, Jackson had a standing relationship with the Provincetown Police Department since the 2000 exhumation, Police Chief James Golden said in 2015. The sampling taken in 2015, with the students, consisted of tablespoons of sand, Golden said at the time. No one has since taken over Jacksons research, a college spokeswoman said. Its not helpful, OKeefe said about Jacksons research at the college. Prosecution 'pretty remote' Given the age of the Lady of the Dunes case, the chances of ever being able to prosecute her killer is pretty remote, OKeefe said. But having biological material from the case handled by students in a classroom raises the possibility of having no proven chain of custody of evidence, OKeefe said. On the other hand, were not going to let that stop us, OKeefe said about the continued efforts to solve the case. Another problem with using the new techniques of combining DNA analysis with genealogical family-tree building is that the Lady of the Dunes body was embalmed, OKeefe said. Some extraction of DNA is not hurt by the embalming process but others are, he said. There are complications, both OKeefe and Totten emphasized. Like any new tool, whether its a new tool that's given to front-line law enforcement or a new law that is given to prosecutors or a new technology, it has to be used with great care and discretion, Totten said. In California, we're fashioning protocols that, for example, limit it to violent felonies. Like standards for the use of wiretaps, which Totten said can be invasive and require court orders, he and experienced prosecutors are recommending to district attorneys that they limit the combined use of DNA analysis and genealogy research to cases where investigative leads have already been exhausted or where theres significant public safety interest at stake. In the prominent case in California that both Totten and Schubert worked on, Joseph James DeAngelo known as the Golden State Killer was charged last year in Sacramento Superior Court with 13 counts of murder with special circumstance from between 1975 and 1986 and 13 counts of kidnapping to commit robbery from 1976 to 1979. The case against DeAngelo is currently pending in court. Different form of DNA analysis Traditionally, law enforcement has used a form of DNA analysis that examines a narrow but crucially unique set of genetic indicators from evidence left at a scene, such as semen or human hair, to create a unique profile of an unidentified living suspect or unidentified body. Then, that DNA profile is compared against a national law enforcement database with millions of profiles of convicts, arrestees and crime scenes in an attempt to find an exact match. In the methodology that led to breaks in the DeAngelo case, and now several other cold cases, a different form of DNA analysis from specialized labs examines a much broader spectrum of unique genetic indicators to produce a highly detailed profile called a SNPs report, like what is offered by private companies such as ancestry.com, 23andme.com and FamilyTreeDNA.com. While the private companies do not share their databases of customers' DNA profiles, those same customers can upload their profiles to other databases, including public databases such as GEDmatch. Thats kind of like the wikis for DNA, said Lindsay Fulton, who directs research services at the American Ancestors and the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Everyone is uploading their DNA voluntarily, and then it works the same that 23andme.com does, or ancestry.com. If you get a hit, say, for your third cousin, they'll give you contact information for that third cousin." The private companies still have the largest databases in the U.S. for people looking for family ties, but when those do not provide enough results, then the organization's genealogists may recommend clients upload their DNA profiles to GEDmatch or other public databases, Fulton said. The more hits the better, if you're just kind of fishing, Fulton said. Law enforcement, in using databases such as GEDmatch, typically hires a specialized lab to produce a SNPs profile of an unidentified suspect and then hires a specialized genealogist to look for hits in the public databases that could result in a first, second or third cousin, ideally, of the suspect. Then the genealogist would use their skills to essentially build a family tree to lead to clues about the relatives of the person detectives want to identify. Generally, from the leads generated by the genealogist, investigators would then make contact with one or more family members and work with those people if they are willing to identify the person being sought. Before any final identification of either a living suspect or an unidentified body could be confirmed, there needs to be an actual match-up with DNA, such as a potential close relative of the Lady of the Dunes having matching DNA profiles with the body itself. We are recommending requiring the confirmatory samples as well, and not relying on just the relational information that you get out of a database, Totten said. Wide interest in new technique In addition to detectives and district attorneys, coroners and medical examiners also have a keen interest in the new technique. Certainly solving crimes is important but it's also equally important for our decedents to get a name, and we don't forget them, said Supervising Deputy Coroner Kelly Keyes of the Orange County Sheriff-Coroners office in Orange County, California, where there are close to 100 unidentified bodies dating back to 1953. We are constantly thinking about them and working these cases. That's part of our responsibility both to our decedents and to the community. In November, a murdered and unidentified woman whose body had been found in 1987 in Anaheim was identified as Tracey Coreen Hobson in a joint effort with the coroner and homicide teams, in which a cold case detective used knowledge gained from being on the DeAngelo case task force, Keyes said. While the case wasnt the oldest decedent in the county, it appeared to be a good candidate for the new methods, including having the support and interest of the homicide team, who bore the estimated $2,500 cost to pay a specialized DNA lab and the specialized genealogists, Keyes said. DNA evidence that was already available was submitted in July to the specialized lab to create a new DNA profile in the form of the SNPs report, and that SNPs report was then given to the specialized genealogists who were able to identify a close cousin who was able to identify who he thought the woman was, Keyes said. He said, I think that's my cousin, Keyes said. And we were able to get a hold of her family, her closest relative, and we were able to get DNA samples from them, and then confirm the next of kin through traditional DNA samples. So, too, with an unidentified woman found murdered in 1981 in Miami County, Ohio. She was identified last April 38 years later as Marcia Lenore Sossoman King in another joint effort with the sheriff and coroner's offices. Unlike in Orange County, the young woman was the Ohio countys only unidentified body but one that caught peoples attention, said Miami County Coroner William Ginn. Out of the clear blue sky people would call me and say I think I've solved the Buckskin Girl case, Ginn said, referring to a nickname given to the unidentified woman because of the tan leather poncho with fringe that shed been wearing when she was found. I got a call from the Royal Canadian Police one time. The woman died April 4, 1981, of strangulation, with contributing factors of head trauma and a lacerated liver, according to the autopsy report provided to the Times by Ginn. The idea of providing the SNPs profile of DNA evidence to the specialized genealogists to try to identify the Buckskin Girl came about from a lecture at a local university about forensics and genealogy and the use of an old vial of unrefrigerated blood from the body which was initially thought to be too degenerated to create the profile, Ginn said. The genealogists identified the womans cousin, and that cousin then pointed law enforcement officers to the womans mother, who lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. She had never been reported missing, Ginn said. No one ever had any contact about it. So the question was, Why haven't you reported her missing? And the mother's answer was, We thought she was coming back. They had never moved. They had never changed their phone number. They literally thought she was going to reappear at the door. Ginn said DNA samples obtained from the mother confirmed Sossoman Kings identity. She had been buried in Ohio when she was found with a headstone engraved Jane Doe April 22 1981 but last summer, a new headstone was placed on the grave with 11 family members present, Ginn said. She was 21 at the time of her death, according to the inscription on the headstone. For DNA experts, the evolution of the SNPs profile to be used in ancestry research is major. The SNPs profiles have been used in biomedical applications for well over a decade, said Claire Glynn, assistant professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven. I was just enthralled and excited by the news reports, Glynn said of the DeAngelo case in California.I remember thinking this is going to be a big shift. This is the new DNA. But, while dozens of criminal cases now have been solved, she believes that the people who are uploading their SNPs profiles to public databases are not fully aware of what they are doing, Glynn said. Theyre literally handing over their DNA, she said. For professional genealogists, too, the DNA analysis has opened up a whole new way to connect families, Fulton said. The New England organization's genealogists are definitely interested in helping police departments identify deceased individuals, often called Jane Does and John Does, that are victims of crimes, she said. We put some feelers out there to see if we could help anyone, Fulton said. Among the handful of specialized genealogists in the U.S., called genetic genealogists, who have risen to prominence working with law enforcement and coroners, are Colleen Fitzpatrick and Margaret Press, two women who in 2017 founded the DNA Doe Project. They also have expressed interest in working on the Lady of the Dunes case through emails to a Provincetown police detective. Fitzpatrick and Press completed the genealogy work on the Anaheim, California, case and the Buckskin Girl case in Ohio, according to Keyes and Ginn. In December, the DNA Doe Project identified a dead man found in Maine in 2014, according to Lindsey Chasteen, who directs data and case management at Maine's Office of Chief Medical Examiner. For the cost per case and the dedicated hours of research, you won't find a better deal, Chasteen wrote in an email to the Times. So far, the nonprofit DNA Doe Project has been able to announce 10 identifications, Press wrote in an April 8 email. Roughly half the cases involved extraction or re-extraction from bone or teeth after DNA Doe Project took the cases, Press said. The GEDmatch database continues to grow, as does the availability of labs and bioinformatics to handle degraded biological material, Press said. The challenges to solving cases are primarily if the unidentified person was a recent immigrant, or from a population that is under-represented in the database, she said. We dont actually consider any cases as failed, only delayed pending further lab work, Press wrote. As long as there are bones and we have not consumed all the DNA obtainable, we never give up on a case. Follow Mary Ann Bragg on Twitter: @MaryAnnBraggCCT. Y-DNA: A test of the y chromosome for men to take to determine paternal line. In 2018, scientists used the process known as Y-DNA analysis to determine whether a bone fragment found near the sunken Whydah pirate ship off Wellfleet belonged to the captain known as Samuel Black Sam Bellamy, born in the late 1600s. A modern-day nephew of the pirate contributed a swab from inside his cheek to make the comparison, which ultimately proved the bone fragment did not belong to the pirate. mtDNA DNA: A test of the mitochondria for both women and men to determine maternal line. Massachusetts Bay Community College Professor Bruce Jackson, who died in 2016 and directed the schools undergraduate biotechnology and forensic DNA science program, had used mTDNA analysis with his students to eliminate several possible family connections to the "Lady of the Dunes" case in Provincetown, according to college materials posted online in 2015. Jackson had been associated with the case since an exhumation of the body in 2000 to obtain DNA, according to Provincetown Police Chief James Golden. Autosomal DNA: A test of the 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes (those other than the one pair of sex chromosomes) for both women and men that is used to create profiles at commercial sites such as ancestry.com and familytreedna.com. The autosomal DNA test is known as the Family Finder at familytreedna.com, designed to find living relatives on all ancestral lines within the last five generations and can also give a breakdown of ethnic makeup by percentage. Two forms of DNA Analysis: Only one-tenth of a single percent of DNA (about 3 million bases) differs from one person to the next. After extracting DNA from bone, hair, blood or other body tissue or product, scientists record an individuals variations at these bases to generate their DNA profile. Short tandem repeat (STR): Most commonly used for criminal cases and other types of forensic uses, with the most success on autosomal chromosomes, according to the National Institute of Justice. The short tandem repeat analysis looks for uniquely individual repeated sequences, called loci points of relation. In the U.S., 13 autosomal STR loci are now accepted as the system used for forensic purposes. Given a robust crime scene DNA sample with good data for all 13 STRs, the likelihood of a person unrelated to the actual perpetrator having a perfect match for all 13 is typically around one in a billion. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP): The SNP analysis looks for mutations in DNA sequences, called SNPs (or snips), numbering in the hundreds of thousands, which are passed down from parents. The SNP test on autosomal DNA, for example, is what is used in the Familytreedna.com Family Finder to trace ancestral lines. Common DNA tests This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'Lady of the Dunes' DNA being studied to try to close unsolved case Oct. 29SANTA FE The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging state residents to download the NM Notify app to report positive COVID-19 home tests, according to a news release from the DOH.Approximately 760,000 New Mexicans are already using the app to be notified if they've likely been exposed, allowing them to reduce the risk for family and friends, seek timely medical attention and stay home. The app uses Bluetooth technology to communicate with other phones that have activated the app. Then, if one of the users verifies an infection of COVID-19, all users that have been in contact with the infected person within a 14-day period will receive a notification of possible exposure. The app then directs users on next steps to prevent additional spread of the virus. The news release reports the NM Notify app is "completely safe and anonymous," and fully protects users' privacy. No personal data is collected through the app. The app is in wide use in many states and around the globe. According to Google and Apple data, every two downloads of the app can prevent one infection. To learn more about the NM Notify Exposure Notification app, go to NMNotify.com. By Kylie Madry MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican bottler and retailer FEMSA is banking on an expansion of Swiss kiosk operator Valora in upcoming quarters as well as a business-to-business service through its financial technology arm, executives said Monday. FEMSA entered the European market earlier this month when it bought Swiss kiosk operator Valora, which it plans to expand with new stores and affiliating independent stores in Germany, Chief Corporate Officer Francisco Camacho told analysts. "We do not expect this to be altogether a major strain on the FEMSA funding structure," Camacho said, adding that if necessary FEMSA would fund the expansion from the firm's other operations. FEMSA is not planning to expand to other geographies for the time being, Camacho said. Executives said FEMSA would also push a business-to-business service through its financial technology arm, though they did not say how much they would invest into it, nor whether it would operate under the same name as its consumer fintech service, Spin by Oxxo. FEMSA "will have news on that very soon," Camacho said. Spin, run by the Oxxo convenience store chain ubiquitous throughout Mexico, was granted a "fintech license" by regulators earlier this month, and has quickly gained a foothold in a country where many people do not have bank accounts. The service is set to reach 10 million users by 2023, Spin executive Asensio Carrion told Reuters. FEMSA ruled out seeking a banking license for the service for the time being, though Carrion said it was seeking permits to allow larger deposits and direct deposit payments from employers. With the fintech license, FEMSA "can learn a lot about the use cases" for Spin and whether the service will be worthwhile for the company, Camacho said, adding the company could decide to request a banking license at a later date. (Reporting by Kylie Madry, Editing by Isabel Woodford and Tomasz Janowski) The governments top legal advocate on Monday urged Supreme Court justices to preserve affirmative action in service academies and civilian institutions alike. Toward the end of the oral argument in what has been a controversial Supreme Court case about the legality of affirmative action, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar echoed a key argument of defenders of the inclusive policy: that a diverse officer corps is necessary for national security. Our armed forces know from hard experience that when we do not have a diverse officer corps that is broadly reflective of the diverse fighting force, our strength and cohesion and military readiness suffer, Prelogar said. If the Supreme Court ends affirmative action, how will the military adapt? The officer corps is already much less racially diverse than the enlisted ranks, and some former military leaders and legal observers have argued that ending affirmative action in higher education could widen that gap. The service academies currently practice affirmative action, as do many colleges and universities with ROTC programs. Dozens of retired military leaders, including four former chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed onto a legal filing in August that characterized affirmative action as necessary to national security. Other retired leaders have disagreed, arguing in briefs and op-eds that affirmative action yields less qualified and thus less effective military leadership. The case in which Prelogar spoke, Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, concerns the universitys admissions process, which uses race as a factor in reviewing applicants. The anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions argues that public universities violate the Constitutions promise of equal protection when they evaluate applicants of different races. UNC has countered by saying it has a compelling interest in having a racially diverse student body. After Students for Fair Admissions and UNC lawyers delivered arguments to the justices, Prelogar appeared on behalf of the federal government to advocate for affirmative action. In August, she and other government officials, including the Pentagons general counsel, filed a friend-of-the-court brief defending affirmative action. Story continues We have had experiences in the past where the officer corps and its racial composition did not reflect the diversity of enlisted service members, Prelogar said Monday, in an apparent reference to internal conflict during the Vietnam War, and it caused tremendous racial tension and strife. Responding to a question from Justice Elena Kagan, Prelogar said that the service academies had considered race-neutral alternatives to affirmative action. According to Prelogar, the academies found that, for now, no such alternatives would lead to an officer corps with adequate diversity. Theyve looked into other alternatives, like socioeconomic preferences, but West Point discovered that that would actually increase the number of white men at the academy, Prelogar said. Chief Justice John Roberts asked whether Prelogar wanted the court to view her argument about the military separately from arguments about civilian colleges and universities. Are you linking yourself to Harvard and UNC in other words, you rise and fall with their case? Roberts asked, later adding, It might make sense for us not to answer the service academy issue in this case? Prelogar didnt answer Roberts directly. Instead, she allowed that the military had distinctive interests in diversity, but stressed that the end of affirmative action in civilian colleges and universities with ROTC programs would also affect the military. Its also critically important because actually more officers come from ROTC programs to try to protect and preserve space for universities to also achieve the educational benefits of diversity and provide the paths to leadership that inhere in those programs as well, Prelogar said. Courts have often granted deference to the military on matters of national security, which some legal experts argue allow service academies to seek legal leeway to continue practicing affirmative action. Patrick Strawbridge, a lawyer for Students for Fair Admissions, rejected Prelogars claims that affirmative action was the only way to ensure a racially diverse set of officers. With respect to the military, the United States brief on that is long on assertions that race-neutral alternatives are not available to it and would not work, but not actually long on any evidence of that fact, he said. We dont know precisely what race-neutral alternatives they have looked at. We dont know what has been tried. We dont know what else could be available to them. Strawbridge suggested that the military could try drawing more officers from the enlisted ranks or from military prep schools. The oral argument in a similar case, one debating affirmative action at the private Harvard College, was held later on Monday. That case is less directly tied to the service academies than the case pertaining to UNC. Still, it could have implications for colleges and universities with ROTC programs. Prelogar also offered input during the Harvard argument, briefly reiterating her stance on officer corps diversity. Given the 6-3 conservative majority on the court, many legal experts expect the justices to limit or end affirmative action in higher education. The justices almost certainly wont decide on the affirmative action cases until months from now. The Supreme Court has often released its most contentious, high-profile cases in June. PureWow Now that the countdown to Christmas has officially begun, the British royal family has already started getting into the holiday spirit by decorating their glamorous tree at Windsor Castle. Last week, the official Instagram account dedicated to the Royal Collection Trust revealed an exclusive first look at the Christmas tree sitting right in St. Georges Hall at the royal residence this year. The charity shared that the tree is completely covered with 3,000 lights, hundreds of iridescent jewel-sh STRINGER/Reuters Ukraine woke again to the sounds of explosions and air raid sirens on Monday as Russian missile strikes around the country left at least 13 people hurt and damaged critical infrastructure, with widespread power and water outages reported. Over 50 missiles were launched resulting in at least two blasts tearing through Kyiv as energy facilities in the northeastern city of Kharkiv were struck. Rockets were also reported in the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine, along with strikes in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia area and Lviv in the west. At least 10 cities and regions outside the capital recorded explosions. Ukraines national police chief Ihor Klymenko said 13 people were injured in the attacks, local news agency Ukrinform reported. The extent of their injuries was not disclosed. Kyiv Governor Oleksiy Kuleba separately said at least two people were injured in his region. One of them is in serious condition and is in the hospital, he wrote on the Telegram messaging platform on Monday. Thousands of Russian Collaborators in Ukraine Have Made One Hell of a Fuck-Up A facility at the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant was reportedly hit, while a separate facility which powers around 350,000 apartments in Kyiv was damaged. Engineers were sent to urgently restore the energy supply. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also said that 80 percent of the capitals population were without water. Specialists are doing everything possible to return water to the apartments of Kyiv residents, he wrote on Telegram. Residents in the targeted regions were advised to remain in shelters over fears that more strikes could be on the way. Speaking during a TV interview, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said Russia used strategic bomber planes to carry out the massive airstrikes. Ukraines military later added that 44 out of over 50 missiles launched on Monday morning were successfully shot down. The strikes are at least the third coordinated attack to hit Kyiv on a Monday morning this month. At least 23 were killed and over 100 were injured during air strikes on Oct. 10, the first attacks on Kyiv since Russians retreated from the Ukrainian capital in April. A week later, a pregnant woman and her partner were among four killed as kamikaze drones blitzed the capital. Story continues The regular nature of the attacksan apparent tactic to undermine Ukrainian resolvewas noted in a tweet by Melinda Simmons, the British ambassador in Kyiv. Sheltering down low and listening to booms outside. #Kyiv is under attack again. What is it about Mondays Melinda Simmons (@MelSimmonsFCDO) October 31, 2022 The bombings came after Russia blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet in the annexed Crimea on Saturday. Moscows defense ministry said the attack involved 16 drones equipped with Canadian-made navigation technology, and that British navy specialists directed the terrorist assault. Britain denied the claims, saying Moscow was peddling false claims on an epic scale after Russia also accused the U.K.s Royal Navy of blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September. Ukrainian officials suggested that Russia itself may be responsible for the Black Sea Fleet explosions which were used by the Kremlin as a pretext to pull out of an internationally-brokered grain deal designed to ease the global food crisis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of blackmailing the world with hunger by withdrawing from the export deal. Mondays strikes in Ukraine come after another Russian-launched bombardment killed at least 14 people earlier in October. The Kremlin said that operation, which similarly targeted infrastructure, was launched in response to what it also called a terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge. Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraines critical infrastructure. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted after Mondays strikes. Dont justify these attacks by calling them a response. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians. Russian authorities did not immediately comment on the latest attacks. 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. FBI A 6-year-old boy who was reported missing from Miami more than two months ago has been found in a city in Canada. Jorge Jojo Morales was discovered in good health and safe and sound Sunday in Moncton, New Brunswick, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed on Twitter. On October 30, 2022, the 6-year-old boy from Miami, Florida, who was reported missing to the Miami-Dade Police Department on August 27, 2022, has been located safe and sound in Moncton, N.B. RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) October 30, 2022 According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a member of the public spotted the missing child and his father, Jorge Gabriel Morales, at a Walmart in Moncton and recognized the boys face from media reports. Im just so happy because my son is OK, I feared the worst, Yanet Leal Concepcion, Jojos mother told Local10. Concepcion initially reported her son was missing Aug. 27 after his father failed to return him to his her, violating a custody agreement, according to police. When she went to her ex-husband's apartment to check on her child, everything was gone. Everything was gone from his apartment, she said. His phones were off. His moms phone was off. A missing person alert was issued after the abduction, naming his father and paternal grandmother, Lillian Pena Morales. Authorities believed the boy could have been in eastern Canada or Maine after the 2006 Ford Expedition truck driven by Jorge was found in Maine on Sept. 26. The FBI subsequently released surveillance footage from a Walgreens in Houlton, confirming Jojo was in the state of Maine at some point during his travels. Police also allegedly found items belonging to the child in the vehicle. Every mother fears the worst and Im just... I cant, my body is like leaving my soul. Im just so happy I cant stop crying. Story continues All I said was, Hey, baby! I missed you! and he says, Its mommy, its mommy! According to Local10, Jojo, who has autism, has been relatively unaware of what hes been through in the last two months. BREAKING NEWS The missing juvenile, Jorge "Jojo" Morales, has been recovered in Canada. We want to thank our local, state, federal, & international law enforcement, along with the @SDFLnews & @KathyFndzRundle for the collaboration on this case. pic.twitter.com/ajTkmAHCQ9 Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) October 30, 2022 Jojos father and grandmother have been taken into custody, Miami-Dade police confirmed, with the arrest of the 45-year-old man undertaken without incident at a business on Plaza Boulevard. He is currently in police custody. Lillian, 68, who was also sought in the investigation, was also arrested without incident on Village-Des-Cormier Road in Saint-Paul and is now in police custody. This is another example how local, state, federal, and international law enforcement, along with the United States and State Attorneys Office coming together for the safety of a child and will continue to work together to fight the greater evil, Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez said in a statement. BREAKING: #Missing 6-year-old Jorge Jojo Morales was recovered safely today. Investigators say a tipster spotted Jojo and his father at a Walmart in Moncton, Canada after seeing media coverage. Jojos father and grandmother have been taken into custody. More details to come. pic.twitter.com/rE9qC81G3a National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (@MissingKids) October 30, 2022 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. A Mississippi man who was wanted by the Leflore County Sheriff's Office stole an unmarked police car and avoided capture for nearly two days until he was arrested in Acadia Parish, according to authorities. The 59-year-old man stole the unmarked Leflore County Sheriff's Office Ford Explorer on Oct. 26, according to a release from Acadia Parish Sheriff K.P. Gibson. Leflore County is north of Jackson, Miss., and is about 340 miles from Crowley. The Yazoo City, Mississippi, man was wanted on charges of escape and grand larceny. Acadia Parish deputies saw the stolen Explorer at about 10 a.m. on Oct. 28 driving north on Conrad Road in Crowley. Deputies pulled the man over and charged him with illegal possession of a stolen vehicle. He was being held in the Acadia Parish Jail on a $25,000 bond and a detainer for Leflore County. In other news: Who's running for Lafayette City Court Judge? Meet the candidates before Nov. 8 election This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Mississippi accused of stealing police car, caught in south Louisiana Mylissa Farmer (left) speaks in an ad for Trudy Busch Valentine, condemning Eric Schmitts (right) support for abortion bans without exceptions. Earlier this month, the Springfield News-Leader reported the story of a Missouri woman named Mylissa Farmer who was forced to travel to Illinois after being denied a life-saving abortion due to Missouris near-total abortion ban and its ambiguous exception for threats to the life of the pregnant person. Farmer had reached out to the office of her state senator for helpand instead, they referred her to an anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center and promised to contact the Republican state attorney general, Eric Schmitt, who also happens to be running for U.S. Senate. Farmer says she never heard back. Shortly after sharing her story, Farmerwho once identified as pretty pro-lifeappeared in a damning ad for Schmitts Democratic opponent, Trudy Busch Valentine, highlighting Schmitts extremist stances on abortion. And on Friday, Missouri House Rep. Crystal Quade (D) sent a letter to the attorney generals office alleging that the state had launched an investigation into Farmer and Freeman Hospitalwhich had ruled that Farmers pregnancy wasnt viableand requesting records and transparency. Read more On Monday, a spokesperson for Missouris Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) confirmed in an email to Jezebel that the department does have an ongoing EMTALA investigation underway, as authorized by CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] on October 20, regarding the situation youve described at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. In a follow-up email, the spokesperson specified that DHSS is investigating the hospital and not Farmer, specifically. In Quades letter, the Democratic lawmaker alleges that Schmitt sent several cease and desist letters to Missouri television stations that aired the Busch Valentine ad featuring Farmerand that the state then opened a retaliatory investigation into the hospital that cared for Farmer as the ads continued to air. Story continues I sent the letter because the people of Missouri deserve to know whether their government is using their taxpayer dollars to subject private citizens to harassment for doing nothing more than exercising free speech, and for something as blatantly unlawful as benefitting the political campaigns of certain elected officials, Quade told Jezebel on Monday in an email. They and their providers also deserve to know whether any Missouri woman or girls personal health care records can now be subjected to invasive, targeted scrutiny by the AG office or any other agency of state government without sufficient reason. This has long been my fear with the overturn. Abortion stories can become confessions. Its critical that people who share their abortion stories are offered support (legal and emotional) as they do so, and that the abortion access movement refuses to cooperate with police. https://t.co/DXwILYGeyp Renee Bracey Sherman (@RBraceySherman) October 28, 2022 Quade says a whistleblower informed her of the investigation. In a separate email to Jezebel on Monday, the attorney generals office claimed it wasnt involved in the investigation into Farmer s story and Freeman Hospital. Schmitts campaign and Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Jezebel about the investigation. In Quades letter to the attorney generals office, which she shared with Jezebel, she called the timing of the investigation suspicious and concerning to say the least and expressed concern that the substantial taxpayer-funded investigative power of the state government is being weaponized against citizens for political retaliation. Furthermore, [the investigation] corroborates fears that the harsh abortion restrictions you [Scmitt] so swiftly implemented and have proudly championed will indeed be used to punish women and girls facing unimaginably difficult or tragic circumstances through no fault of their own, Quade wrote. We appropriate taxpayer dollars to executive branch offices so that they may undertake lawful activities supporting citizensnot so elected officials and unelected bureaucrats can use those dollars to violate the law and harass citizens. The investigation is a stark warning to those who share their abortion stories in red statesor advocate for politicians who champion reproductive rights. At a time when providing even life-saving abortion care can land doctors in prison, and miscarrying or self-managing an abortion can land a pregnant person in jail, use of state resources to investigate Farmer and the hospital that cared for her is especially terrifying. Mylissa Farmer showed a great deal of courage in sharing her story so publicly. Now, there are reports shes being investigated by the state for coming forward, Busch Valentine said in a statement to Jezebel on Monday. This should send a chill down the spine of every Missourian, that our government could be weaponized in such an alarming way. Renee Bracey Sherman, executive director of We Testify, an organization that supports people in sharing their abortion stories, also expressed concern with the investigation. This has long been my fear with the overturn. Abortion stories can become confessions, she wrote in a Friday tweet. Its critical that people who share their abortion stories are offered support (legal and emotional) as they do so, and that the abortion access movement refuses to cooperate with police. In the ad for Busch Valentine, Farmer recalls her water breaking at 17 weeks, and learning she was going to lose [her] daughter. Farmer, whose pregnancy was already high-risk, continues, Missouri doctors werent allowed to give me the care that I neededall because of the mandate Eric Schmitt put into place. Eric Schmitt doesnt care about women like me, imposing mandate that doesnt have exceptions for rape, incest, or health of the mother, and it could even send women and doctors to jail. Farmers story reflects those of numerous other pregnant patients who have been placed at greater risk or denied life-saving medications and treatmentsincluding chemotherapyas a result of abortion bans and the legal risks they pose to doctors. Its deeply concerning that speaking publicly about these experiences can potentially result in investigations by the state. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. VALENTYNA ROMANENKO MONDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2022, 10:06 Ukraine's air defence system has shot down 44 of more than 50 Russian missiles launched on Monday morning. Source: Air Force Command press service on Telegram Quote: "At 07.00 on 31 October, the Russian occupiers carried out several waves of missile attacks on critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. More than 50 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles were fired from TU-95/Tu-160 strategic missile carriers from the north of the Caspian Sea and the area of the city of Volgodonsk (Rostov Oblast, Russia). 44 cruise missiles were destroyed by the Air Force in the areas under the responsibility of Air Command Tsentr (Centre) (18), Air Command Pivden (South) (12), Air Command Skhid (East) (9), Air Command Zakhid (West) (5)." Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Within hours of the attack on Paul Pelosi, conspiracy theories deflecting blame for the assault on the husband of U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi were already swirling online. It didn't matter that authorities said Paul Pelosi was alone when the suspect broke into the couple's San Francisco home. Or that investigators said they didn't believe the two men knew one another. It didn't even matter that the suspect, David DePape, confessed to investigators that he broke into the Pelosi home to target the speaker. Misleading claims about the assault spread rapidly anyway, and not just thanks to trolls in obscure internet chatrooms. The claims received a major boost from some prominent Republicans and Elon Musk, now the owner of Twitter, one of the world's leading online platforms. On Monday, posts falsely suggesting a personal relationship between Pelosi and the alleged assailant, soared on Twitter, a day after Musk tweeted and deleted a link to an article suggesting one. Musk hasnt said why he linked to the article, or why he deleted his post, which came in response to a tweet from Hillary Clinton that condemned the attack. Twitter did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press on Monday. Its like he forgot for a second that he was now the owner of the platform, and not just anther user who can say whatever he wants, said Brad Greenspan, a tech entrepreneur and an early investor in MySpace. Now, being the owner, there are a whole new set of responsibilities. One of several Republicans to amplify the baseless conspiracy theory, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., defended Musk on Monday with a tweet that repeated the misleading claim about Paul Pelosi's friend attacking him with a hammer. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., joked about the attack with his own tweet, since deleted, that repeated the conspiracy theory. Donald Trump Jr., meanwhile, ridiculed Paul Pelosi on Twitter with false assertions. Story continues The claim also spread to other platforms, including fringe sites like Gab and Truth Social, where posts mocked the 82-year-old victim. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins on Monday begged other political leaders to be mindful of their comments about the case. We of course do not want distorted facts floating around, certainly not in a manner that is further traumatizing a family that has been traumatized enough, she said. The posts focusing on Paul Pelosi were just a subset of a recent wave of hateful and conspiracy theory-laden posts that followed Musk's purchase of Twitter. Within just 12 hours of Musks purchase being finalized Friday, references to a specific racist epithet used to demean Black people shot up by 500%, according to an analysis conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute, a Princeton, New Jersey-based firm that tracks disinformation. Extremism experts and disinformation researchers had warned that the change in ownership could upend Twitters efforts to combat misinformation and hate speech, especially with this years midterm elections just days away. Yosef Getachew, director of the media and democracy program at Common Cause, said there's a significant risk that misinformation spreading so soon before the election could confuse or frighten voters, or lead to more polarization or even acts of violence. Rather than cave in to conspiracy theorists and propaganda peddlers, we urge Musk to ensure Twitters rules and enforcement practices reflect our values of democracy and public safety," Getachew said. Authorities in San Francisco held a press conference Monday to discuss the latest on the investigation into the attack. DePape told police that he wanted to take Nancy Pelosi hostage and break her kneecaps," they said. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins debunked several other aspects of the conspiracy theory as well, saying there's no evidence DePape knew Paul Pelosi, and saying Pelosi was alone at home when DePape broke in. While belief in conspiracy theories is nothing new to American history, experts who study disinformation say they can become dangerous when they persuade people to consider violence as an alternative to politics, or when they cause people to ignore inconvenient truths. DePape appears to have authored racist and often rambling online posts in which he questioned the results of the 2020 election, defended former President Donald Trump and echoed QAnon conspiracy theories. QAnon adherents support the belief that Trump is secretly waging a battle against a sect of blood-drinking Satanists who have controlled world events for eons. The movement has been linked to an increasing number of acts of real-world violence in recent years. Social media has sped up the proliferation of conspiracy theories, helped believers organize, and enabled groups to weaponize disinformation for their own ends, according to Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, a group that supports new regulations on platforms. Twitter and other platforms, Haworth said, have created a toxic atmosphere where public officials and their families are at risk (and) now online threats are spilling over into real-world violence." ___ This story was first published on Oct. 31, 2022. It was updated on Nov. 4, 2022, to correct the name of an organization monitoring hate speech to the Network Contagion Research Institute, not the National Contagion Research Institute. Billionaire Elon Musk is already floating major changes for Twitter and faces major hurdles as he begins his first week as owner of the social-media platform. Twitter's new owner fired the company's board of directors and made himself the board's sole member, according to a company filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk later said on Twitter that the new board setup is temporary, but he didn't provide any details. He's also testing the waters on asking users to pay for verification. A venture capitalist working with Musk tweeted a poll asking how much users would be willing to pay for the blue check mark that Twitter has historically used to verify higher-profile accounts so other users know its really them. Musk, whose account is verified, replied, Interesting. Critics have derided the mark, often granted to celebrities, politicians, business leaders and journalists, as an elite status symbol. But Twitter also uses the blue check mark to verify activists and people who suddenly find themselves in the news, as well as little-known journalists at small publications around the globe, as an extra tool to curb misinformation coming from accounts that are impersonating people. The whole verification process is being revamped right now, Musk tweeted Sunday in response to a user who asked for help getting verified. On Friday, meanwhile, billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said he and his Kingdom Holding Company rolled over a combined $1.89 billion in existing Twitter shares, making them the companys largest shareholder after Musk. The news raised concerns among some lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut. Murphy tweeted that he is requesting the Committee on Foreign Investment which reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyers to investigate the national security implications of the kingdom's investment in Twitter We should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in repressing political speech and impacting U.S. politics, are now the second-largest owner of a major social media platform, Murphy tweeted. There is a clear national security issue at stake and CFIUS should do a review. Story continues Having taken ownership of the social media service, Musk has invited a group of tech-world friends and investors to help guide the San Francisco-based company's transformation, which is likely to include a shakeup of its staff. Musk last week fired CEO Parag Agrawal and other top executives. There's been uncertainty about if and when he could begin larger-scale layoffs. I do think there will be a lot of layoffs, said Matthew Faulkner, an assistant finance professor at San Jose State University. Faulkner noted the need for cost-cutting after Musk bought Twitter for a premium and the platforms longtime struggles trying to turn a profit. But Musk might also want as quickly as possible to weed out employees who dont believe in his mission so that those who stay feel more secure. You dont want to have frantically scared employees working for you, Faulkner said. That doesnt motivate people. Those who have revealed they are helping Musk include Sriram Krishnan, a partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which pledged back in the spring to chip in to Musk's plan to buy the company and take it private. Krishnan, who is also a former Twitter product executive, said in a tweet that it is a hugely important company and can have great impact on the world and Elon is the person to make it happen. Jason Calacanis, the venture capitalist who tweeted the poll about whether users would pay for verification, said over the weekend he is hanging out at Twitter a bit and simply trying to be as helpful as possible during the transition. Calacanis said the team already has a very comprehensive plan to reduce the number of (and visibility of) bots, spammers, & bad actors on the platform. And in the Twitter poll, he asked if users would pay between $5 and $15 monthly to be verified & get a blue check mark on Twitter. Twitter is currently free for most users because it depends on advertising for its revenue. Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion in April but it wasn't until Thursday evening that he finally closed the deal, after his attempts to back out of it led to a protracted legal fight with the company. Musk's lawyers are now asking the Delaware Chancery Court to throw out the case, according to a court filing made public Monday. The two sides were supposed to go to trial in November if they didn't close the deal by the end of last week. Musk has made a number of pronouncements since early this year about how to fix Twitter, and it remains unclear which proposals he will prioritize. He has promised to cut back some of Twitter's content restrictions to promote free speech, but said Friday that no major decisions on content or reinstating of banned accounts will be made until a content moderation council with diverse viewpoints is put in place. He later qualified that remark, tweeting anyone suspended for minor & dubious reasons will be freed from Twitter jail. The head of a cryptocurrency exchange that invested $500 million in Musks Twitter takeover said he had a number of reasons for supporting the deal, including the possibility Musk would transition Twitter into a company supporting cryptocurrency and the concept known as Web3, which many cryptocurrency enthusiasts envision as the next generation of the internet. We want to make sure that crypto has a seat at the table when it comes to free speech, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao told CNBC on Monday. And there are more tactical things, like we want to help bring Twitter into Web3 when theyre ready. He said cryptocurrency could be useful for solving some of Musks immediate challenges, such as the plan to charge a premium membership fee for more users. That can be done very easily, globally, by using cryptocurrency as a means of payment, he said. ___ Associated Press Writer Randall Chase contributed to this story. SAN FRANCISCO - Members of billionaire Elon Musk's inner circle huddled with Twitter's remaining senior executives throughout the weekend, conducting detailed discussions regarding the site's approach to content moderation, as well as plans to lay off 25 percent of the workforce to start. Alex Spiro, a well-known celebrity lawyer who has represented Musk for several years, led those conversations. Spiro is taking an active role in managing several teams at Twitter, including legal, government relations, policy and marketing, according to four people familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe them, as well as tweets from some of the people involved. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Longtime Musk associates David Sacks and Jason Calacanis appeared in a company directory over the weekend, according to photos obtained by The Washington Post. Both had official company emails and their titles were "staff software engineer." Musk's title in the directory was CEO, although that position has not been publicly announced. He refers to himself as "Chief Twit." Meanwhile, the team was deciding on what is expected to be a first round of layoffs, which will target roughly a quarter of the staff totaling more than 7,000, according to one of the people. Layoffs will touch almost all departments, and are expected to specifically impact sales, product, engineering, legal, and trust and safety in the coming days, the person said. After engineers, some of Twitter's highest paid employees work in sales, where several earn more than $300,000, according to documents viewed by The Post. Twitter, Musk, Spiro, Sacks and Calacanis did not respond to requests for comment. Video: Elon Musk's ownership of Twitter begins The billionaire Tesla owner bought Twitter for $44 billion last week after several strenuous months of negotiations and legal wrangling. Musk first made a bid for the company in the spring, then tried to back out months later. Twitter sued to force him to complete the deal, and eventually the entrepreneur acquiesced and offered to buy the company for his original offer price. Story continues Musk has turned to several longtime allies as he begins his overhaul of Twitter. Sacks, a conservative firebrand and donor, has worked with Musk from their days running PayPal together two decades ago. Sacks has posted strong ideas about content moderation online and has criticized censorship from Big Tech. Calacanis is also a longtime Musk friend who texted him frequently to offer advice on the deal, including about job cuts, court records showed. Calacanis tweeted that Saturday was "Day Zero" alongside a photo of a Twitter coffee mug, adding that he had discussed safety issues, along with bots and trolls, with Yoel Roth, a Twitter executive responsible for content moderation policy. Roth then posted details about those policies. On Sunday, Musk posted apparent internal messages from Roth about Twitter metrics, arguing they show Twitter's board and lawyers "deliberately hid . . . evidence from the court." The tweet showed Musk using his newly gained access to internal information to potentially settle scores. The new leadership team is asking questions about every aspect of the business, including details of content moderation, spam and the risks of upcoming elections, the people said. Another Musk associate who tweeted about his involvement, Sriram Krishnan, a partner focusing on cryptocurrency at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, also tweeted he was helping out with the deal. The firm invested $400 million. Less than three days into Musk's ownership, Twitter employees remained in the dark about any new plans for the company as of Sunday evening, according to numerous employees contacted by The Post, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs. The company has yet to release a formal announcement of the acquisition. The communications department has gone silent. Rumors have swirled about layoffs, with some notices going out quietly. Layoffs are expected to begin ahead of Nov. 1, when Twitter employees are slated to receive additional compensation related to stock grants. On Sunday Musk tweeted that reporting about impending layoffs at Twitter next week was "false." Earlier this year, Musk told prospective partners in the deal that he planned to cut nearly 75 percent of Twitter's total workforce, which would leave the company with about 2,000 employees, according to interviews and documents obtained by The Post. Musk last week told employees when he visited Twitter's headquarters that he didn't plan to cut three-fourths of the workforce. Another person familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters last week said the total number of layoffs is likely to be closer to 50 percent. Already, Musk has fired four senior executives, sent Tesla engineers to evaluate Twitter's software code, and has tweeted that he plans to form a content moderation council of experts. Meanwhile, illustrating the difficulties of his new task, Musk tweeted out content from a site that is known to publish misinformation this weekend. On Saturday, Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, posted a tweet criticizing the GOP for spreading "hate and deranged conspiracy theories" that she said had emboldened the man who attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, inside the couple's home in San Francisco early Friday. Musk wrote, in a reply to the tweet, that "There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye," sharing a link to an article in the Santa Monica Observer, site described by fact-checkers as a low-credibility source favoring the extreme right. The article alleges, without evidence, that Paul Pelosi was drunk and in a fight with a male prostitute, referencing a conspiracy theory that had previously been spread on the right. Other right-wing influencers who Musk has interacted with online also amplified the conspiratorial narrative. The actions by Musk, who has since removed the tweet, show that Twitter has a complicated path ahead, particularly in navigating Musk's public actions and squaring that with what he says privately. - - - The Washington Post's Rachel Lerman contributed to this report. Video Embed Code Video: On Oct. 27, Elon Musk completed his purchase of Twitter and began taking control of the social media company, firing several key executives.(REF:baranj/The Washington Post) Embed code: Related Content Inside the secretive effort by Trump allies to access voting machines They escaped Russian occupation. Now they want to go back. That ripped Home Depot werewolf has become the new Halloween flex SAN FRANCISCO - Members of billionaire Elon Musk's inner circle huddled with Twitter's remaining senior executives throughout the weekend, conducting detailed discussions regarding the site's approach to content moderation and spam, as well as plans to lay off 25 percent of the workforce to start. Alex Spiro, a well-known celebrity lawyer who has represented Musk for several years, led those conversations. Spiro is taking an active role in managing several teams at Twitter, including legal, government relations, policy and marketing, according to four people familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe them, as well as tweets from some of the people involved. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Longtime Musk associates David Sacks and Jason Calacanis appeared in a company directory over the weekend, according to photos obtained by The Washington Post. Both had official company emails and their titles were "staff software engineer." Musk's title in the directory was CEO, although that position has not been publicly announced. He refers to himself as "Chief Twit." A document filed with financial regulators Monday showed Twitter's board had been dismissed, another step leaving the company in Musk's sole control. Later Monday, a financial filing officially revealed that Musk is CEO of the company. Meanwhile, the team was deciding on what is expected to be a first round of layoffs, which will target roughly a quarter of the staff totaling more than 7,000, according to one of the people. Layoffs will touch almost all departments, and are expected to specifically impact sales, product, engineering, legal, and trust and safety in the coming days, the person said. After engineers, some of Twitter's highest paid employees work in sales, where several earn more than $300,000, according to documents viewed by The Post. Story continues Twitter, Musk, Spiro, Sacks and Calacanis did not respond to requests for comment. The billionaire Tesla owner bought Twitter for $44 billion last week after several strenuous months of negotiations and legal wrangling. Musk first made a bid for the company in the spring, then tried to back out months later. Twitter sued to force him to complete the deal, and eventually the entrepreneur acquiesced and offered to buy the company for his original offer price. Musk has turned to several longtime allies as he begins his overhaul of Twitter. Members of Musk's team were in New York City, where Twitter has a corporate office, taking meetings on Monday, according to social media posts. Sacks, a conservative firebrand and donor, has worked with Musk from their days running PayPal together two decades ago. Sacks has posted strong ideas about content moderation online and has criticized censorship from Big Tech. Calacanis is also a longtime Musk friend who texted him frequently to offer advice on the deal, including about job cuts, court records showed. Calacanis tweeted that Saturday was "Day Zero" alongside a photo of a Twitter coffee mug, adding that he had discussed safety issues, along with bots and trolls, with Yoel Roth, a Twitter executive responsible for content moderation policy. Roth then posted details about those policies. On Sunday, Musk posted apparent internal messages from Roth about Twitter metrics, arguing they show Twitter's board and lawyers "deliberately hid . . . evidence from the court." The tweet showed Musk using his newly gained access to internal information to potentially settle scores. The new leadership team is asking questions about every aspect of the business, including details of content moderation, spam and the risks of upcoming elections, the people said. They also discussed identity verification on the platform, including verifying high profile users with blue check marks, according to a Musk tweet and the people. Another Musk associate who tweeted about his involvement, Sriram Krishnan, a partner focusing on cryptocurrency at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, also tweeted he was helping out with the deal. The firm invested $400 million. He describes himself as a former Twitter executive on his LinkedIn page. On Monday, a financial filing revealed Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey - the company's former CEO - rolled over his Twitter shares into the new company, making him one of Musk's investors. Less than three days into Musk's ownership, Twitter employees remained in the dark about any new plans for the company as of Sunday evening, according to numerous employees contacted by The Post, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs. The company has yet to release a formal announcement of the acquisition. The communications department has gone silent. Rumors have swirled about layoffs, with some notices going out quietly. Layoffs are expected to begin ahead of Nov. 1, when Twitter employees are slated to receive additional compensation related to stock grants. On Sunday Musk tweeted that reporting about impending layoffs at Twitter next week was "false." Earlier this year, Musk told prospective partners in the deal that he planned to cut nearly 75 percent of Twitter's total workforce, which would leave the company with about 2,000 employees, according to interviews and documents obtained by The Post. Musk last week told employees when he visited Twitter's headquarters that he didn't plan to cut three-fourths of the workforce. Another person familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters last week said the total number of layoffs is likely to be closer to 50 percent. Already, Musk has fired four senior executives, sent Tesla engineers to evaluate Twitter's software code, and has tweeted that he plans to form a content moderation council of experts. Meanwhile, illustrating the difficulties of his new task, Musk tweeted out content from a site that is known to publish misinformation this weekend. On Saturday, Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, posted a tweet criticizing the GOP for spreading "hate and deranged conspiracy theories" that she said had emboldened the man who attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, inside the couple's home in San Francisco early Friday. Musk wrote, in a reply to the tweet, that "There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye," sharing a link to an article in the Santa Monica Observer, site described by fact-checkers as a low-credibility source favoring the extreme right. The article alleges, without evidence, that Paul Pelosi was drunk and in a fight with a male prostitute, referencing a conspiracy theory that had previously been spread on the right. Other right-wing influencers who Musk has interacted with online also amplified the conspiratorial narrative. The actions by Musk, who has since removed the tweet, show that Twitter has a complicated path ahead, particularly in navigating Musk's public actions and squaring that with what he says privately. - - - The Washington Post's Rachel Lerman contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: On Oct. 27, Elon Musk completed his purchase of Twitter and began taking control of the social media company, firing several key executives.(REF:baranj/The Washington Post) Embed code: Related Content At local fairs around the U.S., voters tell us what they really think A haven for many in Seoul, Itaewon ponders future after crowd crush Sharp homeownership spikes for Black, Asian and Latino families in 2021 NASA plans to roll out its Artemis I SLS rocket Friday at 12:01 a.m. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< This will be the second rollout of the Artemis I SLS rocket. The first two launch attempts, in August and September, were scrubbed after fueling and mechanical issues. NASA was forced to roll back the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building when Hurricane Ian was headed to Florida. Read: Artemis: What you need to know Artemis I SLS rocket is targeted to launch Monday, Nov. 14. The launch window opens at 12:07 a.m. and will last 69 minutes. NASA has two additional launch opportunities Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 1:04 a.m. and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 1:45 a.m. Both of those launch windows will last two hours. Read: Artemis I: 9 things to know about NASAs mission to return humans to the moon If the launch is successful, the 25-and-a-half-day mission will send the Orion spacecraft around the moon and back to Earth, with splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 9. NASA will hold a press conference on Thursday at noon to provide an update on the uncrewed mission. CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - AUGUST 17: In this handout image provided by NASA, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher as it rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on August 17, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agency's deep space exploration systems, which includes the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than August 29. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images) The NASA Artemis rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building moving slowly to pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022. NASA is aiming for an Aug. 29 liftoff for the lunar test flight. (AP Photo/Terry Renna) NASA's Artemis rocket, with the Orion spacecraft aboard, stands in the vehicle assembly building before rolling out to launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA is aiming for an Aug. 29 liftoff for the lunar test flight. No one will be inside the crew capsule atop the rocket, just three mannequins. (AP Photo/Terry Renna) CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - AUGUST 17: In this handout image provided by NASA, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher as it rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on August 17, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agency's deep space exploration systems, which includes the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than August 29. (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images) The NASA Artemis rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building moving slowly to pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022. NASA is aiming for an Aug. 29 liftoff for the lunar test flight. (AP Photo/Terry Renna) If the launch is successful, the 25-and-a-half-day mission will send the Orion spacecraft around the moon and back to Earth, with splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 9. NASA will hold a press conference on Thursday at noon to provide an update on the uncrewed mission. 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. An illustration of NASA's Psyche spacecraft in orbit. An illustration of NASAs Psyche spacecraft. A NASA mission to explore one of the most intriguing objects in the asteroid belt is getting a second chance. The Psyche mission is now targeting a launch period in 2023 after missing its initial window this year due to development delays. NASA decided to go ahead with its Psyche mission following an internal review of the issues that led to its delay, the space agency announced on Friday. The mission is now targeting a new launch window that opens on October 20, 2023, with the spacecraft launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Read more In June, NASA delayed the launch of the Psyche spacecraft due to issues with its flight software and testing equipment. The spacecrafts flight software controls its orientation and trajectory, as well as its ability to send and receive data to Earth. The issue could not be resolved in time to allow for liftoff before this years launch window closed on October 11. Instead, NASA put together an independent review board to go over the issues that led to the delay and assess whether or not the spacecraft should still launch. The continuation/termination review gave the go-ahead for Psyches launch with a similar trajectory to the original one, using a Mars gravity assist in 2026 to send the spacecraft on its way to the asteroid Psyche. During this review, [the Psyche team has] demonstrated significant progress already made toward the future launch date, JPL Director Laurie Leshin said in a statement. I am confident in the plan moving forward and excited by the unique and important science this mission will return. With the new launch window, the spacecraft will arrive at Psyche much later than originally planned, entering orbit around the asteroid in August 2029 rather than early 2026. Its still better late than never for the highly-anticipated mission, which will explore the metal-rich asteroids its named after. Story continues Psyche is a 140-mile-wide (226 kilometer) asteroid that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists believe Psyche might be the stripped down core of a shattered planetesimal, one of the building blocks that come together to form a planet. The Psyche spacecraft will orbit around its target to map it using a multispectral imager, a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, a magnetometer, and a radio instrument, according to NASA. By studying the Psyche asteroid, scientists may learn more about the interiors of terrestrial planets like Earth. While the Psyche mission got a second chance at launching to space, NASA is still trying to figure out what to do with the Janus mission, which was meant to piggyback with Psyche during its original launch window. Janus is one of three planned missions under NASAs Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx-2) program, and is designed to study two separate binary asteroid systems. NASA continues to assess options for its Janus mission, the space agency wrote. But for now, the space agency is anticipating the launch of Psyche and the ability to explore the unique space rock. The lessons learned from Psyche will be implemented across our entire mission portfolio, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASAs Science Mission Directorate, said in a statement. I am excited about the science insights Psyche will provide during its lifetime and its promise to contribute to our understanding of our own planets core. More: NASAs Asteroid Probe Captures Haunting Images of the Earth and Moon More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Steve Kornacki says the top unanswered question regarding Democrats odds of keeping control of the Senate is how Pennsylvania voters will react to Democratic Senate nominee John Fettermans performance in the races only televised debate against Republican Mehmet Oz last week. Weve seen movement in Pennsylvania over the last couple months. To me, when you look at the battle for the Senate, its the single biggest question heading into the election, Kornacki, NBC Newss top elections expert, said during a recent interview with The Hill. Its volatile, how are voters going to respond to the Fetterman situation, to the debate. Fetterman, the states lieutenant governor, suffered a stroke earlier this year but was able to participate in the nationally broadcast prime-time debate against Oz. Fetterman at times struggled to answer questions coherently and used closed captioning during the hourlong back-and-forth with the television personality. Days before the Democrat took to the debate stage, Gisele Fetterman, the candidates wife, criticized an NBC News reporter who made on-air comments about the health of her husband and spoke about his auditory processing issues after interviewing him. John Fettermans health has sparked national debate about what counts as a disability and perceptions on who is able to serve in public office. Kornacki characterized Pennsylvania as on paper, the Democrats best chance of picking off a Republican-held Senate seat. If the Democrats lose any of the seats they currently hold, and theyre in danger in a couple of them, theyve got to be able to balance it, he said. The biggest question here is in these final two weeks with that debate now having happened, very unique set of circumstances, how does the public in Pennsylvania respond to it? Ahead of election night, Kornacki said he is a little more hesitant and a little less clear on where things are headed with the various key races as opposed to other midterm cycles in recent memory. Story continues I take a look at the generic ballot average, and its moved around in ways this year it hasnt moved around in past midterms, he said. Kornacki has spent an increased amount of time focusing on political strategies ahead of congressional midterm elections as he prepares to debut a new podcast this week. The election gurus six-episode audio series, dubbed The Revolution with Steve Kornacki, explores the rise of former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and his role in the consequential midterm elections of 1994 when the GOP took the House majority for the first time in four decades. The project aims to provide context behind the 1994 midterms and understand American partisanship as it exists today, which Kornacki said can be traced back to the strategy used by Gingrich and the GOP to win back the House that year. I view 1994 as a turning point in our politics, a process really began and its a process of nationalizing our politics, he said. Were now living in a fully almost totally nationalized political climate. Theres all sorts of debate and all kinds of discussion to be had about the long-term meaning, significance, implications of the Republican revolution of 1994, but to me theres just no question that it changed our politics. Updated at 9:24 a.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Maayan Lubell and James Mackenzie JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared well placed to return to power as exit polls following Tuesday's election showed his right-wing bloc heading for a narrow majority lifted by a strong showing from his far-right allies. Israel's longest-serving premier, on trial over corruption charges which he denies, was poised to take a narrow majority of 61 or 62 of the Knesset's 120 seats, according to Israeli television exit polls. "It's a good start," Netanyahu, 73, said in a video broadcast by Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11, but added that exit polls were not the real count. A final result is not expected until later in the week, and wrangling broke out immediately with Netanyahu's Likud party warning of possible attempts to falsify the results. Israel's fifth election in less than four years exasperated many voters, but turnout was reported at the highest levels since 2015. The campaign was shaken up by firebrand West Bank settler Itamar Ben-Gvir and his ultra-nationalist Religious Zionism list, now poised to be the third-largest party in parliament after surging in from the political margins. "The time has come that we go back to being in charge of our country!" Ben-Gvir said in a speech punctuated by chants of "Death to Terrorists" from hundreds of cheering supporters. Netanyahu's record 12-year consecutive reign ended in June 2021 when centrist Yair Lapid and his coalition partner Naftali Bennett managed to stitch together an alliance that included an Arab party for the first time. Security on the streets and soaring prices topped the list of voter concerns in a campaign triggered by defections from Prime Minister Lapid's unlikely ruling coalition of right-wing, liberal and Arab parties. "NO PEACE PARTNER" The campaign was dominated by the outsized personality of Netanyahu, whose legal battles have fed the stalemate blocking Israel's political system since he was indicted on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges in 2019. Story continues Lapid's camp was poised to take 54-55 seats, with his There Is a Future party coming in second-largest in parliament, according to the polls. Speaking to supporters at his party headquarters, Lapid stopped short of conceding the election and said he will wait until the final results were in. "We have no intention to stop," Lapid said. "We will continue to fight for Israel to be a Jewish and democratic, liberal and progressive state." He campaigned on his stewardship of the economy as well as diplomatic advances with countries including Lebanon and Turkey. But it was not enough to stop the right. The result, however, left Netanyahu depending on support from Ben-Gvir and fellow far-right leader Bezalel Smotrich, who have moderated some extreme anti-Arab positions but still call for anyone deemed disloyal to Israel to be expelled. The prospect of a government including Ben-Gvir, a former member of Kach, a group on Israeli and U.S. terrorist watchlists, and who was once convicted for racist incitement, risks alarming allies including Washington. It also reinforced Palestinian scepticism that a political solution to the conflict was likely after a campaign which unrolled against a backdrop of increasing violence in the occupied West Bank, with near-daily raids and clashes. "The election results proved what we already know, that we have no peace partner in Israel," Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said in a statement. The outcome could be affected by whether or not Balad, a small Arab party, gets over the threshold for entry into parliament, which could shake up the distribution of seats and potentially thwart Netanyahu. The Central Elections Committee said it had found no sign of any manipulation and said there was no basis to rumours of supposed fraud. (Additional reporting by Emily Rose, Ari Rabinovitch, James Mackenzie, Henriette Chacar, Ali Sawafta, Nidal Al-Mughrabi; Editing by Howard Goller and Leslie Adler) By James Mackenzie JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israelis vote for the fifth time in four years on Tuesday in an election in which former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comeback bid may depend on a far-right party whose leaders call for those deemed disloyal to Israel to be expelled. Voter exasperation at the deadlock may hurt turnout but surging support for the ultranationalist Religious Zionism bloc and firebrand co-leader Itamar Ben-Gvir has galvanized the race. Israel's longest-serving premier, Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges, which he denies. His rightist Likud party is still expected to finish as the largest in parliament. Final opinion polls published last week however showed him still short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, opening the prospect of weeks of coalition wrangling and possibly new elections. Security aned surging prices have topped the list of voter concerns in a campaign triggered by outgoing centrist Prime Minister Yair Lapid's decision to seek an early election following defections from his ruling coalition. However policy disputes have been overshadowed by the outsized personality of Netanyahu, whose legal battles have fed the stalemate blocking Israel's political system since he was indicted on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges in 2019. After repeated rounds of elections in which he failed to gain a stable majority, he now depends on Religious Zionism, a once-marginal group set to be the third-largest party. The rise of Ben-Gvir and fellow far-right leader Bezalel Smotrich has eaten into Likud's traditional support which has long been loyal to Netanyahu's hawkish image. Ben-Gvir - a former member of Kach, a group on Israeli and U.S. terrorist watchlists, and whose record includes a 2007 conviction for racist incitment against Arabs - on Sunday announced he wanted to be police minister. Netanyahu told Israel's Army Radio he would "not rule out" such an appointment but although Ben-Gvir has moderated some earlier positions, the prospect of his joining the government risks alarming allies, including Washington. Story continues Lapid, who will remain in office in the event of deadlock, has campaigned on the record of the unlikely coalition formed after the last election that mixed right-wing, centrist and, for the first time, an Arab party. As well as strong economic growth, he points to diplomatic progress with Lebanon and Turkey and a relatively restrained round of fighting with Palestinian militants in Gaza. (Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Nick Macfie) This is an excerpt from Incoming, BuzzFeed News morning newsletter dedicated to making sense of this chaotic world we live in. Join the club here. Most of the Itaewon Halloween crowd-crush victims were people in their 20s, officials said. A man mourns on the street where a deadly crowd crush took place during a Halloween festival in Seoul, Oct. 30, 2022. Chung Sung-jun / Getty Images South Korea is in a period of national mourning as the country reels from a horrific crowd crush in Seoul on Saturday night, in which at least 154 people were killed and dozens of others injured. The deadly crowd surge happened as an estimated 100,000 people came out to celebrate Halloween in Itaewon, a party district in downtown Seoul popular with young people and foreigners. Late Saturday night, many of the dead were sent to hospitals while the bodies of dozens of others were being transported to a nearby gym to be identified, according to the chief of Seouls Yongsan fire department. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said that 98 women and 56 men were killed. Most of the people who died were in their 20s. A survivor who got stuck in the crush of people told Hankyoreh, a South Korean newspaper, that he waited over an hour to be rescued. "I heard voices asking for help here and there, and I saw people who couldn't breathe," he said. It's unclear what caused the crowd surge. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for an investigation and declared a national mourning period through Nov. 5. Water and power outages in Kyiv Eighty percent of Kyiv residents are without water after Russian missiles severely damaged city infrastructure , the Los Angeles Times reports. Power outages also swept parts of the city, as Moscow repeatedly targeted Ukraine's capital on Monday morning. Russia halted the UN-brokered grain deal after accusing Ukraine of attacking one of its ships, AP reports. Ukraine denied responsibility for this attack. This is a transparent attempt by Russia to return to the threat of large-scale famine in Africa and Asia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday. Story continues SNAPSHOTS Kanye West destroyed his billion-dollar empire in just three weeks. Here's how he did it. Ye has targeted minority communities with hate speech and dangerous rhetoric, and now the Yeezy empire has unraveled. Six children ages 1 to 13 and two adults were killed in an apparent murder-suicide in Oklahoma. It did become obvious to all the fire personnel on the scene that this was a crime scene, Broken Arrow Fire Chief Jeremy Moore told reporters on Friday. To arrive on scene yesterday and see the looks on our first responders, my firefighters faces, it absolutely broke my heart. Tom Brady announced he had finalized his divorce from Gisele Bundchen "amicably and with gratitude." In her own statement, Bundchen wrote, "The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always." Elon Musk shared a conspiracy theory about the attack against Nancy Pelosi's husband on Twitter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (right) and her husband, Paul Pelosi, attend a Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul led by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica. Sopa Images / SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Days after officially buying Twitter and saying the site "obviously cannot be a free-for-all hellscape," Elon Musk tweeted an anti-LGBTQ conspiracy about the violent attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband. He has since deleted the tweet; Twitter did not immediately respond to questions about it. Early Friday morning, a suspect reportedly broke into the Pelosis' home shouting, "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?" Eventually, the intruder confronted Paul Pelosi and beat him with a hammer, reports said. Pelosi, 82, suffered trauma to his head and body, and has undergone surgery to repair a skull fracture and "serious injuries" to his right arm and hands, according to a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi's office. Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Saturday night that her husband's condition "continues to improve." The attack on Paul Pelosi has alarmed lawmakers, who have reported an increasing number of threats against them and their families as violent rhetoric, particularly from right-wing factions, intensifies. At the same time, Musk's takeover of Twitter immediately led right-wing accounts to test its misinformation policies, tweeting debunked conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and the 2020 election, Al Jazeera reported. IMAGE OF THE DAY A pet owner dressed as the Mandalorian takes a picture with her dog in a Grogu, aka Baby Yoda, costume during a Halloween pet costume competition, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on Oct. 30, 2022. Lisa Marie David / Reuters Rare photos from horror film sets for the spookiest season of all Daniel Kaluuya (left) and Jordan Peele film the game-room scene of Get Out in 2016. Justin Lubin / Universal Pictures Nick Castle with a can of Dr. Pepper and his Michael Myers/The Shape mask on the set of Halloween in 1978. Kim Gottlieb-Walker / Courtesy of Compass International Pictures, Inc. Mia Farrow relaxes in between scenes on the set of Rosemarys Baby in 1967. Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection For more glimpses into how some of the most iconic horror scenes came to be, take a look at our full photo spread. Still reading, eh? Seems like you might want to get this in your inbox. No pressure though. Just some food for thought. All poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors from 7 November Strict new rules to fight bird flu in England will not be replicated yet in Scotland, the country's chief vet has said. All poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors from 7 November amid the worst ever bird flu outbreak. Chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas said the evidence in Scotland does not currently justify a housing order. But the chief vet said officials were "keeping the situation under review". The farmers' body NFU Scotland argues that it is essential that commercial flocks are protected by being housed indoors. A total of four bird flu cases have been recorded in Scotland this month compared to 80 in England. The Scottish tally includes cases found in Aberdeenshire and Orkney. Avian flu is not considered dangerous to humans but people are advised not to touch dead or dying birds. Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime, Ms Voas said: "Whilst we are keeping the situation under review we don't believe the evidence, as yet, justifies requires mandatory housing here. "We are keeping an eye on number of cases, we're keeping an eye on wild bird results coming through and if the position substantially changes here then we may choose to go to a housing order as well. "I think all breeders should be concerned and take whatever precautions they can to keep their flock safe." Ms Voas added that keeping birds indoors should not be seen as a "silver bullet" for tackling bird flu and that other measures, such as keeping feeding and bedding away from wild birds, were also effective. 'Risk to businesses' However, NFU Scotland is calling on the Scottish government to immediately adopt the same rules as those introduced in England. Robert Thompson, chairman of the body's poultry working group, told BBC Scotland: "To protect commercial flocks from the wild bird population, it is essential that the birds are housed. Story continues "The Scottish government's view is that this problem can be controlled simply by bio-security. We do not agree with this at all. "We will be pushing very had to get this rectified because poultry farmers can't risk their businesses." In July, Scottish government agency NatureScot announced it was setting up a taskforce to respond to bird flu. Test tubes with Avian flu swab The move followed outbreaks over the spring and summer among wild bird populations around Scotland's coast. The main birds affected were gannets, skuas, geese and gulls. Craig Michie, who owns the Barra Bronzes turkey farm in Inverurie, told BBC Scotland that most breeders were already keeping their birds indoors because of the avian flu outbreak. He said: "We're about the last producer in the country to shut our birds in. With the migration of wild birds now, thousands of geese flying over the farm, the risk is massive. "It is a massive worry. With very little compensation on offer what it could do to your business is just devastating. "It is a really stressful time to think about what we could lose." Mr Michie said his birds were worth between 100 and 150 each but the available government compensation for a cull was a fraction of this. NORTH CANTON The state is ready to help fund the construction of a new North Canton Middle School. It just needs the North Canton School District to first come up with its $18.8 million share. The North Canton school board approved a resolution Wednesday that confirms its participation in the Ohio Facilities Construction Commissions Classroom Facilities Assistance Program and tells the state to set aside the $33.8 million it has allotted for the middle school project. The agreement does not obligate the district to move forward with the project, but it does start the clock on how long the state funds would be instantly available. Once the facilities commissions board approves the document, North Canton would have 13 months to come up with its $18.8 million share of the $52.7 million project, which includes the demolition of the existing middle school at 605 Fair Oaks Ave. SW and building a new school for students in sixth through eighth grades. If the district does not come up with its share of the project before the 13 months ends, it will not lose the state money. Instead, the district would be added to a list of lapsed districts, which keep priority funding status and still can access their state allotment once they secure their funding share. North Canton superintendent to begin community meetings early next year Superintendent Jeff Wendorf plans to start hosting community meetings in January and February to find out whether residents are ready to support the construction of the middle school. The district likely will need to seek a tax issue to fund its share of the project. District voters in 2020 approved a $58.5 million, 36-year bond issue to consolidate five existing buildings into two elementary buildings and upgrade the districts bus garage and stadium. The district broke ground on the elementary buildings in September 2021 and they are expected to be ready for students by next fall. Wendorf said the community conversations also will begin to gauge residents preferences on where the new middle school would be located and whether any renovations to the high school should be added to the project. Story continues The district has been talking about the need to replace the middle school since at least 2017 when a state facility assessment showed that it would cost nearly $7 million more to renovate the building built in 1957 than to build a new one. At the time, locations being considered for the new middle school included the Northwood Elementary property or a spot on the Hoover High School campus. District leaders originally included the new middle school and upgrades at the high school with the elementary school project but they were later separated into what school leaders called the second phase. At the time, school officials said it could be two-to-three years before they sought voter approval to fund the second phase. The district received state credit for the money it spent on the elementary school project that could be used for the new middle school. Reach Canton Repository education writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @kweirREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio Facilities Commission ready for new North Canton Middle School WASHINGTON (Reuters) -North Korea on Monday demanded that the United States and South Korea stop large-scale military exercises, calling them a provocation that may draw "more powerful follow-up measures" from Pyongyang. "The situation in the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity has entered the serious confrontation phase of power for power again due to the ceaseless and reckless military moves of the U.S. and south Korea," North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement carried on the country's official KCNA news agency. The United States and South Korea began one of their largest combined military air drills on Monday, with hundreds of warplanes from both sides staging mock attacks 24 hours a day for the better part of a week. The operation, called Vigilant Storm, will run until Friday, and will feature about 240 warplanes conducting about 1,600 sorties, the U.S. Air Force said. Washington and Seoul believe Pyongyang may be about to resume testing of nuclear bombs for the first time since 2017 and have embraced a strategy of "deterring" Pyongyang through major military drills that some current and former officials say may exacerbate tensions. The foreign ministry statement said North Korea was "ready to take all necessary measures for defending its sovereignty, people's security and territorial integrity from outside military threats." "If the U.S. continuously persists in the grave military provocations, the DPRK will take into account more powerful follow-up measures," it said, using the initials of North Korea's official name. "If the U.S. does not want any serious developments not suited to its security interests, it should stop the useless and ineffective war exercises at once. If not, it will have to totally take the blame for all the consequences." On Friday, South Korean troops finished the 12-day Hoguk 22 field exercises, which featured mock amphibious landings and river crossings, including some drills with U.S. forces. Story continues North Korea condemns the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. It has launched missiles, conducted air drills, and fired artillery into the sea in response to the exercises. It has ignored repeated U.S. calls to resume talks over its nuclear and missile programs and has instead embarked on an unprecedented spate of missile testing this year. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Monday reiterated calls for North Korea to return to talks, while adding that U.S. policy of seeking the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula had not changed. He was asked at a news briefing about comments last week by a senior U.S. official responsible for nuclear policy who raised some eyebrows by saying Washington would be willing to engage in arms-control talks with North Korea, something some experts say would require recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state. Asked if the United States would eventually recognize North Korea as such, Price replied: "That is not our policy. I do not foresee that ever becoming our policy." (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Alistair Bell) By Gwladys Fouche OSLO (Reuters) -Norway will put its military on a raised level of alert from Tuesday, moving more personnel on to operational duties and enhancing the role of a rapid mobilisation force in response to the war in Ukraine, the government said on Monday. Norway will also seek to bring its new fleet of U.S.-made P-8 Poseidon submarine-hunting maritime patrol aircraft into regular operation at a faster pace than originally planned, the chief of defence, General Eirik Kristoffersen, said. The scale of alert on which the military operates is classified, however, and the government declined to give details of the level. There were no concrete threats against Norway now triggering the decision, Kristoffersen told Reuters, but rather the sum of "the uncertainties" was leading authorities to raise the country's military preparedness. "We have seen an escalation (in the war) in Ukraine, we (Norway) are training Ukrainian forces, the Ukraine war has changed with the Russian mobilisation," he said an interview. "And at the same time, we have had a gas explosion in the Baltic Sea and drone activity at North Sea platforms." The raised level is expected to last a year, "possibly more", Kristoffersen added. OFFSHORE PLATFORMS Norway first deployed its military to guard offshore platforms and onshore facilities after leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines on Sept. 26 in Swedish and Danish waters and has received support from British, Dutch, French and German armed forces. The country's security police last week arrested a suspected Russian spy and is also involved in protecting gas exports, vital to Europe's energy supplies this coming winter. NATO member Norway shares a nearly 200 km (125 mile) land border with Russia in the Arctic, as well as a vast maritime border. The Nordic nation of 5.4 million people is also now the biggest exporter of natural gas to the European Union, accounting for around a quarter of all EU imports after a drop in Russian flows. Story continues "The continuation of the war in Ukraine, Russia's attempts at weakening (international) support for Ukraine mean that all countries in Europe must consider that they are exposed to hybrid threats. Including Norway." Prime Minister Jonas Garh Stoere told Reuters. The armed forces will spend less time training and more time on operational duties. The Home Guard, a rapid mobilisation force, will play a more active role. The air force had called off training in the United States with its F35 fighter jets, preferring to keep them in Norway, said Kristoffersen. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche; Writing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by John Stonestreet, Alison Williams and Alex Richardson) Three weeks after South Carolina law enforcement officers searched a bus carrying 18 Shaw University students, the Spartanburg County sheriff rebutted the historically Black schools presidents claim that the stop was racist. At a news conference Monday, Sheriff Chuck Wright called Shaw President Paulette Dillards allegations slanderous and libelous. This case right now has absolutely nothing to do with racism, Wright said. I dont have a problem when someone points out a problem with our department. Im very, very, very disappointed that a lady of her education level would make such such an uneducated statement to the press and try to get some people stirred up. Wright said he has tried three times to speak with Dillard about the incident. Students attending conference On Oct. 5, 18 students and two advisers of were traveling from Raleigh to Atlanta for a Center for Financial Advancement conference when Dillard has said their bus was pulled over in Spartanburg County for a minor traffic violation, The News & Observer reported. No illegal materials were found during the search, which Wright said took place among the bags and suitcases stored in the luggage bins at the bottom of the bus.. No students were taken off the bus, he added. The incident sparked outrage from Dillard, who called it unfair and unjust and reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s when Black students were intimidated and often hurt by law enforcement. Armed police, interrogating innocent Black students, conducting searches without probable cause and blood-thirsty dogs, Dillard said in her statement. Its hard to imagine. Yet, it happened to the Shaw University community, and it is happening throughout this nation in alarming fashion. It must be stopped, Dillard said. Had the students been white, I doubt this detention and search would have occurred, Dillard told The N&O. Wright denounced Dillards claims. The statement she made was just false, he said. Story continues The search was part of Operation Rolling Thunder, an effort by multiple law enforcement agencies to remove drugs from Spartanburg County highways. Thirty-nine other buses were stopped among about 1,000 stops, the sheriff said. In one case, $500,000 in cash and 2 kilos (roughly 4.4 pounds) of cocaine were found, he said. Only one drug-sniffing dog was used during the search of the Shaw students bus, and it was on a leash, the sheriff said. He also said the students and driver complied with the officers conducting the search. The officer who stopped the bus saw the bus weaving around in the traffic lane, the sheriff said. He stopped the bus driver and tells him what he was being stopped for, Wright said. (The driver) never once questioned that ... the officer was very courteous to him. The bus driver (was) a very good representative of his company. The dog alerted the officers when it sniffed one bag but there was nothing illegal in it, Wright said. This bus was unmarked, with tinted windows. We had no idea to know who or what was on the bus, if anybody was on the bus, he said. Body camera footage After the press conference Monday, the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office released the body camera footage of the stop as recorded by Sgts. Cody Painter and Terrell Allen. The video shows the roughly 10-minute stop was conducted in the daylight and the bus was marked on the side, Chauffeured Transportation. Painter asked the bus driver and a rider questions about where the bus was going and how many people were on the bus. The unnamed rider clarified that 20 people, excluding the driver, were on the bus and it was full of students from Shaw University in Raleigh headed to the conference. She also said the students were 18 to 20 years old. In the video, Painter can be heard referring to the riders as a church group after getting clarification on who they were. The bus driver opened the bottom compartments under the bus for the search and the dog reacted to some luggage in the bus carrier. In one bag the dog sniffed, the officer found Krispy Kreme donuts. The officer can be seen in the video unzipping suitcases and searching to the bottom of the cases. He found some allergy medicine in one suitcase. After the search, the driver was given a warning. I dont like racism Wright said he waited weeks to address the incident because he was trying to meet with Dillard and called in African-American leaders, one pastor and one NAACP president, for help. The sheriff said the NAACP leader, Eddie Parks, told him there was nothing to this. If anything were ever doing is racist, I want to know it, I want to fix it, and I want to never let it happen again, the sheriff said. I have no idea why the president wrote the letter the way she wrote it. He went on to say that he was holding the Monday morning news conference because I got men and women in our community that are concerned about it. Ive had white and Black people call me about this traffic stop. Im not gonna tolerate that stuff. I dont like racism, Wright said. I really want it to die the horrible, ugly death that it deserves, but we have to let it die. He said people who are screaming racism should at least get the facts first. The N&O reached out to Dillard about Wrights response. She is out of the office until Wednesday but may have a statement, according to her office. DOJ investigation request Hours after the incident was reported, Gov. Roy Cooper expressed deep concern and N.C. Public Safety officials contacted South Carolina law enforcement. On Friday, five Congressional leaders from North Carolina sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General asking him to review the matter. Democrats Deborah Ross, David Price, Alma Adams, G.K. Butterfield and Kathy Manning all signed the letter saying, the students were left unnerved, confused, and humiliated. We are deeply troubled by this unfounded search of Shaw students. We reiterate support for a DOJ investigation into this incident and any systemic patterns of misconduct by the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office, the letter read. The letter also made note of a 2014 lawsuit against Wright and the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office by a former employee who claimed the office used racial slurs and made him train under an officer who may have been part of the Ku Klux Klan, as reported by WYFF in Greenville, South Carolina. The lawsuit resulted in a $25,000 settlement, and the Sheriffs Office later sued the former employee. For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up. If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in ArcelorMittal South Africa (JSE:ACL). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business. Check out our latest analysis for ArcelorMittal South Africa How Quickly Is ArcelorMittal South Africa Increasing Earnings Per Share? Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. To the delight of shareholders, ArcelorMittal South Africa has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 47%, compound, over the last three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches the eye of prospective investors. Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. The music to the ears of ArcelorMittal South Africa shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 11% to 19% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth. You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image. Story continues ArcelorMittal South Africa isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of R5.1b. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength. Are ArcelorMittal South Africa Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? It's a necessity that company leaders act in the best interest of shareholders and so insider investment always comes as a reassurance to the market. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own ArcelorMittal South Africa shares worth a considerable sum. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at R317m. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. As a percentage, this totals to 6.2% of the shares on issue for the business, an appreciable amount considering the market cap. Does ArcelorMittal South Africa Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist? ArcelorMittal South Africa's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. That EPS growth certainly is attention grabbing, and the large insider ownership only serves to further stoke our interest. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there's a potential opportunity to be had here. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching ArcelorMittal South Africa very closely. You still need to take note of risks, for example - ArcelorMittal South Africa has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of. Although ArcelorMittal South Africa certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction. 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 According to the information of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russians are seeking ways to replenish their units with members of private military companies, as Russian Armed Forces have been suffering significant losses in combat in Ukraine. Source: evening report by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Details: In particular, the Russian military command has decided to retreat the contingent of private military companies from the Republic of Mali. Additionally, Russian military mercenaries are trying to create an aircraft formation [presumably, consisting of the aforementioned members of private military companies] that can be used in Ukraine. However, proficiency of pilots who use various modifications of Mi-8 does not allow them to perform certain combat tasks. The payments that have been reduced in comparison to that in Syria also affect motivation of flight personnel negatively. The General Staff has published the data regarding the situation on all fronts. There are no significant changes on the Volyn and Polissia fronts. The Republic of Belarus supports the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Russia keeps sending separate units to the territory of Belarus. A threat of launching missile strikes and using attack drones from the territory of this country remains. The Russians opened fire on other fronts: On the Sivershchyna front : from mortars and tubed artillery, hitting Mezenivka village in Sumy Oblast; On the Slobozhanshchyna front : from tanks, mortars, tubed and rocket artillery, striking the settlements of Dvorichna, Zelene, and Kamianka; On the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts : from mortars, tubed and rocket artillery, on areas in and around Berestove, Hrekivka, Zarichne, Nevske, and Stelmakhivka; On the Bakhmut front : from tanks and artillery of different calibres, hitting Bilohorivka, Klishchiivka, Mayorsk, Opytne, Spirne, Yakovlivka, and Zelenopillia; On the Avdiivka front: from tanks, mortars, tubed and rocket artillery, near Vodiane, Novobakhmutivka, and Pervomaiske; On the Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzhia fronts : from tanks and artillery of different types, striking Vremivka, Vuhledar, and Pavlivka; On the Pivdennyi Buh front: from tanks and artillery of different types, on areas in and around Novodanylivka, Chervone, and Zaliznychne. Ukrainian aircraft carried out 14 strikes on the occupiers over the day. 12 of them landed on clusters of weapons and military equipment; one more hit a platoon stronghold, and another one struck an air defence system. Ukrainian units of air defence shot down two helicopters (Ka-52 and Mi-8) and two UAVs. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A mourner places a flower to pay tribute for the victims of a deadly accident following Saturday night's Halloween festivities in Seoul, South Korea. Lee Jin-man/AP At least 154 people were killed after a crowd surge on Saturday in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul. Most of the victims were in their 20s and 30s, The Associated Press reported. Rep. Brad Wenstrup said in a statement that his niece was one of the victims of the crush of people. An Ohio congressman's niece was among the 154 people who were killed after a crowd overwhelmed a district in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday. On Saturday, an estimated 100,000 people poured into the streets of Itaewon a popular nightlife district in Seoul, South Korea, for locals and tourists for Halloween festivities, The Associated Press reported. The exact cause of the crush of people that ensued is unclear, but by late evening, partygoers began to cram into an alleyway that was about 11 feet wide, according to The New York Times, creating a dangerous bottleneck effect. Initial reports estimated that 54 people died with many more injured. By Sunday, the death toll increased to at least 154 people dead and 149 injured, according to Reuters. Rep. Brad Wenstrup said in a press release on Monday that his niece, Anne Marie Gieske, was one of the victims. The exact cause of death was not stated, and it's unclear if Giekse died at the scene or afterward in a hospital. "Monica and I, and our entire family, are grieving the loss of our niece Anne Marie Gieske," Rep. Wenstrup wrote. "She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much." Wenstrup's spokesperson, Barbara Boland, said the congressman did not want to provide further comment at this time. More than 80% of the victims who were killed were in their 20s or 30s, The AP reported, citing the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. At least two of those who died and three who were injured were US citizens, a spokesperson from the State Department told Insider. Due to privacy considerations, the spokesperson could not confirm if the victims included Gieske. "We are completely devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Anne Marie. She was a bright light loved by all," her parents, Dan and Madonna Gieske, said in a public statement. "We ask for your prayers but also the respect of our privacy. Anne's final gift to us was dying in the state of sanctifying grace. We know we will one day be reunited with her in God's kingdom." Read the original article on Business Insider One man is dead following a shooting Saturday morning in Hatchechubbee, Alabama, the Russell County Sheriffs Office said. Corey Terrell Doner, 40, suffered one gunshot wound to his abdomen, officials said. He was taken to Piedmont Medical Center in Columbus, where he died about 11 a.m., according to a press release. Doner was shot after allegedly forcing entry into the residence of his estranged wife, police said. She was in the process of reinstating a restraining order on Doner, which had expired Oct. 22. The Russell County Sheriffs Office said that the shooting appears to be in self-defense. The case will be presented to a grand jury. The NFT market is worth tens of billions of dollars and saw rapid growth throughout the crypto bull run. NFT exchange OpenSea, led by CEO and co-founder Devin Finzer, emerged as a clear market leader, earning a $13.3B valuation in January and controlling an estimated 90% of the overall NFT market. Since then, its been a bumpy ride for NFTs. Trading volumes have fallen over 90% from their January peak, forcing exchanges, including OpenSea, to conduct steep layoffs. And for OpenSea specifically, competition is mounting, as newer entrants such as Magic Eden threaten its dominance and rumors of an OpenSea IPO have fizzled out. Big tech could stifle long-term growth in the space, too, as Apple's and Googles high marketplace fees challenge the idea that NFT trading can ever reach mobile adoption. There are plenty of challenges on the horizon, but theres also tremendous potential for OpenSea to capture long-term growth in the NFT market if it does indeed occur. There are undeniable pockets of excitement in the space, so the question is whether that excitement will be realized and whether OpenSea is well-positioned to capture it. These are some of the topics well discuss with Finzer onstage at TechCrunch Sessions: Crypto. Well ask him about what use cases for NFTs he sees the most potential in and will hear about how the company plans to sustain its first-mover advantage and seize new growth opportunities through a bear market. The event takes place on November 17 in Miami. Save $150 with early bird pricing and buy your pass today, and then join the web3, DeFi and NFT communities to keep up with the ever-evolving and always exciting crypto world. 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Extra-plump roasted ants? Such would seem the fodder for a witchs brew in this Halloween season, but Palm Beach chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and others have consumed these things often with trepidation or momentary pause. Buccan and Imoto chef/co-owner Clay Conley Theyve also tasted other items that might send chills down the backs of conventional-minded eaters. Renato's chef: Palm Beach dining: Renato's chef Javier Sanchez leans on quality ingredients, classic preparations for his dishes Cafe Boulud: The Dish: Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach plans wine dinner featuring France's Trimbach Winery Just ask them: Whats the scariest thing youve ever eaten? Thats easy, said Clay Conley, chef/co-owner of Palm Beach hotspots Buccan and Imoto. The multiple-time James Beard Award-nominee has consumed a wide spectrum of eats throughout his career, but a dish in Tokyo caught him by surprise. While living in Japan in 2004 to help open a restaurant for celebrity chef Todd English, Conley dined at a restaurant famed for its mosquito-eyeball soup. He tried something else instead: the aforementioned squid-ovary soup. The restaurant had two tables in it and I remember the soup having a very intense broth with feathery things floating in it almost like eggs in an egg drop soup. I didnt love it. What's on the menu? Fried lamb brain! The Breakers' Nick Velardo Longtime Breakers Vice President of Food and Beverage Nick Velardo has boldly explored the world of food and wine for decades, but time was when eating lamb brain was a novel chew for him. Early in my career, I used to work in the kitchen of a Greek restaurant in Connecticut and they loved to roast lamb especially the head, said Velardo, also board president of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Associations Palm Beach County chapter. As a delicacy, they fried the brain, which is actually quite delicious. For another Palm Beach dining-scene epicure, ant larvae proved to be a disquieting eye-opener during a trip to Mexico six years ago. Story continues Le Bilboquet operations director Dobi Trendafilova While scouting potential new restaurant locations, Dobi Trendafilova, operations director for Le Bilboquet Group which includes Le Bilboquet in Palm Beach dined at a fine Mexico City restaurant where the specialty was escamoles. Its essentially ant larvae, although its often referred to as Mexican caviar, Trendafilova recalled of the meal she ate with Le Bilboquet owner Phillipe Delgrange. Its an acquired taste for sure. For Renatos executive pastry chef Vesna Capric, summoning a frightening food experience isnt easy. After all, she noted, she grew up on her familys Montenegro farm, eating pigs ears, cows tongue, chicken feet you name it. Then she remembered being freaked out by a bunny on a platter. Renato's executive pastry chef Vesna Capric. While working as a young pastry chef in Switzerland in the late 1980s, she and friends were served whole rabbit at a St Moritz eatery. It was skinned, cleaned and roasted with vegetables all around the platter, but it was whole with its legs and everything attached and you could clearly see it was a rabbit. All I could think was that eating it would be like eating someones pet. A certain reptile was by far the scariest thing I ever had to eat, said David Sabin, the founder/chief organizer of the annual Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, which takes place Dec. 8-11 this year. The quantity and variety of alligator Sabin faced in one sitting was particularly unsettling, he said. David Sabin While judging a 2015 head-to-head chefs cooking competition highlighting alligator the tail, belly, legs, ribs and more I was required to try a dozen dishes, said Sabin, whos married to acclaimed area chef Lindsay Autry. It was the first and last time I ate alligator. A traditional Scottish dish known to inspire fear in the squeamish once panicked Master Sommelier Virginia Philip, who owns an eponymous Palm Beach wine-and-spirits shop. During a visit years ago to see a relative in London, a family meal included haggis. Thats the Scottish pudding-like sausage made with oatmeal and sheeps heart, liver and lungs all encased and served in the animals stomach. I was absolutely horrified and it was not good, Philip said. A taco with leaf-cutter ants as big as 3/4 inch long Tacos made with roasted leaf-cutter ants gave The Colony's executive chef Tom Whitaker pause before he tried, and enjoyed, them. For Tom Whitaker, England native and executive chef at The Colony, a dish this past spring challenged his wits: an ant taco. Roasted zompopos de mayo leaf-cutter ants that can grow as big as inch long filled a soft-shell corn taco with avocado crema and pico de gallo. The Colony executive chef Tom Whitaker It was made by our executive sous chef Yamileth Sandoval, whos from Guatemala, said Whitaker. I think Yami wanted to see if I would accept the challenge (of eating the ants), which I did, he said. It was crunchy. Gooey is one of the ways Sebastien Tribout, director of operations at Meat Market Palm Beach, described the eating quality of downing his first fish eyeball after a friend visiting him from Vietnam dared him to do so. It happened one day two years ago as Meat Markets culinary team finished making fish stock with a fish head. My friend said of the fish head, 'You know, you can eat the eyes, recalled Tribout. Then she made me try one. It was gooey and chewy. In some cultures, this may be a delicacy and I respect that; but for me, I found no pleasure in it. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Halloween in Palm Beach: Scary foods chefs have eaten David DePape, the 42-year-old illegal immigrant from Canada accused of breaking into the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week and attacking her husband with a hammer, allegedly wanted to hold the congresswoman hostage and threatened to break "her kneecaps" if he caught her lying, according to court documents. San Francisco police arrived at the home and encountered Paul Pelosi, 82, and DePape struggling over a hammer. After the officers ordered them to drop the weapon, DePape allegedly seized control of it and swung it into Pelosis skull. Police recovered zip ties in Pelosis bedroom, found glass broken at the rear of the house, tape, rope, gloves and a journal, according to the FBI affidavit. Before Pelosi was taken to a hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery on a fractured skull, he told police from the ambulance that he had never seen DePape before and that the intruder showed up in his bedroom around 2:30 a.m. demanding to talk to "Nancy" the House Speaker. PELOSI ATTACK: WOMAN CLAIMING TO BE SUSPECT DAVID DEPAPE'S STEPDAUGHTER SAYS HE WAS ABUSIVE The lawmakers husband told DePape that his wife was out, and DePape allegedly decided to wait for her to return. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "Pelosi stated that his wife would not be home for several days, and then DePape reiterated that he would wait," according to the affidavit. Paul Pelosi was allegedly attacked by a man looking for his wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi "was able to go into the bathroom" and call 911. PAUL PELOSI JR. UPDATES ON FATHER'S CONDITION OUTSIDE SAN FRANCISCO HOSPITAL AFTER HAMMER ATTACK READ THE AFFIDAVIT: DePape later told investigators about his plan to hold Speaker Pelosi against her will and interrogate her, according to the affidavit. "DePape stated that he was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her," the affidavit reads. "If Nancy were to tell DePape the truth, he would let her go, and if she lied, he was going to break her kneecaps." Paul Pelosi Jr. speaks to FBI investigators outside the home of his parents Nancy and Paul Pelosi, Friday October 28, 2022. His father, Paul was the victim of a violent home invasion earlier this morning. DePape was allegedly "certain" that she would lie and described her as the "leader of the pack" of Democratic Party members who told unspecified "lies." Story continues "DePape also later explained that by breaking Nancys kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress that there were consequences to actions," the affidavit continues. DePape also allegedly admitted to breaking into the home, using the hammer to shatter a glass door and surprising Paul Pelosi in his bedroom. He also allegedly confessed to cracking the 82-year-old's skull. An Immigrations and Customers Enforcement source told Fox News Monday that DePape is in the U.S. illegally after a "longtime" visa overstay. He was born in Canada and emigrated to the U.S. about 20 years ago. However, DePape told San Francisco police that "much like the American founding fathers with the British, he was fighting against tyranny without the option of surrender," according to the affidavit. DePape now faces federal charges and up to 50 years in prison according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "DePape is charged with one count of assault of an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison," the office said in a statement Monday afternoon. "DePape is also charged with one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison." This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report. The suspect in the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has been charged with assault and attempted kidnapping, days after he allegedly broke into the couples San Francisco home and struck Paul Pelosi with a hammer, causing serious injuries. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the charges Monday afternoon, days after the suspect David Wayne DePape, 42 was arrested and taken into custody. Authorities say DePape broke into the Pelosi home in the middle of the night and struck Paul Pelosi, 82, with a hammer. According to a source briefed on the investigation, DePape confronted Paul Pelosi and asked, Where is Nancy? Both men were brought to a hospital following the altercation, and Paul Pelosi underwent successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands, according to the Speakers spokesman. He is expected to make a full recovery. In a statement Monday evening, Pelosi, who said her family had been deluged with messages of concern, prayers and well-wishes, indicated that her husband is making steady progress on what will be a long recovery process. An affidavit released by the DOJ on Monday shed additional light on the extent to which DePape was allegedly targeting the Speaker, who was in Washington at the time. Authorities said the suspect told officers from the San Francisco Police Department in an interview after the incident that he wanted to hold the Speaker hostage so he could talk to her. The affidavit states that the suspect called the Speaker the leader of the pack of lies promoted by Democrats. He told authorities that if Pelosi told the truth he would let her go, but if she lied he would break her kneecaps, according to the affidavit. DEPAPE also later explained that by breaking Nancys kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions, the DOJ continued. Story continues Officers from the San Francisco Police Department arrived at the Pelosi home just after 2:30 a.m. on Friday, minutes after Paul Pelosi made a 911 call reporting that there was a man in his home who was planning to wait for the Speaker to arrive at the residence, according to an authorities. He made the call from his bathroom. When authorities arrived at the scene they knocked on the door, which Paul Pelosi answered. Inside, Pelosi and DePape were holding onto a hammer. DePape also had his hand on Pelosis forearm. Asked what was happening, DePape told the officers that everything was good, according to the affidavit. But when authorities asked the men to drop the hammer, DePape allegedly pulled the hammer from Pelosis hand and swung the hammer, striking Pelosi in the head, according to the affidavit. Authorities said Pelosi appeared to be unconscious on the ground. Officers entered the home and restrained DePape. Authorities said they found a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, a pair of rubber and cloth gloves and a journal in DePapes bag. They also recovered zip ties from Pelosis bedroom. The first charge, assault of an immediate family member of a U.S. official with intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, has a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The second, attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official on account of the performance of official duties, has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. In a letter to colleagues on Saturday night, Speaker Pelosi said her family is heartbroken by the attack. She flew back to San Francisco on Friday to be with her husband. Yesterday morning, a violent man broke into our family home, demanded to confront me and brutally attacked my husband Paul, Pelosi said. Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our Pop. We are grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and emergency services, and for the life-saving medical care he is receiving. The attack, which shook Washington, underscores the political violence that has become more and more prevalent over the years. It was the latest in a spate of incidents involving threats targeting lawmakers and political figures on both sides of the aisle. DePape told authorities that he entered the Pelosi residence through a glass door, a difficult task that required the use of a hammer, according to the affidavit. Court documents said body camera footage captured a glass door that appeared to be laminated glass, broken near the door handle. In addition to threatening to hold the Speaker hostage, DePape told Paul Pelosi that he wanted to tie him up so he could go to sleep as he was tired from having had to carry a backpack to the Pelosi residence. Around this time, according to DEPAPE, DEPAPE started taking out twist ties from his pocket so that he could restrain Pelosi, the affidavit reads. The affidavit also reveals what was going through DePapes mind during his time in Pelosis house. The California man told authorities that he did not leave after Pelosis call to 9-1-1- because, much like the American founding fathers with the British, he was fighting against tyranny without the option of surrender, according to the affidavit. He repeatedly told authorities that he did not plan to surrender and that he would go through Pelosi, the affidavit states, and said Paul Pelosis actions resulted in Pelosi taking the punishment instead. The San Francisco district attorney is also expected to announce charges against DePape. Updated at 8:45 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CHESTER, Pa. (AP) Julian Carranza and Daniel Gazdag scored two minutes apart in the second half and the Philadelphia Union advanced to their first MLS Cup final with a 3-1 victory over New York City FC on Sunday night. The Union will head to Los Angeles and face Supporters Shield winner LAFC in the league title match on Saturday. LAFC advanced to its first MLS Cup championship game with a 3-0 victory over Austin FC in the Western Conference final earlier Sunday. The last Supporters Shield winner to reach the championship game was Toronto FC in 2017. Cory Burke also scored for the Union, who were unbeaten in 19 matches at home this season. It's the first time since 2003 that the top seeds in each conference advanced to the final, and only the fourth time that two teams will make their first appearance in the championship. Theyre a strong team, theyve got great players. But weve given them a run for their money in some really, really good games against them, even in their building," Union captain Alejandro Bedoya said of LAFC. So its gonna be a tough game I think. Two different styles of play, coming in together to clash. Gazdag appeared to score for the Union in the 16th minute, but was offside. It was scoreless at the half before Maxi Moralezs sublime strike that sailed past goalkeeper Andre Blake to put NYCFC in front 1-0 in the 57th minute. The Union tied it up in the 65th with Carranzas first career playoff goal. Moments later, Carranza directed a header to Gazdag, who scored to give Philadelphia the lead. Burke added a goal in the 76th. The players deserve all the accolades for how hard they pushed. We went down a goal, a really good transition goal from them, but our guys stuck with it and its a special time right now in Philadelphia for a lot of reasons, but these guys showed that theyre right up there with the Phillies, Eagles and all those other teams," said Union coach Jim Curtin, who earned MLS Coach of the Year honors. "Its great to see the sport grow this much in the city. Im really proud. Story continues The Union saw the return of Bedoya, who was held out of the team's conference semifinal victory over FC Cincinnati because of a nagging hip injury. But he was hobbling following the game. NYCFC was hurt by the absence of defender Maxime Chanot because of a lower body injury. Talles Magno was also ruled out. Proud of the guys and how we grinded through the year. It wasn't easy, we played a lot of games and had a lot of successes, NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson said. But ultimately disappointed to go out on this note." It was the second straight year the teams reached the Eastern Conference final. Last season, the Union were without 11 players because of COVID-19 protocols and NYCFC won 2-1. New York City went on to defeat the Portland Timbers on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw for the MLS Cup championship. The Union swept NYCFC in two meetings this season for the first time, including a 2-0 victory in March for the team's first win at Yankee stadium. Philadelphia also won 2-1 at home in June. I wouldnt count us out against anybody, Curtin said. We kind of have a way of grinding and wearing down teams. That might not be the most fun to watch. But at the same time, its very effective and you can ask the other teams that play against us, its really hard to play against." ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports President Barack Obama in 2012. Carolyn Kaster/AP Americans took notice of the expedited presidential aging process known to plague commanders-in-chief. Over the last 50 years, signs of aging have grown more noticeable as presidents are constantly photographed. Side-by-side photographs capture presidents' changing faces from inauguration to their last day in the White House. As President Barack Obama reflected on his time in office, he had a way of acknowledging his waning time in the position: a joke about his graying hair. "Right now, we are waging war under authorities provided by Congress over 15 years ago 15 years ago," he said in December 2016. "I had no gray hair 15 years ago." Indeed, despite his close-cut hairstyle, it was impossible not to notice the trademark presidential graying, as the president's short black hair became more of a salt-and-pepper color. In later appearances, like an endorsement video for his former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday, the former commander-in-chief was noticeably gray. Though some dermatologists maintain presidents are victims of an expedited presidential aging process, appearing to age faster because of the stress of the office, others say it's more attributable to natural aging than stress. Other studies, including a comprehensive analysis of elections dating back to the 1700s, have found that heading a nation can take years off a leader's life. That analysis, from the Harvard Medical School, found that elected heads of government, on average, have lives almost three years shorter than those of the candidates they defeat. Here's how past US presidents have looked near the beginnings and ends of their respective terms: President Joe Biden took on the mantle as the oldest president to take office at 78 years old when he was inaugurated on January 20, 2021. President Biden speaks about the pandemic at the White House on on January 26, 2021 in Washington, DC. Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images Biden, now 79, has not visibly aged much after being in the White House for just under two years thus far. President Joe Biden. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images But the president has had his hands full as the US balances on the cusp of an economic downturn ahead of contentious midterm elections. Story continues U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to members of the press prior to his Marine One departure from the White House on October 27, 2022 in Washington, DC. Prior to his departure, Biden spoke to reporters about the third quarter GDP growth. Biden is traveling to Syracuse, New York, where he will deliver remarks on the economy and Micron Technology Inc.s investing in CHIPS manufacturing. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Donald Trump was 70 when he took office, the oldest in history at the time. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Source: AP Now 76, he doesn't look much different. Former President Donald Trump walk-on the 18th green during the ProAm of the LIV Golf Team Championship at Trump National Doral Golf Club, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, in Doral, Fla. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky By his last year in office, Trump didn't seem to display the traditional appearance of aging. However, that could be due to his penchant for wearing makeup to appear healthy and robust. President Donald J. Trump speaks about "Operation Warp Speed" in the Rose Garden at the White House on Friday, Nov 13, 2020 in Washington, DC. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images In a year where he faced the coronavirus pandemic and a tense bid for reelection, many noticed he had faded in his own ways, with his usual orange hair faded to white, and his hands pale in stark contrast to his orange face. President Donald Trump delivers an update on "Operation Warp Speed" in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on November 13, 2020. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images Now the former president is embroiled in a myriad of legal issues centering on his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, accusations of criminal tax fraud at the Trump Organization, and an investigation into classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Minden Tahoe Airport in Minden, Nev., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. AP Photo/Jose Luis Villegas, File Obama looked youthful when he took the oath of office on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young By his year-end 2016 news conference at the White House, he was weathered. President Obama speaks during his year-end 2016 news conference at the White House. AP Here's George W. Bush making a phone call shortly after the 2000 election. Reuters And here's Bush fielding questions during his final White House press briefing, on January 12, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton looked energetic at a dinner in 1993 several days before his first inauguration. Reuters/Ira Schwarz Here's Clinton giving a brief speech toward the end of his term in October 2000. WP/RCS via Reuters Appearing without his trademark glasses, then-Vice President George H.W. Bush answered a question at the second presidential debate in October 1988. AP Photo/Lennox McLendon By June 1992, as Bush addressed a crowd of veterans during a ceremony at the Korean War Memorial, several months before losing the presidential election, he looked older. AP Photo/Greg Gibson Former President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan greeted fans lined up in Washington at his first inauguration in January 1981. Though he was 69, his movie star appearance held up. AP When Reagan returned to Washington after his final trip as president to Camp David in January 1989, he looked quite different. AP Photo/Doug Mills Though the photo is black-and-white, you can see Jimmy Carter emerging from a Georgia voting booth on Election Day in November 1976. AP Photo Here's Carter preparing for his farewell address to the nation in January 1981. AP Photo/Wilson President Richard Nixon gave a press conference in the East Room of the White House several weeks after being sworn in in 1969. AP Photo Plagued by the Watergate scandal, a glassy-eyed Nixon delivered a final speech for White House staff and members of his Cabinet in 1974. AP Photo/Charlie Harrity, File President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed a day of mourning for deceased President John F. Kennedy shortly after being sworn in in 1963. AP Photo Johnson, who didn't visibly age too much in his five-year tenure, joins Nixon shortly after Nixon is elected president in November 1968. AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi Editor's note: This list was first published in December 2016 and has been updated to reflect recent developments. Read the original article on Business Insider WARSAW, Poland (AP) Polish and South Korean officials have signed initial agreements to develop a nuclear power plant in Poland, part of an effort by Poland to lower its carbon emissions and seek energy security. For South Korea, engagement in the Polish project is a way to revive the country's nuclear power industry. The country's last export deal, to the United Arab Emirates, was in 2009. The signing of agreements in Seoul come days after Poland announced that it had picked the U.S. and Westinghouse to build the first nuclear power plant in northern Poland. Officials from the Polish and South Korean governments, as well as from energy companies, met in Seoul on Monday to sign agreements laying out their cooperation on the construction of the second nuclear power plant. It is to be built with Korean technology in Patnow in southwestern Poland, some 230 kilometers (140 miles) from Warsaw. A binding contract is due to be signed next year. Jacek Sasin, the Polish minister of state assets and a deputy prime minister, signed a memorandum of understanding with Lee Chang-Yang, the South Korean minister of trade, industry and energy. At the same time, Polish energy companies PGE and ZE PAK signed a letter of intent with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to cooperate on the project. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the deal as a strategic investment which has the aim of "strengthening our sovereignty in the field of energy security. Poland has planned for decades to build a nuclear power plant to replace its aging coal-fired plants and alleviate air pollution. Russias invasion of Ukraine this year and its use of energy to put economic and political pressure on European nations have added urgency to Polands search for alternative energy sources. Both the U.S. and South Korea are important partners for Poland, a NATO country which borders Ukraine and is a strong ally of Kyiv. After Russias invasion of Ukraine in February, the U.S. increased its military presence in Poland, creating a permanent presence for the first time, and using the country as a hub for sending weapons to Ukraine. Poland has also signed deals for billions of dollars worth of tanks, howitzers and fighter planes from South Korea since the start of the war. Last week the Greenville Police Department held a meeting to discuss the growing population of unhoused residents throughout the city and propose ways to help those individuals, according to the Greenville Ohio Police Departments social media page. Greenville police and many other county organizations see the unhoused population as an issue in the city, the spokesperson said in the media release. During the meeting, police handed out pictures to show the current condition of the Broadway Bridge and what it looked like after officers and the Street Department cleaned it out, the spokesperson said. >>Not safe for citizens; Trash, feces and drugs found underneath bridge in Greenville Members from Family Health stated that they help the unhoused population by attempting to find them a job, providing Medication Assistance Treatment (MAT) and provide items such as clothes or phones, the spokesperson said. EUM Church and Darke County Ministers Association both contributed $40 thousand in an attempt to help this prolonging issue, the release said. The Fish Choice Pantry attended the meeting to let the public know of the days, times and location for people to go pick out their own food, the spokesperson said. The pantry is located at 400 Markwith Avenue and hands out food that is easy to eat without kitchen appliances. >>What is State Issue 1? The hours for residents to pick up food from the pantry include: Mondays from 1 p.m. through 2 p.m. Wednesdays beginning at 10 a.m. through 11 a.m. Fridays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Tri County Board funds community housing which gives out resources such as a crisis hotline and a list of recovery homes in the area on their website. Tri County Board reminded residents that homelessness is related to trauma and nobody needs to be homeless if they do not choose to, the spokesperson said in the release. There are 14 recovery homes across three counties, the spokesperson said. These homes require individuals to be completely free of drugs if they want to continue living there. Story continues >>Ohio Lottery reports experiencing temporary issue processing Powerball tickets At the time of the meeting, Greenville had two recovery homes that were not at max capacity, the spokesperson said. The unhoused community has the option to stay at the homeless shelter, although residents can only stay for 30 days maximum and it is usually filled to capacity, according to the spokesperson. Ryan Delk and Law Director Mike Rieman mentioned that there are many opportunities for unhoused individuals to receive employment in Darke County with over 500 jobs available, the spokesperson said. The Darke County Health Department works with people who were recently evicted to find them housing, the release states. BATTLE CREEK - An 81-year-old woman found unresponsive in her Battle Creek home was stabbed to death, police confirmed Friday. Relatives found Betty Smith unresponsive inside her home in the 100 block of West Fountain Street Oct. 22. Once at the scene, Battle Creek police and EMS personnel confirmed the woman did not die of natural causes. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information related to this situation is encouraged to call the police station at 269-966-3322, the non-emergency number at 269-781-0911, or Silent Observer at 269-964-3888. Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteel@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: G_SteeleBC This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Police identify 81-year-old woman fatally stabbed in Battle Creek Police are investigating after a man was shot and killed in Pittsburghs Homewood neighborhood. According to Pittsburgh police, crews responded to the scene for an 11-round ShotSpotter alert in the 7100 block of Hermitage Street around 1:50 p.m. Pittsburgh police investigating a fatal shooting in the 7100 block of Hermitage Street in Homewood. #WPXI #PGH #Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/rmOGDiDywU Tony Ruffolo (@WPXITonyRuffolo) October 31, 2022 Our crew at the scene learned that the victim was sitting in a parked car at the time of the shooting. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Allegheny County Medical Examiners office identified the victim as 29-year-old Noah Wilkerson of Pittsburgh. No information has been released about any potential suspects. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Local contractor arrested for allegedly failing to deliver on promised work Charges filed against 90-year-old Pittsburgh woman for alleged theft at casino 2 teenagers facing attempted homicide charges in connection with Brighton Heights funeral shooting VIDEO: Mayor Gainey gives comments on funeral shooting investigation, church resumes services DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Police are searching for a missing Smyrna teen who was last seen on Wednesday. Investigators said they believe Myaail Jeffers, 14, ran away from home and was last seen leaving the Belmont Apartments. Officers said she was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and black pants. Anyone with information on Jeffers whereabouts is asked to call 911 or Smyrna police at 770-434-6666. TRENDING STORIES: IN OTHER NEWS: how much does a divorce cost Divorces are one of lifes most challenging circumstances. They can be acrimonious, emotionally draining and expensive. Legal fees for a divorce arent cheap, and deciding not to hire a lawyer can cost even more, given the likelihood of mishandling self-representation in divorce proceedings. A divorce involving an attorney can cost about $7,000 or more. However, a divorce with two amenable spouses requiring no legal representation may only cost several hundred dollars. Here are the details on the cost of a divorce and why an attorney is often a necessary but costly factor. Sponsored: You can also work with a financial advisor who may be able to help prepare your finances and limit some of the financial impacts. How Much Does Divorce Cost? Across the United States, the median cost of a divorce is around $7,000. However, various elements of a divorce, such as a child custody and your divorce attorneys hourly rate, tremendously impact costs. As a result, one couples divorce might cost a few hundred dollars if they can quickly agree on the divorce terms and avoid hiring an attorney. On the other hand, a drawn-out legal battle over numerous items can cost north of $100,000. Cost Factors of a Divorce The lawyer you hire is just one aspect of a divorces cost. The following list can help prepare you for the final cost of divorce: The region, or state, with urban divorces being more expensive. Hiring an attorney or representing yourself. An attorneys fees, including a retainer, travel, filing and consulting fees. The couples agreeability. When divorcees contest terms, lawyers bill more hours. The children, wealth and assets involved increasing a divorces complexity. Your divorce attorneys firm size can affect costs, with larger firms usually charging more money. How much you end up having to pay in the divorce settlement. How Much Does a Divorce Attorney Cost? Divorce almost always involves hiring an attorney on both sides. This is a necessary step to make sure that both sides are being taken care of financially and that no one is losing more than they should during a very difficult time. Although divorce attorneys have a few ways they can structure fees, you can expect one of the following scenarios: Story continues Hourly Rate Many attorneys charge an hourly rate, averaging about $270 per hour nationwide. Because divorces usually take more than a few hours of an attorneys time, costs can mount quickly. For divorces involving disagreements over children, property and assets, the hourly rate often turns into thousands of dollars in attorney fees. In addition, because most attorneys charge by tenths of an hour, even fractions of time spent with an attorney can drain your bank account. The exact rate depends on your attorneys experience and prestige, your location and the size of the law firm. Flat Fee Flat fees are also a possibility with divorce attorneys, especially ones who handle divorces with no disputes. Rather than engaging in prolonged court proceedings, some lawyers charge a fixed cost to help couples who dont need to settle any disagreements file for a divorce. This is certainly easier to slot into an overall budget. Alternative Arrangements Divorce attorneys might use alternative arrangements, also known as value-based billing. Alternative arrangements involve negotiations between clients and lawyers for costs and may result in monthly payments or an hourly charge with a maximum total cost limiting the clients expenses. Can I Divorce Without an Attorney? how much does a divorce cost Divorcing without an attorney is possible in all situations but rarely profitable. While conducting an uncontested divorce with no disputes can be fast and cheap, slip-ups and lapses in judgment can cost you time, money and custody. The likelihood of overlooking crucial details or simply being ignorant of key legal factors drastically increases the longer your divorce takes. As a result, having a lawyer represent you in a divorce is almost always a financially wise move. How Much Does a Divorce Cost Without an Attorney? Completing a with no disputes to settle can cost you about $300 without an attorney. However, while representing yourself in court for an extended period might save you on legal fees, the result of the divorce may swing heavily away from your favor. Generally, refusing to hire a lawyer during a divorce is penny-wise but pound-foolish: youre likely to gain more favorable rulings for child support, asset allocation and custody with a lawyer. In other words, paying for a lawyer is an investment that can improve what your life looks like after the divorce. Ways to Lower Divorce Costs While its best to hire a lawyer in many situations, you can lower divorce costs through other means. For example, hiring two lawyers isnt the only route if you and your spouse are in sharp disagreement over numerous issues. Instead, paying for a single court-appointed or independent divorce mediator can bring resolution at a fraction of the cost of a divorce attorney. In addition, you can receive legal services a la carte through limited-scope representation from a divorce attorney. In this scenario, you hire a lawyer to perform specific divorce-related tasks, such as mediation planning or examining a settlement agreement. Consulting with a divorce attorney for select services can cut your legal fees in half while still giving you adequate support. The Bottom Line how much does a divorce cost Lawyers can handle many divorces, which will cost you several thousand dollars on average. Of course, long divorce cases can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, forgoing legal help is often unfeasible, with straightforward, uncontested divorces being the only ones youre likely to save money on by representing yourself. Legal pitfalls can cost you far more than legal fees, so an attorney is usually well worth the cost. That said, you can reduce divorce costs by opting for mediation or paying an attorney for limited-scope representation. Overall, while divorce costs can be steep, its recommended to assess your needs and ensure that you obtain the services necessary to help you get through the divorce with solid financial standing and desired custody status, if applicable. Tips for Managing Divorce Costs It can be challenging to get your financial bearings during and after a divorce. A financial advisor can help you prepare for and navigate your financial decisions throughout the entire process. 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. A divorce can be very messy, from the emotional impact to what happens to your finances. However, that doesnt mean it has to always cause financial ruin. In fact, here is how you can protect your assets during a divorce. Photo credit: iStock.com/vadimguzhva, iStock.com/Andrii Yalanskyi, iStock.com/PeopleImages The post How Much Does a Divorce Cost? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. A former Wichita officer caught trading child pornography and talking about his sexual interest in underage girls on the social media platform Instagram while he was still a cop has been ordered to serve three years of probation over the illegal conduct. Thomas R. Wallace pleaded guilty on Aug. 4 to two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child. He was sentenced Monday by Sedgwick County District Judge Jeffrey Syrios in this and a misdemeanor stalking case where the 31-year-old was accused of harassing a fellow Wichita Police Department officer, also on Instagram, court records show. The probation carries an underlying prison term of 26 months, which he could be ordered to serve if he fails to abide by its conditions, including completing sex offender treatment and having his internet history scrutinized, according to his plea agreement. Wallace had been employed by the Wichita Police Department for five years when he was arrested in February 2021. Authorities investigating an Instagram account created by the then-officer discovered a number of sexual conversations where he asked for and exchanged nude photos and videos, talked of wanting to have sex with girls as young as 11 years old and shared sexually explicit images of kids with other users, according to an affidavit released by the court last year. The crimes happened between May 25, 2020, and Jan. 12, 2021. Wichita police spokesman Officer Chad Ditch said Monday that Wallace is no longer employed by the department. He was terminated in April, Ditch said more than a year after his arrest. He earned more than $35,000 in base pay and more than $42,000 in total compensation last year, city salary records show. MUNCIE, Ind. Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman is considering litigation over online comments that stem from his refusal to file criminal charges related to sting operations conducted by a local vigilante group. Some supporters of Predator Catchers Muncie in comments on Facebook and elsewhere online have suggested Hoffman's policy toward vigilante operations represents a sympathy for sex offenders who prey on children. Other remarks targeting the prosecutor have been even more inflammatory. "I've read some of their smear remarks online," Hoffman said Thursday. "The bottom line is, if it continues, with unfounded personal smears online, they may face a civil suit. I may sue them for defamation of character. "It's one thing to disagree with me. It's (another) thing to make salacious allegations that are unfounded and untrue. That is called slander, libel and defamation of character, and there are repercussions for that." Previously:Veteran educator resigns from school job after confrontation with vigilantes Hoffman said his online critics "saying these things are attempting to bully and intimidate me into violating the law and violating the rules of ethics as I see them. I'm not going to do it. It's not going to work, if that's their goal." Delaware prosecutor cites 'legal, ethical, safety' concerns The Delaware County prosecutor unopposed for his bid for a second term in the Nov. 8 election has said he has several concerns, citing "legal, ethical and safety reasons," about sting operations conducted by non-law enforcement professionals without the involvement of police. He's noted a related report by the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney's Council, and the stance of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which directed its members to "not approve, condone, encourage or promote cyber-vigilantism by private citizens." Story continues "I'm not against prosecuting these online perverts, but it has to be done by the law," Hoffman said. "It has to be done legally. More:Portland man confronted by vigilantes gets 10 years for child solicitation "If it's done properly, I'm all for it, if the police do it. If these people initiate or find some target, and then turn it over to police, like I've asked them to do, and then a proper investigation is done, I'll file. If that were done in the most recent incident, I more than likely would have filed that case." Group confronts educator seeking to meet with underage boy Last weekend, members of Predator Catchers Muncie confronted Greg Dominick, a longtime educator who most recently had worked as an instructional assistant at West View Elementary School, outside the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar in Muncie. The vigilantes said Dominick was at the northside restaurant to meet with a 14-year-old boy who was actually an adult Predator Catchers member he had communicated with online. That communication included suggestions Dominick would engage in sex acts with the juvenile, the vigilantes said. During an 80-minute confrontation with Dominick that was recorded outside Applebees released online by Predator Catchers Online the teacher appeared to indicate a sexual encounter might have taken place had the youth really existed. Dominick later resigned from his job at West View. Hoffman said the lengthy exchange between the vigilantes and Dominick with Predator Catchers members at times expressing outrage of the teacher likely could not have served as a confession in court. Those involved in law enforcement have to follow a series of rules concerning the questioning of suspects, he noted. "I think there is a strong likelihood that a trial court judge would suppress that statement because it would be involuntary," the prosecutor said. "You can't do and say some of the things they're doing. "And I understand in their mind they may be doing what they think is right, but they just don't have the training and experience to do it properly." Crime news:Ex-Portland police officer draws prison term for child solicitation In Hoffman's office in the Delaware County Justice Center, photographs of two young crime victims Lauren McConniel and Marie Pierre are displayed in frames. Both girls were 5 years old when they died as a result of severe child abuse. Hoffman and his predecessor as prosecutor, Jeffrey Arnold, pursued charges, and obtained convictions, for those responsible for both deaths. "Over the past 20 years, I've prosecuted many nasty child abuse cases, several of which resulted in (victims') deaths," he said. "It's really ridiculous to read some of the comments about what people say about my prosecution theory with regards to child abuse. "If you care to take a look at history... you will see I have a strong history of aggressively prosecuting child abusers, and getting maximum sentences." Sting operations conducted by Predator Catchers Muncie have resulted in arrests, and convictions, elsewhere, including Jay and Hendricks counties. Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Delaware County prosecutor: Vigilantes could face civil suit Jena Nelson sat at her desk at Deer Creek Middle School in January of 2022 writing a recommendation letter for yet another teacher leaving the profession she has built her life around. This was the 30th time Nelson had been asked to write such a letter. Nelson felt both sadness and empathy at the teachers leaving. At the same time, Nelson said she got on her phone and was hearing "hurtful" words describing Oklahoma teachers, and she'd had enough. "I just kind of sat there and I go, 'This has got to stop. Someone has to speak up for the profession that I love,'" Nelson said. Nelson, who has been a teacher for a cumulative 17 years and was the 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, said it was then she decided to run for state superintendent of public instruction. The term-limited state schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister is running for governor and received an annual salary of $124,000 during her last three years in office running the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which makes policy decisions for public schools in Oklahoma. Nelson said there's "so much at stake in this election" and that she's the right choice for the job because of her award-winning teaching experience, service on national and state education boards, and her dedication to the prosperity of public schools in Oklahoma. If elected, Nelson said she'll focus on keeping public dollars in public schools, giving teachers and school support staff competitive wages, putting a counselor with mental health training in every school, and bringing broadband internet and better access to STEM programs to rural schools. Public school is Oklahoma's 'greatest treasure,' Nelson says During an October campaign event in Moore, where Nelson met with area teachers, supporters and skeptics alike, the Broken Bow native emphasized in a self-described "spicy" speech that the state schools superintendent should be a supporter of public schools. Story continues This was a dig at her opponent Ryan Walters, Gov. Kevin Stitt's appointed secretary of education and a former teacher, who along with the governor supported a failed legislative school voucher plan that Nelson says would have been detrimental to public schools, especially in rural areas. "(Public school) is the greatest treasure that we have in our state," Nelson said. "And we need to make sure we have someone who believes in the power of public education and who's dedicated their life to making things better." Polling has shown a competitive race between Nelson and Walters, with Nelson leading her opponent by five points in a September survey by SoonerPoll. An October survey by Amber Integrated showed Walters leading 52% to 43%, while a survey taken around the same time by Ascend Action again showed Nelson with a five-point lead. Hank Austin, a lifelong friend of Nelson's and former-political-consultant-turned-teacher, said he hopes voters will avoid checking the straight-party option and "consider that there's more on the line locally." "This is not a national race. This is not a Democrat versus Republican platform," Austin said. "This is about the future of public schools in our state. And that doesn't have anything to do with Joe Biden or Donald Trump." Public education a lifeline for Nelson during traumatic childhood Growing up in rural southeast Oklahoma, Nelson said she can relate to many Oklahoma students who live in poverty and experience homes full of trauma, abuse and mental illness. The Tulsa World reported Nelson's mother suffered from mental illness and her father "was the source of a lot of trauma." "She had a lot of obstacles to overcome," Austin said. "She could have gone one of two ways, as every other child has that option. And she almost went down a bad road ... and a teacher stepped in and steered her in a better direction." Nelson said her community had labeled her early on as "one of those kids," and she was told she was destined to be a drug addict or pregnant by the time she turned 18. But public school became a place of safety and escape for Nelson, where the teachers of the K-8 Lukfata school district believed in her and fostered a passion of learning. Janet Parks taught her the power of the written word. Leroy Beam, who was at once her bus driver, teacher and a coach, inspired a love for history. It was at Broken Bow high school where Nelson met the teacher who she said "saved" her life. She was on her way to "make a very bad decision" when her speech and drama teacher, Stephen Smallwood, told her to take her passion and her anger and put it into his classroom. Under Smallwood's mentorship, Nelson became a valuable part of his speech team, traveling for competitions across the state, and held important roles in school musicals. Nelson said Smallwood moved her from a "pathway of trauma to a pathway of hope." She became the first person in her family to go to college when she headed to Louisiana's Northwestern State University. "I was able to break that cycle of trauma because of my teachers," Nelson said. Smallwood told The Oklahoman he had no idea what an impact that day would have on Nelson's life, but that he saw her potential and knew there was no use in her getting in trouble. He was doing what every teacher would, he said. It has been amazing to watch Nelson move from her "humble beginnings," Smallwood said, to where she is today. "A little girl from southeastern Oklahoma grew up to be the 2020 state teacher of the year, and to run for state superintendent, because public education allowed her to do that," Smallwood said. Nelson found calling in teaching and learning from students Nelson has worked in schools in Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana and Oklahoma, teaching subjects including drama and English. She was teaching composition at Deer Creek Middle School when she was named 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. Today she is on a leave of absence from her post as a sixth- and seventh-grade English teacher at Oklahoma City's Classen School of Advanced Studies Middle School. If elected, her time away from the field would continue, which is at once strange and exciting for Nelson. "I would have the ability to reach all schools and work with all teachers," she said. "And so I've gone from one classroom to a very large classroom, and I think that that perspective keeps me motivated." A mom to a college freshman and middle school student, Nelson said having children in public school gives her the ability to understand both the educator and parent perspectives. Nelson's husband, Karl, is a professor and director of Choral Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma. The two met while she was teaching drama in Baton Rouge and he was studying for his doctorate. After high school, Nelson originally got a degree in drama and wanted to go into directing. She was working in Baton Rouge when she began volunteering at an inner-city after-school program teaching acting classes. A lightbulb turned on for Nelson during this time, and she realized she had a passion for teaching and working with students every day. She was then hired to teach full time as a drama teacher and spent two more years doing so in Louisiana. Nelson quickly found she was not only there to teach but also to learn, herself, from her students. "There's this great quote in 'The King and I' that says, 'By our pupils, we'll be taught,'" Nelson said. "And that's how I felt about my first two years of teaching. Even though I had all this knowledge and background I was sharing with them, they were teaching me how to become a better teacher." 'I've never had a teacher do anything like that' After following her husband to both Mississippi and Indiana for jobs at different universities, Nelson ended up back home in Oklahoma when her husband accepted the position at UCO. Laura Bell, 24, was a student of Nelson's at Edmond North High School where she said Nelson created a "safe space" for her theater and drama students. Bell and others often found themselves spending free time before school and during lunch in Nelson's classroom. During the summer between ninth and tenth grades, Bell traveled with Nelson and other students to Scotland to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Bell fell ill after returning and ended up in the hospital, where Nelson showed up along with Bell's castmates and began decorating her room with One Direction posters, a nod to Bell's favorite musical group at the time. "I've never had a teacher do anything like that," Bell said. Nelson said her time in education has kept her in the "presence of perpetual hope," but it hasn't been without its challenges. Among them were the low pay, many of her colleagues having to take second jobs to get by and the general negative rhetoric surrounding the profession. Oklahoma Education Association President Katherine Bishop said nearly every decision that affects public schools is made by an elected official. But she said this election is especially important given the "false culture wars" that have overtaken conversations about Oklahoma schools. "This election, you have two candidates that are starkly different," Bishop said. "You have a candidate that is very pro public education, and then a candidate that is very pro voucher, not necessarily supportive of public education." Jena Nelson says she will 'defend public education,' not 'defund' it When it comes to issues voters are concerned about, Nelson said there isn't one new program or one solution to fix it all. It's a lot of little things here and there that will bring about change, she said. First, ensuring school vouchers allocating public money to private schools for any student don't come to fruition is a main talking point for Nelson, while her opponent strongly supports it. "Whether they want to call it a tax credit, or ... a scholarship or whatever they want to call it ... that is defunding public education," Nelson said. "And we don't need a state superintendent who wants to defund public education. We need a state superintendent who wants to defend public education." In addition to keeping taxpayer dollars in public schools, Nelson said she will fight to protect rural schools that are often the heart of their communities. She wants to see high-speed internet access in every school, as well as offer rural students access to more science, technology, engineering and mathematics, practical life skills and professional career programs. In the same vein, urban students should have opportunities to learn and participate in agricultural programs, she said. State testing also needs to be revamped, Nelson said. She would like to see Oklahoma schools do "benchmark" testing at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. The last test can qualify for state testing data, and the others can help teachers intervene sooner when a child needs additional assistance in an area. "Once they've already left our class, we don't get to pull them back and say, 'Oh, that's what we needed to fix on,'" Nelson said. Nelson hopes to improve mental health in schools, reverse teacher flight Oklahoma has some of the highest rates of adverse childhood experiences in the nation, and Nelson said that trauma students are experiencing has a huge impact on test scores and learning outcomes. She would like to see teachers learning how to implement trauma-informed practices in their classrooms, both when in college and in emergency certification programs. Substitute teachers and current teachers should receive this training, as well, she said. And every student and school staff member should have access to mental health care, even if it's through a telehealth option. Nelson also said every January she would send out a "school culture survey" where teachers can anonymously discuss any issues going on at the school, as well as whether they plan to return to their school in the fall. One of the issues weighing heaviest on the minds of Nelson and her fellow teachers is the continued loss of educators to other professions and states. A lack of respect, which includes pay, is a driving force of this "teacher flight," said Kristi Kringlin, who worked with Nelson at Deer Creek Middle School. A Stitt-backed bill that became law in May created matching state funds for teacher raises, which Stitt has touted could allow teachers to make as much as $100,000, but Nelson said this just isn't feasible for Oklahoma districts that would have to pay half of the raises. Nelson said she does support Hofmeister's plan for a fully state-funded $5,000 raise for teachers. Kringlin said this election is "make or break" for reversing teacher flight. "Whatever happens in November, if it doesn't go our way, I say you're going to see a second wave of (teacher) resignations," Kringlin said. Nelson's grassroots campaign raises more than half-a-million While Nelson doesn't have any major endorsements, compared to Walters' endorsements from Stitt, former Gov. Frank Keating and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, her grassroots campaign has raised over $530,000 according to her campaign finance report filed Oct. 27. A vast majority of that $460,000 was donated between Aug. 9 and Oct. 24, marking a huge boost in donations after automatically receiving the Democratic Party nomination because she was the only Democrat who filed for the position. In August, just before the runoff election where her opponent defeated Shawnee Public Schools Superintendent April Grace, she had only reported raising $75,000. Donors who contributed the maximum $2,900 include former OU President David Boren and his wife, Molly; the Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation; and Paycom CEO Chad Richison and his wife, Charis. Other notable donors include Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby, who donated $1,000; former Oklahoma attorney general and 2018 gubernatorial candidate Drew Edmondson, who donated $1,250; and former Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, who gave $1,000. The Oklahoman counted donations from at least 14 current school superintendents, including the Tulsa, Sand Springs and Oklahoma City public schools superintendents. There were also at least 84 teachers and educators from both large and small school districts across the state, as well as at least 34 self-identified retired teachers. Nelson received $33,000 from political action committees, including $5,000 from Homeroom Oklahoma; $2,000 from the American Federation of Teachers Oklahoma; $2,000 from the American Federation of Teachers Oklahoma City; $5,000 from the Oklahoma Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education; and $5,000 from the Oklahoma Retired Educators Fund. Nelson has been endorsed by McAlester Mayor John Browne the same town where Walters grew up and worked as a history teacher. Browne said the election for Oklahoma's next state superintendent is critical. "If Ryan Walters wins, his divisive, dangerous policies and plans will destroy our education system, including McAlester's beloved public schools, the cornerstones of our rural community," Browne said in a statement. Nelson also has support from state legislators like Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, and Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City. "She just wants to do what she can to help our public schools and our kids," Rosecrants told The Oklahoman at Nelson's campaign stop in Moore. "And she's running against one of the worst candidates I have ever seen in my entire life for this job. She understands that we have to have parents and teachers together instead of falling for these issues that are meant to separate parents and teachers." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Get to know Oklahoma superintendent election candidate Jena Nelson Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hopes for "normalisation" of ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan after he hosted talks with the rivals on Monday, reasserting Moscow's role as Caucasus powerbroker. The talks were held as Western engagement grows in the volatile Caucasus region, where Russia -- distracted by its war in Ukraine -- is palpably losing influence after decades of domination. The initiative comes a month after the worst clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan since their war in 2020. "In our common opinion, it was a very useful meeting that created a very good atmosphere for possible future agreements," the Russian president told journalists. "Russia will do everything to find a definitive and comprehensive settlement" of the conflict, he said, adding: "It is in everyone's interest to normalise relations. "We will remain in contact and continue the dialogue and the search for the necessary solutions to put an end to this conflict," Putin said. Ahead of the trilateral summit, Putin met the two visiting leaders, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, separately. "The most important is to ensure peace and create conditions for development," he told Pashinyan. Ahead of the meeting Pashinyan said Yerevan's priorities included Azerbaijani withdrawal from the areas in Karabakh controlled by Russian peacekeepers and the liberation of Armenian POWs. - 'Impetus' - Putin then received Aliyev, who thanked his Russian counterpart for giving "impetus to the normalisation process". "The Karabakh conflict is already part of history. This issue was resolved two years ago. So there is practically nothing left to discuss in this context," Aliyev insisted. Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars -- in 2020 and in the 1990s -- over Azerbaijan's Armenian populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh. A six-week war in autumn 2020, which claimed the lives of more than 6,500 troops on both sides, ended with a Russian-brokered deal that saw Yerevan cede swathes of territory that it had controlled for several decades. Story continues Last month, 286 people from both sides were killed in clashes that have jeopardised a slow and halting peace process. The hostilities ended with a US-brokered ceasefire, after earlier failed attempts by Russia to negotiate a truce. With Moscow increasingly isolated on the world stage following its February offensive on Ukraine, the US and the EU have taken a leading role in mediating the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks. EU chief Charles Michel and French President Emmanuel Macron hosted talks between Pashinyan and Aliyev in Brussels in August. Following a slew of diplomatic efforts from Brussels and Washington, Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers met on October 3 in Geneva to begin drafting the text of a future peace treaty. Russia and EU leaders have traded criticism of their respective mediation efforts in the Karabakh conflict, with Moscow and Paris in particular exchanging jabs this month. Putin recently dismissed a comment by Macron who said that Moscow was "destabilising" a peace process between the two countries. Moscow has traditionally acted as a middleman between the two countries, which were both part of the Soviet Union. - Russian peacekeepers The 2020 ceasefire agreement saw Russia deploy a force of 2,000 peacekeepers to the region to oversee a fragile truce. Ahead of the talks, Armenia's Pashinyan said he was ready to extend their presence by up to another two decades. Russia's peacekeeping mission has been criticised by some with even Pashinyan raising concerns about the force, in rare Armenian criticism of its ally. The EU has announced a "civilian EU mission" to Armenia to monitor ceasefire violations. Aliyev has vowed to repopulate Karabakh with Azerbaijanis and recently re-opened an airport in the conquered territories. Baku's ally Ankara has also advanced its efforts to be involved in mediation, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meeting both Aliyev and Pashinyan recently in Prague. The Kremlin said the trio would also discuss "questions on rebuilding and developing trade and economic as well as transport links". When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan. The ensuing conflict claimed around 30,000 lives. bur/im/gw/bp (Reuters) - Russia is not ending its participation in a deal to export much-needed Ukrainian grain through Black Sea ports but rather is suspending it, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday. Putin's comments were his first since Moscow announced on Saturday it was freezing participation in the United Nations-brokered Black Sea agreement after what it said was a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet in Crimea. "We are not saying that we are ceasing our participation in this operation. No, we are saying that we are suspending it," Putin told a televised news conference. Putin said the Ukrainian drones had traveled through the same corridors the grain ships used. "And thus they created a threat both to our ships, which must ensure the safety of grain exports, and to the civilian ships that are engaged in this," he said. Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Other participants in the deal pressed ahead with export of grain on Monday, even though Russia said this was risky. "Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threats to civilian vessels or to Russian supply vessels," said Putin, noting that under the terms of the deal, Russia is responsible for ensuring security. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Howard Goller) Photo: The Canadian Press Ambulances carrying victims head to the hospital near the scene in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Global Affairs says a Canadian was injured in a crowd surge that killed more than 150 people in Seoul, South Korea. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Lee Jin-man A Canadian was among those injured in a crowd surge that killed more than 150 people in Seoul, South Korea, Global Affairs confirmed Sunday, while Korean Canadians said they were shocked by the disaster. The federal department said Canadian officials are in touch with local authorities to gather more information and provide consular assistance to those affected. It said it can't release any further information about the person who was hurt, including whether the person was hospitalized or the severity of the injuries, due to privacy considerations. Canada offers its deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed during yesterdays Halloween festivities and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured," the department said in a statement issued on Sunday. "To our friends in South Korea, we stand with you during this difficult time. As of Sunday evening, South Korean officials said 153 people were killed and 133 were injured after a huge Halloween party crowd surged into a narrow alley in the nightlife district of Itaewon. Tens of thousands of people were believed to have gathered Saturday night for the festivities. Nearly two-thirds of those who were trapped and crushed 97 were women. Most were in their 20s and 30s, and at least four were teenagers. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the death count could further rise as 37 of the injured people were in serious condition. Korean Canadians said they were upset to hear the news. "My heart is broken, especially since so many young people have died," said Michaela Le, who works with uVillage Church in Vancouver. The community is "shocked" by what happened. However, members haven't had a chance to gather formally and talk about the disaster so it's too early to say whether any supports are being organized for those affected, she said. "It is such a sad, sad thing for the whole country and even for people who are living abroad to hear a story like this." JeongWoong Seo, who is from Seoul but lives in Montreal, said she doesn't believe she knows anyone affected. But she said her church community discussed the tragedy Sunday. "Today at service we talked about the news," she said. "It's very, very sad." Susan Shin, who works with the Korean Personal Support Workers' Association in Toronto, said she learned about the news when friends shared it with her on a group chat. "We are in deep sorrow," she said. Jasper Lim of the Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Toronto said the congregation prayed on Sunday for those affected. The tragedy reminded many of the loss of young lives in 2014 when the ferry MV Sewol sank with students aboard, he said. Some have questioned whether enough was done to prepare for the Halloween festivities, while others suggested the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions caused more people to crowd together, he added. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined other international leaders in offering condolences to South Korea on Saturday following the deadly stampede. "I'm thinking of everyone affected by this tragedy, and wishing a fast and full recovery to those who were injured," Trudeau said in a tweet. Putin at the training ground in the Ryazan region, October 2022 Analyzing the Russias vision of the prospects for the course of the war in the next six months, ISW said the Kremlin would likely attempt to wait out the current stage of the war, in which Ukraine has seized the initiative. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will most likely try to continue conventional military operations in Ukraine to hold currently occupied territories, gain new ground, and set conditions for the collapse of Western support for Ukraine that he likely expects to occur this winter, ISW experts said. Putin has likely not abandoned hopes of achieving his maximalist aims in Ukraine through conventional military means, which he is pursuing in parallel with efforts to break Ukraines will to fight and the Wests will to continue supporting Kyiv. Putin is unlikely to escalate to the use of tactical nuclear weapons, barring the sudden collapse of the Russian military, permitting Ukrainian forces to make uncontrolled advances throughout the theater, ISW analysts said, noting that such a situation is possible but unlikely. They also believe Putin is extraordinarily unlikely to seek direct military conflict with NATO, saying he would much rather continue to hint at the possibility of Russian tactical nuclear use and attacks on NATO as parts of his effort to break Western will to continue supporting Ukraine. ISW analysts base this forecast on two assessments: First, that Putin is setting conditions to continue throwing poorly prepared Russian troops directly into the fighting in Ukraine for the foreseeable future rather than pausing operations to reconstitute effective military forces Second, that Putins theory of victory relies on using the harsh winter to break Europes will. Russian force-generation efforts will occur over the course of several predictable time periods. ISW analysts note that the partial mobilization of reservists has been declared complete. That declaration basically means that the Russian military will stop calling up reservists and instead focus on completing their brief training periods before sending them to fight in Ukraine. Story continues According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, the following reserve mobilization efforts will take the form of renewed efforts to recruit volunteers, likely into volunteer battalions efforts that were largely halted during the partial mobilization. However, as ISW experts said, continued attempts to create volunteer units will likely generate little meaningful combat power and will be spread over an extended period of time. The Russian military will begin its semi-annual conscription call-up on Nov.1, 2022 (a month later than usual). Normal Russian conscript training involves a period of roughly six months of individual basic and advanced training followed by the assignment of conscripts to combat units in which they complete their remaining six months of mandatory service. Russian law bans sending conscripts to combat operations abroad with fewer than four months of training. However, Putin can actually overcome this ban. The law specifies that conditions of war or martial law allow the Russian military to deploy conscripts to fight earlier than that. The annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts offers another possible basis for exemption, because Russian law does not preclude the use of conscripts in Russian territory regardless of how much training they have received. Raw conscripts with no military experience and fewer than four months of training are likely to be nearly useless on the battlefield in any case. Putin may rush limited numbers of such conscripts to combat before their four-month training period is complete, but most will likely be held back until March 2023 at the earliest. Six months after the draft, the Russian military will likely find it necessary to send these conscripts to units in Ukraine, as there are unlikely to be enough functional combat units at home stations in Russia to receive them. The Russian military has fully committed its available ground forces units to Ukraine in a series of force-generation efforts, as ISW has previously reported. The Russian military likely will be unable to keep called-up conscripts in training areas for more than six months, for the next semi-annual conscription call-up would normally begin around April 1, 2023. Conscripts called up beginning on Nov. 1, 2022, will thus likely be assigned to combat and support units in Ukraine and begin to arrive on the battlefield around May 2023, ISW analysts said. Therefore, the next window for a large-scale reserve mobilization would most likely open earlier than March 1, for the Russian Defense Ministry will not likely be able to conduct additional reserve call-ups as long as it is engaged in providing conscripts with initial training. Weather offers another likely periodization of Russian efforts that coincides well with the force-generation timelines that ISW analysts described above Fall in Ukraine is generally wet and muddy but not usually so bad as to make mechanized offensives impossible. Winter, on the other hand, is usually the best season for mechanized warfare in Ukraine, ISW analysts highlighted. This is mainly because when most of the streams and some of the rivers also freeze, greatly facilitating cross-country mechanized advances. Spring is the nightmare season for fighting in Ukraine. The thaw swells rivers and streams and turns fields into seas of mud. Mechanized warfare in the spring muddy season is extremely difficult (although, again, not impossible for forces like Ukraines and, theoretically, Russias, that are properly equipped and trained for it), ISW analysts said. Thus, current flowing of Russian partial mobilization forces into Ukraine is likely meant to stiffen Russian defenses and allow Russian forces to hold their positions through the rest of the fall and into winter period. If Putin intends to deploy Russian men about to be conscripted after four or six months of training, he could be setting conditions for Russian forces to resume offensive operations after the end of the spring thaw. Putins goals in 2023 The Russian partial mobilization of reservists just completed strongly suggests that Putin intends to keep fighting into 2023 rather than expecting to secure some sort of ceasefire or to escalate in a way that could end the war on his terms, ISW analysts believe. He has paid a very high domestic price for this mobilization effort in the flight of hundreds of thousands of Russians to other countries, unprecedented protests, and equally unprecedented criticisms of the performance of the Russian military and the Russian government. ISW analysts said that this price only makes sense if Putin intends to keep fighting and recognizes the need to get reinforcements to Ukraine right now in order to hold his positions long enough for fresh conscripts to arrive and turn the tide in his favor,as he might think. According to the ISW, it makes far less sense if he intends to escalate to the use of tactical nuclear weapons either in an effort to win the war or in hopes of securing a ceasefire or some other off-ramp on favorable terms. Putins efforts to break Europes will by withholding Russian energy supplies over the winter offers yet another timeline that coheres well with the others. The theory underlying this Russian effort would be that freezing European populations will put such pressure on their governments that European states will begin to accept Putins demands to stop providing weapons and other forms of support to Ukraine, at least, and possibly to lift various sanctions on Russia as well. Key conclusions: Unconfirmed Russian reports claimed that Russian Lieutenant General Andrey Mordvichev (Commander of the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District) replaced Colonel General Alexander Lapin as Central Military District (CMD) commander as of Oct. 30. Ukrainian sources and geolocated reports indicate that Russian forces destroyed a bridge over the Chervona River in Chervonorichenske, Luhansk Oblast. Russian military bloggers accused Ukrainian forces of destroying the bridge; Russian invasion forces are preparing to defend Kherson and surrounding areas; Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian forces are preparing to withdraw artillery units from unspecified areas on the western bank of the Dnipro River to possibly reinforce other directions. Ukrainian military officials also reported that several hundred Rosgvardia servicemen deployed from the Republic of Chechnya to Kalanchak in southwestern Kherson Oblast; Russian forces continued to shell Ukrainian positions in the Beryslav district, Kherson Oblast; Russian sources reported that Russian forces captured Pavlivka, Donetsk Oblast, (2 kilometers southwest of Vuhledar) on Oct. 30. The Ukrainian General Staffs evening report did not report repelling Russian attacks in this area as it usually does, potentially indicating that the Russian claims are accurate. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine By Pavel Polityuk and Jonathan Landay KYIV/MYKOLAIV, Ukraine (Reuters) -Russia told civilians on Tuesday to leave an area along the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in the Ukrainian province of Kherson, a major extension of an evacuation order that Kyiv says amounts to the forced depopulation of occupied territory. Russia had previously ordered civilians out of a pocket it controls on the west bank of the river, where Ukrainian forces have been advancing for weeks to capture the city of Kherson in what would be a strategic prize in the eight-month-long war. Russian-installed officials said on Tuesday they were extending that order to a 15-km (9-mile) buffer zone along the east bank too. Ukraine says the evacuations include forced deportations from occupied territory, a war crime. Russia, which claims to have annexed parts of Kherson region, says it is taking civilians to safety because of the risk Ukraine might use unconventional weapons. "Due to the possibility of the use of prohibited methods of war by the Ukrainian regime, as well as information that Kyiv is preparing a massive missile strike on the Kakhovka hydroelectric station, there is an immediate danger of the Kherson region being flooded," Vladimir Saldo, Russian-installed head of occupied Kherson province, said in a video message. "The decision (to expand the evacuation zone) will make it possible to create a layered defence in order to repel Ukrainian attacks and protect civilians," he said. Russian-installed authorities in the Kherson region also said an obligatory evacuation of Kakhovka district, close to the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric station, was to begin on Nov. 6. Moscow has accused Kyiv of planning to use a so-called "dirty bomb" to spread radiation, or to blow up a dam to flood towns and villages in Kherson province. Kyiv says accusations it would use such tactics on its own territory are absurd, but that Russia might be planning such actions itself to blame Ukraine. Story continues The mouth of the Dnipro has become one of the most consequential frontlines eight months into Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Saldo identified seven towns on the east bank that would now be evacuated, comprising the main populated settlements along that stretch of the river. 'WHY SHOULD I LEAVE?' In the city of Kherson on Tuesday streets were virtually empty, with most shops and businesses shuttered. A handful of people at a jetty boarded a ferry to cross to the east bank of the Dnipro, though a few men were still fishing peacefully, apparently indifferent to the distant rumble of artillery fire. Some residents remained defiant, despite the order to leave. "Why should I leave? ... What for? I will stay here to the very end," said Ekaterina, a shopkeeper, referring to the house she said her ancestors had built "with their own hands". Russian forces swept into Ukraine in February in what Moscow calls a "special military operation" to eliminate dangerous nationalists and protect Russian-speakers. Kyiv calls Moscow's military action an unprovoked imperialist land grab. Thousands of Russian men have fled abroad to escape conscription to a conflict which has killed thousands, displaced millions and reopened Cold War-era divisions. The European Union accused Moscow on Tuesday of illegally conscripting men in Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. Russia fired missiles at Ukrainian cities including the capital Kyiv in what President Vladimir Putin called retaliation for an attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet over the weekend. Ukraine said it shot most of those missiles down, but some had hit power stations, knocking out electricity and water supplies. The United States on Tuesday denounced the attacks, saying about 100 missiles had been fired on Monday and Tuesday. "With temperatures dropping, these Russian attacks aimed at exacerbating human suffering are particularly heinous," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at a daily briefing. Russia denies targeting civilians. GRAIN SHIPS Putin has suspended Russia's cooperation with a programme backed by Turkey and the United Nations to escort cargo ships carrying grain out of the war zone. The three-month-old undertaking had ended a de facto Russian blockade of Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain producers, and averted a global food crisis. Putin told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a call on Tuesday that Russia could consider resuming the deal only after completion of an investigation into drone attacks on a Crimean port, which Moscow has already blamed on Ukraine. Despite Russia's suspension of its participation in the grain deal, no blockade has been restored so far. Three vessels left Ukrainian ports on Tuesday morning after 12 ships set out on Monday. The programme's administrators said Tuesday's shipments had been agreed by Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. delegations and that Moscow had been informed, an apparent sign of a willingness to proceed without Russian cooperation. Just north of Kherson, Russia fired four missiles into the Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv overnight, demolishing half an apartment building. Reuters saw rescue workers recover the body of an elderly woman from the rubble. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Peter Graff, Gareth Jones and Grant McCool; Editing by Nick Macfie and Mark Heinrich) By David Ljunggren (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said a natural gas hub could be set up in Turkey fairly quickly and predicted many customers in Europe would want to sign contracts. Putin proposed Turkey as a base for gas supplies earlier this month after the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea were damaged in September by blasts. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says he agrees with the idea. Putin said it was very difficult to work directly with European commercial partners. The European Union, which previously turned to Russia for about 40% of its gas needs, is seeking to wean itself off Russian energy. "It is easier for us to work with Turkey. President Erdogan is a man of his word ... and it is easier for us to control the Black Sea," Putin told a televised news conference. "This is a quite realistic project and we can do it fairly quickly, and there will be enough people who want to conclude a contract ... I have no doubt that in Europe there are many who want to," he said. Putin also said Russia's Gazprom had been allowed to inspect the damage done when blasts hit the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Moscow accused British navy personnel of being responsible, a charge London dismissed. Sweden and Denmark have both concluded that four leaks on Nord Stream 1 and 2 were caused by explosions. Putin said the blasts had torn a 40-metre length of pipe out of Nord Stream 1 and hurled it into Nord Stream 2, causing damage. In total there was a 259-metre break in Nord Stream 1, he said. (Reporting by David Ljunggren in OttawaEditing by Chris Reese and Matthew Lewis) A file photo of Ksenia Sobchak. Ben A. Pruchnie/Stringer via Getty Images A prominent Russian media star who fled the country posted saying she is in "big trouble." Ksenia Sobchak, who has family ties to Putin, was confirmed last week as being in Lithuania. She has since posted about a media backlash and said she was cut off from her loved ones. A Russian media star who dramatically fled the country last week said over the weekend that she was "possibly in big trouble." Ksenia Sobchak, who is rumored to be the god-daughter of President Vladimir Putin, posted to Telegram on Saturday that she was cut off from her friends and family ever since her escape to Lithuania on October 25. Sobchak sneaked out of Russia after Kirill Sukhanov, the commercial director of her media company Ostorozhno.Media, was arrested on accusations of extortion a move she condemned as an attempt to intimidate the media. According to the state-controlled media outlet TASS, which cited Russian police, Sobchak confounded authorities by buying flights to Dubai but then crossing by land instead, via Belarus to Lithuania. After she left, police searched her Moscow home and she was named a suspect in the case, TASS reported. In her Telegram post on Saturday, Sobchak wrote: "My thoughts are with my family, who I have been separated from." Later in the post she added: "Yes, I am in trouble. Possibly, in big trouble." She did not make clear what she was referring to. Russian police had named Sobchak as a suspect in the extortion case, which accuses Sukhanov, the commercial director, as well as another media mogul former Russian Tatler editor Arian Romanovsky of extorting millions of rubles from the head of the defense conglomerate Rostec. However, as of Friday police had canceled this status and now regard her as a witness, TASS reported. The outlet reported this on Saturday, in an article published after Sobchak had posted. Sobchak did not respond to Insider's request for comment. A representative named on her Instagram profile only as "Lena" said she has no contact with Sobchak at time of publication, and did not confirm her whereabouts as of Monday. Two further representatives did not comment; all answered Russian phone numbers. Story continues On Friday, Lithuanian intelligence services confirmed that Sobchak was in the country, where they said she has the right to remain for 90 days. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) greeting Ksenia Sobchak (R) at the Kremlin, Russia, March,19, 2018, when Sobchak was a liberal opposition candidate in the presidential election. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Sobchak is one of Russia's biggest media stars, and has family ties to Putin with one longstanding rumor saying she is the president's god-daughter. She is the daughter of Anatoly Sobchak, a former mayor of St Petersburg who employed Putin as a deputy and aided is rise to power. According to Politico, Putin attended Ksenia Sobchak's baptism. Sobchak's glamorous lifestyle and reality TV career earned her the nickname "Russia's Paris Hilton," an image she attempted to shed as her media career matured and when, in 2018, she ran as a presidential candidate. While the challenge was viewed with skepticism by pro-democracy activists, Sobchak has espoused some liberal positions, such as her 2014 criticism of the annexation of Crimea, as Politico reported. After the arrest of Sukhanov, she wrote: "It is obvious that this is a raid on my editorial office, the last free editorial office in Russia, which had to be shut down,"according to a translation by The Washington Post. In her most recent post referring to her situation, Sobchak decried a backlash she had received in Russian media, as Russian newspaper Kommersant reported. Citing numerous examples of what she described as "bullying" and fake news, she wrote bitterly about the coverage, saying: "God, how you all must hate me, simply for not being a part of any group. How you love ripping me apart! "And I do detest you for being so shallow and petty. Yes, I am in trouble. Possibly, in big trouble. I am glad this has brought you a smile this dark evening." Read the original article on Business Insider Photo Illustration by Erin OFlynn/The Daily Beast/Getty Louisiana has done it. They have moved young people into one of the most notorious adult prisons in the United States. In July, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that two dozen young people from Bridge City Center for Youtha juvenile corrections facility outside of New Orleans operated by the states Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ)would be relocated to the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola Prison. Importantly, juvenile delinquency in Louisiana is determined through civil, not criminal proceedings. Young people who are adjudicated as delinquent and sentenced to confinement are supposed to receive rehabilitation and individual treatment. Gov. Bel Edwards plan to incarcerate children at Angola would subject these youths to conditions so threatening to their health and safety it constitutes punishmentnot rehabilitation or treatmentand violates their constitutional rights. The Supreme Court Put Politics Above Law and Surrendered Its Legitimacy This problem has heightened intensely, and now threatens the safety of every incarcerated young person in the state. Built on the grounds of a former slave plantation, and with over 6,000 inmates, Angola is the largest adult maximum-security prison in the nation. There is a long, troubling history of lawlessness and abuse at Angola. And while there have been efforts to improve the prison over the years, abusive conditions have been documented through reports and court rulings for the past century, including brutal beatings by guards, denial of basic medical care and mental health care, assaults, and extensive use of solitary confinement. A prisoners hands inside a punishment cell wing at Angola prison in Louisiana on Oct. 14, 2013. Giles Clarke/Getty Sadly, the legacy of violence and at Angola today is pervasive throughout Louisianas penal system. After centuries of failed policies, state political leadersincluding Gov. Bel Edwards, legal authorities, and law enforcement officialsare worsening problems for incarcerated individuals, their families, and our communities rather than repairing their harrowing results. Story continues By addressing issues like understaffing and overcrowding in state juvenile facilities, Louisiana could avoid forcing incarcerated minors to Angola. Research from Annie E. Casey Foundations Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, which operates in nearly 300 jurisdictions throughout the country, suggests that youth incarceration can be reduced without jeopardizing public safety. For example, when public officials work with community leaders and families, we can reduce the number of young people in prisons, while creating programs and services that meet the needs of troubled youthsincluding many with severe emotional or psychological issues. When jurisdictions reduce the number of youths in local and state custody, they can focus what limited resources they do have on a smaller number of young people who need more intensive mental health services, like counseling and remedial education. In August 2022, Lawyers for Youth at Bridge City filed a federal lawsuit to prevent the transfer of any youth to Angola. A hearing before Chief District Judge Shelly Dick in early September revealed that any child in custody of the Office of Juvenile Justice in need of secure detention is at risk of being sent to Angolanot just youths from Bridge City. On Sept. 23, the judge issued her ruling. In a 64-page decision, the judge noted that putting a young person in a locked cell behind razor wire surrounded by the swamps at Angola is disturbing and untenable, particularly in view of the history of trauma and mental health problems of so many of the children in state custody. Judge Dick also stated that the threat of harm presented by some youths is intolerable, and concluded, [t]he untenable must yield to the intolerable, denying the motion to halt the relocation and clearing the way for the State to transfer incarcerated minors to Angola. At the September hearing, while the judge called conditions in the juvenile cellblock untenable, she was persuaded by the states promises to make major changes in the facility to allow the transfer. The state promised to create a new, completely separate, fully-staffed, fully-resourced youth facility on the grounds of Angola before it sent any young people there. The judge accepted those promises and incorporated them into her decision. As a result, she held that the planned site has adequate physical facilities needed to temporarily house high-risk youth, that no youth will be transferred to [the facility] until the facility is ready, properly staffed, and can fully provide educational, medical, mental health, recreational, and food services. Further, that the State will eliminate any contact with adult prisoners. Looking through a fence at a guard tower inside Angola Prison. Giles Clarke/Getty Gov. Greg Abbotts Plan to Kick Undocumented Kids Out of Schools Is Sadistic However, there is little indication that most of the supposed improvements Judge Dicks ruling required will actually be implemented. As evidenced by the last several decades, Louisiana has not created any fully staffed, fully resourced youth facility, such as the one promised to Judge Dick. The last time Louisiana opened a temporary youth facility, it was a disaster. To create the Acadiana Center for Youth at St. Martinville, the state leased a 24-bed jail from the St. Martins Parish Sheriff with individual cells, which differed from the dormitory-like setting in other OJJ juvenile facilities. When the youths arrived at St. Martinville, there was no educational program at all. As one youth said: No books, no paper, no pencils. Young people spent most of the day in solitary confinement or their cells; when they were released for a short period, they were put into physical restraints. Months later, after extensive media coverage and public outcry over the abusive conditions, the state began providing some classes, but still less than required by state education laws. Louisianas credibility is now in question. How can the state construct a facility suitable for youth that it has not been able to create anywhere in the state over the past decade, in a matter of weeks or monthslet alone inside the former death row unit at Angola? Why should we believe that more security will work to address the challenges in OJJ facilities when OJJ has been incapable of solving its problems for years? Why is the state willing to invest millions of dollars to improve poor conditions at Angola if the youth facility is to be temporary? Will Angola become another St. Martinville? More than 40 percent of the youths in state custody are charged with a non-violent offense, misdemeanor, or technical violation of the law. In many other states, young people are not sentenced to incarceration for these relatively low-risk offenses. Instead, they are placed in community-based supervision and treatment programs. If Louisiana could reduce the number of youths in its custody by 40 percent (or 20 percent, or even 10 percent), it could devote more resources to the small number of youths who truly need intensive interventions, and avoid sending youths to Angola. Why a High-Ranking FBI Attorney Is Pushing Unbelievable Junk Science on Guns While its vividly clear there are tangible solutions to help solve the issues faced at Bridge City, supported by quantitative data and decades of research, these solutions are falling on deaf ears to Louisiana state legislators, judges, and authorities. Instead, elected officials like Gov. Bel Edwards are resorting to needlessly punitive measureslike putting minors into a maximum security adult prison like Angola, exacerbating the already festering wounds within the state penal system and draining more resources from the state. While I sincerely hope that no states follow Louisianas leadand that elected officials throughout the nation take note of Gov. Bel Edwards negligence and mismanagement of Louisianas penal systemits the children of Bridge Citys Center for Youth who are paying the ultimate price. The burden of ensuring the state is held accountable is now on parents, advocates, and attorneys for youth who will be transferred to Angola. Their health, safety, and well-being are in imminent danger. 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. Two Harvard University students on opposing sides offered their arguments on whether colleges should or should not consider race during the admissions process ahead of Monday's Supreme Court case over affirmative action. "Efforts like these make it more focused on race, and I think it should be focused more on merit and what theyre actually bringing to the college and a holistic view," Alma Conway, a third-year student from Arizona, told Fox News. The Venezuelan American said she doesn't want her ethnicity "to be the most important factor and for that to be the only reason I got into Harvard." WATCH MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE But Joseph Hernandez, a second-year student from California, disagreed. "My experience with race in the classroom hasn't been something that's so easily disentangled with other things that typically measure opportunity," he told Fox News. "I think its a factor that determines people's opportunity and as such should be taken into account when we look at admissions." Two Harvard University students discuss their opposing viewpoints on affirmative action ahead of the Supreme Court case starting Oct. 31. A TIMELINE OF SUPREME COURT CASES ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Oral arguments will be heard before the Supreme Court beginning Monday for Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. A ruling in the case, along with another involving the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, could overturn a previous decision and forbid colleges from using race-based affirmative action during the admissions process. Harvard University is challenged by Students for Fair Admissions Inc. for discriminating against Asian-American students in the college admissions process. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Affirmative action, in a way, is discriminating because youre looking at the differences," Conway told Fox News. "I think that if the court decides to remove it, it will be a step in the right direction." But Hernandez said: "There are some very clear issues in admissions, regardless of where you stand on affirmative action and while I will push people towards affirmative action, I also will say we need to evaluate these other issues." To view Conway and Hernandez's entire discussion on affirmative action, click here. By the time the Las Vegas Raiders crossed midfield for the first time all day, Derek Carr and Davante Adams were spectators and the New Orleans Saints were putting the finishing touches on a dominating win. Whatever good feeling a victory over the hapless Houston Texans provided a week ago was wiped out by one of the most inept performances by the Raiders in years in a 24-0 loss to the Saints on Sunday. It was embarrassing, Carr said after the game. "We are so much better than that, but we didnt earn that today. You take a look at it, there are a lot of guys who care about it in that locker room. We will be very self-critical. I promise you, we will try to do better next week. It would be hard to do worse. The Raiders (2-5) didn't enter Saints territory until the final two minutes of the game the second longest a team has waited to run a play in opposing territory in 16 years and were shut out for the first time since 2014. The defense wasn't much better, recording no sacks, no takeaways and forcing only one punt until the score was 24-0. The performance left coach Josh McDaniels puzzled as to why so much went wrong a week after a 38-20 win over Houston left the Raiders thinking they had gotten on track. We need to coach and play better to earn better results, McDaniels said. "Consistency is going to be what were going to try to push for. If we can do that and start playing our best football here and start stringing together some wins, you look up at the end of the year and a lot of things can happen. Certainly, thats our goal. "Our goals are still out there. Were going to need to play better, coach better, to earn them. WHATS WORKING Punting. Almost nothing went right Sunday, but A.J. Cole had a 42.8 yard net average and pinned the Saints inside the 20 on four of five punts. WHAT NEEDS HELP Offense. The Raiders were shut out for the first time since a 52-0 loss to the Rams in 2014 and the numbers only got worse from there. They didn't run a play in Saints territory until after the two-minute warning, nearly becoming the fourth team in the past 30 years to do that for an entire game. Story continues Their 3.27 yards per play were their lowest in a game since 2017 and their 1.19 yards per play on first down were their fewest in a game since they had 1.08 in a 7-6 win over Chargers on Oct. 11, 1998. STOCK UP Rich Bisaccia. Maybe last season's interim coach should have gotten another chance. The Raiders went 7-5 under Bisaccia and made the playoffs for the first time since 2016. McDaniels has already lost five of his first seven games. STOCK DOWN Pass rush. The Raiders failed to generate a quarterback hit or a sack for an entire game for the first time since 2010, giving Dalton time to pick apart a suspect secondary. The duo of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones was supposed to be the strength of Las Vegas' defense. Crosby has been productive until this week, but Jones has mostly been missing with just a half-sack all season. INJURIES TE Darren Waller missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury. He tested it out pregame, but was unable to play Sunday. The Raiders are hopeful he can return this week. KEY NUMBER 3 Adams had only 3 yards receiving, catching one pass on five targets. He also had one run that lost a yard, with his 2 yards from scrimmage his fewest in a game when he played at least 10 plays since getting blanked in the final game of his rookie season in 2014. This marked the third time this season Adams was held to fewer than 40 yards receiving. That happened just three times in his last 56 games with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback in Green Bay. NEXT STEPS The Raiders will spend the week practicing in Florida before finishing the trip at Jacksonville on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL By Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) - Hackers have targeted a communications platform used by Australian military personnel and defence staff with a ransomware attack, authorities said on Monday, as the country battles a recent spike in cyberattacks across businesses. The ForceNet service, one of the external providers that the defence department contracts to run one of its websites, has come under attack but so far no data have been compromised, Assistant Minister For Defence Matt Thistlethwaite said. "I want to stress that this isn't an attack or a breach on defence (technology) systems and entities," Thistlethwaite told ABC Radio. "At this stage, there is no evidence that the data set has been breached, that's the data that this company holds on behalf of defence". But some private information such as dates of birth and enlistment details of military personnel may have been stolen, the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported, citing an unidentified source with knowledge of the investigation. Thistlethwaite said the government will view the incident "very seriously" and all defence personnel have been notified, with suggestions to consider changing their passwords. A Defence department spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement the department was examining the contents of the impacted data set and what personal information it contained. Ransom software works by encrypting victims' data and hackers typically will offer the victim a key in return for cryptocurrency payments that can run into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Some of Australia's biggest companies, including No. 2 telecoms company Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, and the country's biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd, have had data hacked recently, likely exposing the details of millions of customers. Technology experts said the country has become a target for cyber attacks just as a skills shortage leaves an understaffed, overworked cybersecurity workforce ill-equipped to stop it. (Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Rebel Wilson says she experienced a lot of distress after an Australian publication attempted to expose her same-sex relationship to the world without her consent. On Saturday, the Pitch Perfect and Jojo Rabbit actor responded after the Australian Press Council formally condemned The Sydney Morning Herald for having intruded on her reasonable expectations of privacy with its actions earlier this year. Just seeing the news that the Australian Press Council has condemned the Sydney Morning Herald and their journalists for their recent grubby behavior in trying to out my same-sex relationship, she wrote on Instagram. And while I didnt personally ask for any action to be taken I am glad that this has been officially recorded and recognized. After Wilson said that she and girlfriend Ramona Agruma are still experiencing pains from having to rush this news publicly, she added, We move on, focusing on all the absolutely amazing new things in our life though! Sending love to everyone. In June, Wilson confirmed that she and Agruma, a fashion designer, were in a relationship. Ramona Agruma (left) and Rebel Wilson. (Photo: Jean Catuffe via Getty Images) Ramona Agruma (left) and Rebel Wilson. (Photo: Jean Catuffe via Getty Images) I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince, she wrote on Instagram at the time. But maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess. Just days after that announcement, journalist Andrew Hornery published a since-deleted opinion piece in The Sydney Morning Herald in which he explained hed given Wilson a two-day deadline to address her relationship publicly before his publication would report on it. Understandably, Hornerys revelation drew swift backlash from LGBTQ rights advocates, though Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields later claimed that his staff would have asked the same questions had Wilsons new partner been a man. On Saturday, the Australian Press Council issued an adjudication reprimanding The Sydney Morning Herald for having intruded on [Wilsons] reasonable expectations of privacy with its actions. Story continues The Council does not consider there was sufficient public interest to justify such an intrusion, they wrote, adding that Hornerys inquiry was likely to cause substantial offence and distress. Shortly after Hornery deleted his original opinion piece, he replaced it with a new one in which he acknowledged hed made mistakes in his handling of the story and pledged to learn from them. It is not the Heralds business to out people and that is not what we set out to do, wrote Hornery, who is gay. But I understand why my email has been seen as a threat. The framing of it was a mistake. After praising Wilsons extraordinary grace amid the controversy, the journalist vowed that he and his publication would approach things differently from now on to make sure we always take into consideration the extra layer of complexities people face when it comes to their sexuality. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... KYIV (Reuters) -Twelve vessels set off from Ukrainian ports on Monday carrying a record daily volume of agricultural products, two days after Russia suspended its role in the Black Sea grain export deal, Kyiv said. Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, withdrew from the Black Sea deal for an "indefinite term" because it said it could not "guarantee the safety of civilian ships" travelling under the pact after an attack on its vessels. But on Monday morning, a spokesperson for Odesa's military administration said 354,500 tonnes had been shipped out of Ukrainian ports, the most moved in a single day since the grain deal was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July. Ukraine shipped just shy of that volume - 345,000 tonnes - on Sept. 27. "Today 12 ships left Ukrainian ports," Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov wrote on Twitter. "@UN & Turkish delegations provide 10 inspection teams to inspect 40 ships aiming to fulfil the #BlackSeaGrainInitiative. This inspection plan has been accepted by the Ukrainian delegation. The Russian delegation has been informed." Separately, four other vessels are cleared to head to Ukrainian ports as they have already undergone an inspection by representatives of the United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia, Kubrakov said. Among the vessels departing Ukraine on Monday was the Ikaria Angel, a vessel headed for Ethiopia with 40,000 tonnes of grain, he said. "This is the 7th (vessel) chartered under the @UN @WFP. These foodstuffs were intended for the residents of Ethiopia, who faced the real possibility of mass starvation," he tweeted. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Writing by Tom Balmforth,Editing by Timothy Heritage) Re. Man guilty of 3 random attacks in West Kelowna, out of prison (Castanet, Oct. 19) Our community has been severely impacted by the actions of Aidan McLuskey and I feel that following his release, we are all back to square one in terms of our safety and the loss of freedom to enjoy our neighbourhood. McLuskey served his sentence through pre-trial detention and has been released with conditions intended to monitor and reassure the community of his future good behaviour. Sadly, this individual has proven by his past behaviour he is unable, or unwilling, to abide by conditions placed on him. He was out on bail for two assault charges when he committed a third. Following the third assault, he was yet again released on conditions and after failing to comply, a warrant was issued for his arrest. The RCMP, police dogs and a helicopter were enlisted over a 10-day period to locate him. Accordingly, despite current probationary conditions in place, our community wakes up every morning afraid to walk our streets or allow our children to freely ride their bikes. Bear in mind this individual has (allegedly) threatened to kill two of his (alleged) victims, if he ever sees them again. On Oct. 22, I was saddened and angry to read another Castanet news article relating to a convicted killer who was once again granted bail. Our RCMP must be so frustrated and feel like they are hitting their heads against a wall. Please take a moment to understand how the bail and probationary outcome of charges laid against the above individuals provides a real glimpse into a broken judicial system that perpetuates the catch and release of repeat offenders, along with a mental health system that fails individuals who need help. This is not just a Vancouver or big-city problem. This is (happening in) Kelowna and West Kelowna. As our community takes time to share our story, I appeal to you to write to your mayor, MP, MLA, the health minister and other government officials, demanding changes be made to our judicial and health care legislation. We need to see laws changed as they pertain to repeat offenders, and facilities created to support those people who need mental health resources and care. (Kelowna-Mission) MLA Renee Merrifield pointed out in her recent column that 1,000 people were assaulted while our future premier defended his catch-and-release system. (NDP leader) David Eby has stated his intent to address three prioritieshealthcare, housing and safety. According to Ms. Merrifield, Eby has been the minister of housing for the past two years and was (also) the attorney general for the past six years. He hasnt done much to lessen significant problems in either of those areas, but perhaps public pressure can change that. On the B.C. justice system website, it states, the Minister of Attorney General often consults with British Columbians on legislation and policy. Public feedback is important because it helps government shape new laws and policies. If that is truly the case, please join us in writing letters and make your voice heard. To quote (Kelowna RCMP) Supt. Kara Triance: without adequate consequences or compulsory pathways to mental health and substance abuse programs, our public is at risk. B. Wagener PEKIN Reditus Laboratories, a company that became one of the largest COVID-19 testing centers in Illinois, will shutter on Nov. 4, a court-appointed receiver has said. In a press release Monday, Adam Silverman, the receiver appointed by a judge earlier this year to manage the company's day-to-day affairs, said the company must shut down, in part due to ongoing litigation involving its former CEO and former business partners. "The expected duration of the litigation is just one factor in the decision to cease operating and liquidate. The receiver and the companys management are extremely disappointed that the lab must shut down but do not believe there are any alternatives for numerous reasons," the news release stated. More:Drone, carpet cleaner and TV purchases detailed in new federal charges against Reditus CEO In a court filing in Tazewell County Circuit Court on Oct. 27, Silverman, a Chicago-based attorney, said he and his team made the "difficult decision" to close the company and to liquidate all its assets. A specific reason for the closure wasn't given but Silverman said he would give one in his next report. However, those reports have been largely sealed and kept out of the public's eye because it's stated they contain trade secrets and other information private to the firm. Previous coverage:The Aaron Rossi case continues with a new judge and possibly more disclosure A timetable for when this would happen wasn't given, though the press release did say that employees "will receive legally-required advance notice of the closing of the company, which will give them time to explore their next opportunities." But a filing on Oct. 27 states Judge Steve Kouri has given Silverman the authority to "effectuate a reduction inworkforce (a 'RIF') of no more than twenty-five (25) employees, in his sole and absolute discretion, without prejudice to seeking further guidance from the Court on a subsequent RIF after notice and a hearing." Story continues Kouri also authorized, in the Oct. 27 order, Silverman to begin "a marketing process for the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company as a going concern." If that's not completed by Nov. 4, then he would hold a hearing in court over the liquidation of the firm, the order states. When reached, James Keane, the company's acting CEO, declined to elaborate, saying the court filings speak for themselves. He did say that more information would be forthcoming later through the court process. At one time, Reditus was a biotech darling, garnering some $200 million in state money during the COVID-19 pandemic. It became one of the largest testing companies in the state. However, a dispute between investors and CEO Aaron Rossi appears to have derailed that. Similar:Here's how a Pekin lab has processed more than 1.25 million COVID tests since March Those cases have been consolidated and will be heard together for the sake of judicial efficiency. The suits accuse Rossi of using the business as his personal piggybank. That, they have alleged, will leave the company founded in 2019 unable to function and could result in some or all of the roughly 300 people employed there losing their jobs. Team Rossi strongly disputes that. His representatives have characterized the current and former investors as being unhappy about the money situation and blaming him. Last spring, both sides agreed to place Reditus' day-to-day operations under the control of a receiver, an independent third party who is appointed by a judge to oversee the affairs of a company involved in a lawsuit. That effectively puts Rossi out of the loop, though he's still with the company. Rossi is also facing federal fraud charges related to alleged misuse of funds from a Bloomington medical practice. He's facing nine counts of mail fraud charges, all of which reportedly occurred in 2017, that allege while he was working for Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery, he used his position as an office manager for his own gain. More:What we know about Pekin lab founder charged with filing false personal income tax returns He allegedly moved the practice's bank account to a different institution and changed accountants. He also allegedly made misleading and false entries in the firm's financial records to hide this. The indictments list the practice as a victim as well as two doctors who owned the practice, listed in the indictment as "Victims A and B." That case is pending in Peoria's federal court. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Reditus Labs in Pekin to close as lawsuits one of 'numerous reasons' CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Beijing was targeting its Pacific aid to new diplomatic allies Solomon Islands and Kiribati while Chinese financial support across the region continued to decline, the Lowy Institute reported Monday in its latest annual analysis of regional assistance. Chinas aid to the Pacific has fallen from a peak of $287 million in 2016 to $187 million in 2020 the lowest level since 2008, when the Sydney-based international policy think tank began quantifying support for developing island nations in the Pacific. At the same time, pandemic response measures drove Pacific aid to a record $4.25 billion in 2020, a 47% increase on the previous year, Lowy's Pacific Aid Map report showed. Only 5% of Chinese aid to the Pacific was allocated to pandemic-related support, the report found. The institute does not yet have complete data for 2021, but preliminary results suggest the decline in Chinese aid has continued. Pacific Aid Map Project Director Alexandre Dayant said China was investing more into the Solomon Islands and Kiribati Pacific countries that switched their diplomatic allegiances from Taiwan to Beijing in 2019 than Taiwan had provided. Chinese aid remains a key diplomatic tool for Beijing in the Pacific, Dayant said. New development financing has become closely targeted to specific countries, he added, naming Kiribati and the Solomons. While Taiwan had provided $8 million to $9 million a year to the Solomons so-called Constituency Development Funds, Beijing was now contributing $11 million to $12 million, Dayant said. The funds are allocated directly to lawmakers to spend and are criticized as a source of corruption. Beijing has also increased the scale of infrastructure planned for the Solomons to host the regional Pacific Games next year, Dayant said, describing Chinas investment in the Solomon Islands as small but increasing rapidly. China was also planning to finance an airliner for Kiribati to boost its tourism industry in a deal that would not have met Taiwans aid program rules, Dayant said. Story continues Australias new government has promised greater engagement with its Pacific neighbors. It blames neglect by its predecessor for China striking a bilateral security deal with the Solomons early this year that raised fears of a Chinese naval base being established in the South Pacific. Australia, the biggest aid donor to the Pacific, announced in the governments annual budget last week an additional 900 million Australian dollars ($570 million) in aid for the Pacific region. Lowy researchers pointed to several reasons for Chinas dwindling aid in the region, including a slowing domestic economy. Pacific leaders were becoming wary of white elephant Chinese infrastructure projects and of falling into potential debt traps, Dayant said. With the United States and its allies attempting to counter Chinas growing influence in the Pacific, Pacific leaders now had more potential development partners to choose from. Lowys Pacific Islands Program Director Meg Keen noted that Papua New Guinea had not taken on a new Chinese loan in three years. Samoa had recently decided against borrowing from China to upgrade its port. Were seeing different assessments of risk and return, different modes of operation, but really importantly, the Pacific island countries making choices about what will serve their development interests best, and they have more choices because theres competition, Keen said. David Dermer/AP Photo; Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo; Insider Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican Doug Mastriano are running for Pennsylvania governor. Mastriano, a state senator, sought to overturn the 2020 election in Pennsylvania. Shapiro, Pennsylvania's attorney general, is painting Mastriano as an extremist. Republican Doug Mastriano and Democrat Josh Shapiro are running in a consequential open race for governor of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's gubernatorial candidates Shapiro, Pennsylvania's current attorney general, easily cleared the field for the Democratic nomination and is running a campaign focused on the economy, abortion rights, and protecting democracy. Mastriano, a Republican state senator first elected in 2019, narrowly emerged from a fractured field of Republican candidates for Pennsylvania governor in May. Mastriano is perhaps best known for pushing the lie that the 2020 election was stolen and leading the efforts in Pennsylvania to overturn President Donald Trump's loss in the 2020 election in Pennsylvania. His campaign organized transport to the protests over the election in Washington, DC, on January 6, which he also attended but he did not enter the Capitol. Mastriano, as governor, would have the power to appoint Pennsylvania's chief election official. Mastriano has also proposed instituting an abortion ban after six weeks of pregnancy in Pennsylvania, and he has rejected the notion of separation of church and state part of an emerging political effort among Christian nationalists. In his ads, Shapiro has hammered Mastriano as an extremist, including highlighting his position on abortion and his ties to far-right and nationalist figures. Mastriano has also deployed a novel campaign strategy of shunning the mainstream media for his interviews and from his campaign events. He has instead relied on social media and other far-right media platforms to campaign and broadcast his message. Pennsylvania's voting history Pennsylvania is a competitive swing state that backed Trump by 1.2 points in the 2016 presidential election. It flipped during the 2020 presidential election, backing Democrat Joe Biden by 1.2 points. Story continues Incumbent Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who is stepping down because of term limits, defeated his GOP gubernatorial opponent Scott Wagner by 17 points in 2018, a Democratic wave year, and unseated GOP Gov. Tom Corbett by nearly 10 points in 2014, a Republican wave year. The money race Shapiro has vastly outraised and outspent Mastriano. According to the Associated Press, Shapiro has spent more than $44 million, and has $11 million still in the bank, while Mastriano has spent less than $3 million, and has $2.6 million left to spend, as of late September. What experts say The race between Mastriano and Shapiro is rated as "lean Democratic" by Inside Elections and "likely Democratic" by The Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Read the original article on Business Insider Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia. AP Photo/Megan Varner, File Republican Brian Kemp is seeking re-election to a second term as Georgia's governor. Stacey Abrams is seeking to oust Kemp from office in a rematch of their 2018 gubernatorial contest. Kemp has touted his conservative record as governor, while Abrams wants a new approach in Atlanta. Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who narrowly defeated Democrat and former Georgia House of Representatives Minority Leader Stacey Abrams in the 2018 gubernatorial race, is running for reelection in a rematch of that race. Georgia's gubernatorial candidates Kemp, a former Georgia secretary of state, has governed in tandem with the GOP-controlled state legislature, signing into law a controversial voting law and new congressional maps that were favorable to the party. However, Kemp has also frustrated the most prominent Republican official in the country former President Donald Trump. For almost two years now, Trump has lobbed political broadsides against Kemp, criticizing him for declining to back up his claims that the 2020 presidential election in Georgia was rife with fraud. Their relationship was not always so complicated. During his first gubernatorial campaign, Kemp ran as a staunch ally of Trump. The former president credits his endorsement of Kemp as a turning point in boosting the now-governor in both the 2018 Republican primary and in that year's general election. Despite Kemp's success, Democrats have made significant strides in Georgia of late. President Joe Biden won Georgia in November 2020, and Trump pressured Kemp to help overturn the results for weeks after the election; the governor did not acquiesce to his demands. As a result, Trump has sought to undermine Kemp, and even backed former Sen. David Perdue's gubernatorial primary challenge against the governor. However, Kemp went on to win the May primary in a landslide, and Trump has not yet indicated if he'll support the governor's reelection bid, though he told Fox News Digital last month that he was "looking" at potentially making an endorsement. Story continues Abrams an attorney and author who has become one of the national Democratic Party's brightest stars since her narrow 2018 loss is hoping to take back the Governor's Mansion after nearly 20 years of continuous GOP rule. She is running on a platform of reforming the state's health care system, while also speaking candidly about her past opposition to abortion and why she now supports women having access to the procedure. Kemp is hoping the state's longtime conservative lean along with Biden's middling approval ratings will aid him in his reelection bid, while Abrams is banking on the slew of new and younger residents who have registered to vote over the past four years and want to see a different direction in state government. Georgia's voting history Throughout the entire 20th century, Georgia once a part of the "Solid South" only elected Democratic governors. However, Republican Sonny Perdue upset then-Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes in 2002. The result was a preview of the coming GOP dominance for much of the next two decades. Republicans have won every governor's race since Perdue's 2002 victory and have had full control of the state legislature since 2005. Cracks in the GOP veneer have become more visible in recent years, though; Abrams only lost her race by 1.4-percentage points in 2018. Biden won the state's electoral votes in 2020. And the Peach State now has two Democratic US senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff who both defeated sitting GOP senators in January 2021. The money race Kemp has raised over $54 million for his reelection bid and had $15.4 million in cash on hand as of September 30, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Abrams has so far raised more than $85 million for her gubernatorial campaign and had over $11 million in the bank, according to the newspaper. What experts say The race between Abrams and Kemp is rated as "tilt Republican" by Inside Elections, "lean Republican" by The Cook Political Report, and "likely Republican" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Read the original article on Business Insider Former President Donald Trump, left, rallies with Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker on Sept. 25, 2021. Like Trump, Walker refuses to acknowledge the validity of the 2020 presidential election results. (Photo: Ben Gray/Associated Press) Former President Donald Trump, left, rallies with Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker on Sept. 25, 2021. Like Trump, Walker refuses to acknowledge the validity of the 2020 presidential election results. (Photo: Ben Gray/Associated Press) A GOP group dedicated to electing Republican candidates who accept the validity of the 2020 presidential election, and defeating those GOP candidates who do not, is mounting a $3-million advertising campaign in the final week before Election Day. The group, the Republican Accountability Project, is funding cable TV, Facebook, and YouTube ads in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ohio. In all four of those states, Republican candidates who do not accept the results of the 2020 election are on the ballot. The ads are to feature the voices of Republican voters who accept President Joe Bidens victory and condemn those who follow former President Donald Trumps lies seeking to undermine free and fair elections. One of the groups 30-second video ads features a woman identified as Dolores, a Republican voter from Pennsylvania. The dangers I see associated with all of the election deniers is it makes people think that our elections arent safe, Dolores says in the spot. And that is the bedrock of our democracy free elections, the transition of power, and those are the things that we must protect. A second 30-second ad features a man identified as Bart, who is a writer in Colorado. Not everybodys going to agree with me. Thats probably a good thing, Bart says in the spot. But when you start talking about questioning just the foundation of the elections and things like that, thats taking things to an entirely different level and thats a true threat to our democratic system. The Republican Accountability Project plans to place the advertisements on Fox News, Fox News Business, and Sean Spicers 5 p.m. show on Newsmax, Spicer & Co. Sarah Longwell is executive director of the Republican Accountability Project. (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images) Sarah Longwell is executive director of the Republican Accountability Project. (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images) Story continues The GOP group is run by Sarah Longwell, a former Republican strategist now publisher of the online news site The Bulwark. Longwell and her team have also assembled nearly 50 testimonials from Republican voters who accept the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Republican Accountability Projects last-minute advertisements do not explicitly tell voters which candidates in their state are election-deniers, or endorse candidates. But the groups PAC, the Republican Accountability Political Action Committee, has asked voters to vote against Kari Lake, Doug Mastriano, Tim Michels, and Tudor Dixon the GOP gubernatorial nominees in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, respectively as well as Ohio Republican Senate nominee J.D. Vance and Georgia Senate nominee Herschel Walker. In Georgia, the groups PAC is funding an advertising campaign with testimonials from Republican voters on why they are not voting for Walker. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Joe Raedle/Getty Images;Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Insider GOP Sen. Marco Rubio is seeking a third term in Congress. Challenging him is Democratic Rep. Val Demings, a former Orlando police chief. Demings is among the top fundraisers running for the US Senate. Sen. Marco Rubio is seeking a third term in the US Senate and is facing off against Democratic Rep. Val Demings. Florida's Senate race candidates Rubio has been in the US Senate since 2011. He rose quickly in politics at a young age, serving as speaker of the Florida House from 2006 to 2008 while he was still in his 30s. In 2016, he unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for president, which ultimately went to Donald Trump. After losing the White House race, Rubio decided to run for his Senate seat again contradicting a previous pledge to leave Congress in 2017. Voters didn't hold it against him, and Rubio easily held onto his seat. His reelection message to voters during the 2022 cycle has stressed his accomplishments such as doubling the child tax credit and helping to craft the Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demings has been in the US House since 2017. Prior to serving in Congress, she served in law enforcement for 27 years, including as Orlando's first female police chief. Demings was among the impeachment managers for Trump's first trial, a role that landed her among the top-tier candidates to be Joe Biden's vice presidential running mate. Her campaign has cast her as a centrist and has played up her law-enforcement background, calling her "Chief Demings" in campaign materials. Both Rubio and Demings are history-making politicians. Rubio is fluent in English and Spanish and is the son of Cuban immigrants who grew up in Miami. Demings is Black and was Orlando's first female police chief. No Black women currently serve in the US Senate. Florida's voting history In presidential elections, Florida went twice for former President Barack Obama, and then twice for Trump. The Sunshine State has long been known as the largest swing state in the United States, but that may be changing. Florida hasn't had a Democratic US senator since 2018, when Bill Nelson was in office. Story continues Today in Florida, Republicans have out-registered Democrats by roughly 270,000 people. Still, Democrats in Florida see Rubio as vulnerable against Demings, and have invested far more into the Demings-Rubio race than into the Florida governor's race. The money race Demings has been one of the most successful fundraisers in the Senate ahead of the 2022 midterm election, raising nearly $64.7 million as of September 30, according to OpenSecrets. She spent $58.8 million, and has $6.6 million cash on hand. In comparison, Rubio has raised $44.2 million, spent $34.7 million, and has $9.6 million on hand, as of September 30. Through late October, super PACs, national party committees, and other non-candidate groups have combined to spend about $9 million to advocate for or against the two candidates, with Rubio benefitting from most of it. What experts say The race between Rubio and Demings is rated as "likely Republican" by Inside Elections, "likely Republican" by The Cook Political Report, and "likely Republican" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Read the original article on Business Insider Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. With that in mind, the ROCE of Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke (FRA:SSH) looks decent, right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us. What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)? For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke, this is the formula: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.11 = 39m (389m - 37m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022). Thus, Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke has an ROCE of 11%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 7.7% generated by the Food industry. See our latest analysis for Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke roce While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke, check out these free graphs here. What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. Over the past five years, ROCE has remained relatively flat at around 11% and the business has deployed 28% more capital into its operations. Since 11% is a moderate ROCE though, it's good to see a business can continue to reinvest at these decent rates of return. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns. Story continues What We Can Learn From Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke's ROCE The main thing to remember is that Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke has proven its ability to continually reinvest at respectable rates of return. And the stock has done incredibly well with a 113% return over the last five years, so long term investors are no doubt ecstatic with that result. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research. One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke and understanding it should be part of your investment process. While Sudwestdeutsche Salzwerke may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list 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 Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. In light of that, when we looked at China Star Food Group (Catalist:42W) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled. Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It? If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on China Star Food Group is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.015 = CN7.5m (CN572m - CN54m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022). Thus, China Star Food Group has an ROCE of 1.5%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Food industry average of 11%. View our latest analysis for China Star Food Group roce While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you'd like to look at how China Star Food Group has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow. What Does the ROCE Trend For China Star Food Group Tell Us? When we looked at the ROCE trend at China Star Food Group, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 13%, but since then they've fallen to 1.5%. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments. Story continues The Bottom Line On China Star Food Group's ROCE In summary, China Star Food Group is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. It seems that investors have little hope of these trends getting any better and that may have partly contributed to the stock collapsing 80% in the last five years. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere. If you'd like to know more about China Star Food Group, we've spotted 5 warning signs, and 3 of them are significant. If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity. 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 Concertgoers stand and cheer amid microphones being used to record a Grateful Dead show in Berkeley in 1987. (Philip Gould / Corbis via Getty Images) When I first listened to the Grateful Deads seminal live album, 1969s Live/Dead, I heard little but cacophonous jams, the aural equivalent of a bad acid trip. Sure, I liked ear candy like Sugar Magnolia and Casey Jones, but I really didnt get the band or the cult-like devotion of their fans. Then I saw them live. As I entered the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino in late 1980, I was immediately struck by the crowd, a sea of tie dye and long hair, with twirling women crowned by garlands of flowers and men swaying to and fro, as though plugged into an invisible electrical current. A phalanx of Hells Angels in leather jackets nodded in unison. A cloud of marijuana enveloped the arena. I felt like the only straight at a 1960s love-in. Slowly, I keyed into lead guitarist Jerry Garcias inventive melodies, the rock-solid rhythm section and the transcendent improvisations, a heady mix of country, rock, psychedelia, jazz, bluegrass, and blues that ranged wild and free. Add Garcias and rhythm guitarist Bob Weirs expressive vocals to the mix, and musical magic ensued. By the end of the concert, I had danced with the Dead. Mark A. Rodriguezs new book, After All Is Said and Done: Taping the Grateful Dead 1965-1995, kind of works the same way. Rodriguez, an artist who has built sculptures from recordings of Dead shows, gives readers a kaleidoscope view of the bands storied tapers. He thoroughly explores their obsessive quest for the lost chord and how they contributed to several cottage industries that grew up alongside the Dead, ranging from fanzines that published setlists to tape-trading exchanges to entrepreneurs who churned out cassette covers decorated with dancing bears, Ice Cream Kid and lots of skulls and roses. Rodriguez tells his compelling story through present-day interviews with members of the Deads inner circle such as former band publicist Dennis McNally and legendary tapers Jim and Doug Oade; old press clippings; group meeting minutes; and assorted ephemera like pictures of the band and hundreds of colorful cassette covers, beginning with the Deads Feb. 25, 1966, appearance at L.A.s Ivar Theater and ending with their July 9, 1995, show at Chicagos Soldier Field, the Deads last with Garcia. Story continues Like my introduction to the Dead, After All Is Said And Done made a tepid first impression. Despite the massive tomes beautiful cover and stunning graphics, it contains no current interviews with band members. No short bios of the many insiders interviewed. No lists of the Deads all-time shows. I also found the books size its shaped like an LP or a reel-to-reel tape box off-putting. Is it a coffee table book? A scrapbook? WTH? Then I dug in. By the end of this edifying and engaging book , I felt like I had fallen through a time portal and re-entered the Dead world of yesteryear. With apologies to Phish fans, no group has ever been as mythologized, idolized and memorialized as the Dead. The tapers were there to capture it all. Dead lore has it that the band not only tolerated tapers but welcomed them. Garcia, Captain Trips himself, famously said in a 1989 interview that When Im done with it [the music], its theirs. As Rodriguez chronicles, the groups relationship to the taping brigade was far more complex. Tapers began appearing on the scene in the 1960s, their numbers growing throughout the '70s in tandem with the bands popularity. With security, especially on the East Coast, tight, they came up with ingenious ways of sneaking their equipment into shows, including hiding gear under womens dresses. Record companies hated tapers because they erroneously feared they cut into record sales. In fact, their bootlegged recordings converted scores of listeners into Deadheads. The tapers themselves, the Deads legendary sound engineer Dan Healy said in a 2008 interview, were also among the bands most reliable customers. People that love you so much that they come to record you, they are the first ones in line to buy your records when they come out, he said. But the fans and group became increasingly wary. Tapers sometimes became belligerent when people talked around them, admonishing them to keep quiet. They and their geara sea of microphones and recording equipmentoften blocked concertgoers, and even sound engineers, view of the stage. The Dead had a problem on their hands. As Rodriguez chronicles, they came up with the perfect solution. In 1984, the band created a tapers section behind the soundboard. Seats that would have otherwise gone unsold because of poor sightlines became covetedand made a little extra for the band. The Dead even created special tickets that tapers could buy through the groups mail-order ticket office. After all is said and done, tapers played an integral role in the Grateful Deads ecosystem. Throughout the show, their little lights would dance in unison with the rest of the fans, and then, the treasure captured, everything would get packed squarely away and carried off to join the taped documents of previous journeys, Trixie Garcia, Jerry Garcias daughter, writes in the books foreword. Tapes would be shared and worlds would be expanded, minds opened by the gift of revelry captured on cassette. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The belongings of victims are seen at the scene of a deadly stampede during a Halloween festival on October 30, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images A Halloween party in Seoul ended in at least 154 deaths after the streets became badly crowded. The phenomenon, called crowd surging, comes down to basic physics, an expert told Insider. If a limit of around seven people per square yard is breached, things can quickly turn deadly. Crowd surging the deadly phenomenon that claimed more than 150 lives in South Korea is explained by simple physics, an expert told Insider. At least 154 people died in Seoul on Saturday when a Halloween street party caused a crowd so dense it crushed people to death. The crush took place in the busy Itaewon neighbourhood of Seoul, a popular nightlife spot that attracted tens of thousands of people on Saturday, The Guardian reported. There was no single event planned, per Reuters. But crowds from bustling bars and nightclubs poured into a narrow, sloped alley connecting a subway station to a main street. A map of the Itaewon neighbourhood of Seoul shows the location of the alleyway. Google Maps/Insider Sometime after 10 p.m., the street became full beyond capacity. Social-media accounts of the night, compiled by Reuters, said that people near the top of the alley lost their footing and fell into crowds below, starting a fatal crush. The tragedy prompted national mourning in South Korea and questions of whether more could have been done to prevent it. Medhi Moussaid, a research scientist at the Max Plank Institute in Berlin who studies crowd dynamics, spoke to Insider about when crowding turns deadly "Most people don't realize the danger," he said, arguing that people should be better informed as cities become denser and big crowds more common. Emergency services are seen in the alleyway where the crowd crush took place, pictured here on October 30, 2022. ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP/Getty Images Crowds acting like waves Crowd surging is driven by a simple principle. If a group of people becomes dense enough more than six or seven people per square yard a crowd starts acting like a fluid. At this point, the people inside largely lose the power to control their own movement. If someone is shoved, they will push their neighbor, who will fall on their neighbor, and so on and so forth. "Then this movement is transmitted," Moussaid said. It is a little like a ripple through water, as these movements spread, they grow bigger Story continues The pressure from the wave can be too intense to bear for people in the crowd, especially if they are pushed into an obstacle. As seen in Seoul, it can be fatal. "Those waves are pretty dangerous because people can be compressed against the walls and also against one another. And whenever two waves cross, people can feel the pressure from both sides," said Moussaid. What to do if you get caught in a crush In the overwhelming majority of cases, crowded events will be safe. But Moussaid listed some things that could help if things ever turn dangerous. The main thing is awareness: if you feel too crowded, you're probably right. Move away quickly to a less dense spot. This can protect you and also relieve the pressure on others. "If just a small part of people start doing that, it reduces the density and solves the problem," he said. Once the crowd reaches that critical threshold, however, the pushing wave can build very quickly. Then it is a case of survival, said Moussaid. "If you feel the pushing wave, don't try to resist. Go with it and keep your balance." Do your best to stay standing. If one person falls over, it will create a wave of people toppling. Those at the bottom of the pile are then likely to be crushed by the weight of the bodies above them. Hold your arms up against your ribcage like a boxer to make it easier to breathe. The pressure from the wave can cause people to faint and fall. Don't struggle against the flow of the crowd. If you push back, the pressure in the system will grow, which will make the situation worse for the next couple of seconds to minutes, Moussaid said. Drone footage of the empty stage that hosted the 2021 Astroworld Festival where people died from crowd surging. Nathan Frandino/Reuters Information is key This is not the first time crowd surging has killed. Previous examples include the Love Parade in Germany in 2010 where 18 people died and Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival in Houston last year where eight people died. With events like these, proper planning can reduce the risk by ensuring that too many people don't gather at once. But Moussaid said the event in Seoul was different because it was a spontaneous gathering in the streets. It would have been very difficult to prepare for. According to Reuters, authorities had expected a crowd of about 100,000 but did not think the area required more planning than a normal Halloween weekend. "Many people gather for Halloween every year," said an unnamed woman who identified herself to Reuters as living nearby. "But there were just so many last night, incomparably more than before COVID," she said. As the world population grows and more and more people are packed into urban areas, this could happen more often, said Moussaid. "An easy fix would be letting people know that crowds can be dangerous." Read the original article on Business Insider Photo: The Canadian Press A pedestrian carries an umbrella as light rain falls in Surrey, B.C., on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. Several days of heavy rain over British Columbia's central and south coasts have only slightly eased drought conditions gripping the region. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Several days of heavy rain over British Columbia's central and south coasts have only slightly eased drought conditions gripping the region. The province's online drought map shows the Nicola, Coldwater, Finlay and Parsnip basins are ranked at drought Level 4 and have been joined by the Lower Mainland and west Vancouver Island, which are down a notch since being assigned the most severe ranking of Level 5 earlier this month. Level 4 means adverse drought impacts are likely, while Level 5 means those damaging effects are almost certain. The Sunshine Coast, east Vancouver Island, eastern Pacific Range, Kettle and entire northeast corner of B.C., remain at Level 5, despite recent downpours that dumped between 50 and 70 millimetres of rain on Sunday. Environment Canada says the Sunshine Coast community of Sechelt got just over 64 millimetres of rain this month, well below its average of 200 millimetres, and not enough to lift water restrictions as a key Sechelt-area reservoir is at critically low levels. The storm prompted high streamflow advisories for waterways across Vancouver Island and the central and south coasts, but the River Forecast Centre expected levels to peak by late Monday, while another powerful rainstorm could arrive by the end of the week. Russian invaders deported children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia Currently, as part of our investigations, 9,400 children have been identified as deported by Russia from the territory of Ukraine, he said. We understand there may be many more children who have suffered from these crimes, and all the information that comes to us in this regard is verified during the pretrial investigation. According to Kostin, such actions by Russia are both a war crime and an act of genocide. He said that the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide clearly states that the forcible transfer of children of a protected group to another group is an act of genocide. Read also: Ukraines foreign ministry initiates case against Russian ombudswoman for illegally adopting a Ukrainian child Therefore, when investigating these cases, in particular, when collecting evidence, we focus on the fact that such facts constitute both a war crime and an act of genocide, Kostin said. Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubynets said in early September that Russia had deported over 7,000 Ukrainian children to its territory since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. So far, the Ukrainian authorities have managed to return only 51 children. Russia is doing everything to prevent our children from returning to us, even simplifying its adoption legislation, the prosecutor general said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that before the full-scale invasion, Russia had planned measures to filter and deport Ukrainians in the occupied territories and used these methods during the war in Chechnya. Read also: Russians abducting children from occupied Enerhodar against their parents will The Russian invaders are also deporting children from the occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya oblasts, arguing this are vacation trips and evacuation. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Norway's Nyhamna gas plant is a vital source of supply to the UK. (Getty Images) Russia could use unfounded claims that Britain was involved in attacks on critical Russian infrastructure as a pretext for disrupting energy supplies from Norway to the UK, a military expert has warned. On Saturday, the Kremlin's defense ministry said British navy personnel blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine. The Russian ministry also alleged that "British specialists" from the same unit directed Ukrainian drones packed with explosives in attacks on ships in its Black Sea fleet in Crimea at the weekend. The Kremlin described the "massive drone attack" as an act of terrorism and said it would resume its blockade of grain shipments from Ukraine as a result - tearing up a UN-brokered deal and putting people in some countries at risk of starvation. Ukraine has not openly admitted to the strike, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the decision to withdraw from the grain deal was "rather predictable". Watch: Former commander warns Russia could attack British gas supply over 'false claims' about Crimea drone attack Russia has a long history of carrying out "false flag" operations with the aim of portraying itself as a victim as a pretext for military action, and a former commander of Britain's Joint Forces Command says the UK could now be targeted in some way. General Sir Richard Barrons told Times Radio that while it is "clearly ridiculous" to claim that British experts were involved in the drone stroke, it is an "indication of how Russia's eye is turning to the supporters of Ukraine". Read more: Russia sending new reservists to Ukraine without any weapons Read more: Tory minister faces backlash over 'little man in China' joke With Kremlin forces struggling on the frontlines and losing swathes of territory, Moscow is looking at ways to "deplete the will, particularly of Western powers, to continue to support Ukraine," he added. Story continues "We shouldn't be surprised if we too get a tough time, whether it's in cyberspace or electricity generation, or whatever it is, in the coming weeks and months." Although it is "absolutely clear" that claims the British naval assisted with the drone strike are "nonsense", he said claims like this are usually made to "justify something that happens now". Read more: 'I did that on purpose': Putin's bizarre joke about nuclear armageddon Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia's decision to resumt its grain blockade was "rather predictable". (Getty Images) The Kremlin has previously blamed the West for the explosions last month that ruptured the Russian-built Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines on the bed of the Baltic Sea. But Russia has never before given specific details of who was responsible for the damage to the pipelines, previously the largest routes for Russian gas supplies to Europe. Sir Richard added: "That might be more cyber interference, citing the pipeline attack as justification. It might be the interference of the gas supply from Norway about which there has been some loose chatter. "So we should take notice of what Russia says, not because it's true, but because of what it might herald happening next." On Thursday the US released plans to better track weapons supplied to Kyiv, over fears Russian forces could capture them and use them to fabricate attacks by Ukrainian forces. It followed unfounded claims that Ukraine was planning to use a "dirty bomb" on Russian soil, which officials in the Washington, London and Paris feared as an excuse to escalate the war. Ukraine's defence minister Oleksii Reznikov said Moscow's allegations were "fake" and an act of "nuclear blackmail". Russia may use Iranian short-range ballistic missiles against Ukraine in November The Russians are struggling with low quantities of their own missiles, said Yusov. Read also: Russian missiles hit energy infrastructure, cause massive blackouts, loss of heat and water They will continue to attack our civilian energy infrastructure using Iranian weapons, instead. Thats something we have to take into account; Ukraine is preparing to deal with this threat. He added that intelligence points towards Belarus supplying Russia with military equipment main battle tanks and artillery shells. Yusov also noted that reports of Russian troops salvaging microchips from domestic appliances are correct, highlighting Moscows struggles with dwindling supply of hi-tech components. Read also: Belarus has supplied Russia with 65,000 tons of ammunition Ukraines Military Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov earlier warned that Russia could deploy Iranian missiles against Ukraine as early as November. Read also: Iran to send ballistic missiles to Russia for war against Ukraine The Washington reported on Oct. 16 that Iran has agreed to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar. These short-range ballistic missiles can strike targets up to 700 kilometers away. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Spokesman of OK South Vladislav Nazarov As a result of a strike on two civil tugboats involved in the transportation of a barge with grain, a fire broke out and control of the ships was lost, the message said. Read also: EU High Representative urges Russia to revert decision to exit Black Sea grain deal Two crew members were killed; one was injured, and the fate of another is unknown. According to the report, Russia maintains eight warships deployed in the Black Sea, including two cruise missile launch platforms. Read also: Russia moves Kherson administration to Dnipros east bank The message also said that last week, Ukrainian forces destroyed two barges near the Antonivka Road Bridge, Kherson Oblast, which were used to evacuate Russian military vehicles and personnel from the right bank of Dnipro River in the region. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine City faces problems with water supplies, energy, utility workers working to restore supplies Read also: Ukraine shoots down Russian cruise missile over Moldova, no casualties, but buildings hit The situation in Kharkiv is quite tense after morning strikes, he said. Read also: Russian missiles hit energy infrastructure, cause massive blackouts, loss of heat and water The attack was launched on a critical infrastructure facility, resulting in Kharkiv Metro and over ground electric transport being stopped. According to Terekhov, the Kholodnohirsko-Zavodska metro line has resumed operation, while trolleybuses and trams have been replaced by buses. He added the city is facing problems with water supplies, but energy and utility workers are doing their best to restore water supply to Kharkiv residents as soon as possible. Read also: Ukraines air defense forces shoot down 44 out of 50 Russian cruise missiles, but infrastructure again hit All services are working to restore the normal life support of Kharkiv, the mayor said. Russia launched another massive missile attack on Ukraine early on Oct. 31. Read also: Zelenskyys chief-of-staff main objective in war Several explosions rocked the capital Kyiv at about 8.00 a.m. Kyiv authorities say the explosions were the sounds of the interception of incoming Russian cruise missiles, and that no missiles hit the city itself. Missile attacks were also reported in the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhya, as well as towns in Cherkasy, Kyiv, and Kirovohrad oblasts. In many areas, Ukrainian air defense forces were heard shooting down Russian missiles. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Afghan special forces soldiers who fought alongside American troops and then fled to Iran after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal last year are now being recruited by the Russian military to fight in Ukraine, three former Afghan generals told The Associated Press. They said the Russians want to attract thousands of the former elite Afghan commandos into a foreign legion with offers of steady, $1,500-a-month payments and promises of safe havens for themselves and their families so they can avoid deportation home to what many assume would be death at the hands of the Taliban. They dont want to go fight but they have no choice, said one of the generals, Abdul Raof Arghandiwal, adding that the dozen or so commandos in Iran with whom he has texted fear deportation most. They ask me, Give me a solution. What should we do? If we go back to Afghanistan, the Taliban will kill us. Arghandiwal said the recruiting is led by the Russian mercenary force Wagner Group. Another general, Hibatullah Alizai, the last Afghan army chief before the Taliban took over, said the effort is also being helped by a former Afghan special forces commander who lived in Russia and speaks the language. The Russian recruitment follows months of warnings from U.S. soldiers who fought with Afghan special forces that the Taliban was intent on killing them and that they might join with U.S. enemies to stay alive or out of anger with their former ally. A GOP congressional report in August specifically warned of the danger that the Afghan commandos trained by U.S. Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets could end up giving up information about U.S. tactics to the Islamic State group, Iran or Russia or fight for them. We didnt get these individuals out as we promised, and now its coming home to roost, said Michael Mulroy, a retired CIA officer who served in Afghanistan, adding that the Afghan commandos are highly skilled, fierce fighters. I dont want to see them in any battlefield, frankly, but certainly not fighting the Ukrainians. Story continues Mulroy was skeptical, however, that Russians would be able to persuade many Afghan commandos to join because most he knew were driven by the desire to make democracy work in their country rather than being guns for hire. AP was investigating the Afghan recruiting when details of the effort were first reported by Foreign Policy magazine last week based on unnamed Afghan military and security sources. The recruitment comes as Russian forces reel from Ukrainian military advances and Russian President Vladimir Putin pursues a sputtering mobilization effort, which has prompted nearly 200,000 Russian men to flee the country to escape service. Russia's Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Yevgeny Prigozhin, who recently acknowledged being the founder of the Wagner Group, dismissed the idea of an ongoing effort to recruit former Afghan soldiers as crazy nonsense. The U.S. Defense Department also didnt reply to a request for comment, but a senior official suggested the recruiting is not surprising given that Wagner has been trying to sign up soldiers in several other countries. Its unclear how many Afghan special forces members who fled to Iran have been courted by the Russians, but one told the AP he is communicating through the WhatsApp chat service with about 400 other commandos who are considering offers. He said many like him fear deportation and are angry at the U.S. for abandoning them. We thought they might create a special program for us, but no one even thought about us, said the former commando, who requested anonymity because he fears for himself and his family. They just left us all in the hands of the Taliban. The commando said his offer included Russian visas for himself as well as his three children and wife who are still in Afghanistan. Others have been offered extensions of their visas in Iran. He said he is waiting to see what others in the WhatsApp groups decide but thinks many will take the deal. U.S. veterans who fought with Afghan special forces have described to the AP nearly a dozen cases, none confirmed independently, of the Taliban going house to house looking for commandos still in the country, torturing or killing them, or doing the same to family members if they are nowhere to be found. Human Rights Watch has said more than 100 former Afghan soldiers, intelligence officers and police were killed or forcibly disappeared just three months after the Taliban took over despite promises of amnesty. The United Nations in a report in mid-October documented 160 extrajudicial killings and 178 arrests of former government and military officials. The brother of an Afghan commando in Iran who has accepted the Russian offer said Taliban threats make it difficult to refuse. He said his brother had to hide for three months after the fall of Kabul, shuttling between relatives houses while the Taliban searched his home. My brother had no other choice other than accepting the offer, said the commandos brother, Murad, who would only give his first name because of fear the Taliban might track him down. This was not an easy decision for him. Former Afghan army chief Alizai said much of the Russian recruiting effort is focused on Tehran and Mashhad, a city near the Afghan border where many have fled. None of the generals who spoke to the AP, including a third, Abdul Jabar Wafa, said their contacts in Iran know how many have taken up the offer. You get military training in Russia for two months, and then you go to the battle lines, read one text message a former Afghan soldier in Iran sent to Arghandiwal. A number of personnel have gone, but they have lost contact with their families and friends altogether. The exact statistics are unclear. An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Afghan special forces fought with the Americans during the two-decade war, and only a few hundred senior officers were airlifted out when the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan. Since many of the Afghan commandos did not work directly for the U.S. military, they were not eligible for special U.S. visas. They were the ones who fought to the really last minute. And they never, never, never talked to the Taliban. They never negotiated, Alizai said. Leaving them behind is the biggest mistake. ___ Condon reported from New York. AP writers Rahim Faiez in Islamabad and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org. OLENA ROSHCHINA MONDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2022, 11:22 An explosion damaged two Ka-52 helicopters in Pskov Oblast of the Russian Federation, which were located on the territory of a military airfield near the Russian-Latvian border. Source: Russian telegram channel Baza Details: Baza reported that the helicopters were unsuitable for operation and were under repair. At about 22:00 (apparently on 30 October), the unit's servicemen heard several explosions and then saw the wreckage of two helicopters scattered around. "The explosion was so powerful that the fragments of the fuselage were scattered 200 metres around. It is unknown for what reason the Ka-52 helicopters exploded," Baza writes. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Zaporizhzhya NPP has been occupied by Russian forces since March According to Energoatom, warm water stopped flowing to the power plants cooling pond due to the shutdown of the plants reactors, resulting in the water temperature falling to about +13 degrees, which had already led to the mass death of the fish there, including warm-water tilapia and Asian catfish, which were brought there about 25 years ago to ensure ecological purity. The fish perform a sanitary function, destroying green algae and keeping the cooling tubes of the turbine condenser clean, the company said. Given that the (water) temperature never dropped below +18 degrees in winter, the fish multiplied. So if the water temperature in the cooling pond does not rise in the near future, about a thousand tons of dead fish will be washed ashore. Russia is a terrorist country that leaves ruins and carries out a scorched-earth policy! Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and has been occupied by Russian forces since March 4. Several ZNPP facilities have been damaged by Russian shelling, and the station's employees are captives of the invading troops. Russian troops have set up firing positions at the territory of the ZNPP and are shelling Ukrainian cities from there. Energoatom reported that the Russian military placed at least 14 units of heavy military vehicles, loaded with ammunition, weapons and explosives in one of the turbine halls at ZNPP. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has since established a permanent monitoring presence at the facility and called for a demilitarized safety zone to be established around the plant. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Cargo ship waiting for inspection for entry into the Bosphorus Strait, 31 October 2022 On the night of Oct. 29, when the alleged attack took place, there was not a single ship in the corridor, and not a single ship reported the incident over the weekend, said Griffiths. Read also: Grain deal to go on despite Russias protestations, Ukraines ambassador in Turkey says The official emphasized that the corridor as such is just lines on a chart and when there are no vessels involved in the export of grain there, it has no special status and isnt a cover or protection for any military action. According to Griffiths, Russias statements that it isnt withdrawing from the grain agreement altogether, but only temporarily suspending it, are very encouraging, and that obligations remain in force even during the suspension. Read also: Ukraine, Turkey and UN agree on movement of 16 vessels with Ukrainian grain for Oct. 31 media reports Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, told Russian TV channel Dozhd that its absurd to suggest that convoys of civilian grain ships could have anything to do with an attack on Russias naval base in occupied Crimea, hundreds of kilometers away. Read also: Grain exports once again blocked by Russia He also said that Ukraine has nothing to do with the explosions in occupied Sevastopol and doesnt use naval drones of any kind. The Russian government blamed an alleged drone attack on its naval base for disrupting the grain export agreement, falsely accusing Ukraine and the UK for targeting civilian vessels involved in ensuring the security of the grain corridor. Read also: Russia stalls exports of Ukrainian grain, Zelenskyy says Russia claimed that the drones that allegedly attacked the ships were moving along the grain corridor and could have been launched from a civilian vessel involved in the export of agricultural products. Open-source intelligence community GeoConfirmed established that drones hit at least three ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol including the flagship, Admiral Makarov. There is no official confirmation that any Russian ships were sunk. Story continues Read also: At least three Russian Black Sea Fleet ships damaged in Sevastopol, investigation shows At the same time, Kyiv called Moscows exit from the grain deal food blackmail, and said that Russia was withdrawing from the agreement under a false pretext. Read also: JCC says parties to Ukrainian grain export deal fail to agree on navigation Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasily Bodnar said that the grain deal continues to work, and the vessels are being inspected by mediators Turkey and the UN. On Oct. 31, 12 ships with 354.5 thousand tons of agricultural products left from Odesa and nearby Ukrainian ports. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Ruslan Zaparniuk, the Head of the Chernivtsi Oblast Military Administration, reported that the Russian attack on the region caused tangible consequences for the entire energy system of Ukraine. Source: Zaparniuk on Telegram Quote: "Today [31 October] at 08:40, a critical energy infrastructure facility was damaged as a result of a missile strike. A fire broke out at the scene... Relevant experts assess the damage. However, we can already say that the consequences of such an attack are very noticeable for the entire energy system of Ukraine... I'm at the scene, we can't give any more information yet so as to avoid adjusting the Russian fire. Unfortunately, we note significant damage, I would say, critical." Details: According to Zaparniuk, a fire broke out after the Russian attack; the fire is under control now. Eight people suffered minor injuries (cuts) but did not require any medical assistance. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Photo: The Canadian Press Colin Thatcher, former MLA of Saskatchewan and convicted murderer, walks out of the chamber after the speech from the throne at the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina, on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. Premier Scott Moe has removed a member of the legislature's duties after Lyle Stewart invited a notorious killer to watch the government's throne speech. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe apologized Monday after a notorious killer attended the government's tough-on-crime throne speech last week and went a step further by stripping caucus duties from the member who invited Colin Thatcher. While he didn't extend the invite to Thatcher, Moe said he is ultimately responsible as premier and leader of the government caucus. Thatcher, who is 84, was invited by member of the legislative assembly Lyle Stewart, who was stripped of his legislative secretary duties effective Monday. "To all of those who have attended the speech from the throne, to all members of this assembly and to all of the people of Saskatchewan, I offer my unequivocal apology," Moe said in the chamber of the Saskatchewan legislature Monday. Last week, Moe refused to apologize, saying he didn't extend the invitation. "Me? What would I apologize for?" Moe said Thursday. "This is an individual (member) who invited someone, not a government who invited someone. I think we need to draw that distinction." Moe said he took the weekend to reflect. "As individuals, each of us has to make an effort to ensure that we are doing all that we can to stop interpersonal and domestic violence in our families, in our friend circles, in our communities and across the province," Moe said in the legislature. "We all have to be leaders each and every day when it comes to stopping these violent acts. This is even more important when it comes to our provincial government." Stewart, who was in the chamber as Moe delivered his apology, did not make eye contact with the premier as he spoke. The member issued a statement last week saying it was "an error in judgment" to invite his longtime friend Thatcher to the speech. Thatcher's ex-wife, JoAnn Wilson, was found beaten and shot to death in the garage of her Regina home in 1983. Thatcher, who was an energy minister under former Conservative premier Grant Devine, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served 22 years behind bars before he was granted full parole in 2006. The Opposition NDP has criticized the invite, and asked the government to strip Stewart and Minister of Policing Christine Tell from their duties. Both Stewart and Tell initially said they weren't concerned about the optics of having Thatcher at the speech. "He has a right to be here," Tell said after last week's throne speech. "He's a citizen of our province who paid his debt to society. That's just the way it is." OLHA HLUSHCHENKO MONDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2022, 08:21 Russian forces deployed Grad multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) to fire 40 rockets on the Marhanets hromada [an administrative unit designating, in this case, the city of Marhanets and its adjacent territories - ed.] in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. One woman was killed and another sustained injuries as a result of the attack. Source: Valentyn Reznichenko, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote from Reznichenko: "The Russians have deployed MLRS, heavy artillery and kamikaze drones to attack the oblast. The Marhanets hromada in the Nikopol district came under Russian fire. The city of Marhanets sustained the most damage. It was hit by 40 Russian Grad-launched rockets. A 31-year-old woman was killed. Another woman was hospitalised with injuries." Details: Reznichenko added that nearly 30 apartment blocks and private houses in Marhanets have been damaged as a result of the attack. A local lyceum (a specialised high school), an administrative building, several cars and power lines also sustained damage. Russian forces deployed kamikaze drones to attack an energy infrastructure facility in the Kamianka district; the facility sustained serious damage. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Smoke after the strike on the energy infrastructure facility in Kyiv region on October 31 was visible from Kyiv Partly it is (a response), but thats not all that we couldve done, said Putin. Read also: Crimean occupation authorities warn of drone attack in Sevastopol He reiterated the assertion that the Russian military has successfully repelled all attacks on its warships in Sevastopol Bay. Open-source intelligence community GeoConfirmed established that drones hit at least three ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, including the flagship, Admiral Makarov. There is no official confirmation that any Russian ships were sunk. Read also: At least three Russian Black Sea Fleet ships damaged in Sevastopol, investigation shows The head of the Ukraines Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, said earlier that Russian attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure had been planned weeks earlier, and that Moscow is using winter as a weapon. Read also: Russia damages 18 infrastructure facilities in Oct. 31 missile attack, says Ukraine PM Shmyhal On Oct. 31, Russia launched another barrage of missile strikes across Ukraine. Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal said that Russian missiles and drones damaged 18 infrastructure facilities mostly power grid nodes in ten provinces of Ukraine. The attack involved 55 cruise missiles, 45 of which were intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine OLHA HLUSHCHENKO MONDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2022, 03:55 Operational Command Pivden (South) has reported that Russian occupation forces are preparing to withdraw artillery weapons and equipment from the right bank of the River Dnipro in Kherson Oblast. Source: Operational Command Pivden (South) on Facebook Quote: "The occupation authorities in the temporarily Russian-occupied territory of Kherson Oblast are trying to render the territories under their control unfit for living. They are cutting off peoples access to power and water and have disabled Internet access. They are now inciting local residents to urgently leave Kherson Oblast, claiming that there is a threat that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will carry out missile strikes on the area. Medical personnel at local hospitals and municipal emergency response service workers are first in line for the so-called "evacuation". The occupation authorities have also issued a decree mandating that local business owners sell off all food products and close shops and markets. Meanwhile, units of the Russian occupation forces are preparing to withdraw artillery units from the right bank [of the River Dnipro] in Kherson Oblast, with their subsequent possible transfer to other fronts." Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! LONDON (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin's foreign minister on Sunday needled Joe Biden over Ukraine, saying that he hoped the U.S. president had the wisdom to deal with a global confrontation similar to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cuban crisis when the Soviet Union and United States came close to nuclear war. Then-U.S. President John Kennedy discovered that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had deployed nuclear missiles on Cuba after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion - a U.S.-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Communist rule that was thwarted by Cuba - and the U.S. deployment of missiles in Italy and Turkey. In an interview for a Russian state television documentary on the missile crisis, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there were similarities to 1962, largely because Russia was now threatened by Western weapons in Ukraine. "I hope that in today's situation, President Joe Biden will have more opportunities to understand who gives orders and how," Lavrov said. "This situation is very disturbing." "The difference is that in the distant 1962, Khrushchev and Kennedy found the strength to show responsibility and wisdom, and now we do not see such readiness on the part of Washington and its satellites," Lavrov said. A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council declined to comment on Lavrov's statements but pointed to past comments about keeping lines of communication open with Moscow. The top U.S. and Russian generals held talks by phone on Monday for the first time since May, a day after the U.S. and Russian defense ministers spoke for second time in three days after not speaking since May. On Oct. 27, 1962, the world came close to nuclear war when a Soviet submarine captain wanted to launch a nuclear weapon after the U.S. Navy dropped depth charges around the submarine. Story continues Later that day, Kennedy secretly agreed to remove all missiles in Turkey in exchange for Khrushchev removing all missiles in Cuba. The crisis was diffused, though it became a symbol of the perils of superpower rivalry in the Cold War. President Vladimir Putin cites the West's dismissal of Russian concerns about the security of post-Soviet Europe, and in particular the enlargement of the NATO military alliance eastwards, as one of the causes of the conflict. The United States and its European allies say Russian concerns are overblown and cannot justify the invasion of a former Soviet neighbour whose borders Moscow recognised after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine says it will fight until it has ejected every Russian from its territory, casting Russia's big power diplomacy as a sham used to distract from an imperial-style land grab that Kyiv says is doomed. Asked what Russia should do now in the current crisis, Lavrov said: "The readiness of Russia, including President Vladimir Putin, for negotiations remains unchanged." Read more: FACTBOX-What is known about the drone attack on Crimea? ANALYSIS-What is Russia's policy on tactical nuclear weapons? (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Wilmington, Del.; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Lisa Shumaker) Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty The birthplace of the Free Speech Movementthe University of California-Berkeleyis having a free speech problem. But this isnt about woke students shutting down what they consider offensive expression; its about an overabundance of administrative cautionthat could end up chilling legitimate political dissent. In September, the schools chancellor called for faculty feedback on a draft report jointly composed by an academic senate-administration workgroup. The document suggests restricting department-wide statements that are political in naturedespite concluding that it is not possible to distinguish between political and other statements. There Are No Jewish-Free Zones on the UC-Berkeley Campus In order to uphold civility and minimize reputational risk to the institution, the report advises departments at Berkeley to issue such statements sparingly and, if they do so, to include a list of each individual endorser. Thats pretty vague, right? One would expect guidelines on political statements to more clearly lay out what makes a statement political. And what amount is sparingly? In a response published on Sept. 22, the Berkeley Faculty Association (BFA) criticized the workgroup for its muddled definition of what constitutes political expressionwhich diverges from UC policys historical interpretation of political speech as that concerning electoral politicsand noted that the draft is at odds with the University Committee on Academic Freedom and University of Californias Academic Council (both of which have supported less restrictive recommendations). The co-chairs of the workgroup, in an email conversation with The Daily Beast, emphasized that the guidelines seek to protect the right to make statements on controversial or political issues, but to do so without damaging community or encouraging speech that harms individuals or groups. Maintaining that entitiessuch as schools or departmentsdo not share the same free speech or academic freedom rights as individuals, they suggested that such entities taking political positions could lead to someones views being silenced or misrepresented, and thus their academic freedom being violated. The co-chairs insist that faculty or staff, of course, can take positions on any issuesindividually and collectively. Story continues But for professors, who are so often caught in the crosshairs of online culture warsand particularly non-tenured faculty, who are especially vulnerable to termination or sanction for their expressionadherence to this guideline could pose a speech-chilling choice in practice: either refrain from endorsing remotely political statements or potentially compound the specters of harassment and job insecurity. As BFA chair James Vernon told The Daily Beast, considering that doxing has become a prevalent political tool, in a way, providing a list of signatories is really just providing a long list of targets for political groups on either side to go after individuals. Such a guideline, too, fails to account for very real asymmetries of power within departments and, thus, could pressure junior faculty to sign onto a majority viewpoint or a minority viewpoint in ways that could really make themvulnerable when it comes to future decisions about their employment. Demonstrators protest in favor of abortion rights on the steps of Sproul Hall on the UC Berkeley campus on March 8, 2022, in Berkeley, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Regarding the report as symptomatic of a financial model depending increasingly on revenue from tuition fees and private philanthropy over public funding, Vernon referred to it as a clear attempt to foster a view of the university as a type of corporation whose employees cannot damage its reputation, as opposed to a universityin the public domain where faculty and students can likewise articulate what is in the public interest. Notably, the workgroup offers only one Berkeley faculty statement as a clear case of the sort of speech with which it is concerned: a collective expression of solidarity with the Palestinian Feminist Collective, signed last year by roughly 120 gender studies departments, including Berkeleys Department of Gender and Womens Studies. The statement, supporting Palestinian rights and condemning actions of the state of Israel, seems to have, in part, prompted the workgroup to convene in the first place. According to the draft report, it was perceived by some to have run afoul of Berkeleys Principles of Community, which extol a commitment to expression and dialogue that elicits the full spectrum of views held by our varied communities. But the Gender and Womens Studies department by no means stifled opposing viewpoints by signing and publicizing the statement. However, in summoning a workgroup (at least in part) due to the departments endorsement and singling it out in the report, Berkeley seems to have deepened the notion of the Palestine exception to free expressionwhich so often operates under the pretense of uncivil Palestinian advocacy. Pro-Palestinian Berkeley Law Students Have Free Speech Rights, Too Its particularly disheartening to hear such appeals to civility, a favorite weasel word of those intent on policing the bounds of acceptable speech, made by the institution that once housed the now-celebrated Berkeley Free Speech Movement (FSM) of the 1960s. In 1964 and 1965, the FSM mobilized against McCarthy-era restrictions on on-campus political expression. Asserting their rights to freedom of speech and academic freedom, the student protestors eventually succeeded in eliminating such restrictions and inspiring similar campus movements across the country. On the losing side of this struggle were those aghast at the supposed incivility of student demonstrators. As New York University professor Robert Cohen writes in The Free Speech Movement: Reflections on Berkeley in the 1960s, to the opponents of the FSM and broader New Left, the FSM pioneered a new and ultimately destructive style of mass student action, which politicized the university and ended the reign of civility within the college gates. Berkeley now embraces the movement in its branding (see: the Free Speech Movement cafe on campus, for example), but its deference to nebulously defined civility, as conveyed in the draft report, more closely mirrors that of the FSMs foes. Were Jewish Berkeley Law Students, Excluded in Many Areas on Campus And the draft is not Berkeleys first turn away from the admirable spirit of the FSM. In 2014, then-chancellor Nicholas Dirks circulated a school-wide email in which he described freedom of speech and civility as two sides of a single coin and took issue with speech that is inherently divisive, controversial and capable of arousing strong feelings. As the message became widely publicized, its irony was not lost on observers, who castigated such historically short-sighted appeals to civility. Amid the clamor, some FSM veterans responded, making it plain that it was precisely the right to speech on subjects that are divisive, controversial, and capable of arousing strong feelings that we fought for in 1964. The draft report, with its resistance to speech on matters about which people have deeply held views, is startlingly devoid of this sentiment and thus echoes the faults of Dirks now-notorious email. While the BFAs response inspires hope that enough pushback could occur to change the proposed guidelines before they are finalized, the document and its creation illustrate a wholly inadequate stance on freedom of expression coming from an institution whose inspiring history knows better. Civility that stifles free expressionespecially political dissentisnt civil at all. 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. Oct. 30Santa Fe police arrested two suspects Saturday night for a homicide that police responded to Saturday afternoon on Jaguar Drive, according to a Sunday press release. Police arrested Kiara McCulley, 19, and Isaac Apodaca, 25, and charged each with one count of first-degree murder for the death of Grace Jennings, 21, the release states. The investigation is active and ongoing. Police responded to the homicide Saturday at 1:44 p.m. at the 5000 block of Jaguar Drive and found a dead woman at the scene. The incident is the sixth homicide in Santa Fe this year. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona NASAs InSight lander recorded a magnitude-4 Marsquake last December. Now, scientists say a meteor strike caused the Marsquakeand the crater it left behind. The impact excavated boulder-size chunks of ice buried closer to the Martian equator than scientists have ever seen before. Marss thin atmosphere doesnt burn up incoming meteors in the same way that Earths atmosphere does. When Mars started shaking on Christmas Eve 2021, NASAs InSight lander felt the movement. At first, scientists remotely recording and monitoring the Marsquake had no idea what caused the trembling. That all changed when they found a crater on the Martian surface unlike any seen before, eventually piecing together that a meteor struck the red planet, causing the magnitude-4 Marsquake. NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, just laid out how the InSight lander recorded the quake, and how subsequent work with NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter helped scientists find a new crater 492 feet across and 70 feet deep. Pairing the events togetheras chronicled in two papers published concurrently on October 27 in the journal ScienceNASA researchers explain how they used images and seismic data to come up with a new perspective on the Mars events. You love the cosmos. So do we. Lets explore it togetherjoin Pop Mech Pro. Its unprecedented to find a fresh impact of this size, Ingrid Daubar of Brown University, who leads InSights Impact Science Working Group, says in a news release. Its an exciting moment in geological history, and we got to witness it. Just studying the characteristics of the impact provides important data, according to one of the studys authors, because they provide a seismic fingerprint that is different from past observations. When the meteorestimated to span 16 to 39 feet, small enough to have burned up in Earths atmosphere, but not in Marss thin atmosphere, which is just 1 percent as dense as our planetsstruck Mars, it excavated boulder-size chunks of ice buried closer to the Martian equator than ever found before, sending debris up to 23 miles away. Story continues In almost four years of InSight roaming Mars, it has recorded over 1,300 Marsquakes, but this was the first that generated surface waves, a rippling across the top of the planets crust. Identifying the cause for the December 24, 2021 event didnt take a major first step until the Malin Space Science Systems team in San Diego spotted what appeared to be a new crater on February 11 of this year. With the Mars Color Imager producing daily maps of the entire planet for scientists to track weather changes, the teams discovered that the new crater was timed with changes to dust patterns. Pinpointing the 24-hour period in which the impact likely occurred, combined with the seismic epicenter data, conclusively demonstrated that a meteoroid impact caused the large Marsquake. The image of the impact was unlike any I had seen before, with the massive crater, the exposed ice, and the dramatic blast zone preserved in the Martian dust, Liliya Posiolova, lead of the Orbital Science and Operations Group at Malin, says in the news release. I couldnt help but imagine what it must have been like to witness the impact, the atmospheric blast, and debris ejected miles downrange. Scientists have long attempted to establish the rate at which craters appear on Mars to help refine the planets geological timeline. New craters also expose materials below the surface. In this case, large chunks of ice scattered by the impact were viewed with a high-resolution color camera and potentially offer a vital resource for future astronauts, should they need it for water, agriculture, or rocket propellant, JPL says. Buried ice has never been spotted this close to the Martian equator, which, as the warmest part of Mars, is an appealing location for an astronaut landing. Not only is the mystery of the Christmas Eve Marsquake solved, but it may provide a fresh approach to future Mars exploration. You Might Also Like SEATTLE Seattle police are investigating after a man and woman were found dead Sunday evening in the Georgetown neighborhood. According to police, around 4:15 p.m., officers received a call about two down subjects in a unit inside the Martin Court Apartments on Fourth Avenue South. When officers arrived, they found a man and a woman dead. Detectives have since identified the woman as 55-year-old Maryanne Wooden and the man as 53-year-old Howard Hicks. Investigators claim Wooden suffered a deep laceration down her throat and multiple stab wounds. Hicks appeared to be stabbed repeatedly as well. Jennine Cross says she was a dear friend of Woodens. She would give you the shoes off her feet, said Cross. Detectives booked 42-year-old John Williams into the King County Jail for investigation of homicide on Monday. According to the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, a background check revealed Williams has a lengthy criminal record, with 65 arrests in California. Within the last year, hes been arrested in Seattle for assault. Police are also investigating him for rape. Williams got out of jail just two days before he allegedly stabbed both Wooden and Hicks to death. People who live at the Martin Court Apartments told KIRO 7s Lauren Donovan that the suspect is behind bars, but they still feel on edge. Its really not a safe place, its not, said Jim, a resident. The Martin Court Apartments are managed by the Low Income Housing Institute. LIHI executive director Sharon Lee says the complex is transitional housing for homeless people. Tenants can live there for up to two years, but there are some extenuating circumstances. Lee claims LIHI has been running the shelter for the past 20 years. The big problem is we have an illegal encampment in the back, said Lee. So they are, on a constant basis, trying to break in, and we have not been successful in getting SPD to do anything. Story continues Lee says LIHI installed a $15,000 gate to keep intruders at bay. However, the gate is constantly broken. Its a stepping stone into housing, but over time, the neighborhood has gotten really rough, said Lee. Dana Wolk owns Seattle Stoneworld next door. He says the nearby encampment and the apartment complex have made the intersection of Michigan and Fourth a crime magnet. He blames city officials for turning a blind eye to the area. Its scary for our people, said Wolk. Its scary for everyone up and down the street. There has been little love lost between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the crypto industry. For years, the federal agency has taken a hard line against the novel sector, pursuing sporadic enforcement actions against individual crypto companies but offering little in terms of a coherent regulatory policy that crypto projects could look to for guidance. Industry leaders have long accused the SEC of taking a uniquely unfair and unreasonable approach to crypto regulation; now, one of the SECs own is singing the same tune. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce believes her agency is treating crypto unlike any other sector, with an aggressive approach that deviates from how the agency typically regulates. Crypto is being treated differently, Peirce told Decrypt in an interview, explaining that many regulators saw it as a fleeting dalliance and not a burgeoning revolution. What drove this initially was the feeling that crypto probably wouldnt stay around, Peirce said. Why invest the resources in developing some kind of framework for something that's not going to stay? SEC's Hester Peirce: Regulatory Ambiguity Means NFT Projects Must Be 'Very Careful' This dismissive mentality, according to Peirce, spurred an SEC approach to crypto that relied exclusively upon isolated enforcement actions. Such a strategy, however, runs counter to how the agency usually generates rules and standards. Typically, when we write a rule, we go out with a proposal, said Peirce. People are talking to the regulator, we're talking to the public. It's a very healthy conversation. Theres not much thats healthy about how the SEC interacted with crypto companies thus far, according to the Commissioner: bringing them in one at a timenot to collaborate on policy, but to dictate the terms of a particular enforcement. Nobody else is in the room, said Peirce. The customers aren't in the room. The competitors aren't in the room. And the regulator has the leverage because the regulator's about to bring an enforcement action. Its just not a good way of regulating. Story continues The SECs current chair, Gary Gensler, has repeatedly insisted that he treats crypto no differently than any other market under his purview. Hes also made a point of responding to criticism of his crypto policies by putting the onus on crypto companies, encouraging them to come in and talk if they are unhappy about regulations being generated. Billionaire investor Mark Cuban recently slammed Gensler for such comments, dismissing the chairs invitations as empty and cynical. Come in and talk to who? Set up an appointment how? Cuban tweeted at Gensler in late August. You using Calendly these days? Mark Cuban Slams SEC Chair Gensler's Stance on Crypto Peirce has similarly found such invitations to be effectively meaningless, and she said the SECs past meetings with crypto companies to have led nowhere by design. If you're going to tell people to come in, people need to see people walking in the front door and coming out again, holding an exemptive order or something that allows them to move forward with their business and allows us to achieve our regulatory objectives, said Peirce. But if you just see people walking in and then you see them walking out either with an enforcement action, or with nothing, people aren't going to want to come in the door. The SEC has thus far produced not a single crypto-related exemptive ordera statement from the agency clarifying that a certain action would not be considered a securities violation or pursued by the SEC as such. The SEC generates exemptive orders to help educate companies on how to properly and legally navigate existing regulations. If history is any indicator, an exemptive order on crypto isnt likely to appear any time soon. Peirce views the SECs lack of willingness to dialogue with the crypto industry, more than anything else, as a missed opportunity: one that could result in the federal agency being boxed out of having a leading role in shaping a critical industry. SEC Approach Is Threatening the Entire Ecosystem: Former CFTC Commissioner Ultimately, you're going to see aspects of this thing called crypto permeating all aspects of our lives, said Peirce. And crypto once looked to the SEC, and it said, well, we think we can work with the SEC to build something that makes sense. Now more and more, I'm hearing people say, Well, I'm just going to go to the CFTC [Commodities Futures Trading Commission] and hope that they come up with a regulatory regime we like, she added. That is too bad, that people have given up on us, said Peirce. Because we haven't taken those steps to work in good faith. UN chief alters travel plan in a bid to save Ukraine grain deal: spokesman Xinhua) 08:40, October 31, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has decided to alter his travel plans to focus his efforts on saving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said his spokesman on Sunday. Russia on Saturday announced the suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative following an attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The initial duration of the agreement is 120 days and expires on Nov. 19. The parties had agreed that the deal could be extended automatically on the condition that no party objects. "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the ongoing situation regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He has decided to delay his departure for the Arab League (AL) summit in Algiers by a day to focus on the issue," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement. Guterres continues to engage in intense contact to end the Russian suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The same engagement is also aimed at the renewal and full implementation of the initiative to facilitate exports of food and fertilizer from Ukraine and the removal of the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertilizer, said the statement. Guterres was initially scheduled to leave on Monday for the AL summit. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) Photo: Brendan Kergin. Vancouver police officers were cleared of wrongdoing in the 2016 death of Daniel Peter Rintoul. A BC Corners Service inquest convened in Burnaby Oct. 31 into a police shooting death of a man in Vancouver. Daniel Peter Rintoul, 38, died Nov. 10, 2016 after Vancouver Police Department officers shot him outside a Canadian Tire. The shooting came after what appeared to be a botched robbery in the stores firearms department. Police shot Rintoul after he allegedly stabbed a store clerk and police officer, both of whom wound up in hospital with knife wounds. Presiding coroner Susan Barth and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts surrounding this death. The five-person jury can make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances. A jury must not make any finding of legal responsibility or express any conclusion of law. What happened? Police responded to the Canadian Tire store around 3 p.m. that day after receiving multiple 911 calls. Police said a man entered the store, which is located in a shopping complex that includes a Save-On Foods, dressed in camouflage gear, stabbed a store clerk and began removing firearms from gun cabinets. Inquest lawyer Chris Godwin said in a case-opening overview that Rintoul carried a knife and bear spray. He said Rintoul tried unsuccessfully to load a gun after bear-spraying a staff member. He then took an 82-year-old man hostage before exiting the store. That man, Harry Bruderer, has since died but the inquest will see his video statement to B.C.s Independent Investigations Office (IIO) investigation into the death. The IIO investigates police-involved incidents that result in death or serious harm. By then, Godwin said, two police officers, Gary Li and Justin Fraser arrived. The hostage was released and Rintoul then bear-sprayed officers. He was subsequently Tasered. Rintoul was restrained but got free and stabbed and slashed at one officer. At that point, police used their firearms just before more officers arrived. Those officers used non-lethal Arwen guns and then firearms. Mr. Rintoul died as a result of the interaction, Godwin said. Scene witness Katarina Mitchell said earlier the man was armed with a rifle and sprayed an unknown substance at an officer before being tackled to the ground. Police said the man stabbed the officer multiple times before he was shot. The hostage was not harmed in the incident, which attracted dozens of police officers from Vancouver and Burnaby. Godwin said Rintoul had been living in a rooming house at the time of his death and had a history of suicide attempts. Sister testifies The inquests first witness was Rintouls sister, Sheri Cardall, who appeared by video. He was gregarious, outgoing, loving, joyous, very hyperactive, easily excitable, she said. She added it was the last two traits that brought her brother into conflict with their authoritarian father, a former police officer who beat the boy. She said Rintoul struggled in school and was bullied. She called herself his best friend and biggest defender. He was odd. He was very excitable. He was very sensitive, she said. Cardall said after he began getting into fights, their mother got Rintoul into anger management. He also got involved with her friends playing Dungeons and Dragons. He had an immense imagination, she said. It was after living on the streets of Calgary that Rintoul moved to Vancouver, she said. Cardall said her brother strained friendships and was interested in playing games and being creative. He never really developed that adult mindset, she said. He was a very kind man, loving and gentle, she said. He had a terrible temper but he usually turned the anger in on himself. He was a big man and he was very intimidating. He had no sense of personal space. She added that his hugs were "amazing. You always felt safe with him. She said Rintoul had shared some of his personal philosophy with her. "'We dont need to work for ourselves,'" he told her. "'We need to be working for everyone.'" Psychiatric care Psychiatrist Dr. Danielle Chin told the inquest Rintoul had been referred to her unit after a suicide attempt. She testified he tried because he was getting nowhere in life. She said he exhibited narcissistic traits as well as psychosis, and eventually chose not to be treated. Chin said if he had appeared a risk to himself or others he could have been certified under the Mental Health Act and confined to a hospital. But, as a voluntary patient, that was not Rintouls case. He wasnt willing, she said. If he was willing, there were resources we could offer. Chin said Rintoul had made a complaint to her unit. He felt like he wasnt being taken seriously, she said. Independent Investigations Office investigation The IIO investigation into the death said three officers fired 10 bullets from their pistols at Rintoul, with nine of the rounds hitting him. The February 2019 report said Rintoul was also hit twice with a Taser, five rubber bullet rounds from an Arwen gun and pepper spray. The objective evidence demonstrates that [the man] posed a threat of deadly force to members of the public, who may have been in the store and possibly coming out, and to the lives of the officers present who later gave statements regarding their individual threat assessments, said the report signed by chief civilian director Ronald J. MacDonald and lawyer Clinton J. Sadlemyer of the investigations office. All of that evidence supports the reasonableness and necessity of the decisions by officers one, two and four to shoot. Officers one, two and four acted as required by their duties and in accordance with the law. The evidence collected does not provide grounds to consider any charges against any officer. Daytona Beach police are piecing together who shot a security officer closing up for the night along Mason Avenue. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< According to a report by Daytona Beach officers, they responded to Halifax hospital for a gunshot wound victim. The victim told police he was closing up Hotspot, 740 Mason Ave., on Saturday night. Read: Early morning fire shuts down turnpike in Osceola County After locking the gate and going to his car, two men ran toward him wearing all black and white Halloween masks and started shooting at the vehicle, the victim told officers. Officers returned to the shooting location near Mason Avenue and Edwards Street and located several 9 mm shell casings in the area. Read: Deputies searching for suspect after 6 injured in weekend shooting outside Orange County nightclub Investigators hope surveillance video from neighborhoods or businesses may have captured the suspects near the crime scene. If you have any information about the shooting, you can submit a web tip or text CRIMES (274637). Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) officers have conducted searches among the leadership and representatives of the Kirovohrad Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, seizing anti-Ukrainian literature from them. Source: press service of the Security Service of Ukraine Quote: "The correspondence between the Metropolitan of Kirovohrad and Novomyrhorod with Kirill, the Patriarch of Moscow was discovered and a large amount of anti-Ukrainian materials produced in the Russian Federation were seized." Details: The SBU notes that individual representatives of this community are involved in the spread of ideas that encroach on the territorial integrity of Ukraine and incite religious enmity. The searches were conducted in the Kirovohrad and Oleksandriia dioceses, as well as at the places of residence of those involved. The Security Service specified for Ukrainska Pravda that the searches were conducted last week, in particular on Friday and Saturday. As the preliminary assessments state, the texts of anti-Ukrainian materials contain signs of criminal offences under Article 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine) and Article 161 (violation of the equality of citizens, depending on their racial, national, regional belonging, religious beliefs, disability and on other grounds). It is emphasised that these materials were actively distributed among clergymen and believers in order to form among them positions in support of the Russian Federation. Specifically, the annexation of Crimea was justified. The author of one of the discovered books is Andrii Novikov, the former secretary of the Odesa diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, who moved to the Russian Federation in 2014 because of his pro-Russian position. Currently, Novikov runs his own Telegram channel, where he promotes narratives in support of the occupiers, discrediting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and hatred for the Ukrainian nation. Story continues All seized materials were sent for examination. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the Security Service of Ukraine has opened 23 criminal proceedings regarding the subversive activities of individual representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. There are already 33 suspects in these cases from regular information gathering agents to artillery observers. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- This should be the winter for companies storing natural gas to cash in on high prices in Europe: supply is short and colder weather will eventually boost demand. Yet the recent dramatic fall in wholesale prices is turning the economics of the sector on its head. Most Read from Bloomberg The push to fill storage facilities before the start of winter has been successful -- with many close to capacity. But some suppliers may now want to hold back those reserves until they can sell their stored gas at more attractive rates. Such a move would push market prices higher. And further hurt Europes economy, already heading into recession, largely due to the impact of Russias invasion of Ukraine on energy markets. Gas is usually injected into storage by utilities and energy traders during summer when prices are lower and sent back into the market in winter when they rise. This year, contracts have moved in the opposite direction. It means some operators, especially in Germany, the regions biggest gas consumer, may lose money on selling the stored fuel used as a buffer to offset supply disruptions. Fuel prices this summer, when injections were made into the retired salt caverns, aquifers and fuel depots that hold gas inventories, at times peaked around 340 per megawatt-hour. Benchmark winter contracts are now trading at less than half that, closer to 140. This is a real problem, said Henning Gloystein, a director for energy, climate and resources at Eurasia Group in London. It can probably only be resolved if some of the recently nationalized players re-sell expensively bought gas at a loss. If reserves are held back, for whatever reason, it leaves only one source of gas -- daily supplies, coming on liquefied natural tankers from the US or Qatar, or by pipelines from Norway and north Africa. The continent is already relying on those flows. Any additional call for daily volumes is likely to raise prices again after a brief relief, keeping energy bills at eye-watering levels across Europe. Story continues To optimize their portfolio, companies will purchase gas on a day ahead basis rather than withdraw gas from storage as long as they can maximize profits, said Leon Izbicki, gas analyst at Energy Aspects. Read also: Europe Cant Rely on US Gas to Plug Growing Shortfall Next Year The cost of securing Europes gas reserves this year runs into tens of billions of euros. And although traders often sell gas forward as soon as they inject -- to hedge against risks -- they could still suffer losses on price differences. This is particularly acute for utilities and traders heavily reliant on long-term contracts with Russia, which met 20% of gas demand in the European Union last winter. Germanys Pain Europe has boosted storage, yet only about 10% of the gas is under the direct control of public officials through national strategic reserves, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Some fuel purchases over the summer were made by companies using state aid, especially in Germany. The government extended 15 billion ($15 billion) to Trading Hub Europe, the company that manages Germanys gas market, to buy fuel for storage. The group purchased around 60 terawatt-hours of gas, equivalent to about 25% of the countrys storage capacity. Read more: Europes Gas Stores Are Almost Full. But Theres a Catch To avoid supply risks, governments could also seek to call a state of emergency. In such a case, Germany and other national authorities would have the power to order the release of reserves. Germany has passed legislation that mandates targets for gas storage. Its already hit the 95% target for Nov. 1 and mandates a level of 40% by Feb. 1. Operators of the facilities risk penalties if they fail to meet those levels. Calm Before the Storm Benchmark futures have lost about 70% of their value from their August peaks thanks to an abnormally warm October -- which has slowed demand and delayed gas withdrawals from storage sites. There are also ample supplies of LNG. Europe even faced a temporary supply glut. But the continent needs to keep its prices above those in Asia to win the competition for LNG cargoes. Given how tight the global gas market is with lost Russian volumes, most industry watchers believe it is a question of when, not if, prices spike again. Temperatures are already forecast to dip slightly below normal by the middle of November, according to the Weather Company. Cold weather, demand destruction or LNG flows under performing expectations could well see prices returning to higher levels, said BloombergNEF analyst Stefan Ulrich. It seems worse for utilities to be caught not having enough gas, especially given government support for purchases, than to accept losses on some of the gas they stored at higher price points. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. MANCHESTER, N.H. - Sen. Rick Scott of Florida predicts Republicans will win back the Senate majority in next week's midterm elections and control "52-plus" seats in the next Congress. Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), forecast in an interview Monday in New Hampshire with Fox News that the GOP will successfully hold onto all 21 seats they're defending in the midterm elections including in the key battleground states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. And pointing to Democratic-controlled seats the NRSC has been heavily targeting for nearly two years, Scott said, "I think we clearly pick up Georgia. We clearly pick up Nevada and I think we have a really good chance here in New Hampshire." Scott also said he was "surprised" that the top super PAC backing Senate Republican incumbents and candidates recently pulled the plug on nearly $6 million in ad spending in New Hampshire in the closing weeks of the campaign. THE SLEEPER SENATE RACES THAT MAY DETERMINE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE CHAMBER Sen. Rick Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, teams up on the campaign trail with GOP Senate nominee Don Bolduc on Oct. 30, 2022, in Atkinson, New Hampshire. The move a week and a half ago by the Senate Leadership Fund, which is aligned with longtime Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was a setback for Republican Senate nominee and retired Army Gen. Don Bolduc, who's challenging former governor and first-term Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in a race that's among a handful across the country that will likely determine if the GOP wins back the Senate majority in the midterms. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Senate Leadership Fund president Steven Law said at the time that "as the cycle comes to a close, we are shifting resources to where they can be most effective to achieve our ultimate goal: winning the majority." But days after the move, new polls indicated Bolduc gaining ground on Hassan, and last week the NRSC, which is the Senate GOP's re-election arm, reinvested roughly $1 million to run an ad jointly financed with the Bolduc campaign. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS MIDTERMS POWER RANKINGS Story continues "I was surprised. I mean the race is basically close and it was within two points when they did it, so it surprised me," Scott said regarding the move by the Senate Leadership Fund to drop out of New Hampshire. Scott, who sat down with Fox News the morning after headlining a town hall meeting with Bolduc in Atkinson, New Hampshire, pledged that the NRSC is "gonna do everything we can" in the New Hampshire Senate showdown. "I think he has a real shot at winning here," Scott said. And he also pointed to moves over the past week by two pro-Republican super PAC separate from the Senate Leadership Fund that made six- and seven-figure investments in Bolduc. Asked what is the sleeper Senate race this cycle that the NRSC's keeping their eyes on, Scott looked to Democrat-dominated Washington state, where GOP Senate nominee and first-time candidate Tiffany Smiley is challenging longtime Democratic Sen. Patty Murray Washington Republican Senate nominee Tiffany Smiley, right, stands alongside Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Texas, during a meeting with border patrol agents and their families in McAllen, Texas on Aug. 30, 2022. "She's got a real shot. And she's a great candidate," Scott said of Smiley, a military wife, nurse and veterans rights advocate. With eight days to go until Election Day, Scott looked to the Republican turnout machine. "We've got a big get out the vote effort," he emphasized. "I think we've touched now probably two million doors with our Hispanic Outreach Operation Vamos. So right now, all of our new investments are going into get out the vote." THESE 11 SENATE RACES WILL LIKELY DETERMINE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE MAJORITY For months, Scott and McConnell have butted heads over GOP efforts in the midterms. Scott earlier this year released a policy plan outlining what Republicans should do if they won back the majority, which was at odds with McConnell's position not to advertise what the GOP would do if they reclaimed control of the chamber. The two clashed more recently over McConnell's comments that "candidate quality" was compromising Republicans' odds of winning back the majority. Two months ago, in an op-ed published in the Washington Examiner, Scott called that "an amazing act of cowardice, and ultimately, its treasonous to the conservative cause." McConnell, who's running to maintain his position as Senate GOP leader, touted earlier this month that he has the votes to keep his leadership role, even after taking incoming fire for nearly two years from former President Donald Trump, who remains the most popular and influential politician in the Republican Party. But Scott sounded non-committal when asked by Fox News if he would back McConnell as Senate Republican leader. "We'll see if anybody runs and see if he wants to continue to do it," Scott answered. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Political pundits view Scott, a former two-term Florida governor and multimillionaire businessman, as a potential 2024 Republican presidential contender. And the NRSC chair has stoked speculation with multiple visits this cycle to Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states to vote in the Republican presidential nominating calendar. Scott's latest stop in Iowa came last week, followed by the Sunday-Monday swing through New Hampshire. But Scott, who is up for re-election to his Senate seat in 2024, reiterated, "I plan on running for the Senate for the great state of Florida." BEIJING (Reuters) - Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said Washington should not let itself be blinded by ideological bias when dealing with China, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday. Wang Yi made the comments when he spoke on the phone with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Xinhua reported. (Reporting by Meg Shen and Ella Cao; editing by Philippa Fletcher) South Korea is in a one-week shock mourning after the countrys citizens witnessed one of the worst disasters that happened overnight in years and caused the deaths of 154 people and leaving almost as many injured. A night that was supposed to be a stress-free celebration of Halloween after two years of pandemic restrictions in the streets of Seoul led instead to a massive pile-up that prompted the countrys prime minister Han Duck-soo to announce a stringent probe into the nights events. The crush happened when a massive 100,000-plus crowd of revellers on Saturday flocked for festivities in the district of Itaewon in Seoul a metropolis known for its tough living conditions and punishing, cramped living and public spaces for its residents. Partygoers had thronged the district since the afternoon but, according to one eyewitness who spoke to the BBC, worrying signs were on display already. It was crazy. From 5pm there were too many people on the streets. So I was thinking, whats it going to be like from seven or eight? questioned 32-year-old Nuhyil Ahammed. Around 10.20pm local time, crowds had surged to unsafe numbers and the situation turned dire when people on a slope fell over, leading to a crush that trapped people. A woman carrying a baby cries at a memorial altar to the victims of a deadly stampede in Seoul (EPA) One survivor said many people fell and toppled one another like dominos after they were pushed by others. By 11pm that night, Mr Ahammed said people were pushing others in front of them live a wave. Late on Saturday, initial reports of the crush said about 50 people had suffered cardiac arrests. But when more information started coming in, it was clear that the incident was much more serious. One worrying eyewitness comparison likened the streets of Itaewon to jammed subway stations. Police numbered to a paltry 137 officers, reported Reuters, and were unable to control the massive crowd. We arrived around 10pm to go to a club but then saw people falling on the street, said Moon Ju-young, 21. Some were bleeding, others were crying out in pain. Story continues The clerk of a shop situated on the site where a stampede happened during Halloween festivities pays respects in the middle of the site (REUTERS) One student from France, who asked not to be identified because of the trauma of the event, said he became lodged in a crush of people for about an hour and a half. I wanted to go to a safe place but it wasnt possible, he told the news agency. I was just pushed by everyone and I just couldnt do anything. The aftermath of the tragedy is such that several people are missing and their families, in growing desperation, are still combing through the streets with the hope of finding their loved ones two days after the event. So far, there have been reports of 149 injuries, though this number, along with the deaths, could possibly increase. Philomene Aby, a resident of Seoul whose 22-year-old son was missing, told Reuters she started asking workers at a South Korean community centre for news of her son. Police, which numbered to just more than 100 officials, failed to control the crowd (REUTERS) She said of her son Masela, who works at a club in the Itaewon district: I called his number but... he wasnt answering. Local media reported that the Hannam-dong Community Service Centre in Seoul has become a makeshift missing persons facility in the wake of the tragedy. After Ms Abys frantic search, her son returned home safely, but others were not so lucky. At the missing persons facility, one person broke down and begged officials to help him find his family. The centre has received more than 1,000 telephone inquiries about the disaster daily. Two American college students died in the crush as well. Rescue teams and firefighters work at the scene where people were killed and injured in a crush during Halloween festivities (REUTERS) One of them was Anna Gieske, 20, an American nursing student at the University of Kentucky who had been studying abroad in South Korea and recording her travels on Instagram. There arent adequate or appropriate words to describe the pain of a beautiful life cut short. It isnt fair, nor is it comprehensible. It is loss and it hurts in ways that are impossible to articulate, said university president Eli Capilouto in a statement to students and faculty on Sunday. Steven Blesi, a 20-year-old student at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, was also killed in the disaster, according to his father Steve Blesi. Thank you for the outpouring of love. We need time to grieve, said Mr Blesi Sr on Twitter on Sunday. Several people are missing and their families are still combing through the streets with the hope of finding their loved ones (AP) He recalled the excruciatingly painful call when he learned of his sons death. It was like it stabbed like a hundred million times simultaneously, Mr Blesi told The New York Times. It was like your world just collapsing. It was numb and devastating all at the same time. Meanwhile, South Koreas interior minister Lee Sang-min told a briefing that it took more time to locate foreign nationals or teens who have yet to be registered with the government, in which case they have to directly check with the families. A father said the news of his young daughters death from the crush came like a bolt from the blue sky. The father had to collect the body at a funeral home linked to a hospital in Seoul after receiving a call from authorities as late as 1am. At this very corner, at first the person in front walked forward in a normal rhythm, but suddenly a squeal from the back forced everyone to shove down the slope. #Itaewon #ITAEWONHALLOWEEN #SeoulStampede #prayforitaewon pic.twitter.com/hRIIMpRo3B Human (@proudlyhindus) October 31, 2022 An official at the funeral home said there were at least two bodies from the incident at the facility on Sunday. An official from the missing persons facility said the families need to get this certificate from the police, then we can release the bodies to the families. If the family would want to find out the cause of the death, then they could request an autopsy, but for these bodies, the cause of death seems pretty clear to me, he added. As reactions of shock and condolences poured in from the rest of the world, South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol declared a national mourning period. (Bloomberg) -- At least 153 people were killed and dozens injured following a crowd crush during Halloween celebrations in Seoul, marking one of the deadliest incidents in South Korea in years. Most Read from Bloomberg The crowd surge occurred Saturday night in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon, after a large number of people entered a narrow alley behind the Hamilton Hotel, fire and police authorities said in televised briefings. President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a period of national mourning from Sunday and vowed to carry out a thorough investigation. We had a tragedy last night at the center of Seoul during Halloween that should have not occurred, Yoon said in a televised speech Sunday. The government will give its highest priority to the accident responses and follow-up measures, he said. Of the dead, 97 were women, according to Yonhap News. There were 20 foreigners among those killed, including nationals from China, Iran, Russia and the US, it said. The injured numbered 82, and 19 of them were in serious condition. Some of the people who died have yet to be identified. Tens of thousands of people were estimated to have gathered in Itaewon for the Halloween festivities, the first since South Korea last month lifted Covid-19 restrictions requiring outdoor mask-wearing. Pictures and videos posted online showed some streets so packed that people could barely move. After the crush, footage showed people lying in the streets receiving first aid and being taken to ambulances. About 1,700 emergency workers were dispatched to Itaewon, with 144 vehicles mobilized, authorities said earlier. Yoon convened emergency meetings early Sunday, ordering ministries to provide swift first aid and treatment to those injured in the accident and to review safety measures. The government will provide medical support to the injured and offer funeral support to families of the deceased, he said at a briefing. Story continues Investigations will be carried out to identify the cause of the crush and prevent similar accidents in the future, he added. Officials said there was no immediate signs that narcotics were involved. Relevant authorities will conduct emergency inspections for Halloween events as well as other local festivals and ensure they are carried out in an orderly and safe manner, Yoon said. Yoon declared a period of national mourning that will run until Nov. 5. The finance ministry called off a planned press briefing with foreign media, while local officials canceled events including Halloween parties and the opening ceremony for one of the Koreas largest sales festivals. A major K-pop event in Busan that was expected to draw about 40,000 people was also canceled, the organizer said. South Korea Cancels Concerts, Government Briefings After Tragedy The accident is the worst to take place in South Korea since the sinking of the Sewol Ferry in 2014 killed 304 people, leading to criticism against the government at the time for its response to the emergency. Stampedes have occurred in the past, including in 2005, when 11 people were killed in Sangju city when crowds rushed into a concert venue. In 2006, 35 people were injured while trying to enter a theme park that was open for free in Seoul. The accident prompted world leaders including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to offer their condolences. China and Japan also sent their commiserations. --With assistance from Sangmi Cha and Eunkyung Seo. (Updates with number of deaths from first paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. A new Shelby County Clerks Office location was reportedly ready for customers on Halloween, but that opening has been extended, according to Clerk Wanda Halbert. On Monday, Shelby County Government said the new office, located at 3785 Riverdale Rd., was ready for business and could open to the public. RELATED: Shelby County Commission looks to keep Clerks Office on track The Shelby County Government tweeted, Were pleased to report that the County Clerks office on Riverdale is ready. Clerk Wanda Halbert and team now have everything they need to open to the public ASAP. This area has been underserved. Now we have another location where residents can get their tags and avoid lines. Those comments were echoed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris who said, Thanks to all of the County employees who worked overtime to make this asset operational as the Clerks newest satellite office. Later, in a letter to Shelby County Commissioners, Halbert said her team could not anticipate an opening until the first of December as a result of the cleanup our office would need to immediately address. Halbert had earlier said that the Clerks Office will hold a ribbon cutting to open the building up to Shelby County residents when its completed. After realizing every County Clerk facility was outside of legal requirements to serve all citizens, our team independently found an amazing bank to meet their needs, Halbert said. It is unfortunate the county mayor is attempting to suddenly take ownership of the project and its inception. Once our team addresses outstanding required local, state and federal facility needs, we will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and hope all neighboring citizens and customers join us to welcome their new community neighborhood County Clerk office. The new office would come amid the backlog of new Tennessee license plates that have left customers in Shelby County waiting on new tags for months and standing outside offices for hours. Story continues The backlog has created a confrontation between Halbert and the Shelby County Government. RELATED: Shelby County Clerks Office closes early on Friday, turning away two dozen people in line Recently, Halbert and Shelby County Government Human Resources Director Gerald Thornton exchanged comments on an apparent hiring issue. First of all, it doesnt take 60 to 90 days to hire anyone. The way the processes work, if Miss Halbert, submits a request it takes roughly 15 days once its through HR to get someone hired, said Thornton. Halbert responded, saying just last week, her office interviewed about 14 employees for positions and moved to the next stage with four of them. She said it doesnt take away from the difficulty of hiring. The backlog of work forced Halbert to close all of her offices for two separate weeks to catch up on the backlog. She was criticized by government officials for spending one of those weeks in Jamaica. RELATED: Wanda Halbert addresses critics after clerks office closes for a week to catch up Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: The Spartanburg and Cherokee Sheriff's Offices released the body camera footage of an Oct. 5 traffic stop of a bus containing Shaw University students and staff on Monday morning. Shaw University is a historically Black university located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright and Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller dismissed allegations of racial profiling and targeting the Shaw University personnel in the traffic stop. The stop occurred in Spartanburg County but the search was conducted by Cherokee County deputies as part of Operation Rolling Thunder, an escalated week-long operation by the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, along with other agencies, to seize illegal contraband, including narcotics, illegal weapons, and cash, along Interstates 85 and 26. This year's operation seized almost $1 million in currency. "I wish racism would die the ugly, cruel death it deserves. If anything we're ever doing is racist, I want to know it, I want to fix it, and I want to never let it happen again," Wright said. "But this case right here has absolutely nothing to do with racism." Sgt. Terrell Allen and Sgt. Cody Painter, the Cherokee County officers who performed the stop, were both present at the press conference and spoke to the media, describing the stop as routine. Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller "When the complaint was first brought to our attention, we watched the video. There's absolutely no truth in any of the remarks made by the president of that university," Mueller said. "It is sad as a Sheriff we have to stand up and defend our men and women who do things right.'" Shaw University President Dr. Paulette Dillard issued a statement Oct. 10 condemning the traffic stop. A spokesperson for Shaw said no further comment on the matter would be made by an university personnel while there is an ongoing investigation. An Oct. 28 letter, signed by several North Carolina members of congress, wrote a statement to United States Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting an investigation into the "unfounded" stop-and-search, which "deeply troubled" them, citing prior instances of alleged improprieties by the Sheriff's Office. Story continues In a word, I am outraged. This behavior of targeting Black students is unacceptable and will not be ignored nor tolerated. Had the students been White, I doubt this detention and search would have occurred. It's 2022. However, this scene is reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960sarmed police, interrogating innocent Black students, conducting searches without probable cause, and blood-thirsty dogs. Its hard to imagine. Yet, it happened to the Shaw University community, and it is happening throughout this nation in alarming fashion. It must be stopped. Dr. Paulette Dillard, Shaw University President in an Oct. 10 statement to the Shaw community Unfortunately, this is not the first allegation of racial bias against the Spartanburg County SheriffsOffice. In 2014, a Black former detention officer in the county filed a lawsuit resulting in a settlement claiming that the office used racial slurs and provided him with inadequate training compared to whitedeputies. In 2020, there was community outcry when Sheriff Chuck Wright said, We had everyopportunity to kill two Black men and we did not do it, while defending how deputies handled twoarrests. These incidents, coupled with the recent unfounded search of the Shaw students, indicate a needto further investigate the Sheriffs Office. A letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, signed by five members of U.S. Congress Wright said Dillard has been contacted three times to view the footage of the stop. "I've reached out to Dr. Dillard one time, Pastor [West Spartanburg NAACP president Eddie Parks] has reached out to her twice, so I know that's three times she's had the opportunity to come and stop all this," Wright said. Shaw University bus stopped Oct. 5 during Operation Rolling Thunder. Here's what we know. Nothing was found during the search and no students were asked to exit the bus. Wright said the bus, which was not a Shaw University bus, had tinted windows that made it impossible to see the bus passengers. Wright added 39 buses were stopped during Operation Rolling Thunder prior to the bus chartered by Shaw. Wright dismissed Dillard's comments about his agency as "slanderous and libelous," and lauded the officers' conduct during the stop as "professional." He also said interactions between the officers and the passengers on the bus were very cordial. Sgt. Cody Painter's body camera footage shows a sole K-9 sniffing luggage in the bus's cargo storage. After Painter searches a few bags and finds nothing, the traffic stop concludes with the bus driver receiving a warning for improper lane change. "We're out there trying to do our job, make sure people are being safe. You can't see inside those buses, I'm sure everyone has seen them on the interstate, those windows are pitch-black," Painter said. The topic of race relations, particularly concerning law enforcement, was addressed by Wright and the Cherokee County officials present. "Someone in Dr. Dillard's position should be helping to bridge the racial divide in our country that we see each and every day, rather than fanning the flames of racial divide," Mueller said. "The Jesus I serve doesn't see color, and neither do I," Allen said. Wright said the incident will not impact the future of Operation Rolling Thunder. More:Spartanburg County Sheriff Wright again highest paid county employee 2022 Operation Rolling Thunder data The race of the 803 people cited are as follows: White - 315 (39.2%) Black - 308 (38.4%) Hispanic - 125 (15.6%) Other - 55 (6.8%) The bus chartered by Shaw was one of 144 total vehicles searched during Operation Rolling Thunder. Wright said 39 buses prior to the Shaw bus were searched, and one bus yielded $500,000 and 2 kilograms of cocaine. ORT in total yielded $968,611 in currency seized. Operation Rolling Thunder resulted in 38 total criminal cases and 22 felony arrests. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Shaw University bus search: Sheriff Chuck Wright defends stop Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center on March 25, 2022. An Illinois man is suing Advocate Aurora Health and Facebook after the hospital system disclosed that it may have exposed the information of as many as 3 million patients who use its online patient portals and other tools. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) An Illinois man is suing Advocate Aurora Health and Facebook after the hospital system disclosed that it may have exposed the information of as many as 3 million patients who use its online patient portals and other tools. The lawsuit seeks class action status and was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Friday against the hospital system and Meta Platforms. It alleges that Advocate Aurora and Facebook violated the law as well as various privacy rights. Advertisement Advocate discloses its patients personally identifiable patient information and PHI (personal health information) to Facebook together in a single transmission, according to the lawsuit, filed by Illinois resident Alistair Stewart. This transmission occurs even though patients have not shared (nor consented to share) such information. Advocate Aurora said in a statement Monday afternoon, We take patient privacy very seriously, employ robust internal controls to protect patient data and are committed to compliance with all laws applicable to our operations. Advertisement Advocate Aurora, which has 27 hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin, recently posted a notice on its website citing pixel technology as the cause of the breach. The pixels are pieces of code that organizations can use to track how consumers use their websites and applications. Advocate Aurora said in a recent statement that it learned pixels and similar technologies installed on its patient portals, as well as on some of its scheduling widgets, sent patient information to the outside vendors that supply the pixels. People who were logged into their Facebook or Google accounts at the same time may have been particularly affected, Advocate Aurora said. Advocate Aurora has said that exposed data may have included IP addresses; dates, times, and/or locations of scheduled appointments; a patients proximity to an Advocate Aurora Health location; information about patients provider; types of appointment or procedures; and communications between patients and others on MyChart. The hospital system said it has launched an internal investigation and does not believe Social Security numbers, financial accounts, credit card or debit card information were leaked. The system said the breach is unlikely to lead to identity theft or financial harm and its seen no evidence of misuse of information or fraud. Like others in our industry, we have used internet tracking technologies to improve the consumer experience across our websites and encourage individuals to schedule necessary preventive care, the hospital system said in a statement. We are thoroughly evaluating the information we collect and track. As part of this evaluation and out of an abundance of caution, we have turned off pixels and related analytics tools across our online properties. With the lawsuit, Advocate Aurora joins a growing list of hospital systems being sued over their use of pixel technology. Locally, Rush University System for Health and Northwestern Memorial Hospital are also facing lawsuits. Advertisement The new lawsuit seeks damages and other relief. Advocate Aurora has reported its breach to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. Health systems must report breaches of protected health information involving 500 or more individuals to that office, which posts reports on a public website, nicknamed the Wall of Shame. The Office for Civil Rights investigates such breaches and can levy fines against health systems, depending on severity. iran A shocking new report from the British government details that the violent persecution of the Christian minority population continues unabated in the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Simply being a Christian is enough to get you arrested" in the Muslim-majority country, noted the United Kingdom's study on Christians and Christian converts in Iran. The report said that "many arrests reportedly took place during police raids on religious gatherings" and that "Christians, particularly evangelicals and converts from Islam, continued to experience disproportionate levels of arrest and detention." Late last month, the United Kingdom published its study detailing the severe mistreatment of Iranian Christians, who compose between 500,000 and 800,000 people of an estimated total population of 86.7 million in 2022. The number of Iranian Christians may exceed 1 million, based on other estimates, noted the study. According to the report, 99.6% of Irans population identifies as Muslim, with Iran classififying Twelver Jaafari Shia Islam as its state religion. IRAN HAS WORLDS FASTEST-GROWING CHURCH, DESPITE NO BUILDINGS - AND IT'S MOSTLY LED BY WOMEN: DOCUMENTARY READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP When asked what the U.S. and other world powers can do regarding the crackdown on Iranian Christians, Mansour Borji, an Iranian Christian who is the director of the religious freedom NGO Article 18, wrote in an email to Fox News Digital: "We believe the world leaders can play a positive role in helping the persecuted faith communities and end the religious apartheid in Iran. One of the effective measures that Western governments can take to help is sanctions targeting Iranian oligarchs and their families that are close to the regime, living abroad, by blocking their assets, imposing travel bans against them." Borji, who converted from Islam to Christianity, added, "Many of them have played significant roles in formation and implementation of discriminatory and oppressive policies of the current Islamic regime. They can also impose Magnitsky sanctions against those involved in human rights abuses." Story continues In 2016, the U.S. implemented legislation called "The Magnistsky Sanctions," named after the late Russian anti-corruption whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, to punish human rights abusers. When asked about the British government's report and what can be done to stop the persecution of Iranian Christians, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We persistently call for action against Irans human rights abuses in the United Nations and other multilateral fora. We also coordinate closely with Allies and partners, including the UK, to share information on potential sanctions targets. The State Department regularly announces sanctions perpetrators of these violations and urges like-minded partners to hold perpetrators of violations accountable. However, as a practice, we do not announce these actions in advance." Cross necklace hanging in front of a window IRAN PROXIES ENGAGED IN 'INVISIBLE JIHAD' AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN MIDDLE EAST, REPORT WARNS According to the U.S. State Department spokesperson, "Since 1999, the United States has designated Iran annually as a Country of Particular Concern for engaging in or tolerating particularly severe violations of religious freedom. The designation is based on information from all relevant sources, including the annual International Religious Freedom Report." However, critics of the Biden administration argue that the White House is prioritizing a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic, over human rights, and that it will enrich the coffers of a totalitarian regime in Tehran. According to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Iran expert, Saeed Ghasseminejad, "The new nuclear deal would allow Tehran to access up to $275 billion in financial benefits during its first year in effect and $1 trillion by 2030." Veteran critics of the Islamic Republic say the sanctions relief money will strengthen the clerical regimes domestic and foreign repression apparatuses. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have classified the Islamic Republic of Iran as the world's worst state-sponsor of terrorism. The September British study was released during the outbreak of widespread protests against the existence of the Islamic Republic due to the death of the 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini. Irans morality police allegedly murdered Amini for failing to properly cover her hair with a hijab. The grave of Mahsa Amini in her hometown of Saqqez, Iran. Photo obtained by Fox News Digital. IRAN PROTESTS AGAINST REGIME REACH DAY 40 AS PROTESTERS FIRED UPON BY SECURITY FORCES Current examples of the Islamic Republics efforts to weaken the Christian faith abound. The organization Middle East Concern (MEC), which defends the religious freedom of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, reported in August that two Iranian Christians were imprisoned in Tehrans infamous Evin prison. MEC said that Homayoun Zhaveh and his wife, Sara Ahmadi, were detained on August 13 after previous incarcerations for practicing their Christian faith. In 2019, Zhaveh spent a month in jail, and Sara was imprisoned for 67 days where "she endured extreme psychological pressure," wrote MEC. In 2020, the Iranian regimes opaque judicial system sentenced Sara to 11 years in prison "for her alleged role in leading a house church and Zhaveh to two years for house church membership," said MEC. Fox News Digital sent press queries to the Islamic Republic of Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to its Permanent Mission to the United Nations. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On Friday, the Iranian pastor Hekmat Salimi, his wife Shirini and their daughter Sama departed Turkey to secure asylum in the United States. According to a statement from the Anglican Office for Government & International Affairs, "An Anglican minister who fled Iran six years ago because of constant harassment by intelligence agents and multiple arrests has been granted his freedom as the US approves an emergency request to relocate the family from Turkey, where they have been living in hiding." Investigators enter the house where eight people died in an apparent murder-suicide involving two adults and six children in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on Oct. 28, 2022. Mike Simons / Tulsa World via AP The deaths of six children and two adults whose bodies were found in an Oklahoma house fire are being investigated as a murder-suicide, police said Friday. Officials discovered the bodies Thursday afternoon when they responded to the blaze at a single-family home in Broken Arrow, a city just outside of Tulsa. When firefighters arrived at the house, they found two adult bodies at the front of the residence with significant injuries that appeared to be criminal in nature, Fire Chief Jeremy Moore said. As they made their way to the back of the house where the majority of the fire was burning, firefighters found the bodies of six children, ages 1 to 13, in one bedroom. The two adults, who were identified as Brian Nelson and Brittney Nelson, are now the primary suspects in the death investigation. It did become obvious to all the fire personnel on the scene that this was a crime scene, Moore told reporters during a news conference Friday. To arrive on scene yesterday and see the looks on our first responders, my firefighters, faces, it absolutely broke my heart. A cause of death has not yet been determined, but police said they dont believe any of the victims died from the fire. Broken Arrow Police Chief Brandon Berryhill did not answer questions about whether the victims suffered gunshot wounds or other injuries, but told reporters that officials recovered firearms from inside the home. The situation is being investigated as a homicide due to the nature of where they were found and where the juveniles were found, Berryhill said. Ethan Hutchins, a spokesperson for the police department, told BuzzFeed News on Saturday that both adults are still considered suspects. We are waiting on the medical examiners investigation to be able to release the identities of the adults, he said in an email. When asked if police had previously received any calls about domestic violence at the location, Berryhill said it had been numerous years since the department had received a call about that residence. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services, which manages the states child and family services, did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed Newss request for comment. Story continues Kris Welch, the owner of the property, told the Tulsa World that the family had been renting the house from her for the last eight years. Welch said they seemed like a regular family. I feel like Im going to throw up, she said Friday as investigators went through the house. Welch told the local newspaper she did get some weird vibes from one of the renters, a man, and said the other, a woman, was quiet. She hardly ever spoke, honestly, she said. I always wondered about that. Traci Treseler, who said she lived down the street from the family for two years, told the Tulsa World she had thought there were only three children and was surprised to learn of three more. They were nice kids, but they always kept to themselves, Treseler said. She said she had invited the children to her daughters birthday party last year, but they declined the invitation and wouldnt take candy bags left over from the party. They said that they couldnt accept anything from anybody, Treseler said. It came across as a little weird to me at the time. But then I thought maybe its just about safety. Dial 988 in the US to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386. Find other international suicide helplines at Befrienders Worldwide (befrienders.org). A destroyed house in Andriivka Due to legal restrictions, the International Criminal Court cannot review the case of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and I consider it to be the primary international crime, which enabled all the subsequent atrocities against civilians, said Kostin. Read also: Presidents Office presents plan for Special International Tribunal to punish Russia, says Zelenskyy And we cannot afford to let this act of violence against an entire country to go unpunished. According to Kostin, the most realistic mechanism for creating a tribunal is a multilateral agreement, signed by individual governments and ratified by their parliaments. The official said he believes that a very wide range of countries would participate in such an initiative. Read also: Rada Defense Committee member says Putin cant be arrested while abroad More and more countries of the world are starting to support us now; in general, I didnt hear any arguments against it. Kostin added. Its a difficult process, but I am optimistic about the prospects. The number of countries willing to support the tribunal is growing: so far, we have unofficial support of 10-16 countries. Read also: Polish Senate unanimously declares Russian government as terrorist regime On Oct. 7, the Ukrainian parliament called on the international community to establish a special tribunal to adjudicate the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine NAIROBI (Reuters) - The number of people killed by two car bombs that exploded outside the education ministry in Somalia's capital Mogadishu has risen to at least 120 people, the health minister said on Monday. The al Qaeda-linked Islamist group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for Saturday's blasts, Somalia's deadliest since a truck bomb killed more than 500 people at the same location five years ago. The first of the explosions hit the education ministry at around 2 p.m. on Saturday. The second hit minutes later as ambulances arrived and people gathered to help the victims. Health minister Ali Haji Aden said the death toll stood at 120, while a further 150 people were being treated in hospital. Al Shabaab, which is seeking to topple the government and establish its own rule based on an extreme interpretation of Islamic law, frequently stages attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere. The Islamist group has been under pressure since August when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud began an offensive, supported by the United States and allied local militias, against them, and sought to dismantle their financial network. Analysts say the offensive is the most serious threat al Shabaab has faced in years. (Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Hereward Holland, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Kansas voters should be on high alert about third-party text messages giving them incorrect election information, a top state official warned Monday. The texts are not coming from election officials and often direct recipients to the wrong polling place, the Kansas secretary of states office said in a statement. Voters should be on high alert for these messages, said Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab. The Secretary of States office does not use third parties to contact voters or share election information on our behalf. State and local election officials are the trusted sources for election information, and I encourage voters to contact our office or their county election office for assistance. RELEASE: Secretary of State Warns of Election Misinformation. #kslegpic.twitter.com/KFNeI0QV6l KS Sec. of State (@KansasSOS) October 31, 2022 The texts started going out in the days before next weeks midterm elections. They appear to be from an out-of-state organization called Voting Futures, according to the Kansas secretary of states office. A website for an organization with that name is sparse, and its page with contact information is down. HuffPost reached out to the websites domain owner, which is listed as Contact Privacy Inc. and registered in Canada, but it has not responded to inquiries about whether it sent the texts. A Facebook page for the organization is flooded with people complaining about the text messages, which many have posted to their own social media accounts to warn others. Voting Futures was also the sender listed on similar texts sent out to Oregon voters earlier this month. It seems to be a widespread outreach effort by an organization named Voting Futures, but unfortunately, they are using data that isnt accurate, Tim Scott, the elections director in Oregons Multnomah County, told local news at the time. Story continues The Kansas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said it received reports that some of the texts purport to be from a group called Future Voices, which does not appear to be the name of any major organization in Kansas or elsewhere. ACLU Kansas legal director Sharon Brett urged people to call the organizations election protection hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE, if they receive any of these third-party texts. Doing so helps us track how widespread this was and where geographically its happening, she wrote on Twitter. ACLU Kansas said it has also received reports of texts purportedly from the group Black Voters Matter, which told HuffPost the messages with its name were sent in error by a third-party vendor it works with called Movement Labs. Movement Labs has acknowledged and taken full responsibility for the error, as BVM did not endorse these text messages, the group said. We are deeply sorry for the confusion that these text messages created and have taken steps to correct this situation. We are thankful for the community members and media representatives who brought this to our attention. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was spotted visiting her husband at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Sunday, two days after an intruder broke into their home and attacked him with a hammer. Paul Pelosi, 82, suffered a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands during the attack around 2:00 a.m. on Friday morning. He underwent surgery and is expected to fully recover. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., arrived at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital to visit her husband on Sunday. Speaker Pelosi was in Washington, D.C., when her husband was attacked at their San Francisco residence on Friday morning. A source tells Fox News that the suspect, David DePape, shouted, "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?" As officers made entry into the home, DePape started swinging the hammer at Paul Pelosi, according to police. PELOSI ATTACK: WOMAN CLAIMING TO BE SUSPECT DAVID DEPAPE'S STEPDAUGHTER SAYS HE WAS ABUSIVE Speaker Pelosi was in Washington, D.C., on Friday. She returned to San Francisco over the weekend and her motorcade pulled into San Francisco General Hospital shortly around noon on Sunday. Pelosi's motorcade arriving at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Sunday. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "The Speaker and her family are thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers from friends, constituents and people around the country," a spokesperson for Pelosi said in a statement. "The Pelosi family is immensely grateful to Mr. Pelosis entire medical team and the law enforcement officers who responded to the assault. The family appreciates respect for their privacy during this time." A group of doctors awaiting the arrival of Speaker Pelosi at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP DePape is facing charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary, and several other felonies. Election day is next week and there are big races on the ballot in Ohio, including the contests for governor and U.S. Senate. News Center 7s John Bedell is breaking down one of two complicated questions that is on the ballot for voters to decide on. State Issue 1 has to do with bail, which is money and conditions and maybe house arrest or drug testing, that people need to pay and follow to get out of jail before a trial. Bail is meant to make sure a defendant shows up for their court dates. Issue 1 is a constitutional amendment that Ohioans will vote on. If the issue passes with enough yes votes, it will make it easier to keep people behind bars before trial. The proposal says judges must consider the risk to the public, the suspects criminal record, whether theyre a flight risk and the severity of the crimes they are accused of. Opponents say judges in Ohio can already deny bail when theres a concern over public safety in a criminal case. Those against Issue 1 claim it would make an already broken cash bail system worse, one they said already discriminates against the poor and people of color. Supporters started their push for this amendment after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that cash bail can only be used to make sure a suspect appears at their court dates and that using it simply to keep a suspect in jail before trial is unconstitutional. Supporters also said this is all about public safety. Construction is underway on the new CTA Damen Green Line station at Lake Street on Oct. 31, 2022. It will fill a 1.5-mile gap near the United Center. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) More than five years after it was announced, a new CTA Green Line station near the United Center is under construction. The station at Damen Avenue is set to be complete in the first quarter of 2024, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation. It will fill a 1.5-mile gap between existing stations on the west branch of the Green Line and is intended to improve public transit for nearby residents, companies in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor, and visitors trying to reach the United Center to attend Blackhawks games, Bulls games and concerts. Advertisement The station and related work on Lake Street under the tracks are expected to cost about $80 million, and will be funded by the Kinzie Industrial Corridor Tax Increment Financing District, according to the city. An L station existed at Damen and Lake for decades, until it was closed in 1948. Damen was one of 10 stations on the Lake Street line closed at that time in an effort to speed up service, according to Tribune archives. Advertisement Advocates have long pushed to reopen a station at Damen, including the business incubator Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago. Executive Director Steve DeBretto said the return of the Damen station is a matter of equity. Its great to have many transit options for people who live here, work here or who just want to come here to shop, he said. The Kinzie Industrial Corridor, a planned manufacturing district where the organization is located, includes firms with workforces that come from surrounding neighborhoods and companies, like breweries, that draw visitors to the area. Key for those businesses are transit options to get to the site and to better connect the district with the center of the city, he said. The new station, designed by Perkins&Will, was initially expected to open in 2020. The completion date was then pushed back a year because city officials said they had to wait for the station design to be finished before awarding a construction contract. It was pushed back again because of the advance work needed to relocate utilities and reinforce column foundations, along with supply chain challenges and delays in getting materials, CDOT spokeswoman Erica Schroeder said. Construction is underway on the new CTA Damen Green Line station at Lake Street on Oct. 31, 2022, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Advance work has been underway since 2019, when the city began a project to reconstruct a stretch of Lake Street from Ashland to Damen and relocate structural columns to allow the new station to be built. The initial price tag shifted between $50 million and $60 million in earlier official statements. Schroeder said the $80 million figure includes the nearby site work, and a construction contract for the station project came in at $67.3 million. In the past decade, CTA has built other new stations intended to close gaps between existing ones. Morgan, which serves the Green and Pink lines east of the new Damen station, opened in 2012, and Cermak-McCormick Place on the south branch of the Green Line opened in 2015. sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com COVID-holiday-travel A woman wearing a face mask checks for flight arrivals at Los Angeles International Airport on July 1, 2022. Credit - Frederic J. Brown/AFPGetty Images After COVID-19 vaccines rolled out, many families said good riddance to Zoom and resumed in-person holiday gatheringsand with increasing numbers of people embracing pre-pandemic lifestyles, its safe to assume that will be the norm this year in the U.S. But the virus still infects tens of thousands of Americans each day, and experts fear another winter surge may be coming, just in time for the holidays. If youre planning to travel or gather with loved ones this holiday season, follow these expert recommendations to maximize your chances of staying safe and healthy. Get boosted now Should you get your Omicron booster now, or wait until right before the holidays? Dr. Kristin Moffitt, an infectious disease physician at Boston Childrens Hospital, suggests getting your shot now, rather than trying to time it for right before holiday events. After getting vaccinated, it takes a week or two for your immune response to develop. That protection should stay strong for at least two months, so if people got boosted now, their maximum immunity from that booster would get them through the end of 2022, Moffitt says. Before thinking about boosters, of course, you should make sure everyone in your family has had their primary vaccinations, says Dr. Lilly Immergluck, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Thats especially important advice for families with kids, given the dismally low vaccination rates among young children. Rapid test before you gather When new variants emerge, theres often concern that at-home tests wont be able to detect them. But Dr. Roy Gulick, chief of infectious disease at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian, says rapid tests should still pick up BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 infections, since those variants are Omicron relatives. Story continues Frequent testing can help prevent those in your circle from unknowingly spreading the virus at holiday events. When Immerglucks relatives stayed together over the Fourth of July weekend, she asked everyone to take a rapid test every day. Thats not a 100% [guarantee], she says, but its about as good as we could get. If you test negative but have classic COVID-19 symptoms such as sore throat, chills, and body aches, its still best to stay home, Gulick adds. Stay safe during travel Masks arent required for most travel anymore, but Gulick still advises wearing oneat least during certain portions of your trip. In general, air quality on planes is better than on buses and trains, so your chances of getting sick in the air are fairly low. But Gulick recommends masking while in the airport and when your plane is taxiing, since filtration systems may not be turned on when the plane is grounded. And if youre traveling by bus or train, its a good idea to mask during the entire journey. Keep an eye on the data COVID-19 case counts are not as accurate as they once were, in large part because so many people now test themselves at home instead of using laboratories where results are then reported to public-health authorities. But there are still some metrics you can watch to get a sense of viral prevalence in your area. Hospitalization and death rates are still solid indicators of how widely the virus is spreading, Immergluck says. Moffitt also recommends paying attention to test positivity rates. Even if fewer people get tested in laboratories, knowing the percentage of tests that come back positive is a fairly reliable marker because its relative to the number of tests that are being performed, she says. Consider who youre seeing If youll be spending time with loved ones who are immunocompromised, unvaccinated, or elderly, you may want to increase your precautions, perhaps by masking indoors or keeping festivities outside. We need to protect [vulnerable] people by not giving them the virus, Gulick says. Dont forget about other viruses COVID-19 has dominated our thinking for the last few years, but influenza and RSV are also sickening lots of people right now. Moffitt says thats all the more reason to take precautions like masking during travel and avoiding high-risk settings, such as crowded indoor events, in the week or so before your holiday plans. Getting a flu shot is also an important winter health measure, Gulick says, and one that can be done when youre getting your COVID-19 booster. (Reuters) -The joint venture that makes Jeeps in China will file for bankruptcy, partners Stellantis and Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) said on Monday, after a long decline for the oldest foreign auto brand in the world's largest car market. The move comes after Stellantis' surprise decision in July to end the venture with GAC, only months after saying it would raise its stake to 75% from 50%. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares at the time blamed the growing "political influence" in doing business with partners in China, while GAC said it was "deeply shocked" by Stellantis' decision. Stellantis has since said it would pursue an import-based business model in China and there would be no major long-term impact from the break with GAC. Importing means more tariffs. Tavares added this month a similar strategy could be followed with Peugeot and Citroen, the other brands Stellantis sells in China, meaning it could pull completely out of manufacturing in the country. Sales for the GAC venture, which sold the Jeep Cherokee SUV and the Compass crossover, have been in sharp decline for the past four years. They plunged 50% in 2021 from the previous year to 20,396 vehicles. For 2022, it has sold fewer than 2,000 vehicles, and in May reported selling just a single vehicle. U-TURN Stellantis' U-turn leaves question marks over its ability to thrive in China, where it is getting pummelled by international and local rivals. "No global car company can afford not to be in the largest car market in the world," Tavares said in late 2020, just before completing the merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA that created Stellantis. The group is aiming for revenues in China to reach 20 billion euros ($19.8 billion) by 2030, or 7% of the expected total - a steep jump from the 3.9 billion euros of turnover in China, India and Asia Pacific in 2021. Bill Russo, head of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility Ltd and a former Chrysler executive, said the Jeep venture had failed to keep up with changes in the Chinese market. Story continues "It had every right to be successful in a market that embraced sport-utility vehicles," he said. "But you can't be running a 1980s business model when the 21st century has arrived." Stellantis said on Monday it had fully impaired the value of its investment in the GAC venture in its first half results, which it previously estimated at about 297 million euros. GAC, which approved the bankruptcy filing, said the venture had liabilities of almost 111% of its assets of 7.3 billion yuan ($1 billion). The bankruptcy would not have a significant impact on its operations, the Chinese company added. CRITICISM Criticising both Europe's automotive market and Beijing's commercial policies - in contrast with a more cautious stance by Western competitors - Tavares said this month Chinese automakers should be subject to the same tariffs when exporting cars to Europe as European brands face when exporting to China. Foreign automakers have been under growing pressure in China, where the market has shifted quickly to battery-electric vehicles and domestic brands have been taking market share. Foreign manufacturers' share of China's auto market dropped 5.5 percentage points last year to 45.6%, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Chee-Kiang Lim, managing director China at Detroit-based consultancy Urban Science, said the joint venture model - which China had insisted on to ensure foreign brands shared technology with local automakers - was under threat. Chinese automakers are more "confident that they have closed the gaps with or even surpassed their foreign partners", so "we have to expect more JVs to unwind in the coming years", he said. The bankruptcy is the latest chapter in a turbulent history for the Jeep brand in China. The former AMC invested in a Beijing Jeep joint venture in 1984, the first such deal for vehicle production in China by an American brand. It then went through ownership changes after AMC was acquired by Chrysler and then Chrysler was bought by Fiat, which became Stellantis in 2021 after the merger with PSA. Tesla is the only global automaker that was granted a waiver to produce cars in China without a joint venture. ($1 = 7.2660 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru, Zhang Yan in Shanghai and Norihiko Shirouzu in Beijing, Giulio Piovaccari in Milan; Writing by Kevin Krolicki and Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Mark Potter) King. Elise Amendola/Press Association Images Elon Musk is reportedly considering making people pay $20 per month to stay verified on Twitter. Author Stephen King tweeted that he'll quit the site if that idea is implemented. "Fuck that, they should pay me," he said. Author Stephen King isn't a fan of the Elon Musk era of Twitter. The Verge reported on Sunday that Musk, who completed his $44 billion purchase of Twitter last week, is planning to charge $20 per month for verified users to keep their blue checkmark that signifies they are the real accounts of celebrities, politicians, journalists, and other public figures. King tweeted on Monday that he would leave Twitter if the plan is implemented. "$20 a month to keep my blue check? Fuck that, they should pay me," King said. "If that gets instituted, I'm gone like Enron." King's full-throated response highlights the risk of Musk's reported product change, and questions the central thesis of the idea: Will be people be willing to pay $20 a month $240 a year for a blue check mark? The move, which would essentially amount to sending a bill to your high-profile users, would likely boost Twitter's subscription revenue and further diversify it beyond the company's core advertising model. But the change could also drive away some of Twitter's biggest users. Many social networks, like TikTok and Meta, are doing the opposite and offering a pool of payments to big names and influencers using their platforms, with the idea being to drive growth by keeping happy the people who make the most-engaged content. The change would also open the door for fake accounts to impersonate journalists, celebrities, and government officials and organizations, which could lead to a surge in misinformation being spread on Twitter. Musk has already criticized strict social-media moderation, painting himself as a "free-speech" advocate. A mix of fewer verification badges and lax moderation guidelines could be a perfect storm of unchecked misinformation and conspiracy theories. Story continues King isn't the only public figure to denounce the potential plan. Nate Silver, editor of the political analysis site FiveThirtyEight, tweeted that he is "probably the perfect target" for the idea because he "can afford" it and is "not particularly anti-Elon," but he's "generated a ton of valuable free content for Twitter over the years and they can go fuck themselves." Josh Marshall, founder of the political news website Talking Points Memo, tweeted "I think they're going to be in for a rude surprise for how many people will pay $20 a month for a blue check." Musk's first few days as Twitter owner have been messy, beyond public figures saying they would leave the site. He immediately fired several top execs, including CEO Parag Agrawal. He also plans to layoff 25% of employees, according to The Washington Post. And far-right trolls quickly celebrated, with use of the N-word surging in the hours after Musk's acquisition. Read the original article on Business Insider A Gwinnett County student was injured Monday morning after a fight broke out in a school bathroom and another student sliced them with a box cutter. The fight happened at Grayson High School. The school district said a teacher was also in the bathroom and was able to break the fight up. The student who was attacked with the blade was taken to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. He is expected to be OK, the schools principal said in a letter sent home to parents. I want to be clear, what happened today is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Both students will face appropriate disciplinary consequences for fighting. TRENDING STORIES: The principal said what was even more disturbing, was that several students recorded the fights on their cellphones and posted videos of the fight on social media. That behavior is also unacceptable, against school district policy and those who engaged in that behavior will also face disciplinary consequences, the principal said. School officials said the student who used the box cutter will also face criminal charges. The incident is the latest in a series of violence and threats in Gwinnett County Schools. A student at Shiloh High school opened fire just minutes after dismissal after a fight on campus on Oct. 21. A Norcross High School student was shot and killed just steps from campus during school hours on Oct. 26. Brookwood High School was forced to go on lockdown for police to search room by room for a possible gunman on Oct. 26. Parents rushed to the school but police later announced no credible threat was found. The Superintendent called for the crisis of violence to end before todays box cutter incident. Story continues Some parents and teachers have publicly questioned the districts new discipline policy and the role it may play in the incidents. Before the start of the school year, the school board passed changes to its discipline policy by easing tribunal standards. The goal is to reduce the number of minority students disproportionally punished. IN OTHER NEWS: Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Facebook Looking back on it now, Bob Matlock cant believe the suspect was sitting right in front of him all along. Accused double murderer and CVS pharmacy technician Richard Allen, a 50-year-old father of two charged with killing Delphi, Indiana teens Libby German and Abby Williams on a hiking trail in 2017, was a regular customer at Matlocks tavern, JCs Bar. He would come in and we would always talk about the girls and everything, Matlock, 75, told The Daily Beast on Monday. We would carry on conversations about it, he would say, you know, its such a tragedy, and wed say we felt sorry for the families and all that, but we tried not to talk about it too much because we all knew the families, and were friends with the families. Matlock, who owned JCs from 2005 until it was shuttered in December 2021, said he has considered Allen and his wife Kathy good friends for nearly two decades. The couple were members of the bars pool league, and were active in the local community, according to Matlock, who said he spent time with them not only at JCs but outside of work, as well. He insisted there was never any indication that Allen, known to his friends as Rick, would later be implicated in the dual killings that shocked the small Midwestern town. I just couldnt believe it when they said they arrested him, said Matlock. I said, Well, that cant be the Rick we know. And then we come to find out it was There wouldnt have been any inkling to anyone that knew him that would expect him to do something like that. He just didnt seem that type of person. But you never know. In a dark twist, Allen posed for a photograph one evening in JCs near a police sketchmeant to be a rendering of Allens own facehanging on the wall behind him. In retrospect, Matlock doesnt think the depiction was accurate at all. A police sketch of Allen on the wall can be seen just over his right shoulder. Facebook/JCs Bar We were all sitting at the table there, we were having a pool night, and just having funwe were snapping pictures and everything, Matlock recalled. Every business in town had those [sketches] up. It just happened to be, he was sitting there at the time. But to me, that did not resemble Rick My other patrons around town [would] come in for breakfast or lunch, everybody would say, Christ, that dont look like anybody, or, It could be anybody. Story continues Libby and Abby disappeared the day before Valentines Day 2017. The two had gone out for a walk and never returned, prompting a massive search that night. The girls bodies were found the next day, near a creek. Libbys grandmother, Becky Patty, told The Daily Beast last December that the familys lives had been on hold for five years. In 2019, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said police believed the suspect was from Delphicurrently or has previously lived here, visits Delphi on a regular basis or works here. Investigators discovered a brief video on Libbys cellphone which was taken the day she and Abby vanished. The grainy footage appeared to show a man walking on a narrow bridge near where the girls had been last seen. In audio released by police, the suspect can be heard saying, Down the hill. To me, even the voice I didnt think that resembled Ricks voice, said Matlock. Everybody listened to all this, because everybody was interested. But Allen continued hiding in plain sight, even going out of his way to appear empathetic with one of his alleged victims families. Becky Patty and Libbys grandfather Mike told reporters on Monday that Allen didnt charge them to print funeral photos of the two girls when they brought them into CVS for processing. In an email, a CVS spokesperson told The Daily Beast, As members of the Carroll County community, we remain devastated by these murders and our hearts go out to the German and Williams families. We are shocked and saddened to learn that one of our store employees was arrested as a suspect in these crimes. We stand ready to cooperate with the police investigation in any way we can. As the investigation wore on, Matlock and his staff would bring food to a nearby police station where detectives were working late to solve the murders. He and all of the JCs regulars were keenly aware of developments in the case as they happened, since everyone in Delphi was waiting for answers. Allen was a quiet guy, and always so friendly, Matlock said. He said Allens wife was so sweet and works for a veterinarian. Kathy Allen was unable to be reached for comment on Monday. Indiana State Police There have been numerous persons of interest probed by cops over the years, including a 27-year-old Peru, Indiana resident named Kegan Anthony Kline. Kline, who is awaiting trial on a slew of charges including child solicitation, child exploitation, possession of child pornography, identity fraud, and obstruction of justice, allegedly confessed to having communicated with underage girls on social media, reportedly receiving more than 100 explicit photos and videos from them. Police searched Klines home 11 days after Libby and Abby went missing. However, he has not thus far been linked directly to their murders. At a press conference earlier Monday, Carter called Allens arrest a major step in leading to a conclusion of this long-term and complex investigation, but declined to provide further details about the evidence that finally led to Allens arrest. A probable cause affidavit in the case is sealed until further notice. Im totally in shock that its Rick, Matlock said. Theres got to be something [there], or else they wouldnt have arrested him. Until I hear exactly what they have, I'm just going to roll with it. Allens trial date has been set for March 20, 2023. The investigation, according to Carter, continues. with additional reporting by Pilar Melendez 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. The Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) Former Germany forward Sandro Wagner is under fire for a disparaging remark he made about Qatari men's traditional attire while commentating for TV during Germany and Spain's World Cup match on Sunday. Wagner was commentating on the teams' 1-1 draw for German broadcaster ZDF when he said in the 79th minute he thought one end of the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor was full of German fans. ZDF replied to some of the complaints on Twitter with a short statement: ''Sandro Wagner's comments about the thaub unfortunately occurred during an emotional phase of the game. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear two cases Monday that could mean the end of decades of race-based affirmative action at universities. The cases regard allegations that Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discriminate against Asian Americans and in the UNC case, Whites as well as they consider race in admissions. Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) sued each university, one public and one private, and will advocate for the Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college applications. The decision is expected to come next year. Legal experts anticipate the Court will overturn a precedent case, Grutter v. Bollinger, to end race-based university admissions. 'AMERICAN DREAM' AT STAKE IN HARVARD RACE-BASED ADMISSIONS CASE AT SUPREME COURT, SAY ASIAN AMERICAN LAWMAKERS Margot Cleveland, a former law professor and permanent law clerk to a federal appellate judge, said the Court is poised to overturn what it sees as another poor precedent. "When the Court releases opinion, which will likely not be for six months or more, the majority will likely adopt Chief Justice John Roberts' position in a 2007 case, when he wrote: The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race, is to stop discriminating on the basis of race," Cleveland told Fox News Digital. "Missing in this debate, also, is the reality that race discrimination is not a victimless proposition, and often another minority, namely Asian-Americans, suffer the consequences." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP YOUNG KIM ON FIGHTING HARVARD'S ADMISSION POLICIES, CRIME TARGETING ASIAN AMERICANS: 'LET'S NOT BE COMPLACENT' Justice Clarence Thomas speaks at the Heritage Foundation on Oct. 21, 2021, in Washington, DC. The precedent case on university admissions was decided in 2003 in a 5-4 decision that found affirmative action is legal so long as it is intended to try to achieve an educational benefit by having a diverse body. Justice Sandra Day OConnor wrote in the majority opinion that she "expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today." Story continues SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CASE THAT COULD END 40 YEARS OF RACE-BASED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, said OConnor may only be a few years off in her prediction. The decades-long debate on affirmative action for universities could finally reach its end, he said. "The two cases could prove to be the long-anticipated moments for a bright-line rule that has long escaped the Court due to its sharp divisions," Turley told Fox News Digital. SFFA originally sued Harvard in 2014. Lower courts ruled against the university but were later overruled by a Boston district court which found the alleged discrimination impacted a limited group of students. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Andrew McCarthy, the former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the facts in the case are clear: the universities received federal dollars and discriminated against a specific race. "It violates the law for universities to discriminate according to race, period," McCarthy told Fox News Digital. "The tragedy is that the Supreme Court ever said otherwise. The justices need to fix that." WASHINGTON Conservative Supreme Court justices indicated Monday that they are willing to end the explicit consideration of race in college admissions as they weighed cases challenging affirmative action policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University. Members of the court's conservative majority questioned the legal rationale for allowing the practice and probed to what extent colleges and universities could enact new "race neutral" admissions policies aimed at improving racial diversity. Some justices, however, indicated they would be willing to allow applicants to discuss their racial identities in some form as part of essays touching upon their experiences, such as examples of overcoming discrimination. Liberal justices, who are in the minority, defended the use of race in admissions, citing the importance of diversity on campus and the difficulty of achieving it without any consideration of race. Affirmative action, introduced to redress historic discrimination, has been a contentious issue for years, strongly supported by educational institutions and corporate America as being vital to fostering diversity and condemned by conservatives as being antithetical to the notion that racial equality means all races are treated the same. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, heard back-to-back oral arguments in the UNC and Harvard cases in actions brought by a group called Students for Fair Admissions, led by the conservative activist Ed Blum. A ruling is due by the end of June. Activists rally outside the Supreme Court on Oct. 31, 2022, as the justices hear oral arguments in the affirmative action cases involving Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (Shuran Huang / The New York Times via Redux) In almost five hours of oral arguments, conservative justices expressed hostility to explicit consideration of race in an application. "What do you learn from the mere checking of the box?" Justice Samuel Alito asked UNC lawyer Ryan Park. But some conservatives seemed more open to at least some recognition of an applicant's race as part of the process. If box-checking is not allowed, would it be acceptable if Harvard were "allowed to take into consideration what an applicant would say in an essay about having to confront discrimination growing up and how he or she did that?" Chief Justice John Roberts asked Cameron Norris, the lawyer challenging Harvard's policy. Story continues Norris said the university could lawfully consider such expressions of racial identity. Taylor Dumpson and her mother Kimberly Dumpson listen to oral arguments outside the Supreme Court on Oct. 31, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a former professor at Notre Dame Law School, was among those who seemed sympathetic to considering what she called a student's "experiential statement" that touched upon race, as opposed to the "box-checking" Alito referred to. The questions asked by Roberts and Barrett and similar comments from another conservative justice, Brett Kavanaugh indicated they were looking toward what kind of race-neutral policies to foster diversity could be considered if the court ends explicit consideration of race. Conservative justices appeared skeptical that colleges and universities would ever conclude that their diversity targets could be met without considering race, thereby creating a conflict with the Supreme Court's 2003 ruling that said affirmative action would no longer be needed after 25 years. Barrett wondered whether the 2003 ruling was "grossly optimistic" in suggesting that race might no longer need to be considered after the quarter-century aspirational deadline. "What if there's no end?" she asked. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas questioned whether colleges and universities have a compelling interest in diversity, while fellow conservative Neil Gorsuch expressed concern that the goal of achieving diversity was akin to having racial quotas, which the court has prohibited. Gorsuch also noted that Harvard, as part of its explanation of what constitutes a diverse class, includes children of wealthy donors, talented athletes and those whose parents attended the university. He expressed surprise that Harvard considered it vital to its diversity goals to have a competitive squash team. "I'm not making it up," Gorsuch said. Proponents for affirmative action rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 31, 2022 in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) As affirmative action supporters rallied outside the courthouse, the first oral argument on UNC's policy began with liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioning the challengers' lawyer, Patrick Strawbridge, about how college administrators can assess applicants from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds without considering race. "Sometimes race does correlate to some experiences and not others," Sotomayor said. "If you are Black, you are more likely to be in an under-resourced school. You are more likely to be taught by teachers who are not as qualified as others. You are more likely to be viewed as having less academic potential." Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pushed back against Strawbridges description of UNCs process, saying race is never considered alone. You havent demonstrated or shown one situation in which all they look at is race and take from that stereotypes and other things. They are looking at the full person," she said. The school is not solely considering race "just because somebody checks a box," she added. Jackson also questioned whether ending consideration of race would create new legal issues. She wondered, for example, whether it would be discriminatory if Black students descended from slaves were not allowed to speak about their family backgrounds on their applications but white students from North Carolina were still able to discuss theirs. While a white applicant "would be able to have his family background considered and valued," a Black applicant "wouldn't be able to, because his story is in many ways bound up with his race," she said. Liberal Justice Elena Kagan, who served as dean of Harvard Law School before the lawsuit was filed, strongly defended the value of racial diversity on campus, saying colleges are "pipelines to leadership in our society." The group's lawyers have asked the justices to overturn the 2003 ruling, Grutter v. Bollinger, in which the court said race could be considered as a factor in the admissions process because universities had a compelling interest in maintaining diverse campuses. The legal debate was left unresolved by a fractured 1978 Supreme Court ruling in which the justices prohibited racial quotas but left the door open to some consideration of race. In 2016, the last time the Supreme Court ruled on affirmative action, the justices narrowly upheld the admissions policy at the University of Texas at Austin on a 4-3 vote, with conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who has since retired, casting the deciding vote. The court shifted to the right after former President Donald Trump appointed three conservative justices. President Joe Bidens appointment of Jackson did not change the ideological balance of the court, as she replaced fellow liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. As Jackson served on Harvards board of overseers during the litigation, she has stepped aside from that case and will participate only in the North Carolina dispute. Blums group argues that any consideration of race in college admissions is unlawful under both federal law that bars discrimination in education and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. They argue that the UNC admissions policy discriminates against white and Asian applicants and that the Harvard policy discriminates against Asians. In both cases, lower courts ruled in favor of the universities. In defending their policies, the universities and their supporters including the Biden administration, civil rights groups, businesses and former military leaders argue that excluding someone based on race is completely different from seeking diversity on campus. The universities say race is just one factor that is considered as part of broad individualized analysis of each applicant. If affirmative action is ended, those defending the practice say, race-neutral policies aimed at achieving diversity will often fail, leading to declines in Black and Hispanic enrollment. The challengers point to examples in the nine states that already ban the practice as evidence that considering race is not essential. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Policemen keep a mob back as James Meredith, a Black student trying to enroll at the University of Mississippi, is driven away after being refused admittance to the all-white university in Oxford on Sept. 25, 1962. AP Photo The Supreme Courts historically low public standing has prompted a national conversation about the courts legitimacy. Its even drawn rare public comment from three sitting Supreme Court justices. Whats referred to by experts as the problem of judicial legitimacy may seem abstract, but the courts faltering public support is about more than popularity. Eroding legitimacy means that government officials and ordinary people become increasingly unlikely to accept public policies with which they disagree. And Americans need only look to the relatively recent past to understand the stakes of the courts growing legitimacy problem. Cost paid in blood The Supreme Courts 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education shined a light on many white Americans tenuous loyalty to the authority of the federal judiciary. In Brown, the court unanimously held that racial segregation in public education violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The justices were abundantly aware that their decision would evoke strong emotions. So Chief Justice Earl Warren worked tirelessly to ensure that the court issued a unanimous, short and readable opinion designed to calm the anticipated popular opposition. Warrens efforts were in vain. Rather than recognizing the courts authoritative interpretation of the Constitution, many white Americans participated in an extended, violent campaign of resistance to the desegregation ruling. Resistance in the South to the Supreme Courts school desegregation order was strong and often violent. This billboard urged impeachment of the courts then-chief justice, Earl Warren. AP photo The integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962 provides a pointed example of this resistance. The Supreme Court had backed a lower federal court that ordered the university to admit James Meredith, a Black Air Force veteran. But Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett led a wide-ranging effort to stop Meredith from enrolling at Ole Miss, including deploying state and local police to prevent Meredith from entering campus. On Sunday, Sept. 30, 1962, Meredith nevertheless arrived on the universitys campus, guarded by dozens of federal marshals, to register and begin classes the next day. A crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 people gathered on campus and broke into a riot. Meredith and the marshals were attacked with Molotov cocktails and gunfire. The marshals fired tear gas in return. Story continues In response, President John F. Kennedy invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807 and ordered the U.S. Army onto campus to restore order and protect Meredith. Overnight, thousands of troops arrived, battling rioters. President John F. Kennedy called in federal troops to quell the violence against James Merediths enrollment in the University of Mississippi in 1962. Lynn Pelham/Getty Images The violence finally ended after 15 hours, leaving two civilians dead both killed by rioters and dozens of wounded marshals and soldiers in addition to hundreds of injuries among the insurgent mob. The next day, Oct. 1, Meredith enrolled in the university and attended his first class, but thousands of troops remained in Mississippi for months afterward to preserve order. What some call the Battle of Oxford was fueled by white racism and segregation, but it played out against the backdrop of weak judicial legitimacy. Federal courts did not command enough respect among state officials or ordinary white Mississippians to protect the constitutional rights of Black Mississippians. Neither Gov. Barnett nor the thousands of Oxford rioters were willing to follow the court order for Meredith to enroll at the university. In the end, the Constitution and the federal courts prevailed only because Kennedy backed them with the Army. But the cost of weak judicial legitimacy was paid in blood. Legitimacy leads to acceptance In contrast, when people believe in the legitimacy of their governing institutions, they are more likely to accept, respect and abide by the rules the government including the courts ask them to live under, even when the stakes are high and the consequences are far-reaching. For example, two decades ago, the Supreme Court resolved a disputed presidential election in Bush v. Gore, centered on the counting of ballots in Florida. This time, the court was deeply divided along ideological lines, and its long, complicated and fragmented opinion was based on questionable legal reasoning. Clashes between riot police and Donald Trump supporters near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Shay Horse/NurPhoto via Getty Images But in 2000, the court enjoyed more robust legitimacy among the public than it does today. As a consequence, Florida officials ceased recounting disputed ballots. Vice President Al Gore conceded the election to Texas Gov. George W. Bush, specifically accepting the Supreme Courts pivotal ruling. No Democratic senator challenged the validity of Floridas disputed Electoral College votes for Bush. Congress certified the Electoral Colleges vote, and Bush was inaugurated. Democrats were surely disappointed, and some protested. But the court was viewed as sufficiently legitimate to produce enough acceptance by enough people to ensure a peaceful transition of power. There was no violent riot; there was no open resistance. Indeed, on the very night that Gore conceded, the chants of his supporters gathered outside tacitly accepted the outcome: Gore in four! as if to say, Well get you next time, because we believe there will be a next time. Risks ahead But what happens when institutions fail to retain citizens loyalty? The Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection showcased the consequences of broken legitimacy. The rioters who stormed the Capitol had lost faith in systems that undergird American democracy: counting presidential votes in the states, tallying Electoral College ballots and settling disputes over election law in the courts. The rioters may well have believed their country was being stolen, even if such beliefs were baseless. So, they rebelled in the face of a result they didnt like. This threat is far from gone. In addition to numerous important questions about individual rights and the scope of government power, the Supreme Court may soon be asked to resolve disputes over the administration of elections and the power to certify election winners particularly the authority to designate a slate of presidential electors. Nothing is certain in politics, but the specter of constitutional crisis looms over the United States. Its dangerously unclear whether the Supreme Court retains enough legitimacy to authoritatively resolve such disputes. If it doesnt, the courts abstract legitimacy problem could once again end with blood in the streets. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Joseph Daniel Ura, Texas A&M University and Matthew Hall, University of Notre Dame. If you found it interesting, you could subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Read more: Joseph Daniel Ura has previously received research funding from the National Science Foundation and funding for academic programs from the Charles Koch Foundation. Matthew E. K. Hall has previously received research funding from the National Science Foundation. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, shown in February, spoke in defense of affirmative action during arguments on Oct. 31, 2022. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The Supreme Court's conservative majority sounded skeptical of affirmative action during arguments Monday, questioning why universities should be able to continue using race as a factor in deciding who they admit. The justices were clearly divided as they heard challenges to the admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The six conservatives said the court in the past had upheld race-based admissions policies as a temporary measure, not permanent. In their comments and questions, they said it may be time for such policies to end. Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh said the court recognized "racial classifications are potentially dangerous and must have an end point.... Are we there yet?" he asked. Justice Amy Coney Barrett said she too was concerned about "the end point." She asked an attorney representing UNC, "Would you defend this in 2040?" "It never ends," said Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., because universities have said that "race matters." Justice Neil M. Gorsuch said the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that universities receiving federal funds may not discriminate based on race or ethnicity. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. have been steady opponents of college policies that use race. But the court's three liberals argued that affirmative action has been necessary and remains so. Justice Elena Kagan said the nation's top universities need racial diversity on campus. These schools are "pipelines to leadership in our society.... I thought that part of what it meant to be an American is that our institutions are reflective of who we are in all our variety." Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson strongly defended considering a student's race as one factor in weighing their applications. Why would universities consider "all of the other background personal considerations, but not race?" she said. She said it would be a mistake and maybe discriminatory if the high court barred the use of race entirely. She cited a hypothetical example of two students from North Carolina who apply for admission to "honor my family's legacy." Story continues The first student says generations of his family graduated from UNC, and the second says her ancestors were enslaved and "never had a chance to attend this venerable institution." "Now, as I understand your no-race-conscious admissions rule, these two applicants would have a dramatically different opportunity to tell their family stories and to have them count," she said. The first applicant could point to his family legacy as a reason to admit him, while the second would be "bound up with race" and not count, she said. Boston attorney Patrick Strawbridge, representing those seeking to strike down affirmative action, said students of all races can tell their family's history, but their race should not decide whether they are admitted or not. "The question is, is that [race] a basis to make decisions about admission of students who are born in 2003? And I don't think that it necessarily is," he replied. The challengers were asking the court to overturn its past rulings that upheld limited affirmative action in college admissions. Lawyers for the two universities urged the court to stick with its precedents and preserve affirmative action. They were joined by U.S. Solicitor Gen. Elizabeth Prelogar. Prelogar said a ruling in favor of the challengers would lead a sharp drop in "racial diversity at many of our nation's leading institutions," including corporate America and the nation's military. More than 40 years ago, the high court said colleges and universities had a "compelling interest" in having a diverse student body that included Black people, Latinos and Native Americans. And that goal justified using race as a "plus factor" in admissions. But the court's conservatives have never agreed with that view of the law. Instead, they have argued the Constitution's guarantee of "equal protection" as well as the civil rights laws of the 1960s forbid the use of race or ethnicity as a basis for discriminating among students who are seeking admission. During Monday's argument, it appeared the six conservative justices would vote against Harvard and UNC because both schools use race in their admissions policies in order to achieve campus diversity. But it was unclear whether the six agree on what comes next. Can the universities adopt a "race-conscious" policy that seeks to enroll more Black and Latino students by using targeted recruitment and financial aid? Several justices said such a policy makes good sense, even if it is not entirely "race neutral." What about relying on essays by students that give extra credit to those who have overcome hardships, including growing up in a low-income neighborhood? That too seemed to have solid support. The conservative challengers who sued Harvard argued the university should do away with its policy of preferences for children of graduates and big donors most of whom tend to be white and affluent and instead devote more time and money to enrolling talented students who come from low-income families, including Black people and Latinos. Lawyers said Harvard said the university is doing both and does not plan to change. The justices conservative and liberal liked the idea of judging students as individuals through a process that educators call "holistic review." But they were not entirely in agreement on what that would mean in practice. The chief justice asked about whether students could seek special consideration if they wrote about their African American heritage. "If all of a sudden the number of essays that talk about the experience of being an African American in society rises dramatically, will the consequences of that be the same" as giving students credit for being Black, he asked. Looking ahead, Kavanaugh said the court may struggle to decide what qualifies as a "race neutral" policy. Both sides in the cases cited the experience of the University of California after the 1996 ballot measure that prohibited using race or ethnicity in admissions. The liberals noted the enrollment of Black and Latino students fell sharply at UCLA and UC Berkeley, but conservatives said the UC campuses have succeeded in achieving diversity by making extra efforts to recruit and support students who came from families and high schools in lower-income areas. The justices will meet privately later this week to debate and vote on the outcome in the two cases, Students for Fair Admission vs. UNC and SFFA vs. Harvard. Jackson will participate in the first case only after recusing herself from the second one because she served on Harvard's board of overseers. It will probably be many months before they hand down a written decision. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Decades before he became arguably the most important art critic in America, long ago when print was king and being the most important art critic in America meant having the gravitas to influence the direction of the art world itself, Jerry Saltz vowed to stand outside of the art world looking in. Being from Chicago helped. Having a minuscule studio near the Red Line in the Loop helped. Meeting outsider Chicago artists like Joseph Yoakum and Lee Godie, and having grown up without much art at all, helped. Becoming a self-taught artist, and showing more affinity early on for the ancient art in the Field Museum than the celebrated art movements splashed across the Art Institute, that helped, too. As Saltz would write many years later, he loved that the Field was full of art removed from the burdens and judgments of the art world. He figured himself an outsider worm in the bowels of the insider hyena. Advertisement Then he lost his nerve. He owned a small Chicago gallery, and developed his own promising art practice; he worked with Rhona Hoffman and received a hefty grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and got reviewed in Artforum. Advertisement But he couldnt hack it. So, of course, he took a job as a long-distance truck driver. His CB radio handle was The Jewish Cowboy and he would sign on every day with Shalom, partner! He figures he has seen every place in the United States within a hundred yards of the highway interstate system. He did this for years fuming all the while, nursing a Chicago-ish inferiority complex, resentful about the art world he ran from. So, of course, he decided to be a critic. He had never written, but he figured writing about art was still easier than making it. Decades later, as senior art critic for New York magazine, he would win a Pulitzer for criticism in 2018. His new collection, Art Is Life, draws on his past 20 years of writing, and when he returns to his hometown Saturday for the Chicago Humanities Festival, Saltz returns as the closest thing we have now to a widely known art critic. Yet, as he sees it, hes still on the outside. Creative people always feel like they are outsiders, Saltz said the other day, from New York City. In many ways, all artists have always been outsiders. They are smelly shamans on the edge of the village who make things and are convinced they will make the world better and heal people, then have to convince other people these useless things will make the world better. Turns out, art does make the world better. Coming from Chicago meant (art-wise) we were definitely playing second fiddle to New York and the art happening there. But in all honestly, me and the artists I knew in Chicago in the 1970s thought we were the (expletive). Yet you make work out of your failings. But it leaves you thinking at three in the morning: I dont know what I am doing, I dont know history, I dont know how to write, my ankles are too fat. Doubt is the price of admission to the house of creativity. Without doubt theres no faith, and faith without doubt is certainty and not faith at all. My insecurities likely came from family but to feel (like an outsider) is an existential condition. He talks this way. All of it is sort hard to buy, but all of it is also sort of true. Saltzs writing and Art is Life is a near-perfect summary of a singularly critical voice is as outside as an insider with the ear of an entire industry can get. It doesnt make friends with artists or museums or curators and is free of the bloodless, stone-faced art speak that pollutes art schools, the labels on museum walls and contemporary criticism. No artist activates their gallery space or interrogates late-capitalist structure in his columns. He avoids dogmatic declarations (Painting is dead!) and scorched-earth definitiveness. But most importantly, despite writing about a medium that tends more toward solemn nods than squeals of excitement, Jerry Saltz can be very fun to read. A visit with Paleolithic paintings in France is dubbed his come-to-cave-art moment. Barack Obama, standing in his official portrait by Kehinde Wiley, looks open to his surroundings, part of them but not the only thing present. Proposed models for a 9/11 memorial resemble waiting rooms, food courts, corporate parks, underground malls, or airport architecture. He admits: If I stumbled on three or four of (George W.) Bushs paintings in a flea market, with no name attached, Id snap them up. He writes about the edge of something primitive in an Alice Neel painting and the avenging angel in the historical silhouettes of Kara Walker. Many of the essay titles alone in Art is Life speak to Saltzs approachability: Is There Great Art on Instagram? Zombies on the Walls: Why Does So Much New Abstraction Look the Same?, The Painting I Cant Stop Thinking About: Kerry James Marshall, RIP Thomas Kinkade, What the Hell was Modernism? Advertisement Jerry Saltz speaks during the Vulture Festival's tour of The Met Breuer on May 21, 2016 in New York City. (Thos Robinson) Though associated for decades with East Coast journalism, Saltz also fits neatly into the history of smart, egalitarian arts criticism born in Chicago, from Siskel and Ebert, to Margo Jefferson, to Chicago cultural vanguard Paul B. Moses (himself the subject of a new exhibit at University of Chicagos Regenstein Library). His background isnt dull, either. He grew up mostly in River Forest and attended Oak Park and River Forest High School (graduating at the very bottom of my class). His family moved there from a crappy apartment near 72nd Street on the South Side. His father, an inventor, had created the Dexter Sewing Machine (like a little stapler with a needle and thread and spool and you squeezed and sewed on buttons) then sold it on late-night TV, Veg-O-Matic-like. They got rich and bought a large house in the suburbs and had a housekeeper. When Saltz was 10 years old, his mother jumped out of a three-story window and killed herself. She was never spoken of again in the house. I wasnt sad. I went to school the next day. There was no funeral. Only later did I learn it was a suicide. My father remarried, a Polish working-class woman with two sons, one of which was my age who taught me the dark side of life. The first night together we snuck out and stole street signs and got caught. That house was always chaos. No meals were made for us. The housekeeper made vats of food and we ate on our own. We had our own doorways and dining room and no interaction with parents. I had to get out. The night he graduated high school he moved to Chicago and never returned home. He dropped out of the School of the Art Institute and worked as a security guard at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and despite seeming aimless, he become somewhat successful at art in Chicago. Until he received his NEA grant and he moved to New York and in a crisis of confidence, he imploded. I never had to be hospitalized but I had what I called a walking nervous breakdown. He spent hours alone in the truck, going cross country, raging that no one knew how great he was, certain he was right. At the same time, what did I learn out there, driving all that time? (Expletive) nothing, he said. I was only seeing myself, and I never left myself. I got so miserable in those trucks, anything had to be better, but I had no degrees and I was about 40 years old and I figured if I was an art critic I could meet women. I could make money, which is ridiculous. I could get famous, which is nuts. I taught myself to write by reading Artforum, but I taught myself to write how they wrote. Which was jargon. I would write about the late commodified object of the post-capitalistic simulacrum finding a liminal space of a haptic moment. I wrote that (expletive)! People said it was so smart! But because deadlines are sent from hell via heaven, one day, on deadline, while procrastinating, I didnt have time to lie or write jargon and I wrote what I really thought. That meant writing what I think works and what didnt and why. That clearly. I knew who critics were but I was not doing a lot of reading at first. I liked (critic) Gary Indiana. And I knew my wifes name, (New York Times art critic) Roberta Smith, but I doubt I ever read her. I was making it up as I went. I would watch Sister Wendy, that nun who had an art history show on TV, and I would think that I wanted to make art accessible like that. I dont think there is anything wrong with art talk its made many a liberation movement but I dont understand it. Advertisement It all took a while. He didnt become art critic of The Village Voice until 1998 (taking his wifes old job), then moved to New York magazine in 2006. Hes 71 now. Hes sick of the idea of progress in art, but says we are also living in the most extraordinary positive rewriting of art history which is the subtext of his new book. All the old (art world) ideas were not worthless but they also contained a hierarchy and now museums are rehanging walls. Underrepresented artists get to be mediocre! Most people who didnt have what I had by being male and white would have never had the second, third, fourth chances I got. Eventually, class will be addressed, too. New York remains, of course, the worlds art broker, but not, Saltz said, its creative center. He never wanted to leave Chicago, he said. The city celebrates eccentrics and outsiders. I was very proud of being from Chicago. If I was going to make it I felt I had to take a chance and leave, but my metaphysical self never left. In the 1970s (Chicago) was behind New York in art. Thats not so true anymore. Everyone can see everything at the same time now. But then all of this feeling about Chicago that took me 13 years or so to recognize. This gigantic treasure house I have is the voice of Chicago. Bad weather, bad manners, the worst accent in the country. I failed to appreciate my superpower and that was coming out from Chicago. Jerry Saltz: Art Is Life is 10:30 a.m. Nov. 5 at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. as part of the Chicago Humanities Festival; $20 at www.chicagohumanities.org cborrelli@chicagotribune.com Delphi, Indiana murder victims Abigail Williams and Liberty German. Screenshot / WTHR-TV Law enforcement said Monday that an arrest had been made in the deaths of Indiana teenagers Abigail Williams and Liberty German, whose 2017 disappearance and murders shocked the nation. Indiana State Police announced that Richard Allen, 50, had been charged with two counts of murder related to the girls' deaths. He has pleaded not guilty. Allen's arrest marks a significant milestone in the nearly six-year investigation into the crime. On Feb. 13, 2017, Williams, 13, and German, 14, went for a hike in the woods in rural Delphi, Indiana, on a day off from school. They were never seen alive again, and their bodies were soon discovered following an extensive search. The case generated significant media attention across the country, both for the heinous crime itself and for the fact that social media played a large part in the case. Williams had posted a picture of her and German on Snapchat soon before they were killed, and officials also released a grainy image and audio recording of the alleged killer speaking to the girls. During a press conference, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter called Allen's arrest "a major step in leading to the conclusion of this long-term and complex investigation," but added, "This investigation is far from complete." Cynthia Rossi, a friend of Williams and German, told CNN there was "a lot of hopefulness" that the arrest would provide closure. "I'm glad that justice will be served, hopefully, that that's what the news is," Rossi added. You may also like 7 terrifyingly funny cartoons about America's spooky political season Thousands commemorate Mussolini's rise as far-right sentiments continue to sweep across Europe Bolsonaro refuses to concede Brazilian presidential election By Paresh Dave and Steve Gorman SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -The man accused of bludgeoning U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer after breaking into the couple's home threatened to take her hostage and break her kneecaps if she lied under his questioning, according to a federal criminal complaint filed on Monday. David Wayne DePape's alleged intentions emerged as federal prosecutors charged the 42-year-old suspect with assault and attempted kidnapping in Friday's predawn break-in at the Pelosis' San Francisco home. Several state charges were filed separately in San Francisco Superior Court, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, elder abuse and threatening a public official, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced at a news conference. An arraignment was set for Tuesday, her office said. The 82-year-old speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, a Democrat who is second in the line of succession to the U.S. presidency, was in Washington at the time of the assault. Her husband, Paul Pelosi, 82, a real estate and venture capital executive, has undergone surgery for skull fractures and injuries to his hands and right arm, and he remained hospitalized on Monday. "Paul is making steady progress on what will be a long recovery process," the speaker said in a statement on Monday. The attack, which Jenkins called "politically motivated," has stoked fears about partisan extremist violence just over a week ahead of the midterm elections, on Nov. 8, that will decide control of Congress during one of the most vitriolic and polarized U.S. campaigns in decades. Democrats' continued control of both the House and the Senate is at stake. As one of the highest-ranking Democrats in Washington and a longtime representative of one of America's most liberal cities, Nancy Pelosi has been a frequent lightning rod for expressions of conservative criticism and contempt. Story continues Her office was ransacked during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of supporters of Republican President Donald Trump, some of whom hunted for her during the melee, following a fiery speech by Trump featuring false claims that his defeat in the 2020 presidential election was the result of fraud. AWAKENED BY STRANGER DePape was arrested by police officers dispatched to the Pelosis' home after Paul Pelosi placed an emergency-911 call reporting an intruder, according to an FBI affidavit filed as part of the federal criminal complaint. The San Francisco Police Department recovered zip ties in the bedroom and in the hallway near the front door. Police also found a roll of tape, rope, a second hammer, a pair of gloves and a journal in DePape's backpack, the affidavit said. The intruder had broken in through a glass door to the residence. Paul Pelosi, who was initially left unconscious from the attack, later told police that he was asleep when a stranger, armed with a hammer, crept into his second-floor bedroom and awakened him, demanding to speak with his spouse, the complaint states. According to Paul Pelosi's account in the affidavit, he told the intruder that his wife would be away for several days and the intruder responded that he would stay and wait for her. Pelosi's husband recounted that he managed to slip away to the bathroom to place the 911 call, the affidavit said. The suspect told police in an interview following his arrest that he planned to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage for questioning, and that if she told the "truth" he would let her go but if she "lied" he would break her kneecaps, according to the FBI affidavit. He told police he did not flee the Pelosi home after Paul Pelosi's 911 call because, according to the affidavit, "much like the American founding fathers with the British, he was fighting against tyranny without the option to surrender." Authorities said police officers arriving at the Pelosi home saw DePape and Pelosi struggling over a hammer. As the officers shouted at both men to drop the tool, DePape yanked the hammer away and struck Pelosi in the head before officers subdued DePape and took him into custody. DePape was charged in federal court with one count of assault on a family member of a U.S. official and one count of attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official. Prosecutors alleged the offenses stemmed from the suspect's intent to retaliate against the House speaker for her "performance of official duties." The federal charges carry a combined maximum sentence of 50 years in prison, the Justice Department said in a statement announcing the charges. The state charges are punishable by a prison sentence of 13 years to life, Jenkins said. Online messages recently posted to several websites by an internet user named "daviddepape" expressed bigoted sentiments against minorities, Jews, women and transgender people while embracing the cult-like, right-wing conspiracy theory QAnon. Older online messages promoted quartz crystals and hemp bracelets. Reuters could not confirm the posts were created by the suspect charged on Monday. Experts on extremist ideology have said Friday's attack appeared to be an example of a growing trend they call "stochastic terrorism," in which sometimes-unstable individuals are inspired to violence by hate speech and scenarios they see online and hear echoed by public figures. (Reporting by Paresh Dave in San Francisco and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch in Washington, Brendan O'Brien in Chicago and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Howard Goller, Rosalba O'Brien and Leslie Adler) WASHINGTON The Justice Department on Monday filed two charges in federal court against the suspect in Fridays brutal attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Prosecutors charged the suspected assailant, David DePape, with attempted kidnapping and assault with intent to retaliate against a federal official by threatening or injuring a family member. The FBI has been working with San Francisco police and the Capitol Police on the investigation into Fridays attack on Paul Pelosi. DePape is not expected to appear in federal court on Monday. DePape, 42, is also expected to appear in court this week on separate state charges. San Francisco police said DePape would be arraigned on charges of attempted homicide, first-degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury, elder abuse, threatening a public official, or family member, among others. Paul Pelosi, 82, remained in the intensive care unit surrounded by family members, a source with knowledge of the situation told NBC News early Monday. The FBI, San Francisco police, Capitol Police and the district attorney got his testimony on Sunday, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The source said he is awake and has all of his cognitive functioning and appeared to remember everything he told them his version of events. On Friday, he underwent successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands, Pelosis office said. His doctors expect him to make a full recovery. Two sources briefed on the investigation said the suspect was searching for the House speaker, who was in Washington, D.C., at the time of the attack. Before the assault occurred, the intruder confronted Paul Pelosi shouting, Where is Nancy, where is Nancy? San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said officers arrived at the Pelosi home just before 2:30 a.m. PT and observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer. The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Story continues Police tackled the suspect, disarmed him and took him into custody, Scott said. San Francisco police said Sunday that zip ties were found at the scene. According to a Pelosi family member, the suspect brought the hammer and broke the windows of the Pelosi home facing the backyard. The family member said once inside, the suspect was trying to tie up Paul Pelosi and said they would wait until Nancy got home. When the suspect wasnt looking, Paul called 911. The family member said Paul was home alone and was hit in the head with the hammer multiple times. When the police arrived, the suspect said, We are waiting for Nancy. The suspect appears to have operated a website on which he wrote a wide variety of posts touching on almost all manner of modern conspiracy thinking: aliens, Jewish people, communism, vaccines, voter fraud and many other topics. Two law enforcement officials said an early look at DePapes online footprint showed recent blog posts that espoused ideas typically associated with far-right extremism along with some liberal anti-establishment ideas. This article originally appeared on NBC News. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Sarah Ceniceros Candy has the unique ability to both unite and divide us. It can garner unwavering loyalty and spark fierce debatesdon't even get us started on Red Vines versus Twizzlers. Most importantly, it's at the center of so many traditions: We stuff our stockings with candy canes, we give sweet treats to our Valentines, and we eat our weight in Halloween candy. American candy culture comes with its own rituals and traditions. But one New York City-based brand is shaking up the sweets scene with Swedish sensibilities. BonBon, founded in 2018 by three Swedes, is bringing imported candy, soda, and snacks to an American audience. Sweden certainly knows a thing or two about sweets. According to a 2018 study by the Swedish Board of Agriculture, the country's citizens eat nearly 33 pounds per person annually. While candy-centric holidays like Halloween aren't as pervasive as they are in America, enjoying candy regularly has been ingrained into Swedish life for generations. The Swedish government, after years of ethically questionable medical testing in the mid-20th century, determined that limiting candy consumption to just once a week minimized tooth decay and other health issues. These findings led into a national ritual called lordagsgodis, which translates to "Saturday sweets." Nearly 75 years later you can still find children in Sweden flocking to candy stores every weekend to fill up bags of pick-and-mix candy. "It was our reward on our day off from school," says Leo Schaltz, one of the founders of BonBon, which now has two brick-and-mortar locations and another on the way. "It's such a big part of Swedish culture." The design of their store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, evokes that sensibility with a hearty dose of nostalgia. Framed prints of vintage candy posters feature many of the brands that fill their bulk bins. The candy carts are decorated with whimsical pink and blue striped awnings. Story continues Candy in Scandinavia is also different in terms of its ingredients. With much stricter government regulations on food production in Europe, many of the ingredients in American candies are nowhere to be found in Sweden. The titanium dioxide at the center of a Skittles lawsuit is outright banned in European confections, and American brands are forced to alter their recipes to keep their spots on shelves in the EU. And for Swedish brands, these restrictions are considered a source of pride. "If you look at the nutrition facts of our candy, you can recognize every ingredient on the list," says Sara Ciliberto, Online Growth Lead at BonBon. "Most Swedish candy is gluten-free, vegan, and has no high-fructose corn syrup." Instead of using gelatin, for example, gummies are made with a mixture of potato and corn starch to achieve their bouncy texture. The difference in texture and flavor is most obvious when you compare the bright red Swedish Fish with actual Swedish Fish (the ones you know and love are, in fact, made in Canada). The North American version has a tougher, waxier composition with artificial extracts giving it a vaguely fruity flavor. The Swedish-made Pastellfisk (meaning "pastel fish") come in paler hues as a result of the organic dyes and are more tender and almost sticky in texture. Each shade represents their naturally derived flavorslemon, orange, pear, and berry. BonBon has even launched a proprietary line of candy fish. Their Sour Wild Strawberry Fish are made in the south of Sweden and will soon be joined by elderflower, blackberry, and peach flavors. Another version of Swedish fish-shaped candy you won't find in your local supermarket is their licorice variety. In the U.S., black licorice is a divisive treat often skipped over for the strawberry-flavored version. In Sweden, however, it dominates the candy market. Over 30 different types of black licorice are on display at BonBon in retro-style bulk bins. Many of them fall under the umbrella of salmiak, which pairs the licorice with ammonium chloride for an astringent, salty taste. It's a far cry from the hyper-sweet treats in American candy stores, but Schaltz says there's a growing demand for it. "There's a secret society of licorice lovers," he says. "People all over the States hunt it down and get super excited that we have such a wide variety." At their Williamsburg location, the BonBon team built a counter specifically to host licorice tastings and convert skeptics. Regardless if you're a Swedish candy connoisseur or a newbie, the BonBon staff will pull samples from every corner of the store for you to taste. They will help you tailor your own custom bag of pick-and-mix to include some old favorites and undiscovered gems. And while the candy in the bins and the store's decorative touches are distinctly Scandinavian, the nostalgia feels universal. The excitement of choosing the whimsically shaped sweets makes you feel, quite literally, like a kid in a candy store. Those who can't make it to a BonBon retail locations in New York can still order a curated mix of their candy online. The team even partnered with a Scandinavian designer to create festive Halloween gift boxes so you can celebrate in style. "It's fun to see everyone get together and share their passion for candy," says Ciliberto. "We're excited to people to experience our brand nationwide." You Might Also Like For some, Halloween represents a night of nostalgia and freedom but some Black people simply just dont care for the holiday. Pumpkin Spice everything. Turning leaves and earlier nights. Candy corn (which I do not recommendever). October marks the beginning of what many consider the holiday season, with Halloween kicking off a two-month marathon of holidays and festivities. For many, its the perfect holiday there are no forced family interactions or hours of cooking, and you get to wear silly costumes, eat an abundance of candy, and participate in all things spooky. Theres a complex relationship between Black people and Halloween Photo: Getty Images Now, Halloween might have roots in Catholicism but if you grew up anything like me, you wouldnt dare put Halloween in the same category as holidays like Christmas or Easter. As a child of two Caribbean parents who migrated to this country, certain holidays never made sense, especially Halloween. My father was indifferent to the holiday, but in my Christian Caribbean mothers eyes, all the traditional eerie decorations and rhetoric associated with the holiday were demonic. So, Halloween was never a big deal. Fake spider webs or skeletons never adorned the trees and bushes outside my childhood home. Pumpkins rarely ever sat on the steps of our front porch and if one ever did make its way there, it was by way of me bringing home a class project. In my house, the only spirit we acknowledged was the Holy Spirit. This was (and is) a common theme in many religious and Black households, including those of evangelical Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Jehovahs Witnesses. When I was growing up, those who were deeply devoted to their religions viewed the celebration of Halloween as a celebration of the devil. As a result, many church kids I knew werent allowed to partake in any spooky season activities. Thankfully, my mother wasnt like that. Although she did not play into what she called the foolishness of Halloween, she did not completely deprive me of it. I have her own childhood experience to thank; after immigrating to the United States as a pre-teen, my mother understood firsthand how mean kids could be when you didnt follow their social norms. Though I never experienced the torment of being a Haitian kid in 1980s Brooklyn, I did know what it was like to be the token Black girl in a predominantly white and European school and neighborhood. So, every year until it wasnt cool anymore, my mom allowed me to dress up to go trick-or-treating. Story continues That said, there were a lot of limitations to my festivities, the main one being that I was not allowed to dress up as anything scary. So, in true girlie-girl fashion, I was a princess every year. From the age of 5 to approximately 12, I was a Black rendition of nearly every Disney princess. Another caveat to my participation was where I could trick-or-treat my entire trick-or-treating career was spent at the mall. Every year on October 31st, I frolicked around the mall with my parents, stopping at every store and kiosk to say trick-or-treat! Though spending Halloween night at the mall was admittedly beneficial to my candy collection, it stemmed from my parents skepticism of accepting things from other peoples homes. Considering the harm done to children on Halloween, I understand the precaution, but as a Haitian-American, I also know the cultural hesitance to accept things from people because you never know what spiritual energy or bad luck the object could be carrying even if its just a pencil from a harmless classmate. As a child, I mightve rolled my eyes, but as Ive gotten older, Ive become more and more understanding as to why my mother sucked her teeth every time I mentioned anything ghoulish. Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve, derives from the festival of Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival and pagan religious celebration marking the start of the harvest season. During the festival, followers believed the separation between the spirit world and the living would disappear, allowing the souls and spirits of the dead to return to earth. In an effort to protect the living world, the Celts would wear scary costumes to ward off the dead and burn offerings that attracted bats (believed to be harbingers of death), as well as practicing forms of witchcraft and divination. One of those ancient symbols that live on today is the jack-o-lantern. The modern-day Halloween decoration is based on the legend of Stingy Jack, a man believed to have tricked Satan so much that he was not allowed into heaven or hell upon his death. According to the legend, Satan gave Stingy Jacks ghost burning coal in a carved-out turnip to light his path as he roamed the earth in punishment. Eventually, Celts began carving scary faces into pumpkins instead of turnips in hopes of scaring away evil spirits. Remember when I said the only spirit my Bible-believing mother acknowledged was the Holy Spirit? Given its history, its not surprising that most Catholics associate Halloween with the devil. However, it is surprising how many Black people adhere to that same belief, given that across the Caribbean and Africa, various practices, ceremonies, traditions, and even religions honor far more than just the Holy Spirit. It was the Middle Passage and the Christianization of enslaved people that demonized these centuries-old cultural beliefs, distancing many of us from our own spiritual communions with our ancestors. All of these factors cause some Black people, like me, to have a complex relationship with October 31st. To this day, I cant bring myself to dress up as a witch or anything scary for Halloween, and even when I join my friends in watching scary movies or going to haunted houses, I always picture my mother sucking her teeth disapprovingly, asking why Im wasting my time and money participating in this foolishness. But the fact is, this foolishness symbolizes something different for everyone. For some, Halloween represents a night of nostalgia and freedom; for others, fear or even a healing of their inner child. So if Halloween triggers more tricks than treats for you, its OK. Under the costumes, its complicated. Haniyah Philogene is a multimedia storyteller and Lifestyle reporter covering all things culture. With a passion for all things digital media, she goes above and beyond to find news ways to tell and share stories. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Can we talk about Halloween? appeared first on TheGrio. Terraform Labs CEO and co-founder Do Kwon faces yet another legal battlethis time in a Singapore court, which is set to hear a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 350 international investors. They claim to have lost about $57 million in the collapse of the algorithmic stablecoin TerraUSD (UST) and its ecosystem, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The legal claim states that the UST stablecoin, being pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar, was designed to act as a store of value and as such was supposed to be protected from the volatility of the cryptocurrency markets. The Terra ecosystem imploded in May this year, with more than $40 billion of investors wealth wiped out in a matter of weeks. Terra's collapse accompanied a massive crypto selloff, sending the prices of Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies tumbling. The crash led to the bankruptcies of high-profile crypto lenders Celsius and Voyager, as well as hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, and prompted increased scrutiny towards crypto investing and stablecoins from regulators across the world. How Terra's UST and LUNA Imploded It is alleged that Kwon, despite being aware of the structural weakness of the UST stablecoin, made fraudulent misrepresentations, inducing investors into purchasing the asset. The lawsuit is led by Julian Moreno Beltran, a citizen of Spain who claims to have lost about $1.1 million worth of TerraUSD, and a Singapore native Douglas Gan Yi Dong. Many other claimants, who say they are entitled to claim for the loss and damage suffered in purchasing the UST tokens, as well as unspecified aggravated damages, invested tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in TerraUSD, according to court documents. Other defendants in the lawsuit are the Singapore-incorporated Terraform Labs PTE Ltd, the companys former head of research Nicholas Platias, and the Luna Foundation Guard (LFG), a fund established to support the growth of the Terra ecosystem. Story continues The lawsuit was filed on September 23, with the hearing scheduled for Wednesday, November 2. Terraform Labs denies wrongdoing A spokesperson for Terraform Labs, however, rejected the allegations, adding that the firm will defend itself against the claims laid out in the lawsuit. "There is a fundamental difference between a public market event and fraud," the spokesperson said in a statement cited by the WSJ. "The risks were publicly known and discussed, and the underlying code was open-sourced." Kwon is also wanted by South Korean authorities, who issued an arrest warrant for the Terraform Labs boss in September, charging him with violating the countrys capital markets act. Interpol also approved South Korean prosecutors request to issue a red notice for Kwon. Terra Co-Founder Do Kwon Developed Crypto Twitter Persona for 'Entertainment Value' Earlier this month, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs canceled Kwons passport. The Terraform Labs chief was also slapped with a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. in June, while the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly investigating whether the company violated federal investor protection rules with the way it marketed UST. Despite facing numerous investigations into the collapse of Terra, Kwon, whose whereabouts are unknown, has denied allegations that the project was a fraud. He also claimed that he had personally lost nearly all his net worth in Terras crash. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty, Twitter Since Friday morning, every new detail about the violent assault of Paul Pelosian apparent assassination attempt on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the third in line for the presidency, who was in D.C. during the attackhas been more chilling than the last. We now know the hammer-wielding assailant was a far-right, QAnon conspiracy theorist identified as David Depape, who had a long history of of disturbing online activities ranging from disparaging George Floyd to denying the Holocaust. And we know his language and tactics during the attack eerily reflect those of Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Then, over the weekend, as former President Donald Trump remained conspicuously silent about the attack for several days, other top Republicans weighed inby pushing a baseless, homophobic conspiracy theory that Paul had been attacked by his gay lover and joking about the brutal assault that left an 82-year-old man with a skull fracture. Read more The conspiracy theory was born when a local Fox affiliate misreported and then retracted a baseless claim that Depape had been in his underwear when police arrested him. Since, the Santa Monica Observera website known to publish fringe, far-right lies (including that Hillary Clinton had died and been replaced by a body double for a presidential debate)has successfully pushed an entirely false story that Depape was a gay sex worker who shared a prior relationship with Paul, and that Paul had willingly let Depape into his home. By Sunday morning, Elon Musk, the new CEO of Twitter, had shared the theory in response to a tweet from Clinton about the attack. Before Musk deleted the tweet hours laterwithout an apology or retractionit had drawn well over 100,000 likes and tens of thousands of retweets. (If this is the man now in charge of discerning misinformation on Twitter going forward, it should go without saying that were in serious trouble.) Story continues Right-wing media and influencers have further claimed Depape was a leftist agent whose far-right social media activities were a fabrication, citing reports that Paul spoke in code to the police dispatcher, referring to Depape as a friend, as evidence of a prior gay relationship. The lies have spread widely despite how a newly released summary of the FBIs interviews with Depape make it clear he broke into the home and intended to kidnap the Speaker. By Sunday night, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) had posted a since-removed joke mocking Nancy: That moment you realize the nudist hippie male prostitute LSD guy was the reason your husband didnt make it to your fundraiser, he captioned a photo of the Speaker. Don Jr., the former presidents large adult son whose social media activities include posting bizarre memes appearing to sexualize his own sister, then joined in, sharing a tweet with a photo of male underwear and a hammer captioned, Got my Paul Pelosi costume ready. Trumps eldest son quote-tweeted the tweet, The internet remains undefeated, adding a quick, pitiful little jab at Hunter Biden, too. This man is a member of Congress. He will chair a Homeland Security subcommittee if my opponent helps Republicans take control of Congress. I don't think his priority is fighting inflation. pic.twitter.com/00hqqkiWsp Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) October 30, 2022 GOP leaders have either refused to condemn the assassination attempt, celebrated it, or created conspiracy theories around it. https://t.co/fnUayeMwRU pic.twitter.com/6sQJllRvz2 Brian Tashman (@briantashman) October 31, 2022 Its impossible to overstate how deeply stupid and cruel the conspiracy theories and jokes about the attack on Paul are. Theyre a product of years of disturbingly violent right-wing rhetoric targeting Nancy and other Democratic leadersnamely womenstemming from both top Republicans and popular right-wing media. Not so long ago, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) was at the center of a right-wing kidnapping conspiracy. And often enough, the threats of violence come from Democratic politicians very own co-workers: Just last year, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) shared videos of an anime version of himself murdering Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene famously once shared a post claiming Nancy Pelosi could be handled with a bullet to the head. Conspiracy theories all but blaming Paul for the attack were almost inevitable, given the current state of right-wing media and its hold on Republican elected officials. And considering one of the most popular right-wing lines of attack these days is accusing Democrats of being gay groomers, a story framing Paul as a closeted gay man worthy of blame and mockery for being severely beaten by a right-wing intruder was inevitable, too. From the attack itself to the twisted rumor mill its since conjured, every aspect of this devastating story can essentially be traced to right-wing media and rhetoric from top Republicans. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Mulvaney's video has received nearly 12 million views. @dylanmulvaney/TikTok/Steve Granitz/Getty Images TikToker Dylan Mulvaney has over 8 million followers and was invited to the White House last week. Mulvaney, who is a trans woman, was later criticized by Senator Marsha Blackburn and Caitlyn Jenner. Mulvaney responded to Jenner with a six-minute video posted to her TikTok account. TikToker Dylan Mulvaney responded to Caitlyn Jenner's negative comments about her, calling on Jenner to "think back" to her own transitioning journey. On October 30, Mulvaney posted a TikTok captioned, "Day 233 - a message to Caitlyn." In the video, Mulvaney spoke directly to Jenner and said, "I automatically have a lot of respect for you as a fellow trans woman. But then you decided to ridicule me very publicly." Mulvaney, who has over 8 million followers, went on to show screenshots of Jenner's tweets, published between October 26 and October 27, including one in which Jenner misgendered the TikToker by using he/him pronouns in reference to Mulvaney's genitals. The exchange between Jenner and Mulvaney is the latest in a series that began on October 25 when Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn tweeted a recording of a TikTok Mulvaney posted in May. In the video, Mulvaney spoke about walking around with a "bulge" in her trousers and called for people to "normalize the bulge." "Dylan Mulvaney, Joe Biden, and radical left-wing lunatics want to make this absurdity normal," Blackburn wrote. Jenner responded, "@MarshaBlackburn thank you for speaking out and having a backbone one of the best senators we have. Let's not 'normalize' any of what this person is doing. This is absurdity." In another tweet posted by Jenner on October 27, Jenner said that Mulvaney had been "normalizing exposing your genitals in a public way and a public place." Mulvaney referenced both tweets in her response video, which received nearly 12 million views. She said that Jenner was making it sound like she was "some creepy flasher exposing myself" and said that her previous video about "a bulge" was not about indecent exposure. Story continues Mulvaney implored Jenner to "think back" to the early days of her own transition journey. Mulvaney said that she made the video about her "bulge" because she was "embarrassed" about her body. "I wanted to reclaim my body in a positive way, and now you've taken that and you turned it into something really ugly," Mulvaney said. Mulvaney said that in the aftermath of Jenner's tweets about her, she has been subject to harassment and name-calling, including being called a "freak," a "child predator," and an "absurdity." Addressing Jenner directly, Mulvaney said, "You have personally subjected me to thousands and thousands of hateful eyes, a number of which could very well want to hurt me, and that's the power you have." Mulvaney added that "a trans person invalidating another trans person's transness is pretty evil," and said she no longer has any interest in "getting to know" Jenner. Despite her apparent feelings towards Jenner, she told her followers to refrain from sending any hate or negativity towards Jenner, including misgendering the former Olympian. Jenner previously said on Twitter that she received death threats from "the so-called 'inclusive' LGBT community," after tweeting about Mulvaney and other news topics in recent days. Jenner, an Olympic decathlete formerly married to Kris Jenner, came out as trans in 2015 and underwent a surgical transition in 2017. For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here. Read the original article on Insider A truck carrying approximately 2,200 gallons of oil overturned in a crash in Newtown early Monday morning, according to police. The Newtown Police Department responded to New Lebbon Road in Newtown before 7:30 a.m. Monday for a report of an overturned oil truck. Investigations into the crash determined the truck had left the roadway and struck a utility pole. The truck then overturned and began spilling oil, police said. The driver, a 41-year-old Naugatuck man, was not injured in the crash, police said. Utility wires did not come down in the crash, according to police, but Eversource responded to the scene. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Newtown Public Works and the Sandy Hook Fire Department responded to the scene. Cleanup was expected to take several hours, police said. Kanye West watches the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, on March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File/AP) Kanye Ye West attacked the family of George Floyd on Sunday shortly after saying he wanted to apologize for false statements he has made about Floyds death. In an Instagram post, the rapper lashed out against Roxie Washington the mother of Floyds daughter after she moved to file a $250 million lawsuit over his recent remarks about the police brutality victim. Wests post has since been deleted. Advertisement In June 2020, West, who now goes by Ye, reportedly donated $2 million to the Floyd family. He also reportedly launched a college savings fund for Floyd and Washingtons young daughter, Gianna, after police officer Derek Chauvin killed Floyd by pressing his knee into Floyds neck for nearly nine-and-a-half minutes. However, West drew sharp criticism this month for falsely claiming on an episode of the Drink Champs podcast that Floyds death was fentanyl-related and that Chauvins knee wasnt even on his neck like that. Washington is now planning to sue West for harassment, misappropriation, defamation and infliction of emotional distress, according to an Oct. 18 press release from her legal team. Advertisement Now for Roxie Washington and Roxie Washington ALONE, West captioned a photo of Washington on Instagram this weekend. [ Kanye West says he lost $2 billion in one day after antisemitic comments: This Is love speech ] I gave 2 million dollars out of my pocket for the family. To help Georges daughterYour daughter! ... Many gave words. I ACTED. Now because of words you want to sue me for 250 million dollars ... when Im going through an Economic lynching. A Digital Lynching. A Social Credit Score bankrupting. An attorney representing the Floyd family, Pat D. Dixon, declined to comment Sunday on Wests latest remarks. Earlier this month, Dixon condemned Wests previous comments as a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyds life and to profit from his inhumane death. Youre either being controlled or youre being greedy, West continued in his Instagram attack on Washington. This is how you try someone who was there for your family???? You will never get money from no one else. GOD dont like ugly. Wests Instagram rant came and went days after he told paparazzi that he wanted to apologize for his Drink Champs remarks about Floyd. When I ... questioned the death of George Floyd, it hurt my people. It hurt the Black people, West told paparazzi in a video credited to Buzzipper/LAGossipTV. In the same clip, West also addressed the swift fallout from his recent racist and antisemitic behavior, which has resulted in a number of companies from Adidas to Balenciaga severing ties with him. [ Chicago dumping Kanye too? Wieners Circle marquee quip, West Loop mural repainting signal rejection ] God has shown me by what Adidas is doing and by what the media is doing I know how it feels to have a knee on my neck now, he told paparazzi. So thank you, God, for humbling me and letting me know how it really felt. Because how could the richest Black man ever be humbled other than to be made to not be a billionaire in front of everyone ... ? Advertisement West cited his paparazzi interview Sunday in his Instagram caption, which read: To the Floyd family: I apologized to you and the black community for my comments on Drink Champs. Humbly Now Come get Roxie before she mess up all yall money. In recent weeks, West has come under fire for his fraudulent Floyd remarks, White Lives Matter stunts and antisemitic outbursts, which have led to antisemitic incidents in Florida and Los Angeles. Free speech rights do not include harassment, lies, misrepresentation, and the misappropriation of George Floyds legacy, said Kay Harper Williams, an attorney representing the Floyd family, earlier this month. Some words have consequences and Mr. West will be made to understand that. (Bloomberg) -- Former President Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to block a congressional committee from getting years of his tax returns. Most Read from Bloomberg The emergency application to the justices on Monday comes after Trump repeatedly lost in the lower courts trying to stop the Internal Revenue Service from fulfilling a request from the House Ways and Means Committee for six years worth of his tax returns. The IRS is set to turn over the tax returns to the committee on Nov. 3. Trump asked the Supreme Court to stop the agency from sharing the documents until he has a chance to formally petition the justices to take up the full case. The case presents important questions about the separation of powers that will affect every future President, Trumps lawyers argued. Allowing the House Ways and Means Committee to obtain a presidents tax returns would render the office of the Presidency vulnerable to invasive information demands from political opponents in the legislative branch, they added. Trumps lawyers also questioned the committees reasons for why it wanted his financial records, claiming the true purpose was to release Trumps tax documents to the public for the sake of exposure. They argued that the judges who initially heard the case showed too much deference to the committee and ran afoul of a balancing test laid out earlier by the Supreme Court in a fight over Congress access to Trumps financial records, Trump v. Mazars. Trumps request to stop the committee from immediately getting the documents will go to Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts, who handles emergency matters out of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, could act on Trumps request by himself or circulate it to the other justices for a vote. Story continues The case dates back to 2019, when the committees Democratic Chair Richard Neal asked the IRS for Trumps tax returns, citing a 1924 law that allows the leaders of three tax committees in Congress to ask the US Treasury secretary for the returns of any taxpayer. The Treasury Department refused to comply with the request while Trump was in office and the committee took the fight to court. Trump picked up the fight on his own when the department under the Biden administration said that it would turn over the documents. Trump argued the committee lacked a legitimate legislative purpose in seeking his tax returns, a common claim hes raised in challenging Congressional investigations and lawmaker demands for documents over the years. The committee said that it needed the returns to consider future legislation on issues like presidential compliance with tax rules, public accountability, and the IRS mandatory audit policy for presidents. A federal district judge in Washington, DC, sided with the committee and Treasury Department in December, ordering Trumps claims dismissed. A three-judge DC Circuit panel upheld that decision in August. Trump asked the full DC Circuit to reconsider the panels ruling. The court denied that request in a brief order issued on Oct. 27; no judge noted a dissent. That order started a seven-day clock for Trump to ask the Supreme Court to step in before the IRS released the documents to the committee. (Updated with more information from Trumps emergency application.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Former President Trump filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court Monday after a lower court declined to reverse its ruling mandating that he turn over his tax records to the House Ways and Means Committee. Trump on Thursday lost his latest bid to block the panel from accessing his records after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to reconsider a unanimous August ruling from one of the courts three-judge panels ordering their release. House Democrats have been seeking the records for years, saying they need to probe how the IRS conducts its routine presidential audits, while Trumps attorneys have argued the matter is purely political. The Committees purpose in requesting President Trumps tax returns has nothing to do with funding or staffing issues at the IRS and everything to do with releasing the Presidents tax information to the public, Trumps attorneys wrote in the filing. The emergency filing comes after Democratic lawmakers celebrated the lower courts Thursday decision to not take further action. The law has always been on our side, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) said in a statement. Former President Trump has tried to delay the inevitable, but once again, the Court has affirmed the strength of our position. Weve waited long enoughwe must begin our oversight of the IRSs mandatory presidential audit program as soon as possible. The panels oversight subcommittee chairman echoed that sentiment, with Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) noting it has been 1,303 days nearly as long as the Civil War since the committee first requested the records. Presidents and vice presidents have undergone such auditing since 1977. Federal tax law also requires Treasury Department officials to hand over individual tax returns upon receiving a written request from the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. Trumps lawyers had argued that the law is unconstitutional and that compliance with the request would pose First Amendment and separation of powers concerns. Story continues The August ruling that Trump is seeking to overturn determined that the request was well within the committees purpose, as it was made in furtherance of a subject upon which legislation could be had. Further, the Request did not violate separation of powers principles under any of the potentially applicable tests primarily because the burden on the Executive Branch and the Trump Parties is relatively minor, Judge David Sentelle, an appointee of former President Reagan, wrote in the opinion. The Monday request from Trumps attorneys came as his legal team gave opening statements in New York in a separate case accusing both the Trump Corporation and Trump Payroll Corp. of helping executives avoid paying taxes by offering off-the-books perks. His company is also facing another civil lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general for financial fraud, a matter the state also referred to the IRS. Updated at 1:54 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Former President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday afternoon to block his tax returns from being handed to Congress. In an emergency appeal, Trump said the release of the records, which could happen soon as Thursday, would cause irreparable harm and demanded the court put at least a temporary hold on the Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee receiving the documents. The Committee has no pressing need for (Trumps) information, Trump attorney Cameron Norris wrote. Lower courts ruled that the committee has broad authority to obtain tax returns and rejected Trumps claims that it was overstepping. If Trump can persuade the nations highest court to intervene in this case, he could potentially delay a final decision until the start of the next Congress in January. If Republicans recapture control of the House in the fall election, they could drop the records request. The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman, Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trumps tax returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue Services audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A federal law says the Internal Revenue Service shall furnish the returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers. The Justice Department, under the Trump administration, had defended a decision by then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A lawsuit ensued. After President Joe Biden took office, the committee renewed the request, seeking Trumps tax returns and additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in court. Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained copies of Trumps personal and business tax records as part of a criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which rejected Trumps argument that he had broad immunity as president. With News Wire Services Former President Donald Trump seen in 2019. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Former President Donald Trump filed a request with the Supreme Court on Monday to prevent the Internal Revenue Service from releasing his tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee. Trump's filing asked the nation's highest court to step in after a federal appeals court ruled that the IRS could legally hand over his tax returns to the Democrat-helmed committee, which has authority over taxation law. "The Committee's purpose in requesting [former] President Trump's tax returns has nothing to do with funding or staffing issues at the [IRS]," Trump's legal team wrote in the filing. "This case raises important questions about the separation of powers that will affect every future President." The filing added, "No Congress has ever wielded its legislative powers to demand a President's tax returns," however, this is because every modern president since Richard Nixon has voluntarily made their tax returns public, something Trump has refused to do. Trump's filing comes as the looming midterms could put a stop to the years-long investigation into the former president's tax returns. This would particularly be likely if Republicans gain control of the House, in which case CNBC noted they would likely end the Ways and Means Committee's efforts to uncover Trump's taxes. However, this would likely not spell the end of legal troubles for Trump. Sources within the GOP told The Hill that Republicans are expecting the Justice Department to indict Trump "within 60 to 90 days after [the midterms]" on charges related to classified documents kept at his Mar-a-Lago home. You may also like 7 terrifyingly funny cartoons about America's spooky political season Thousands commemorate Mussolini's rise as far-right sentiments continue to sweep across Europe Bolsonaro refuses to concede Brazilian presidential election Steven Senne/AP Photo; Insider Republican Geoff Diehl is running against Democrat Maura Healey in Massachusetts' gubernatorial race. The state has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election cycle since 1988. Healey is likely to flip the Massachusetts governor's office in November. Former Republican state Rep. Geoff Diehl faces off against Massachusetts' Attorney General Maura Healey in the state's gubernatorial election. The current governor, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, decided against seeking a third term. Massachusetts' gubernatorial candidates Diehl previously served the state's 7th District as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Prior to running for public office, he worked in advertising and television production and later served as a business development executive. Diehl is endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Healey has served as the state's attorney general since 2015. Upon taking office, she became the first openly LGBTQ state attorney general in the nation. After earning her law degree from Northeastern University, Healey clerked for Judge David Mazzone in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Prior to her time as attorney general, she was a junior partner at the international law firm Wilmer Hale and also served as a special assistant district attorney in Middlesex County, where she tried drug, assault, domestic violence, and motor vehicle cases. If she wins in November, Healey would be the first openly gay person and the first woman elected governor of Massachusetts. (Gov. Jane Swift was the first woman to serve as Massachusetts governor, from 2001 to 2003, but she did not win her own term.) A recent Emerson College/WHDH poll indicated that Massachusetts voters prefer Healey to Diehl, 52% to 34%. Massachusetts' voting history Massachusetts backed President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump by 34 percentage points in 2020. Since 1988, Massachusetts has voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election cycle. Story continues This race is also one of six Republican-held governorships up for election in a state carried by Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Unlike in the presidential election cycle, Massachusetts has voted for the Republican candidate in every gubernatorial election cycle since 1990, excluding 2006 and 2010. The money race According to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Diehl has raised $1.1 million, spent $927,992, and has $88,507 on hand, as of October 24. His opponent, Healey, has raised $4.6 million, spent $4.3 million, and has $3.6 million of cash on hand, as of October 24. What experts say The race between Diehl and Healey is rated "likely Democratic" by Inside Elections, "solid Democratic" by The Cook Political Report, and "safe Democratic" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- A lawyer for the Trump Organization told jurors in its criminal tax fraud trial that the alleged scheme was carried out by longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg and others -- not by Donald Trump and definitely not by the company. Most Read from Bloomberg Donald Trump did not know that Allen Weisselberg was cheating on his personal tax returns, defense attorney Susan Necheles told the jury in her opening statement Monday in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Weisselberg pleaded guilty this summer in a deal that reduces his sentence in exchange for his truthful testimony against two units of the company. The trial threatens to reveal the inner workings of the real estate empire that set Trump on his path to the White House. The evidence will be crystal clear, Necheles said, asking the jurors to remember, when they deliberate on their verdict at the end, that this is not a referendum on President Donald Trump. That is one of the few things the defense and prosecution agree on: The jury must focus on the defendants -- the two business units. In her own opening earlier Monday, Assistant District Attorney Susan Hoffinger told the panel that after Trump won the US presidency, Weisselberg directed an unnamed underling to erase any mention of secret payments from the ledgers. The evidence will show that when Donald Trump was elected president at the end of 2016, these companies finally had to clean up their tax practices, said Hoffinger, who is chief of investigations for the Manhattan DAs office. There was concern about extra scrutiny of these companies because of Donald Trumps election. Story continues Read More: Trump Is Elephant Not in the Room for Tax-Fraud Trial Even though Trump isnt charged in the case, it took only about half an hour for his name to come up on Monday, with Hoffinger mentioning it several times. This case is about greed and cheating -- cheating on taxes, she told the jury about the more than decade-long tax dodge prosecutors allege. The units, Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp., paid their already highly compensated executives even more by helping them falsify their tax obligations, she said. The two are accused of evading payroll taxes by compensating some employees, including Weisselberg, with perks such as company cars and rent-free apartments. Everybody Wins Trump personally signed off on the payment of private school tuition for Weisselbergs grandchildren, Hoffinger told the jurors. After describing the alleged scheme, she summed it up. Everybody wins here -- Allen Weisselberg and these companies, she said. Of course, everybody but the tax authorities. Trump has called the case the greatest witch hunt in American history. After openings, prosecutors called to the stand the trials first witness, Trump Organization Controller Jeffrey McConney. McConney, a ruddy man with white hair and a mustache, has worked for the firm for more than three decades, earlier as an assistant controller for Trumps father, Fred. In her opening statement, Hoffinger had told jurors they would hear from McConney and and see false W-2 forms concealing Weisselbergs actual compensation, invoices of executives personal expenses and notes from the company detailing bonuses and checks -- all evidence of the firms alleged scheme. Read More: Trump Firms Tax Fraud Trial Promises Ex-CFO as Star Witness Under questioning by Assistant DA Joshua Steinglass, McConney testified that defense attorney Necheles had advised him on how to answer questions on the stand. Did she tell you to hit certain points? Steinglass asked. Yes, McConney said. Dramatic Moment During jury selection last week, prosecutors said some of their witnesses wouldnt meet with them. That problem became apparent Monday when McConney testified that he had refused to prepare his testimony with the DAs office, saying his lawyer objected, though he added that he had met with a Trump attorney on Sunday. Steinglass asked the court for permission to treat McConney as a hostile witness, allowing prosecutors to cross-examine their own witness and try to impeach his credibility -- a highly unusual move. New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan denied the request. I havent had the opportunity to see this witness refuse to answer a question, Merchan said. Read More: Trumps Deepening Peril Put Squeeze on CFO to Take Deal, Testify Still, when McConney resumed his testimony, he pushed back at times -- for example, when the questioning suggested he had overseen all of the payroll disbursements. We were relying on people who worked with us for a number of years to do their jobs right, he said. To say Im responsible for it -- I guess you could say it from the 50,000-foot level, but there were others. There was the occasional playful moment as well. I know youre trying to trick me, McConney said with a smile after Steinglass misspoke, briefly confusing gross income with net income. Company Ledgers Prosecutors did get the general ledgers the Trump Organization kept during the alleged conspiracy entered as evidence in the case, after they agreed to remove the names of Trump children and grandchildren. The ledgers include comprehensive records of payments the company made to its senior executives. Steinglass argued they go directly to how camouflaged these transactions are. While the judge didnt release them to the public, the ruling let Steinglass begin walking jurors through records that showed Weisselberg and his wife got perks like a Mercedes-Benz each, leased and paid for by the company. Read More: Trump Organization, CFO Plead Not Guilty to Tax Fraud Scheme Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who inherited the case from Cyrus Vance Jr. and was criticized for not securing an indictment against Trump himself, was sitting in the back of the courtroom Monday. The trial is expected to last about six weeks. The case is People v. Trump Organization, 01473-2021, New York State Supreme Court (Manhattan). (Adds fights over McConney and the companys ledgers in the last two sections.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Election 2022 (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Former president Donald Trump has officially endorsed the New Hampshire GOP senate candidate who recently spread a widely debunked hoax about children being encouraged to relieve themselves in litter boxes at school. Writing on his little-used Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said Mr Bolduc has run a great campaign for the New Hampshire senate seat currently held by Maggie Hassan, and further claimed that the GOP candidate won his partys nomination because he was a strong and proud election denier. Mr Trump also noted that Mr Bolduc had walked back some of the lies hed spread about the conduct of the 2020 election in the Granite State but said the retired Army general had come back by spreading false claims about out-of-state voters being bussed in to vote for Democrats on election day. Don Bolduc has asked for my Endorsement, and hes got it, Complete [and] Total, he said. The twice-impeached ex-presidents endorsement of Mr Bolduc comes just days after he spread a discredited hoax at a candidate forum. According to CNN, Mr Bolduc claimed children are being encouraged to identify as cats and other animals at school in the same way some people identify as transgender. Guess what? We have furries and fuzzies in classrooms, he said. They lick themselves, theyre cats. When they dont like something, they hiss people walk down the hallway and jump out. Not a single aspect of what he said is in any way true, but Mr Bolduc is not the first Republican candidate for federal office to spread the same lies. Last month, Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed that schools are lowering desks and setting out litter boxes for students who allegedly identify as cats. Theyre embracing lies, literally embracing lies, Ms Greene told reporters outside a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. If some student wants to pretend like a cat and use a litterbox after school, thats their prerogative, whatever. But no, the school, the school resources and the other students and teachers should not have to be put through that because its a lie and we have to reject them. NEW YORK Convicted ex-Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg will give the "inside story" of how the company allegedly used years-long tax fraud scheme to boost executive pay, Manhattan prosecutors said Monday. The teaser came during opening remarks in the firm's long-awaited New York Supreme Court criminal trial one case in an increasingly complex web of legal woes for former President Donald Trump. The former president is not involved in the case, but the charges could lead to financial penalties for the Trump Organization if a jury finds it engaged in a 15-year scheme to pay Weisselberg off the books. This case is about greed and cheating, cheating on taxes, Susan Hoffinger, the chief of investigations for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, told the court on Monday. The scheme was conducted, directed and authorized at the highest level of the accounting department." Weisselberg's testimony will give you the inside story of how he conducted this tax scheme. In opening statements, Hoffinger detailed allegations that Trump personally paid private school tuition for Weisselberg's grandchildren and signed a lease for the top lieutenants Upper West Side apartment overlooking the Hudson River, because he wanted him to live in Manhattan rather than commuting from Long Island. Trump Corp. attorney Susan Necheles, meanwhile, tried to insulate the former president and urged the jury not to let their opinions of Trump cloud their judgment. You must not consider this case to be a referendum on President Trump or his politics, she said. "It started and it ended with Allen Weisselberg. Allen Weisselberg did this." Weisselberg pleaded guilty in August to all 15 counts he faced, including tax fraud and larceny. Now he'll play star witness in the expected month-long trial, where prosecutors must convince a jury that Trump Org. units the Trump Corporation and Trump Payroll Corporation share responsibility for concealing $1.76 million in compensation. Story continues Necheles claimed Weisselberg was only implicating the company to avoid a lengthy prison sentence. If he fulfills his plea agreement and testifies truthfully, he is expected to be sentenced to five months on Rikers Island. Should he violate the deal, he could face up to 15 years in prison. The prosecutors had him paraded in front of cameras in handcuffs. Mr. Weisselberg realized he was facing not just public humiliation, but a potential jail sentence that could be years long, she said. I will ask you to consider the extreme pressure he is under. Prosecutors said Weisselberg and corporate defendants also dodged taxes by reporting some of his bonuses as being paid to an independent contractor rather than an employee. They also failed to disclose that he lived in New York City, allowing him to avoid paying local income taxes. Weisselberg reported directly to Trump for 35 years, Hoffinger said. And Trump so confided in him that he made Weisselberg a trustee when he became president and put his personal assets in a trust. The fraudulent tax practices came to an end after Trump became president, prompting the company to clean up its act out of concern for increased scrutiny, the assistant DA said. If convicted, the company could be fined $1.6 million. The corporations are charged with nine felony counts, including criminal tax fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records. The case is one of a slew of legal threats bearing down on the former president. Also in New York, Attorney General Tish James brought a lawsuit against Trump, his children and his company last month, accusing them of large-scale fraudulent financial practices. That suit charges Trump falsely inflated his assets for more than a decade and seeks to bar him and his family members from engaging in real estate transactions or serving as officers of any business in New York. A separate Justice Department investigation into Trumps handling of classified documents led to an FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where reams of documents were seized. A broader criminal investigation by the Manhattan DA into Trumps business practices also remains open, though it stalled early this year when Bragg declined to bring charges against Trump personally. Bragg was in the courtroom for Mondays opening argument. Prosecutors hoped to compel Weisselberg to cooperate with that broader probe, but he did not agree to do so as part of his plea deal. Two American college students were among the 154 people killed in a crowd disaster during Halloween celebrations in the South Korean capital of Seoul on Saturday night. South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declared a week-long period of national mourning on Sunday for those who lost their lives in the crush that resulted after as many as 100,000 revellers packed tightly into the Itaewon nightlife district. Among the dead was Anna Gieske, 20, an American nursing student at the University of Kentucky who had been studying abroad in South Korea and recording her travels on Instagram. "I have the incredibly sad responsibility to inform you of the loss of one of our students over the weekend," said university president Eli Capilouto in a statement to students and faculty on Sunday. "There arent adequate or appropriate words to describe the pain of a beautiful life cut short. It isnt fair, nor is it comprehensible. It is loss and it hurts in ways that are impossible to articulate. Steven Blesi, a 20-year-old student at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, was also killed in the disaster, according to his father Steve Blesi. "We just got confirmation our son died," said Mr Blesi Sr on Twitter on Sunday. Thank you for the outpouring of love. We need time to grieve. He told The New York Times: "[My son] was an adventurous spirit and a loving spirit. Thats the only way I know how to describe him. And the loss is just unbearable. Thank you for the outpouring of love. We need time to grieve. Steve Blesi (@steve_blesi) October 30, 2022 It is not yet clear exactly how or why the disaster happened. South Korean police have formed a nearly 600-strong task force to investigate the incident. However, early reports and statements by emergency services officials suggest that this was a crowd crush, in which people were trapped so tightly together, or under so much weight from people who have fallen on top of them, that they could not breathe. Story continues Witnesses and survivors described a "hell-like" chaos of people falling on each other "like dominoes", with the entire Itaewon area jammed with vehicles and crowds of partygoers that prevented rescuers from reaching the victims. It was reportedly the first public Halloween celebration in three years following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, and most of the dead were teenagers or adults in their twenties. A crowd crush at a football match in Indonesia killed 130 people earlier this month, while a similar event at the Astroworld Festival in Texas killed 10 people last year. The Whole Woman s Health of Minnesota clinic, which opened to patients in February, provides abortions in the state and is located just a few minutes from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. (CHRISTINA SAINT LOUIS/Kaiser Health News/TNS) The move, as the crow flies, was about two miles just across the Red River into Minnesota. But for North Dakotas last abortion provider, it was a world apart. We were very sad to leave Fargo, said Tammi Kromenaker, director of the Red River Womens Clinic. The state forced our hand. It was time to hop the river. Advertisement Expecting North Dakota lawmakers to pass anti-abortion legislation even before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, Red River had begun looking for a Minnesota home last fall. It signed the paperwork on the new clinic June 23, a day before the high court announced its Dobbs decision. That day, a supporter approached Kromenaker and proposed a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the move. I was like, Sure. Whatever. Go for it, she said. Thank goodness! Advertisement The reaction to Dobbs energized abortion rights supporters. Red River fund organizers quickly increased their initial fundraising goal of $20,000 to $250,000. Over four days, more than 10,000 donors contributed more than $750,000. On Aug. 6, as volunteers ferried equipment to the new clinic, the fund hit $1 million. I literally lost my breath, Kromenaker recalled. Looking back months later, she said, it is still surreal. While the Supreme Court decision has changed the abortion landscape dramatically across the nation, few states have been as affected as Minnesota, which has become an island of access in an increasingly restrictive Upper Midwest. Neighboring Wisconsin, which had four clinics providing abortions before Dobbs, now has none. Among other bordering states, South Dakota has adopted some of the most restrictive abortion policies in the nation, and Iowa is expected to follow. [ Abortions in Illinois for out-of-state patients have skyrocketed. And some wait times are exceeding three weeks ] Minnesota clinics report a surge in patients from not only neighboring states but also from as far away as Texas. As out-of-state patients travel to larger metro areas, some in-state patients have had to seek appointments in more remote parts of Minnesota. And abortion has become an issue in the November elections for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, both Democrats. At Red River Womens Clinic, Kromenaker anticipated opposition in Moorhead as she and her colleagues researched the zoning requirements for a new site. A Minnesota anti-abortion group, Pro-Life Action Ministries, had vowed to stymie the clinics relocation but admitted it had no legal footing to stop the move. The anti-abortion groups executive director, Brian Gibson, did not respond to a call seeking comment. But Red Rivers new facility, about a five-minute drive from the Fargo clinic, offers other advantages, most notably an entrance from its private parking lot. Before, because the Fargo facility was on a city street, patients faced a gantlet of anti-abortion protesters. Patients would come in rattled and upset, Kromenaker said. (Now) patients demeanors are so different. Theyre not rattled. Advertisement But some patients face difficulty traveling to reach the Minnesota clinics. Ripple effects across Minnesota In the first 100 days after Roe was overturned, 66 health clinics in 15 states stopped providing abortion care, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. Fourteen of those states had accounted for more than 125,000 abortions in 2020, it said. (The 15th state, Georgia, still allows limited early abortions.) As court challenges play out and new legislation emerges, the number of states barring abortions could total as many as 26, said Ruth Richardson, CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central, which has 28 health centers across a five-state region. Even before the Dobbs decision, about a tenth of abortion patients in Minnesota were from other states. Of the 10,136 abortions reported by the Minnesota Department of Health in 2021, 1,009 were for out-of-state residents. More than 60% of the patients from out of state were from Wisconsin, and all but 77 non-resident patients were from neighboring states. [ Abortion profoundly shaped the lives and work of these 8 Illinois women. Here are their stories. ] Since the decision, the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, with five clinics performing abortions, is seeing the largest influx of out-of-state patients, clinic officials say. Planned Parenthood clinics, which perform about 75% of the states abortions, had about a 150% surge in call center traffic after the decision and about a 13% increase in patients, Richardson said. Another metro-area clinic, run by Whole Womans Health, opened in February and is 10 minutes from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. That clinic has seen a 50% increase in patients, said Sean Mehl, associate director of clinical services for the nonprofit, which also has clinics performing abortions in Indiana, Maryland and Virginia. Advertisement While the clinics have increased staffing, the effects of the Dobbs decision extend beyond the number of patients seeking care. Were seeing more need for care in the second trimester, Mehl said, partly because some patients may have tried to get appointments at multiple clinics before finding a facility that would accept them. Rather than travel to Minnesota, some patients from North Dakota have gone as far as Colorado, Montana or Nebraska for abortions. Sometimes the nearest clinic isnt the soonest clinic, said Destini Spaeth of the North Dakota Women in Need Abortion Access Fund, which helps patients in the Dakotas with travel and other expenses. And not all patients have the resources, time or ability to travel. We havent even gotten into the reality that abortion bans dont restrict access for everyone in the same way, said Richardson, a Democratic state representative for a suburban district south of St. Paul. Lack of access, she said, is linked to higher maternal mortality, which disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous communities. Advertisement [ Planned Parenthood launching a mobile abortion unit in southern Illinois as number of out-of-state patients skyrockets ] Donors motivated by the Dobbs decision are helping close that gap. In Duluth, for example, theres the H.O.T.D.I.S.H. Militia. The acronym stands for Hand Over The Decision Its Healthcare. Some clinics in Minnesotas northern areas, which are more remote with limited flights in and out, have not seen a large influx of out-of-state patients. What we really did see in the beginning of the year was an increase in patients from southern Minnesota, said Paulina Briggs, laboratory supervisor and patient educator at the WE Health Clinic in Duluth. We think theres a big ripple effect there where (out-of-state) patients are going to the (Twin) Cities, and their local patients are getting pushed up to us because their waiting times were a long time. And abortion is a time-sensitive procedure. Midwest policies in flux All Upper Midwest states have had to adapt to changing abortion laws. In Wisconsin, where an 1849 law banning abortion took effect after the Dobbs decision, all three Planned Parenthood clinics that performed abortions halted procedures. The weekend after the high court issued its ruling, its clinics had to cancel appointments scheduled with 70 patients. Advertisement The providers had to go into waiting rooms and tell the patients they could not access that care, said Tanya Atkinson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. Planned Parenthoods 22 Wisconsin health centers still offer pre-procedure help and connect patients with navigators to help them find the care they need. In the first month after the Dobbs decision, Planned Parenthood clinics in Illinois saw 350 patients from Wisconsin, 10 times the usual number, Dr. Kathy King, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsins medical director, told NPR. That figure did not include Wisconsin patients at non-Planned Parenthood clinics. Planned Parenthood personnel from Wisconsin are now working in Illinois to expand the capacity of a Waukegan clinic, an hours drive south of Milwaukee. At least one day a week, the Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin team runs the Waukegan center, Atkinson said. Also, a physician from Madison, Wisconsin, has bought two buildings just south of the state border in Rockford, Illinois. Neither site is open yet. Illinois clinics also see patients from Missouri and Kentucky, which have some of the nations most restrictive abortion laws. Illinois providers also anticipate more limits on abortion in neighboring Iowa and Indiana. Advertisement In Iowa, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has asked state courts to lift an injunction against enforcement of a law that would ban abortions after six weeks. Republicans also control both chambers of the Iowa legislature. Minnesota leaders moved quickly to cement the states abortion rights when the Dobbs decision was announced. While noting that the Minnesota Constitution protects abortion rights, Attorney General Ellison said in a statement that the decision will make life harder for people seeking abortions, including in the states that border Minnesota. No one from any state will be prosecuted in Minnesota for seeking an abortion that is legal in Minnesota, Ellison said. On June 25, Walz followed with an executive order to protect those who travel to the state seeking abortions. And in July, a district court in Minnesota ruling removed a 24-hour waiting period and a requirement that minors notify two parents. But GOP gubernatorial candidate Dr. Scott Jensen, a former state senator who said as late as May that he would try to ban abortion in the state, is within striking distance of Walz in some polls. Since Dobbs and the August primary, Jensen has taken a softer stance, saying that abortion is protected in Minnesota and criticizing Democrats for using abortion rights as a campaign issue. Kromenaker of the Red River clinic is continuing to fight abortion restrictions in North Dakota as well. The clinic won an injunction to put the states trigger law on hold. But shes wary of new anti-abortion legislation coming forward when the Republican-dominated North Dakota legislature convenes in January. She fears women traveling out of state for care might be targeted or intimidated. Advertisement There are three bridges across the river, she said. What are they going to do station the National Guard and check for positive pregnancy tests? Elkhart County Sheriff's Department ELKHART A pair of Elkhart County patrolmen face felony charges after an investigation found they worked as security officers at a bank during hours they said they were performing police duties. The officers Donald McQuarie and William Fackelman each clocked in to work at their secondary jobs at Lake City Bank while still claiming those hours as working for the police department, court documents said. The pattern took place from November 2021 to March and resulted in the county paying for more than 90 hours of work that was not performed. Both men are charged with ghost employment a Level 6 Felony that applies to government employees and prohibits "work other than the performance of official duties during working hours." McQuarie has resigned from the county police department, Sheriff Jeff Siegel said in a written statement, while Fackelman remains with the department on paid suspension. The pair were booked into the Elkhart County Jail, but have posted bail. According to court documents in the case, both McQuarie and Fackelman worked early morning shifts with county police, working from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 a.m. to noon respectively, doing background checks and writing writs for other officers in the field. Both men also worked secondary jobs as security officers at Lake City Bank in the afternoon when they were off-duty. Civil rights case:Former Elkhart police officer pleads guilty in federal court to beating handcuffed man One day, March 7, a police department supervisor noticed something unusual. According to documents, there was a crash that day at 10:48 a.m. but no officers were immediately responding due to a high volume of calls. In an attempt to find who was closest to the area, the supervisor pulled up the officers' GPS locations and saw Fackelman was at his off-duty bank job, documents said. The discrepancy caused the supervisor to check the locations for various officers and eventually found that both Fackelman and McQuarie would often be at Lake City Bank to work their second jobs before they said they ended their shifts as police officers. Story continues All told, an Indiana State Police investigation allegedly found McQuarie logged 25 hours where he was supposedly working for the sheriff's department but was actually working security at the bank and being double-paid. Fackelman logged about 67 hours of double-pay, investigators allege in court documents. If convicted of the ghost employment charges as felonies, McQaurie and Fackelman face between six months and 2 years in jail. However, Indiana law allows judges to treat convictions for most low-level felonies as misdemeanors, meaning it is unlikely either officer will serve jail time. Email Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@sbtinfo.com. Follow him on Twitter: @marek_mazurek This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Crime: Elkhart police officers face felony charges of time theft Wreckage scattered for 200 meters after blast at Russian military airfield near Latvian border Read also: Russians lose 620 soldiers, 14 tanks, warplane and helicopter in a day, General Staff reports The incident took place at the Veretje airfield not far from the Russian-Latvian border. Read also: Russian Ka-52 helicopter shot down in the south, Ukraines Air Force says Around 10.00 p.m., servicemen heard several explosions, and then saw the scattered wreckage of two helicopters, a message on one pro-Kremlin Telegram channel reads. The explosion was so powerful that the wreckage of the fuselage was scattered 200 meters around, the message goes on. Read also: Almost 500 Russian troops, helicopter destroyed in one day, says General Staff The reasons for the incident are currently unknown. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United Nations on Monday said no ships involved in a U.N.-brokered Ukraine grain export deal were transiting a Black Sea maritime humanitarian corridor on the night of Oct. 29, when Russia says its vessels in Crimea were attacked. Russia has accused Ukraine of using air and maritime drones to target vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol early on Saturday and suggested one of the drones may have been launched from a civilian vessel chartered to export food from Ukrainian ports. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attack but says Russia's navy is a legitimate military target. Responding to Russia's accusation about possible misuse of cargo ships, U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council on Monday: "None were in the corridor on the night of the 29th of October when the reported attacks took place, and no vessel reported an incident over the weekend." After Saturday's attack, Moscow said it was suspending its participation in the July 22 deal that allowed Ukraine to restart food exports stalled by Russia's invasion on Feb. 24. No ships transited the maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday. "Today 12 ships sailed out from Ukrainian ports and two headed in to load food," Griffiths told the 15-member council. "We're very encouraged by Russia's assurance ... that it is not pulling out of the initiative ... it is only temporarily suspending activities in the implementation of the initiative," he said, adding that the U.N.'s understanding was that the deal and "commitments remain in force even during the suspension." That includes a pledge by Russia and Ukraine not to attack cargo ships or port facilities, Griffiths said. He then told reporters: "We believe very strongly that provision remains in force, including for the Russian Federation." Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council that Russia had suspended its participation "for an unspecified period of time" because it "cannot guarantee the safety of civilian vessels participating in the Black Sea initiative." Story continues 'WORLD IS HUNGRY' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Twitter on Monday that he had spoken with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and confirmed Kyiv's commitment to the grain deal. More than 9.5 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy have been exported from Ukraine under the deal, according to the United Nations. The body has warned that Russia's war was worsening a global food crisis and pushing tens of millions more people into hunger. Kenya's U.N. Ambassador Martin Kimani told the Security Council about Russia's suspension of participation in the pact: "The world is hungry and this development makes life harsher for millions who are not party to the war in Ukraine." The Black Sea grain export deal is implemented by a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul made up of Turkish, Russian, U.N. and Ukrainian officials. Griffiths said Russian officials were still in Istanbul and U.N. officials were "very actively engaged" with them on trying to resume Russia's participation. The July deal also aims to facilitate exports of Russian grain and fertilizer exports. Griffiths heads talks on Ukrainian exports, while senior U.N. trade official Rebeca Grynspan leads discussions on Russian food and fertilizer exports. Russian grain exports have also increased since July, Grynspan told the U.N. Security Council on Monday. "Exports from the Russian Federation tripled between July and September, while wheat exports from Ukraine more than quadrupled over the same period of time, resulting in lower food prices in international markets and improved access to food for humanitarian actors," Grynspan said. But she said more work needed to be done to alleviate a chilling effect of Western sanctions on Russian fertilizer exports. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Doina Chiacu, David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman) By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Russia's halting of its participation in the United Nations-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative is having "immediate, harmful impacts" on global food security and food prices have risen on uncertainty around the deal, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday. Moscow announced on Saturday that it was suspending its role in the U.N.-backed initiative that began in August and escorts cargo ships through the Black Sea, but ships carrying grain continued to sail from Ukrainian ports on Monday. "Any disruption to the initiative risks spiking food prices, lowering the confidence of insurers and commercial shippers who have returned to Black Sea routes and further imposing hardships on lower income countries already reeling from dire humanitarian crises and global food insecurity," Price told reporters at a regular news briefing. Food prices had begun to rise before Saturday because Russian officials' comments had cast doubt on the longevity of the deal, he said. "This is not a bilateral issue between Russia and Ukraine," he said, adding that 66% of the wheat exported under the initiative has gone to developing counties and 19% went to least developed countries. Overland routes were also being used to export Ukrainian grain, but there was "no substitute" for the quantities that could be shipped via the Black Sea, he said. "It is not in anyone's interests - It is not in Russia's interest, it is not in the interests of the international community to see what could be a kind to a form of collective punishment for this to remain suspended," Price said. (Reporting by Humerya Pamuk, Doina Chiacu and Simon Lewis; Editing by Chris Reese and Alex Richardson) By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear Turkey's bid to dismiss two lawsuits filed by demonstrators seeking monetary damages after accusing Turkish security forces of injuring them in a 2017 protest in Washington during a visit by President Tayyip Erdogan. The justices turned away an appeal by Turkey of lower court rulings allowing the litigation to proceed, rejecting the NATO ally's argument that it has immunity from such legal action in the United States under a federal law called the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. At issue in the litigation is a melee involving members of Erdogan's security detail that occurred as protesters demonstrated outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington on May 6, 2017. Erdogan was in the U.S. capital to meet then-President Donald Trump. The incident strained relations between Turkey and the United States. Two lawsuits were filed in 2018 - one case brought by 15 plaintiffs and the other by five - seeking to hold Turkey's government responsible and asking for monetary damages for injuries that included concussions, seizures and lost teeth. The plaintiffs sought tens of millions of dollars, according to court papers. The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act limits the jurisdiction of American courts over lawsuits against foreign governments. Andreas Akaras, a lawyer for some of the demonstrators, said in a statement that he and his colleagues "look forward to holding Turkey accountable in a court of law for its terrorizing attack against our clients." A lawyer representing Turkey declined to comment. Turkey has blamed the brawl on demonstrators linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party. The police chief in the U.S. capital described the incident as a "brutal attack" on peaceful protesters. Criminal assault charges were brought in Washington against several Turkish security agents and others involved. Two of the defendants - not members of Erdogan's security team - pleaded guilty. Prosecutors dropped charges against 11 agents in 2018. Story continues President Joe Biden's administration had urged the Supreme Court not to hear Turkey's appeal to avoid the lawsuits, saying that when foreign security personnel deploy force in ways that are not related to protecting officials from bodily harm they are acting outside their legal protections. Lower courts ruled against Turkey. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2021 ruled that while members of the Turkish security detail had a right to protect Erdogan, their actions in this incident did not meet that exception. Turkey had argued that a failure by the Supreme Court to reverse that ruling threatened to disrupt U.S. foreign relations and "invites reciprocal erosion of immunity for U.S. security agents protecting American presidents, diplomats and missions abroad." (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Will Dunham) Russia sent newly mobilized reservist troops to Ukraine with "barely usable" rifles, UK intel says. Britain's defense ministry said some of these soldiers are using guns designed in 1959. Different types of weapons used by Russia on the battlefield may hamstring logistical efforts. Russian reservist troops sent to fight in Ukraine have arrived at the front lines with "barely usable" rifles, Britain's defense ministry said Monday, a move likely to produce new logistical strains for Moscow's military leadership. Thousands of newly mobilized reservists have been deployed to the battlefield over the last few weeks, Britain's defense ministry shared in an intelligence update. Facing mounting setbacks in his war efforts, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the partial military mobilization of hundreds of thousands of his country's reservists in September. British intelligence said in many cases these reservists have arrived in Ukraine "poorly equipped," and Russian officers grew concerned because some individuals were even sent without weapons. Citing open source imagery, however, Britain's defense ministry said that mobilized reservists who did show up with rifles were often issued with AKM assault rifles. Designed by former Soviet general Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959, this weapon was built to replace the AK-47 which was introduced shortly after the end of World War II and was later replaced by the AK-74 during the 1970s. Britain's defense ministry said many of the AKM rifles given to Russian reservists are "likely in barely usable condition following poor storage." These weapons also differ from newer rifles assigned to Putin's regular combat units, like the AK-12 or AK-74M, in that they use different types of ammunition. AKMs use 7.62mm ammunition, whereas the AK-12 and AK-74M use 5.45mm ammunition. "The integration of reservists with contract soldiers and combat veterans in Ukraine will mean Russian logisticians will have to push two types of small arms ammunition to front line positions, rather than one," Britain's defense ministry said, adding that it will "likely further complicate Russia's already strained logistics systems." Story continues Logistical and supply headaches as well as Russia's faltering performance in Ukraine have increasingly sowed tension throughout Moscow's military leadership. In September, Putin even fired one general for these issues. Relying on old and outdated equipment is also not a new aspect of Putin's unprovoked war in Ukraine. Beyond the newly mobilized reservists, Russian forces like conscripts have had to use decades-old rifles that exited production long ago. In losing their more modern equipment, Russian troops have even been forced to pull obsolete heavy weapons like Soviet-era tanks from storage. Monday's intelligence update came as Russian forces fired a barrage of missiles at Ukraine's critical infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said, triggering water and electricity shortages. The country's defense ministry shared that it managed to successfully down dozens of missiles. Read the original article on Business Insider Use of live facial recognition (LFR) by UK police forces "fail[s] to meet the minimum ethical and legal standards," according to a study from the University of Cambridge. After analyzing LFR use by the Metropolitan (Met) and South Wales police, researchers concluded that the technology should be banned for use in "all public spaces." LFR pairs faces captured by security cameras to database photos to find matches. China and other non-democratic regimes have used the technology to as part of their state surveillance tools. UK police have been testing its use in multiple situations to fight crime and terrorism. In two cases, LFR was used by MET and South Wales police to scan crowds and compare faces to those on a criminal watch list." In another, officers used FRT smartphone apps to scan crowds and identify "wanted individuals in real time," according to the paper. In those cases, the team found that police "kept from view" information about how they use the data and information about demographics. That has in turn made it difficult to determine whether the tools are promoting racial profiling, while raising questions about accountability. "Police forces are not necessarily answerable or held responsible for harms caused by facial recognition technology," said lead author Evani Radiya-Dixit. The Met has claimed that the latest algorithms have improved LRF accuracy, with false alerts less than .08 percent, according to The Guardian. They boasted of a 70 percent success rate up to 2020, but an expert from the University of Essex hired by the police force found it was actually just 19 percent. "That the court of appeal explicitly stated in 2020 that South Wales police use of this technology was 'unlawful' makes it difficult to argue this technology should be used," he said. However, the Met said its work was supported by law. "LFR is regulated by a number of sources of law. These sources of law combine to provide a multilayered legal structure to use, regulate and oversee the use of LFR by law enforcement bodies," it told The Guardian. UK's parliament has yet to weigh in, even though it's created legislation around internet privacy. KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that his country would continue exporting grain from its Black Sea ports under a U.N. programme despite Russia's pullout because the shipments offered stability to world food markets. He made his comments following talks with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Russia announced on Saturday that it was suspending its role in the U.N.-backed initiative that escorts cargo ships through the Black Sea. "On our side, we are continuing with the grain initiative because we understand what we offer the world. We offer stability on the food production market," Zelenskiy told a joint news conference alongside Fiala. Zelenskiy said he believed Russia had left the agreement despite the fact that Moscow said it had only "suspended" its participation. "This means that it was Russia that is violating the agreement," Zelenskiy said. "Let's hope that our partners will be able to calm down Russia's rhetoric." Russia said on Monday it was "unacceptable" for shipping to pass through a Black Sea security corridor as Ukraine was using it to "conduct military operations against the Russian Federation". In his comments, Zelenskiy also drew attention to a document signed with the Czech prime minister aimed at increasing cooperation to reach standards needed for Ukraine to secure membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Ukraine's bid to gain NATO membership has been denounced as unacceptable by Russia and was one of the key reasons cited by Moscow in justifying its invasion of its neighbour. (Reporting by Felix Hoske, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Ron Popeski and Cynthia Osterman) The Armtrac 400 is made by a British company. UNITED24 Ukraine received its first mine-clearing machine, the Armtrac 400, which was made by a UK company. Deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine was fundraising for another. It is designed to clear paths through minefields and has a motorized system to detonate mines. Ukraine has taken delivery of its first mine-clearing machine, which was made by a British company. Since the invasion in February, Ukraine and Russia have used landmines in four regions: Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Sumy. Human Rights Watch says there's no way to quantify the casualties or humanitarian impact of landmine use since the war began. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set up an initiative called UNITED24 to attract donations from around the world. Funds raised through the initiative have allowed Ukraine to buy an Armtrac 400 for the Kharkiv region, which is no longer occupied but remains contaminated with mines. Ukraine paid almost $500,000 for the Armtrac 400. UNITED24 The mine-clearing vehicle was developed and manufactured by Armtrac, based near Cambridge, England. Robin Swanson of Armtrac told Insider that Ukraine first expressed an interest in the machine in April. It was sent out to Poland in September and was moved to Ukraine earlier this month. The managing director, Stephen Brown, went to Ukraine to train about seven operators. A sapper a soldier who completes military engineering tasks will operate the Armtrac 400. UNITED24 The vehicle will be operated by a sapper, a soldier who completes military engineering duties such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses, and road and airfield construction and repair. Armtrac 400's 3-meter hydraulic rotor allows for 2,400 square meters to be cleared an hour and neutralizes explosives at a depth of 21 inches. The vehicle can withstand anti-tank mines weighing up to 22 pounds. It can be controlled from a distance of up to 800 meters to ensure the operator's safety, or from within the armored and soundproof cabin. The Armtrac spokesperson said the machine works using two types of rotating tools the forward tiller or the flail. Story continues Both either detonate the landmines or neutralize them by separating the fuse from the main charge. The choice of toolkits depends on the conditions of the terrain being cleared. The mining-clearing machine was purchased for $491,808. Read the original article on Business Insider A ship with Ukrainian grain It noted the three delegations had also agreed for inspections to be provided on Oct. 31 to 40 outbound vessels. The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul said the Russian delegation was informed of both plans. The United Nations also confirmed the information about the Oct. 31 movement plan for 16 vessels. Russia announced on Oct. 29 that it was suspending its participation in the grain deal. The relevant statements were issued by the Ministry of Defense and the Foreign Ministry. Later, the Russian media reported that Russia had also officially notified the UN Secretary General about its decision. Read also: Grain exports once again blocked by Russia The Russian government blamed a drone attack on Russian military naval vessels docked in the Sevastopol Bay for disrupting the agreement. They falsely accused Ukraine and the UK for targeting civilian vessels involved in ensuring the security of the grain corridor. The Russian Defense Ministry announced there had been allegedly minor damage caused to Russias minesweeper Ivan Golubets as a result of a drone attack in Sevastopol. Simultaneously, local media reported about the damage to the Admiral Makarov frigate, which is a carrier of cruise missiles and was repeatedly used for shelling Ukraine. The GeoConfirmed Investigation initiative managed by volunteers showed at least three Russian warships were affected, in particular the flagship Admiral Makarov. They also think it was an operation conducted by the Ukrainian side with drones. However, there is no official confirmation on actual level of damage suffered by the Russian warships in Sevastopol. The Ukrainian military suggested it could have been caused by failed launches of Russian missiles. At the same time, the Kyiv government called Moscows exit from the grain deal food blackmail and said that Russia was withdrawing from the agreement under a false pretext. Ukraines Infrastructure Ministry said that Ukraine is ready to continue operating with the framework of the grain initiative. In turn, the United Nations urged all parties to refrain from any actions that could jeopardize the implementation of the agreement, adding they were in contact with the Russian authorities. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Survivor Lisa Klare reads the names of 45 people who were killed in the 1972 Illinois Central Train Crash that also injured 332 more during a memorial service and day of remembrance commemorating the 50th anniversary at First Unitarian Church of Chicago on Oct. 30, 2022, in Hyde Park in Chicago. An Illinois Central commuter train missed its stop at the 27th Street station. It was put into reverse and sped backward around a curve when the trailing train also barreled around the curve and the two collided. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Survivors and family members of those who perished in a train crash 50 years ago that killed 45 passengers and injured 331 others gathered Sunday to memorialize the deadliest rail crash in Chicago history. Ald. Sophia King, 4th, and the city of Chicago declared the date an official day of remembrance. Tragic accidents often remind us of our humanity, and the fragility of our humanity, King said before reading the city proclamation. Advertisement Gregory Boettner, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago Heights, said the service, which was held at First Unitarian Church of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood was about more than just a rehashing of a historic moment. What we are here for is to honor the dead, the survivors, the first responders, the extensive network of friends and family, and those who were on the tracks that day, Boettner said. But we are here to make a meaning out of a senseless tragedy. Advertisement On the morning of Oct. 30, 1972, a northbound Illinois Central commuter train zipped by quickly, missing one of the station stops. The train backed up around a bend to the platform at the 27th street station to allow passengers to exit. A second train was given the green light to proceed on the same track. At 7:27 a.m., the two trains collided. Louise Lawarre, one of the survivors, said she remembers the day clearly. It was a Monday when Lawarre boarded train No. 416 described as a tin can double decker highlander. On that day, Lawarre was going to work downtown after a job interview at the University of Chicago near her home in Woodlawn was rescheduled. Louise Lawarre reads her account of surviving the 1972 Illinois Central Train Crash that killed 45 people and injured 332 more during a memorial service and day of remembrance commemorating the 50th anniversary at First Unitarian Church of Chicago on Oct. 30, 2022, in Hyde Park in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) I am one of the lucky survivors despite having potentially fatal internal bleeding injuries, Lawarre said. Lisa Klare, another survivor, was on board train No. 720 described as an old heavy steel train with concrete floors and wicker seats. Klare, a high school senior, was with two friends. The trio sat in the front seat of the front car behind the motorman. The conversation that morning was about how fast the train seemed to be moving, she said. At that moment, the motorman appeared in front of them and screamed that the train was going to crash. We woke to find ourselves encased in twisted metal, Klare said. All she could hear was the shuffling of footsteps on gravel. Then Klare said she heard a voice say: Dont tell me theres someone alive in there. That was the moment we knew something really bad had happened, she said. We did not comprehend it at all. Klare also remembered the kindness of others, particularly the first responders who administered injections for pain relief and set up triage on the train platform. Advertisement Bad things happen, but there are always good people, and thats what gets me by, Klare said. One of Klares friends was among the 45 who died. It would take six hours for everyone, dead and alive, to be removed from the train. The names of the deceased, between the ages of 18 and 62, were read at the service. An NTSB report issued the year after the crash said it was due to the reversal of the first train while the engineer of the second train, who was traveling faster than the advised speed, failed to perceive it in time to stop and avoid the collision. The report said ambiguous rules regarding the signal system also contributed. Illinois Central is now defunct, and the train line is run by Metra. The Metra Electric trains run on that track. Lawarre and Klare didnt know each other at the time the trains collided. But they connected more than two decades later when a story about Lawarre ran in the Tribune during another anniversary. The women yearned for someone to talk to who could understand what they went through and exchanged correspondence. On Sunday, they invited others affected by the train crash to tell their story. Advertisement Lisa Klare reads her account of surviving the 1972 Illinois Central Train Crash that killed 45 people and injured 332 more during a memorial service and day of remembrance commemorating the 50th anniversary at First Unitarian Church of Chicago on Oct. 30, 2022, in Hyde Park in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Brenda Inis was one of several people who recounted how her life was changed by the traumatic event. 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. > The night before, her father was at a Halloween party with his five children and three grandchildren. We didnt know that would be the last time we would see him alive, Inis said. Her younger sister, Deborah, would have been on train No. 720, but the conductor refused to let her on the train for unknown reasons. The conductor closed the door in her face. She would have been on the train that hit the first train, Inis said. It was not easy to board a train after the loss of her father, she said. Advertisement It took maybe 15 years before I would even get on a train to go downtown, Inis said. It doesnt seem like this was 50 years ago. tatturner@chicagotribune.com Ukraine shoots down warplane, helicopter, strikes at command post and artillery pieces Read also: British intel sees Russian intent to expedite withdrawal from Kherson In particular, the Ukrainian military destroyed a column of enemy military equipment in Kherson Oblast, as well as an ammunition depot, five artillery pieces, and other military equipment of various types in Zaporizhzhya Oblast. Read also: Kherson likely to be liberated by end of November, says Ukraine's spy chief In addition, 120 Russian troops were wounded in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, the General Staff said. According to the General Staff, the Defence Forces units repelled enemy attacks near Zelene in Kharkiv Oblast, Bilohorivka, Mykolayivka and Novoselivske in Luhansk Oblast, and Avdiyivka, Bakhmutske, Vesele, Vodiane, Mayorsk, Maryinka, and Novobakhmutivka in Donetsk Oblast. Read also: Russian military seemingly leaves Chornobayivka airfield near Kherson The Ukrainian Air Force also carried out 21 air strikes over the past day, hitting 15 enemy storage locations of weapons and military equipment, two platoon fortified positions, and four enemy air defense systems, the General Staff said. In addition, the air defense units downed one enemy helicopter and one Su-25 attack aircraft in various areas. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian missile and artillery troops have struck an enemy command post and an anti-aircraft gun over the past day. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine STORY: Drobysheve saw heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces until it was retaken by the Ukrainians around a month ago. Russia had used nearby Lyman city as a logistics and transport hub for its operations in the north of the Donetsk region. Piotr Kaszuwara, a Polish national, originally came to Ukraine as a journalist when Russia invaded in February of this year, but later started taking up volunteer work. According to Kaszuwara, he is now focusing aid runs to Drobysheve since the area is still heavily mined and very few volunteer organisations are able to reach it. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has promised more quick successes in the Donbas, which covers the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are largely under Russian control. The University of Kentucky is mourning the loss of student Anne Gieske, who was killed in Seoul, South Korea, during a dangerous crowd surge amid Halloween festivities on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 29. In a statement released in a thread on Twitter Sunday, the university wrote in part, The University of Kentucky community is grieving the tragic loss of one of our students, Anne Gieske, who was studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, and was killed in this weekends tragedy. The University of Kentucky community is grieving the tragic loss of one of our students, Anne Gieske, who was studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, and was killed in this weekends tragedy. (1/3) University of Kentucky (@universityofky) October 30, 2022 We have been in contact with her family and will provide whatever support we can now and in the days ahead as they cope with this indescribable loss, the statement continued. We will be there for all those in our community who knew and loved her. We have been in contact with her family and will provide whatever support we can now and in the days ahead as they cope with this indescribable loss. We will be there for all those in our community who knew and loved her. Read @UKYpres' message: https://t.co/Il4qkpfJNF (2/3) University of Kentucky (@universityofky) October 30, 2022 The university also linked out to resources that are available to students, in addition to sharing a phone number for students to call if they needed to talk to a mental health clinician outside of business hours. The universitys president, Eli Capilouto, also released his own statement on the schools website, addressed to the campus and community. Story continues I have the incredibly sad responsibility to inform you of the loss of one of our students over the weekend, Capilouto wrote, before explaining further detail of the incident that left more than 150 people dead. Capilouto said that Gieske, originally from Northern Kentucky, was a nursing major in her junior year and was studying abroad in South Korea during the fall 2022 semester. The University of Kentucky had two other students and a faculty member in South Korea this semester, but the other three had been contacted and deemed safe. As a community, it is a sacred responsibility we must keep to be there for each other in moments of sheer joy and in those of deepest sadness, Capilouto wrote to conclude his message. That is what compassionate communities do. And that is what, I know, we are now and in all the days ahead. Anne Gieske was a nursing major in her junior year and studying abroad in South Korea. (Anne Gieske / Facebook) Gieskes father, Dan, issued a statement to NBC News on behalf of the family Sunday: We are completely devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Anne Marie. She was a bright light loved by all. We ask for your prayers but also the respect of our privacy. According to officials, at least 153 people were killed including two American citizens and 103 were injured during the dangerous crowd surge that occurred in a popular nightlife district of Seoul around 10:15 p.m. local time. Of those who were injured, 23 were in critical condition while 79 sustained less severe injuries. The Yongsan fire department reported that other foreign victims of the incident hailed from Austria, China, France, Iran, Kazakhstan, Norway, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Uzbekistan. On Oct. 30, an estimated 100,000 people gathered in the Itaewon neighborhood to celebrate Halloween. The incident was first described as a stampede, but further video captured what appeared to be a crowd surge as people tried to push forward through a packed crowd in a narrow alley. One survivor of the incident described the scene, saying that people fell down and toppled over each other like dominoes when they were being pushed down the alley. Several people tried to shout for help, while others remained short of breath. Another survivor said that he witnessed five or six men pushing others before people began to fall toward the beginning of the surge. An estimated 1,700 personnel from across South Korea responded to the incident, which included 520 firefighters, 1,100 police officers, and 70 government workers. Reagan Sangwa, 43, who lives nearby said he found out about the incident on social media and went to try to help amid the chaos. It was a disaster, it was a calamity, Sangwa said. Bodies were everywhere. I helped with CPR on two people and they took them to the hospital. South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol spoke about the tragedy in a televised address on Sunday, Oct. 30, and declared a national mourning period. Last night, a tragedy and a disaster that should never happen did happen in the middle of Seoul celebrating Halloween, Yoon said. As the president who bears the responsibilities for the lives and the safety of our people, I have a heavy heart and the sorrow is too much to bear. Steven Blesi, also an American citizen, was among the victims declared dead after the surge. (Steven Blesi ) Gieske wasn't the only American killed in the tragedy. Steven Blesi, 20, of Marietta, Georgia, was the other American known to have died so far. His father, Steve Blesi, confirmed his passing to TODAY, saying his son was in South Korea to study international business and learn the Korean language during the fall semester. This article was originally published on TODAY.com (Bloomberg) -- The US plan to cap the price of Russian oil sales, part of the broader international response to the invasion of Ukraine, will temporarily exempt shipments loaded before the Dec. 5 implementation date, offering some clarity to oil shippers, traders and investors. Most Read from Bloomberg The announcement, released Monday, answers one of several key outstanding questions about the plan, which was devised by the US Treasury Department -- what happens to shipments of Russian oil priced above the cap that were loaded before the deadline but remained en route when the regime comes into force. Those shipments of Russian crude exempted from the US-led price cap before the deadline must also be unloaded by Jan. 19, the department said Monday. Anxiety has been growing over the lack of clarity about how the US price cap plan aligns with separate European Union and UK sanctions set to take force on Dec. 5. A Treasury official, responding to questions after Mondays announcement, said the department understands the latest round of EU sanctions, adopted Oct. 6, is consistent with the Treasurys new guidance. As EU sanctions language stands, its unclear whether such shipments could lose their insurance mid-voyage if the bloc doesnt modify its provisions or provide guidance. The official added that the Jan. 19 time limit for oil offers a reasonable wind-down period while preventing Russia from using ships as a floating storage option exempt from the cap. As well, according to the official, a similar grace period would be extended to shipments of refined petroleum loaded before Feb. 5, when the cap applies to those products. Story continues The US price cap plan was developed to work in conjunction with EU sanctions, which would bar companies in the bloc from providing services to support the shipments of Russian oil anywhere in the world beginning Dec. 5. Those include trade finance, brokering and insurance. The Biden administration has feared those measures would trap a meaningful amount of oil inside Russia, causing global prices to spike. As a workaround, the Treasury convinced Group of Seven governments, and then the rest of the EU, to carve out an exception allowing companies to extend those services provided a cargo was priced under an agreed cap. The plan has so far survived severe skepticism from some within the energy sector, as well as within governments allied with the US on overall Russia sanctions, but details of its implementation remain hazy as the deadline approaches. A separate Treasury official speaking on a call with reporters Monday said the departments staff have been holding hundreds of consultations with industry groups and market participants in an attempt to allay concerns. The official declined to say when the coalition of countries working on the cap would set the price level for the program or where that level might be. The US has signaled it might aim for a cap on crude prices above $60 a barrel. --With assistance from Lucia Kassai, Alex Longley and Saleha Mohsin. (Updates with details, background throughout.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Inmates in California sew Covid masks in April 2020 It's 157 years since the US constitution banned chattel slavery - in which one person is the legal property of another - but left in place an exemption for convicted prisoners. Throughout most of the US, slavery is still legal as punishment for a crime. But on 8 November, voters in five states - Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont - will decide whether to remove these exemptions from their state constitutions in an effort to ban slavery entirely. The outcome could enable prisoners to challenge forced labour. Some 800,000 currently work for pennies, or for nothing at all. Seven states do not pay prison workers any wage for most job assignments. Supporters of change say it's an exploitative loophole that must be closed. But critics argue that the move is unaffordable and could lead to unintended consequences in the criminal justice system. 'I worked for 25 years and came home with 124 dollars' The roots of the modern system originate in the centuries of enslavement of African-Americans, human rights researchers say. In the years after slavery was outlawed, laws were passed that specifically aimed to suppress black communities and force them into prisons where they would be required to work. Now, some imprisoned black Americans are still forced to pick cotton and other crops on the southern plantations where their forefathers were kept in chains. "The United States of America has never had a day without codified slavery," says Curtis Ray Davis II, who spent over 25 years serving hard labour in a Louisiana prison for a murder that he did not commit, before he was pardoned in 2019. Mr Davis held a variety of jobs at the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary - nicknamed Angola after the plantation from which many of the African slaves in the area were brought. "I worked for 25 years and came home with 124 dollars," says Mr Davis, who was never paid more than 20 cents per hour for his work, which he says was "against my will and at gunpoint". Story continues Around 75% of prisoners at the penitentiary are black, according to the Innocence Project, a group that works to exonerate wrongly convicted prisoners. They argue that Angola is essentially a place where American slavery never ended. "Even though slavery was abolished, it truly was just a transfer of ownership from chattel slavery and private ownership to literally state-sanctioned slavery," says Savannah Eldrige from the Abolish Slavery National Network. Her organisation has been working to expand the number of states that ban slavery with no exemptions and has tried to persuade lawmakers in Washington to pass a similar law amending the US Constitution. Colorado, Nebraska and Utah have passed measures banning all forms of slavery since 2018. Ms Eldrige notes that the movement has attracted bipartisan support - the only way it could pass in Republican-dominated Utah and Nebraska. In 2023, she predicts that 18 state legislatures will vote on legislation to ban slavery. Sheriffs warn of 'unintended consequences' Very few major opponents have come forward against the efforts by states to remove slavery language, but the movement has encountered some resistance from critics who say it would be too expensive to pay prisoners proper wages, that they do not deserve the same compensation - or that the changes could disadvantage inmates. A vote in the California legislature to remove slavery references from the law failed this summer after Democrats, including the governor, warned that it would cost more than $1.5bn (1.3bn) to pay prisoners the state's $15 per hour minimum wage. The Oregon State Sheriffs' Association opposes the measure there, saying it would lead to "unintended consequences" and the loss of all "reformative programs", which include low-paid tasks like working in the library, kitchen and laundry. The group says these give prisoners something to do and "serve as an incentive for good behaviour" - which is a factor during parole hearings. It says two problems with the measure are that it only applies to those convicted, leaving out people in pre-trial detention, and that it could spell the end of any prison programme not specifically authorised by a court sentence. "Oregon Sheriffs do not condone or support slavery and/or involuntary servitude in any form," the association says in a pamphlet to voters, adding that the passage of the measure "will result in the elimination of all reformative programs and increased costs to local jail operations". A chain gang, pictured in 1909 Prisoners contribute to the supply chain and economy in many ways, some of them surprising. They have been commissioned to make everything from eyeglasses to car licence plates to city park benches. They process beef, milk and cheese, and work in call support centres for government agencies and major companies. It can be hard to track which businesses have used prison labour since the work is typically done for a subcontractor. The subcontractor then sells the products and services to major companies which are sometimes unaware of their origin. Companies that have previously benefited from prison labour in Utah alone include American Express, Apple, Pepsi-Co and FedEx, according to a June report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). At least 30 states include prison workers in their emergency operation plans for natural disasters and other civil disruptions. They fight wildfires in at least 14 states, according to the ACLU report. Prisoners are recruited to fight wildfires every summer Prisoners' lives are unlikely to change overnight if the five states with upcoming votes do back a change, however. "These referendums are necessary but not sufficient to end slavery," says Jennifer Turner, a human rights researcher with the ACLU. Courts would still need to interpret what rights prison workers have, and whether they will get benefits - like sick leave - that other non-incarcerated workers are legally entitled to. In states which have previously removed the slavery exemption, outcomes have varied. In Colorado, a prisoner sued the state, arguing that it was violating the slavery ban. But a court ruled in August that voters had not intended to abolish all prison labour and dismissed the case. One jail in Nebraska has started paying inmates $20 to $30 per week after the exemption was removed there, according to the New York Times. More legal challenges are expected as prisoners continue to push for rights and protections. Mr Davis, who was wrongly jailed in Louisiana, says that removing the prison exemption will strip away an "incentive" for his home state to incarcerate its citizens. "I believe that any person of conscience, any person that understands property law, understands that human beings should not be the property of other people," he tells BBC News. "And they should not be the property of the state of Louisiana." YQA logo What questions do you have about the US midterms? In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy. Use this form to ask your question: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in. The US Supreme Court on Monday revisits the divisive question of whether race can be used as a factor in deciding who gets admitted to some of America's elite universities. The court is to hear two hours of arguments on the use of race in admissions to Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) -- respectively the oldest private and public institutions of higher education in the country. Harvard and UNC, like a number of other top US schools, use race as a factor in trying to ensure an adequate representation of minorities -- historically African Americans -- in the student body. The policy, known as "affirmative action," emerged from the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s to help address the country's long legacy of discrimination in higher education. Previous courts have upheld affirmative action -- in 2016 by a single vote. But the current conservative-dominated court may be poised to issue another historic reversal like it did in June, when it overturned the landmark 1973 "Roe v. Wade" decision guaranteeing a woman's right to abortion. "I suspect that the majority opinion will say that the use of race is never permissible in order to achieve diversity," said Steven Schwinn, a law professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. "This would be consistent with the court's trend toward viewing racial identity or racial labelling alone -- for any reason, including laudable reasons -- as a violation of the Constitution." Affirmative action has been controversial from the start, and a number of white students have mounted legal challenges over the years, claiming "reverse discrimination." Nine states have banned affirmative action at public universities including California, where voters did so in a ballot proposition in 1996 and rebuffed an attempt to revive the policy in 2020. In a 1978 decision -- Regents of the University of California v. Bakke -- the Supreme Court banned the use of quotas in university admissions as unconstitutional. Story continues But the court said race or ethnic origin can be considered as one factor among others in admitting students to ensure a diverse student body and to combat previous discrimination that could have prevented marginalized students from being accepted to those schools. - 'Uphold this precedent' - Conservatives currently enjoy a solid 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court, including three justices nominated by former president Donald Trump, a Republican. The latest suits challenging affirmative action were brought by a group known as Students for Fair Admissions, which claims more than 20,000 members. In 2014, the group filed suits against Harvard and UNC claiming that their race-conscious admissions policies discriminate against equally qualified applicants of Asian American origin. Asian American students, they argued, are underrepresented at the schools, considering what they called their record of superior academic achievement. After losing in lower courts, Students for Fair Admissions is seeking a ruling from the Supreme Court that the Constitution prohibits any form of discrimination. Schwinn said a broad ruling in their favor could potentially impact areas beyond higher education and "ban all government use of race for any purpose," in hiring or contracting, for example. The administration of Democratic President Joe Biden, a number of major American companies and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have weighed in on the side of the universities. "Race-conscious admissions practices help create a diverse student body that benefits the educational experiences of all students," said ReNika Moore, director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program. "Time and again, lower courts and the Supreme Court have recognized universities' ability to consider race in the admissions process in order to help foster this," Moore said. "The Supreme Court must uphold this precedent." The Supreme Court will hear one hour of argument in each case, with Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court's first Black woman, sitting out the Harvard case because she has served previously on the Board of Overseers at the school. chp-cl/caw The cases concern admissions at Harvard University (pictured) and the University of North Carolina The US Supreme Court has heard two cases that could dramatically alter the extent to which universities can consider an applicant's race during the admissions process. The eventual ruling could end decades-old affirmative action policies and significantly affect how universities manage admissions. Affirmative action is among the most contentious issues in US education. Conservative justices on the court appeared skeptical of those policies. The cases heard on Monday concern admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. The court heard challenges to their admissions policies, which consider race among many factors when evaluating applications. The policies are designed to boost the number of black and Hispanic students, and are intended to ensure minority groups are fairly represented among university student bodies. But the question being weighed by the court is whether they are discriminatory and violate civil rights laws. Its eventual decision could radically impact the admissions plans of hundreds of institutions of higher education across the US. The plaintiffs, a non-profit group called Students for Fair Admissions, accuse Harvard of discriminating against Asian American applicants in order to boost representation from other groups. In the University of North Carolina case, the same group argues the college's use of race in its admissions process violates the US Constitution as well as federal civil rights laws that cover public universities. The court's nine justices are expected to issue a decision at the end of the court's current term in July 2023. The Harvard case - Students for Fair Admissions v President and Fellows of Harvard College - has been working its way through the US court system since 2014, when the non-profit first sued the university. Students for Fair Admissions is headed by a conservative activist Edward Blum, and opposes affirmative action policies. Story continues The group is specifically asking the Supreme Court to overturn the precedent in a landmark 2003 case, Grutter v Bollinger, which upheld affirmative action policies at a state university. That decision paved the way for universities to consider race as one of several factors in admitting students. After a day of questioning, the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, is expected to be sympathetic to the group's challenges. It remains to be seen whether they issue a narrow decision more closely focused to the specific cases or a broader ruling that has wider implications on US higher education. During oral arguments, conservative-leaning justices grilled the universities on how race was considered during admissions.At one point, Chief Justice John Roberts asked about a hypothetical scenario in which a black applicant and a white applicant from similar economic backgrounds were compared by the admissions committee. Justice Roberts asked if, under Harvard's policies, the black student would receive "a tip" or "a benefit" due to his stated race."Isn't that very stereotypical under the Harvard programme?" he asked lawyers representing Harvard. "It is simply not the case that every black applicant gets a quote, 'tip,'" replied lawyer Seth Waxman, who represents the school. In legal filings, Harvard denied discrimination and argued it uses race as a factor in admissions within the parameters of the law. It said its policy allowed the university to build a more holistic educational experience for students. Institutions like Harvard say they consider an applicant's race as one of several factors - including economic status and religious belief - in order to build classes that accurately represent the racial and ethnic diversity of the country. "Americans have come to view diversity as integral to learning and to trust that the path to leadership is open to all," lawyers representing Harvard University wrote in a court filing. Overruling precedent-setting cases on affirmative action, they said, "would undermine the public's faith in those foundational principles". Opinion polls show varied attitudes towards affirmative action, often depending on how the question is framed. A 2021 Gallup poll found that 62% of Americans were in favour of affirmative action programmes. A separate poll released by the Pew Research Center earlier this year, however, found that 74% of Americans - including a majority of black or Latino respondents - believed that race should not be factored into college admissions processes. Proponents of affirmative action say that it helps rectify societal, economic, and historical inequities that prevent some minority groups from gaining access to the most elite educational institutions in the US. But critics have long argued that considering race in university admissions is discriminatory, and that these policies come at the expense of other groups or individual students. Nine US states - including California, Florida, Georgia and Michigan - currently prohibit the use of race as a factor in admissions for public universities. Former U.K. flight attendant Sarm Heslop went missing from her American boyfriends luxury catamaran in the U.S. Virgin Islands more than a year ago and her friends and family are now demanding police there release previously undisclosed surveillance video of her last known whereabouts. Police showed the video to Heslops parents in March 2022, around one year after she vanished. But when they asked for a copy of the video, police denied their request, according to a statement released Monday morning. "During the meeting Sarms parents were shown CCTV footage of Sarm and Ryan after they left the bar 420 to Center, despite previously advising that on the night Sarm went missing there was no CCTV footage recorded!" the statement reads. "Sarms Mother, Brenda Street, has confirmed that the footage was stopped by the US Virgin Islands Police before the end of the recording." RYAN BANE'S ATTORNEY RESPONDS TO USVI POLICE CLAIM THEY LOST TRACK OF MISSING SARM HESLOP'S BOYFRIEND Heslop, 41, was reported missing by her boyfriend, Ryan Bane, 44, around 2:30 a.m. on March 8, 2021. Police told him to contact the U.S. Coast Guard if she had fallen off his 47-foot catamaran, the Siren Song. He did so around 11:45 a.m., and Heslop has not been seen since the night before, when she and Bane went to a St. John bar, 420 to Center, near his mooring. Police have said they could not confirm whether Heslop returned to the boat after being seen leaving the bar with Bane. A woman who answered the phone at 420 to Center told Fox News Digital last year that the couple stopped in for a few drinks and seemed normal before leaving around 10 p.m. on March 7. She said she did not have surveillance video because the bar cameras were broken at the time. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP SARM HESLOP: US VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE SAY THEY WERE DENIED SEARCH WARRANT FOR SIREN SONG CATAMARAN According to the family, the video may contradict some of what Bane told police. Story continues US VIRGIN ISLANDS MISSING SARM HESLOP: NOT NORMAL FOR POLICE NOT TO SEARCH BOYFRIEND'S YACHT, EXPERT SAYS "In the CCTV footage Sarm is seen wearing skirt/shorts and a top but her boyfriend, Ryan Bane, told police and Sarms parents and friends that she was wearing a black dress with flowers on," the statement continues. The family is also requesting that USVI police accept an offer of assistance from the FBI. "We implore the US Virgin Islands Police to share the CCTV footage and work hand in hand with the FBI to find answer to the disappearance of Sarm Heslop" Heslops parents and friends concluded in their statement. Bane has a 2011 domestic violence conviction for attacking his ex-wife, Corie Stevenson, after they got home from a wedding. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Police found her with a chipped tooth, scratches on her face and neck and other injuries. In multiple interviews, she claimed he was physically and verbally abusive, quick to anger and that "he will lie about everything." However, island police did not obtain a search warrant for his vessel after Heslops disappearance. Police and prosecutors there did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department or Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS (8477). Heslop is 5 feet, 8 inches tall with a slim build, brown hair and a bright-colored tattoo on her left shoulder that includes a seahorse, a butterfly, a bird and a pink flower. Friends have set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise reward money for information that cracks the case. Victoria Beckham has explained why she was so emotional after her Paris Fashion Week debut last month. When asked what it was like to be married to David Beckham during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on Friday (28 October), Victoria recalled her first-ever show in the French capital. The former Spice Girls singer debuted the spring/summer 2023 collection of her luxury clothing brand in Paris on 30 September. Hes amazing, hes so supportive. Were both supportive of each other, Victoria, 48, told Drew Barrymore, adding, Thats why I got so emotional at the show in Paris. I planned on coming out after the show and I wanted a great picture walking down the catwalk, she explained. But the moment I saw David, and the kids and my mum and my dad and my sister, I just got so emotional, I really did. Victoria continued: Because family are everything to me. To have them there, to support me, is just everything. All of the Beckham siblings including brothers Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, as well as 11-year-old Harper joined their parents for the event in Paris. Brooklyns wife Nicola Peltz Beckham also attended the show amid rumoured tensions between her and Victoria. Nicola addressed the alleged feud during an interview with Variety in August. When asked why the 27-year-old thought the claims about her and Victoria were made in the first place, Nicola said it could be due to her wearing a Valentino couture gown at her wedding instead of a dress designed by her mother-in-law. I was going to and I really wanted to, and then a few months down the line, she realised that her atelier couldnt do it, so then I had to pick another dress, she said, at the time. During the Variety interview, Nicola also said she didnt publicly discuss the wedding dress with Victoria so fans were prompted to assume that the pair was feuding. Speaking about David during Fridays interview with Barrymore, Victoria told the Hollywood star: Hes a really, really, really great dad, hes a fantastic husband, he works so, so hard, and I feel very lucky that we have each other. Oct. 30It's not every day a voter gets to weigh in on important policies for a city's police and fire departments. In fact, it's usually not even every couple of years. Yet in just over a week, those living within Bakersfield city limits will decide whether future police and fire chiefs will still have to come from inside their respective departments. Currently, the city's charter calls for just that. The concept of Measure L isn't exactly a new one, in terms of discussing whether such a change would be a best practice for a public safety agency. But City Council members seem to be relatively tight-lipped about the choice. "Well, it was really a mandate for the police chief. It was part of the stipulation to the California Department of Justice," said City Councilman Chris Parlier, who represents Ward 7 in south Bakersfield. He added that he wishes the discussion could have been bifurcated, instead of having both departments lumped together in one measure. On the 37th page of the 66-page agreement with the DOJ, stipulation No. 124 calls for the Bakersfield City Council "to propose a charter amendment for the November 2022 General Election which will seek to permit the appointment of a person from an external agency to the position of chief of police." The question on the ballot for voters is relatively straightforward: "Shall the Bakersfield City Charter be amended to remove all requirements that the Fire Chief and Police Chief be appointed from within their respective departments?" according to text provided by Mary Bedard, auditor, controller and county clerk for Kern. But the issue appears to be a sensitive one. Neither Parlier, who sits on the city's Safe Neighborhoods and Community Relations Committee, nor Ward 1 Councilman Eric Arias, who represents an area adjacent to Parlier's in the city's southeast and chairs the committee, were willing to come out for or against the measure in interviews this past week. Councilman Andrae Gonzales, the third person on the committee, did not respond to a request for comment as of this story's publication. Story continues While the city first heard the suggestion eight years ago, the ballot move actually followed a four-year investigation by the state's attorney general, which found BPD practices exhibited a pattern of unreasonable force, stops, searches and seizures and failed to exercise appropriate supervision, in addition to other violations, according to previous reporting in The Californian. Arias noted that, as with any issues, there are always two sides: "I think that voters will have to determine which way they want to go. I think there are benefits and consequences to both options. And voters are just going to have to make a decision, to be honest with you," Arias said. "I'll just lay it out for voters," he continued, when pressed further. "On one hand, voters will have an opportunity to cast their vote in support of this, to say that we want to have the very best leadership in our city and we would like for internal candidates to compete with potentially some of the candidates who apply from outside the department. That's on one side of the argument. The other side of the argument is, we want city leadership to be led by individuals who ... know the department well and who know the staff well and also know the geography and the city and our community. Those individuals tend to have more experience and understand what it takes to get the job done at the local level here in the city of Bakersfield." The move was first recognized as a level four priority the lowest of four types of recommendations for best practices in a study completed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2014, which was commissioned by the City Council for about $100,000. That report noted the city's policy on executive leadership was "an uncommon practice in law enforcement agencies in the United States," and presented potential challenges in a number of ways, namely limiting the pool of applicants, but also the city's potential for policy growth and outside thinking that can bring new and innovative change. For fire chief, the city charter currently states: The chief of the Fire Department shall be appointed, without examination, by the city manager from among the membership of the Bakersfield Fire Department. (The use of gendered pronouns is more inclusive for deputy fire chief, which notes "he or she shall be in charge of such department" in the chief's absence.) For police chief, the policy is somewhat more nuanced: "No member of the Police Department shall be eligible for promotion to the position of chief of police until he shall have had five years experience as a regularly paid peace officer, three years of which must have been served in the Bakersfield Police Department immediately preceding the date of his promotion," according to the city charter. But the International Association of Chiefs of Police report said: "An external recruiting process for chief of police and assistant chief of police would provide Bakersfield with the opportunity to draw applicants from among senior officials serving these agencies. In addition to in-state applicants, executive level vacancies frequently attract talent from out-of-state law enforcement agencies. These candidates often possess impressive experience and education needed or desired by hiring authorities." It also notes that when these searches are opened up, they generally result in dozens of applicants. It's not publicly clear how the rank-and-file feel about the changes, as neither current city Fire Chief John Frando or Police Chief Greg Terry are able to comment on the ballot measure, citing city policy that prohibits them from weighing in on the matter. Neither the head of the officers' union nor the firefighters union responded to a request for comment. However, in response to the announcement of the DOJ agreement in August 2021, Terry issued a statement indicating how he felt overall about the state's concerns over BPD policy. "The Bakersfield Police Department holds itself to the highest standards of conduct to all of our residents. We do everything possible to make sure our community is safe and our residents are treated with respect," Terry said in August 2021. "We believe the state's concerns are unfounded and we have nothing to hide." At the time, he said he didn't want the agency focusing on denials, but rather "looking forward, and utilizing a very transparent agreement to demonstrate our police department is professional, accountable, transparent and connected to the community, and that's what my focus is on." In the spring, one of Bakersfield's most ardent ballot watchdogs, the head of the local Kern Taxpayers Association, pointed out that Measure L might be a way to do that with a fresh perspective. "In a changing world and I think anybody agrees that we're in a changing world, especially with police you are bringing people up through the ladder that only know one way, the Bakersfield way," Michael Turnipseed, executive director of the Kern County Taxpayers Association, said in a previous phone interview with The Californian. "I'm not necessarily saying that's bad. I'm not necessarily saying it's good. But I think there are other ways out there, there are other very successful police departments in the country that operate in a different way." When President Joe Biden called Pakistan one of the most dangerous nations in the world, the irony felt painful. For so many Muslims in America and around the globe, the United States has spent the last two decades proving itself to us to be the most dangerous nation in the world. In the last two decades alone, the U.S. has overthrown governments in Iraq and Libya, creating widespread chaos and destruction, and maintained a military occupation of Afghanistan that ended with a Taliban takeover. This is a particularly inhumane time for a world power to designate Pakistan a nation worthy of suspicion and fear. Pakistan has just suffered an extraordinary climate-related disaster. Flooding along the Indus River has submerged a third of the country, killing more than 1,500 and affecting an estimated 33 million. Waters have yet to recede, and experts warn there will be widespread crop failure and waterborne disease affecting countless more. Advertisement Remarkably, several news platforms directly linked Pakistans devastation, as well as the poverty and political instability that stand in the way of an effective domestic recovery plan, to its colonial history. Indus Valley irrigation systems were developed during the colonial era, and after the partitioning of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan, British and U.S. engineers and contractors carried out major water infrastructure projects in the Indus Valley. Indian politician Shashi Tharoors book Inglorious Empire provides a detailed account of how the British Raj and, before it, the East India Company extracted enormous wealth from the subcontinent over a few centuries. The colonial government imposed heavy taxes for Britain and systematically destroyed domestic industries. The nations of South Asia, which became independent in 1947, were left to contend with the rifts between them, the violence of the partition, the impoverishment of the subcontinent and the broad social debasement of its people under British rule. Advertisement A similar analysis applies to several of the worlds most pressing humanitarian and climate crises today, across the global south and also very close to home in Haiti and Puerto Rico. Broadly, colonialism has displaced Indigenous populations and interrupted sustainable land management practices around the world. Manipulation of industries and economies to extract wealth during the colonial era and political interventions that followed the departure of colonial authorities have disabled many nations abilities to respond effectively to climate change. The global south is left to contend with soil and air quality compromised by wealthy nations emissions and waste, along with a disproportionate share of climate-related flooding, drought and heat waves. Instead of taking colonizations climate implications into account and responding with compassion, Biden chose the moment to take aim at Pakistan, alleging that its nuclear weapons were kept without any cohesion. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif immediately confirmed that its nuclear weapons program meets all International Atomic Energy Agency requirements. Its unclear why Bidens statement on Pakistan was inserted into a discussion about Russias threats to use nuclear weapons and Chinas relationships in the region. Its also unclear what impact his statement might have on the ongoing and widespread anti-Muslim campaigns supported by Narendra Modis government in India. Importantly, Biden failed to draw a distinction between the Pakistani people and Pakistans government. Perhaps this seems a minor point, but it is not. The role of an American leader committed to multiculturalism and peace is to affirm the humanity of others, particularly when Americans have been encouraged to see those particular people as the enemy for 20 years. In a replay of attitudes toward Iraqis and Afghanis, Pakistanis all instantly became the enemy, the most dangerous. In that moment, Biden demonstrated that the illness of anti-Muslim bigotry festers. I hope he understands that for American Muslims, and for Muslims around the world, it is the inhumanity of Americans toward us that is dangerous. Sofia Ali-Khan is the author of the recently released A Good Country: My Life in Twelve Towns and the Devastating Battle for a White America. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and his Republican challenger Herschel Walker are statistically deadlocked in the states Senate race, according to a new Atlanta Journal-Constitution/UGA poll. The poll, published on Monday, found that both Warnock and Walker received 45 percent of support from state respondents who are likely to vote in next weeks election. Along political party lines, 86 percent of registered Republican respondents said theyll vote for Walker, a former standout at the University of Georgia and the NFL, while 93 percent registered Democrats said theyll vote for Warnock, a pastor in Atlanta. Among registered Independent respondents, 52 percent of respondents said theyll vote for Warnock and 28 percent said theyll vote for Walker, and 15 percent for Oliver, according to the poll. The Warnock-Walker contest is among the key races that could swing control of the Senate. In the AJC poll, 51 percent of respondents said that they want to see the GOP win control of Congress in next weeks election, while 46 percent of those surveyed said they want the Democratic party to regain control of both chambers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll/UGA poll was conducted from October 16 to October 27 with a total of 1,022 respondents participating in the survey. The polls margin of error was 3.1 percentage points. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A Washington state woman who has a history of anti-police statements and once seemed to be encouraging people to riot has been appointed to fill a director vacancy on a city school board. Talauna Reed was sworn in during an Olympia School Board meeting on Thursday, October 27, according to a press release. The Olympia School Board unanimously agreed to appoint Reed to fill the District 2 board director earlier this month. Since her appointment, a video recording from July 2021 has circulated online showing Reed addressing a crowd outside the state capitol. FACE THE NATION FOCUS GROUPS OF GOP, DEMOCRAT PARENTS SOUND OFF ON WOKE CULTURE OVERTAKING US EDUCATION In the video, Reed shouts "f--- the police" before encouraging the crowd to say the names of Breonna Taylor and Yvonne McDonald. Taylor was a 26-year-old Black emergency medical worker killed by police killed during a March 2020 "no-knock" drug raid on her home. McDonald was Reeds 58-year-old aunt who was found dead by a street sweeper in 2018. Activists including Reed maintain that McDonalds death was not sufficiently investigated and that officials are "intentionally covering something up." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP In the July 2021 video, Reed alleges that "both black women were murdered by the f---ing police." "It amazes me how those pigs can sit over there to watch us peacefully talk about what we want changed in this state," Reed says. "And they dont pay attention until we tear s--- up. So, before I get started, tear everything up in this f---ing city until they do what we want them to do." Reed has an extensive history of political activism. According to OSD, Reed is the Lead Outreach and Advocacy Navigator at Interfaith Works where she works with homeless people. She was named YWCA "Womxn of Achievement" in 2020 as part of the organizations annual Olympia event. She ran for Olympia City Council in 2021 but lost to Lisa Parsheley. Story continues MUSLIM-AMERICANS FIND COMMON GROUND WITH CONSERVATIVES OVER POLITICIZATION OF AMERICA'S SCHOOLS The school board on which Reed will sit comprises five board members voted in under four-year terms. Reeds predecessor, Justin McKaughan, resigned during a board meeting in June. Per The Olympian, board member candidates filling vacancies between elections go through a round of interviews with the school board rather than being voted in. During her swearing-in on Thursday, many welcomed her appointment while others expressed concern with her past comments. Reed responded that it was everyones right to show up for public comment, just as it was her right "to oppose police brutality." "I am just excited about doing this job and being a part of this," she said. "I am invested in this community. I am a part of this community, and I care about the city, especially the children, as you can learn so much from it." DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR'S RADICAL ORIGINS AND THE SUBVERSIVE SEXUALIZATION OF OUR KIDS OSD told Fox News Digital it received a number of emails and calls "both in support of, and in disagreement with, the board's unanimous decision on October 13 to appoint Talauna Reed to the Olympia School Board." OSD said Reed was chosen among other candidates based on the content of her answers throughout the interview process, as well as "her advocacy and experience working with underserved members of our community." "During the interview process she showed herself to be a committed and thoughtful advocate for the students of our school district," OSD said. "We look forward to working with her to address pressing equity and inclusion issues in our school district. We believe she'll be an important voice and partner moving forward." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Reed will serve a one-year term through December 2023. WEC Energy Group will become the majority owner of a large Illinois solar farm that will provide energy for a single Fortune 100 company. The 250-megawatt Maple Flats Energy Center is being built in south central Illinois by Invenergy, a renewable-energy developer based in Chicago. The 1,500-acre solar array will produce enough electricity to power 75,000 homes, but that energy will be sold under a long-term contract to a single customer that the company did not identify. A subsidiary, WEC Infrastructure LLC will buy an 80% stake in the solar farm and receive federal tax credits based on the energy it produces to generate earnings from its operation. WEC Infrastructure's investment will be about $360 million, the company said Monday. The company will take ownership when Maple Flats goes into operation in 2024. "This project will help meet the energy needs of one of the largest companies in the world and further diversify our portfolio of renewable assets," said Gale Klappa, WEC Energy Group's executive chairman. Related: We Energies' Solar Now project topped expectations. Now, the company wants to expand it. Related: Wind turbine maker Ingeteam plans expansion in Milwaukee. WEC Infrastructure previously focused exclusively on wind power. It has agreements for 80% to 90% ownership stakes, valued at $2.3 billion, in eight wind farms in Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas. They also operate under contracts, known as "off takes," to supply large electricity users including Verizon, AT&T, Meta and Google Energy. Those wind farms produce more than 1.5 gigawatts of power. The energy is not sent directly to the company that holds the contract. Rather, the contracts allow companies to capture renewable-energy credits that can be used to document a company's progress toward its sustainability goals. Invenergy and WEC Energy Group's previous partnerships include the 150-megawatt Badger Hollow solar farm in Iowa County, which is jointly owned by WEC Energy Group subsidiaries We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service Corp., and Madison Gas & Electric. Invenergy also developed the Forward Wind Park near Brownsville. The wind farm is jointly owned by WPS, Alliant and MG&E. Story continues Contact Karl Ebert at kebert@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @karlwebert. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WEC Energy Group to pay $360 million for stake in Illinois solar farm (Reuters) -Wells Fargo & Co said on Monday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has begun investigating its hiring practices, after the Department of Justice had opened a related probe. In its quarterly report filed with the SEC, the fourth-largest U.S. bank said both agencies "have undertaken formal or informal inquiries or investigations regarding the company's hiring practices related to diversity." Wells Fargo drew scrutiny in June when it suspended a policy requiring that it interview a "diverse" group of people for some jobs, with half of the candidates being female or nonwhite. The halt came after The New York Times said the policy had led some employees at the San Francisco-based bank to conduct "fake" interviews for jobs that had already been filled. In reinstating the policy, Wells Fargo said on Aug. 1 it had interviewed recruiters and hiring managers to assess ways to improve hiring diversity, without the alleged abuses. The SEC can pursue civil cases, while the Justice Department has criminal enforcement power. Wells Fargo also said in Monday's filing that it is in talks with another federal agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), to settle "a number" of probes, including for automobile lending, consumer deposit accounts and mortgage lending. The bank had set aside $2 billion in the third quarter for legal bills. It estimated that its maximum legal exposure in excess of reserves was $3.7 billion on Sept. 30, up from $3.2 billion three months earlier. An SEC spokeswoman declined to comment. The CFPB did not immediately respond to a request for comment after market hours. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio) Suealla Braverman was reappointed as home secretary six days after being forced to resign (Getty Images) Rishi Sunak is facing his first major political crisis as prime minister as questions grow over whether his home secretary is up to the job. Suella Braverman is currently weathering two scandals, one being her failure to prevent dangerous overcrowding at the Manston asylum centre in Kent. The other concerns revelations that she sent official government documents to her personal phone six times in less than two months before resigning as home secretary. In one instance, Braverman accidentally sent a sensitive document to an MP's staff member, in breach of the ministerial code. As a result she stood down from the cabinet on 19 October while serving under Liz Truss, but was controversially reinstated six days later when Sunak took over as PM. The Labour party is now accusing the new prime minister of weakness after bringing Braverman back despite the security breach, and for failing to deal with her latest scandal. MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth Debbie Abrahams tweeted: The home secretary admits to using her personal email address to send official government documents six times. Against ministerial code, potentially risking national security. She has to go. Prime minister Rishi Sunak is being questioned over his judgement after reappointing Braverman to his cabinet. (Getty Images) Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said there were serious questions about Bravermans conduct and that Sunak was irresponsible in reappointing her. Yahoo News UK looks at the scandals facing the home secretary: Crisis at Manston migrant holding centre Braverman is facing intense scrutiny over "catastrophic overcrowding" at the UK's main processing centre for migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats. The facility near Thanet, Kent, is now thought to house around 4,000 people, despite only being designed for 1,600. Manston immigration short-term holding facility is now dangerously overcrowded. (PA) It was opened in January and was only supposed to be a short-term facility, where people would be held for 24 hours before being processed by Border Force and moved to temporary accommodation. The site has become overwhelmed amid a record number of crossings this year, with nearly 40,000 making the perilous trip from France this year. Story continues It is now dangerously overcrowded and is becoming an hotbed for infections, with at least eight cases of diphtheria, and a case of MRSA, confirmed among detainees. Read more: Gove insists robust protocols in place amid reports of Truss phone hack Reports have emerged that Braverman directly contributed to the worsening situation by refusing to sign off measures to find alternative accommodation, despite being warned that doing so could be illegal. Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale, who visited the site in his constituency, described conditions as wholly unacceptable and suggested the crisis may have been allowed to happen deliberately. Speaking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Sir Roger said: There are simply far too many people and this situation should never have been allowed to develop, and Im not sure that it hasnt almost been developed deliberately. Read more: Sunaks Judgment Over Braverman Questioned by Ousted Party Chief Fresh questions over leaked emails Braverman is facing further criticism over the use of her personal email address to conduct government business, which opposition MPs argue poses a national security risk. The home secretary resigned from Liz Truss's government over the issue after it emerged she sent a draft government statement to an ally, as well as sending it to a member of another MP's staff by accident. On Monday, Braverman said she was sorry for the errors of judgment and revealed she had sent further documents from her government account to her personal gmail. In her explanation, she revealed the message that led to her resignation sent at 7.25am, it was hours later before she confessed to officials what had happened. Braverman's insistance that she came forward immediately following her first breach is now under question. (Getty) Some Tories, including Jake Berry who was party chairman at the time suggested there were further questions about her conduct. He suggested that Braverman had not come clean about her error herself and was instead confronted by officials. Read more: Asylum seekers should be held on cruise ship in the Channel, former immigration chief says As I understand it, the evidence was put to her and she accepted the evidence, rather than the other way round, he said. The home secretary said she had been given a fulsome and detailed security briefing by officials on appropriate use of Government and personal IT. On Monday, the prime minister's official spokesperson insisted Sunak had "full confidence" in Braverman. Credit - Illustration by Alex Nabaum for TIME The U.S. led the world in quickly developing COVID-19 vaccinesone of the few bright spots in the countrys otherwise criticized response. But while injectable vaccines are effective in protecting people from getting sick with COVID-19, they are less able to block infection. In order to put the pandemic behind us, the world will need a way to stop infections and spread of the virus. Thats where a different type of vaccine, one that works at the places where the virus gets into the body, will likely prove useful. Here, though, the U.S. is losing its edge. In September, India approved a nasal COVID-19 vaccine, and in October, China began administering an inhalable onethe worlds first such vaccine against any disease. Both countries conducted their own clinical safety and efficacy tests in humans (but have not yet published the complete and latest results). U.S. researchers have created several nasal vaccines that have been tested in animals, and somelike the booster Dr. Akiko Iwasaki and her Yale University colleagues developedlook promising; their group published encouraging results in the journal Science on Oct. 27. But such vaccines are at least several years away in the U.S. Moving to the next stephuman testingis stalled for several big reasons, including a lack of funding. There is a lot of science that needs to be done to see if developing mucosal vaccines against COVID-19 is possible, says Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), an organization that funds research into innovative solutions to responding to disease outbreaks. CEPI helped to fund Modernas mRNA vaccine and is currently supporting several nasal-vaccine programs around the world. But we ought to make major investments in understanding the immunology of COVID-19, understanding the immune response, and testing various approaches to delivering vaccines with the goal of producing mucosal immunity. Story continues The challenges of nasal vaccines Creating a nasal vaccine that proves effective may be difficult, as AstraZeneca executives learned when they announced disappointing results in October from their trial of a nasal vaccine. The company turned its injected COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed with researchers from Oxford University, into a mucosal version given through the nose, but early trials in 30 people showed weak antibody responses in their nasal mucosa, where the vaccine was expected to have its greatest effect. They also found lower immune responses in the rest of the body when compared to injected vaccines. AstraZeneca scientists speculated that much of the vaccine, which uses a disabled virus to deliver SARS-CoV-2 genes, might have bypassed the lungs and ended up in the digestive tract, where it was destroyed before it could adequately activate the immune system. Another pitfall of this approach is that people might already have significant immunity built up to the disabled virus, weakening the effect (although AstraZeneca used a virus that normally infects chimps in an effort to avoid this problem). AstraZenecas experience shows how unpredictable vaccine development can be and why the U.S. has so far have favored existing, proven shots based on mRNA technology. These first-generation vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 were about 95% effective at reducing the risk of severe disease, and though efficacy has diminished as SARS-CoV-2 has mutated into more transmissible variants, they continue to protect people from hospitalizations and deaths. Health officials are hopeful that the updated Omicron booster shots currently being administered will rebuild waning immunity. With so much invested in the mRNA platformmoney, time, and considerable public-health messaging to get people to trust these specific vaccinesits a challenge to shift to a different type. There is also the perception, among both political leaders and the public, that COVID-19 is no longer an urgent health threat, and that the current strategy of boosting with mRNA vaccines will be enough to protect people. But that false sense of security could be shattered this winter, as more people gather indoors and respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2 tend to spread more efficiently. I am concerned that the relaxed attitude toward COVID-19 is going to lead to further spread, more disease, and more Long COVID-19 among people who do get infected, says Iwasaki, professor of immunobiology, molecular, cellular and developmental biology at Yale University. All of these things point toward the need for a next generation vaccine. With many people around the world vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 but experiencing waning immunity, nasal vaccines could be the next step in building up that protection again. Why nasal vaccines make sense as a booster Theres a reason why scientists are pursuing a nasal vaccine that works through the mucosal tissues in the nose, mouth, and lungs. SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus that preferentially finds and infects cells in the respiratory tract, from the nose and throat all the way down to the lungs. A vaccine that works in these tissues might do more to hamper the virus from infecting cells than one thats injected into the arm and needs to travel throughout the bodys circulatory system to do its work. If you give a vaccine in the nasal cavity, then you create a localized immune response, and that is fundamentally different from what you get with an intramuscular vaccine, says Iwasaki. Being local has the advantage of capturing the virus before it even enters our body. By limiting the amount of replication at the site of entry, you can also prevent infection, and the potential consequences of infection, including Long COVID. If you limit the amount of virus in the body, you also prevent transmission and spread of disease. The type of immune response generated by cells in the mucosal passages of the nose, mouth, and airways also differs from that produced by a vaccine given in the muscle. Nasal vaccines produce a type of antibody called IgA, which injected vaccines dont produce as much of; vaccines injected in the muscle tend to generate more IgG antibodies. One is not necessarily better than the other, but the two antibodies have different functions. IgA antibodies are more localizedthey live in areas like the respiratory tract, reproductive system, or the gutand are produced in the mucous layer in parts of the body where viruses are most likely to invade. IgG molecules are systemic, and trigger the body to bind and inactivate viruses circulating in the blood. When IgG antibodies are produced, they create systemic immunity, and the body is better prepared to fight back if those viruses or bacteria return to cause infection again. Read More: The Virus Hunters Trying to Prevent the Next Pandemic There may be some advantages to generating a more localized, IgA-heavy responseespecially at this point in the pandemic, when blocking people from getting infected with the virus in the first place has become more of a priority. Antibody-producing cells in tissues like the mucosa tend to produce IgA antibodies that clump viruses like SARS-CoV-2 together, making them easier to neutralize en masse. An international group of scientists also reported in December 2020 that IgA antibodies dominate the first wave of peoples immune response in their saliva, blood, and lungs, in an effort to block the virus from infecting more cells. In a study published in June, researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) found that intranasal COVID-19 inoculation dramatically lowered the amount of virus detected in animals respiratory tract. We couldnt find virus in either the upper or lower respiratory tract, and we know the intranasal vaccine either prevented infection or eliminated infection within two days, says Bernard Moss, distinguished investigator at NIAID and senior author of the paper. Studies also show that people who have had COVID-19 tend to have high levels of IgA in the nose, and they are less likely to get infected if exposed to SARS-CoV-2 than people who havent had COVID-19. That further suggests the importance of generating IgA antibodies to protect people from getting infected. Because much of the worlds population now has some type of immunity to SARS-CoV-2, whether from vaccination or infection, Iwasaki believes its time to use nasal boosters instead of injected ones, in what she describes as the prime and spike strategy. Her latest results support this strategy, as she and her team reported in Science that mice given an intranasal vaccine after receiving mRNA vaccination produced higher levels of IgA antibodies in the nose and mouth than either mRNA shots or a dose of the nasal vaccine alone. The prime and spike model also produced robust immune responses, involving more immune T cells, which are more durable than antibodies. That belief is gaining ground among immune-system experts. We are at a different stage in the pandemic, says Stephanie Langel, instructor in the department of surgery at Duke University who developed a nasal COVID-19 vaccine based on a modified cold virus and tested it in hamsters. Boosting people with a nasal vaccine could help to reduce things like infection and transmission, which is going to be beneficial at a time when we are all going to be spending more time indoors in poorly ventilated spaces during the winter. CanSino Biologics vaccine was approved by Chinese health authorities as a booster dose for this reason. Its the same vaccine as the companys injected shotwhich is about 60% effective in protecting against COVID-19 symptoms one month or more after vaccinationbut in liquid-turned-mist form that is sprayed using a nebulizer in the mouth. Both vaccines use a disabled cold virus engineered to no longer be infectious, to deliver genes coding for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for the immune cells to recognize and target. While the results from late-stage human studies of the mucosal vaccine arent available, the company published early-stage data that showed people receiving the inhaled dose generated similar levels of virus-fighting antibodies as people getting the injected form of the booster. An October release summarizing later stage trials said these levels of antibodies were higher among the people receiving the inhaled dose compared to the injected one. Indian health officials approved a nasal vaccine for primary vaccination in two doses given through the nose, but also have not yet published the results of the human studies supporting that decision. Its nasal vaccine also uses another modified virus to deliver SARS-CoV-2 spike genes. Iran and Russia also reportedly approved nasal vaccines developed by researchers in their respective countries, but without publicly available data. Will nasal vaccines work? Whether these vaccines will reduce infections wont be clear until more people have taken them. Real-world analysis of how well vaccinated people can fend off infections is likely going to be the most efficient way to measure whether nasal vaccines are working. Thats because there are no widely accepted ways to document the effects that a mucosal vaccine is having on the immune system. Scientists have much less experience with mucosal vaccines, and only a handful are approved, including one for influenza and the oral polio vaccine. That makes it difficult for health authorities to measure what the vaccines are doing and to know whether theyre providing protection above and beyond existing vaccines. Most people make more IgA than any other major antibody, and these levels can vary among people, so its hard to determine a standard level, which makes tracking changes nearly impossible. Read More: A New Lab-Made COVID-19 Virus Puts Gain-of-Function Research Under the Microscope For intranasal vaccines, we dont have good biological correlates of immunity, says Hatchett, the CEO of CEPI. There are other questions of whether mucosal immunity against COVID-19 will be protective against disease, and whether that immunity will be enduring. That was also true of the other mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines before they were approved, but regulators relied on measuring levels of neutralizing antibodies circulating in the blood, because those could be documented more easily than levels in tissues in the mucosa. Its impossible to answer such questions without testing nasal vaccines in people in clinical trials. That uncertainty has dissuaded biotech and pharmaceutical companies from investing in mucosal-based vaccines. While unprecedented financial support from the U.S. government fueled the development of mRNA vaccines, no such public sector resources are available for companies trying to develop a nasal vaccine. About a dozen companies have completed or are nearly finished with preliminary animal studies of various nasal vaccines, but they lack the funding needed to test their candidates in people through expensive clinical trials. They have no financial support, no de-risking, nothing. They are in their own orbit, says Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute; along with Iwasaki, Topol wrote an editorial in July supporting the need for broader vaccine research, including on nasal vaccines. Next steps for nasal vaccines Philanthropic organizations including CEPI, the Wellcome Trust, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are convening a workshop in early November to formulate ways to bridge the gap between animal and human studies of nasal vaccines. The groups are focused on finding sustainable and broadly applicable vaccine strategies for fighting infectious diseasesincluding a pan-coronavirus vaccine that targets multiple and potentially future strainsand a nasal-based approach is one of them. CEPI partnered with the U.S. National Institutes of Health to support more basic research on mucosal COVID-19 vaccines, and in October it also announced a partnership with Dutch biopharmaceutical company Intravacc to develop a SARS-CoV-2 nasal vaccine that would protect against a broad range of coronaviruses, including the latest SARS-CoV-2 variants. Intravacc developed a technology that exploits the fact that some bacteria shed non-infectious components called vesicles, which trigger the immune system. Intravaccs vaccine is designed to neutralize the bacteria so they cant cause harm, while taking advantage of their ability to alert immune cells by packing the vehicles with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. In animal studies in rodents and rabbits, the vaccine lowered the viral load in the animals respiratory tract and generated high levels of IgA antibodies. Forty volunteers are now testing the vaccine in Australia in the companys first human intranasal trial, and those results are expected in early 2023. Dozens of other nasal vaccines in development are showing promise in animal studies. To avoid the potential challenges of vaccines such as AstraZenecas, which used another virus to deliver the SARS-CoV-2 genes, Iwasaki is exploring two other strategies for a nasal vaccine. One involves introducing a modified viral spike protein to awaken the immune system, the method described in the latest Science paper, while the other uses mRNA from SARS-CoV-2, but in a delivery system distinct from the intramuscular vaccine thats more tailored to the nasal cavity. These are fundamentally different approaches, and we need to test them, she says. The approach is promising in animal studies, and Iwasaki co-founded a company, Xanadu Bio, to test the vaccine further and look for industry partners to test it in people. If successful, nasal vaccines could also help to improve vaccination rates in lower-resource countries where vaccination with the current vaccines, which require proper storage at ultra-low temperatures, has hampered immunization rates. Increasing vaccination with a shot that significantly decreases transmission is the only way to lower spread of the virus and ultimately contain it. This is going to be a decades-long engagement with this virus, says Hatchett. Having easy-to-administer intranasal vaccines to reduce transmission will help us in terms of global access to vaccines. Its way too early to talk about eradication of COVID-19, but were never going to eradicate COVID-19 if we cant prevent transmission. diptych of New York governor candidates Kathy Hochul and Lee Zeldin Credit - Evelyn HocksteinReuters; Julia NikhinsonAP In a normal year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul might be coasting to victory in November. Shes a reasonably popular Democrat running for re-election in a blue state that hasnt elected a Republican governor in 20 years. For months, she led her GOP opponent, Rep. Lee Zeldin, by double digits in the polls. Yet as Democrats brace for a Republican wave in the midterm elections, Hochuls race has tightened, getting too close for Democrats comfort. An Oct. 28 Emerson poll found Hochul up by just 6 points, down from a 15-point lead in September. Another poll released the same day by Democratic polling firm Slingshot Strategies had Hochul up by the same slim margin, and found that Zeldin led by 2 points among the most enthusiastic voters. The biggest factor in Hochuls shrinking lead has been Zeldins push to make the race about crime. Nationwide, Republicans have sought to make the midterms a referendum on public safety. The argument has particular resonance in New York, which in recent years has passed sentencing reforms that raised the age of adult prosecution to 18 and eliminated cash bail for most low-level crimes. While its not clear these reforms are to blame, crime has surged in New York City, according to NYPD data, with robberies up more than 30%, rapes up more than 10% and a spate of random attacks on subway commuters, even as the murder rate has declined. Zeldin has rooted his campaign in fighting rising crime, with a focus on rolling back New Yorks criminal-justice reforms. Hes also made the crime issue personal: in early October, two teens were shot outside of Zeldins home while his teenage daughters were inside doing homework. (Zeldin did not know the victims, both of whom survived their injuries.) This is day after day after day, he told Fox News after the incident. There are a lot of parents, and there are a lot of families dealing with this reality of rising crime in New York. Story continues Zeldins really put his shoulder into making this a crime election, because he thinks he can win it, says Evan Roth Smith, founding partner at Slingshot Strategies. Read More: Kathy Hochul On Her First Month As New Yorks Governor. A source close to the Hochul campaign disputes the idea that the governor has ignored public safety, arguing that the decline in shootings and murders can be attributed to police gun seizures taking place on her watch. Rep. Zeldins campaign did not return emails asking for comment. Some Democrats say the party has taken New York for granted for so long that theyve focused too much on primaries and forgotten how to run against Republicans in their own state. Those Democrats say the party has not been effective at countering the Republican messaging on crime, even when the numbers are more complicated than they seem. Conservative donor Ronald Lauder has poured millions into TV ads hitting Hochul as soft on crime. The Republicans have been really good about making every election about crime, even when times are good, says Andrew Gounardes, a Democratic state senator representing a purple area of Brooklyn. Its hard to dispute peoples perception with facts. In order to pull out the victory, Hochuls campaign needs to turbocharge turnout in New York City. Theres really no way the numbers work for a Democrat statewide unless they get a big margin in Manhattan, says Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, a Democrat. Im worried thats not gonna happen. Hochuls peril could be a sign of a coming GOP surge across New York. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is suddenly on the defensive in his own district, and Republicans have a chance to make gains in House races across the state, with three listed as toss-ups by Cook Political Report. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a rising MAGA star who represents an upstate New York district, has told multiple media outlets that a red wave is going to sweep across New York. Read More: How Elise Stefanik Went From Moderate to MAGA. The political establishment has taken note of the tightening polls over the last few days, with stars from both parties descending on New York as if it were a swing state. Former President Barack Obama recorded a radio spot for Hochul reminding New Yorkers not to sit this one out, and former President Bill Clinton campaigned for Maloney in the Hudson Valley. Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis campaigned for Zeldin on Long Island. Its the closest statewide race weve had probably in 20 years, says Levine, the Manhattan borough president. Its been so long since weve had a competitive general election, that Democrats in New York City have forgotten how to run in November. Wrestle Zone Becky Lynch had one shot to seize everything she ever [] The post Becky Lynch On Her Cage Jump At WWE Survivor Series: My Palms Were Sweaty, Knees Weak, Arms Spaghetti appeared first on Wrestlezone. Fans ofThe Witcher think they have worked out why Henry Cavill decided to quit the series. On Saturday (20 October), the British actor shocked fans by announcing he would leave the fantasy Netflix show after its next season. Cavill will play Geralt of Rivia one final time before being succeeded by Liam Hemsworth. The news led many to question what the reason was behind Cavills decision especially considering he was an instrumental part in bringing the show to life. After the announcement, fans assumed the choice to leave had something to do with the fact that Cavill had accepted Warner Bros offer to return as Superman. After Justice League was released in 2017, there was a question mark surrounding Cavills involvement in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). However, Dwayne Johnson convinced Cavill to return as the character in Black Adam, which is currently at the top of the box office. It was then revealed that Cavill will return in future DC projects. However, others are pointing out that Cavills decision to quit The Witcher could stem from behind-the-scenes trouble. Henry Cavill in The Witcher (HBO) BuzzFeed has highlighted a recent interview with an ex-producer and writer who worked on the show named Beay DeMayo. Speaking during an Instagram Q&A, DeMayo said: Ive been on shows namely Witcher where some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material). Its a recipe for disaster and bad morale. Fandom as a litmus test checks egos, and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before youre allowed to add to its legacy. Considering Cavill is such a fan of Andrzej Sapkowskis book series the show is based on, its no stretch to assume that these claims could have tied into his decision to leave the series. henry cavill saying hell leave the witcher if the writers continue to disrespect the source material and refuse to tell good stories, then leaving is certainly telling. the already shaky quality of the series is going down the drain. a shame because it was a guilty pleasure autonomous anonymous anomaly (@rainyis_yahomie) October 31, 2022 Henry Cavill leaving The Witcher after begging Netflix for the role and being the biggest fan of the franchise is making the report that the writers hate the books seem more and more plausible, one fan wrote, adding: They chased that man away from the series. Story continues Another added: Damn. I take it this is cause he was never happy with the writing for the show and it didnt seem like it was going to be more book accurate. One fan stated: This isnt about Superman, he's said he'd do both. This is probably a decision based on the showrunners open disdain for the books. So the only person that fought & kept the show somewhat lore accurate and similar to books and games isn't going to be there anymore & the news that the writers of Netflix witcher actually hate the books and games, this show is going to be a next level dumpster fire after henry. Adam Blase Shepard (@Soren0101) October 29, 2022 The Independent has contacted Cavill and Netflix for comment. Cavill announced the news by saying: My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season four. In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liams take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men, he continued. Lol what did the Witcher writers do to piss off Henry Cavill like that liridi (@liridi_art) October 29, 2022 Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find. Netflix users are threatening to boycott the show once Cavill leaves. The Witcher is showrun by Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich. A Texas man was fatally shot during a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend in a Houston-area neighborhood, police told news outlets. Officers responded to a 911 call after gunshots rang out the morning of Monday, Oct. 31, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. They arrived at the 12600 block of Pelican Bay Drive, a suburban street 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston. A fight had broken out between a man and woman stemming from domestic violence, Gonzalez said. The woman had recently broken up with the man, the sheriffs office told KTRK. At one point, the woman got into a vehicle to drive away. But the man tried to pull her out and was hanging onto the vehicle as she drove from the scene, the station reported. Her sons, ages 15 and 27, witnessed this and followed on foot, police told KPRC. They caught up with the ex-boyfriend and a struggle ensued. The 27-year-old pulled out a gun and shot the man, according to the station. He was wounded and ran away, Gonzalez said. First responders found him nearby and he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The incident is being investigated. Road rage suspect opens fire on off-duty officer and his teen son, Texas police say Family finds woman and her ex-boyfriend dead after hearing gunshots, Texas cops say Stepfather killed in fight with men dropping off teen stepdaughters, Texas cops say Woman stabs boyfriend during fight over her OnlyFans account, Texas cops say It was early spring 1946. British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, seeing the untenable status quo, sent a simple message to the British colonial officer in India: In any case, get Britain out. The following year, King George VI signed legislation passed by Parliament, finally ending Britains violent colonial rule on the Indian subcontinent. Twenty years later, British colonies in East Africa successively declared independence, moving the United Kingdom along the difficult transition from an imperial power to modern liberal democracy. One persons life experience has been a microcosm of these critical inflection points in the history of contemporary Britain and the collective West. He is Rishi Sunak, Britains new prime minister. Sunak, the child of ethnic Indian parents born in colonial Kenya and Tanzania, is the first British Asian to hold the highest office in the U.K. government. Advertisement Selected by his fellow Conservative Party lawmakers in Parliament, Sunak replaces Liz Truss, whose fiscal policy proposals ushered chaos into the British economy. His appointment has generated considerable controversies in the U.K., with Labor Party supporters decrying that he was not popularly elected through a general election. Yet, as controversial as it is, the process of his appointment should in no way diminish the historic nature of this moment. Sunak, as prime minister, symbolizes the impact of the modern movement to combat racism and inequality carried out by generations of advocates in the West. Racial inequality exists in many forms but the presence of a racial hierarchy is a prime manifestation. Until Sunaks appointment, Britain has never had a single nonwhite prime minister. Similarly, in the private sector, it was found last year that there were no Black chairmen, chief executive officers or chief financial officers in any of Britains 100 largest companies trading on the London Stock Exchange. The social movement for diversity and inclusion is meant to remove minorities barriers to success if they earn it through hard work. And Sunaks appointment has shed a positive light on the movements achievements. Advertisement The appointment of the first nonwhite British prime minister also shatters the narrative of white supremacists in the collective West. In the days before Sunaks leadership election, a caller suggested during a London radio program that Sunaks skin color showed he isnt even British enough to be prime minister. The racist statement was made despite the fact that Sunak was born in Southampton, England. His premiership not only shows the major Western countrys commitment to diversity but also, more profoundly, gives Sunak a chance to show white supremacists that a person of color can do the job equally well. Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street in central London on Oct. 26, 2022. (Justin Tallis/Getty-AFP) Racial equality activists in America can also draw some lessons from this latest development across the Atlantic. Asian Americans are poorly represented across all three branches of government. There has never been a single Asian American justice on the Supreme Court in the history of the U.S., nor has there been an Asian American speaker of the House. In 2017, a Californian Supreme Court justice publicly questioned the fact that there are only three Asian Americans among a total of 94 U.S. attorneys. The situation has not significantly improved since then. It is time for civil society organizations and independent advocates in America to take notice of the underrepresentation of Asian minorities across different levels of the U.S. government. Asian Americans voices deserve to be heard, especially during the difficult time now as the nation witnesses a 339% annual increase in anti-Asian hate crimes. Advocates need to coordinate with each other and with policymakers to raise social awareness of minority inclusion and representation nationwide. Sunaks ascension to Britains highest leadership is larger than an Asian minority story, larger than a British-African-Asian story. Sunaks premiership captures the efforts made by all racial equality activists, regardless of racial or ethnic background, through the generations. It also serves as a reminder that there is much work to be done to make racial prejudice an injustice of the past. Bincheng Mao is an agenda contributor at the World Economic Forum. He writes on human rights and economic justice. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. WORCESTER City health officials are urging residents to take health safety precautions, including wearing masks and getting vaccinated, to avoid surges and further strain on the hospital systems as flu season arrives in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and rising cases of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. In a citywide advisory, health officials are urging all residents to wear masks when indoors and around others, especially children at least 2 years old because they are most impacted by RSV. "Although there is no specific treatment or vaccine for RSV, spread can be prevented by covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, washing your hands with soap and water, cleaning infected surfaces, and staying home when sick," said the advisory said. "Anyone experiencing severe symptoms such as decrease in appetite, fever, or wheezing should contact their doctor." More:RSV climbing at UMass Memorial Health; concern about the respiratory illness RSV is a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in one to two weeks. However, infants, children, older adults and immunocompromised individuals are susceptible to serious illness, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Despite the drop in COVID-19 cases, officials are also encouraging masking indoors as the holidays arrive and indoor gatherings become more common. As of Oct. 28, the seven-day daily average of new positive COVID-19 cases in Worcester is 22.9, marking a decline of about 10 over the last two weeks. Officials said that is the lowest since June. The two-week test positivity rate is 5.57%, and the level of virus in wastewater has consistently declined over the past week, officials said. More:Medical expert: Worcester faces potential 'tridemic' health threat this fall Officials noted that the city saw a similar decrease in October 2021, before the emergence of the omicron variant sent infection levels skyrocketing. Story continues While there is no citywide mask mandate in place, face masks are still mandatory at Worcester hospitals and in school health offices. Superintendent Rachel H. Monarrez said that masks are and will continue to be optional for Worcester Public School students and that she does not anticipate the implementation of a masking mandate. "We'll continue to monitor our data to guide any kind of recommendation," she said. "The school committee will be looking to the state guidance that comes out from DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education), so it's multiple indicators." Data about RSV numbers in the school district has not been collected yet, so the extent to which students have been impacted by it is currently unknown, the superintendent said. When asked if the uptick in RSV could lead to the collection of that data or a masking mandate, Monarrez said she would look to the district's head nurse Debra McGovern. "We will work in collaboration with our Department of Public Health and continue to watch, observe and make decisions," Monarrez said. Return to telegram.com for more on this story. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester officials call for indoor mask wearing due to RSV, COVID Dramatic footage of workers purportedly fleeing one of the largest iPhone assembly factories in China due to a COVID-19 outbreak emerged online over the weekend. Among the widely shared videos is a clip uploaded by BBC correspondent Stephen McDonell apparently showing employees climbing over fences of a facility owned by Foxconn, a major manufacturer for Apple, in the city of Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou, the capital and largest city of Henan Province, recorded 167 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases from Oct. 23 to Oct. 29. The citywide outbreak, which resulted in the closure of surrounding shops and hotels, prompted Foxconn to force some of its workers into quarantine. In a statement to The New York Times on Thursday, the company confirmed that a small number of employees had been asked to quarantine, without elaborating on details of the measures it implemented. More from NextShark: Elderly Asian woman sucker punched in 'unprovoked' attack outside flower shop in Manhattan Foxconn added that they have been progressing steadily in controlling the outbreak and were able to provide all the needs of the quarantined employees, including material supplies, psychological comfort and responsive feedback. Story continues While there are an estimated 200,000 workers at the Zhengzhou complex, it remains unclear how many workers were actually infected. As of this writing, not all the videos spreading on social media could be verified. More from NextShark: Chinas most handsome man to sue online critics who say he's nothing more than an attractive face Local reports indicated that the fleeing Foxconn employees complained about the poor quality of food and claimed there was no sufficient medical care provided to those who tested positive. In a more recent statement to Business Insider, Foxconn shared that the situation is currently stabilizing, noting that it has set up a 24-hour hotline for employees to assist with their needs. "For some employees who want to return home, the park is cooperating with the government to organize personnel and vehicles to provide a point-to-point orderly return service for employees, from today," the statement reads. More from NextShark: AAPI coalition demands Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan pull his anti-China Senate campaign ad According to local media, the transportation was arranged a day after the viral videos circulated of fleeing workers emerged. Surrounding cities have since started formulating plans to isolate the fleeing workers who may end up in their hometowns amid fears of further potential outbreaks. Featured Image via @StephenMcDonell BEIJING (AP) Workers who assemble Apple Inc.s newest iPhone walked away from a factory in central China following virus outbreaks and complaints of unsafe working conditions, highlighting the clash between the diseases enduring risks and efforts to restore the global flow of goods. Employees started leaving the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou after some fell ill in mid-October and received no treatment, according to an employee who asked not to be identified by name. He said Foxconn has begun requiring face masks and disinfects the workplace daily but work continues normally. There are still people getting infected at the assembly lines, and they are still worried about going to work, the employee said Monday by phone from Zhengzhou. He said he had left the factory and planned to return to his hometown. As other countries ease anti-virus curbs, exporters in China are trying to fill orders while coping with a Zero COVID strategy that abruptly shuts down cities for a week or longer to contain outbreaks. In a statement, Foxconn said it is using closed-loop management in Zhengzhou, an official term for having employees live in their workplace with no outside contact. The company said it was providing three meals a day. It did not say when those measures began. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Electronics Inc., didnt respond to questions about how many employees were infected, whether new cases were occurring or to complaints that people who were sick in early October received no treatment. The activist group China Labor Watch said Foxconn was under pressure from Apple to maintain its output of the iPhone 14 during its peak production season. It said the factory in Zhengzhou, with 90 assembly lines, is the main iPhone assembly site. Apple didnt respond to questions about how production might be affected. The Foxconn statement said the company would coordinate with other factories to reduce any potential impact. Story continues It wasnt clear how many workers left the factory, which Foxconn says employs about 200,000 people. The employee in Zhengzhou and social media posts said as many as half had left. President Xi Jinpings government faces mounting public frustration over controls that have confined tens of millions of people to their homes. That has boiled over into protests and fights with police in Shanghai and other cities. Foxconn, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, is the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other consumer electronics. Its factories, with hundreds of thousands of employees, are among Chinas biggest private employers. Companies are required to pay for anti-disease controls and monitoring of employees for possible infections. That gives them an incentive to cut corners. Those with large workforces might miss violations. Foxconn reacted slowly, according to news reports, China Labor Watch and the employee reached by phone in Zhengzhou. At the beginning of the outbreak, no one took care of the workers that were confirmed as having contracted the virus, said the employee. No food and no medicine. Later, when employees who tested positive were quarantined, Foxconn used sites including nearby unfinished apartment buildings, according to China Labor Watch. Employees complained that the food the factory provided was poor quality. Employees who live in crowded factory dormitories worry about neighbors who test positive and are released after one week in quarantine, said the employee in Zhengzhou. They have no choice but to leave, he said. Videos on social media showed people said to be Foxconn employees climbing over fences and walking down a road with their belongings. It was impossible to confirm whether all the videos showed Foxconn employees. Volunteers from nearby villages put out food and drinks for the workers. Governments of cities near Zhengzhou appealed to Foxconn workers to report to authorities in their hometowns to undergo quarantines. Foxconn and the city government of Zhengzhou announced Sunday they would arrange transportation for employees who want to leave. The welfare of our workforce is a priority, the Foxconn statement said. It appealed for understanding and support. Zero COVID has helped to keep Chinas infection numbers low but at a rising cost that has prompted warnings the ruling party needs a less disruptive strategy. Restaurants and other small businesses have shut down due to high costs and plunging revenue. The economic impact of anti-virus controls is so severe that foreign companies are shifting planned investments to other countries, business groups say. Apple Inc. recently announced it will also make its iPhone 14 at a Foxconn factory in India. Fewer than one in five companies surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai rank China as No. 1 in investment plans, down from 27% last year, according to the chamber. It said travel curbs and quarantines have dulled the desire of executives to visit. Unless China harmonizes its COVID policies with the rest of the world, this fall from favor may be repeated next year, the chamber said in a report. Auto factories, securities firms and and some other companies in Shanghai kept operating under closed loop conditions after the city shut down in March following virus outbreaks. They paid bonuses of up to 100% of salary to employees, according to Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, a vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. The costs are quite high, she said. ___ AP researcher Yu Bing in Beijing and Business Writer Zen Soo in Hong Kong contributed. Maddie Abuyuan / BuzzFeed News; 20th Century Studios; A24 Warning: This post contains spoilers. Zach Creggers Barbarian (now streaming on HBO Max) was a sleeper hit this September, making $40 million from a $4 million budget. The low-budget horror movie about a woman who discovers someone else living in her Airbnb received a groundswell of love from critics and horror fans. It happily took the spot Ti Wests X had occupied earlier this summer. Though the two have little in common stylistically X, set in 1979, is clearly inspired by slasher movies and exploitation flicks of the period, while Barbarian breaks apart tropes of contemporary elevated horror their villains and central conflict are quite similar. Both films feature (spoilers ahead!) elderly women as their killers and young, transient artists as their victims. X fully embraces its late-70s groove. Set in the so-called golden age of porn, the film depicts a group of amateur pornographers who decide to make a new type of artistic adult film in a rented farmhouse. They are immediately met with hostility upon their arrival by older, gun-wielding Howard (Stephen Ure). But his wife, Pearl (Mia Goth), becomes fixated on the group and begins to stalk the cast, while also attempting to seduce one of the actors, Maxine. Barbarian similarly positions a young cast of ambitious artists against a defensive older class: Tess (Georgina Campbell) is in town to interview for a research position on a music documentary, only to discover that her Airbnb, owned by sitcom actor AJ (Justin Long), has been double-booked. Her fellow guest, Keith (Bill Skarsgard), is a prominent local musician and potential subject in her work. None of these three know that the former owner, Frank (Richard Brake), is still living underneath the house. Below the basement lair he created to abduct women, he resides alongside his daughter and a gnarled monster called simply the Mother, who is likely his victim. A24 X and Barbarian both play with the psycho-biddy horror trope exemplified by movies like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Sunset Boulevard (1950), and even Snow White (1937). The psycho-biddy is an older, unstable woman whose violence is activated by jealousy, sexual desire, and resentment. Her ire is often focused on young women, whose youth and beauty she openly envies. The genre is a complicated response to Hollywoods ageism and its one-dimensional view of women actors as maiden, mother, or crone. It both comments on and exploits the anxieties as they are perceived by male filmmakers that women have about their value in a youth-oriented culture. As Taylor Swift put it in Anti-Hero on her most recent album, Midnights: Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby / And Im a monster on the hill. It is only recently that we have seen warm onscreen portrayals of sexually active older women. Compare the depiction of the 50-year-old women of And Just Like That stylish, sexually adventurous, and absurdly glamorous to that of Golden Girls, where the women are framed as retirees and grandmothers. Perhaps the most famous female seducer of cinema, Mrs. Robinson of The Graduate (1967), was played by Anne Bancroft, who was only six years older than her costar Dustin Hoffman. Mrs. Robinson is sexually aggressive, manipulative, and falsely accuses Hoffmans Benjamin of rape upon being rejected a trifecta of evil female behavior. MayDecember romances in Hollywood are so universally gendered and heteronormative (older man, younger woman) that a movie like Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022), where a 55-year-old woman (Emma Thompson) whose spouse has died hires a young male sex worker, is still a distinct novelty. The genre is a complicated response to Hollywoods ageism and its one-dimensional view of women actors as maiden, mother, or crone. X and Barbarian reframe the so-called psycho-biddy conflict as a territory dispute. Pearl is not a roving serial killer. She is set off by the sudden intrusion on her home and kills after being unexpectedly confronted with objective proof of her old age and lack of sexual viability. The Mother only emerges from her basement at night to hunt in the derelict neighborhood thats become her enclave. She abducts two victims to become her pseudo-children when they enter her basement dwelling, and she kills anyone who stands in the way of her warped caretaking. These villains have clear boundaries. They kill when new people do not conform to their rules and disrupt the isolated world theyve established. Making the victims ambitious artists further cements these psycho-biddies as relics of a time long gone. These two films explore not just the concerns millennials and Gen Z have about aging but the generational conflict between the under-40 crowd and baby boomers. Its more than eye-rolling contempt for a fuddy-duddy past generation. Pearl and the Mother are not simply out-of-touch elders; theyre villains hungry for youth, landlords who terrorize their tenants. In these portrayals, we see the same anger that fueled the OK, boomer or Karen memes an open resentment of the generations who destroyed the economy, the environment, and the political system while still lecturing the youth on personal responsibility. A24 Mia Goth, channeling the wide-eyed, rhapsodic nerviness of classic horror queens like Sissy Spacek or Shelley Duvall, plays dual roles in X as both final girl Maxine and her terrorizer, whose backstory is illuminated in Wests 2022 prequel film Pearl. In Pearl, we learn that its actually Pearl who owns the house, not Howard. Pearl has spent her entire life in that house, once ruled by her strict German mother, Ruth, who would be a caricature were Tandi Wrights performance not so sympathetic. Set during the 1918 flu pandemic, Pearl shows the younger woman (Mia Goth) taking care of her near-comatose father, only leaving the farm to fetch his medicine and sneak into the local cinema. (These films feature star-making performances from Goth, who flexes her versatility with two fully realized and distinct characters; she also served as a cowriter and executive producer for Pearl.) She is already married to Howard, but he has enlisted in WWI despite her protests. Both Ruth and Pearl are openly miserable, lonely, and resent having been abandoned by their husbands but there is no shared sentiment between them. Ruth does not merely want Pearl to mature: She wants Pearl to take on the same adulthood Ruth has, one marked by unending domestic responsibility, martyrdom, and quiet despair. In the same way Pearl will resent the actors of X, Ruth seethes over her daughters naivete and still-glimmering hope for the future. X reveals that Maxine is the daughter of a Christian fundamentalist whose preaching Pearl and Howard watched on television. In Maxine, we see the realization of Pearls dreams to abscond from a conservative home in pursuit of fame. Maxine is not just attractive and sexually desirable shes able to express her own sexual desires without rejection. Her arrival disrupts Pearls self-contained world, forcing Pearl to confront her dissatisfaction with the life she never wanted. Goth is almost, but not quite, unrecognizable as the elderly Pearl under six hours of makeup and practical effects, reminding us that Maxines youth and beauty are ephemeral. The flecks of jealousy, lust, and despair we see in Xs Pearl are rendered fully in the prequel: Pearl threatens her conventionally pretty and upwardly mobile sister-in-law, brings herself to orgasm while grinding on a scarecrow, and secretly dances in Ruths Edwardian dresses (Psycho allusion intentional). We also see her early aptitude for brutal violence. Pearl commits many minor acts of sadism, but its her theft of an alligator egg that feels most symbolic of whats to come. Pearl brings the egg back to the farmhouse but she has no plans to hatch and raise the gator herself. Instead, she crushes the egg with a smile, a clear rejection of motherhood, the vulnerable, and the young. Its fitting that Pearls first victims are her mother, bohemian lover, and father, a Freudian trilogy who represent barriers to her freedom. Pearl is not an unfeeling sociopath; rather, she has too much feeling. Much like in her beloved movie musicals, where protagonists are so overcome by emotion they have to dance, when Pearl boils over, she has to kill. As she claims her final victim, we see that Pearl will never leave her farmhouse. She has accepted that the home is her true birthright now that her dreams of stardom have been crushed. She serves moldy food to corpses dressed in their Sunday best, constructing a funhouse version of the tidy home her mother once ran. The home now reflects how Pearl always felt about it: a decrepit, rotting torture den. She has tied herself to her prison, but has not taken on her mothers penchant for suffering in silence. 20th Century Studios Barbarians Mother is similarly a physical manifestation of her house of horrors. Her malformed nature is explained as the result of generations of rape and incest by Frank. Underneath Franks basement den, where he films and catalogs his many violations, is a long tunnel full of cages and nests. Among them is a room where an informational VHS tape about the joys of childrearing and breastfeeding seems to play on a loop messages that have clearly warped the Mothers bestial mind. Tess, the only other major female character in the movie, is smart enough to understand that the Mothers behavior is the result of maternal instinct distorted into monstrosity and plays along, unlike her fellow male victims. Both Pearl and the Mother operate on childish impulses. Pearl throws tantrums when she feels rejected; the Mother physically rips apart her pseudo-children when they dont comply. They rely on instinct and intuition, rather than logic, to hunt their victims. Most tragically, neither understands why they are so grotesque. Both serve as investigations (Pearl more intentionally than the Mother) of concepts Hollywood has glamorized, exaggerated, and attached to women: so-called hysteria, jealousy, and childish simplicity. The psycho-biddy genre has been maligned as anti-feminist unsurprising from a genre also cheekily referred to as hagsploitation. Films with this trope have been accused of fetishizing female youth and beauty and demonizing older women, especially older women who openly seek sexual pleasure. But in both X and Pearl (and likely the forthcoming denouement to the series, MaXXXine), we see a well-rounded and often gleeful exploration of two women whose specificities make them compelling. Maxine and Pearl are ambitious women reacting to the pressures of their time and responding with their own desires. Pearl never excuses or victimizes the young Pearl. She has always had violent desires and she chooses to act on them her family and loneliness might have shaped her, but she decides to become a monster. Conversely, Barbarian is ultimately not a movie about women but about what men do to them. Justin Longs AJ is a disarmingly nice guy who downplays his serial abuse of women as misunderstandings, including his recent rape of a co-star. Upon entering owner Franks lair and seeing the horrific tapes hes created, AJ is repulsed. He clearly distinguishes what he did to his costar which hes still refusing to admit was rape from what Frank did. He is the embodiment of the softer side of toxic masculinity, the type wielded by savvier predators who use friendliness as a tactic. The Mother is the exact kind of villain a redpilled creep like AJ is unable to counter. Shes the ultimate helicopter mom, unable to distinguish children from adults, forcing her captives to bottle- and breast-feed. She demands perfect obedience from her children and violently punishes them when they refuse. When they leave her domain, she stalks them and attacks anyone who might be a corrupting influence and take them from her. And none of this childrearing seems to have worked: Shes completely alone besides Frank, who she is still terrified of. Her literally overbearing maternal nature is repulsive to her victims but also painfully pathetic. Ultimately, the Mother is pitiable. A territorial animal, she doesnt have the free will of a monster like Pearl, whose humanity and agency are fully depicted. The Mother is an abomination manifested from the sins committed by her father another horrific consequence of the boomer generations insatiability. These movies reanimate perennial fears of aging, older women, and ones fading relevance. Anxious times are good for genre films. In an era marked by apocalyptic dread and intergenerational resentment, X and Barbarian are timely depictions of youth anxiety toward a territorial older class and an older generations disdain for an entitled, aimless youth. While Barbarian is closer to a classic creature feature notably, the Mother is played by a male actor X and Pearl disrupt traditional narratives of feminine monstrosity, humanizing Pearl without exonerating her. Pearl is a response to male slashers like Norman Bates or Leatherface, two highly emotive villains who rule, maybe reluctantly, over a decaying miniature empire. These movies reanimate perennial fears of aging, older women, and ones fading relevance. We also see the painful loneliness that often comes with old age in an increasingly individualistic world. All this isolation has been enough to make one mad, Pearls sister-in-law says offhand as Pearl knowingly looks on. Its what we do with the madness that sets us apart. New York City and New York state agreed to pay $36 million to settle lawsuits filed on behalf of two men wrongly convicted of assassinating Malcolm X in 1965, an attorney representing the pair said Sunday. Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam, who were convicted in 1966, each spent more than 20 years in prison before they were paroled in the 1980s. The pair were convicted of murdering Malcolm X despite a hasty trial and doubts about their involvement in the assassination. Legal scholars had long argued that the case against them was flawed and a nearly two-year-long investigation completed last year found evidence pointing to their innocence had been withheld during their trial. A third man, Mujahid Abdul Halim, was also found guilty in 1966 and confessed to the murder at his trial. He said at the time and has maintained that Aziz and Islam were innocent. A judge in Manhattan dismissed their convictions last year, saying the trial involved serious miscarriages of justice. Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. also issued an apology, saying law enforcement at the time of the trial engaged in serious, unacceptable violations of the law and the public trust. Muhammad Aziz stands outside the courthouse with members of his family after his conviction in the killing of Malcolm X was vacated on Nov. 18, 2021, in New York. (Photo: via Associated Press) Muhammad Aziz stands outside the courthouse with members of his family after his conviction in the killing of Malcolm X was vacated on Nov. 18, 2021, in New York. (Photo: via Associated Press) Aziz is now 84. Islam died in 2009 and the suit was brought by his estate. Muhammad Aziz, Khalil Islam, and their families suffered because of these unjust convictions for more than 50 years, their attorney, David Shanies, said in a statement to The Associated Press. The City recognized the grave injustices done here, and I commend the sincerity and speed with which the Comptrollers Office and the Corporation Counsel moved to resolve the lawsuits. Shanies added to The New York Times that it was tragic Islam died never knowing that his name would be cleared. New York City will pay $26 million and the state of New York will pay an additional $10 million. The $36 million in settlement money will be divided equally between Aziz and Islams estate. Story continues The New York City Law Department said it agreed with the outcome of the investigation and the pairs exoneration, adding it hoped the settlement would help bring some measure of justice to individuals who spent decades in prison and bore the stigma of being falsely accused of murdering an iconic figure. Based on our review this office stands by the opinion of former Manhattan district attorney Vance who stated, based on his investigation, that there is one ultimate conclusion: Mr. Aziz and Mr. Islam were wrongfully convicted of this crime, Nick Paolucci, a spokesman for the department, told The New York Times. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... KATERYNA TYSHENKO SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2022, 22:51 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the Russians "sick" in response to Kremlin allegations that the unmanned surface vessels (USVs) that attacked Russian ships in Sevastopol on 29 October were launched from a civilian grain bulker being used as part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. [The Black Sea Grain Initiative is an agreement brokered by the UN with Russia and Turkiye launched on 22 July to enable ships to transport grain from Ukraine - ed.] Source: President Zelenskyys nightly video address Quote: "What has the world heard this time? That someone is allegedly launching drones from a grain bulker... Earlier, they talked about weaponised birds, then about weaponised insects, and now they talk about weaponised grain... A killer wheat, which drowns Russian admirals. Well, what can you say? They are truly sick people. But these sick people are once again putting the world on the brink of a severe food crisis." Details: Zelenskyy emphasised that Russia is the sole culprit of rising food prices across the globe from West Africa to East Asia, and that people in Ethiopia, Yemen and Somalia are being left with catastrophic food shortages. "Of course, partners are trying to convince the terrorist state to slow down the blackmail a little. But is it realistic? So far, the facts indicate that the Russian leadership is more interested in exacerbating the food crisis than in complying with the signed documents. And this, by the way, is the answer to all those who suggest negotiations with Russia," the president said. Previously: The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has suggested that the USVs that attacked the Russian Black Sea Fleet ships on 29 October were launched from aboard a civilian vessel near Odesa, which, the Russian ministry has claimed, was being used as part of the Grain Initiative. They have based these statements on an analysis of the navigation modules of the USVs. Story continues Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine, dismissed Russias claims as delusional. Background: On 29 October, explosions were reported in the Russian-occupied city of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had attacked Sevastopol using unmanned surface vessels (USVs) at 04:00 on 29 October. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Ivan Golubets minesweeper sustained damage as a result of the attack. Later, it became known that at least three ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including the Admiral Makarov flagship, were damaged as a result of the USV attack on 29 October. Russian Defence Ministry has accused the British Navy of having planned and carried out "terrorist attacks" on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. The Ministry announced that preparations for the "attack" on Sevastopol were carried out under the guidance of members of the British Navy, who are currently allegedly in the Ukrainian city of Ochakiv. The southern defence forces of Ukraine suspect that failed launches of air defence missiles by the Russian occupiers could be a reason for explosions in Sevastopol on Saturday. The Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs has announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative for an indefinite period. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Nelson County Public Schools Supervisor of Maintenance Les Campbell recently led supervisors and school board members on a brief tour of the old wing of Nelson County High School after a joint meeting between the two boards. Representatives walked past mint-green subway tiles and over an uneven floor of brownish orange tiles, many chipped school board member Janet Turner-Giles said theyre impossible to replace individually because they arent manufactured anymore. Representatives were led into a classroom with crumbling plaster on one wall and only two electric sockets Campbell explained this poses a problem when students and teachers have to power their devices, and surge protectors often run down the middle of the room when in use. This section of the high school dates back to its original construction in 1955, according to school board member George Cheape. During the Oct. 24 meeting, Cheape also noted Tye River Elementary School is about 27 years old, Rockfish River Elementary School is 25 years old, and Nelson Middle School is approaching 20 years old, and the high school we sit in is 67 years old and it has had a couple of additions and renovations, the most recent being in 2003 it had somewhat of a facelift during that time and some HVAC work done, but we have some real infrastructure issues that are going to need to be addressed long term in the bones of this building. Before diving into a discussion of school capital improvement projects, County Administrator Candy McGarry updated the group on the county budget. The unassigned general fund balance as of July 1 stands at $5.7 million, according to McGarry, and the best practice use of the fund balance is for one-time nonrecurring expenditures. Total revenue from local tax collection is budgeted to be $36.1 million, although McGarry cautioned the group that shifts in economic conditions and changes in consumer spending behavior could affect collection rates. In addition, the county has invested sufficient capital to acquire a $57 million debt capacity, which means it now has the ability to borrow up to $57 million. To date, $2.6 million of that debt capacity has been used to purchase a 300-acre property near the high school and middle school complex, dubbed the Larkin property based on its previous ownership. The school board and board of supervisors last held a joint meeting in early September to discuss the future of the property. I have a document called the schools capital improvement plan. I wish it didnt exist, NCPS Assistant Superintendent for Administration Shannon Irvin said at the start of her portion of the presentation. I wish it was a subset of the countys capital improvement plan, with a schools section, because this plan cant be accomplished without the work of the board of supervisors, Irvin continued. A new roof for the NCHS and NMS complex, and repairs to the NCHS building envelope are listed under immediate concerns and were a major topic of conversation that night. The costs for these projects are listed as $4.7 million and $829,998 respectively, but Irvin said those estimates are from when the projects were first added to the plan in September 2021. She said shed received an updated estimate for the larger project in 2021 of $5.5 million and then a contractor recently told her to add 15% to that estimate, for a total of updated estimate of $6.3 million. NCPS has $2.7 million of state and federal funding that can be put towards the project but has a timeframe to use it by. McGarry added the board has dedicated $2.9 million to go towards the project. Board of Supervisors Chair Jesse Rutherford urged the school board to start moving forward and secure more concrete estimates. This is a project that we committed to in boards prior. I dont see us not being committed to fixing that issue, so I would get in line, Rutherford said, referring to an earlier comment by Irvin that other school divisions are waiting on their orders for capital improvement projects due to supply chain delays. The conversation then turned to the future of NCPS infrastructure, with Irvin addressing projects the division would like to accomplish in the next three years. The biggest project on that list, and on a master list of identified schools CIP projects, is a major renovation of NCHS, estimated in January 2020 to cost $24.5 million. McGarry asked if work on the roof might impact that renovation. If we fix the roof and the brick problem now and then at some point in the near future we do this renovation project, are we going to be undoing something weve just spent a bunch of money on? she continued. Irvin said she shared McGarrys concern but if we cant do anything else, we need to do the roof because its leaking. This is where we need some insight from your long-term investment in the schools, School Board Chair Shannon Powell said. I think not knowing what the CIP investment in the school system looks like in the next zero to five years impacts whether we should or shouldnt do this project. Irvin said she intends to have the school boards roofing consultant return at that boards next meeting and both boards expressed interest in continuing to meet in joint sessions. The Iowa Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) investigated a fatal officer-involved shooting early Sunday in Davenport and identified the individual involved as 24-year-old resident Kenneth Jamel Carrol. Three Davenport Police officers, two Iowa State Troopers and one Bettendorf Police officer discharged their weapons during the encounter with Carrol, and all six officers have been placed on Critical Incident Leave while the case is being investigated, according to a DPS news release. An autopsy of Carrol will take place at the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner. No law enforcement personnel were injured. The release states: "Per protocol, their [law enforcement personnel] names will not be released prior to being interviewed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation." According to an earlier DPS news release, at 2:50 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, multiple agencies were patrolling in the area of 5200 Grand Avenue when officers initiated a traffic stop and the driver failed to stop, which resulted in a pursuit. The pursuit ended after the vehicle became inoperable near Kimberly Road and Elmore Avenue occupants then fled on foot. Officers exchanged gunfire with Carrol during the foot pursuit; as a result, Carrol was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release. This story is developing. The House is in session as the Illinois lawmakers meet at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) This is the second installment of the Tribune Editorial Boards endorsements for Illinois House races in the Nov. 8 general election. 15th District This district includes parts of Niles, Morton Grove and Chicagos Far Northwest Side. Republican Mark Albers, owner of a sales and marketing firm, wants to make Illinois more economically competitive by using neighboring Indianas approach of capping a homeowners property taxes at 1% of the homes assessed value. We pay nearly triple what Indiana pays in taxes, the Morton Grove resident tells us. He also supports putting a pension reform amendment on the ballot. Advertisement Democratic incumbent Michael Kelly is a Chicago firefighter who was appointed to the seat in 2021 after the sudden midterm resignation of John DAmico, a longtime ally of Madigan, who faces a federal trial on corruption charges. Our endorsement goes to Albers. 16th District This district, which includes parts of Skokie, Lincolnwood and the West Ridge neighborhood on the Far Northwest Side, will get a new representative after Kevin Olickal beat incumbent Denyse Wang Stoneback in the Democratic primary in June. Olickal, a staunchly pro-union progressive, faces Republican Vincent Romano, a Realtor. Both candidates are from Skokie. Advertisement Romano, 49, displays strong knowledge of the states pension crisis, and backs a pension reform amendment to the Illinois Constitution to get Springfields moribund financial outlook back on track. Romano also correctly cites the massive waste that comes with Illinois roster of nearly 7,000 units of local government. As he points out, Thats four times more taxing bodies than Texas, a state with four times the population. He also believes Springfield Democrats addiction to spending necessitates a department-by-department review to see what chaff can be eliminated. Olickal, a 29-year-old law student, leans too far left. Romano is endorsed. 17th District State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, celebrates the passage of House Bill 367 in Springfield on May 31, 2021. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register) During the COVID-19 pandemic, as America was seeing a rise in anti-Asian violence, Democratic incumbent Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz of Glenview stewarded legislation that made Illinois the first state to require Asian American history to be taught in public schools. Empathy comes from understanding, Gong-Gershowitz told us. Her grandparents emigrated from China in the 1920s and feared deportation under the Chinese Exclusion Acts. A lack of knowledge is the root cause of discrimination, and the best weapon against ignorance is education. Well said. Her background in immigration and human rights law helps inform her work as the chairperson of the House Immigration and Human Rights Committee, along with the Judiciary-Civil Committee. Her opponent, Bradley Martin of Skokie, hasnt waged much of a campaign. Gong-Gershowitz is endorsed. 18th District Theres no overlap in views between the two candidates in this North Shore district that includes Evanston, Wilmette and Winnetka. Democratic incumbent Robyn Gabel of Evanston has held this seat since 2010, and is the House assistant majority leader. She has a history of never veering far from the Democratic leadership agenda. She defends the partys stewardship of Illinois finances, and doesnt see the need for a constitutional amendment that would reform the abysmal pension system and address its $130 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. Gabel also supports Amendment 1, which is on the Nov. 8 ballot and would change the Illinois Constitution to give workers a fundamental right to organize. It also would essentially prohibit right-to-work laws that ban the requirement of union membership as a condition of employment. Critics say the measure would waste taxpayer money and cast Illinois as an anti-business state. We oppose it. Gabels Republican opponent, Charles Hutchinson, is a Wilmette lawyer who opposes Amendment 1 because he believes workers should have the choice of whether to join a union. Hutchinson has a strong understanding of Illinois fiscal woes, and believes a pension reform amendment must be integral to solving the pension crisis. Hes on the mark when he says that ever-rising property taxes in Illinois are a function of the massive redundancy in taxing bodies, along with the continuing exodus of people, businesses and jobs from the state. Advertisement He also echoes a point weve been making the last few years Illinois must move faster to remove lead pipes from the states drinking water infrastructure. Its time for a change in the 18th District. Hutchinson is endorsed. 19th District Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, talks about her legislation to expand mental health resources for first responders on April 4, 2022, in Springfield. (John O'Connor/AP) Democratic incumbent Lindsey LaPointe makes a strong case for Illinois to address what she calls its training gap. Though unemployment is down, segments of Illinois population struggle with higher unemployment rates because they lack the training and skills to work in available jobs. We need to create pathways to good-paying jobs for every resident, not just those who want and are able to attend a four-year college, LaPointe told us, and we can do this through the expansion of career and technical education. Thats something weve backed before vocational training and apprenticeship programs that get the workforce ready for a changing, increasingly IT-oriented economy. LaPointe, who has represented this Far Northwest Side district since her appointment to the seat in 2019, also supports taking the responsibility for decennial remapping away from the state legislature and giving it to a nonpartisan commission. Thats something we also advocate. Her GOP opponent, Michael Harn, has not been waging much of a campaign. We endorse LaPointe. 21st District Abdelnasser Rashid, Democrat running for the Illinois House 21st District seat, on June 8, 2022. (James C. Svehla/for the Chicago Tribune) This district includes parts of the Southwest Side and southwest suburbs. The lawmaker who represented it before remapping, Michael Zalewski, lost in the Democratic primary in June to Abdelnasser Rashid of southwest suburban Justice, who worked as field director for Jesus Chuy Garcias 2015 mayoral run and as deputy chief of staff to David Orr when he was Cook County clerk. Rashid faces Matthew Schultz, executive director of Taxpayers United of America, a taxpayer advocacy group. Schultz, 27, is a moderate Republican from west suburban Brookfield who sees no need to change Illinois current abortion law. We like Schultzs energy and his stance that Illinois overreliance on taxes is sending people and jobs out of the state. Advertisement Rashid, however, has a strong background that should serve him well. He backs getting rid of units of local government that are duplicative, and wants to take on public utility corruption, a worthy mission in the wake of the federal investigation into Madigan, ComEd and AT&T. We endorsed Rashid in the primary, and we endorse him again. 22nd District In this Southwest Side district, incumbent Democrat Angie Guerrero-Cuellar was appointed in February 2021 to replace Madigan, who awaits trial on federal corruption charges. Before joining the General Assembly, Guerrero-Cuellar worked as a community services worker involved in COVID-19 education, contact tracing and safety outreach. The Tribune also reported that she worked on the campaign of Angie Sandoval, who unsuccessfully ran for Cook County Board commissioner in 2018. Sandoval is the daughter of the late former Sen. Martin Sandoval, who pleaded guilty to bribery and tax charges stemming from the federal red-light camera investigation. Guerrero-Cuellar chose not to participate in the Tribunes endorsement process. Her Republican opponent, Carlos Alvarez, is an insurance agent who backs a referendum asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment on pension reform, and strengthening ethics reform in Springfield. I represent a natural, fresh change to the district, Alvarez told us. We agree that this district needs a fresh change. Alvarez is endorsed. 23rd District Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. currently represents the 21st District, but with the remap he is now running in this Southwest Side district, which includes Chicagos Little Village neighborhood. Hes been in the General Assembly since January 2020. He chose not to participate in the Tribune endorsement process. His GOP opponent, Lupe Castillo, is a Walgreens pharmacy technician who believes election fraud tainted the 2020 presidential election. She told us there should have been a new election immediately after. Face it, Joe Biden was legitimately elected president. We make no endorsement in this race. 27th District Rep. Justin Slaughter talks before Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed HB 3653, a sweeping criminal justice and police reform bill, on Feb. 22, 2021, at Chicago State University. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Since 2017, Justin Slaughter has been the Democratic incumbent for this district, which includes the South Side neighborhoods of Auburn Gresham, Roseland, Morgan Park and West Pullman, along with south suburban Alsip, Blue Island, Crestwood, Midlothian, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Park and Robbins. Advertisement Slaughter says its time for comprehensive reform at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, a beleaguered agency with a vast array of problems, including a shortage of proper shelter for children in its care. Weve said many times this agency, one of the states most important functions, needs a massive overhaul. Slaughters Republican opponent is Beth ONeil from Orland Park. Slaughter is endorsed. Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Rwanda Sunday expressed regret after neighbor Republic Democratic of Congo, DRC, expelled its ambassador Vincent Karega over alleged support for M23 rebel group. It is unfortunate that the DRC government continues to blame Rwanda for its own governance and security failures, the spokesman for the Rwandan government said in a statement. Rwanda remains committed to contributing to a lasting and peaceful regional security solution within the agreed regional frameworks, including the Luanda Roadmap and the Nairobi Process, the statement added. Rwanda also said its forces at the border of with the DRC are put on high alert. Congos President Felix Tshisekedi held a high security meeting on Saturday and ordered the expulsion of ambassador Vincent Karega. The meeting came following the seizure of several localities by M23 rebels at the frontline over the week-end. The rebels took control of the coasts of Kiwanja and Rutshuru more than four months after taking the town of Bunagana on the border with Uganda, Anadolu news agency reports. Kinshasa has been accusing Kigali of support for the rebels but Rwandan authorities have repeatedly slammed the charges. The regime of President Paul Kagame also blames DRC for collusion with the Rwandan Hutu rebels of the FDLR, based in eastern Congo for nearly 30 years. Chad Sunday announced the release of Jerome Hugonnot, a French-Australian citizen, kidnapped Friday by unidentified men in Wadi Fira province, north-east of the central African country. I have just learned that the French-Australian hostage kidnapped 24 hours ago has just been found and taken to safety, in good health, Prime Minister of Chad, Saleh Kebzabo, said on Twitter. I congratulate our defense and security forces for this prompt and successful action, he added. Hugonnot is the manager of Oryx Park controlled by Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF), a non-profit organization established in 2004 to address the largely-ignored and catastrophic wave of extinction threatening the large bird and mammal fauna in Africa. It is unclear if any ransom was paid but Chad security and human means were mobilized to secure Hugonnots release. Action Humanitaire Africaine (AHA), an NGO, also operating in the country, said the region is welcoming, pleasant and safe. AHA, on Twitter expressed regret for the incident and hoped the abduction will not impede the work of Sahara Conservation Fund. The latest UN Security Council resolution on the Sahara dealt another blow to Algeria which took two days to react with a timid statement stating its usual pro-separatist stands and an anachronism verging on illusions to see the UN return to unfeasible referendum option. The Algerian foreign ministry issued its statement rejecting the UN resolution 2654 adopted by a majority of 13 votes and the expected abstentions of Russia and Kenya. The resolution urges Algeria to take part as a party to the conflict to the round table process ushered under the former UN envoy Horst Kohler and which the current envoy Di Mistura is trying to revive. Unlike its past year stance in which Algeria vowed not to take part in the round table process, this year Algeria issued a statement with a very vague language that avoided a head-on collision with the 13 Security Council members urging Algeria to play its role in the UN process to reach a peaceful solution to the Sahara conflict based on compromise. Morocco had welcomed the resolution which vindicates its diplomatic stands by urging Algeria and the other parties to the conflict to show realism and work together with the UN envoy to reach a mutually acceptable solution while welcoming Moroccos autonomy plan. The resolution also calls on Algeria to uphold its responsibility and allow the UN to conduct a head-count of the population held by the Polisario militias in the Tindouf camps. The Algerian statement turned a blind eye to this call. The African Union (AU) has said it was worried about the deteriorating security situation in the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where rebels have made fresh gains and the countrys authorities responded by expelling the Rwandan Ambassador in Kinshasa, accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels. In a joint statement, AU Chairman Macky Sall and AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat on Sunday (30 October) expressed extreme concern at the failing security and appealed for calm and dialogue. They call on all the parties to establish an immediate cease-fire, respect international law, the safety and security of civilians, the statement said. This comes as the M23 rebels seized more territory in the vast, mineral-rich DRC a day earlier, prompting the UN peacekeeping mission to increase its troop alert level and boost support for the army. In response, the authorities in the DR of Congo announced the expulsion of the Rwandan Ambassador, Mr Vincent Karega, in Kinshasa. The expulsion follows months of tensions with neighboring Rwanda that Kinshasa blames for supporting the M23 rebels in the east of the country. Dozens of demonstrators went around churches to call for a big demonstration on Sunday against the Rwandan invasion, expressing their positive feelings regarding the expulsion of Rwandas ambassador to the DR of Congo. Some demonstrators went as far as affirming their support for the Congolese army in the face of the rebellion by asking that they be given weapons so that they can fight against Rwanda. The UNs mission in the country, MONUSCO, condemned what it described as the hostile acts of M23 and called for an immediate halt to the fighting. The rebel group, a mostly Congolese Tutsi group, resumed fighting in late 2021 after lying dormant for years, accusing the government of having failed to honor an agreement over the demobilization of its fighters. There has been huge increase in death toll from the two successive car bombings in Somalias capital Mogadishu Saturday (29 October), blamed on the Al-Qaeda-allied al-Shabab terrorist organization, which has seen at least 100 killed and close to 300 others injured. Somalias President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made the announcement after visiting the site of the attack in the early hours of Sunday (30 October). The car bombings targeted the Education Ministry, located at one of the busiest intersections in the capital. He urged the public to go to the hospitals and donate blood for those injured in the attack and appealed to the international community to send doctors and medical supplies to treat the wounded. Mohamud also vowed to give free education to the children left behind by the victims killed in the attacks as well as the children of deceased victims of other al-Shabab attacks. In a tweet before visiting the site, Mohamud condemned the attack, saying it was a cruel & cowardly terrorist attack on innocent people by the morally bankrupt & criminal Al-Shabab group. This latest attack comes as government forces supported by local fighters continue multi-front offensives to recover territories from the group in south-central Somalia. A police spokesperson told reporters that women, children and the elderly had been killed in the attack. State news agency SONNA said independent journalist Mohamed Isse Kona was also killed. The explosions occurred in the same location as Somalias largest bombing in October 2017, which killed more than 500 people. In that bombing, a truck bomb exploded outside a busy hotel at the K5 intersection, which is lined with government offices, restaurants and kiosks. Al-Shabab, which has been fighting in Somalia for more than a decade, is seeking to topple the central government and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Mohamud, with support from the United States and allied local militias, has launched an offensive against the group, although results have been limited. The Moroccan delegation taking part at a preparatory meeting of the Arab Summit in Algiers has condemned in the strongest terms the use by an Algerian TV station of a map of the Arab World other than the one accredited by the Arab League. The Moroccan delegation made it clear during the preparatory meeting that a TV channel claiming to be a media partner of the Arab League summit -due on November 2- has shown a distorted map of the Arab World. The provocative state-owned AL24 has shown a map that shows Morocco amputated from its southern provinces, but later it issued a statement apologizing for what it described as a graphics mistake after the Arab League protested, saying it has no media partner, and urged the use of its full map which shows no borders between states. Media sources spoke of protocol violations during the summit by the Algerian hosts. Jeune Afrique in particular mentioned that the Algerian security guard accompanying the Moroccan delegation was found audio registering the delegation. Morocco and most of the Arab league- to the exception of Algeria- are expected to adopt a resolution denouncing Iranian interferences in Arab domestic issues and its destabilization acts both in the Gulf and in North Africa where it has been arming and training the Polisario separatists in full connivance with Algeria. China deploys in-situ deep-sea station for uncrewed research Xinhua) 08:46, October 31, 2022 Aerial photo taken on April 16, 2021 shows the deep-sea manned submersible Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior) and its mother ship Tansuo-2. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have deployed an in-situ scientific experiment station on the seabed that will enable long-term uncrewed scientific research in the deep sea, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said. The researchers aboard the research vessel Tansuo-2 (Discovery 2), carrying the crewed submersible Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior), deployed the station during their expedition. The vessel has returned to Sanya in south China's Hainan Province, said the CAS. The in-situ scientific experiment station is a new deep-sea system proposed by China in recent years. It takes a deep-sea base station as the center, can carry a variety of uncrewed submersibles, and access chemical/biological labs and other platforms to carry out a series of in-situ experiments and exploration. Chen Jun, a researcher from the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering under the CAS, said traditional marine surveys take samples from the seabed and get them tested in the land labs. Conducting in-situ testing in the deep sea can avoid damage or loss of sample data due to environmental changes, said Chen. According to the CAS, the station will work autonomously on the seabed and be able to conduct its monitoring and management. All data will be regularly transmitted back to the shore-based control center through the deep sea glider, and researchers can also remotely control the in-situ scientific experiment station. The station's power system can store 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and support the station to work continuously on the seabed for more than half a year. In this mission, the "Deep Sea Warrior" crewed submersible connected to the base station with the in-situ lab and carried out a series of tests, such as the wireless communication and mode switching of the station. In future missions, the station will connect to more intelligent, uncrewed experiments, detection, and information transmission systems. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you theres something youd like to comment on in Elgin or beyond, send an email to ksorensen@tribpub.com. Please include speak out in the subject line. Leaf pickup not fair: Elgin remains a city divided, much like old Berlin. While some areas are allowed to push their leaves to the curb for easy pickup, others must tediously rake and bag them for the garbage collector. Not only is this double standard unfair but an added expense as well. Cmon, city council, you can do better! Advertisement Playing politics with oil: Has anyone noticed what the oil companies are doing lately? During Bidens first two years, they punished him by keeping production low and raising the price for a barrel of oil. Theyve resisted his green energy (efforts). Oil companies net income in 2021 was $2 trillion and is set to double in 2022 to $4 trillion. Exxon Mobil made an unprecedented $17.85 billion profit for the second quarter of this year. Now the oil companies are finally ramping up production ahead of the midterms so they will have low gas prices when the Republicans take back the House. Regular people will believe that the Republicans saved them, thus voting red in 2024 as well. Old sayings now incorrect: Its Indian summer weather with temps approaching 70 degrees following last weeks hard frost. But its not likely youll hear those words uttered by any local weather forecasters, not with the politically correct police force listening in. Does anyone recall the good old days when trite expressions still had a place in our normal conversations? Its getting more difficult all the time. Advertisement Dont credit Dems: Democrats are not giving seniors an 8.7% increase on their Social Security checks. Increases are decided by the Consumer Price Index and not any political party. Im sure Biden would love to take credit for it, if he hasnt already. Marketing to Christians: I am saddened as a believer to see the radicalization of white evangelical Christianity. A multimillion dollar program is coming out called He Gets Us. It is nothing but a marketing and branding tool to fill pews. Not much of Jesus and the Bible. Take a good look before investing. Be a patriot vote: This Nov. 8 election is the time to act as an honest patriot. Do you consider the baseless accusations that our election process is and has been corrupted? This has become a battle cry for much of the Republican Party yet no proof supports this accusation. Matter of fact, many of their candidates are now preparing to use this excuse if their candidate fails to win. Is the American public so naive as to still think Democratic election workers abducted the 2020 election even though Republican workers were also present to testify to the results? Voting to propagate dishonesty is an attack on our democracy! A new air route between Warsaw and Marrakech was launched this Monday, as part of the development of tourist exchanges between Morocco and Poland. Two weekly flights, every Monday and Friday, operated by low-cost airline Wizzair, will connect Warsaw Chopin and Marrakech Menara airports, a statement from Moroccos Embassy in Poland said. This new air connection, which meets the demands of the Moroccan community settled in Poland, will strengthen the flow of tourists between the two countries, and contribute thus to the development of economic exchanges. A delegation of 16 Polish journalists boarded the inaugural flight. They will participate in guided tours in Marrakech and Essaouira. The launch of the new air link is the culmination of a partnership between the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) and Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2019, nearly 87,000 Polish tourists and over 110,000 tourists from Eastern Europe visited Morocco. These figures are expected to increase significantly in the coming months and years, the statement concluded. Algeria, the host of the Arab League summit to take place on Nov 2, has to brace for an Arab League resolution condemning Irans destabilizing acts in the east and the west of the Arab world. A motion in this regard was put forward by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita who proposed the inclusion of the condemnation of Irans destabilization acts both in the Gulf and in the Moroccan Sahara, media reports said. The motion was proposed at a closed-door preparatory meeting for the Arab League Summit chaired by Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamaamra who attempted but failed to abort the Moroccan proposal. The proposal is backed by a majority of Arab league countries who confront direct Iranian threats, especially Gulf countries. Recent news reports, citing Polisario officials, have said that the separatist front has received Iranian drones. Moroccos representative to the UN in New York Omar Hilale has also warned of this dangerous development which he said will be met with proportional response from the Moroccan army. This new deal, if true, would be considered a serious act not only for Morocco, but for the whole region, he warned. Militarily, this deal would be a game-changer, Omar Hilale noted, stressing that Morocco will react accordingly. They (the separatists) know that when Morocco decides to react, it does so appropriately, the diplomat said. Morocco had severed ties with Tehran in May 2018, accusing it of using its Hezbollah proxies to train and arm the Polisario separatist militias. Numbers show the impact of the Bovee Fire earlier this month. The blaze, which was reported at 1:38 p.m. CDT Oct. 2 just southwest of Halsey, burned 18,930 acres, about 70% of which was private land. It also destroyed 5,130 Nebraska National Forest acres. That came after the 201 East Fire, which happened in May in an area just south of the Bovee blaze, burned 4,120 acres of forest land. The property loss, which included almost all the structures at the Nebraska State 4-H Campground as well as the Scott Lookout Tower, doesnt tell the entire story, however. There are other numbers to consider from the inferno, which was ruled accidental and was started by an all-terrain vehicle that caught fire. Mike Moody, the 59-year-old assistant chief of the Purdum Fire Department, died after suffering a medical emergency while he was aiding firefighting efforts on the day the blaze broke out. He was one of more than 220 members of fire departments, law enforcement and first responder agencies that responded to the fire during the first week of October. During a community meeting Oct. 6, Julie Bain district ranger for the Bessey District of the Nebraska National Forest told the story of one of those individuals who rescued a group on the ATV trail. When he told me Oh, I got some people out. he didnt tell me he also had to sit and hunker down and wait for the fire to burn around them with extra people in his rig, Bain said. I had to hear that from a law enforcement officer, not (the individual) bragging about it." Tedd Teahon, a fire management officer for the Bessey District, spoke at the same meeting. Over about 20 minutes, he gave a timeline of the fire and the decisions made as the fire jumped fuel breaks and roadways and ultimately led to the evacuation of the village of Halsey. Teahon covered the crews' efforts to fight the blaze, which he said "got into the (tree) crowns and stayed in the crowns." "You would think by 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, the fire behavior would quit. It just wouldn't," Teahon said of the first night. As he spoke about the 4-H campground, his voice started to crack with emotion as he talked about the Eppey Lodge and the moment the back windows of the structure blew out and smoke started to billow out of the front. "I've heard rumors that we just let (the building) burn. That is not the case," Teahon said. Bain said she spent time in the lookout tower with Teahon during the first night of the 201 East Fire and was left with admiration. "With all the things he has going on (in the situation), you would not believe how competent this person is and all the things he can get done," Bain said. "It is truly amazing two phones, a radio and people coming up into tower. It's incredible the things he thinks about and goes through to keep people safe as he directs traffic." Her respect wasn't limited to him, however. "I can't speak enough about the quality of (the fire crews)," Bain said. "They are extremely hard-working and humble. They are wonderful people." Trust me on this one. Getty Images/ InStyle Stretching approximately 750 miles and reaching elevations over 15,000 miles, the Alps are undeniably one of the most impressive mountain regions in the world. It's spread across France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, and Austria all of which embrace the beauty and power of its wilderness. Of course, the Alps are known for their elite ski resorts and breathtaking hikes, but what's often overlooked by the common person is the various, resilient flora. Roughly 13,000 species have been identified in the region, with some living in elevations as high as 11,500 feet. Year-round, they survive extreme temperatures and harsh winds not to mention, some plants grow in rocky areas. Now, imagine your skin. More likely than not, it experiences more dryness and dehydration than usual during the cold winter months. "Much like cold winter months, dry air can strip the skin of essential oils leading to microscopic cracks in the outer skin layer," explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Manhattan's Mount Sinai Hospital. He furthers that the lack of moisture in the air depletes the skin of its natural moisture levels, leaving it itchy, red, and quenched. And the solution to this problem can be found in the Alps. The brains behind several of the most innovative skincare products have turned to alpine flora for their formulations. Considering how they endure and thrive in such extreme weather, the idea that they could turn around parched skin and make it supple and healthy is a logical one. : Founder of her eponymous Austria-based skincare brand Susanne Kaufmann tells InStyle that the local Alpine plants have been her main source of inspiration her entire life, and she sources many of her brand's active ingredients from the Austrian and Swiss Alps. (Rosemary, Alpine willowherb extract, spruce needle oil, marigold, and mountain pine oil, are just a few in the makeup of her work.) Story continues They're scattered throughout her collections, and apart from having anecdotal benefits, the Derma Consult Concept GmbH in Bonn, Germany conducted clinical trials of several of Susanne Kaufmann's products to test their efficacy. The results were sent to InStyle, and they confirmed that the formulas support those with dry skin in a major way. The brand's Nourishing Day Cream is a prime example. It uses alpine rose, which grows at high altitudes and has developed impressive strategies to protect itself from dehydration and the attack of free radicals. "It protects skin stem cells from environmental stress factors, increases the vitality of the cells, promotes skin regeneration, and strengthens the skin barrier," explains Kaufmann. Furthermore, Dr. Zeichner says it has soothing and calming properties. In the clinical studies of this product, an overwhelming majority of participants reported more hydrated skin after two weeks of use. Not to mention, a reduction in fine lines and overall brighter skin. Courtesy of Susanne Kaufmann To shop: $80; susannekaufmann.com Edelweiss is another flower commonly found in the Alpine region. Growing in rocky areas wherever a crevice is found, it's one of the most resilient out there and that translates to skincare. In fact, Dr. Hadley King, a Manhattan-based board-certified dermatologist, previously shared with InStyle that a 2020 study demonstrated that edelweiss extracts provide strong antioxidant activity in response to UVB, anti-inflammatory effects, and increased moisturizing activity. "The in-vivo data demonstrated that topical application correlated with improved wrinkles, skin elasticity, dermal density, and skin thickness compared to placebo," she said. It's why The Mandarin Oriental in Lucerne, Switzerland uses skincare with edelweiss front and center in the treatments at its Bellefontaine Spa. "It contributes effectively to protect hyaluronic acid and collagen against the damage generated by environmental aggressions," explains Maartje Raaijmakers, the hotel's Spa Manager, who calls the humble flower "a real Alpine 'survival star.'" It really is, which is why it's featured in the the Barneys NY Beauty debut product line. Each product contains a proprietary antioxidant complex that works to improve skin tone, texture, and moisture retention. It's made up of eight rare and natural ingredients, including edelweiss. Courtesy of Barneys New York Beauty To shop: $168; barneys-beauty.com To further understand the magic of the Alps and the moisturizing secrets it holds, look beyond its flora and set your eyes on its glacial water instead. "It's the result of centuries-worth of pure mountain snow freezing into ice, only to be enriched with minerals as it melts and seeps slowly through layers of granite," explains La Prairie's Global Director Strategic Innovation & Science, Dr. Jacqueline Hill. Dr. Zeichner adds that glacial water tends to be free of impurities as it's derived from the snow itself, making it beneficial for people with dry and/or sensitive skin. The brand's Crystal Micellar Water features mineral-rich Swiss glacial water and liquid crystal technology to purify, detoxify, and moisturize the skin. The water itself begins as rainfall before landing up in the mountains and turning to ice. From there, it makes its way downhill through the mountains' rocks, soil, and flora absorbing with it all the minerals it comes in contact with. Dr. Hill explains that the water is sourced for this La Prairie product comes from Mount Titlis at 3,238 meters (106,23 feet) above sea level. Courtesy To shop: $150; laprairie.com Having to survive extreme temperatures means that, inevitably, some form of wound-healing must come into place. Plants such as cowslip (which Dr. Zeichner explains has soothing and anti-inflammatory effects) and health speedwell are two of such and are renown for speeding up the healing process in tenfold, making them an effective agent in topical products to treat and prevent winter-related issues such as chapping. Swiss brand Luzern knows this, which is why they're standout heroes in several of their products. "Many of the organic bio-actives extracted from the flowers, leaves and stems of these plants provide moisturizing care for dry and sensitive skin they help skin attract and retain moisture much the way hyaluronic acid does," says Luzern co-founder Ralph Herbert. He furthers that the brand turned to the Swiss Alpine region for inspiration as the environment forces the plants to produce high levels of antioxidants and other nutrients necessary to survive these harsh conditions, making them ideal for skincare products. Courtesy To shop: $325; luzernlabs.com Treating dry and dehydrated skin can be done with other types of ingredients too, of course. However, when thinking of natural ingredients and what each of them must do organically to survive millennia after millennia, it's undeniable that those that reside at monumental heights are some of the strongest, most resilient contenders. Now imagine what their powers can do their skin. ...exactly. For more InStyle news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on InStyle. A look at the shareholders of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (KLSE:BIMB) can tell us which group is most powerful. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 72% to be precise, is institutions. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company. Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Hence, having a considerable amount of institutional money invested in a company is often regarded as a desirable trait. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. Check out our latest analysis for Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too. Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad is not owned by hedge funds. Lembaga Tabung Haji, Endowment Arm is currently the largest shareholder, with 48% of shares outstanding. Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia is the second largest shareholder owning 14% of common stock, and Permodalan Nasional Berhad holds about 13% of the company stock. Story continues A more detailed study of the shareholder registry showed us that 2 of the top shareholders have a considerable amount of ownership in the company, via their 62% stake. While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too. Insider Ownership Of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. We can report that insiders do own shares in Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. It is a pretty big company, so it is generally a positive to see some potentially meaningful alignment. In this case, they own around RM123m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 12% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (of which 1 is a bit concerning!) you should know about. If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. 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 The Good Nurse is currently the most popular movie on Netflix, according to the streaming services public ranking system. Starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne, the film tells the story of American serial killer Charles Cullen, a nurse who murdered at least dozens of patients over the course of his career. The Good Nurse premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September before having a limited theatrical release and then joining Netflix on Oct. 26. The second most popular movie of the moment is All Quiet on the Western Front, a new German adaptation of Erich Maria Remarques 1929 novel. The film, which is Germanys submission to the 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, also debuted at TIFF to great critical acclaim. "The Good Nurse" on Netflix. (Photo: Netflix) Next on the list is the fantasy novel adaptation The School for Good and Evil, which boasts a star-studded cast featuring Kerry Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Charlize Theron, Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett. Four animated films are also trending on Netflix right now. Wendell & Wild is a new stop-motion horror comedy from Jordan Peele and Henry Selick. Although that ones rated PG-13, the other three are older, kid-friendly sequels: Despicable Me 2 (2013), Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) and Sing 2 (2021). Check out the full list of the top 10 movies. And if you want to stay informed about everything joining Netflix each week, subscribe to the Streamline newsletter. (Photo: HuffPost) (Photo: HuffPost) This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Safi Rauf (right) with other veterans and advocates at the Indiana State Capitol Building. (Photo: Courtesy of Safi Rauf) Safi Rauf (right) with other veterans and advocates at the Indiana State Capitol Building. (Photo: Courtesy of Safi Rauf) After the Taliban detained and tortured Safi Rauf, a Naval reservist and former linguist with U.S. Special Forces, he realized how dangerous it was for Afghans with ties to the U.S. to live under Taliban rule. Over the past month, Rauf and other U.S. veterans have been traveling to conservative states to lobby for a bipartisan bill that would make it easier for Afghan evacuees to become legal permanent residents and will help those who are left behind to come to the U.S. Nobody understands better than me, Rauf said, remembering what it was like to be held hostage by the Taliban. I saw Afghans in prison. I saw people from the military, anybody who had worked with Americans and how they were being tortured. He and his brother were helping at-risk Afghans evacuate the country last December when they were both captured. The U.S. government negotiated their release after 105 days of detention and torture. Rauf came to America in 2010 as an Afghan refugee when he was 17, served with the U.S. Special Forces and worked closely with the Afghans on the ground from 2012 to 2016. He is currently in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Rauf said the Afghan Adjustment Act gives Americans the opportunity to support Afghans who helped U.S. war efforts and ensure that they arrive safely in the states. Veterans, when we left all of those allies behind, suffered moral injury, Rauf said. Our military told them that if they support our military, we will get back to help them, and they will have a good life here in America, under democracy, And the Afghans who are [already evacuated] here, they are very committed to the American way, he continued. They are going to be productive and contributing members of society who join the military, become engineers, doctors, scientists, creators. As a quick fix after the surprise fall of Kabul last year and the ensuing chaos, the United States granted 77,000 Afghans who were able to leave the country temporary status known as Humanitarian Parole, which allowed them to stay in the country for up to two years without establishing a clear legal pathway to permanent residence and eventually, citizenship. Story continues Tens of thousands of eligible people who were not lucky enough to fly out of Afghanistan are now waiting for the processing of their Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) a program that allows Afghans who worked on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan to resettle in the U.S. Scott Henke (right) who served in the U.S. Army, hugs Afghan interpreter Ahmad Siddiqi after he and his family arrived at Denver International Airport in October 2021. Siddiqi and his family planned to resettle in a northwest Denver suburb to be near Henkel and his family. (Photo: via Associated Press) Scott Henke (right) who served in the U.S. Army, hugs Afghan interpreter Ahmad Siddiqi after he and his family arrived at Denver International Airport in October 2021. Siddiqi and his family planned to resettle in a northwest Denver suburb to be near Henkel and his family. (Photo: via Associated Press) But the program is moving slowly. Since the start of the Biden administration through Sept. 30, 2022, the State Department has issued more than 18,000 SIVs to principal applicants and their eligible family members, a State Department spokesperson told HuffPost. The number is far lower to cater to the backlog that has plagued the program. As of May 2022, there were 61,888 principal applications in process and an estimated 259,930 additional eligible family members of those principal applicants, for a total of about 322,000 estimated Afghan SIV applicants, the State Departments Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported. The bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act was introduced in August and its passage can help Afghans in the U.S. to adjust their status and get green cards, and it would also speed up the process and increase eligibility for special immigrant visas for those remaining in Afghanistan. But some Republicansare against the bill, blaming the Biden administration for a disorganized airlift operation and arguing that Afghan evacuees were not sufficiently vetted. A Defense Department report from February only records on 50 Afghan evacuees indicated potentially significant security concerns. However, the bill includes precise language on new vetting procedures that would need to be met for every applicant, even though Afghans who were evacuated had already been vetted at U.S. bases in the Middle East and Europe before entering the U.S. In September, Rauf was among the advocates and veteran groups pushing for the passage of the bill through a fire watch outside of Capitol Hill. However, the effort to attach the Afghan Adjustment Act to a stopgap spending bill before Congress left for recess in October was unsuccessful. If the bill is included in the omnibus bill that will be voted on in December, it has a chance of becoming a law this year. Taking this opportunity, Rauf and his fellow veterans have been making the rounds in red states, where they hope to win over Republican senators and garner more support from the veteran communities and the public. The group has already stopped at Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Utah throughout October, and plans to keep driving south and eastward. We have spoken to some of the most conservative Republicans, and they all seem to be supporting us, Rauf said. This is very common-sense legislation. The problem is that there wasnt enough advocacy being done about the information of what this act is about. Advocates at the U.S. Capitol Building. (Photo: Courtesy of Safi Rauf) Advocates at the U.S. Capitol Building. (Photo: Courtesy of Safi Rauf) The bill overall however, has not been fully supported by all Republicans since it was introduced, partly because of their anti-immigration stance. But this is not immigration, Rauf said. These people were brought here by the U.S. military and non-U.S. military planes to the U.S. This is about our allies whose lives are at stake, and they will literally get killed if they were to be sent back to Afghanistan. While violence in Afghanistan has decreased since the U.S. completed its withdrawal last summer, reports indicate that the ruling Taliban are still targeting former members of the military and government officials despite a declared amnesty. Women are subject to new stringent rules, and the government has been accused of targeting minorities and imprisoning and torturing journalists. Additionally, the countrys economy is in shambles due in large part to the United States decision to freeze its citizens assets, in addition to other factors, such as drought. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... The following items were taken from area police department reports and news releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Elmhurst Alcohol Advertisement Erick Zetina, 20, of the 900 block of Virginia Lane, Elmhurst, was charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor at 1:31 a.m. Oct. 23. Battery Advertisement Richard George, 73, of the 3000 block of Atlantic Street, Franklin Park, was charged with domestic battery at 3:26 p.m. Oct. 20. Dawn Kane, 54, of the 1100 block of Church Avenue, Lombard, was charged with two counts of domestic battery at 8:35 p.m. Oct. 22. Nayirah Harris, 30, of the 19000 block of Anthony Avenue, Country Club Hills, was charged with battery at 6:28 a.m. Oct. 24. Burglary A resident reported Oct. 22 that someone entered her locked vehicle and took three credit cards from her wallet. She later discovered a fraudulent purchase. Cannabis Jadakess Neal, 23, of the 100 block of Donegal Court, Oswego and Mieisha Dismukes, 23, of the 4600 block of Butterfield Road, Hillside, were each cited for unlawful possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle at 1:34 a.m. Oct. 22. Deceptive practice Advertisement A woman reported Oct. 21 that after transferring a rental application fee to an unknown suspect, she learned the listing for a rental unit in the 500 block of North Emroy Avenue was fraudulent. A resident reported his Zelle account was hacked in May when money was sent to an unknown email address. The victim disputed the unauthorized charge with his bank. Drugs Griffin Greeley, 33, of the first block of West Glenlake Avenue, Roselle, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance at 2:15 a.m. Oct. 22 In the same incident, Shelby Housman, 28, of the first block of West Glenlake Avenue, Roselle, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ronnie Henderson, 46, of the 1400 block of South Tripp Avenue, Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, obstructing justice, resisting a peace officer and driving without insurance at 2:42 p.m. Oct. 22. Advertisement In the same incident, Donnie Henderson, 46, of the same address, was cited for possession of cannabis by a passenger. DUI Britney Culp, 28, of the 600 block of East North Broadway Street, Lombard, was charged with driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle using an electronic communication device at 8:12 p.m. Oct. 21. Anthony Olivares Rivas, 20, of the 5000 block of West 29th Place, Cicero, was charged with unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, disobeying a traffic control signal, transport of open alcohol by a driver, possession of tobacco by a minor and unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor at 10:37 p.m. Oct. 21. Maija Lewis, 23, of the 3300 block of South Manor Drive, Lansing, was charged with driving under the influence and improper lane use at 3:28 a.m. Oct. 22. Calvin Hughes, 63, of the 1700 block of Goddard Lane, Hanover Park, was charged with driving under the influence, illegal transport of open alcohol and improper lane use at 12:08 a.m. Oct. 23. Advertisement Miguel Lopez, 30, of the 400 block of La Parte Avenue, Melrose Park, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license at 4:05 p.m. Oct. 24. Forgery Several checks from Wing Hamilton Co., 568 S. Spring Rd., to vendors were reportedly intercepted, altered and fraudulently deposited in other accounts between Oct. 4 and Oct. 14. A resident reported Oct. 24 that someone obtained one of her personal checks and cashed it. She was not sure if she had misplaced a check or if a check had been intercepted in the mail. Fraud A person purporting to be with Microsoft convinced a resident to transfer money to an outside account and to allow access to his computer between Oct. 17 and Oct. 23. The victim notified his bank regarding the transfers. Advertisement A resident reported an unknown suspect made several unauthorized transactions on her companys credit card between Sept. 1 and Oct. 25. Identity theft A resident reported on Oct. 20 that someone opened two savings accounts in her name in August, The accounts are now closed. A resident reported on Oct. 20 that someone opened a credit card in the residents name. The card was canceled. A resident told police someone claiming to be with the U. S. Border Patrol called and told her she needed to transfer money to a Bitcoin account to clear up a suspicion that she was involved in drug smuggling. She transferred the money on Oct. 20 and 21. A resident reported on Oct. 22 that someone used her information to apply for a loan and tried to change her mailing address. Advertisement An Elmhurst couple reported on Oct. 24 that an unknown suspect unsuccessfully attempted to file a tax return using their information. Stolen vehicle Kyle Hill, 29, of the 5200 block of West Van Buren Street, Chicago, was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, obstructing identification, driving with a suspended drivers license, driving without insurance and driving with only one taillight at 10:06 p.m. Oct. 22. Theft A representative of Patricks Lawn Care in the 600 block of South Swain Avenue told police the company is missing 20 checks from clients, reportedly mailed but undelivered between Oct. 5 and Oct. 20. A man and a woman in their 30s reportedly loaded a multicolored shopping bag with liquor in Jewel Osco, 944 S. York St., and walked out without paying at 6:37 a.m. Oct. 22. They drove south on York in a gray Chevrolet sedan. Advertisement A fire extinguisher was reported missing from a case on the top level of the Addison parking deck, 149 W. Addison Ave., at 12:50 p.m. Oct. 22. Police are investigating an Oct. 20 report that a firearm was taken from the glove compartment of a vehicle being serviced in the 200 block of West Grand Avenue. Traffic Edison Morocho-Carchi, 26, of the 2300 block of North Kostner Avenue, Chicago, was charged with improper use of registration, driving without a valid drivers license and driving without insurance at 10:11 a.m. Oct. 20. Nicholas Norman, 21, of the first block of West 103rd Place, Chicago, was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident and for driving without insurance at 1:48 a.m. Oct. 22. Xareny Zamorano, 25, of the 3000 block of Houston Street, Franklin Park, was cited for driving without insurance and failing to yield at an intersection at 11:22 a.m. Oct. 24. Advertisement Dajon Allgood, 25, of the 100 block of Fellows Court, Elmhurst, was charged with driving with a suspended drivers license, improper lighting and driving with expired license plates at 12:25 a.m. Oct. 25. Jayme Wyatt, 25, of the 200 block of 4th Street, Mendota, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, improper lane use, driving without insurance and driving with a suspended drivers license at 1:25 p.m. Oct. 25. Bryan Andraca, 19, of the 1800 block of Somerset Drive, Glendale Heights, was charged with driving without a valid drivers license and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident at 4:44 p.m. Oct. 25. Jeremiah Napper, 28, of the 12000 block of South Kildare Avenue, Alsip, was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving without insurance at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 25. Stefan Bjelicic, 30, of the 1900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, was charged with failing to yield turning left and driving with expired license plates at 10:19 a.m. Oct. 26. Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. General Hospital Days of Our Lives The Young and the Restless The Bold and the Beautiful Ready for a scary good Halloween episode? Tune in to #BoldandBeautiful on Monday 10/31 to see Sheila Carters greatest hits! pic.twitter.com/zVYYAmzx8v Bold & The Beautiful (@BandB_CBS) October 27, 2022 This Week in Soaps history... November 1st-5th, 2010 This week on the US Daytime Soaps...Looks like it's Y&R's turn to not have a promo uploaded this week.Caleb and Krystal suspected that JR had been responsible for AJ's disappearance during the Halloween party at Wildwind. Asher took AJ to Chandler Enterprises, where they bumped into Colby. Asher revealed to Colby that he was Caleb's son. Caleb managed to find out where JR had hidden AJ. JR confided to Annie that he had arranged for Asher to take AJ. Annie claimed that she had picked up AJ to go trick-or-treating with Emma, but Marissa didn't believe her. Marissa arrived at the mansion with a police escort to fetch AJ. JR produced court documents granting him custody of AJ. Erica received some good news about Cortlandt Electronics, so she went looking for Caleb. Erica discovered a file that contained information that Asher was Caleb's son. Asher took a tumble down a flight of stairs after an argument with Caleb. Asher was rushed to the hospital, where a DNA test confirmed that Caleb was Asher's father. Caleb told Erica about the last time that he had seen his son. Greenlee learned that Madison and Ryan had broken up. Liza confronted Greenlee on the witness stand about the kiss with Ryan in the courthouse hallway. Liza and Jackson made passionate closing statements. Ryan decided to dig a little deeper into Nick Pearson's background. Tad learned that Nick Pearson had been receiving money from David. Zach overheard Kendall and Greenlee talking about the vial of digitalis that Greenlee had found in Ryan's pocket. Amanda was curious why Jake never talked about his ex-wife, Carolyn. Angie and Jesse learned that their baby was perfectly healthy. Jesse accidentally found out the gender of the baby when the doctor dropped the file on the floor.Amber managed to get Oliver drunk again so that she could hack into his computer and steal more of the "Hope for the Future" designs. Hope and Liam spied on Amber, and knew she had the designs. Hope moved her fashion show up a few days so that Amber had no time to get the designs into production. Brooke invited Nick to the fashion show to see that Amber had stolen Eric and Ridge's designs. Nick was furious, and he fired Amber. Thomas felt upstaged by Hope's fashion show, and the press started to leave before he could introduce his new line. Whip suggested that Thomas pull a publicity stunt in order to keep the press in the room and make the event memorable. Thomas told Brooke he had a plan for a newsworthy stunt, but did not disclose what it was. Rick was miffed that Thomas had his own line. Hope told Oliver that Amber had been using him, and Oliver kissed Hope. Hope remained committed to Liam, but Oliver felt the door was still open for him to win Hope back.Vivian failed to bribe her way out of the sarcophagus. Kayla and Stephanie were shocked after Caroline admitted to them that she had switched the results of Chloe's paternity test. Melanie pretended to be happy about Nathan and Stephanie's engagement. Hope told Bo that she suspected that another inmate had met an early death. Sami went ballistic after she caught Nicole and Kinsey in cahoots. Family and friends celebrated Arianna's life at a memorial service at the Brady Pub. E.J. vowed that he would get justice for Arianna and prove that Sami had shot him. Stefano ordered a hit on E.J.'s shooter. Justin arrived at the memorial service and announced that Arianna had retained him as her attorney before she died. Kate taunted Nicole about Brady's past feelings for Arianna. Victor, Kate, Nicole, Brady, and Philip formed a strange alliance and toasted to Vivian's continued imprisonment and pending demise.Things went terribly wrong when Brenda raced to the warehouse to stop Jason and Lucky from following through on their plan to use Sam as bait for the Balkan. One of the Balkan's men snatched Brenda, but Dante arrived in time to rescue her. Brenda picked up a gun and then shot the thug before he killed Dante. Brenda suffered horrific flashbacks of a similar incident years earlier. Spinelli found proof that Brenda and Dante had known each other in 2007. Carly gladly shared the news about the connection between Brenda and Dante with Jason. Sam was uncomfortable with the bond that she saw between Brenda and Jason. The Balkan emailed a picture of Siobhan, tied to a chair, to Dante; it was addressed to Detective Lucky Spencer. Patrick confronted Lisa after Robin told him that someone had pulled a frightening prank with Emma. Lisa denied any involvement in Emma's temporary disappearance. Patrick was unaware that the proof of Lisa's guilt was hidden in her locker at the hospital. The Scorpio house caught fire after a candle accidentally tipped over and then ignited some wrapping paper. Lisa raced inside the house to save Robin and Emma. Robin accused Lisa of setting the fire. Lisa threatened to file a lawsuit if Nikolas didn't intervene with the police on her behalf. Ronnie gave Claire proof that Sonny had been involved in the Zacchara car bombing. Claire decided to turn the incriminating recording over to her superiors. Sonny felt betrayed by Claire. Tracy insisted that Luke recover from his heart attack at the Quartermaine mansion. Monica gave Luke one month to get Tracy to marry him. Edward was delighted when Brenda stopped by for a visit.Natalie was forced to tell John that Cole's fingerprints had been found on the gun that had been used to kill Elijah. Marty was furious and lashed out at Natalie. Marty vowed to make Natalie pay for not covering for Cole. Marty and Nora blamed themselves for their roles in making Hannah's reign of terror possible. Cole revealed to Starr that he had killed Eli. Starr offered to go on the run with Cole, but Cole decided to turn himself over to the police. Viki realized that the letters attributed to Rex's biological parents were from a book of love letters written by Blaize Pardee, Asa's grandmother. Clint continued to pretend that he didn't know the significance of the necklace or letters that Rex's parents had exchanged. Echo told Clint that Rex was their son. Echo opened up to Clint about the day that she had decided to leave her newborn son at the hospital with half of the necklace that Clint had given to her. Echo was stunned when she realized that Clint had forged the letters. Cris was offered an opportunity to fly to Paris for work. Gigi was thrilled when Cris insisted that he needed her help on the trip. Tea and Dani faced Greg before Greg was carted off to jail. Shaun was horrified to learn that Greg had covered up the accidental death of Destiny's mother. Brody gave Natalie a copy of his DNA profile and then urged her to get a paternity test, so that she could find out who the father of her baby was. Jessica and Brody went ahead with the paternity test. Jessica agreed to let Ford know the test results. Natalie decided to have an amniocentesis.Victor confessed that he wasn't sure he wanted to marry Nikki. J.T. learned that he had heart damage and was unable to handle the rigors of police work. J.T. and Mac decided to move to Washington, DC, when Mac was offered a job at a non-profit agency. Victoria was devastated that J.T. was moving Reed out of Genoa City. Billy discovered that Heather had accepted Victor's campaign donations in exchange for doing Victor's bidding. When Billy published his allegations, Heather was forced to withdraw from the election. Nikki fumed when she learned that Victor had kept her from seeing Victoria. Nikki and Victor had a terrible fight when Nikki defended Deacon. Meggie plotted to drug Victor to get him to marry her and then kill him. Lauren was traumatized by Daisy's return. Jana used Daisy's return to make Kevin believe that she was in danger. Ronan recognized that Murphy's finger tapping was Morse code. Katherine moved Murphy to a recovery facility. Daisy was arrested, and she refused to have a paternity test while behind bars. Katherine arranged J.T. and Mac's wedding. Meggie became Mrs. Victor Newman, but Victor turned on her before she could finish him off. Nikki was crushed when she saw the photo of Meggie and Victor's wedding. When Deacon kissed Nikki, she responded.OCTOBER 30th NOVEMBER 3rd, 2006Ivy's secret is out in the open thanks to Kay. Sam, Grace and the rest of the Bennett family are outraged at Kay's behavior. Grace threatens to kill Ivy, and Sam tells her to pack her things and get lost. Chad narrowly escapes Whitney discovering his secret. He is off the hook again. Rebecca and Gwen are scrambling to get Theresa's secret out of JT so that they could have one up on Theresa. Theresa on the other hand reconsiders and wants the tabloid secret to be revealed. Whitney manages to convince her to fight for Ethan, and she is ready to do just that. Luis and Sheridan are still at odds about Chris. Fancy gets a lead on Phyllis' killer but it lands her in grave danger. Source 2 , and Source 3 The conspiracy Ive seen in comments all over my states (AZ lol) subreddit is definitely that Pelosi and the guy were ~lovers and also that the guy was actually a hardcore BLM, LGBTQ+, hard left person. Its funny how much these psychos rely on violent rhetoric but the second someone actually acts on it they go Nuh uh! Hes not one of ours, hes one of the other guys! Reply Thread Link And theyre never consistent with the shit. Like saying that the insurrectionists are being unfairly maligned and prosecuted and then out of the other side of their mouths they say it was actually antifa and left-wing people pretending to support Trump that were rioting at the capitol. Was it fake or nah? Make up your rotting minds lol Reply Parent Thread Link lmaooo I know, right? It's literally shit slinging at walls as excuses depending on what argument they're facing in any given moment. Reply Parent Thread Link "Make up your rotting minds" is sending me Reply Parent Thread Link I know MAGA Hogs who've literally went from: "It's not that bad, the media is sensationalizing" to "It was ANTIFA and it was REALLY bad!" back to "Actually it was us, but it was a GOOD thing and should be commemorated" (although not in those exact terms because none of them could spell "commemorated" if their moron lives depended on it). Reply Parent Thread Link Here's the real scoop folks. pic.twitter.com/uBi84IuxyG PROFESSIONAL SPARKLEPANTS (@Fuacata66) October 30, 2022 i just want this to be on the first page of comments but it was one dude who had the unverified underwear info which he then deleted his tweet and the ktvu article put a tiny correction disclaimer at the bottom of the original article and never addressed the mistake anywhere again. their twitter account doesnt even post about the correction. Reply Parent Thread Link Edited at 2022-10-31 01:32 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link And Keanu still walks the earth... Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao why was this sale allowed to go through? I fucking hate this dipshit. Hes so dumb and got lucky with paypal. Also teslas are pieces of junk, dont at me if you have one and love it. You got bamboozled Reply Thread Link Peter Thiel is the PayPal guy. Elon got rich because his daddy owned an emerald mine in Zambia. Reply Parent Thread Link and Musk made x.com, which combined with PayPal in the early 2000s, though he did get kicked out later, and for a nice 18 years, we didn't hear about him. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think the hard right had a hand in helping him purchase twitter to help spread misinformation, and try to limit any source of validation that can hurt their cause. Love it or hate it, Twitter is the main source, a lot of people get their up to date news and information from. At the same time, no one is checking for D*nald Tr*mps website, Parler, and all those other far right social media unless is to call out their lies. The far right knows if they have one of their own in charge of one of the largest social media sites in the world, it can help them in a lot of ways. Elons tweet is an example of that. Perfect timing with the midterms and the next election. Reply Parent Thread Link Teslas are also ugly af. Reply Parent Thread Link This falls in line with my theory that Musk bought Twitter punitively because he was humiliated here by powerful influencers. So what's the first thing he does? He makes those influential users bend the knee and pay him to retain their power. If they refuse, then they lose it. https://t.co/6kjSkbima5 Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) October 30, 2022 lmao real genius vibes here pic.twitter.com/P3k9MqhT3J Matt Binder (@MattBinder) October 31, 2022 Reply Thread Link I think it's a combination of that and tesla's stock tanking. He thinks he can make Twitter profitable or some shit. Good luck!! Reply Parent Thread Link Ya its revenues were already declining BEFORE he took over. Normally tech companies trade at very high multiples because of the potential for growth, but once tech (especially social media) starts to peak/come down from its peak, it RARELY is able to turn things around. Apple is the most prominent exception to this, but a) that's not SM and b) for every Apple, there's 1000 Yahoos/MySpaces. That's why Twitter is maybe worth like $22-25 billion instead of the $44 billion he paid, lol dummy. I think he's gonna charge for verification; he has to make up for lost revenue when advertisers run for the hills. Hilarious thing is that it's impossible basically for him to turn a profit here because Twitter's revenue was $1.18 billion last year... and now it has to pay $1 billion annually just to service the INTEREST on the debt he took out to finance the payment lolololol. Reply Parent Thread Link Hes a high school loser who wants revenge on the popular kids and happens to be a billionaire smh Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Employees working on the project were told on Sunday that they need to meet a deadline of November 7th to launch the feature or they will be fired. not how any kind of project implementation happens, LM. A week isn't even enough time to conceptualize it, let alone implement. Reply Thread Link He couldn't make it more obvious he has just bought his way through life and has no clue how anything actually works and yet still you have people acting like he knows what he's doing. Mind boggling. Reply Parent Thread Link But he's a... ~genius~ Reply Parent Thread Link I'd just be handing in my notice anyway fuck working for Elon Reply Parent Thread Link Someone needs to go to Twitter HQ Charlie's Angels-style and get the engineers to revolt. Reply Parent Thread Link i'vehadenoughofthisdude.jpg i can't believe he used to pretend to be "liberal" or "libertarian" or whatever. Reply Thread Link Libertarians are just republicans who want to smoke weed lbr Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lmao very true Reply Parent Thread Link My best friends dad is a Libertarian and any time he starts to voice some discriminatory rhetoric her and her sister go yeah but why do you care about them, arent you a Libertarian? and he goes I guess youre right and shuts up LMAO. I wish all of them were that easy to gather. Reply Parent Thread Link libertarians are republicans who want to smoke weed and think it's government overstep to require their twelve-year-old girlfriend to wear a seatbelt. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link They are also obsessed with the age of consent. Reply Parent Thread Link This is a fact. The first time I met a one it was my first appt with this psychiatrist and at one point the man randomly spewed out that he was "tired of seeing racism on the TV all the time" and before the thought of /does this old white man get it?/ could fully form he finished with, "I'm not racist I don't need to see it." I sat there dumbstruck. Same dude also blew off me bring up I'd been raped multiple times and he said word for word, "ok, there were rapes, what else?" I didn't go back. Fuck libertarians. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The "this is fake" tweet. He actually thinks he's funny. Sad! Reply Thread Link he should probably lower his sights from trying to get nathan fielder to laugh and focus all his energy on befriending jimmy fallon. we know hes fascinated by hair plugs, so elon has an in. Reply Parent Thread Link Plus he shills for NFTs and tousled trump's hair. They could be besties! Reply Parent Thread Link I still have a twitter. I never deleted it. But I never use it anymore, not since the 2012. Reply Thread Link I just now remembered I had one aaaaaand it's deactivated now. Bye Elon! Reply Parent Thread Link Haha! i wonder if that'll happen to mine lol. Fingers crossed. Reply Parent Thread Link The amount of people defending him and putting down others for stating facts is hilarious. Reply Thread Link Lol I always want to use this meme for various things. Reply Parent Thread Link They are even mad because people are leaving Twitter. I mean, you wanted the platform to repeat fake news and be as racist and antisemitic as possible, and now that it's getting that way and people are leaving you're mad? Reply Parent Thread Link I deleted my twitter. It wasn't hard to do because I didnt use it much anyways, but it felt kinda good to delete that icon on my phone. Really stickin it to the man over here /s Reply Thread Link soon he will charge people for not thinking his attempts at humor are funny Reply Thread Link I saw a tweet that said imagine having billions of dollars being able to do anything in the world and choosing to become admin of Twitter lmao really brings into perspective how stupid and power hungry he really is Reply Thread Link He's really going to run Twitter into the ground before there's even a chance for users to start leaving. Reply Thread Link Somebody asked him a pretty basic question and when he was like *shrug emoji* they asked aren't you the CEO? And he replied no I'm the Chief Twit, I have no idea who the CEO is. So Twitter is in real good hands, everything should be a-okay. Reply Thread Link Good lord, he IS Gavin Belson now. Reply Parent Thread Link I like when he laughed off the idea that he would hav to take the normal and perfectly reasonable manager course at Twitter. Truly "this guy has never had a job in his life" vibes. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm sorry to go OT but speaking of social media, has anyone's Instagram gotten suspended today? mine randomly did even though I never even post on it and I went on Twitter and apparently it happened to a ton of people Reply Thread Link This just happened to me. Seems like its a glitch happening to a lot of people. So damn annoying. Reply Parent Thread Link It happened to me twice last month but I honestly think it was someone spitefully reporting my account. I wish Insta would actually check content before they suspend people. Reply Parent Thread Link That's apparenetly a thing that's happening widespread. You didn't do anything wrong Reply Parent Thread Link Hyrasia One aims to start production by 2030 and produce 2 million tons annually from 2032. Hyrasia One will use electricity generated by solar panels and wind turbines to separate hydrogen gas from water. Best known as an oil and gas hub, western Kazakhstan hopes to become a leading global exporter of clean energy. The government has signed a $50 billion deal with European renewables group Svevind to build one of the worlds five largest green hydrogen production facilities in Mangystau Region, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayevs office announced on October 27. Hyrasia One will use electricity generated by solar panels and wind turbines to separate hydrogen gas from water. It aims to start production by 2030 and produce 2 million tons annually from 2032. That is equivalent to one-fifth of the EUs 2030 target for green hydrogen imports although there would be logistical challenges transporting the gas from Kazakhstan to Europe. The meteorological conditions and skills base in western Kazakhstan are ideal for the project, said Wolfgang Kropp, chief executive of Svevind Energy Group, which is behind Europes largest onshore windfarm, in Sweden, and operates in Germany. Kazakhstans Mangystau region offers very favorable natural resources. The wind conditions are very stable and strong, comparable to near-coast offshore wind-parks, the solar radiation is as strong as in southern Europe and the wide steppe regions are widely unused and sparsely populated, he told Eurasianet in emailed remarks. Because of the experience as an oil and gas exporting country, there is a lot of know-how in Kazakhstan that will help to realize Hyrasia One. Production costs are also competitive, Kropp says. The project will use wind and photovoltaic plants with a capacity of some 40 gigawatts to generate renewable energy of approximately 120 terawatt-hours annually, Hyrasia One, a Svevind subsidiary company, explained in a statement. This energy will supply an industrial park with a capacity of 20 gigawatts located near the port of Kuryk on Mangystaus Caspian Sea coast, which will produce hydrogen via water electrolysis. Hydrogen, when burned, emits only water vapor. The project can supply hydrogen on an industrial scale, the firm specified. Hyrasia One could become a supporting pillar for the hydrogen markets currently emerging in Europe, as well as in Kazakhstan itself and in Asian countries. No decision has been made on export destinations and routes, the firm told Eurasianet in response to emailed queries. Transport by pipeline is most cost-effective, but existing gas pipelines would have to be repurposed or the hydrogen mixed into the natural gas. Transport by rail or ship is already feasible. The EU is an eager market for green hydrogen as it weans itself off Russian gas, but Kazakhstans main export route to Europe, via Russia, is currently closed because of the war in Ukraine. However, alternative routes are being developed through the South Caucasus and the situation may be different by the time the project comes onstream. The shrinking Caspian Sea will be the water source for hydrogen production. Hyrasia One was unable to specify how much water it would need, but would keep water withdrawal as low as possible because the sea must be used sustainably to protect the environment. The plant will create 3,500 jobs during construction and 1,800 permanent jobs, the presidents office said. That will be welcome in a region which is a hotbed of socioeconomic disaffection despite its oil wealth. The company will provide initial financing and is seeking long-term investors to build the project at a cost of $40-50 billion. The investment agreement defines economic and legal points on land and infrastructure access and unhindered movement of goods and capital, and thus gives the project, which has already been in development for three years, certainty for investors, Hyrasia One said. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Governments and energy companies worldwide must consider the level of preparedness of their national energy infrastructure in the face of climate change and more frequent severe weather events, to prevent greater damage in high-risk areas. The impact of natural disasters on energy infrastructure has been well documented, with experts having highlighted the long-term risks of ill-prepared systems for several years. In a 2017 study of the power grid following 16 earthquakes, 15 space weather events, and 20 floods by the European Commission, the need for greater disaster preparedness became clear. The study showed that different disasters affect the power grid differently. For example, earthquakes cause inertial damage to heavy equipment (such as generators and transformers) and brittle items (for example ceramics), and ground failure and soil liquefaction can be devastating to electric infrastructure assets. Meanwhile, floods are commonly associated with power outages. Erosion due to the floodwaters and landslides triggered by floods undermine the foundations of transmission towers. Serious, and often explosive, damage may occur when electrified equipment comes in contact with water, while moisture and dirt intrusion require time-consuming repairs of inundated equipment. And a space weather event affects transmission and generation equipment through geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) [which] have the potential to impact the entire transmission network. The authors recommended that risk assessments be carried out across grid systems in different regions; infrastructure is reinforced to withstand these types of disasters; management plans be prepared for disasters; spare equipment is stockpiled for repairs; governments prioritize rapidly repairing critical energy infrastructure following a severe weather event. Despite these clear guidelines, more mitigation action needs to be taken in many parts of the world where we are seeing more cases of extreme weather events. As the U.S. pumps greater funding into its nuclear energy sector, there are concerns about what a weather event could meet for Americas nuclear plants. The U.S. is currently the largest producer of nuclear power worldwide, with an output of 771,638 GWh of nuclear electricity in 2021. But lots of Americas nuclear power infrastructure is outdated, with around 92 commercial reactors across the country has been in operation for 40 years or more. Many citizens are concerned about the future of nuclear power plants in the face of extreme weather, particularly after seeing the impact of a natural disaster on Japans Fukushima power plant in 2011. Areas such as south Florida, which has been hit by several hurricanes in recent years, are prime examples of this concern. Moreover, as climate change intensifies, the amount and magnitude of natural disasters are likely to increase. Despite the high cost of constructing a nuclear power plant, to avoid a nuclear disaster, mitigation plans must be put in action and U.S. nuclear infrastructure will likely need to be updated to withstand the severe weather in the coming years. A more recent study explored what impact a double weather event might have on energy infrastructure. Researchers at The Ohio State University used a machine learning model to predict how susceptible overhead transmission lines are to damage when natural disasters, such as hurricanes or earthquakes, occur in quick succession. One of the main findings was that previous damage has a considerable impact on the fragility and reliability of these networks if it cant be repaired before the second hazard hits. In addition, the order in which disasters occur can have a big impact on the level of damage seen. Abdollah Shafieezadeh, a co-author of the study, explained: Our work aims to answer if its possible to design and manage systems in a way that not only minimizes their initial damage but enables them to recover faster. Studies such as these are vital for informing greater disaster preparedness and energy infrastructure policies as we are continuing to see the catastrophic result of being ill-prepared, such as in the case of Puerto Rico. Five years after Hurricane Maria, the countrys grid system is still expensive and ineffective. Luma Energy, a joint venture between Houston-based Quanta Services and Calgary-based ATCO, took control of Puerto Ricos power grid in 2021. It was put in charge of maintaining and modernizing the grid. However, citizens quickly began to protest the takeover as customers were experiencing longer restoration times, voltage fluctuations and poor customer service. Related: Bidens Plan To Refill The SPR Is Unlikely To Boost U.S. Oil Output To date, improvements have yet to be made to the infrastructure, with regular blackouts being seen. Tom Sanzillo from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis stated, Since [Hurricane] Maria, they have basically just restrung the wires, they fixed some of the transfer stations, and the basic generation system is still the same That means were sort of nowhere, and nothings really been fundamentally invested in the grid. This led citizens in Puerto Rico to protest Lunas role in electricity provision, with hundreds of residents marching to Governor Pedro Pierluisis home in Old San Juan, demanding the Luma contract be canceled, just two months before the most recent Hurricane Fiona, to no avail. And its not only Puerto Rico that is dealing with the aftermath of severe weather events, Canadian residents were also complaining about the ongoing lack of electricity around a month after Fiona hit the Atlantic region. Experts emphasize the need for significant investment and modernization to make infrastructure more resilient to climate change. With climate change bringing about more extreme weather events worldwide, governments should take recommendations from experts seriously. Governments and energy firms must pump funds into energy infrastructure in high-risk areas to prevent greater destruction than already being seen, as well as mitigate the negative knock-on effects of prolonged periods without access to electricity. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Europe is hoping that lithium will be the answer to its fossil fuel addiction, as it gradually weans itself off oil and gas to switch to cleaner energy sources. Lithium is a vital ingredient in battery storage, which Europe has big plans to roll out in support of its growing renewable energy operations. But state powers and the EU must act now if they hope to gather enough lithium for a total transformation of the regions energy industry. Providing enough lithium for Europes energy transition is no easy feat, as not much of the metal can be found on the European continent, forcing the EU to turn to other lithium-rich countries. Lithium can be used in batteries for a variety of electronics, from smartphones to televisions. It is also the driving source for electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy battery storage. The EU has targeted net-zero emissions from new cars by 2035. But with several European countries announcing a shift away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs within the next decade, it is vital governments back up their aims with the materials needed to make this a reality. The World Bank estimates that mineral production will need to increase dramatically over the next decades to achieve climate goals, including an increase of 500 percent in graphite, lithium, and cobalt production by 2050. The EU region will require 18 times more lithium than it currently uses by 2030, and 60 times more by 2050, to meet net-zero aims. But this increase in production is not only complex because of the geographical logistics and need to boost mining activities but also due to the poor public perception of lithium mining. Many environmentalists and local communities are fearful of soil pollution and the destruction of natural habitats associated with mining. Related: Deep OPEC Output Cuts Upend Bidens Attempt To Lower Oil Prices Portuguese Environment Minister Joao Matos Fernandes spoke at a 2021 conference about the matter, stating Green mining must also be challenging such sentiments through the involvement of the local population in understanding the mutual benefits these projects could bring. Peter Handley, head of the European Commission's raw materials unit supported this sentiment, stating that it was vital to demonstrate to the public that mining would be done the right way, in full compliance with regulations". He added, "Mining in the past was a very dirty operation. It is becoming highly technological these days. This week, there has been greater momentum in Europes lithium industry, with France playing a major role in the regions white gold rush. The French minerals company Imerys has announced that it plans to develop a major lithium extraction project to supply Europe with the lithium it needs to support its green energy transition. The proposed Emili Project is expected to be located in the centre of France, with hopes to deliver around 34,000 metric tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually from 2028. This level of production would provide enough lithium to power 700,000 EV batteries a year. The project demonstrates Frances ambition to reduce reliance on other parts of the world by increasing its national mining activities. Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated lithium and rare earths will soon be more important than oil and gas, demonstrating the significance of new mining projects. She also highlighted that China currently manages around 90 percent of the rare earths industry, with 60 percent of the worlds lithium production being processed in China. This is concerning for the European region that is attempting to reduce its dependence on Chinese energy and products. Imerys is currently completing a technical scoping study to assess the viability of the selected site for lithium mining. The land has already been used for kaolin clay production for over 100 years. The firm expects the construction of the project to cost around $980 million. Imerys released a statement explaining, Upon successful completion, the project would contribute to the French and European Unions energy transition ambitions. It added, It would also increase Europes industrial sovereignty at a time when car and battery manufacturers are heavily dependent on imported lithium, which is a key element in the energy transition. A boost in lithium production would also help alleviate price pressures, with the cost of lithium increasing seven-fold from May 2021 to May 2022, due to unprecedented battery demand. But while shifting lithium production away from famously lithium-rich countries to Europe may decrease reliance on other powers and provide greater energy security, it could also be costly. George Miller of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence explains, It will be difficult to displace countries, including Australia, China and those within the Lithium Triangle, which have the current competitive advantage in lithium mining and processing due to lower labour, energy and reagent costs. Meanwhile, to date, domestic production of lithium concentrates in Europe is insignificant in contrast to global output, at about 110 tonnes of lithium content, according to the EUs study on critical raw materials. It has become clear global reliance on metals and minerals will soon become as significant as dependence on oil and gas, as countries around the world race to develop renewable energy and battery storage projects, as well as shifting away from ICE vehicles to EVs. But as this demand rises, so too will the need for lithium mining. Although regional developments, such as the Imerys Emili Project in France, will help boost the regions lithium supply, a lack of lithium reserves in Europe will likely force the EU to look elsewhere to develop its mining activities, once again making it reliant on external powers for its energy security. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The United States has been exporting natural gas at record levels this year, with exporters making big profits on it and expected to continue making big profits because of Europes continued demand for the commodity. Yet prices at home have begun to climb higher, too, because natural gas production is growing at a much lower rate than exports. One team of analysts warned as early as the beginning of this year that eventually, U.S. gas prices and global gas prices will converge. For some, this would be good news. Right now, the gas supply and demand situation looks more or less under control. Prices at home are down significantly, and exports are not rising as fast as they were in early 2022 because Europes storage facilities are full. Meanwhile, over the first ten months of the year, U.S. LNG exporters shipped 11 percent more of the commodity abroad, with exports to Europe soaring by 150 percent, according to data from Kpler cited by Reuters. It is Europe that is changing the price environment for natural gas on a global scale because Russian pipeline gas is not coming back anytime soon, while Europe has a long way to go to wean itself off natural gas as a whole. This means it will need even more U.S. LNG next yearthis year, it had Russian gas until June. And this means that prices for gas at home will go higher because production will continue lagging behind demand. According to Reuterss Gavin Maguire, this could stimulate the transition to alternative energy sources based on their economics. On a levelized cost of electricity basis, he wrote, some forms of low-carbon energy, such as solar and onshore wind, are already much cheaper than natural gas power plants. Related: Deep OPEC Output Cuts Upend Bidens Attempt To Lower Oil Prices Indeed, Norwegian energy consultancy Rystad Energy also estimated that solar in particular, is now 10 times cheaper to build in Europe than new natural gas generation capacity. Again, on a levelized cost of electricity basis. The concept of LCOE is the basis normally used as a basis for the promotion of wind and solar as opposed to fossil fuel generation capacity. However, many critics oppose the use of this metric because it can be quite misleading. First, the LCOE overlooks certain costs that are present in reality. Second, it assumes a certain level of electricity production that may or may not materialize because, ultimately, the output of wind and solar depends on the weather, and the weather is not exactly a reliable, immutable factor. Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, LCOE does not account for the backup baseload capacity necessary for every MW of wind or solar. In other words, building more wind and solar capacity might actually end up necessitating the construction of more gas-powered plants to be used as a backup during the night for solar, or on windless days, for wind. This is where federal subsidies for renewable energy come in. These could go a long way towards making wind and solar more economical than gas and coal generation. Yet the need for backup capacity will remain, meaning the demand for gas will remain. And this would make the situation with gas prices and electricity affordability even more complicated in the United States. Asian and European natural gas prices stand at $35 per mmbtu, versus $8.20 per mmbtu here in the United States. Given the underlying fundamentals that have now developed in US gas markets, we believe prices are about to surge and converge with international prices within the next six months, investment firm Goehring & Rozencwajg said in May this year. So far, prices havent surged that high for various reasons, notably the pipeline shortage in Texas that pushed gas prices to zero earlier this month. A glut of LNG tankers in Europe also affected short-term prices, as did warmer-than-usual October weather across Europe. Yet demand for gas remains robust and will only increase as winter beginsand it is about to begin, for real. Interestingly, investment banks seem to expect prices to remain relatively low next year, with Goldman forecasting an average of $5 per million British thermal units and Bank of America seeing it at $4.50 per mmBtu. This years price jumped because of record exports. Next year, this record will be broken if Europe continues to rely on U.S. LNG, which it will, for lack of alternatives. Yet even if the banks turn out to be right and U.S. gas prices remain below this years average, which so far has been $6.60 per mmBtu, it would be a significant increase on gas prices from the past few years. On its own, this may not be enough to motivate a lot more wind or solar capacity. Federal subsidies, however, are another matter. They would certainly help the energy transition in the U.S., whatever the price of gas. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The oil and gas industry needs more investment, Amos Hochstein, the U.S. Senior Advisor for Energy Security, said at the ADIPEC energy conference in Abu Dhabi on Monday. More investment is needed in the oil and gas sector right now and tomorrow, Hochstein was quoted as saying. The top oil producers in the Middle East have been warning for years that the recent slump in investment in the industry would come back to haunt global supply. Underinvestment is one of the key reasons for high oil prices, the worlds largest oil firm and top crude oil exporter, Saudi Aramco, says. Very low spare capacity and underwhelming investment in new supply in recent years have combined with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the subsequent market chaos with changed trade flows to push oil and gas prices higher. At ADIPEC, Hochstein said that energy prices have to be priced in a way that allows for economic growth. The U.S. Administration has been looking to lower gasoline prices and has released more than 100 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) so far this year. The Administration and President Joe Biden have repeatedly called on oil companies to stop profiteering and lower prices at the pump. Earlier this month, American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Mike Sommers said in response to one of the latest comments from the U.S. Administration that Increasing energy demand and constrained supply coupled with geopolitical instability and faulty policy decisions have driven fuel prices higher. At a time when American energy can be a stabilizing force at home and abroad, we urge caution in continuing to rely on short-term efforts that are no substitute for sound long-term policies that enable American energy leadership. The administration should instead focus on addressing the fundamental economic and security challenges we face by spurring more investment in American energy, infrastructure and markets that enable U.S. consumers to benefit from Americas reliable energy resources, APIs Sommers noted. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Europe is set to increase its reliance on oil imports from the United States after the EU embargo on Russian seaborne crude imports enters into force in early December, Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Italys energy group Eni, told Bloomberg in an interview on Monday. The embargo on Russian crude imported by sea kicks in on December 5. Supply to Europe will decline by around 2 million barrels per day (bpd), Descalzi told Bloomberg on the sidelines of the ADIPEC energy conference in Abu Dhabi. The hit to Europe will be big, Enis chief executive added. The U.S. has been exporting record volumes of crude oil and petroleum products recently, and Europe has become a major destination for American petroleum exports, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Europe still imports Russian crude and products, but the looming embargo will shift trade flows. Still, there are bullish and bearish forces in the oil market currently at play, and those are expected to keep oil prices around $90 per barrel for the rest of the year, Descalzi told Bloomberg. On the one hand, we have fears of recessions and lockdowns in China, but on the bullish side, the market has to contend with a loss of part of the Russian oil supply and underinvestment in new supply globally, Enis CEO said. Investors, especially those in Europe, are not very keen to invest a lot in oil because of policy uncertainty in the long term, Descalzi told Bloomberg. OPEC tries to keep oil in the $90 to $100 a barrel range, he added. Enis top executive sees oil prices staying more or less at their current levels by the end of 2022. Early on Monday, Brent Crude was trading at around $94 a barrel, down by 1.4%, as China is again locking down cities amid a rise in Covid infections. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson said Wednesday that natural gas price caps could limit excessive price spikes but only if countries give Brussels the power to impose such a measure. Norway's top energy firm responded to the proposal in an interview with Bloomberg on Friday, saying price caps won't solve Europe's supply crunch. Earlier this week, Simson, the bloc's energy chief, said a NatGas price cap would limit price spikes this winter. The official said the measure would be a "last resort measure" if prices uncontrollably soared. "This Dutch TTF gas benchmark cap, we can introduce this winter already if we get the mandate," Simson told a committee of EU lawmakers. Responding to the EU mulling over the idea of a price cap on wholesale NatGas, Equinor Chief Executive Officer Anders Opedal told Bloomberg: "Any price cap is not really solving the fundamental problems. Related: China Could Help Ease The Global Fuel Crisis "In fact, it can be counterproductive increasing demand while supply is not increasing." Since the war in Ukraine and dwindling Russian NatGas supplies to Europe, Norway has displaced Russia as the top NatGas supplier. Rejiggering energy supply chains away from Russia will mean the EU must increase investments in the grid -- though price caps deter such investments by energy firms. And it's not just investments. Price caps can also cause demand for NatGas to artificially rise or leave some countries struggling to attract supply from global markets. These measures, if implemented, could cause undesirable disruptions to global energy markets. For Europe, there is good news (for now). Temperatures are expected to be warmer than normal through at least mid-November. Also, NatGas storage in the EU is 91% full despite reduced NatGas flows. However, the EU is just one cold snap away from drawing on inventories. Which would mean EU NatGas prices could reverse after falling more than 63% since August. If energy prices do erupt again because of cold weather and supply woes, then EU leaders might feel compelled to do something to appease voters as discontent is growing amid a cost-of-living crisis. If price caps on NatGas are implemented, it could send shockwaves across energy markets. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After a Beijing debut, a performer talks of the challenge of taking on Mussorgsky. Far from being content to let his audiences feast their ears on his playing of the piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition, Sun Yutong is keen, too, to provide a commentary taking in the visual dimensions that inspired the work by the Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. "These are two interesting and abstract forms of artistic expression," he says. "Music has no visual, and painting has no audio, so both art forms are perhaps somewhat disconnected from the audience. "When conveying to the audience what the composer intended to express, I can think of myself as an audience member, or someone who is playing the piece for the first time. Perhaps in this way I can bring to the audience a sense of freshness, and also draw the audience closer." Sun, 27, gave a recital at the Beijing Concert Hall on Sept 26 themed on Mussorgsky's 10-piece piano suite, played in the second half of the recital. In the first half, he presented two works by Polish composer Frederic Chopin, Piano Sonata No. 2 and Fantaisie in F Minor, Op. 49. "In terms of narrative styles, I feel that these three pieces are a process of steady progression, because their scales are getting grander," Sun says. "If a sonata is a communication process with a dozen people, a fantasy is like speaking to a hundred people, and Pictures at an Exhibition is like communicating to a thousand people." Mussorgsky composed the pieces in 1874 as a musical rendition of 10 paintings by the Russian artist Viktor Hartmann. The suite was then adapted into different styles, one of the most well-received versions being one that the French composer Maurice Ravel orchestrated in 1922. "Listening to the orchestrated version can inspire me as a pianist, because sometimes I need to use the piano to imitate the timbres of other instruments, and the orchestration could provide reference," Sun says. "In the last movement of Mussorgsky's suite, the piano imitates the sounds of percussion instruments including bells or gongs. Some light passages mimic sounds of woodwind instruments, and a few hefty pieces such as Cattle draw from those of brass instruments." Performing at the Beijing Concert Hall for the first time, Sun says that pieces such as Mussorgsky's well suit the venue, which has a rich resonance and allows the pieces to fully exhibit their grandeur. The concert was his debut in Beijing after he became the only Chinese pianist to have entered the semifinal of the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition held in the United States this year. He had previously gained recognition by winning top spots in international piano competitions, including securing second prizes at the 2018 Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition and the 2017 Ferrol International Piano Competition, both in Spain. In 2012, he became the youngest first-prize winner of the 54th Jaen Prize International Piano Competition in Spain, and was invited to release a recital recording by the Naxos label. Sun was born in Tianjin and studied under Chang Hua at the primary and middle schools affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He is now studying at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with the Georgian pianist Alexander Korsantia and the Vietnamese-Canadian pianist Dang Thai Son. "They both allow me to try whatever I want, but they will also constantly remind me what I should pay attention to on the sheet music, which I think is very inspiring," Sun says. Sun says he plans to focus on exploring music of different genres and forms as a pianist. The recital last month was part of the Beijing Concert Hall's 2022 Meet Classics series, featuring chamber music and recitals. Zhang Yilin, general manager of the Beijing Concert Hall, says that Sun's debut in Beijing "bodes well for both our concert hall and the pianist". "Among the impressive lineup of musicians we have invited this year, we are very happy to see young classical musicians such as Sun. His participation adds to the richness of the performance series of the concert hall this year." Crude oil began trade today with a slide, following the release of weaker-than-expected factory activity data from China as well as the latest round of Covid restrictions in the country, according to Reuters. The decline was modest, at less than 1 percent at the time of writing, after China released its manufacturing PMI reading for October, which surprised the market with a decline. "The purchasing managers' index (PMI) data contracting adds to the post-China congress party blues for oil markets. It is not difficult to draw a straight line from weaker PMIs to China's Covid-zero policy," Reuters quoted Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management as saying. Meanwhile, new restrictions related to Covid also weighed on crude oil prices, as they have done for most of the year. This time, the restrictions come in response to an increase in new infections to more than 1,000 daily for more than three days. Bloomberg, however, has noted that oil will end October with a monthly gain despite the headwinds. The report pointed out that oil supply remains quite tight globally and OPEC+ is about to start cutting more from it. This would be the first monthly gain for oil since May, Bloomberg wrote. China is among the chief factors affecting oil prices but it is not the only one. Some analysts have pointed out that Europe will also be affecting prices in the immediate future, as a looming recession on the continent is likely to cause a drop in demand. This would likely coincide with the entry into effect of the EU embargo on Russia crude in December and fuels in February next yeara move that will very likely add upward potential to prices. That potential, however, will be capped by the severity of Europes economic slowdown and the resulting demand destruction. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russia resumed its military blockade of Ukrainian ports on October 30, halting the supply of grain supplies largely headed to low-income nations and reigniting fears of a spiral in global food prices. The United States immediately criticized Russia's actions, accusing it of "weaponizing food" to gain leverage in its failing invasion of Ukraine. Russia announced a day earlier it would suspend its participation in a UN-brokered deal that allowed Ukraine, one of the world's breadbaskets, to export grain after accusing Kyiv of staging a drone attack against its Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has rejected the accusations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on October 30 that he was "deeply concerned" about Russia's decision to halt its participation in the July deal, which helped reverse skyrocketing food prices that threatened to put millions at risk of starvation. Guterres said he would delay his departure for the Arab League summit in Algiers by one day to work on saving the grain deal. Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry reported on October 30 that 218 ships involved in grain exports are currently blocked -- 22 loaded and stuck at ports, 95 loaded and departed from ports, and 101 awaiting inspections. Ukraine's grain exports are a key revenue source for the country, whose economy has been decimated by Russia's eight-month war. They are also a critical source of food for countries in Africa and Asia. Earlier in the day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to resume its participation in the deal, warning it was "exacerbating" an already dire food crisis impacting largely poor countries. "Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry. In suspending this arrangement, Russia is again weaponizing food in the war it started," he said. In a post on Twitter, European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell also urged Russia to revert its decision. The July deal allowed Ukraine to resume exports of grain, other foodstuffs, and fertilizer, including ammonia, through a safe maritime humanitarian corridor from three of its Black Sea ports. To implement the deal, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN set up a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) to inspect vessels headed to and from Ukraine traveling along the corridor. Turkey played a major role in brokering the agreement. Russia on October 30 announced it was suspending its participation in the JCC, including inspecting ships off Istanbul. Earlier in the day, Turkey said the JCC would continue inspecting ships on October 30 and 31. The JCC had inspected 11 shipments on October 30 with more than 100 waiting for clearance. Analysts have been warning for the past two months that Russian President Vladimir Putin would look for an excuse to pull out of the deal to pressure the West over its continued military aid to Ukraine. Kyiv has used that military aid with effectiveness, driving the Russians back in the northeast, east, and southeast since launching a counteroffensive in September. "Given Ukraine's successful counterattack, the fighting there isn't going Russia's way. Putin, who is used to engaging in dialogue from a position of strength, finds he does not have so many ways of putting pressure on the West at his disposal. Threatening to torpedo the grain deal is one of his few remaining options," Aleksandra Prokopenko, an independent analyst, wrote in a September 16 note posted on the website of Washington-based think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In a video address after Russia's announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the move "a completely transparent attempt by Russia to return to the threat of large-scale famine for Africa and Asia." Zelenskiy called for Russia to be expelled from the Group of 20 leading global economies (G20). Related: Saudi Minister Says Sour Relations With The U.S. Will Improve U.S. President Joe Biden called Moscow's decision "purely outrageous." The July 22 grain deal was intended to last 120 days with the option for renewal on November 19 "if no party objects," the UN said on October 28. Moscow has asked the UN Security Council to meet on October 31 to discuss the reported attack on its Black Sea Fleet at the Crimean port city of Sevastopol in the early hours of October 29. Russia's Defense Ministry said drones were used in the attack and that one Russian ship, a minesweeper, was damaged. Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said Kyiv would try to continue using the Black Sea shipping corridor as long as possible. Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Russian state television that Moscow was prepared to "supply up to 500,000 tons of grain to the poorest countries free of charge in the next four months." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Moscow has pointed the finger at London for the explosions that put the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines out of commission. London has denied any involvement, Reuters reported this weekend. "According to available information, representatives of this unit of the British Navy took part in the planning, provision and implementation of a terrorist attack in the Baltic Sea on September 26 this year - blowing up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines," the Russian defense ministry said. "To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale," the Foreign Office said in response. Four leaks, two in each of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, were discovered in early October after gas started leaking earlier this week from the infrastructure just outside Swedish and Danish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea. An investigation launched by the Swedish authorities concluded that the leaks were the result of detonations, likely the result of serious sabotage. The Swedish side refused to share the conclusions of its investigations with Russia but it said this week it will continue the investigation. The preliminary one did not end with naming a party responsible for the blasts. Stockholm also declined a joint investigation of the blasts with Denmark and Germany, citing national security concerns. The lead prosecutor on the case said Sweden was already cooperating with its two neighbors on the matter. Russia, meanwhile, started its own investigation of the blasts, with the company that operates the infrastructure saying at the end of last week that After carrying out calibration works, the specialists will be ready within 24 hours to start the survey of the damaged area that would take three to five days according to current estimates, Upstream reported. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias oil production dropped slightly in October compared to September, but the decline could accelerate from November as the EU prepares to introduce an embargo on imports of Russian crude from December 5, Russian business daily Kommersant reported on Monday, quoting sources familiar with the situation. In October, Russian oil production, including condensate, was 1.47 million tons of oil per day, or 10.78 million barrels per day (bpd), per Reuters estimates. The October production was slightly down from 10.8 million bpd reported for September. Russian crude exports by sea and via pipeline also dropped in October by around 2% from September to around 4.7 million bpd. Until the EU embargo enters into force, Russian production is expected to stay at more or less the current levels or slightly drop. But after the embargo kicks in, demand for Russian oil will decline sharply, Maxim Malkov from Kept told Kommersant. Russia will need to reroute its oil exports, and will be no easy task as even buyers outside of the EU, including some in India, have started to refuse to buy Russian oil for fear of secondary sanctions, Malkov said. Yet, willing buyers are looking at alternative routes and mechanisms to procure Russian oil at discounts, the analyst told Kommersant. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) with data for September, total Russian oil exports fell by 230,000 bpd to 7.5 million bpd in September. This was down by 560,000 bpd compared to pre-war levels. Shipments of Russian oil to the EU dropped by 390,000 bpd in September compared to August. With less than two months to go before a ban on Russian crude oil imports comes into effect, EU countries have yet to diversify more than half of their pre-war import levels away from Russia, the IEA said in its Oil Market Report in October. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Groups across Sarpy County are preparing for their annual Veterans Day events to show appreciation for Americas service members and their families. The first and largest area celebration is the Nebraskas Official Veterans Parade on Saturday, Nov. 5, in Bellevue. The parade begins at 10 a.m., featuring an Air Force flyover, military formations, first responders, local school bands and JROTC units, elected officials and other veteran-supporting organizations. The route goes east along West Mission Avenue from Jackson Street to Franklin Street, turning north on Franklin to Washington Park in Olde Towne. The grand marshal is Col. John Litecky, former commander of the 55th Operations Group at Offutt Air Force Base. The 55th Wing is the largest operations group in the Air Force, with 11 squadrons and two detachments around the world. Litecky will retire from the Air Force in January. Following the parade, there will be a Veterans Day Expo at the John B. Muller Administrative Services Building on the Bellevue University campus, 812 Bruin Blvd., from noon to 3 p.m. The new event includes a variety of veterans organizations and resources, with information on available support services. The expo is free, with refreshments from local food trucks on-hand. On Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m., Bellevue East High School will host a free Veterans Day concert featuring the Nebraska National Guard 43rd Army Band. A Salute to Heroes presents favorite concert band and patriotic music. The La Vista Community Foundation will hold its annual Salute to Veterans on Sunday, Nov. 6 at the La Vista Conference Center, 12520 Westport Parkway. Executive director Annisa Visty said more than 600 people have registered, potentially making it the largest attendance in the events history. Representatives of the Veterans Administration, the 50 Mile March Foundation, American Legion Post 32, VFW Post 9675 of Sarpy County, Guitars for Vets, Moving Vets Forward, Operation 22 Til Freedom and K9s for Warriors will be on hand to share their mission and vision during a social hour at 4:30 p.m. Sarpy County Treasurer and Air Force veteran Trace Jones will emcee the festivities at 6 p.m., with a keynote speech from submarine Capt. Benjamin Selph. The Springfield Platteview Community Schools will present its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m. in the main gym of Platteview High School, 14801 S. 108th St. in Springfield. The keynote speaker Bill Williams is the co-founder of Patriotic Productions, which has organized and raised funds to bring more than 3,500 World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans to see their memorials in Washington D.C. Patriotic Productions also created Remembering Our Fallen, a photo exhibit memorializing Nebraska service members who have died since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Platteviews common area will display the exhibit on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. American Legion Post 32 of Papillion will be holding Veterans Day services on Friday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at Veterans Park at East Halleck and South Monroe Streets in Papillion. Speakers include Papillion Mayor David Black and retired Air Force Gen. Paul G. Cohen, administrator of the Omaha Douglas Public Building Commission. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be held at the post hall, 230 W. Lincoln, Gretna American Legion Post 216 will again host its annual Veterans Day Dinner on Friday, Nov. 11. A social hour will begin at 5 p.m. at 11690 S. 216th St. At 6 p.m., dinner and the program will begin, including a guest speaker and award presentations. Gretnas Sons of the American Legion Squadron 216 will be hosting a free breakfast for vets at Billys Gretna Cafe, 20596 Highway 370, on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 7 to 10 a.m. The number of COVID-19 cases jumped 25% in Nebraska last week, a sign that the virus may be embarking on another winter surge. Nebraska recorded 1,405 new cases up from 1,127 the prior week marking the second straight weekly increase, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage increase in cases for the week was the 10th highest in the country, though Nebraskas overall virus levels are about the same as the U.S. average. Case numbers were up 24% in Douglas County and 48% in Sarpy County. Six counties in Nebraska are recording high levels of virus transmission, five of them in the states Panhandle. Of the 15 wastewater surveillance sites across the state, most of those for which recent data was available showed an increase in virus present over the past 15 days, including the two in Omaha and Lincoln. Because people infected with the virus shed it in their stool, wastewater can provide another indicator of infection trends. Thats important at a time when fewer people are testing for COVID and more of those who are testing are using at-home tests that arent included in official case counts. The virus in the previous two years of the pandemic surged during winter months. It was a year ago this week that the omicron surge first took hold in Nebraska. Over the next four months, nearly 1 in 10 Nebraskans would contract the virus. Currently gaining ground in the U.S. are two descendants of the omicron subvariant BA.5, which remains dominant. However, by late last week, BQ.1.1 and BQ.1 made up an estimated 13% and 14% of positive virus samples that had been genomically sequenced. The number of U.S. cases also rose last week, with the 2% increase ending three months of weekly declines. Deaths also were up, with the virus killing nearly 400 people a day. An average of 138 Nebraskans were hospitalized with the virus last week, up slightly from the prior week. Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated and, if vaccinated, boosted with the new shot designed to cover BA.5. Theyre also encouraging Nebraskans to get flu shots. Influenza has begun to tick up in the state, although respiratory syncytial virus cases appear to be dropping somewhat. Nebraska added four COVID deaths last week, increasing the toll of confirmed or probable deaths in the pandemic to 4,550. Almost 534,000 total cases have been reported. PEKIN Reditus Laboratories is ending operations this week, the company announced Monday. In a news release, the Pekin-based laboratory company said all lab testing will cease at the close of business Friday, Nov. 4 and Reditus expects to liquidate its assets and dissolve in the coming months. The decision is connected to a civil lawsuit brought against Reditus and its CEO Aaron Rossi by his former business partner, Dr. James Davie, the company said. Reditus was placed in receivership by the Tazewell County judge in April. The parties to the dispute have been unable to resolve their differences during the receivership, according to the Reditus statement. The parties have informed the receiver that they do not oppose liquidation of the company as the litigation continues. Reditus said the expected duration of the ongoing litigation is just one factor in the decision to close, noting the companys management is extremely disappointed that the lab must shut down but does not believe there are any alternatives for numerous reasons. The laboratory at the peak of the pandemic employed nearly 300 workers, but an updated total number of employees was not immediately available Monday. Reditus said employees received legally-required advance notice of the closure. The Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 75 or more full-time employees to give workers as well as state and local government officials 60 days advance notice of a closure or mass layoff. An employer that fails to provide notice as required by law is liable to each affected employee for back pay and benefits for the period of the violation, up to a maximum of 60 days. The employer may also be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 for each day of the notice violation. Reditus did not provide an expected date of liquidation. A Reditus official declined to comment. An attorney for Reditus and a spokesperson for Rossi could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon. Reditus Laboratories, which opened in June 2019, gained local and state attention at the start of the pandemic, ultimately amassing more than $220 million in state funding to provide COVID-19 testing. When the lab company first opened, it focused on anatomic pathology and histology, before moving into diagnosis of soft tissue and wound infections, according to the company website. In December 2019, Reditus obtained equipment that later became useful in the COVID-19 pandemic, a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction machine (RT-PCR) capable of testing for the virus. The company began operating the community-based testing site at the Interstate Center in Bloomington in May 2020 and continued until its closure at the end of March 2022 when all of the states community-based testing sites were shut down. The Illinois Department of Public Health said Reditus contract with the state to provide testing had been set to expire and was not renewed. According to Reditus, the company was accredited by the College of American Pathologists during the height of the pandemic. In March 2021, its laboratory expanded from 2,500 square feet to more than 23,000 square feet, to increase our testing efforts into areas of infectious disease, Next-Gen sequencing, hematopathology and flow cytometry. The sequencing technology helped Reditus identify variants of the COVID-19 virus. The Tazewell County civil lawsuit, filed in February 2021, accuses Rossi of using Reditus money for personal and family use and attempting to push Davie out of the company without paying him his share. Rossi, 39 of Bloomington, also faces unrelated charges of federal tax fraud and mail fraud, accused of underreporting his income from 2015 and 2017 and using business funds for personal deliveries through UPS and USPS. In July 2020, Luo Xin, a student at Changsha No 1 High School, celebrated the ending of the national college entrance exam with a split leap. The moment was snapped by a photographer, which quickly went viral online. This photo, which is widely deemed to symbolize Chinese youngsters' optimistic spirit toward finishing the exam amid the pandemic, has inspired the TV series The Examination for Everyone. Initiated by National Radio and Television Administration, the TV series, which recently concluded its first run, held a symposium in Beijing, attracting major creators and some experts. Gao Changli, head of the TV program department with the administration, said a total of 16 meetings were organized to discuss the creation details and they finally decided to depict a "positive, amiable and lovely" group of youngsters set in a county. Centering on six families, the TV series was shot in 64 days before it took another 81 days to finish postproduction, which is more efficient than most domestic dramas, according to Wang Xiaohui, the chief executive producer. 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 Oct. 31, 1922: Examinations will be held through Nov. 28 of all persons who want to apply for the job of Bloomington postmaster. Candidates must be older than 30 and younger than 65. The Civil Service Commission will certify results to the Postmaster General, who will submit a name to the president for appointment. The salary of is $3,800 per year. 75 years ago Oct. 31, 1947: An argument between Illinois State Normal University and Illinois Wesleyan University students over which school would like the Normal university's homecoming bonfire flared early in the evening. The story coming to Normal police described bottles of gasoline and rocks hurtling through the air. Some students were struck and treated at the hospital. Some celebrants proceeded to steal and destroy "Welcome ISNU Homecomers" signs that had been newly purchased by the Chamber of Commerce. 50 years ago Oct. 31, 1972: Local 425 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees will strike at Lincoln State School on Nov. 6, the day before Election Day, unless a list of demands is not met, leaders said. The date was chosen to put pressure on Gov. Richard Ogilvie. Demands of aides at the facility for children with developmental disabilities include days off in succession and no weekend or night work. 25 years ago Oct. 31, 1997: R.H. Wiseman Ace Hardware on Old U.S. 51 south, the lone hardware store and lumber yard in Heyworth, was destroyed by a devastating fire that started 13 minutes after closing time. Firefighters kept the blaze from spreading to a storage tank of liquified propane gas behind the business in the adjacent lot. The potential for an explosion, however, led to the evacuation of an estimated 15 to 20 hours. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation. BLOOMINGTON Tax resources, law enforcement and mental health services were some of the key issues identified by McLean County Board candidates in rural communities outside of Bloomington-Normal. Four candidates are vying for two open seats in the first district, which covers the northern portion of the county. Board member Catherine Metsker said the county's top priority is the people it serves and analyzing all tax sources to meet public needs is critical to this. "These tax monies must ensure the public entities run smoothly and accomplish the stated goals," said Metsker, a Republican. "The McLean County budget allocations should represent the needs of our citizens while being prudent with the taxes paid by our citizens." She added that new commerce requires quality affordable housing and although new development seems to focus on Bloomington-Normal, aiding smaller, rural communities with development could provide lower cost of living and improved safety. Towanda farmer Adam Reeves, who is running as a Republican, said the county's number one issue is public safety and supporting the McLean County Sheriff's Office and local police to try and maintain order in communities. "Everything involves them," Reeves said. Janis Hollins, a business administrative associate at Illinois State University, is running as a Democrat and said she feels that the biggest issue facing McLean County residents is relative depending on which residents you ask. "I would say there are a multitude of issues facing McLean County residents and many things McLean County is lacking," Hollins said. "The question becomes, for me, what are SMART goals for the county as a whole, both short term and long term, creating and implementing strategy (and) remembering we are elected representatives by and for the people." Marcia Beaman, the other Democratic candidate running in the first district, did not immediately respond to questions submitted to each county board member. The second district, which covers the southeast portion of the county, is uncontested since there are no Democratic candidates. Board members Bill Friedrich and James Soeldner are the two GOP candidates who received the most votes in the June primary. In the third district, which spans the western portion of the county, Democrat Fay Freeman-Smith said the county's biggest issue is how to make resources available and accessible to residents in need. Since 2021, Freeman-Smith said she has proposed the creation of a central, collaborative hub for all county mental health services including agencies, organizations and private practices to provide quick and seamless access to all levels of service. "Coming out of the pandemic, people are stressed, facing uncertain economic futures and dealing with the demands of a constantly changing world," Freeman-Smith said. "We're seeing an increased need for mental health services throughout the county, including among children, and a need to care for the helpers and those providing these much needed services." The third district's two other candidates, Republicans George Wendt and Lyndsay Bloomfield, did not immediately respond to questions sent to county board candidates. Early voting still is available at the McLean County Government Center, 115 E. Washington St., for voters that live outside of Bloomington. It is open for early voting between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Nov. 4. Bloomington voters can cast their ballots at the Bloomington Election Commission office, 121 N. Main St. from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. I am pleased to support Scott Preston for the Illinois 91st District. Scott's service to our community began at a relatively early age, and I have admired the commitment, time and energy he has brought to these leadership roles. He is measured and thoughtful in his decision making and will take those important qualities to Springfield. I can't think of a candidate at any level in this election more willing to work with all parties on an issue. The positive and truthful campaign he is running reflects this. The Finance Ministry has debunked what it describes as 'false claims" about the IMF deal. In a statement, "the Ministry notes that in recent days, a number of persons have been making false claims about the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF or the Fund)". According to the Ministry, the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were "progressing smoothly and we look forward to having a Staff Level Agreement by the end of the year," and that all false claims must be disregarded. "We made good progress in identifying specific policies that would restore macroeconomic stability. ... The IMF team and the Ghanaian authorities remain fully committed to reaching agreement on a framework and policies for an IMF-supported program as soon as feasible". The Ministry has also refuted the claim that the government does not have a program for consideration by the IMF. "To the contrary, the government has submitted its Post-COVID Programme for Economic Growth to the Fund, which programme has formed the basis of negotiations. The Ghanaian delegation and IMF staff had very fruitful discussions on the authorities' post-COVID program for economic growth and associated policies and reforms that could be supported by a new IMF arrangement" the statement added. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana will, tomorrow, assume the presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for a month. As President of the council, Ghana will hold a high-level debate on Threats to International Peace and Security on November 10, 2022, to be chaired by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The debate will be on the theme: Counter-terrorism in Africa - An imperative for peace, security and development. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said within the month, Ghana would seek to build consensus in the council and across the UN on the need to ensure that peace operations took into consideration the changing security landscape. That, among other things, meant addressing underlying causes and drivers of conflict, linked to the growing youth bulge and poverty, it said. High -level debate Giving further details, the statement said the high-level (Heads of State) debate sought to focus attention on ongoing counter-terrorism measures in Africa and how best the Security Council would support that effort, including through adequate, predictable and sustainable financing. The debate will also look at how the Security Council could work with regional arrangements to address the terrorism menace, it added. It said the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, would deliver a statement, while there would be briefings by the African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat; the EU Representative (President of the European Council), Charles Michel, and the President of the International Crisis Group, Comfort Ero. Other activities Other activities to be undertaken by Ghana within the month are a press briefing by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations, Harold Adlai Agyeman; a briefing of the wider UN membership on the programme of work and Ghana's priorities during the month by Mr Agyeman, and an open ministerial debate to be chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, on the topic: "Integrating Effective Resilience Building in Peace Operations for Sustainable Peace. The objective of the ministerial debate is to start a conversation on reconfiguring UN peace operations to ensure a situationally determined balance between kinetic and non-kinetic actions aimed at restoring peace and addressing the underlying causes of conflict, the statement said. West Africa threat Ghana is assuming the presidency of the Security Council at the time terrorism and violent extremism are becoming a major threat to West Africa. Increasingly, extremist groups have developed the capacity to finance their operations through illicit international networks and transnational crimes such as human trafficking, piracy and mercenary activities. More worrying, in West Africa, the attacks in the coastal areas have been described as 'a tip of the insurgency iceberg', given the potential and the ambition of terrorist organisations to expand their reach beyond the Sahel until they can control territories in other parts of West Africa, the statement said. Unaddressed structural factors It made reference to evidence, including reports of the UN Secretary-General, which indicated that unaddressed structural factors could contribute to the resurgence of conflicts during or after peace support missions. The emerging trends and dynamics linked to traditional and non-traditional security threats confront the Security Council with new challenges. These require the council to devise new approaches to ensure a balanced response to both military operations and the underlying causes of conflict to ensure sustainable peace, it said. Furthermore, the statement indicated that strengthening peace operations in contemporary times was a critical issue for sustainable peace among nations and also building the credibility and effectiveness of the Security Council. Ghanas election On June, 11, 2021, the General Assembly of the UN, at its meeting in New York, elected Ghana to serve a two-year term on the Security Council from January 2022 to December 2023, with Ghanas agenda focusing on enhancing global peace and security for sustainable and inclusive development, particularly in Africa. Ghana secured 185 votes out of the 190 votes cast, the highest number of votes, compared to the votes obtained by the four other Member States - Brazil, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Albania and Gabon - that were also elected, further underlying Ghanas high standing in the UN. It was the fourth time Ghana was elected to serve on the Security Council, the previous times being 1962 1963, 1986 1987 and 2006 2007. In August 2006, President Akufo-Addo, then the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, chaired the meeting of the Security Council which took the decision that halted Israel's massive incursions into Lebanon. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Senior Presidential Advisor, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has underscored the need to inculcate love for the country and the right mindset in the younger generation as a means to drive the countrys transformation agenda. That, he said, was necessary because part of the nations challenges was as a result of poor attitude, character and work ethics at all levels in the country. No one can develop Ghana for us except us, and we can lead in this development because we have the capacity and the brain power. So let us change our attitude and move in the right direction, he said. Mr Osafo-Maafo made the call in a speech he read on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the 91st Speech and Prize-giving Day of Accra Academy in Accra last Saturday. The event was on the theme: Enhancing the future of our youth through STEM Education and leader skills. It was graced by high-profile personalities, including the Paramount Chief of the Abola Traditional Area, Nii Ahene Nunoo III, who chaired the event in the stead of the Ga Mantse. Also present were a Supreme Court judge and Chairman of the Accra Academy Governing Board, Justice Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse; representatives from the Ministry of Education, heads of some second-cycle and basic schools, old students, parents of continuing students, among others. Achieving Ghana Beyond Aid Mr Osafo-Maafo said if the nation was to ever realise its vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid, then there was the need to create a well engaged society aligned with the spirit of civic responsibility and accompanied by a high sense of patriotism. At this level, students are still in their formative years and this is the opportune moment we are training your minds, he added. He commended the management of Accra Academy for playing a pivotal role in the development of high-calibre human capital for the country. Indeed, Accra Academy continues to set an enviable pace among your peers and the government and the people of Ghana are proud of your achievements as an institution, the Senior Presidential Advisor added. Keynote address Delivering the keynote address, a General Manager of the Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG), Edward Amartey Commey, highlighted the numerous benefits of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to the country. He said the opportunities that came from the study of STEM had far-reaching consequences for the larger economy and its cascading effect at the micro level and the youth. Therefore, he said, the country, like many other developing countries, had no other option than to quickly adapt to the changing world in order for it to win in the long run. If for nothing at all, nations such as South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, China, among a few, have taught us the importance of science in carving up homegrown solutions in the quest to develop their respective economies, he added. Awards Former students whose performance in the 2021 WASSCE brought honour to the school were rewarded. Continuing students, teachers and other staff of the school whose performances and contributions projected the image of the school were also given awards, while special prizes were presented to some teachers and other staff members. The event was organised by the 1991 Year Group of the school, while some individual past students contributed prizes for some award winners. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Just days after taking over Twitter, Elon Musk has issued an ultimatum to engineers over a new project. According to a report from The Verge, Musk wants to launch a pay-for-play verification system in which verified users are charged $20 per month. The kicker is that engineers have until November 7 to launch the scheme or face being fired. Employees were only told of the project on October 30. The Verge report says that the price of the verification is subject to change. The price will also cover so-far unspecified other features. Since Musk first offered to buy Twitter, the world's wealthiest man has made it clear he planned to shake things up at the social media giant. Hours before The Verge report emerged, Musk tweeted: 'The whole verification process is being revamped right now.' Earlier, tech website Platformer's Casey Newton reported that Twitter was leaning towards asking for verified users to pay for the privilege. DailyMail.com has asked Twitter for comment on this story. There are close to 400,000 verified users on Twitter. Making them pay could help the platform stay afloat after reports that bots make up five percent of all users and 'heavy tweeters' make up less than 10 percent of the site's monthly users. Less active users mean less eyeballs for advertisers. During the court battle to acquire Twitter, Musk himself claimed that fewer than 16 million users are able to see the vast majority of ads. Musk has also refuted a New York Times story accusing the Tesla-founder of planning a series of layoffs before November 1, in order to avoid paying staff their annual stock grants. In responding to ProPublica's Eric Umansky tweeting the Times story, Musk simply wrote: 'This is false.' Later, Musk took further aim at the newspaper of record in tweeting a screenshot of a headline from NYTimes.com accusing him of posting a link to a fake story surrounding the assault on Paul Pelosi. The headline read: 'Elon Musk, in a Tweet, Shares Link From Site Known to Publish Fake News.' Musk quipped: 'This is fake - I did *not* tweet out a link to the New York Times.' Read Full Story .... Dailymail.co.uk >>> : Source: Dailymail.co.uk 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 False YouTube and Facebook posts with tens of thousands of views claim four opposition lawmakers have been imprisoned in October after they criticised Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. But the lawmakers have actually been freely attending public events after the false posts circulated, AFP found. The video offers no proof to support the claim and only shows clips of a political ally of Marcos Jr criticising the lawmakers. The video has been viewed more than 40,000 times since it was posted on YouTube on October 25. The post claims opposition lawmakers Arlene Brosas, France Castro and Raoul Manuel -- as well as former congressman Carlos Zarate -- have been jailed for criticising Marcos Jr. Marcos Jr has defended his dictator father and namesake, whose 20-year rule was marked by a period of bloody martial law and crackdown on dissent, stoking fears that his own government could employ similar measures. "JUST IN: NOW JAILED! PRES MARCOS ACTED IMMEDIATELY! RAOUL MANUEL BROSAS CASTRO ZARATE HAVE BEEN JAILED! REMULLA!" reads the title of the video. "Remulla" refers to Marcos Jr's justice secretary Jesus Remulla. The video's thumbnail features images of Brosas, Castro, Manuel and Zarate doctored to make it appear they were behind prison bars. Tagalog-language text near the photo -- which the post appears to attribute to the lawmakers -- translates as: "Bring down BBM!" The left-wing Makabayan coalition -- a minority bloc in Congress to which the four lawmakers belong -- has consistently been critical of Marcos Jr referred to by his popular initials "BBM". The thumbnail also shows an image of lawmaker Rodante Marcoleta -- a Marcos Jr ally -- appearing to tell the lawmakers: "YOU WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS IN JAIL!" Screenshot of the false post taken on October 25, 2022 Similar posts featuring the video were also shared on Facebook here and in a blog post here. Comments suggest some people were misled. "They deserve it, they haven't done anything to help the country," one wrote. Story continues "It's good that Raoul has been jailed," one user commented. The posts are false. Fabricated claim Brosas, Castro and Manuel attended public events after the false posts circulated -- which debunks the claim they were imprisoned. Brosas gave a 17-minute interview to Philippine broadcast network ABS-CBN on October 25. Manuel attended a House of Representatives committee hearing on October 26 as seen in a Facebook live video here. Castro spoke to a crowd during a protest for indigenous people streamed live on Facebook on October 28 here. Screenshots of all three can be seen below. Screenshots of the videos Castro was arrested in 2018 for alleged trafficking charges but was soon released after posting bail. She described the charges as "trumped up", according to a report by news organisation Rappler. A representative from Castro's office told AFP hearings for the case are still ongoing. An AFP journalist was also able to verify via a video call on October 28 that Zarate was not detained at the time. All four lawmakers separately told AFP the claim they were jailed is fabricated. Brosas told AFP on October 27: "We categorically deny and denounce the false information being spread on social media claiming that Makabayan bloc lawmakers, including me, are currently detained." "I am not in jail. Recently, I've participated in House committee meetings," Manuel told AFP on October 26. "There is no truth in the posts circulating online that I and my fellow lawmakers were jailed. There is no reason for the government to jail us," Castro told AFP on October 26. During the video conversation with AFP, Zarate said about the posts: "These are fake news and are truly condemnable." Unrelated clips A review of the video in the false posts found it offers no evidence the lawmakers were jailed. The first 11 minutes of the video shows Rodante Marcoleta -- an ally of Marcos Jr -- criticising the lawmakers during a press briefing on April 5 for allegedly not taking a stand on human rights abuses committed by rebel armed groups in the country. Keyword searches found local news reports in which they have published statements about human rights abuses carried out by rebel groups here and here. From the 11-minute mark onwards, the video shows Marcoleta in an interview published by local television channel SMNI on December 8, 2020. He alleges during the interview that the opposition lawmakers never denied links to communist rebels trying to overthrow the government. Keyword searches found officials from the opposition lawmakers' coalition previously refuted this allegation. Site map showing the location of water track study areas (AOIs), the spatial footprint of the AOIs (blue rectangles), the location of MCM-LTER meteorological stations used for ground temperature comparison (green dots), and the location of the active layer monitoring station used to determine water track hydroperiod at one site (purple dot). Base map is the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (Bindschadler et al. 2008). Inset shows the location of the McMurdo Dry Valley study area in the red box. Credit: Joe Levy/Colgate University New research from Colgate University changes our understanding of seasonal thawing in parts of Antarctica, as scientists have learned that summer thawing occurs nearly a month earlier, and stays thawed for a full two months longer than previously believed. The research, titled "Timing and duration of ephemeral Antarctic water tracks and wetlands using high temporal-resolution satellite imagery, high spatial-resolution satellite imagery, and ground-based sensors in the McMurdo Dry Valleys," is published today in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. Example of the terrain correction process at the Coral Ridge site. The color image (RGB image, left) contains both wetted soils (blue arrows) and shadowed dark pixels (red arrows). Using the time-of-collection hillshade (center panel), it is possible to remove the contribution to surface reflectance from illumination falling on rough surfaces and darkening caused by shadows to produce a flattened terrain-corrected image (right), where dark pixels are dominantly caused by wetting of soils. Bright pixels may be snow and/or bright surface materials such as salt. Credit: Joe Levy/Colgate University Example of classification of water track or wetland activity. At left, in the terrain-corrected image, dark linear features are interpreted as water tracks. In the center panel, darkened pixels may be water tracks and/or ponded soil moisture wetlands; however, because the image could not be terrain corrected, it is considered unconfirmed. At right, no water tracks are present in the terrain-corrected image. Credit: Joe Levy/Colgate University Researchers used newly available satellite imaging from Planet, which can scan the surface of the Earth daily or even multiple times per day. The new stream of data is having a major impact, as researchers in the past had to rely on far fewer satellite images, or had to make the voyage to Antarctica to conduct soil measurements in person. "What we found was that when you can scan coastal Antarctica almost every day, not just a couple of times a summer, we see that the ground is actually thawing and turning into icy swamps a full month earlier than we used to think, and it's staying wet and thawed a full two months later, even into March," Said Levy. "What's even more fascinating is that this ground is thawing and staying thawed at temperatures below freezing, so we know salts must be helping it to melt and keeping it muddy, like salting a road during a snowstorm," he said. Soil moisture measurements at the water track active layer monitoring station. Volumetric water content (VWC) is low and uniform in October but begins to rise at the near-surface (10 cm depth) sensor shortly after 1 November. In each measurement year, soil moisture increases in the water track from the surface downwards as thawing and flow begin, reaching saturated values at 30 to 40 cm depth. Freezing occurs more than 100 days after the start of thaw and at temperatures below 0 C. Credit: Joe Levy/Colgate University Levy explains that this extended melt is great for organisms that need meltwater to survive in the harsh climate, but it is bad news for the long-term stability of the permafrost. Co-authors of the paper include Levy's former student, Lily Kuentz, who is now studying at the University of Oregon, and Mark Salvatore of Northern Arizona University. Former Colgate students Kyle Baun, Max Wang, MC Rapoza, Izzy King, and Gary Kuang all contributed to the paper while they were completing their undergraduate degrees. More information: Lily Kuentz et al, Timing and duration of ephemeral Antarctic water tracks and wetlands using high temporalresolution satellite imagery, high spatialresolution satellite imagery, and ground-based sensors in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research (2022). DOI: 10.1080/15230430.2022.2123858 Provided by Colgate University An archaeological dig on Norfolk Island has uncovered two Polynesian adzes (stone axes) and hundreds of flakes dating back to pre-European settlement. Credit: Tom Bannigan An archaeological dig on Norfolk Island has uncovered two Polynesian adzes (stone axes) and hundreds of flakes dating back to pre-European settlement. The adzes were used for wood working and canoe building and form hard evidence of settlement on Norfolk Island by the Polynesians during the 13th and 15th CE.* Part of the Australian Museum's first, broad scale, multi-pronged expedition of Norfolk Island, the first pieces of treasure were uncovered by local Norfolk Islander, Snowy Tavener, who had located the site on the walking track in Norfolk Island National Park more than four years ago. It was identified as a new Polynesian site shortly after by Dr. Amy Mosig Way, a research archaeologist, and her Masters' student, Nicola Jorgensen, from the University's School of Humanities. "For many years, I've been walking this track searching for evidence of a new Polynesian site on our island, so when I came across these flakes I couldn't believe my eyes," Snowy said. "The track is an extremely popular bushwalking path and has been driven and walked over for hundreds of years, but before we told the wider community about our find, I wanted it confirmed by archaeologists." "I showed the site to my friend, Deb Jorgensen, who has a daughter, Nicola Jorgensen, studying Archaeology at the University of Sydney under Dr. Amy Mosig Way from the Australian Museum, and the University of Sydney." "Nicola was immediately interested and so she and her supervisor came over last year to confirm that it was indeed a potential new Polynesian site," he added. Now completing her Masters' degree, Jorgensen said the flakes and adzes are made from basalt and are a tangible link back to the Polynesian heritage of Norfolk Island. "The number of artifacts not only indicates the level of activity that occurred on the site, but also confirms that this is another site made by the original Polynesian ancestors, with the other first settlement site being located at Emily Bay," Jorgensen said. Reflecting on the importance of the find, Jorgensen said it was exciting to her that this research commenced with local knowledge. "I grew up here on beautiful Norfolk Island and like Snowy, feel proud to call it home. Local conservation efforts and preservation of our flora, fauna and historical sites can not only help advance scientific studies, but are also more likely to deliver positive outcomes for our community." Dr. Mosig Way, a research archaeologist in a jointly held position at the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum, said the significance of the discovery is that it demonstrates the extent of the Polynesian settlement across the island. "No longer can the idea of Polynesians inhabiting the island be thought of as fleeting," she said. "The artifacts can provide us with an understanding of the behaviors, the possessions and the movement of the former Polynesian inhabitants of Norfolk Island. And what is particularly exciting is the preservation of the artifacts, despite the traffic that has occurred on this track during the last few hundred years." Norfolk Island National Park Manager Nigel Greenup said that the discovery of the adze was significant. "This discovery of an adze in Norfolk Island National Park indicates historical links with Polynesian people who first called Norfolk Island homewell before colonial settlement of the island." "We will continue to work with the community and archaeologists to conserve this cultural heritage," he said. Australian Museum Chief Scientist, Professor Kris Helgen, acknowledged that keen observations and persistence shown by Snowy has been the key to this extraordinary find. "Incorporating local knowledge into our analyzing and collecting methods is integral to the Australian Museum's scientific research," Helgen said. "I am impressed not only by Snowy's knowledge but also the enthusiasm and pride of the whole local community. I know we are all thrilled by these discoveries." Supported by Norfolk Island National Park Manager Nigel Greenup, Jorgensen, Snowy and Dr. Mosig Way have carefully excavated, retrieved and recorded the items to ensure they are well-documented and conserved. Once the dig is finished, the artifacts will be analyzed and cataloged by the scientists with the findings and acknowledgement of the local community to be included in a scientific paper. The artifacts will initially be stored on Norfolk Island while a process of community consultation is undertaken to seek views on the long-term preservation and display of the items. The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) concluded its 37th session Sunday in Beijing. At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a revised Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women, a Yellow River protection law, and a revised Animal Husbandry Law. They also adopted a decision to remove Chen Wenqing from the post of minister of state security, and appoint Chen Yixin to the position. President Xi Jinping signed four presidential orders to promulgate the laws and the decision. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting. Lawmakers ratified several treaties on international judicial assistance in criminal matters, reports on deputy qualifications, and personnel related bills, among others. Addressing the meeting, Li called on relevant authorities to step up the promotion of the newly adopted laws, improve supporting measures, and ensure that the laws are effectively implemented. Li said to study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the primary political task at present and for some time to come. The NPC and its standing committee, as well as all its special committees and administrative bodies ought to focus on the CPC Central Committee's major decisions for the present and for some time to come, and carry out their work in accordance with the law, said Li. He called on them to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress in all aspects and throughout the entire process of the work of the people's congresses. Li also chaired a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee before the closing meeting. The flightless kakapo -- a twice previous winner -- was barred from this year's bird of the year competition in New Zealand. A tiny mountain-dwelling wren was the surprise winner Monday of New Zealand's controversial bird of the year competition, which even had Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a flap. The piwauwau rock wren punched above its 20-gram weight, flying under the radar to win the annual contest ahead of popular fellow native contenders, the little penguin and the kea. Fans of the wren set up a Facebook page to help the outsider soar up the final rankings when the fortnight-long poll closed Monday. "It's not the size, it's the underbird you vote for that counts," wrote one supporter. The annual competition ruffled voters' feathers in years past after a native bat was allowed to enter, then won, the 2021 title. There was also outcry this year after the flightless kakapoa twice previous winner dubbed the world's fattest parrotwas barred from running to give others a chance. The annual avian beauty contest run by environmental group Forest and Bird is popular with New Zealanders, including the country's top politicians. The ever-popular kakapo (pictured with former prime minister Helen Clark) was barred from this year's competition to give other birds a chance. The leader of the opposition, Christopher Luxon, took to Twitter where else?over the weekend to endorse the wrybill, a river bird with a distinctive bent beak. On Monday, New Zealand's prime minister was momentarily ruffled live on air when asked if she had voted for her favourite bird. "No I haven't yetyou can't just chuck a controversial question at me without a warning!," Ardern said with a smile. New Zealand's leader revealed she will "always and forever" be loyal to the black petrel, which only breeds on the North Island but can fly as far as Ecuador, and she hopes the 2023 competition "will be its year". 2022 AFP Respondents' perceptions about their coping capacity during natural hazards (degree of preparedness) and about social media use in general. Credit: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103207 New Charles Darwin University (CDU) research suggest that people are less likely to use social media as an information source during a natural disaster, instead using traditional media and authorities' websites for critical information. The study, an Australian first, has investigated both users and non-users' attitudes towards social media as an authoritative source for information during natural disasters, such as bushfires or in floods. CDU Associate Professor Kerstin Zander, from the Northern Institute, said the research was important to understand the wider community's attitudes and behaviors towards social media channels during natural disasters. "We found that 65 percent of respondents who experienced a natural disaster did not use social media to look for real-time information at the time," Associate Professor Zander said. "Households with children, who played a role in gathering information, were more likely to use social media for information during disasters." "So not only does this mean social media has so much more potential in its reach during natural disasters, but there is a big gap in understanding people's attitudes towards social media because most studies into social media use during disasters look at online behavior." The research was based on a survey of 1665 adults across Australia asking them about their social media use, and their use of it during a natural disaster. About 34 percent of the respondents had experienced a flood or a bushfire emergency. The results and findings of the survey was published recently in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. Co-author Rifka Sibarani said the more people trusted social media, the more they agreed that it was the best place to look for real-time information during emergencies. "Those that trusted social media were 50 percent more likely to use the platforms to gather information during emergencies, than those that did not trust the platform," Associate Professor Zander said. "This might be concerning when you consider that 40 percent of people did not trust social media. More than half (53 percent) of the social media users thought that there are too many irrelevant messages on social media to find what they wanted." Associate Professor Zander said there was still a lot of potential for social media in its impact in emergency response and dissemination of information. "In the future, authorities will likely rely on social media for decision-making and emergency communications, but misinformation and mistrust could have an impact," she said. "Social media is a powerful, real-time tool for authorities to get information out. About 90 percent of people who use social media during a natural disaster, use it to gather information." More information: Kerstin K. Zander et al, How do Australians use social media during natural hazards? A survey, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103207 Credit: Shutterstock/TDway New Zealand agriculture contributed 50% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, an unusually high proportion by world standards. Dairy farming was responsible for about half of the 39.1 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO-eq) emitted, or 25% of all emissions. Addressing the problem of New Zealand's agricultural emissions has mainly focused on technical fixes aimed at reducing methane and nitrous oxide produced by livestock and fertilizer and relying on voluntary agreements with the industry. But these measures may not result in substantial emissions reductions any time soon. Reductions of less than 1% are predicted according to one analysis of a government/industry accord, which forms the basis of a recently announced pricing scheme for agricultural emissions. New Zealand farmers will start to pay a levy on agricultural emissions by 2025 https://t.co/d2x9zYiGTI Bloomberg Green (@climate) October 25, 2022 Exploring alternatives to conventional farming is therefore timely and urgent. One such alternative with the potential to drastically reduce agricultural emissionswhile at the same time helping restore ecological qualityis to use fermentation technology. This would allow some yet-to-be-determined proportion of dairy and meat farming to be replaced by "precision fermentation" of high-protein products, a process akin to brewing. It might seem like a radical step for a traditional agricultural nation, but given the urgency of the problem, New Zealand needs to consider it at least. Using bacteria to make protein In his recent book Regenesis, British journalist and activist George Monbiot discusses the prospects for precision fermentation, or single-cell protein (SCP) production. In particular, he highlights a process developed by Finnish startup Solar Foods. This process employs hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria as an alternative means of food production with a much lower climate impact. The end product is a nutritious high-protein powder suitable for use as a food ingredient and as a component of new foods. Key to this process are the production of hydrogen by electrolysis of tap water and the direct capture of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide from the air. Hydrogen produced in this way can also be used to make ammonia for use as a nitrogen source for the bacteria. In a comprehensive life-cycle analysis, Finnish researchers determined that each kilogram of product made using hydroelectricity created about one kilogram of CO-eq emissions, requiring 18 kilowatt-hours of electricity. The product itself is comprised of 6575% protein, 410% fat, 1820% carbohydrates, 410% minerals and 5% moisture. This means it has a high protein content, complemented by smaller amounts of fats (mostly polyunsaturated), carbohydrates and nutrients. Where could the electricity come from? The high-protein powder can be used as a component of new foods. Credit: Solar Foods, CC BY-ND New Zealand has a world-class wind resource, both onshore and offshore. Major developers have recently revealed plans for more than six gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind farms off the Taranaki and Waikato coastlines. The first is due to be operational by the end of this decade. Using a 1GW offshore wind farm as an example, this could supply enough electricity to produce about 240,000 tons of SCP product a year, containing about 160,000 tons of protein. The carbon footprint, based on the Finnish life-cycle analysis, would be around 0.25 megatons of CO-eq emissions. The same amount of milk protein produced at a dairy farm would have a carbon footprint of about 3.6 megatons of CO-eq emissions (based on the average emissions intensity from a recently updated life-cycle analysis). If replaced by the SCP product, this would result in an 18.9% reduction in dairy-sector emissions and milk production based on 20192020 levels. Net emissions to the global atmosphere would also be reduced. Milk contains a large proportion of fatabout 125% of the protein content compared to about 10% for the SCP product. Lactose and other nutrients, plus meat and by-products from culled cows and bobby calves, would also be removed from production under this process. The extent to which these might be substituted with plant-based or precision-fermentation alternatives requires further investigation. Using vegetable oils to supply the difference in fat would add about 0.7 megatons of CO-eq emissions to the SCP footprint. If the equivalent land area was retired from intensive dairy farming this would allow a range of alternative land uses, including rewilding of sensitive areas. Given New Zealand's serious degradation of water quality due to nutrient runoff associated with intensive farming, this would have obvious environmental and ecological benefits. It would also provide a permanent carbon sink of native bush, adding further to the net emissions reduction. Transition to a new system Animal agriculture is deeply embedded in New Zealand's culture, society and economy. Discussing alternative means of food production will therefore require a thoughtful, detailed and respectful conversation focused on a just partial transition to new systems. New development funding would be well spent on comprehensive consultation, pilot trials of the SCP technology under local conditions and on training. What is signaled is a very real prospect for capping and then reducing the scale of our industrial animal farming. It's an opportunity to fit within the greenhouse gas budget we need to live within to avoid the 2.7 warmer world we now appear to be heading for. It is also an opportunity to write a new chapter in New Zealand's environmental history. Adding to the menu the "rich, mellow and filling" SCP pancake George Monbiot enjoyed in Finland sounds like a good option, too. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. One of the worst performers, 'Homer', could only wait a maximum of 20 seconds for a better snack. Credit: Alex Schnell A study has found that Eurasian jays can pass a version of the 'marshmallow test'and those with the greatest self-control also score the highest on intelligence tests. This is the first evidence of a link between self-control and intelligence in birds. Self-controlthe ability to resist temptation in favor of a better but delayed rewardis a vital skill that underpins effective decision-making and future planning. Jays are members of the corvid family, often nicknamed the 'feathered apes' because they rival non-human primates in their cognitive abilities. Corvids hide, or 'cache', their food to save it for later. In other words, they need to delay immediate gratification to plan for future meals. The researchers think this may have driven the evolution of self-control in these birds. Self-control has been previously shown to be linked to intelligence in humans, chimpanzees andin an earlier study by these researchersin cuttlefish. The greater the intelligence, the greater the self-control. The new results show that the link between intelligence and self-control exists across distantly related animal groups, suggesting it has evolved independently several times. Of all the corvids, jays in particular are vulnerable to having their caches stolen by other birds. Self-control also enables them to wait for the right moment to hide their food without being seen or heard. The results are published today in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. To test the self-control of ten Eurasian jays, Garrulus glandarius, researchers designed an experiment inspired by the 1972 Stanford Marshmallow testin which children were offered a choice between one marshmallow immediately, or two if they waited for a period of time. Instead of marshmallows, the jays were presented with mealworms, bread and cheese. Mealworms are a common favorite; bread and cheese come second but individuals vary in their preference for one over the other. Top of the class was 'JayLo', who ignored a piece of cheese and waited five and a half minutes for a mealworm. Credit: Alex Schnell The birds had to choose between bread or cheeseavailable immediately, and mealworm that they could see but could only get to after a delay, when a Perspex screen was raised. Could they delay immediate gratification and wait for their favorite food? A range of delay times was tested, from five seconds to five and a half minutes, before the mealworm was made available if the bird had resisted the temptation to eat the bread or cheese. All the birds in the experiment managed to wait for the worm, but some could wait much longer than others. Top of the class was 'JayLo', who ignored a piece of cheese and waited five and a half minutes for a mealworm. The worst performers, 'Dolci' and 'Homer', could only wait a maximum of 20 seconds. "It's just mind-boggling that some jays can wait so long for their favorite food. In multiple trials, I sat there watching JayLo ignore a piece of cheese for over five minutesI was getting bored, but she was just patiently waiting for the worm," said Dr. Alex Schnell at the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology, first author of the report. The jays looked away from the bread or cheese when it was presented to them, as if to distract themselves from temptation. Similar behavior has been seen in chimpanzees and children. The researchers also presented the jays with five cognitive tasks that are commonly used to measure general intelligence. The birds that performed better in these tasks also managed to wait longer for the mealworm reward. This suggests that self-control is linked with intelligence in jays. "The birds' performance varied across individualssome did really well in all the tasks and others were mediocre. What was most interesting was that if a bird was good at one of the tasks, it was good at all of themwhich suggests that a general intelligence factor underlies their performance," said Schnell. The jays also adjusted their self-control behavior according to the circumstances: in another experiment where the worm was visible but always out of reach, the jays always ate the immediately available bread or cheese. And the length of time they were willing to wait for the worm fell if it was pitted against their second most preferred food as the immediate treat, compared to their third. This flexibility shows that jays only delay gratification when it is warranted. Research by other scientists has found that children taking the Stanford marshmallow test vary greatly in their self-control, and this ability is linked to their general intelligence. Children that can resist temptation for longer also get higher scores in a range of academic tasks. More information: Waiting for a better possibility: delay of gratification in corvids and its relationship to other cognitive capacities, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0348 This research was approved by the University of Cambridge Animal Ethics Review Committee, and performed in accordance with the Home Office Regulations and the ASAB Guidelines for the Treatment of Animals in Behavioural Research and Teaching. Journal information: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Establishing Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, like the Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories, while respecting original treaties can help Canada meet its international conservation commitments. Credit: Iris Catholique, CC BY On Oct. 24, the Northwest Territories Supreme Court quashed a search warrant that allowed wildlife officers to raid a utsel K'e Dene First Nation culture camp in Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve based on allegations of illegal hunting. The raid, which took place last month, has been described by the Dene Nation as a "clear breach and direct violation of Aboriginal rights." It also violated their right to be free from unreasonable searches by law enforcement officers under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. utsel K'e Dene First Nation has protected Thaidene Nene (the land of our ancestors) under their own law since time immemorial. They invited the government to establish the Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve in 2019 and protect it under the National Parks Act and the Protected Area Legislation of the Northwest Territories. This is a prominent example of how the federal, territorial and First Nations governments have been working together to protect a culturally and ecologically significant landscape. However, the raid on the utsel K'e Dene culture camp last month undermines these relationships and emphasizes the importance of Indigenous rights and community leadership for biodiversity conservation. An attack on Indigenous rights is an attack on nature conservation. Momentum towards Indigenous-led conservation Thaidene Nene was established as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) by the utsel K'e Dene First Nation in 2019 after decades of negotiations with Parks Canada and the government of Northwest Territories. It is also a National Park Reserve and a Territorial Protected Area. In March 2018, the Indigenous Circle of Experts, who coined the term IPCA, tabled a report titled "We Rise Together," which traces how protected areas historically resulted in the displacement of Indigenous Peoples. The report advised the Canadian government on how to meet its international conservation commitments under the UN Convention of Biological Diversity by, in part, establishing these IPCAs in the spirit of the original treaties. It argued that all IPCAs should be Indigenous-led, but supported by others. It reflected the growing body of scientific evidence that shows that Indigenous Peoples have knowledge and governance systems which, when allowed to operate, result in higher levels of biodiversity than state-run parks and protected areas. Established in 2019, the Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve is an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area. Credit: Parks Canada Indigenous-led organizations like the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and Iisaak Olam Foundation have build on the momentum and brought about significant progress toward Indigenous-led conservation in Canada through initiatives like strengthening wildfire management through Indigenous knowledge. Climate change is causing more frequent & severe forest fires across the country. #Indigenous Guardians offer Indigenous knowledge that can reduce fire risk, inform Nations' approach to managing fire & keep communities safe. pic.twitter.com/FigbQvINV2 Indigenous Leadership Initiative (@ILInationhood) July 22, 2022 In fact, the federal government recently announced an additional $40 million for the establishment of IPCAs, making the federal contribution toward Indigenous leadership in conservation upwards of about $520 million to date. The Conservation through Reconciliation Partnershipa program hosted by the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and Iisaak Olam Foundation and the University of Guelphhas witnessed a rise in the number of new and emerging IPCAs. There are more than 70 declared IPCAs today. Broken trust The raid on the utsel K'e culture camps on Sept. 13 showed that there is still a long road ahead for conservation and reconciliation. When Northwest Territories wildlife officers received a complaint about illegal hunting of the Bathurst Caribou Herd, they did not approach the Ni Hatni Dene land guardians, who are the stewards of Thaidene Nene, for assistance and advice. Instead, they obtained a warrant to conduct an extensive tent-by-tent search of a cultural camp of more than 80 people there. On Sept. 13, wildlife officers flew in to the culture camp at Timber Bay and spent three hours conducting their search. Wildlife officers violated the inherent and treaty rights of the utsel Ke Dene First Nation when they raided the culture camp at Timber Bay, Thaidene Nene on Sept. 13. Credit: Chase East Arm Adventures These actions violated the utsel K'e Dene First Nation's inherent and treaty rights to self-government. This incident emphasizes that the colonial conservation model, which focused on the assertion of control over Indigenous territory, is still alive and well, even in places like Thaidene Nene. The principles of co-governance for nature conservation dictate that no one entity is "in charge," but rather collaboration to protect the area is paramount. In the words of the local Member of the Legislative Assembly Richard Edjericon, this incident "runs the risk of setting Indigenous relations back another 150 years." Making amends As other Indigenous governments and First Nations contemplate whether they want to work with federal, provincial or territorial governments to strengthen Canada's collective efforts towards nature conservation, this incident at the Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve might make them second guess such partnerships. If Crown governments cannot respect and uphold Indigenous conservation leadership, many conservation initiatives will not see the light of day, disrupting the bits of progress made so far. There is much work to be done to repair the relationship amongst the three governments committed to conserving Thaidene Nene. Public officials must stop criminalizing Indigenous Peoples and start upholding their rights to exercise their responsibilities on their traditional territories. Only then can we move forward in our collective goal of addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Neanderthals (left) and Homo sapiens (right) are the closest relatives of each other, and could interbreed. Credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, All Rights Reserved A new paper proposes that Homo sapiens may have been responsible for the extinction of Neanderthals not by violence, but through sex instead. Making love, not war, might have been responsible for putting the Neanderthals on a path to extinction. While about 2% of the genome of all living people from outside Africa is derived from Neanderthals, there is very little evidence that this process went the other way. A new paper, published in the journal PalaeoAnthropology, raises the prospect that interbreeding with our ancestors would have reduced the number of Neanderthals breeding with each other, leading to their eventual extinction. Though only 32 Neanderthal genomes have been sequenced to date, leaving it possible that the lack of Homo sapiens DNA in their genome is actually a quirk of sampling, the authors hope advances in DNA sequencing technology will be able to resolve this hypothesis by making more genomes available. Professor Chris Stringer, the Museum's Research Leader in Human Evolution, authored the new paper alongside colleague Dr. Lucile Crete. Chris says, "Our knowledge of the interaction between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals has got more complex in the last few years, but it's still rare to see scientific discussion of how the interbreeding between the groups actually happened." "We propose that this behavior could have led to the Neanderthals' extinction if they were regularly breeding with Homo sapiens, which could have eroded their population until they disappeared." The first encounters of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens Neanderthals and Homo sapiens diverged from each other around 600,000 years ago and evolved in very different areas of the world. Fossils of Neanderthals have been found across Europe and Asia, reaching as far as southern Siberia. It is believed they spent at least 400,000 years evolving in this environment, adapting to a predominantly cooler climate than is found today. Meanwhile, the ancestors of our own species evolved in Africa. It is currently uncertain whether Homo sapiens are the direct descendants of one group of ancient African hominins or are the result of mixing between different groups spread across the continent. From genetic data, it looks like the two species first encountered each other when Homo sapiens began making occasional forays out of Africa about 250,000 years ago. "Without knowing exactly what Neanderthals looked or behaved like, we can only speculate what Homo sapiens would have thought of their relatives," Chris says. "The language differences would probably have been greater than we could imagine, given the time depth of the separation, and would have been much larger than those between any modern languages." Breeding between our Homo sapiens ancestors and their relatives has led to Neanderthal DNA in the genomes of many humans alive today. Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock The language barrier may have been reinforced by the individual attributes of both species, with comparisons of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens suggesting that the brains and vocal apparatus of the species were different. The genomes of Neanderthals also show that almost 600 genes were expressed differently between our species and theirs, particularly those associated with the face and voice. Another prominent difference would have been the forehead, with Neanderthals possessing a prominent brow ridge that could have been used for social communication. However, the signals these ridges were trying to convey could well have been lost on our ancestors. Some studies suggest that reduced brow ridges allowed Homo sapiens to turn instead to the eyebrows to convey a range of subtler, temporary signals. In any event, these encounters eventually led to breeding between both species, but exactly how this occurred is also shrouded in mystery. Neanderthal and Homo sapiens interbreeding We know that our species interbred with Neanderthals since our relatives' first genomes were sequenced. However, the Neanderthal genes we have in us today are not the result of these early sporadic interactions Homo sapiens had when they first left Africa. Instead, they come from the much larger migrations that modern humans undertook around 60,000 years ago. Interbreeding at this time may have been the result of mutual courtship or could have been less friendly. Encounters between separate groups of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, show evidence of both behaviors. Whether or not interbreeding was successful appears to depend on the exact pair that was breeding. So far there is no evidence of Homo sapiens genetics in Late Neanderthal genomes dating to between 4060,000 years ago. It is possible this is due to the process of hybridization itself, as some species are only capable of producing offspring in certain directions. For instance, pollen from the Capsella rubella plant can successfully fertilize Capsella grandiflora seeds, but not the other way around. The lack of mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited through females, from Neanderthals in living humans has been suggested as evidence that only male Neanderthals and female Homo sapiens could mate, but there is also some evidence that male hybrids may have been less fertile than females. With fewer Neanderthals breeding with each other and group sizes already small and scattered due to the environment, hybridization outside of Neanderthal family groups could have helped push the species into decline. At the moment, however, there isn't enough evidence to decide either way. "We don't know if the apparent one-way gene flow is because it simply wasn't happening, that the breeding was taking place but was unsuccessful, or if the Neanderthal genomes we have are unrepresentative," Chris says. "As more Neanderthal genomes are sequenced, we should be able to see whether any nuclear DNA from Homo sapiens was passed on to Neanderthals and demonstrate whether or not this idea is accurate." Future research could also investigate similar questions relating to another hominin species known as the Denisovans, giving us a greater idea of how our species interacted with its closest relatives. More information: Chris Stringer et al, Mapping Interactions of H. neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens from the Fossil and Genetic Records, PaleoAnthropology (2022). DOI: 10.48738/2022.iss2.130 This story is republished courtesy of Natural History Museum. Read the original story here. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain NASA and several other national space agencies have recently revived their lunar colonization programs. One of the key factors that needs to be solved is how to power such a colony. Can uninterrupted solar power feasibly be realized without energy storage? On Earth, providing 100% of electricity demand 100% of the time solely from renewables, but without energy storage, is unfeasible. This Earth-bound mindset has been challenged recently by a paradigm shift developed by Ben-Gurion University's Prof. Jeffrey Gordon, which he was invited to present to NASA in late August. His idea was published earlier this year in Renewable Energy. On the moon, solar is the sole available renewable resource. The overriding challenge is to completely supply the main energy consumer: factories that need to continuously (24/7, 365 days a year) produce thousands of tons of oxygen (O 2 ) per year from the lunar soil, for rocket propellant, orbiting satellite refueling and human sustenance. A large part of the challenge derives from any location on the moon on average spending half of the lunar rotational period of 29.5 days in the dark. In his paper, Gordon documents a feasible strategy where uninterrupted electricity would be produced by photovoltaic (PV) arrays installed around a 360 latitudinal ring close to (but not at) a lunar pole, with transmission lines installed to the O 2 plants for which there would then be substantial remote siting flexibility. "My solution has a specific mass far below all alternatives so far, namely, record low kg/kW, a key figure of merit for affordable and feasible lunar installations, with launch and installation costs currently exceeding $1,000,000/kg. Our new strategy is more than a factor of 100 better than solar with battery storage. It is also at least a factor of 6 superior to the solution now being contemplated by NASA of nuclear reactors driving conventional turbines and generators." "I was invited to present my findings at NASA's headquarters for solar power in space in August at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. NASA scientists expressed a preparedness to rethink the plan to power lunar colonies with nuclear energy instead of solar energy," says Gordon. The concept exploits the unique combination of (a) the absence of a lunar atmosphere, (b) the near-zero tilt of the moon's polar axis with respect to the ecliptic plane, (c) lunar conditions being amenable to low-mass inexpensive transmission lines, and (d) a lunar diameter far smaller than that of Earth. More information: Jeffrey M. Gordon, Uninterrupted photovoltaic power for lunar colonization without the need for storage, Renewable Energy (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.02.016 Journal information: Renewable Energy Credit: State of the Planet Cynthia Rosenzweig is a senior research scientist at the Columbia Climate School, and heads the Climate Impacts Group at the affiliated NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Since the 1990s, she has organized and led multiple large-scale local, national and international studies of climate change impacts and adaptation in rural and urban settings. She served as co-chair of the New York City Panel on Climate Change, a body of experts convened by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to advise the city, from the panel's inception in 2008 until 2019. By the time Sandy struck, the panel had already assembled a great deal of information on the climate-related threats facing New York City, and measures the metropolis should take. When did scientists and others start thinking seriously about how extreme weather and sea-level rise could affect New York, and how did you get involved? I first got involved when I co-led the Metro East Coast Assessment, which was published by the Columbia Earth Institute in 2002. Not only was it the first major study on climate change impacts in New York City; it was also one of the first studies of how climate change would affect urban areas in general. Representatives from FEMA, EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, Port Authority and other agencies were actively engaged, so many stakeholders were involved from the beginning. Disaster preparedness, evacuation plans and policies were in place by the time of Sandy, but they were limited. Sandy was the critical turning point, because it motivated the city to embed sea-level projections into rebuilding policies. More broadly, it sparked an awareness of the importance of having local climate risk information available. In 2008, you were appointed to co-chair the newly formed New York City Panel on Climate Change. How effective was this panel in bringing climate issues before city officials? Our first report, published in 2010, definitely was successful in bringing climate change issues before city officials. This is in large part due to the leadership of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who recognized that sustainability could not be addressed without taking the increasing risks of climate change into account. That report focused on both short-term and long-term adaptation measures, through development of the concept of flexible adaptation pathways. In this approach, strategies evolve in response to continuous risk assessments and the occurrence of extreme events. Just weeks before Sandy in 2012, the passage of Local Law 42 mandated our panel to update climate-change projections at least every three years, and within a year of new projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Did the storm change your or others' perspectives on what to expect? Major hurricanes have been a part of the New York region for a long time. The high-water level from a hurricane in 1821 reached 13 feet in one hour, and in 1893, another hurricane submerged southern Brooklyn and Queens. Hurricanes Donna and Gloria in 1960 and 1985, respectively, caused extensive damage on Long Island and in New Jersey. So we knew that New York should expect an event of Hurricane Sandy's magnitude, with a storm tide of about 14 feet. In 2011, we published projections of what the city could expect from a hundred-year storm under sea-level rise. We found that with a 2-foot rise, a hundred-year storm would significantly increase flood risk, especially along the Brooklyn and Queens shorelines, around Jamaica Bay, and on the Rockaway Peninsula. It was calculated that subway tunnels would fill up in less than an hour. Sandy proved in line with our predictions, but the actual experience was a huge wake-up call. New York City has 520 miles of coastline. Projects need to be undertaken throughout all five boroughs on a continuous basis. An ongoing system of climate change indicators and monitoring can better inform decision-making. Effective disaster communication and public risk perception are also central in emergency response. How well has the city done to prepare for another Sandy-like event, and climate change in general? New York has successfully embedded climate change projections into rebuilding efforts and policies. The Department of Environmental Protection is developing a citywide model to better estimate runoff flow for various climate scenarios. All construction projects in areas with projected flood risk must submit a resilient design checklist to the city. Engineering projects including subway gates and storm barriers, are one of three main components in the city's transition. Other components are nature-based solutions,, and policies such as community programs, zoning and insurance. An example of a nature-based project is the Living Breakwaters, which enhances resilience along the south shore of Staten Island through submerged concrete units that attenuate wave force, reduce erosion, and provide habitat for oysters and other marine life. The city has arguably made the most progress in enhancing coastal protection. The Big U is a 10-mile continuous flood barrier that will encircle Manhattan's southern tip by 2026. In Coney Island, the construction of tidal barriers, water recirculation systems and natural stormwater treatment systems is currently underway. Much of this is infrastructure oriented, but this has been complemented by nature-based solutions, such as dune protection and bioswales. While many efforts post-Sandy have been focused on preparing for long-term risks, sea-level rise is already increasing "sunny day" flooding in low-lying areas. And hurricane season is not over for 2022. We have to be ready to respond to both minor and major near-term impacts even as we prepare to adapt in the long term. Must we consider further measures? Equity needs to be front and center in all adaptation measures. Vulnerability to climate change is greatest in low-income neighborhoods, and communities need to be active participants in decision-making. This is a major focus of the New York panel's current considerations. The presence of compounding and cascading risks of extreme events must also be accounted for. For example, heavy precipitation and flooding can quickly lead to power outages, water contamination and the spread of water-borne pathogens. The fields of psychology, trauma-informed care and public health should be integrated much more into emergency management and preparedness. Finally, Hurricane Sandy, and Hurricane Ian this year in Florida, demonstrate that we must have a serious debate about coastal development and the potential for strategic relocation of people and infrastructure away from the shore. Were you or those close to you personally affected by the storm? I live in Tarrytown, New York, about 40 minutes north of Manhattan. I spent the storm with my 97-year old mother. It brought home to me how vulnerable older people are. We had to leave home and were unable to return for several weeks, due to loss of our power, telephone and internet lines. Many of our neighbors experienced basement flooding and damage due to fallen trees, and the same long-term power outages that we experienced. What do you think about the future of New York? New York is and will always be a great city of the world. It is one of the leaders in climate change preparedness, as well as in reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It is the definition of resilience: able to bounce back after adversity, capable of preparing for, responding to and recovering from difficult conditionsand just plain tough. Provided by Earth Institute, Columbia University This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain With the Colorado River reservoirs continuing to decline, federal officials announced plans Friday to revise their current rules for dealing with shortages and will pursue a new agreement to achieve larger reductions in water use throughout the Southwest. The announcement by the Biden administration represents a renewed push in trying to scale back water use along the river to bring demands more into line with supply in the face of a 23-year megadrought worsened by global heating. The Interior Department said with the water level dropping at Lake Powell, operations may need to change at Glen Canyon Dam to release less water, affecting downstream flows in the Grand Canyon and accelerating the decline of Lake Mead. The department said to protect public health and safety and the integrity of the system, releases from Hoover Dam may also need to be reducedwhich would shrink the amounts of water flowing to California, Arizona and Mexico. Federal officials in June called for the seven states that rely on the Colorado River to come up with plans to drastically reduce annual water diversions by about 15% to 25% regionwide. But negotiations among the states grew tense and acrimonious, and didn't produce a deal. The Interior Department has the authority to step in and unilaterally impose larger cuts. But federal officials appear to be trying to push for consensus on shrinking the water take from the river rather than dictating reductions in ways that could further inflame tensions or lead to legal fights. "The Interior Department continues to pursue a collaborative and consensus-based approach to addressing the drought crisis afflicting the West," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a news release. "At the same time, we are committed to taking prompt and decisive action necessary to protect the Colorado River System and all those who depend on it." Water from the Colorado River is used by about 40 million people, flowing to cities, farmlands and tribal nations from the Rocky Mountains to Southern California. The river has long been over-allocated. So much water is diverted that the river's delta in Mexico largely dried up decades ago. Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the river's two largest reservoirs, now sit nearly three-fourths empty. Declining water levels are putting the dams' ability to generate hydropower at risk. Without major cuts in water use, the latest projections show growing risks of the reservoirs approaching "dead pool" levels, where water would no longer pass downstream. The current system for dealing with shortages was established in operating rules dating to 2007, and a 2019 deal laid out a series of additional cutbacks as Lake Mead's levels decline. The federal Bureau of Reclamation said it will publish a notice to prepare a "supplemental environmental impact statement," which will include proposed alternatives for revising the 2007 rules. Those rules, called the interim guidelines, are set to expire after 2026, and negotiations on the next round of shortage-sharing rules have yet to begin. The Interior Department said officials will consider alternatives for revising the current rules to "provide additional alternatives and measures needed to address the likelihood of continued low-runoff conditions." 2022 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WISE W4 (22.19 m) image of the IC 1396 HII region. The BRCs are labeled with their names. Credit: Pelayo-Baldarrago et al, 2022 Using various telescopes, an international team of astronomers has investigated IC 1396a nearby region of ionized atomic hydrogen. Results of the study, published October 21 on arXiv.org, yield important insights regarding the star formation history and structure of this region. Star-forming regions are essential for astronomers to better understand the processes of star formation and stellar evolution. Observations of such regions have the potential to expand the list of known stars, protostars, young stellar objects and clumps, which could then be studied comprehensively in various wavelengths in order to get more insights into initial stages of the stellar life cycle. Located most likely between 2,830 and 3,080 light years away in the star-forming Cepheus bubble, IC 1396 is an HII star-forming region as it contains clouds of ionized atomic hydrogen. The region has a rather simple structure and is powered by the multiple O star system HD 206267 residing near the geometrical center of IC 1396 in the young cluster Trumpler 37. Previous observations of IC 1396 have found that it also contains some bright-rimmed clouds (BRCs) shaped by the ultraviolet radiation from HD 206267. These clouds present evidence of ongoing star formation and are perceived by astronomers as excellent laboratories for studying young stars in different evolutionary stages. Therefore, a group of researchers led by Mara E. Pelayo-Baldarrago of the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain, inspected IC 1396 and its BRCs using multiwavelength data from various instruments. "We use ground-based spectroscopy, photometry, and Gaia EDR3 data to study star formation in IC 1396. We obtained near-infrared broad- and narrow-band imaging to study the star-cloud interaction and optical spectra to confirm and classify objects that were young star candidates," the astronomers wrote in the paper. The study found that the IC 1396 region contains four independent subclusters (designated A, B, E, F), significantly different in proper motion but not in parallax. This finding, together with the spatial distribution of member stars, suggests a complex and varied star formation process in IC 1396. Further investigation of the four subclusters found that they differ also in age. It turned out that the populations in the outskirts of subclusters B and E are older (on average) than those in subcluster A. The study also determined that the distance to IC 1396 is approximately 3,015 light years and identified 334 new members of this region. The color-magnitude diagrams indicate that most of these new members are intermediate- to solar-mass stars. The mean age of IC 1396 was estimated to be about 4 million years. Summing up the results, the authors of the paper underlined that they altogether point to a multi-episodic star formation process in IC 1396. "The kinematics, age, and evolutionary state differences in groups of sources within the same cloud suggest that IC1396 has suffered more than one-star formation episode over time from various mechanisms, although radial velocity differences mean that triggering is not obvious," they concluded. More information: Mara E. Pelayo-Baldarrago et al, Star formation in IC1396: Kinematics and subcluster structure revealed by Gaia. arXiv:2210.11930v1 [astro-ph.GA], arxiv.org/abs/2210.11930 2022 Science X Network Illustration of the density distribution of a rotating dipolar Bose-Einstein-Condensate (dBEC) exhibiting quantized vortices based on simulation data from the paper. The vortices, visible via their density dips in the dBEC, arrange in stripes due to the anisotropic and long-range character of the dipolar interactions between the atoms. Credit: Ella Maru Studio, scientific-illustrations.com A team of quantum physicists from Innsbruck, Austria, led by three-time ERC laureate Francesca Ferlaino has established a new method to observe vortices in dipolar quantum gases. These quantum vortices are considered a strong indication of superfluidity, the frictionless flow of a quantum gas, and have now been experimentally detected for the first time in dipolar gases. Vortices are ubiquitous in nature: Whirling up water can create swirls. When the atmosphere is stirred up, huge tornadoes can form. This is also the case in the quantum world, except that there many identical vortices are being formed simultaneouslythe vortex is quantized. In many quantum gases, such quantized vortices have already been demonstrated. "This is interesting because such vortices are a clear indication of the frictionless flow of a quantum gasthe so-called superfluidity," says Francesca Ferlaino from the Department of Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck and the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Ferlaino and her team are researching quantum gases made of strongly magnetic elements. For such dipolar quantum gases, in which atoms are highly connected to each other, quantum vortices could not be demonstrated so far. Scientists have developed a new method: "We use the directionality of our quantum gas of dysprosium, whose atoms behave like many small magnets, to stir the gas," explains Manfred Mark from Francesca Ferlaino's team. To do this, the scientists apply a magnetic field to their quantum gas in such a way that this initially round, pancake-shaped gas becomes elliptically deformed due to magnetostriction. This idea, as simple as it is powerful, originated from a theoretical proposal a few years ago by the Newcastle University theoretical team, led by Nick Parker and of which Thomas Bland, the paper's second author, was a member. "By rotating the magnetic field, we can rotate the quantum gas," explains Lauritz Klaus, first author of the current paper. "If it spins fast enough, then small vortices form in the quantum gas. This is how the gas tries to balance the angular momentum." At sufficiently high rotational speeds, peculiar stripes of vortices form along the magnetic field. These are a special characteristic of dipolar quantum gases and have now been observed for the first time at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. The new method, now presented in Nature Physics, will be used to study superfluidity in supersolid states in which quantum matter is simultaneously solid and liquid. "It is indeed still a major open question the degree of superfluid character in the newly discovered supersolid states, and this question remains still very little studied today." More information: Francesca Ferlaino, Observation of vortices and vortex stripes in a dipolar condensate, Nature Physics (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01793-8. www.nature.com/articles/s41567-022-01793-8 Journal information: Nature Physics From The Morning Star in 1889: London-born George H. Adams was known as the King of Stilts and in the United States he claimed to be Americas second greatest pantomime clown. The internationally known stage star, who began clowning professionally at age 5, brought his show He, She, Him, Her, to downtown Glens Falls for a two-night run Aug.14-15 at the Glens Falls Opera House on Warren Street. Singing phenomenon Toma Hanlon was co-star. The play is called a musical absurdity, and so it is absurd from the rise to the fall of the curtain. But the innocent fun and charming music make the piece of absurdity delightful, a Morning Star reviewer gushed. The reviewer was impressed with the costumes. The Misses Dean, Gilbert, Brooks, Compton and other ladies of the company displayed costumes that would make a Saratoga belle green with envy. Admission ranged from 35 cents to 75 cents the equivalent of $11.29 to $24.20 in 2022 dollars. Weather: Warmer weather is predicted today and tomorrow by the gentlemen who are paid by the government to tell us what they know about the weather, but they frequently tell us what they dont know about it. Aug. 17 Canal news: Four workers for the Glens Falls Coal Co. set what was believed to be a local record for unloading a canal barge. A cargo of 106 tons of Sandy Run Lehigh stove coal was shoveled, hoisted and dumped into the bin, 100 feet from the canal, in the short space of six hours working time, an average of 18 tons per hour. Aug. 20 Head-turning headline: An Educated Alligator, introducing a report about an alligator at Eustis, Florida, that allegedly had been trained to assist in a bakery carrying used bread pans and utensils to the dish-washing area. Sept. 2 Fun fact: In the month of August, Glens Falls postal carriers delivered 22,695 letters, 3,898 postcards and 14,810 newspapers and other periodicals. Sept. 4 Sports trivia: Articles of agreement were signed last night for a foot race between Edward OConnor of Glens Falls and James Dunn of Fort Edward for a purse of $100 a side and gate receipts. The contest will take place on the Glens Falls driving park (harness-racing track) on Sept. 24 between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. Sept. 5 Editorial: During last year the collections of internal (tax) revenue from cigarettes alone amounted to considerably over a million dollars. The increase of the consumption of these deadly small articles since the year before is significantly startling. ... During last year, the boys, young men and a few women and old men consumed 2,151,559,360 of these little paper rolls. As far as that is concerned, there are boys not yet grown who sometimes smoke as many as 60 cigarettes in a day. The cigar is not so bad as the cigarette because it contains only one poison, nicotine. The reason, however, that the cigarette contains so fatal a hold upon boys and young men is on account of the opium in it. This must have its effect on the brain and nerves. The little burning taper seems to the boy to soothe and quiet him, while it is destroying the very fountains of his life. Aug. 30 Quotable: The hotels and boarding houses at Kattskill Bay are beginning to make up cots in the parlors for the accommodation of their guests. Aug. 12 CAMDEN A federal court jury has decided that New Jersey police did not violate the civil rights of a man who died shortly after a physical altercation during his arrest 7 1/2 years ago. After a trial, jurors in federal court in Camden sided with the city Oct. 19 in a lawsuit filed by relatives of 32-year-old Vineland resident Phillip White, according to court records. Officers had responded in March 2015 to reports of a man freaking out on the street and eventually subdued White after a struggle captured on video by a bystander. The video showed an officer hitting White and a police dog being used during the arrest. White died on the way to the hospital, and an autopsy cited a toxic level of the drug Phencyclidine, or PCP, in his system. Injuries from the K9s actions were noted but deemed superficial by a medical examiner. Cumberland County prosecutors said in 2016 that a grand jury had declined to indict the two Vineland officers involved. Whites relatives filed a $10 million lawsuit against the city and the two officers, one of whom was later dismissed as a defendant. We believe very strongly in our client and our clients cause, but the jury didnt see it that way, said Michael Galpern, an attorney for Whites mother, Pamela, told NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. He said the defense was considering whether to appeal. An attorney for Vineland and its police department declined comment, NJ.com reported. ATLANTIC CITY Police arrested a city man found with a defaced firearm and drugs on Saturday night. Police were dispatched to South Carolina and Baltic avenues around 10:42 p.m. for a man brandishing a handgun and noticed that city resident Iman McCoy, 25, matched the suspects description, police said in a news release. Officer Anthony Nastasi began speaking with McCoy, who began walking away and disobeyed orders to stop, police said. McCoy was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. A loaded defaced handgun and about 3 grams of suspected heroin were found in McCoys possession, police said. McCoy is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, certain persons not to possess a handgun, possession of a defaced firearm, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He was taken to the Atlantic County jail following his arrest, police said. WILDWOOD Firefighters rescued a man who fell off a dock and into the water at a city marina early Sunday morning. City firefighters were dispatched to the Schooner Island Marina at 3:51 a.m., Deputy Fire Chief Dan Dunn said on Monday. The marina in the 5100 block of Lake Road connects to the back bay north of Shaw Island. Initial reports indicated the man fell into the water off the E dock, Dunn said. Upon their arrival, firefighters found the man in the water. Boat owners at the marina wrapped a rope around him to keep him from sinking below the surface but were unable to pull him from the water before firefighters arrived, Dunn said. Firefighters quickly pulled the man from the water. He was conscious but incoherent when he brought out of the water and first cared for by emergency medical services, Dunn said. A city fire department ambulance and AtlantiCare paramedics took the man to Cape Regional Medical Center, Dunn said. Dunn did not have an update on the mans condition Monday morning. RFE/RL Responds to Kyrgyz Government Blocking Websites in Crackdown on Free Media Kyrgyzstans Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy announced in a Facebook post on October 26 it was blocking RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service websites for two months after RFE/RL refused to remove a Current Time Asia report about the recent Kyrgyz-Tajik conflict. Kyrgyz authorities subsequently froze the Kyrgyz Services bank account in the country. These actions are the latest in a series emblematic of a deteriorating media climate in the country. They follow a recent protest outside RFE/RLs Bishkek bureau that called on authorities to close the Service and other independent local outlets; and proposed legislation that would further limit media freedom. In a letter dated October 24, the Ministry of Culture gave RFE/RL 24 hours to remove the Current Time Asia report, citing the controversial law on protection against false information adopted in July 2021. RFE/RL takes our commitment to balanced reporting seriously. We have reviewed the content in question and find no violation of our standards, said RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly. We will not succumb to pressure to remove balanced reporting from our sites, be it from the Kremlin or the Kyrgyz government. Threatening journalists and trying to silence independent media are authoritarian tactics that only serve to undermine Kyrgyz democracy. We will be appealing this decision." The Committee to Protect Journalists stated that the blocking was a a flagrant act of censorship of a crucial and critical media outlet. Human Rights Watch called it a blatant attempt to control and censor independent journalism. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price and EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore expressed concern. Wife of Imprisoned RFE/RL Journalist Ihar Losik Detained in Belarus Darya Losik, wife of jailed RFE/RL journalist Ihar Losik was detained on October 18 after police searched her apartment in the western city of Baranavichy. According to Darya Losik's parents, officials told their daughter she would be held for 72 hours in pre-trial detention in an unspecified criminal case. She was then taken to the regional capital Brest. As of October 31, Darya Losik had not been released. The BGM Telegram channel, founded by Ihar Losik, cited several Telegram channels close to the government as reporting that Darya Losik faces a charge of facilitating extremist activities over an interview with the Poland-based Belsat TV. Darya is guilty of nothing more than advocating for her wrongly-imprisoned husband Ihar Losik, RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly said. She must be released immediately to care for her daughter Paulina. The Losik family has endured enough. Ihar Losik was arrested in June 2020 in advance of the rigged presidential election and later sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges including organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order and preparation for participation in riots. Write to Our Imprisoned Belarusian Journalists According to the Viasna human rights center, as of October 21 there were 1,352 political prisoners in Belarus, including RFE/RL journalists Ihar Losik and Andrey Kuznechyk. Arrested in November 2021, Kuznechyk was sentenced to six years in a maximum-security prison in June 2022 on charges of creating or participating in an extremist organization. We encourage you to write to Ihar Losik and Andrey Kuznechyk. Both journalists are being held at: Penal colony No. 1. 211440, Navapolack, vulica Technicnaya 8, Belarus. Although letters may not be delivered, they demonstrate continued outside interest to the Belarusian authorities. Vladyslav Yesypenko Honored at Oslo Awards Ceremony Imprisoned Ukrainian Service journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko was honored at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway on October 17, where his wife Kateryna and daughter Stefania accepted a Free Media Award from the Fritt Ord Foundation and ZEIT-Stiftung on his behalf. Yesypenko, who has been imprisoned in Russia-occupied Crimea since March 2021, received the award for his crucial work as a journalist under extremely difficult conditions. On September 30, Kateryna Yesypenko spoke about her husbands plight at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Iranian Authorities Seize Body of Deceased RFE/RL Journalist Intelligence agents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the body of Reza Haghighatnejad, a journalist with RFE/RLs Radio Farda, later informing his family that it was secretly buried at a location outside Shiraz. In a video shared with Radio Farda on October 27, Haghighatnejads mother said her sons body was abducted by authorities at Shiraz airport. Haghighatnejads remains were repatriated to Iran on October 25 for burial after he died of cancer at a Berlin hospital. The Iranian regimes callous cruelty towards Reza and his family is utterly reprehensible, said RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly. They deserved better, and I hope they find peace. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price on October 28 called on Iranian authorities to release Haghighatnejad's body "immediately" to his family and said the episode underscores just how much Irans leadership fears journalists. Haghighatnejad followed the ongoing protests triggered by the killing of Mahsa Amini in mid-September from his hospital bed. In his last tweet, on October 3, he posted a video of teenage girls protesting in a high school in Karaj. Radio Farda provided extensive coverage of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman from Kurdistan, while in police custody over alleged violations of Irans Islamic dress code, and the widespread protests and deadly regime crackdown that has followed. Many Iranians turned to Radio Farda for exclusive interviews with the relatives of young protesters killed during the crackdown, including Aminis mother, the sister of 23-year-old Hadis Najafi, the mother of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami, the brother of 16-year-old Mohammad Eghbal Naeb-Zehi, and relatives of schoolgirl Asra Panahi and 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh, all of whom described how authorities sought to cover up their deaths during the protests. The Committee to Project Journalists stated that Iranian authorities have arrested at least 41 journalists in relation to their coverage of protests that broke out following the death of Mahsa Amini. Tatar-Bashkir Service Contributor Iskander Yasaveyev Designated Foreign Agent Iskander Yasaveyev, a sociologist and contributor to the Tatar-Bashkir Service's Idel.Realities project, was among several people designated foreign agents by the Russian authorities on October 7. This brings the total number of RFE/RL contributors designated as foreign agents to 31. This latest round of foreign agent designations is yet another sign of the Kremlins desperation to hide the truth about Putins failed invasion of Ukraine, said RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly. We will not be deterred from our mission to provide the Russian people with the truth about what is happening in Ukraine and the consequences for Russia. Russian Service Freelancer Yulia Vishnevetskaya Jailed for Five Days RFE/RLs Russian Service freelancer and renowned documentary maker Yulia Vishnevetskaya was jailed for five days in Russias Republic of Dagestan for what authorities called participation in illegal gatherings. Vishnevetskaya was in the Dagestani capital Makhachkala covering a rally and attempting to interview people about the recent mobilization when she was detained. She was released after serving her five-day sentence. Yandex Blocked RFE/RL's Russian Service Podcasts At the request of Russian state media-monitoring agency Roskomnadzor, the Yandex.Music service blocked access to several Russian Service programs and podcasts on October 5 in connection with the dissemination of information prohibited by law" about the war in Ukraine. They remain available on other platforms. This follows the blocking of the site of the audio streaming platform SoundCloud on September 22. According to sources, the move also targeted RFE/RLs Russian Service. Three seats are up for reelection on the Scott County Board of Supervisors this fall, and a fourth is likely to become vacant following the election. Scott County Supervisor Tony Knobbe is running unopposed for county treasurer. His seat on the county board isn't up until the 2024 election. So, what happens next? When/if Knobbe is sworn in as treasurer in the first few days of January, his seat on the Board of Supervisors would be considered vacant as "holding both offices at the same time would be considered incompatible," Assistant Scott County Attorney Robert Cusack wrote in an email Monday. Iowa law states that a vacancy can be filled by a committee made up of the county treasurer, auditor and recorder, who can call a special election if they choose. Scott County residents may also call for a special election. To do so, a petition must have signatures totaling 10% of the number of voters in the previous general election filed with the county within 14 days. The most recent vacancy on the board occurred when Roxanna Moritz ran for Scott County Auditor in 2008, halfway through a four-year term on the Board of Supervisors. A committee picked Democrat Jeff Liske to fill the post. A petition attempt did not garner enough signatures to call a special election. Although Knobbe is unopposed, Cusack said, the county could not have included a fourth supervisor seat in the upcoming midterm election. "The vacancy on the board of supervisors does not exist until Mr. Knobbe vacates the office by being sworn in as treasurer," he said. "Then the mechanism set forth by the Iowa Legislature ... is followed to fill the vacancy. "Theoretically, if there was an election for four supervisors and Mr. Knobbe decided he wanted to finish out his term as supervisor and not take the treasurers office. it would present a real dilemma. We would then have six elected supervisors when we are only allowed five. The current law that the county is following precludes that dilemma." John Marx Follow John Marx 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 Amazing is not the only word that can be used to describe all that is Terry Austin. It is, however, at the top of the list. Humble to a fault, Austin, a 24-karat gem on all fronts, has found a passion and her calling in leading the local Quilts of Valor contingent. For the past decade, Austin, of East Moline, has passionately mixed dedication, desire, care and understanding to respectfully pay tribute to those who served our country. On Sunday, Nov. 6, at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., at the Quad City Botanical Center, Austin and a band of 70 caring and kind volunteers she lauds at every turn will preside over 90 Quilts of Valor presented to local veterans, recognizing and thanking each for their commitment to their country. The 90 quilts to be shared during the groups annual Veterans Day celebration will bring the number of local veterans honored through the program to over 2,000. Thats right, 2,000. Amazing, huh? Quilts of Valor is a national nonprofit foundation. According to its website, quilts are awarded to military service members and veterans who have been touched by war. A Quilt of Valor is a lifetime award. Locally, those who bring Quilts of Valor to life, have done so with grace and passion from that first stitch a decade ago. It is my calling, Austin said in response to the off-the-charts work she, volunteers and the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild do in bringing to life Quilts of Valor, then in presenting them to those who stood firm in defending our nation. It began and I have shared this before, with my husband, and he was sick at the time urging me to be part of this, to honor the selfless sacrifice so many have made, added Austin, who is celebrating 10 years with Quilts of Valor. Over 2,000 here in the Quad-Cities have been shared and over 324,000 nationally. Hours and hours of great care, love and respect go into each quilt in designing and then in bringing it to life. You know, someone might not have been thanked for his or her service along their path and this simply a way to do that. This years celebration just before Veterans Day will be an emotional time for Austin. Each ceremony brings memories of her husband, the stories of those who receive a Quilt of Valor and knowing the care that goes into every quilt made. To personally wrap the honored veteran in his or her quilt, brings Austin an unmatched feeling of joy. It should be noted, there is no pressure put on any veteran to receive the Quilt of Valor, said Austin, who came from a military family and had a son who served honorably. None. And some decline, and thats their right. Some accept and share nothing about their story. We dont ask. Others are willing to take time and tell us about themselves and their service. Austin says she has seen and had shared with her the impact the quilts have had on those who receive them. She talks about the wife of a veteran who deals daily with PTSD and when struggles find him he gains comfort and calm as soon as he wraps himself in his quilt. That touches your soul, a story like that, Austin said. There are so many stories that make this rewarding. You hear history being told, one about a man who fought at the Battle of the Bulge. Then there was the story from another veteran who was serving on the USS Missouri the day the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II. You get history book stories. I cannot begin to describe how rewarding it is to hear and learn history from those who lived it. It truly is an honor. For those who dont know the time, effort and care that goes into bringing a Quilt of Valor to life, Austin says catching the presentation ceremony is a perfect opportunity to see just how special it is. I get emotional after the amazing (barbershop) Chorbusters sing the national anthem and then go until the songs of all the service branches, Austin said. And then you see all the people that make this special, who do it because their hearts tell them its the right thing to do. And getting to honor those who allow us to honor them with a quilt. Well, you just have to see it. Its an amazing day. If you have spent a minute or a day with Austin, you know her well-intentioned heart beats in a always-positive and giving way. And for as long as she is able, Quilts of Valor will be part of her lifes routine. So, so fortunate to be able to do this, Austin said. Surrounded by so many amazing people and getting the opportunity to honor and thank those who served, Its special on so many fronts. Im honored to do it and make it my calling. As noted earlier, amazing only begins to describe Terry Austin and Quilts of Valor. A Davenport man awaits a January sentencing after entering a plea agreement on a 2021 firearms case. Scott County authorities accused Brady J. Robinson, 26, of firing a gun once at a residence on Nov. 17, 2021, in the 1700 block of Grand Avenue, Davenport. Investigators think the shooting stemmed from a verbal argument with the occupants and that Robinson intended to frighten them. Court records state that Robinson admitted to the shooting. He initially was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records. At the time of the shooting, Robinson was a convicted felon and so prohibited from having firearms. As part of the agreement with the Scott County Attorney's Office, Robinson pleaded guilty to the felon possession charge and a lesser version of the intimidation charge, court records state. District Court Judge Henry W. Latham II accepted Robinsons plea on Thursday and set his sentencing for Jan. 20. Among prosecutors concessions in the plea agreement was they would not resist a recommendation of concurrent sentences if the sentencing judge rules Robinson should be incarcerated, court records state. The county attorneys office will, however, recommend consecutive sentences if Robinson gets probation. Robinson posted a $10,000 bond in April, according to court records. He was not listed as being in custody on the Scott County Jails website as of Monday. Two candidates are seeking to fill Scott County Attorney Mike Walton's job as the top prosecutor heads into retirement. Caleb Copley, a Davenport Democrat and current senior assistant Scott County attorney, and Kelly Cunningham Haan, a Bettendorf Republican and current first assistant attorney in Muscatine County, are running for the office. Cunningham Haan has emphasized her decades of experience as a prosecutor. She said she's chiefly concerned with attacks on law enforcement dampening police-recruitment efforts and with too few criminal cases going to trial. Copley points to his time working in the Scott County Attorney's Office and said his top priorities are reducing gun violence in the Quad-Cities and expanding the office's digital-evidence capabilities. What would be your No. 1 priority if elected this term? Copley: To meaningfully reduce gun violence in the Quad-Cities. That starts by successfully implementing Group Violence Intervention (GVI), which is a proven strategy for reducing gun violence. Cunningham Haan: I am extremely concerned with the conduct of those who have been active in their attacks upon law enforcement and our communities. The lack of respect shown by individuals for the rule of law as evidenced in their brazen attacks on citizens, businesses and our public safety personnel has compromised our communities. Additionally, these attacks on law enforcement have resulted in officers choosing to leave their careers early rather than waiting until they reach retirement age. As a result, there are a number of openings within our local departments that these agencies are struggling to fill. We need adequate staffing within these departments to ensure the high level of enforcement action we have always enjoyed in Scott County. One of the ways to encourage individuals to join our local law enforcement agencies is by having a county attorney who works hard to establish a reputation for strongly backing law enforcement in the work they do for and on behalf of our community. Throughout my career, I have always had a strong reputation among law enforcement officers for being that individual. Given such, I have been repeatedly asked by members of our local law enforcement to run for the office of Scott County Attorney. Our local law enforcement has seen over the years how my strong support and enthusiasm in supporting their work has helped them to grow and thrive in their efforts at fighting crime. This is what I will bring to the table. What changes would you make to the Scott County Attorneys Office and how it operates? Copley: The changes I plan on making are centered on adapting, innovating, and improving the office. The way cases are prosecuted has changed significantly just within the last 10 years. The amount of digital evidence present in our cases is continually growing. Juries expect to see it in trials. We have adapted to this changing trend by hiring a digital evidence specialist who works with law enforcement, our prosecutors, and our defense attorneys to ensure our digital evidence is easily obtainable and readily accessible for all the case parties. We have already seen improvement in the discovery process as it has become much more efficient. Presently I am working with our office on selecting and implementing a digital evidence management system that will allow the attorneys and staff to better sift through all of the data involved with our cases. Based on what we have learned from other counties that have adopted similar systems, we are hopeful that this will help our office save money as we wont be buying as many USB storage devices and CDs for burning and copying digital files. In terms of innovation, I plan on bringing an analytical approach to the office through intelligence-driven prosecution. I intend on hiring a crime analyst to help implement this approach. The goal? To become proactive in our response to changes in crime and the criminal justice system. By better understanding the people, locations, and problems driving crime in specific neighborhoods, not only will our response to crime get better, but we will have more opportunities at preventing it. More information about the offices workflow and how our resources are being allocated will help us eliminate inefficiencies and maximize productivity. Improving the office starts with the people. The last few years have brought about a lot of personnel changes and we now have a lot of newer attorneys and staff in the office. I want to invest in our team members as workers and individuals. That includes more training opportunities that will help them be more successful in their work. I intend on growing our office by adding additional attorneys and staff throughout my first term to help prevent the burnout that we are seeing at prosecutor offices throughout the country. My office is going to prioritize collaboration: collaboration within the office, collaboration with our courthouse staff and defense bar, and collaboration with our law enforcement partners and our community leaders. The ultimate goal is a more effective and legitimate system of justice that works better for everyone in our community. Cunningham Haan: I believe in the importance of supporting the people who work for you. Healthy work environments help a workforce to thrive. In order to grow professionally, staff need to know they have the ability to make decisions about the matters they handle. An environment where every decision is scrutinized creates a sense of paralysis. The result is an unhealthy work environment and impacts the ability of the workforce to grow in their skill set. I will strive to create an environment where my staff feel supported and can grow in their skill sets for the benefit of the community and the law enforcement officers we serve. I believe that the curbing of crime and community protection is achieved by taking cases to trial. Over the course of my 32-year career, my willingness to go to trial on cases I've been assigned has had a significant impact in removing individuals from our community who continually commit crimes. Additionally, it sends a strong message to those who commit crimes, that I am not willing to take the easy way out with plea negotiations that fail to adequately punish an individual for the crimes he or she has committed. Certainly, plea negotiations are an integral part of any criminal prosecution, and there is value to such, providing the agreement takes into consideration the nature of the crime committed, the criminal history of the individual charged, and the impact of said crime on the community. Given my strong belief that the trial process acts to deter crime, I will encourage, teach and mentor staff to be more active in taking cases to trial. I have seen over the years how this approach works. By virtue of my extensive experience as a prosecutor, I have the benefit of a strong historical perspective and I know what does and doesn't work in the criminal justice system. The proven approach I have taken as a prosecutor has led to the deterrence of criminal activity in our community. I can't tell you the number of times I've been approached by individuals I've prosecuted, who thanked me for being a tough prosecutor. They've told me that their fear of me holding them accountable made them turn their lives around to become productive members of our community. The old adage of "spare the rod and spoil the child" does not work. When individuals are simply slapped on the wrist, placed on unsupervised probation, allowed to violate the conditions of their probation multiple times with minimal consequences being imposed, and then allowed to remain on probation, they will continue to commit crimes. Currently, that is what I am seeing in the criminal justice system. When I first started my career as a prosecutor, there was a high level of accountability set in place for individuals who committed crimes. It was rare that any given individual would have more than one open prosecution going. We have evolved to a point in the criminal justice system that individuals are continually placed on unsupervised probation, held in contempt when they violate the terms of their probation agreements, as opposed to revoking their probation and sending them to jail or prison. Given this current trend, it is very common for individuals to have multiple criminal cases pending, while also being on probation for prior cases that have been resolved. I want to change this practice and will do so by setting a strong tone at the top as Scott County's chief law enforcement officer. Is the Scott County Attorneys Office appropriately equipped and funded to handle the countys caseload? If not, what would you change or what changes would you advocate for? Copley: An outside work analysis study concluded that we are not. Specifically, that study found that we need an additional eight attorneys to match staffing levels at other County Attorney Offices in Iowa and to address rising caseloads. As someone currently working in the office I can confirm that we need more attorneys and staff. This has been an ongoing issue that existed well before COVID-19. While we physically do not have the office size for eight additional attorneys, we do have room for three. Just three additional attorneys would go a long way in helping with the significant caseload we have. I would also like to expand the number of investigators, victim witness coordinators, and digital evidence specialists in the office to help assist with faster and more effective case resolution. As mentioned previously, I also want to give our team more training opportunities to help grow and empower our attorneys and staff in their work. These things would of course necessitate a larger budget that I would look to expand slowly over time, keeping in mind that we are not the only office that needs more resources and people. Cunningham Haan: During my long-standing tenure with the Scott County Attorney's Office, the office was always adequately staffed and we had the resources needed to handle the county's caseload. When improvements were needed to be made to existing systems and/or programs, the necessary changes were always implemented to accommodate the changing needs of the office. For example, an evidence storage system was devised to ensure the chain of custody for evidence was transferred to our office, which was to be introduced as exhibits at trial. Additionally, the necessary software was purchased to provide access to surveillance footage from squad cars and the body-worn cameras of officers for viewing. When the delinquent fine program was established, staffing and software programs were allocated/purchased to operate this program. How can the Scott County Attorneys Office contribute to reducing or preventing violent crime? Copley: Reducing and preventing violent crime starts with addressing gun crime, as that is what is driving violent crime numbers overall in our community. There will be zero tolerance for gun violence and the groups that perpetrate violence in Scott County. Reducing and preventing violent crime requires collaboration between our law enforcement entities, our social service providers, and our community leaders. Our office is already contributing to these efforts by being a partner with Davenports Group Violence Intervention strategy. Since returning to the office in January, I have become our go-to gun crime prosecutor, a member of the GVI (Gun Violence Intervention) Executive Committee, and our offices representative for our National Public Safety Partnership. Through GVI, law enforcement partners, social service providers, and our community leaders are actively working together to meet with individuals most at risk of becoming involved in group violence. We offer support to those that want it, but hold accountable those who continue to engage in violence. I intend on continuing to take a proactive approach in responding to the issue of violent crime in our community. Cunningham Haan: I believe that the curbing of crime and community protection is achieved by taking cases to trial. Over the course of my 32-year career, my willingness to go to trial on cases I've been assigned has had a significant impact in removing individuals from our community who continually commit crimes. Additionally, it sends a strong message to those who commit crimes, that I am not willing to take the easy way out with plea negotiations that fail to adequately punish an individual for the crimes he or she has committed. Certainly, plea negotiations are an integral part of any criminal prosecution, and there is value to such, providing the agreement takes into consideration the nature of the crime committed, the criminal history of the individual charged, and the impact of said crime on the community. Given my strong belief that the trial process acts to deter crime, I will encourage, teach and mentor staff to be more active in taking cases to trial. I have seen over the years how this approach works. By virtue of my extensive experience as a prosecutor, I have the benefit of a strong historical perspective and I know what does and doesn't work in the criminal justice system. The proven approach I have taken as a prosecutor has led to the deterrence of criminal activity in our community. I can't tell you the number of times I've been approached by individuals I've prosecuted, who thanked me for being a tough prosecutor. They've told me that their fear of me holding them accountable made them turn their lives around to become productive members of our community. The old adage of "spare the rod and spoil the child" does not work. When individuals are simply slapped on the wrist, placed on unsupervised probation, allowed to violate the conditions of their probation multiple times with minimal consequences being imposed, and then allowed to remain on probation, they will continue to commit crimes. Currently, that is what I am seeing in the criminal justice system. When I first started my career as a prosecutor, there was a high level of accountability set in place for individuals who committed crimes. It was rare that any given individual would have more than one open prosecution going. We have evolved to a point in the criminal justice system that individuals are continually placed on unsupervised probation, held in contempt when they violate the terms of their probation agreements, as opposed to revoking their probation and sending them to jail or prison. Given this current trend, it is very common for individuals to have multiple criminal cases pending, while also being on probation for prior cases that have been resolved. I want to change this practice and will do so by setting a strong tone at the top as Scott County's chief law enforcement officer. What have you been doing to learn more about the job? Copley: I have learned more about being a county attorney by working directly with the county attorneys who have held the office for the last 44 years, as well as the first assistants who have held the position for the last 15 years. When I made the decision to run for county attorney, I wanted to be ready to lead from day one. Having so much experience supporting me and providing guidance on what to expect, potential pitfalls, and ideas for change, has been vital in helping prepare me for the job. However, I didnt stop with our office. I have also reached out to attorneys in other counties to learn about similar issues they are dealing with in the profession and how best to address them. I have attended virtual training sessions on leadership and issues surrounding best employee hiring and retention practices hosted by the Prosecutors Center for Excellence and National District Attorneys Association. Cunningham Haan: Given that I worked for the Scott County Attorney's Office for 22 1/2 years, I am very familiar with the office and how it is run. Additionally, my experience as a first assistant in two separate prosecutor's offices, coupled with my experience as senior litigation counsel for a state agency, has provided me with the experience and knowledge needed to work with and supervise staff, run an office, act in an advisory capacity to the Scott County Board of Supervisors and the various county agencies. Additionally, my experience in civil litigation will benefit the Scott County Attorney's Office which handles civil litigation for various county agencies. Reyna Sanchez, a grandmother and Davenport resident for 15 years, needed to cash a check. A local bank, however, asked for identification. And employees did not accept her matricula, an ID issued by a Mexican Consular Office (this regions is located in Omaha) that serves as proof of nationality and verifies the cardholder is a resident in its consular district. So, Sanchez went to a Mexican store, where the employees were familiar with matriculas, but required a 10% fee to cash the check. Sanchez does not have the documentation required to get an Iowa ID. But, she still needs some form of identification. When she picks up her grandkids from All Saints Catholic School, the school asks for an ID to verify who she is. Renting an apartment, going to the doctors office and interacting with law enforcement all may also require her to produce identification, and not everyone is familiar with a matricula. Quad-Cities Interfaith, a nonprofit advocacy organization, is pushing for Scott County to implement a county community ID, which leaders say would especially benefit people who may face challenges in getting state identification, such as immigrants, people facing homelessness, people returning from incarceration and senior citizens. The organization held a news conference on Saturday in which several speakers said they or their family would benefit from such an ID. Yasmin Gabriel said her daughter was denied care from a local health care facility for a severe ear infection when she moved to the Quad-Cities from North Carolina because her drivers license expired. They denied the service because I couldnt prove that she was my daughter, and I her mother she said, speaking with a translator. Leaders say a county ID could make people feel more welcome in Scott County and ease challenges in certain tasks that require an ID, including opening a bank account at participating financial institutions. At least one county in Iowa already does this. Johnson County offers a county ID through the county Auditors Office. That ID does require another form of identification, such as a consular ID, and proof of residency, such as a bill. It costs $8 for adults and $4 for minors and is valid for two years. Alex Stanton, a Johnson County employee who leads the program, said the office had issued 1,852 community IDs over the life of the program, which began in 2015. One financial institution, Green State Credit Union, accepts the county community IDs to open a bank account, Stanton said. The county and city also have included the community ID as an acceptable form of identification for certain city and county assistance programs, such as when Johnson County issued direct assistance payments from its collection of American Rescue Plan funds and Iowa City offered relocation assistance for residents of a mobile home park that had deteriorated while the owners waited for a redevelopment deal to come to fruition. Plus, some businesses in Johnson County offer discounts for people who show their ID. According to the Johnson County website, the county ID cant be used to get a drivers license, board an airplane, purchase alcohol or tobacco, enter establishments with age restrictions, prove employment eligibility or vote. Gloria Mancilla, a Quad-Cities Interfaith leader, hopes to bring something similar to Scott County. Quad-Cities Interfaith, Mancilla said, would also like the ID to be available to people who are homeless, to register an address at a homeless shelter and be able to verify their identity. Already, the organization has spoken with candidates for supervisor Joe Miller and Jazmin Newton, who agreed to help draft a community ID proposal if elected Nov. 8. Candidates for supervisor were asked by the Quad-City Times in its election survey whether they supported such a card. Most wanted more information on how it could be implemented. One candidate, Ross Paustian, said it would be a waste of money. Mancilla said theyd received pledges of support from Ascentra and Green State credit unions in the Quad-Cities. Ken Beck, the chair of the Board of Supervisors who is not up for reelection, told a reporter he would meet with Quad-Cities Interfaith sometime in November to ask questions and hear their needs for a county ID program. Mancilla emphasized that a community ID could give residents without a state ID more confidence when calling law enforcement to report a crime. When you report a crime, or you witness a crime, you can call the police officer and be able to show your card and say this is who I am. You know, this is my identification and have that communication and not being scared to talk to a policeman, not thinking I dont have a state ID or drivers license. Hes gonna think that Im not who I am, Mancilla said. Mancilla said the goal of the program was to give people a sense that they were part of the Scott County community. Using this ID does not mean you are homeless, Mancilla said. Showing a community ID does not mean you are just getting out of jail. Showing this ID does not mean you are undocumented. Showing this ID means that I am proud to be in a community that welcomes everybody. Stanton said his advice to a county administration looking to implement a community ID program would be to consider the logistics of implementing an ID which department would handle it, how to offer translation services, partner with local nonprofits and banks, and ensure appropriate staffing. He said in Johnson County, staffing became thin around election season, and it could take about 20 minutes to get someone an ID. Finding staffers in the office to translate, he said, can also be a challenge. But, Stanton said, for those that cant get a state ID, it does offer some benefits. I do think it is a good resource for that non-citizen community that cant get state IDs, Stanton said. Its a great way to feel more involved with the community they live in. If you can participate with a bank, thats a great new tool. An opportunity to grow Rock Island to the southwest has landed in the citys lap for a dollar. Riverstone Group extended the offer to the city for 23 parcels, totaling 538 acres. The City Council last week approved the $1 deal. As part of the acquisition process, the city first located precise property lines for each parcel and had all the land appraised, Mayor Mike Thoms said. A total value was not immediately available. Possible uses for it have not been determined, but large portions contain forested wetlands with some past land-use limitations related to agriculture. Thoms said there were about 20 acres adjacent to Ballys Quad Cities Casino & Hotel that could potentially be used for commercial purposes. It currently is considered wetland, but Thoms said it has fill and redevelopment possibilities. Also near Illinois Route 92 and Interstate 280 are another 12 acres that are not wetlands but that will require soil sampling before being considered for development. There is a total of 30 to 35 acres we are hoping that can be developed into commercial development, Thoms said. Economic Development Manager Tarah Sipes said the property also had redeeming qualities, given the nearby lighted intersection and access road the sort of existing infrastructure that makes commercial development more attractive. In addition to soil testing, Sipes said, endangered-species evaluations and other possible environmental studies will be required. A majority of the citys new land is likely to be most suitable for preservation and/or recreation, city officials said. They have discussed the possibility of a creating a wetland preserve, and other parties have expressed an interest in a conservation-related undertaking in the area too. There is a strong interest among other parties, including the (Rock Island County) Forest Preserve District and Nahant Marsh, in expanding the area for conservation, according to a city memo. The heavily wooded and/or wetland parcels also are valuable as resources, Sipes said. We need to consider carefully the positives and the negatives of every opportunity that comes our way, she said. Most of the property will have to be annexed into Rock Island, and the mayor said city officials intend to be responsible stewards of all parcels, whether suitable for redevelopment or simply added to the inventory of recreational opportunity. A countywide burn ban issued by the Scott County Emergency Management Agency remains in effect as abnormally dry conditions persist across the area. According to the Iowa State Fire Marshals website, there also are burn bans in Cedar, Muscatine and Louisa counties. The burn bans will be in effect until further notice. Drought conditions across Iowa and Illinois have worsened, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. According to the National Weather Services Climate Prediction Center, for the next six days the entire eastern half of Iowa, including the Quad-City region, and just about all of Illinois have a 50%-70% chance of having temperatures warmer than normal. However, all of Iowa and Illinois have a 40%-50% chance of being wetter than normal, with northeast and east-central Iowa, including the Quad-Cities, having a 50%-60% chance of being wetter than normal. The flow aloft will be from the southwest, meteorologist Brian Pierce of the National Weather Service, Davenport, said. Were in a regime where we are going to warm up. However, if we can get enough moisture up here from the gulf we can get a good system going and maybe get some rainfall because we need it, Pierce said. The drought conditions have gotten worse. And if we get an inch of rain up here this time of year, thats considered a heavy rain. Through Sunday, the Quad-Cities has only gotten .86 of an inch of rainfall for October. The normal rainfall for October is 2.81 inches, while the normal rainfall for November is 2.30 inches, according to National Weather Service statistics. Through Sunday, the average temperature for October in the Quad-Cities was 52.7 degrees, which is 1.5 degrees below normal, Pierce said. You get a full degree below normal, and thats considered well below normal. Thats big, he said. With a high temperature forecast of 65 degrees for Monday, the last day of October, and an overnight low of 39, that average temperature will not change much, he added. Tuesdays high is expected to reach 69 degrees under sunny skies with an overnight low of 45. The highs on Wednesday and Thursday are expected to reach into the low 70s under sunny skies, with overnight lows in the middle 50s. Rain chances return Friday through the weekend with highs in the 60s and overnight lows in the 40s. The normal high temperature for this time in November is in the middle 50s with lows in the middle 30s. A jury found two brothers guilty of all charges against them in federal court Friday afternoon stemming from a 2019 kidnapping and assault case that spanned two states. Jesse Sierra was found guilty of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated sexual abuse by force, interstate domestic violence, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault by strangulation of a dating partner. Dustin Sierra was found guilty of kidnapping and interstate domestic violence. The brothers were arrested and accused of kidnapping and raping a woman from Rapid City through the Pine Ridge Reservation to Nebraska between July 13-21, 2019. According to previous Journal reports and an FBI affidavit, Jesse, who previously dated the victim, beat, raped and emotionally abused the woman, tied her up with Christmas lights, made her go inside a shallow grave and forced her to call police to say she was OK. The victim was found July 21 with "severe bruising" to her face, neck and body at a hospital in Chadron, Nebraska. She had broken ribs, a fractured jaw, swollen eyes, and red and inflamed eyeballs. According to the affidavit, the victim told a detective and special agent that she told Jesse she no longer wanted to be with him. She said she was upset when he showed up to her work July 13 and tried to evade him, and he made sexual comments to her and said he wouldn't leave unless she came with him. She agreed to dinner at a restaurant and later drove to New York Street. The victim got out of the car and walked away, but got inside a white Chevrolet Traverse driven by Dustin when Jesse offered her a ride. When she asked where they were heading since Dustin was heading in the wrong direction, Jesse put his arm around her throat and said they were going to the reservation. Nebraska Dawes County Sheriff Karl Dailey was convicted in May 2021 of misconduct for refusing to jail Jesse. A prosecutor said Dailey impeded officers looking for Jesse. Dailey was fined $750 and ordered to pay court costs during the hearing. According to previous reports, Dailey refused to receive Jesse into the county jail July 21, 2019, because he was mad the Nebraska State patrol began working the case before notifying him about it. The sheriff also had an ongoing feud with the former Chadron police chief. Both brothers are scheduled for sentencing Jan. 27, 2023. Jesse's is scheduled for 9 a.m. while Dustin's is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. A Marine veteran and former Henrico County police officer is starting a new local business thats designed to offer discretion for families, businesses and schools looking to get help for people with drug addictions. Strategic Canine Group is a private drug detection service founded in the Richmond area. Jeff Ruark is the owner and lead handler for the startup that is looking to merge its privacy with education and prevention efforts. Ruark and his canine counterpart, Bonnie, can be hired to search for narcotics in such places as homes, private businesses, private schools or events. The two were formerly a K9 unit pair with Henrico, where they worked for about six years. In her police career, Bonnie had close to 1,000 utilizations with almost 400 narcotics finds. She was ultimately retired from service after Virginia changed its marijuana laws in 2021. Bonnie was trained to find the substance, along with drugs like heroin and methamphetamine. After pot was legalized, she could no longer be used for searches, Ruark said. At 9 years old, the shepherd mix with a high hunting drive continues to be a capable search canine. Private services for police-trained dogs first started opening around the early 2010s. Since then, several businesses of this kind have popped up across the country with dogs trained to search for drugs, firearms and explosives. Ruark has firsthand experience with the price of drug addiction. He served two combat tours in Iraq, reaching the rank of sergeant. At least 15 of the people he served with faced overdoses or drug addictions, he said. He also has a familial connection with opioid abuse. This is a problem everywhere, Ruark said. Where I grew up [in Michigan], I saw the devastation of heroin addiction. I have extended family who have dealt with it. I have seen people with all the potential in the world get addicted and struggle with this. While the company is still a startup, Ruark is working to get Strategic Canine Group involved with a network of nonprofits with focuses on drug abuse counseling and prevention to give clients a recovery option if they decide they need it. Instead of the police coming in and saying were going to dictate the situation, I want to be able to connect people with nonprofits and private organizations, Ruark said. Privacy is one of the biggest strengths for a company like Strategic Canine Group. Ruark does not report narcotics finds to police. He is not permitted to remove any items from the homes, schools or businesses that he searches. The only time information would be shared is if the company was served a subpoena by a judge or law enforcement. Pricing requires a consultation and is based on square footage. Typically, residential areas would command a slightly higher fee per square foot because of the intimate nature of the space versus a school or a business. An area thats 2,500 square feet typically takes about an hour to search. *** The idea for starting the company came after Ruark and his family were affected by a spate of personal tragedies. Ruark got a distress call from his wife, Ashley, early in 2021. She told him she was driving herself to the hospital because she thought she was having a medical emergency that felt like a panic attack. Ashley ended up losing consciousness and colliding with a tree. She was left with head trauma, an entire leg in a cast and several other broken bones. Ruark took about five weeks off work to care for his wife while she recovered. He said the break made him want a career path that gave him more time with her and his son. He returned to being a patrol officer after Bonnie was retired from service. Ruark said he was seeking a promotion and didnt want to start with a new dog if he might have to leave the field. But after the accident, he decided to take Bonnie into his new business. Id heard that people were doing this, and I thought about it. I still had Bonnie and had six years of experience doing it, Ruark said. The idea was already floating around in my mind. Ashley is a graphic designer by trade and helped with some of the companys branding. Its logo is an adaptation of a picture taken of Bonnie. Strategic Canine Group contact The company's website has consultations. It can also be contacted through email at jeff@strategiccaninegroup.com. Instagram: @strategiccaninegroup While the business is just opening to consultations, when asked about the future, Ruark said he hopes it can grow into a one-stop shop to capture all of the sides of drug abuse. Id love to have a massive canine facility. Id love to have a detection department, an education department and a prevention department. Id love to have counselors on staff, Ruark said. That includes hiring former narcotics experts and providing a path for veterans leaving the military. As a veteran, Ruark said the hardest part of returning to civilian life is the need for a new mission. He targeted an initial goal of hiring about 15 employees. I would love to be able to provide an opportunity for transitioning veterans to have a new mission, Ruark said. Thats one of the big things Ive really thought about is giving somebody that next mission. You can still help your community. Initially, hes just focused on getting the business off the ground and helping some of the families in the community. I want to focus on excellence and the service that we provide first and foremost, Ruark said. I want to help people and I think after you talk to parents, if youve talked to people who have lived this, it just reinforces what Ive had in my mind from the get-go. Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, plans to introduce a bill to ban abortions in the General Assemblys next session. In a video posted to Facebook on Sunday, Chase said she will introduce the Life Begins At Conception Act. The bill mirrors the Life At Conception Act that Rep. Bob Good, R-5th, has co-sponsored at the federal level. The unborn child is a human person from the moment of conception, Chase said in the video. Its time to end abortion violence. With Democrats holding a 21-19 edge in the Senate, Chases bill is unlikely to get out of the chamber in the 2023 session. Shortly after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced he would support a ban of most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest or when the mothers life is in jeopardy. Youngkin directed a handful of Republican legislators to find areas where we can agree and chart the most successful path forward. The outcome for further abortion restrictions could hinge on the 2023 legislative contests, when all 40 Senate seats and all 100 House seats will be up for election. The legislation that Chase plans to model hers after defines a person as a person at the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being. It does not mention exceptions for abortions for instances of rape, incest or when the life of the pregnant person is in jeopardy exceptions often cited in abortion bans or restrictions that have been proposed or passed around the country. With the overturn of Roe v. Wade this summer a 49-year-old ruling that protected abortion access at the federal level the matter of access, restrictions or bans is now playing out nationwide at the state level. Though abortion isnt a purely partisan issue, it often falls along partisan lines. Republicans around the country have proposed bans or restrictions set to various weeks of pregnancy, while Democrats have worked on measures to protect access to the procedure. Abortion-rights activists on Monday called Chase an extreme legislator. The right to access abortion is a public health imperative; when abortion is illegal or inaccessible, people and their families suffer the consequences, said Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Executive Director Jamie Lockhart in a statement. Senator Chase and other extreme legislators have been working for years to restrict access to abortion in the Commonwealth, and this latest attempt is nothing new. Following redistricting, Chase is in a three-way 2023 nomination fight in the 12th Senate District, facing former Sen. Glen Sturtevant and former 7th Congressional District candidate Tina Ramirez. *** Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Virginia sought to tie Chases announcement to the Congressional race in the 2nd District. In a release Monday, DPVA pointed to Republican challenger Jen Kiggans alliance with Chase in the past on supporting abortion restrictions in Virginia. Kiggans is a state senator from Virginia Beach who is challenging Rep. Elaine Luria, D-2nd. Kiggans has said she is pro-life, that she believes its up to states to decide and that there should be exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Additionally, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, released a statement seeking to tie her Republican challenger Yesli Vega to Chase as well. It noted a National Pro-Life Alliance survey Vega took earlier this year that indicated her support for the Life At Conception Act. Former Gov. Doug Wilder is taking aim at Virginia Commonwealth University President Michael Rao for the universitys initial decision to license its own brand of beer, just five weeks after awarding a settlement of almost $1 million to the family of a freshman who died last year of alcohol poisoning during fraternity hazing. Wilder, a member of the faculty at VCU, published a commentary in his Wilder Visions blog on Friday that accused Rao of acting in an autocratic manner in allowing the licensing of the beer despite the unanimous objection of a university committee. Why in the world is VCU launching a branded beer line, especially one month after paying out close to a $1 million settlement to the family of a VCU freshman who died from alcohol poisoning at the hands of his future fraternity brothers, he asked. Could university President Michael Rao have possibly chosen a more callous direction to generate negative publicity for VCU at a critical time like this? he asked. I dont think so. Rao said Sunday that he had acted quickly on Thursday to pause production of Ram Bam, a golden pale ale, the day after launching the partnership with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery to produce and market it. The Richmond brewer has a similar partnership with Virginia Tech, as two other craft brewers do with special brands for the University of Virginia and James Madison University. I took appropriate and swift action to pause this project, the president said in a statement released by VCU. I continue to hold Governor Wilder in the highest regard and remain grateful for his legacy and the inspiration he has created for so many of us in this country. However, Wilder made clear in an interview on Sunday that he considers the dispute a question of governance that VCUs board of visitors must address and, failing that, Gov. Glenn Youngkin should consider in appointing members to the board. The board is responsible not to Rao, but to the people of Virginia, he said. And when theyre not, then the governor needs to step in. Wilder, a Democrat who was the first African American elected as governor in the U.S., has been on friendly terms with the Republican governor since his campaign last year against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat with whom the former governor has publicly sparred. He said he has called a member of the Youngkin administration to voice his concerns about university governance, but the governors office did not respond to inquiries on Sunday. Rector Ben Dendy, a longtime lobbyist who has known Wilder for decades, could not be reached on Sunday for comment on behalf of the board. Wilder has publicly clashed with his employer before. Earlier this year, he filed and then withdrew a $5 million lawsuit against Rao and three other university officials, including Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos, over allegations of harassment by a faculty member angered by his political dalliance with Youngkin. Four years earlier, Wilder filed and then withdrew a lawsuit against the then-dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs for allegedly harassing his executive assistant. The next year, Wilder was accused of sexual harassment by a former student. In October 2019, Wilder said a university panel had cleared him. Now, Wilder wants to know who made the decision to allow VCU to license a beer or ale under its Ram brand and when. Previously, VCU policy prohibited the university from placing its trademark on alcohol, tobacco, drugs and other items, but the board changed the policy this spring on an interim basis to allow for exceptions if administrators approve. A committee of the University Council opposed the amended policy and unanimously objected to the proposal to license a VCU brand of beer. Everett Carpenter, a professor of nanoscience who serves on the committee, said the timing of the decision was in poor taste, coming so soon after the settlement with the family of Adam Oakes, who died of alcohol poisoning during an off-campus fraternity hazing last year. In addition to ignoring shared governance, this decision seems incredibly insensitive and disrespectful considering recent alcohol-related tragedies, Carpenter said. Wilder placed the blame squarely on Rao, whom he said has given NO reason for his action. It signals an abrupt deviation from the shared governance that VCUs charter requires, he wrote in his blog. Dr. Rao, once again, is behaving in an autocratic manner, he charged. He has enormous campus issues to deal with, including declining enrollment and a deplorable 150% turnover of Black faculty members. Wilder renewed his attack in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Sunday that said his concern was less about the policy in dispute than the presidents handling of it. The issue is do we have an authoritarian form of administration at VCU or not? he said. VCU spokesman Mike Porter said Sunday, Multiple areas inside VCU were involved with the project. The president paused it indefinitely after being briefed, Porter said. Virginias governor has taken his road show to a blue bastion to campaign in a tightening contest for governor. Gov. Glenn Youngkin told New Yorkers on Monday that they are a lot like Virginians and have a chance to follow the Old Dominion by electing a Republican governor. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-New York, is running some 6 to 8 percentage points behind Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, according to the latest October polls, compared with a gap of some 24 points in some summer polls and that looks like momentum, Youngkin told a rally in the wealthy Westchester County suburbs. Five months ago, six months ago, all those smart pundits ... they said a Republican couldnt win in New York, and thats exactly what they said in Virginia last year. They said no Republican could win in Virginia, Youngkin said. They said the suburbs are too blue, the media is too strong, but they forgot to ask the voters, he said. Its a theme hes hit hard in a series of campaign stops for Republican gubernatorial candidates, from one-time blue wall states like Michigan, to solid-red Nebraska, to a strongly Republican Kansas that surprised forecasters earlier this year by rejecting a proposed constitutional amendment to remove protection of abortion rights, to Democratic-leaning New Mexico and Nevada. He campaigned in Georgia for a Republican governor, Brian Kemp, whos been a target of Donald Trump, and in Arizona, where election denier Kari Lake has declined to say if shed accept results if they show she lost. For Zeldin, Youngkin hit another major theme of his out-of-state campaigning: parents and schools. They said kids with 14-inch screens were getting a quality education and that their parents had no right to have a say in their kids lives, he said. Youngkin did not specifically mention his new school guidelines overturning Northam administration guidelines aimed at protecting students access to restrooms matching their gender identity and protecting privacy about their transgender status, including from their parents. Youngkins proposed guidelines say parents must consent to any change of name or gender description in school records and require students to use school bathrooms that match the sex they were assigned at birth except to the extent that federal law otherwise requires. The Youngkin administrations document cites the case of Grimm v. Gloucester, in which the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond found in 2020 that the Gloucester County School Board had violated former student Gavin Grimms constitutional rights when it banned him from using the boys school bathrooms. After remarks from Zeldin saying he would block any effort to require masks or limit access to business or schools, as New York and many other states had done to contain the pandemic, Youngkin repeated another popular line from campaign stops in other states. He contrasted the impact of Virginias closings on Bristol, Va., while across the state line it runs down the middle of State Street in the downtown businesses in Bristol, Tenn., were booming. New York and Virginia were alike, too, in sharing a spirit of freedom and a sense of being lands of opportunity, Youngkin said, but You can see whats happening; Whats happening is the liberal, progressive Democrats are trying to squash that spirit. Youngkin will travel this week to South Dakota and Oklahoma to campaign for Republican governors in re-election contests, continuing whats become a nationwide effort that Virginia Democrats say is leaving the state without its governor while he lays the groundwork for a presidential run. Youngkin has repeatedly said hes just returning a favor because Republican governors gave his Virginia campaign a major boost year and that hes not thinking about the presidency. In response to criticism about his support for Lake and for Maines Paul LePage, despite Lakes insistence that the 2020 election was stolen and racist comments by LePage, Youngkin says he doesnt always agree with everything fellow Republican politicians say but that he campaigns for them because he believes Republicans make better governors. Montgomery County Public Schools clarified an issue that led to worries that the implementation of a curriculum platform would greatly impact or even effectively bar the long-held practice of teaching selected novels. There had been many voiced concerns since the start of the school year over the districts implementation of StudySync, which is described on its website as a platform that leverages technology and media to engage and inspire students in their academic pursuits. StudySync is listed as a [State] Board of Education approved English/Language Arts ELA textbook on the Virginia Department of Education website, Barbara Wickham, the districts interim assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction and director of elementary education, wrote in an email this past week. It is a complete ELA curriculum designed to meet rigorous academic standards. While several, in interviews and public comments to the Montgomery County School Board, did not necessarily oppose the platform itself, they had repeatedly voiced concerns to district officials over its use. One point of contention that led to confusion and even some heated debate among district officials was whether StudySync was intended to be used as either a sole or primary curriculum platform in middle and high school language arts courses with the former description of its use prompting concerns the platform would significantly impact the teaching of novels. A number of speakers who came before the school board over the past several meetings voiced concerns over the platforms limits on literary content. Another issue some school board members raised was a concern the implementation of the platform seemed to conflict with a district policy on the use of supplementary materials. School board member Mark Cherbaka said there were concerns the role of the platform would almost turn courses into online classes and undermine the teachers jobs and expertise. In my mind, we shouldnt be limiting them to only be able to teach out of StudySync like its some kind of online class, he said. Following an Oct. 21 school board retreat, however, the district came to the consensus that it will continue to use StudySync as the primary curriculum for secondary ELA courses throughout the division, according to information provided to principals this past week. Supplemental materials, including novels selected by teachers, are permitted to be used to extend, expand and supplement the approved curriculum in conjunction with pacing guides and StudySync, according to the submitted information, which MCPS spokeswoman Brenda Drake included in an email. Questions or concerns should be directed to the principal or to appropriate central office personnel. The email from Drake noted that incoming Superintendent Bernard Bragen asked that the information be provided in light of some of the expressed concerns. School board Chairwoman Sue Kass echoed some of Cherbakas points. Any program that limits our teachers ability to use their creativity, expertise and knowledge of their student population to effectively teach students is one that I think we should closely examine, Kass wrote in an email she sent before the recent board retreat. We were not told that this would be an exclusive curriculum and teachers were not properly advised of its nature. Kass said she felt as if they let their desire to precisely and quickly enact policy overrule the needs of students. She also voiced concerns about the impact on teacher morale. We are going to see even more teachers leaving our county than we are already seeing if we do not let them do the job they were hired to do, she wrote. Chris Thomas, a Christiansburg resident with three children in Montgomery County schools, had been a recurrent critic of use of the curriculum platform at recent board meetings. He said the soul of the ELA curriculum is an exposure to the wide and varied world of literature. Were trying to create readers, he said. Thomas clarified that he has no issue with StudySync as a resource for faculty to use. It offers a diversity of resources. It adapts to the student on the fly, said Thomas, who added that the problem he saw was with how it was initially implemented. One-hundred percent fidelity to the curriculum was demanded. Thats not allowing teachers to actually teach. Thomas said he was heartened to see the district listen to the community at large on the matter. We can expect Montgomery County students to be reading novels again, like they did decades, generations before, he said. Its great when the system works, when the community makes its voice heard. Cherbaka said he, too, isnt against StudySync. He said his comments just echoed some of the criticisms he had heard. While the district is appeasing the recent concerns, the discussion over StudySync is part of a greater matter that will need to be further ironed out in the near future, Cherbaka said. Police and witnesses say a manager at a Virginia Walmart pulled out a handgun before a routine employee meeting and began firing wildly in the break room, killing six people and injuring at least six others. It was the countrys second high-profile mass shooting in four days. Police in Chesapeake say the gunman, who apparently shot himself, was dead when they found him. He was identified as 31-year-old Andre Bing, an overnight team lead who had been with Walmart since 2010. There was no clear motive for Tuesday night's shooting. Employee Briana Tyler says the stocking team gathered in the break room when Bing turned around and opened fire on the staff. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Bisno estimates that more than 100 security coffin patents were granted in America by the USPTO during the 19th century, with each design offering more bells and whistles (literally) than the last. (Every Halloween, the USPTO features spooky and macabre patents in its Creepy IP series.) One of the earliest American patents for a "life-preserving coffin" (oxymoron?) was filed in 1843 by Christian H. Eisenbrandt of Baltimore, Maryland. The coffin had a spring-loaded lid which would snap open at "the slightest motion of either the head or the hand." Since that wouldn't do much good if the coffin were 6 feet underground, Eisenbrandt suggested leaving the coffin in an above-ground vault with a key to the vault door left inside, "so that should the person not really be dead, life may be preserved." Advertisement " " This drawing shows Franz Vester's "improved burial-case," U.S. Patent No. 81,437, issued Aug. 25, 1868 in Newark, New Jersey. Wikipedia Historians found advertisements for Eisenbrandt's jack-in-the-box coffin dating from 1844, playing up the popular (but unfounded) belief in the "frequency and danger" of premature internment and the necessity of such a device. We don't know how many were actually made, but sales might have been helped by Edgar Allen Poe, who published his harrowing short story "The Premature Burial" in the same year. "To be buried while alive is, beyond question, the most terrific of these extremes which has ever fallen to the lot of mere mortality," wrote Poe, whose tales explored the darker side of Romanticism. "That it has frequently, very frequently, so fallen will scarcely be denied by those who think. The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?" In 1868, Franz Vester of Newark, New Jersey, filed a patent for his "improved burial-case," which featured a narrow tube with a ladder that allowed a reanimated person to climb to safety. If the buried individual was too weak to escape on their own, they could also pull a rope inside the coffin that rang a bell above ground to alert the living. Vester gave demonstrations of his coffin, like this one chronicled by a reporter for The New York Times in 1868, during which he was buried under 4 feet of dirt and emerged an hour later "out of his living grave" to the applause and congratulations of the crowd. PM Lee Hsien Loong sends condolences to South Korea on the Itaewon stampede tragedy. (PHOTOS: Getty Images) SINGAPORE There are no reports on Singaporeans among the casualties in the deadly stampede in the Itaewon district in Seoul, said the city-state's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Sunday evening (30 October). The ministry added that its embassy in Seoul is in close contact with the local authorities on the situation. At least 153 people were killed when a crowd surged in a narrow alleyway in Itaewon during Halloween festivities on Saturday night, in one of South Korea's worst tragedies. PM Lee Hsien Loong pens letter of condolence Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has written to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday to convey his condolences. He said he was deeply saddened to hear about the stampede. "It is especially heart wrenching that many who died are young people," he wrote. "On behalf of the Government of Singapore, I express my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims. "Our thoughts are with the people of South Korea during this difficult time, and I wish all the injured a swift recovery." MFA said that Singaporeans in Seoul who require consular assistance can contact the Singapore Embassy in Seoul at +82-10-7204-6240 or the MFA duty office at +65-63798800/8855. ReportLinker The Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market size was estimated at USD 61. 99 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 65. 75 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 6. 32% to reach USD 89. New York, Oct. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market Research Report by Product Type, Base Oils, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06340477/?utm_source=GNW 58 billion by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2020 are considered as historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered as the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Passenger Vehicles Lubricants to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Product Type, the market was studied across Engine Oils, Greases, Hydraulic Fluids, and Transmission & Gear Oils. Based on Base Oils, the market was studied across Mineral Oil, Semi-Synthetic Oil, and Synthetic Oil. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Passenger Vehicles Lubricants market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market, including AMSOIL Inc., Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, BP PLC, Chevron Corporation, China National Petroleum Corporation, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, ENEOS Corporation, ExxonMobil Corporation, FUCHS Group, Gulf Oil International, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Klueber Lubrication, Motul Group, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A., Phillips 66 Lubricants, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Sinopec Lubricant Company, TotalEnergies SE, and Valvoline Inc.. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Passenger Vehicles Lubricants Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06340477/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Save the Children The Princess Royal visited a refugee settlement on Friday (28 October) as part of a four day trip to Uganda. Accompanied by her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence on the official royal visit, Princess Anne met with people from Kyangwali Refugee Settlement to learn more about the impact conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had on childrens lives as well as how Covid-19 has affected them. Save the Children As a Patron of Save the Children UK, Her Royal Highness met with people from the local school and took part in an activity with a 'Catch-up Club' run by the Save the Children charity. Later, The Princess also met children being supported at a 'Child Friendly Space' after fleeing their homes due to ongoing conflict in the country. Save the Children During the pandemic, Uganda kept schools fully or partly closed for over a year and a half. This meant that children in the country faced the worlds longest school closure due to Covid 19, according to Save the Children. This led the organisation to launch its 'Catch-Up Clubs' to help close the gap of lost learning over the period, and encourage children to return to school. Save the Children In a release, Country Director of Save the Children Uganda, Dragana Strinic, said, It was an honour to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal today to raise awareness of the impact that conflict and Covid-19 school closures are having on millions of children in Uganda. "Due to the ongoing conflict, Save the Childrens Catch-up Clubs have been a lifeline for children growing up in Kyangwali refugee settlement. Without these clubs, some of these children may never have returned to school. The Princess Royal became Patron of the charity in 2017 after serving as its President since 1970. Queen Elizabeth II was also a patron of the charity for 65 years. You Might Also Like Modernization is the broad concept that refers to a progressive transition away from a "pre-modern" or "traditional" society to a "modern" society. In today's world, modernization comprises industrialization, urbanization and globalization. For China, a country with a population of over 1.4 billion, more than the population of all developed countries combined, modernization is an especially difficult task. Indeed, when Deng Xiaoping proposed the goal to realize China's modernization in the late 1970s, very few could imagine how China would achieve this goal, and even less what it would look like after 40 years. Nobel-award winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, was one of the few in the West that realized China's potential. Specifically, he predicted that urbanization in China would be one of the most influential global events shaping the 21st century. Today, China is the second largest economy with a GDP close to $18 trillion. It has successfully eradicated absolute poverty and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and is now striving to realize the second centenary goal of building a modern socialist country. Modern society is the basis of a modern country At the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, laid out the road map for building up a modern socialist country by the middle of this century. He emphasized that a modern socialist country ultimately centers around achieving high-quality development and improving people's lives and livelihoods. A modern society is achieved mainly through advanced industry, innovative technology and a high degree of urbanization. For China, society-building, which includes improving people's livelihoods and maintaining social stability, is also central to modernization. The last decade has seen China makes remarkable achievements in society-building. Indeed, China has successfully eradicated absolute poverty, developed a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and has largely contained the COVID-19 pandemic. China has also realized sustainable economic growth and created a stable society. Such "miracles" are a strong rebuttal to some Western political scholars such as Samuel Huntington who argued that the modernization process creates turmoil. Now, many ask how the miracles came about and why China's modernization process went so smoothly? CPC plays a leading role in modern society building In Western democracies, political parties act as a link between civil society and the state; specifically, they stand for and protect certain vested interests and groups. Scholars often refer to this phenomenon as a party as a part. In China, the situation is quite different. The CPC's policies are deeply rooted in Chinese society and are aimed at benefiting all people. In China, the Party plays a leading role in governance and, by avoiding partisan strife or factional interests, is able to implement long-term policies and strategies. Despite rapid urbanization in recent years, social policies have helped create more jobs and improved healthcare and housing conditions. During the early 1990s, for example, China's social security system was established for laid-off workers as reforms targeted SOEs. After the millennium, social security programs were gradually expanded to include the whole population. Significantly, such policy innovations were not dominated by any interest group nor were they the result of populism. That is to say, the Party has the autonomy necessary to carry out impartial and scientific decisions. Balance economy and society to improve people's well-being The question of how to balance the economy and society has been a major concern for most governments since the Industrial Revolution. Notably, Karl Marx said that capitalism creates inequality which eventually engulfs the entire society. Karl Polanyi held a similar view, noting that the so-called "double movement" was the cause of the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the subsequent Great Depression. On the other hand, welfare states, which believe that organized labor serves to ease tensions between capital and the working class, have their own set of challenges. Notably, they require huge levels of spending to ensure the people's well-being and faced with rapidly aging societies, require greater levels of state support. "Developmental States" such as Japan and the Republic of Korea took another path to development. Such countries, with strong state traditions, tried to balance growth and stability at the very beginning when their economies took off. However, the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s saw the malfunctioning of the social welfare systems in these countries. As a result, many adopted an inclusive welfare system as a remedy after the crisis. The Chinese-style modernization, which developed a unique combination of market facilitation and society building, is centered around people's well-being rather than capital. Indeed, social welfare and related policies have always been highlighted along with economic development. Notably, ever since the sixth Five Years Plan in the early 1980s, the domestic economy and social development are projected simultaneously. In contrast to Western models, China's economy-society relationship delivers a new way for developing countries to build a modern society. Modern society building calls for collaborative efforts Modern society faces many risks and uncertainties, which can only be overcome through joint efforts. And given the different perceptions of equity, justice and order, society-building cannot be measured using standard economic indexes. China's rapid development also faces kinds of risks and challenges. That's why the Party encourages all stakeholders to work together to address challenges and form solutions for healthcare, public safety and community development. Today, as socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new stage of development, common prosperity is encouraged to activate more engagement in society building. A more harmonious society will certainly help develop China into a modern socialist country by 2050 (the second centenary goal). In his plenary speech, Xi urged everyone to work together to accelerate the society-building process, so the second centenary goal may be realized. In order to build a harmonious society, society as a whole should follow the Party's leadership and advance socialism with Chinese characteristics. We should also realize that high-quality development and whole-process people's democracy will not only help China realize the second centenary goal, but also provide economic and political support to fulfill the task. Finally, we must always keep in mind that common prosperity is China's ultimate policy goal. The author is a professor conducting social governance research at the Department of Social & Ecological Studies, China National Academy of Governance. Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time in more than two decades this week. Get more info on that and more recent business news here. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A massive barrage of Russian cruise missile and drone strikes hit critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities early Monday, knocking out water and power supplies in retaliation for what Moscow alleged was a Ukrainian attack on its Black Sea Fleet. Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine's power plants and other key infrastructure as the war enters its ninth month, forcing rolling power cuts. The Kremlin is taking revenge for military failures on peaceful people who are left without electricity and heat before the winter, Kyiv region Gov. Oleksii Kuleba said. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Monday's bombardment was meant to retaliate for what he said was Saturday's unsuccessful Ukrainian aerial and underwater drone attack on Russia's Sevastopol-based Black Sea Fleet on the Russian-annexed Crimea Peninsula. Partly, yes. But its not all we could have done, Putin responded, regarding retaliation, at a press conference in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. He claimed Ukrainian drones had traveled to their targets through an internationally agreed zone meant to ensure the safety of ships exporting grain from Ukrainian ports. The threat from such a trajectory endangered Russian ships patrolling the zone as well as the grain ships themselves, Putin said, justifying his country's suspension of its participation in the deal that enabled the exports. Russias Defense Ministry said its forces carried out strikes with long-range, high-precision air- and sea-based weapons against the military command and energy systems of Ukraine. "The goals of the strikes were achieved. All designated targets were hit, the ministry said. Meanwhile, 12 ships with grain left Ukrainian ports on Monday despite a Russian threat to reimpose a blockade that threatened hunger across the world, Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure said. But the grain transport was thrown into doubt after Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement late Monday that traffic along the security corridor defined by the Black Sea Initiative has been suspended over allegations that Ukraine has been using the zone to strike Russian forces. In Monday's ground attacks, Ukraines air force said it shot down 44 of more than 50 cruise missiles that Russia launched. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russian missiles and drones hit 10 Ukrainian regions and damaged 18 sites, mostly energy facilities. Hundreds of localities were left without power, he said on Facebook. Thirteen people were wounded, Ukrainian Police Chief Ihor Klymenko said. Loud explosions were heard across the Ukrainian capital as residents prepared for work. The emergency services sent out text message warning about the threat of a missile attack, and air raid sirens wailed for three hours. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 80% of consumers in the city of 3 million were left without water because of damage to a power facility. By Monday evening, workers had reduced the percentage to 40% and the number of apartments without electricity from 350,000 to 270,000. To cut power consumption, Kyiv authorities extended intervals between subway trains and replaced electric trolleybuses and trams with buses, Klitschko said. Subway service resumed Monday night. Across Kyiv, hundreds lined up, often for more than an hour, to pump water by hand from wells to fill plastic bottles and cans. It is really inconvenient, one 34-year-old resident, who agreed to provide only his first name, Denis, said as he collected water. But the truth is, its not a problem. The problem is we have a war. Smoke rose from the left bank of the Dnieper River in Kyiv, either from a missile strike or where Ukrainian forces shot it down. Associated Press reporters saw soldiers inspecting a crater and debris from where a missile landed on the outskirts of Kyiv. The missiles flew fast and low and sounded like bombs exploding, according to witnesses. It was scary," said Oleksandr Ryabtsev, 28, who was on his way to work. "I raised my head and it was flying there. You could see this cruise missile. I didnt even go to work. I went home. Prime Minister Shmyhal said that in the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions, emergency power shutdowns were underway. In the eastern city of Kharkiv, two strikes hit critical infrastructure facilities, according to authorities, and the subway ceased operating. Critical infrastructure sites were also hit in the Cherkasy region southeast of Kyiv. In the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine, an energy facility was hit. In Vinnytsia, remnants of a missile that was shot down landed on civilian buildings, causing damage but no casualties, according to regional Gov. Serhii Borzov. Power was cut to parts of Ukraine's train network, the Ukrainian Railways reported. Ukraine has denied responsibility for Saturday's Black Sea Fleet attack, saying that Russia mishandled its own weapons, but Moscow still announced it was retaliating by halting its participation in the U.N. and Turkey-brokered grain deal. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar urged his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, in a phone call Monday to reconsider Moscow's suspension of its participation in the grain deal, which has allowed more than 9 million tons of grain to be exported from Ukraine. According to a statement, Akar hailed the deal as an example of how problems can be solved through cooperation and dialogue and argued its a completely humanitarian activity that should be kept separate from the conflict. At the United Nations in New York, Martin Griffiths, who leads the U.N. team facilitating the deal, told the Security Council that Mondays ship movements and inspections were undertaken as emergency measures. The United Nations trade chief, Rebeca Grynspan warned the Council that uncertainty over the deal and high global fertilizer prices may turn todays crisis over the affordability of food into tomorrows crisis of availability and a crisis of huge proportions. She said the agreements enabled wheat exports from Russia to triple between July and September and wheat exports from Ukraine to more than quadruple, lowering food prices. Monday's strikes were the third time this month that Russia unleashed massive attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. On Oct. 10, a similar attack rocked the war-torn country following an explosion on the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea to mainland Russia an incident Moscow blamed on Kyiv. One of the Russian missiles Ukraine shot down landed on a Moldovan border city, causing damage but no casualties. Moldovas interior ministry released photos showing a thick plume of smoke rising over the northern city of Naslavcea, on the border with Ukraine, as well as broken house windows. Another Russian attack hit two tugboats transporting grain barges in the port of Ochakiv on the Black Sea at the mouth of the Dnieper River in Ukraine's southern Mykolaiv region, killing at least two crew members, Ukraine's Unian news agency reported, citing a Ukrainian military official. In another development, Russias Defense Ministry on Monday reported completing a partial mobilization of troops, ostensibly fulfilling a promise to end the call-up at 300,000 men. Some human rights lawyers, however, warned that only Putin can end the call-up by signing a decree. The Russian president told reporters he would consult with lawyers about whether such a decree is needed, adding that 41,000 of the reservists have been deployed in combat in Ukraine, with 259,000 in training. Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Karel Janicek in Prague; and Sabina Niksic in Sarajevo, Bosnia, contributed to this report. Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine As the number of COVID-19 infections surged during the pandemic, deaths from heart attacks rose sharply as well, with adults ages 25-44 experiencing the most significant increases, according to new research from scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. "The dramatic rise in heart attacks during the pandemic has reversed what was a prior decade-long steady improvement in cardiac deaths," said Dr. Yee Hui Yeo, first author of the study and a Cedars-Sinai physician-scientist. "We are still learning the many ways by which COVID-19 affects the body, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or race." Scientists around the nation and world continue to release findings that show SARS-CoV-2 infections increase risk of other serious conditions such as stroke, nerve damage and some autoimmune diseases. While other infections such as the flu are known to lead to a slightly increased risk of heart attacks, the Cedars-Sinai researchers said, they could find nothing that compared with the jump in deaths linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among their findings published in the peer-reviewed "Journal of Medical Virology:" U.S. deaths attributed to heart attacks, or acute myocardial infarctions as they are medically known, shot up 14% to 164,096 in the first year of the pandemic, April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. By the second year of the pandemic, the dramatic increases in heart attacks blew apart the models used to predict how many people would lose their lives to these events. Fatal heart attacks among adults ages 25 to 44 soared 29.9% over what was predicted. Deaths from heart attacks climbed by 19.6% for adults ages 45-64 and by 13.7% for ages 65 and older. These excessively higher rates of heart-attack-related death have persisted throughout the pandemic, the Cedars-Sinai researchers found, including the possibility that COVID-19 could trigger or accelerate coronary artery disease. The scientists said more research has to be done to pinpoint risks. "There is something very different about how this virus affects the cardiac risks," said Dr. Susan Cheng, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute and senior and co-corresponding author of the study. "The difference is likely due to a combination of stress and inflammation, arising from predisposing factors and the way this virus biologically interacts with the cardiovascular system." Certainly, Cheng and the other researchers said, behavioral health challenges associated with the pandemic job losses, isolation, the unexpected deaths of relatives, or other pressures also can cause acute or chronic stress leading to cardiac disease. Because of this increased risk of stress, many Americans have fallen out of the habit of exercising and may have skipped medical check-ups that could detect problems, said a separate team of Cedars-Sinai researchers who reported in August that COVID-19 was linked to an increase risk of stroke. Individuals who were vaccinated were 200 times less likely to have a stroke after having the respiratory disease. Those who had severe cases of COVID-19 were at a much greater risk of experiencing inflammation, blood clots and heart disease Dr. Nancy Sicotte, chair of the Department of Neurology and the Women's Guild Distinguished Chair in Neurology at Cedars-Sinai, strongly recommended vaccines for individuals in high-risk groups. This includes those who have lung or cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, a prior stroke, people who are immunocompromised, and individuals aged 65 and older. SIOUX CITY -- A 19-year-old Sioux City man has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two people on the west side early Saturday morning. Joseph Cruz was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of second-degree murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon causing serious injury and willful injury, according to criminal complaint documents. A "prosecutor alert" memo filed in the case identifies Cruz as a gang member, and because he is not originally from Iowa and has family in Texas, he is considered a flight risk. Cruz has also been implicated in another shooting that transpired in August. At around 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Sioux City Police officers were called to 1421 West Fifth St. for a shooting. On arrival officers found both victims, Anthony Williams, 19, and Carlos Aguierre, 21, on the kitchen floor unresponsive. Williams was pronounced dead at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. Aguierre, who had been shot at least twice, was pronounced dead on the scene. Cruz arrived at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's at around 2:42 a.m. having suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, according to a criminal complaint. Williams was identified as a cousin of Cruz's, while Aguierre is described as a friend, but they had "recently began having issues over firearms," according to a criminal complaint. Cruz wanted a firearm that Aguierre had on him and they began fighting over it, according to the complaint. At some point Cruz got ahold of the gun and "immediately fired off several rounds," striking Aguierre and Williams. In an interview with police, Cruz admitted to shooting Aguierre "out of anger" but denied having shot Williams, saying he "would not shoot his own cousin," though he also said he didn't recall how Williams was shot. According to a statement from the Lyon County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the 300 block of East Indiana Avenue at 8 a.m. for a party who had been stabbed. Upon arrival, they found the victim, who was taken by ambulance to Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital in Rock Rapids and, then, flown to Sioux Falls. SIOUX CITY A Sioux City man charged in a drive-by shooting pleaded guilty Monday to a federal gun charge. Jalond Hills, 19, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user. A sentencing date was not set. Hills possessed a 9mm handgun while he was using marijuana at the time of the Sept. 16, 2021, incident, in which he was initially charged in Woodbury County District Court with firing a shot into an occupied car while a mother and her two children were getting out in the 700 block of Center Street. State charges were dismissed after he was indicted in federal court. In September, Hills pleaded guilty in Woodbury County to one count of failure to affix a drug tax stamp, a charge resulting from an April shooting incident in which a woman suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound in her leg after struggling for possession of a handgun with Hills in an apartment in the 2200 block of Gibson Street. According to terms of a plea agreement, Hills will receive a five-year prison sentence, to be served at the same time as the sentence he receives in his federal case. STORM LAKE, Iowa A Storm Lake man has been arrested for allegedly having sexual contact with a child under the age of 14. Salvador Saldana-Jimenez, 60, is charged in Buena Vista County District Court with two counts of lascivious acts with a child, a class D felony. In March, the Storm Lake Police Department received a belated report of sexual abuse. The department said in a statement that an investigation revealed that within the last five years, Saldana-Jiminez had inappropriate sexual contact with the girl at a residence in Storm Lake. In October, the department applied for an arrest warrant for Saldana-Jiminez. He surrendered himself to police on Sunday and is being held at the Buena Vista County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond. The Iowa Department of Human Services and the Buena Vista County Attorney's Office assisted in the investigation. The alleged gunman facing possible hate crime charges in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub is nonbinary, the suspects defense team says in court filings In several standard motions filed on behalf of Anderson Lee Aldrich on Tuesday, public defenders refer to the suspect as Mx. Aldrich." They note in footnotes that the 22-year-old is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. There was no elaboration about it. Aldrich, who was beaten into submission by patrons during Saturday nights shooting, was scheduled appear for the first time in court Wednesday by video from jail. The motive in the shooting was still under investigation, but authorities have said Aldrich faces possible murder and hate crime charges. Confident GOP unifies behind candidates once seen as risky ATKINSON, N.H. (AP) New Hampshires Republican governor described Don Bolduc as a conspiracy theory extremist just two months ago. But now, a week before Election Day, Gov. Chris Sununu is vowing to support him. And the leader of the GOP's campaign to retake the U.S. Senate stood at Bolduc's side over the weekend and called him a true patriot. Im here for one reason, and thats to make sure Don Bolduc is the next U.S. senator," Rick Scott, a Florida senator and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told dozens of voters on Sunday gathered inside an Atkinson, New Hampshire, community center. Here's a guy whos a true patriot, Scott said as he introduced Bolduc, a retired Army general. "He served his country. He believes. He cares. The New Hampshire dynamic reflects the emboldened GOPs increasing confidence in candidates who party leaders believed were essentially unelectable or at least seriously flawed just weeks or months ago. But heading into the final full week of the 2022 midterms, Republican leaders are betting that anti-Democratic political headwinds will supersede what Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell himself called candidate quality issues in his own party. Republican Senate contenders from Arizona to Georgia and North Carolina to New Hampshire are grappling with revelations about their personal lives, extreme positions and weak fundraising. Yet they may be in position to win on Nov. 8. Leaders in both parties believe Republicans are poised to take the House majority, with control of the Senate in sight as well. Police: Pelosi suspect wanted to break speaker's knees SAN FRANCISCO (AP) The man accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosis husband with a hammer told police he wanted to hold the Democratic leader hostage and break her kneecaps to show other members of Congress there were consequences to actions, authorities said Monday. In a chilling federal complaint, officials say David DePape, 42, carrying zip ties, tape and a rope in a backpack, broke into the couples San Francisco home early Friday morning, went upstairs where 82-year-old Paul Pelosi was sleeping, and demanded to talk to Nancy. This house and the speaker herself were specifically targets, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said at a Monday evening news conference announcing state charges against DePape, including attempted murder. This was politically motivated, Jenkins said. She implored the public to watch the words that we say and to turn down the volume of our political rhetoric. Investigators believe DePape had been researching in advance to target Pelosi, Jenkins said in an interview with The Associated Press. Affirmative action in jeopardy after justices raise doubts WASHINGTON (AP) The survival of affirmative action in higher education appeared to be in serious trouble Monday at a conservative-dominated Supreme Court after hours of debate over vexing questions of race. The most diverse court in the nation's history among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina is weighing challenges to admissions programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard that use race among many factors in seeking a diverse student body. The court's six conservative justices all expressed doubts about the practice, which has been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978. The court's three liberals defended the programs, which are similar to those used by many other private and public universities. Getting rid of race-conscious college admissions would have a destabilizing effect that would cause the ranks of Black and Latino students to plummet at the nations most selective schools, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the Biden administration, said. Following the overturning of the half-century abortion precedent of Roe v. Wade in June, the cases offer a big new test of whether the court, with its 6-3 conservative edge, will sharply steer the law to the right on another contentious cultural issue that conservatives have had in their sights for years. Russia recruiting U.S.-trained Afghan commandos, vets say Afghan special forces soldiers who fought alongside American troops and then fled to Iran after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal last year are now being recruited by the Russian military to fight in Ukraine, three former Afghan generals told The Associated Press. They said the Russians want to attract thousands of the former elite Afghan commandos into a foreign legion with offers of steady, $1,500-a-month payments and promises of safe havens for themselves and their families so they can avoid deportation home to what many assume would be death at the hands of the Taliban. They dont want to go fight but they have no choice, said one of the generals, Abdul Raof Arghandiwal, adding that the dozen or so commandos in Iran with whom he has texted fear deportation most. They ask me, Give me a solution. What should we do? If we go back to Afghanistan, the Taliban will kill us. Arghandiwal said the recruiting is led by the Russian mercenary force Wagner Group. Another general, Hibatullah Alizai, the last Afghan army chief before the Taliban took over, said the effort is also being helped by a former Afghan special forces commander who lived in Russia and speaks the language. The Russian recruitment follows months of warnings from U.S. soldiers who fought with Afghan special forces that the Taliban was intent on killing them and that they might join with U.S. enemies to stay alive or out of anger with their former ally. Brazils brash President Bolsonaro mum after election loss BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) In Brazils capital on Monday, the silence was deafening. Nearly a full day after President Jair Bolsonaro lost his bid for reelection, the usually brash right-wing leader had neither conceded defeat nor challenged the results of the country's closest political contest in more than three decades. Bolsonaro hadn't spoken a word to reporters camped outside the official residence or the supporters who regularly gather nearby. Nor did he post on his otherwise prolific social media platforms. The only sign of protest came from Bolsonaro-supporting truckers who on Sunday started blocking roads across the country. By Monday night, the Federal Highway Police reported 236 incidents in 18 states, up from 136 three hours prior to that. Bolsonaro's rival, former president and left-leaning ex-union leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the runoff Sunday night with 50.9% of the votes, to Bolsonaros 49.1%. It was the closest election since Brazils return to democracy in 1985. Fans in 'Fight Antisemitism' shirts courtside at Nets game NEW YORK (AP) Fans wearing Fight Antisemitism" shirts occupied some courtside seats at the Brooklyn-Indiana game on Monday night, days after Nets guard Kyrie Irving tweeted out a link to a film that includes anti-Jewish tropes. Irving posted the link to the film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America on Twitter on Thursday. The synopsis on Amazon said the film uncovers the true identity of the Children of Israel. He defended his decision to do so on Saturday, then deleted the tweet Sunday after a massive outcry including criticism from Nets owner Joe Tsai and the the Anti-Defamation League, along with a statement from the NBA denouncing all forms of hate speech. Irving said Saturday he embraced all religions and defiantly defended his right to post whatever he believes. Im not going to stand down on anything I believe in, Irving said. Im only going to get stronger because Im not alone. I have a whole army around me. Musk boosts surge in misinformation about Pelosi attack Within hours of the attack on Paul Pelosi, conspiracy theories deflecting blame for the assault on the husband of U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi were already swirling online. It didn't matter that authorities said Paul Pelosi was alone when the suspect broke into the couple's San Francisco home. Or that investigators said they didn't believe the two men knew one another. It didn't even matter that the suspect, David DePape, confessed to investigators that he broke into the Pelosi home to target the speaker. Misleading claims about the assault spread rapidly anyway, and not just thanks to trolls in obscure internet chatrooms. The claims received a major boost from some prominent Republicans and Elon Musk, now the owner of Twitter, one of the world's leading online platforms. On Monday, posts falsely suggesting a personal relationship between Pelosi and the alleged assailant, soared on Twitter, a day after Musk tweeted and deleted a link to an article suggesting one. $1 billion Powerball jackpot up for grabs Monday night People showed up at convenience stores, groceries and gas stations across the country on Halloween hoping to find their own treat: a chance at Monday night's massive $1 billion Powerball jackpot. Among them was Janice Turner, one of a steady stream of people some wearing costumes buying Powerball tickets at an outdoor kiosk in midtown Manhattan. Im hoping to be the next billionaire," Turner said. I think its going to be lucky Halloween. In the same line was Scott Henyan, who was already making plans for a jackpot win. I would definitely retire, finish my house, probably buy another house, maybe buy a couple of nice cars, take a nice vacation," he said. "And then probably set all my friends and family up for the rest of their lives and travel the world, you know, do whatever I wanted. Pumpkins can be composted, donated to farms, fed to wildlife Hold off before throwing that porch pumpkin into the trash along with Halloween candy wrappers. Those jack-o-lanterns don't have to end up in the local landfill. Consider composting pumpkins in the garden, donating them to community gardens, farms or even a zoo, or simply leaving them as a snack for backyard wildlife. Gardeners can add pumpkins to the compost pile after removing any remaining seeds and being sure to cut off decorative material such as glitter, paint, stickers and candle wax. Slice the pumpkin into smaller pieces, scatter and bury them into the pile. And dont worry if the pumpkin has already started getting moldy those microorganisms aid the composting process. Pumpkins, other vegetable scraps and grass clippings in compost piles are high in nitrogen. Provide equal or higher amounts of carbon-based materials such as leaves, sawdust, wood chips or cardboard. Occasionally add water to the compost pile. Turning it over with a rake or pitchfork ensures that oxygen is mixed in. Some community gardens accept pumpkins and other food scraps to add to their compost piles. Antibody treatment tested as new tool against malaria Research in Africa found a one-time dose of an experimental drug protected adults against malaria for at least six months, the latest approach in the fight against the mosquito-borne disease. Malaria killed more than 620,000 people in 2020 and sickened 241 million, mainly children under 5 in Africa. The World Health Organization is rolling out the first authorized malaria vaccine for children, but it is about 30% effective and requires four doses. The new study tested a very different approach giving people a big dose of lab-made malaria-fighting antibodies instead of depending on the immune system to make enough of those same infection-blockers after vaccination. The available vaccine doesn't protect enough people, said Dr. Kassoum Kayentao of the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies in Bamako, Mali, who helped lead the study in the villages of Kalifabougou and Torodo. In those villages during malaria season, other research has shown, people are bitten by infected mosquitoes on average twice a day. Confident GOP unifies behind candidates once seen as risky ATKINSON, N.H. (AP) Republicans are increasingly confident in Senate candidates who party leaders had once believed were essentially unelectable or at least seriously flawed. Republican officials are betting big that the political environment dragging down Democrats nationwide will overcome what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell himself has called candidate quality issues. Republican Senate contenders from Arizona to New Hampshire are grappling with revelations about their personal lives, extreme positions and weak fundraising. Yet they may be in position to win. And as Republican confidence grows, Democrats have been forced into a defensive crouch with voters looking to punish the party that controls Washington for concerns about inflation, crime and the direction of the country. Police: Pelosi suspect wanted to break speaker's knees SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Federal prosecutors say the man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, told police he wanted to hold the speaker hostage and break her kneecaps. David DePape has been charged with two federal crimes and a state count of attempted murder. Police say DePape broke into the Pelosis' home in San Francisco and struck the Democratic leaders 82-year-old husband in the head with a hammer. Pelosi was seriously injured in the attack. San Franciscos district attorney announced additional state charges as well against DePape. He was arrested Friday on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary. Affirmative action in jeopardy after justices raise doubts WASHINGTON (AP) Members of the Supreme Courts conservative majority are questioning the continued use of affirmative action in higher education. In lengthy arguments Monday, the justices wrestled with persistent, difficult questions of race. The justices heard from six different lawyers in challenges to policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard. Those policies consider race among many factors in evaluating applications for admission. One conservative justice likened affirmative action to giving some college applicants a head start in a footrace. But a liberal justice said universities are the pipelines to leadership in our society and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop. Russia recruiting U.S.-trained Afghan commandos, vets say Afghan special forces soldiers who fought alongside American troops and fled to Iran after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal are being recruited by the Russian military to fight in Ukraine. Thats according to three former Afghan generals who spoke to The Associated Press. They said the Russians want to attract thousands of the elite Afghan commandos with promises of $1,500-a-month payments and safe havens for themselves and relatives so they can avoid deportation home to what many assume would be death at the hands of the Taliban. Said one general: They dont want to go fight but they have no choice." Brazils brash President Bolsonaro mum after election loss BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) Brazil's usually boisterous president is staying uncharacteristically quiet after losing his reelection bid. On Monday, many hours after he was defeated by his rival, Jair Bolsonaro hadn't conceded defeat or challenged the results. Left-leaning candidate Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva won the runoff Sunday night with 50.9% of the votes, to Bolsonaros 49.1%. It was the closest election since Brazils return to democracy in 1985. Much like former U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has repeatedly questioned the reliability of the nations electronic voting system, without providing any proof. Fans in 'Fight Antisemitism' shirts courtside at Nets game NEW YORK (AP) Fans wearing Fight Antisemitism shirts occupied some courtside seats at the Brooklyn-Indiana game on Monday night, days after Nets guard Kyrie Irving tweeted out a link to a film that includes anti-Jewish tropes. Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash says that he hopes the organization will grow together in the aftermath of Irving sharing the link. Irving has been criticized for sharing the link by the NBA, the Anti-Defamation League and Nets owner Joe Tsai, among others. The star guard of the Nets has said he embraced all religions and defiantly defended his right to post whatever he believes. Musk boosts surge in misinformation about Pelosi attack With some help from Twitter's new owner, misinformation about the grievous attack on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband is surging online. Authorities say the suspect in the attack has told police he was targeting the House speaker, and there's no reason to believe he knew her husband before he broke into their home Friday. Yet that hasn't stopped bizarre conspiracy theories from spreading. Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, amplified one conspiracy theory claiming Paul Pelosi knew his attacker. Musk later deleted his tweet. Prominent Republicans including Donald Trump Jr. and Marjorie Taylor Greene have also spread the unfounded claim. $1 billion Powerball jackpot up for grabs Monday night People showed up at convenience stores, groceries and gas stations across the U.S. to snatch up lottery tickets for a chance at a massive $1 billion Powerball jackpot. The jackpot for Monday night's drawing soared after no one matched all six numbers in Saturday nights drawing. Its the fifth-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The biggest prize was a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won by three ticketholders in 2016. No one has hit all six numbers since Aug. 3, a testament to how slim the odds are of winning the jackpot: 1 in 292.2 million. Mondays huge jackpot comes less than two years after a Mega Millions lottery ticket matched all six numbers to win a $1.05 billion dollar jackpot. Pumpkins can be composted, donated to farms, fed to wildlife Halloween pumpkins don't have to end up in the landfill. Before throwing that jack-o'-lantern into the trash, consider ways to make them even more useful. Adding pumpkins to a compost pile can be beneficial to next year's garden. First, any remaining seeds have to be removed, and decorative material such as glitter, paint, stickers and candle wax must be cut off. Pumpkins also can be donated to community gardens' compost piles. Farms, animal sanctuaries and even zoos also accept pumpkins to feed their animals. Backyard wildlife enjoy pumpkins as well. Leftover pumpkin seeds also are a tasty treat for a host of birds. Antibody treatment tested as new tool against malaria Research in Africa has found a one-time dose of an experimental drug protected adults against malaria for at least six months. The drug is a lab-made antibody. It works by breaking the life cycle of the parasite that causes malaria, which is spreads through mosquito bites. The antibody targets the parasites before they enter the liver where they can mature and multiply. The strategy may be an important complement to malaria vaccines. The new research was published Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at a medical meeting in Seattle. Interview: Xi's vision on shared future of humanity an "outstanding" theoretical achievement, British sociologist says Xinhua) 08:49, October 31, 2022 British sociologist Martin Albrow is interviewed after his new book's launch ceremony in London, Britain, April 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ying) "The global future of the human species ... is an issue which commands the attention of people everywhere in the world. There are so many things that need to be done. So China can take the lead on that," Martin Albrow, a fellow of the British Academy of Social Sciences, said. LONDON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of a human community with a shared future has been an "outstanding" theoretical achievement of global significance, a renowned British sociologist said. "When you talk about a shared human future, you talk about the things that we can do together in the future, not a future where we are all the same," Martin Albrow, a fellow of the British Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua. Albrow has made multiple visits to China since the 1980s and has been closely watching China's development. A pioneer in the study of globalization in the West, he has been focusing his research on China's development, systems and governance in recent years. Albrow told Xinhua that he first came across the idea of a human community with a shared future in the book "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," and that he was impressed most by Xi's "logical and theoretical exploration of concepts." "For the future, you have to have ideas developing all the time," he said. "And this is what Xi Jinping does. He is, from that point of view, absolutely outstanding." Photo taken on April 10, 2018 shows Professor Martin Albrow holding his book, China's Role in a Shared Human Future, at the 2018 London Book Fair in London, Britain. (Xinhua/Ray Tang) That is how he started off with years of research into this idea, having published two books in recent years, titled "China's Role in a Shared Human Future: Towards Theory for Global Leadership" in 2018 and "China and the Shared Human Future: Exploring Common Values and Goals" lately. At the launch of his new book in April, Albrow said the idea of building a human community with a shared future was to update the age old Chinese idea of harmony without uniformity, between cultures, including all people. In his new book, the British scholar wrote that the COVID-19 has shown to perfection that it is imperative for human beings to work together to meet global challenges and build a human community with a shared future, and that it is also imperative for all in the world to recognize that mankind has a shared destiny and future and must therefore look out for each other and marshal a collective response to global challenges. At present, China offers the world qualities that can mobilize other countries to meet global threats, he noted. Aerial photo taken on June 30, 2022 shows a China-Europe freight train pulling out of the Tuanjiecun station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) China now, with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is for the first time in its history taking its unique national experience into a wider world far beyond its traditional boundaries, Albrow said in his book. The proposal's main difference from the Western-inspired models of governance is that it looks to shared goals rather than the imposition of rules, and it approaches other cultures in the spirit of finding common goals and shared projects, he added. "The global future of the human species ... is an issue which commands the attention of people everywhere in the world. There are so many things that need to be done. So China can take the lead on that," Albrow said. This echoed his words during a previous interview with Xinhua, in which he said: "Belt and Road provides the world with two important examples of how to build a community of shared future. Firstly it shows that technologies cross boundaries. They are the products of human ingenuity and efforts that can benefit all who care to make use of them. Secondly, it is the exact opposite to isolation. China and the other nations joining in the Belt and Road agreements are using their sovereign rights and power to work towards goals that all can share and help to meet global challenges that face us all." Aerial photo shows a Fuxing bullet train running through Nanxihe grand bridge on the China-Laos Railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) "China has this fabric of ideas which holds it together ... It is also held together by its past and its culture," the expert said. "China has a theoretically-led government system. This is one of the most extraordinary strengths of it." The global future "is an issue which commands the attention of people everywhere in the world, not just people of this country or that country," Albrow noted. Tackling such big global issues as climate change, nuclear security and deforestation needs "the focus for collective activities, which go beyond national boundaries," he said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Flash Russia announced Saturday that Moscow would immediately and indefinitely suspend its implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, accusing Ukraine of launching drone attacks under British guidance. "On Oct. 29, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, under the cover of the humanitarian corridor set up for the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, launched massive air and sea strikes using drones against the Russian Black Sea Fleet's ships and infrastructure at the naval base in Sevastopol," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Ukraine and Britain denied the accusation, while the United Nations called for restraint by all parties. As a result of the "terrorist attack" against Russian ships, the Russian side can no longer guarantee the safety of civilian dry cargo ships participating in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, it added. The Ukrainian drone attacks on Sevastopol were prepared under the guidance of British navy specialists, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Saturday. Meanwhile, the Russian military reported that they have information on the involvement of the British security services in a series of explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Saturday that "now Moscow uses a false pretext to block the grain corridor which ensures food security for millions of people." The Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry said it is ready to continue gathering and shipping agricultural products to ensure global food security despite Russia's plan to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Calling Russia's claim an "invented story," the British Defense Ministry said that Russia is "resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale" to distract attention from Russian military actions. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Saturday that the UN is in touch with Russia after the latter announced the suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. "It is vital that all parties refrain from any action that would imperil the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is a critical humanitarian effort that is clearly having a positive impact on access to food for millions of people around the world," said the spokesman. On July 22, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Turkiye and the UN on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict. The initial duration of the agreement is 120 days. The parties had agreed that the deal could be extended automatically on the condition that no party objects. On Friday, Guterres called for the renewal of the agreement. A man with a gun held police at bay outside a government building for more than five hours, shutting down part of downtown Mobile, Alabama, before shooting himself. A police spokeswoman tells reporters that a man with a gunshot wound was spotted in a parked car outside Government Plaza on Monday. She says the man pointed a gun to his head when officers approached to see if he needed help. Officers surrounded the car, and officers say the man shot himself hours later. Police Chief Paul Prine says the man was believed to have suffered a life-threatening wound. WASHINGTON (AP) The survival of affirmative action in higher education appeared to be in serious trouble Monday at a conservative-dominated Supreme Court after hours of debate over vexing questions of race. The most diverse court in the nation's history among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina is weighing challenges to admissions programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard that use race among many factors in seeking a diverse student body. The court's six conservative justices all expressed doubts about the practice, which has been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978. The court's three liberals defended the programs, which are similar to those used by many other private and public universities. Getting rid of race-conscious college admissions would have a destabilizing effect that would cause the ranks of Black and Latino students to plummet at the nations most selective schools, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the Biden administration, said. Following the overturning of the half-century abortion precedent of Roe v. Wade in June, the cases offer a big new test of whether the court, with its 6-3 conservative edge, will sharply steer the law to the right on another contentious cultural issue that conservatives have had in their sights for years. The questions the justices offered further laid bare the stark ideological divisions on the court in an era of intense political polarization in the country. Justice Clarence Thomas, the court's second Black justice, who has a long record of opposition to affirmative action programs and other conservative positions, noted he didnt go to racially diverse schools, at one point saying, Ive heard the word diversity quite a few times, and I dont have a clue what it means. He also challenged defenders of affirmative action to tell me what the educational benefits are. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, another conservative, pointed to one of the court's previous affirmative action cases and said it anticipated a halt to its use in declaring that any classification based on race was dangerous and had to have an end point. She was among several conservatives who pushed lawyers representing the schools and the Biden administration to venture a guess when that day would come. Your position is that race matters because its necessary for diversity, which is necessary for the sort of education you want. Its not going to stop mattering at some particular point, said Chief Justice John Roberts, who has long been skeptical of considerations of race. Justice Samuel Alito likened affirmative action to a footrace in which a minority applicant gets to start five yards closer to the finish line. But liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court's first Hispanic member, rejected that comparison saying what universities are doing is looking at students as a whole. Likewise, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the courts newest justice and its first Black woman, also said race was being used among 40 different factors at the University of North Carolina as part of a broad review of applicants. Theyre looking at the full person with all of these characteristics, she said. Justice Elena Kagan, who was the first female dean at Harvard Law School earlier in her career, called universities the pipelines to leadership in our society and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop. I thought part of what it meant to be an American and to believe in American pluralism is that actually our institutions, you know, are reflective of who we are as a people in all our variety, she said. The Supreme Court has twice upheld race-conscious college admissions programs in the past 19 years, including just six years ago. But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined. Jackson was chosen this year by President Joe Biden. Lower courts have upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants. The cases are brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end the use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act. Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014. The group argues that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and calls for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise. Colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors, Students for Fair Admissions argues. Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed Ryan Park, a lawyer for North Carolina, on why colleges shouldn't be forced to eliminate those preferences, which tend to favor the children of wealthy white parents, to see if it allowed them to increase diversity without considering race. A college might end up with a more diverse student body, but "we just would have a crummy squash team and no art museum, Gorsuch said. In the Harvard case, lawyer Seth Waxman pointed to lower court findings rejecting claims that Harvard discriminates on the basis of race. Waxman said the school looks for many different kinds of diversity, including having oboe players for its student orchestra. We did not fight a civil war over oboe players," Roberts countered, a sharp allusion to the nation's long struggle with race. The schools contend that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America. The Biden administration is urging the court to preserve race-conscious admissions. The Trump administration had taken the opposite position in earlier stages of the cases. UNC says its freshman class is about 65% white, 22% Asian American, 10% Black and 10% Hispanic. The numbers add to more than 100% because some students report belonging to more than one category, a school spokesman said. White students are just over 40% of Harvard's freshman class, the school said. The class also is just under 28% Asian American, 14% Black and 12% Latino. Nine states already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington. In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action. Public opinion on the topic varies depending on how the question is asked. A Gallup Poll from 2021 found 62% of Americans in favor of affirmative action programs for racial minorities. But in a Pew Research Center survey in March, 74% of Americans, including majorities of Black and Latino respondents, said race and ethnicity should not factor into college admissions. Jackson and Roberts received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices went to law school there. Jackson is sitting out the Harvard case because she was until recently a member of an advisory governing board there. A sedition trial has opened in Hong Kong for two former top editors of a shuttered online media outlet who have been detained without bail for 10 months. Stand News editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam were arrested in December 2021 during a crackdown on dissent following widespread protests in 2019. The two were charged with conspiracy to publish seditious materials under a law that dates from the British colonial era. Stand News was one of the citys last news media that openly criticized the government after the closure of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper. MILWAUKEE (AP) Milwaukees top election official surveyed about 20 poll workers gathered in a classroom in a city building stuffed with election supplies, then spoke frankly about the tense environment they may face next week when the city expects more people watching their work than ever before. So who is worried about observer disruptions? Claire Woodall-Vogg, head of the Milwaukee Election Commission, asked the group. Who has read things or heard things on the news, and youre a little nervous? I am. Ill raise my hand, she said, smiling. A few of the workers raised their hands, too. They're not alone in their concern: Election officials across the country are bracing for confrontational poll watchers fueled by lies about the legitimacy of the 2020 election spread by former President Donald Trump and others, even after Trump's loss was upheld by repeated reviews, audits and recounts, and courts rejected legal challenges. That tension is higher in the handful of battleground states like Wisconsin, where Trump and others were quick to cry fraud after late-arriving results from Democratic-dominated Milwaukee helped Joe Biden narrowly carry the state in 2020. Recounts demanded by Trump confirmed Biden's victory. Woodall-Vogg has already felt the pressure. In an interview, she described being harassed and threatened after that election via email, phone calls and letters to her home threats serious enough that she has an assigned FBI agent to forward them to. Still, Woodall-Vogg said she'd rather she be a target than her workers some of whom have stepped down from managerial roles because of the pressure. Were not paying them millions of bucks to endure that stress by any means, Woodall-Vogg said. Election officials nationally are concerned about a flood of conspiracy theorists signing up to work as poll watchers, with some groups that have trafficked in lies about the 2020 election recruiting and training watchers, particularly in swing states like Wisconsin. Wisconsin requires poll workers to be trained only every two years, but this year Milwaukee is offering much more frequent training than in elections past, including informational videos and one-hour sessions focused on specific topics, like voter registration. The content remains unchanged. In the mid-October session observed by The Associated Press, Woodall-Vogg was presenting to an experienced group of poll managers known as chief inspectors who will be responsible for directing workers at individual polling places. The managers get a flat payment of $325 for Election Day duties that begin before 7 a.m. and can stretch into the wee hours of the next morning. Non-managers get $220. When the training turned to how to handle potential problems, Woodall-Vogg was careful to note that observers play a vital role in our democracy. But she also said she didn't want her workers to feel threatened by them. She demonstrated how to tape off sections where observers can stand between 3 and 8 feet from voter check-in and registration areas. Take your tape and make a line and say, This is the observer area, or make a box and say, Please dont leave this area, she said. Violators first get a warning; if they do it again, they're ordered to leave. If someone refuses, police are called. Woodall-Vogg also walked the workers through how to handle challenges to voter eligibility based on a voter's race or the language they speak. Such challenges are unacceptable, Woodall-Vogg said, and should get a warning as frivolous. An observer who makes a second such challenge would be ordered to leave. Some poll workers who spoke to AP said they expect to see conflict, but they're ready for it. I have a calling to serve, said 70-year-old Andrea Nembhard, who has worked elections for more than a decade. She added: I'm not afraid. Melody Villanueva, 46, said the same. Im a problem solver, so I will de-escalate if necessary, and I will have to call the proper authority if necessary, she said. I am not one to fear much. Some workers acknowledged their nerves. Averil Fletcher recounted calling the police during the August primary when a voter convinced he had been deliberately locked out of the polling place threw chairs and threatened workers. She had to wait 35 minutes for officers who had been busy elsewhere handling a pair of shootings. Woodall-Vogg assured the managers that Fletcher's experience will never happen again. If there is an election disturbance, if someones refusing to leave the polling place and youve issued them an order to leave, we have a direct line and there will be officers that will respond to support you, Woodall-Vogg told the chief inspectors. Federal law enforcement will also be on standby. Four assistant U.S. attorneys are assigned to oversee Election Day in Wisconsin and deal with threats of violence to election staff and complaints of voting rights concerns, and the FBI has stationed agents throughout the country to address allegations of election fraud and other election abuses, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Thanks to increased interest, the city hit full election staffing levels with two weeks to spare, which Woodall-Vogg said has never happened before. Usually its more panicking, filling in gaps, Woodall-Vogg said. That included five times as many partisan nominees to be election workers than in previous elections, but Woodall-Vogg said she's not worried about bad actors because the system is designed to prevent issues. Election inspectors always have multiple eyes over their shoulder as they work: a second inspector is required to sign off for each task, and chief inspectors are monitoring all workers. Anyone who might have bad intentions, we would immediately, I think, be able to identify, she said. ___ Harm Venhuizen contributed from Madison. Venhuizen and Savage are corps members for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Learn more about the issues and factors at play in the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections. And follow the APs election coverage of the 2022 elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina is getting a boost from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other political figures in the closing week before the midterm elections as she seeks a second term representing her fast-growing district. On Wednesday, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the Cuban American politician who currently serves as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, will appear with Mace at an event in Mount Pleasant, near Charleston, Maces campaign told The Associated Press. A day later, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who represented Hawaii as a Democrat but recently announced she was leaving the party, is holding a campaign rally with Mace at a restaurant in Mount Pleasant. On Saturday, McCarthy, R-Calif., will stump for Mace at a downtown Charleston fundraiser expected to bring in $100,000, according to her campaign. These leaders represent a broad spectrum of voters Republican, Democrat and Independent and theyre here to help remind Lowcountry voters Nancy Mace is an independent voice for them in Washington," Maces campaign manager, Austin McCubbin, told the AP on Monday. The appearances come as Mace prepares to face off with Democrat Annie Andrews, a Charleston-area pediatrician who has portrayed Mace as too soft on gun safety, casting herself as an advocate for children. Mace has campaigned on bipartisan legislation during her first term but has also aimed to counter Andrews' child advocacy by accusing the doctor of child abuse for allegedly supporting gender-affirming surgeries on minors. In their only debate, Andrews responded by saying she doesn't support such surgeries for children but does back evidenced-based medical care, with parental consent, for teens struggling with gender identity issues. The 1st District, which stretches along much of South Carolina's southern coast, is the only one among South Carolina's seven House districts with a recent history of changing hands. In 2018, Democrat Joe Cunningham became the first Democrat in decades to flip any of the state's seats from red to blue, although he lost the seat to Mace two years later. But for this year's election, the lines have been redrawn, a reconfiguration that may have made the area more likely to rest in GOP control than in elections past. It's also been listed as among the top 10 fastest-growing districts in the country, with population shifts playing a role in the area's political makeup. Mace fended off an intense primary challenge from Katie Arrington, a former state House member with the backing of former President Donald Trump, who had solicited any interest from good and SMART America First Republican Patriots to run against a list of sitting House Republicans, including Mace. McCarthy has been campaigning for GOP House candidates across the country as control of the chamber hangs in the midterm election balance. He was in South Carolina earlier this year to headline a fundraiser for the state Republican Party and endorsed Mace during her 2020 run, praising Mace's "tireless work ethic, conservative track record, and ability to get things done. Suarez, who won a nonpartisan reelection last year, is a registered Republican and recently floated the possibility of running for president in 2024, casting himself as unafraid to buck his party's establishment. Noting that he didn't vote for Trump in 2020, Suarez has also been critical of Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis whom he also didn't back in his 2018 campaign pushing back against DeSantis' decision to prevent local communities from instituting mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Early voting is underway in South Carolina and runs through Saturday. Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. Follow the APs coverage of the 2022 midterm elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections. WATERLOO The popular, iconic Hickory House barbecue restaurant has burned down less than a week after celebrating seven decades in business after a car hit the building Sunday. According to Troy Luck, Waterloo Fire Rescue batallion chief, firefighters were called at around 9 a.m. to reports of a car crashing into the D&K Hickory House at 315 Park Road downtown. The crash caused a gas leak, and as firefighters were addressing the leak, an explosion occurred in the old, wooden building. One firefighter was reportedly evaluated for injuries, but he was cleared to return to duty. Right now its minor, Luck said. Hes been released back to work. Last Monday, the Hickory House celebrated 70 years of doing business. According to restaurant co-owner Lutricia Chilcote, the family is still waiting for the evaluation from their insurers, but suspects a total loss. Well, the ceiling is all caved in, so Im assuming a total loss, Chilcote said. The restaurant is well known to generations of Cedar Valley diners, and its smoked ribs were a customer favorite. Photos of celebrities who had stopped in lined a wall just inside the front door. The Waterloo Police Department is still investigating the circumstances behind the crash that led to the fire. Omaha World Herald. October 27, 2022. Editorial: Photo ID initiative adds unnecessary burden for some Nebraska voters Voting is a right, and no unnecessary speedbumps should be placed in the path of Nebraskans who want to exercise that right. Thats why Initiative 432, a proposed constitutional amendment to require voters to show valid photographic ID before casting a ballot, is a bad idea. The amendment would apply to voters who go to the polls as well as those who mail in their ballots early, with no exceptions. The Legislature would set the specific rules if the initiative passes. Some say Nebraskas voter ID rules would become among the most restrictive in the country. This ballot measure is an excessive reaction to unfounded concerns about election security. If enacted, it would unfairly force some of our fellow citizens to jump through extra hoops in order to vote. And the added burdens could undermine the goal of encouraging all Nebraskans to exercise their voting rights. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, who supports the voter ID proposal, acknowledges that Nebraska has not had a problem with voter fraud generally let alone any cases of people trying to impersonate others so they can vote. World-Herald reporter Martha Stoddard also found that no more than a handful of such cases have occurred in any election nationally. Anyone who tries to impersonate a voter is breaking existing law and ought to be prosecuted. But our elections are not being stolen in this way. We understand the surface appeal of requiring photo ID. Most of us already have drivers licenses or state-issued alternate ID cards. And were all familiar with showing photo ID to get on a plane or buy alcohol or open a bank account although most of those are voluntary activities, not constitutional rights like voting. But consider who might not already have that drivers license in their purse or wallet: Lower-income folks who cant afford a car. Young people who didnt want to be added yet to their familys auto insurance. Those who have moved to Nebraska from big cities with ample mass transit and limited parking, so they never needed a license. Senior citizens who may have given up driving. They all still deserve an equal right to vote. Supporters of Initiative 432 say those people can get the alternative photo ID. An estimated 25,000 eligible voters would need one. Since voting is a right, Nebraska would have to make those alternative IDs free. Supporters say it would cost $100,000 a year; opponents say it might be $750,000 annually, including an education program to help citizens learn of the new rules, plus $2.2 million in setup costs. But thats just what state taxpayers would pay. The burden would fall on individual citizens to make extra efforts and likely incur some costs if they want to vote. To get an ID card, theyd need to find the time and resources to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles office and wait in one or more lines. Many of us have experienced that drudgery. But thats not all. Applicants would need to bring documents to the DMV, such as a copy of a birth certificate. If thats not handy, they might need to go to the courthouse or send away to another state to get one, at some expense. And all this would be trickier for someone who, after all, lacks a license to drive anywhere. Which groups might find those tasks particularly challenging? Low-income people. Senior citizens. People with mobility issues. Those who would need to take time off from their jobs. And what about mail-in ballots? Its not known what Nebraskas rules would be, but some states require a voter to submit a photocopy of their license or ID card with their ballot. Not everyone has easy access to a copier. Besides, the photo ID concept is hardly foolproof. Dishonest people are known to use fake, stolen or borrowed IDs for other purposes. Our nations history includes shameful attempts to disenfranchise certain types of citizens through poll taxes and voting tests. In Mississippi, for example, applicants once were required to write an essay on citizenship, with officials deciding who should pass. Often, that meant Black applicants were denied the right to vote. This photo ID proposal doesnt share the same goal of deterring minority voters, we hope. But it certainly runs counter to the spirit of Nebraskas constitution, which says there shall be no hindrance or impediment to the right of a qualified voter to exercise the elective franchise. Some eligible Nebraska voters are sure to be hindered or impeded by this added requirement. Voters should vote no on Initiative 432. Lincoln Journal Star. October 26, 2022. Editorial: Corrections Department must be accountable Last year, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services received an appropriation to come up with a plan for a halfway back house, a structured environment for parole violators short of returning them to prison. During that 2021 session, the Legislature also mandated a comprehensive facilities study and a study to determine whether inmates were being properly classified based on security and programming needs. Back in 2015, lawmakers required the department produce an electronic medical records tracking system and study the effectiveness of its rehabilitation programming. As of now, none of the studies, plans or systems has been produced. That failure to produce the reports last week led senators to rightfully question whether the troubled, recalcitrant department has intentionally ignored directives. The situation very likely will place it under even more scrutiny for failed policies and inaction that have contributed to Nebraska having the countrys most overcrowded prison system. Interim Corrections Director Diane Sabatka-Rine, who had been on the job for just four days at the time of the Judiciary Committees public hearing on the failure to deliver the reports, had a handful of excuses and explanations for the departments inaction that seemed, frankly, unconvincing. The facilities study, she said, will be done by the end of year and the inmate classification study by March, both more than a year after they should have been completed. The 2015 programming study was launched but never completed due to staff turnover, another chronic Corrections Department issue. Most troubling of all, the department has reported that it will create 96 beds of transitional housing for parolees, changing, without authorization, the Legislatures intent to create the halfway back house. The latter is simply open defiance of a Legislative mandate and should be reversed. The delays, Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha suggested, appear to have been deliberate. The practical impact was the withholding of information and analysis from the public while senators debated earlier this year the need for a new $270 million, 1,500-bed prison to replace the Nebraska State Penitentiary. Senators set aside money for a new prison, but, wisely, did not appropriate it. So the issues of a new prison, overcrowding and the need for sentencing and corrections reform are sure to return to the Legislature in January. That will be a new session with a new Legislature, which, we hope, will, unlike its predecessors that repeatedly kicked those cans down the road, take meaningful action to address the issues. There will also be a new administration in the Capitol next year, a change that, again, we hope, will produce a more cooperative and transparent relationship with the Legislature and public than that of the Ricketts Administration and former director Scott Frakes. And, importantly, the reports and studies must be completed and made public before the Legislature considers any bills, has any debates or takes a single vote on corrections matters. END America is now a nation where acts of political violence are so predictable that for months before an assailant broke into the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacked her husband, Paul Pelosi, last week, experts have warned such an incident was likely. Politically catalyzed violence should be expected to rise with the election calendar and to fall between campaigns, Rachel Kleinfeld, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, said in testimony to Congress in March. In August, two counterterrorism experts at Georgetown wrote that with a midterm around the corner, a former president under investigation, and major upheavals occurring on hot-button issues such as abortion and gun control, extremists inclined to violence will be increasingly likely to lash out. And in early October, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told the New York Times that threats of violence against members of Congress have become so intense that I wouldnt be surprised if a senator or House member were killed. Public officials, and their families, should not have to live with this level of fear. It is horrific that campaign season has become a time of violence and threats rather than healthy debate about the issues. Democrat Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, D.C., when the intruder broke into her San Francisco home shouting, "Where is Nancy? before attacking her husband with a hammer, fracturing his skull and seriously injuring his arm. Police booked David DePape who reportedly said he was waiting for Nancy after police arrived at the Pelosi home on suspicion of several crimes, including attempted homicide and assault with a deadly weapon. A Los Angeles Times review of DePapes online presence shows he was engaged in spreading far-right conspiracies, spewing antisemitism, hate and bizarre QAnon screeds and posting videos from Donald Trump supporters pushing the bogus claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Yes, occasional political violence across the ideological spectrum is as old as America itself. Whats different now is the frequency. In the five years after Trump was elected president in 2016, recorded threats against members of Congress rose more than tenfold, to 9,625 in 2021, according to a New York Times analysis of figures from the Capitol Police. Last week, a man pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and his staff. Earlier this summer, a man tried to stab New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, a Republican congressman, during a July campaign event, and an armed man was arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal outside her Seattle home. A Simi Valley, California, man was arrested near the Maryland home of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh in June after he flew across the country with a black tactical vest, a Glock 17 pistol and, according to authorities, a plan to harm the Supreme Court justice. In August, two men were convicted of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a plot that involved obtaining a bomb to blow up a bridge and thwart police. And in May, two Northern California men pleaded guilty to plotting to blow up the state Democratic Partys headquarters in Sacramento in a scheme prosecutors described as politically motivated by Trumps 2020 loss. Republicans who believe that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump and that Joe Biden is an illegitimate president are substantially more likely than other Americans to believe that violence is justified to advance political objectives, according to a new study by the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program. They are more likely to hold extreme and racist beliefs, to endorse political violence, to see such violence as likely to occur, and to predict that they will be armed under circumstances in which they consider political violence to be justified, the authors wrote. This trend is a stain on the nation and something leaders of all kinds political, religious, community and cultural must work to reverse. Violence against public officials and their families is the mark of an undemocratic society. Ryan Melton showed up to debate on PBS. Randy Feenstra rejected an invitation from Iowa PBS without explanation. Feenstra already backed out of a joint forum planned for the Clay County fair. So if Randy Feenstra cannot or will not show up for a debate then will he show up for the 36 counties that he is supposed to represent? What is he hiding? Time to vote for the guy who does show up and that would be Ryan Melton. -- Marianne Dirksen, Council Bluffs, Iowa Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the Russia-China Friendship Association on its 65th anniversary. In his letter dated Saturday, Xi said since its founding 65 years ago, the association has always adhered to the principle of friendship in managing relations with China, and has made important contributions to enhancing mutual understanding, friendship and mutual trust between people of the two countries as well as consolidating public support for friendly bilateral relations. The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained the momentum of high-level development, with ever-deepening exchanges and cooperation in various fields as well as friendship between people of the two countries, Xi noted, adding that the cause of China-Russia people-to-people friendship enjoys broad prospects and great potential for future development. The Chinese president said he hopes that the association will carry forward its fine traditions and play a bigger role in promoting people-to-people bonds between the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent congratulations to the association on Saturday. SIOUX CITY -- Patients with sleep apnea, who can't tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy or aren't being adequately treated by it, could be candidates for Inspire. The upper airway stimulation system turns on at bedtime with the simple click of a remote and opens the airway. Dr. David Wagner, a Sioux City ear, nose and throat specialist, is now placing the small device in qualified patients, during a roughly two-hour outpatient procedure at Pierce Street Same Day Surgery, which requires two five-centimeter incisions -- one under the jawline and the other in the chest. "Inspire has been around for a few years," Wagner said. "The surgical procedure is implantation of upper airway nerve stimulation with a nerve generator and a wire." Wagner likened the nerve generator to a pacemaker. It runs on a battery that lasts around 10 years. The upper airway stimulation system is FDA-approved for full-body MRI scans, provided specific conditions are followed. Wagner said it is typically implanted on the right side of the chest. The wire is placed on the hypoglossal nerve, the 12th cranial nerve, which enables tongue movement. Wagner said only the branches of the nerve that stimulate protrusion of the tongue on one side and a stiffening of the tongue are selected to open the upper airway. "The nerve generator that stimulates is placed in a pocket. Through that same incision, we dissect down to the muscles between the ribs and we put a breathe sensor on those muscles, so it can detect when you're attempting to breathe by the stretch of the fibers," he explained. "That is how we time the stimulation to the upper airway." Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes a person to stop breathing or have very shallow breathing. Inspire was FDA approved in 2014 as a second-line therapy to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. Wagner said the sleep disorder is "very prevalent" and underdiagnosed. He said snoring doesn't guarantee that a person has the disorder. Waking up not feeling rested, daytime fatigue, headaches and short-term memory difficulties are also associated with sleep apnea. Long-term consequences of untreated sleep apnea include higher risk of cardiac dysrhythmias, stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure. "Those are things that are really investments in their health if they can treat it when they're diagnosed in their 40s or 50s or earlier," Wagner said. According to Wagner, almost all patients would have to try continuous positive airway pressure before they would be a candidate to have the Inspire upper airway stimulation. Inspire is FDA approved for people 18 and older. "The biggest difference it's going to make is in the patients we identify early in life and, then, can enjoy decades of being treated," Wagner said. Wagner said apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is the main metric used to determine how severe a person's sleep apnea is. He said AHI measures how many times there's pauses or low volume breaths per hour over night, during a sleep study. "If a patient is wearing the CPAP and still has an AHI that shows sleep apnea, and they're not adequately treated, that would be a candidate," he said. "Another candidate would be someone who's claustrophobic, who has post-traumatic stress." Wagner said the collapse of the airway is inspected under a drug-induced sleep to ensure Inspire will work. He said about two-thirds of the cases will have a predominately front to back collapse, while a third will have a collapse that is all the way around. He said Inspire would only fix part of the problem for the latter group. "When we breathe in at night, we create a vacuum or a negative pressure, as the diaphragm pulls down," he said. "The soft tissues in the throat can fall together. There's a couple different ways it can collapse. This procedure has to be selected for patients who collapse primarily front to back." Wagner noted that there are certain criteria set by insurance companies, which also determines who qualifies for Inspire. He said a patient with a body mass index over a certain level, for example, wouldn't be a candidate. Patients have sutures in for a couple of weeks following the procedure. They have to wait a month for their device to be turned on. When it is activated, Wagner said he works through different levels of stimulation to find the optimal amount. "After three months, we put the patient back into the sleep lab to make sure that it's adequately treating their sleep apnea," he said. "Our first several patients have had excellent results." SIOUX CITY -- If Beth Hughes could move her executive ranch on Sioux City's north side more than 1,000 miles away to the Empire State, she would. The former MercyOne Western Iowa president recently departed for a professional opportunity with a health care system in Buffalo, New York. Now, the six-bedroom, five-bathroom home, which she spent several months renovating with her husband Don, is on the market. "I love that house," Beth said during a phone interview. The house, 741 Deerfield Drive, sat empty for roughly two years, before the couple purchased it in 2018. It hadn't really been updated since it was built on a quiet cul-de-sac in 1997. "I remember my real estate agent was hesitant to even show it to me," recalled Don, who noted that the home previously had a "Miami Vice" look with limestone tile and zebra carpeting. "But, I immediately knew that this was right up our alley with the high ceilings and the open floor plan." Beth saw potential in the home's architecture and openness. She could get past the aesthetics. "I could pretty easily envision what I wanted to do," she said. "What you see in that house is sort of my taste. It's the way I would decorate just about anything." The Hugheses hired Nick Haugen, owner of Haugen Construction Custom Homes, for the remodeling project. The kitchen, family room, living room and homeowner suite were completely transformed into modern, yet comfortable and functional, spaces. The stairs leading to the covered deck were moved out to increase the size of the outdoor living space and contemporary, custom railings were fashioned and installed. "Another thing that sold us on this house was the transition from indoor to outdoor on both floors. It's phenomenal," Don said. Beth spent a significant amount of time online browsing for ideas and concepts. The couple also traveled to Omaha and Sioux Falls to find the perfect finishes for their 5,000-square-foot-plus abode. "I think we would both say that we're extremely happy with the result," Beth said. "The before and after is just amazing." Pop of color The kitchen, which was formerly tiny and chopped up, is the heart of the home and an ideal space for entertaining. The Hugheses' guests naturally gravitate to the black granite island, which stretches a massive 17 feet. In addition to ample barstool seating, the island also contains a farmhouse-style sink and dishwasher. The sleek white cabinetry has special doors that keep coffeemakers and toasters hidden. The stainless steel appliances are from GE's coveted Cafe series. Beth knew she wanted to use a black, white and gray color palette. She spent a significant amount of time online browsing for ideas and concepts. What goes great with those cool neutrals? Mustard yellow, of course. The warm color graces a side wall in the living room and a hallway that leads to the homeowner suite. A dark barndoor, which conceals a hallway bathroom when closed, pops out from the mustard wall. Beth's sister Christine Flannery, an artist, painted a contemporary design on the door. Beth's beloved mustard is also found in some of the furnishings, decorative pillows and artwork. "I love mustard yellow. I've wanted to use it," she said. "I didn't have the right space in my previous house to use it. It was a great opportunity to create an accent wall. It's not overwhelming." The home's crown molding was previously all white. The Hugheses painted the trim the same color as the walls to make the 12-foot ceilings appear even higher. The living room features two large arched windows that look out onto the sizeable deck and wooded backyard. Another highlight is the three-sided DaVinci fireplace tucked into a black textured wall. The wall provides separation between the living room and family room. "I wanted sort of a stucco look, like you just threw stucco on the wall. I really wanted it to have depth. I knew exactly what that wall was supposed to look like," Beth said. "We took the whole wall down that was there and, then, rebuilt that wall, because of how specific I was about what I wanted that to look like." Don said they searched forever for the black bamboo flooring for the bedrooms. The common spaces also have dark bamboo floors, but that durable hardwood is distressed and has multiple tones. Beth added that selecting the flooring was the hardest decision she had to make throughout the design process. "I was very clear about wanting a black bamboo floor. We went to a lot of places. The more specific you are, the harder it is to find what you're looking for," she said. "I wanted the floor to have black in it. I wanted it to have a lot of movement and not be smooth." A retreat While the Hugheses spend a great deal of time hanging out on the covered deck, Beth said her favorite space has to be her huge closet, which is attached to the homeowner suite. They opted to take out a wall and, then, put in a wall to create the bright and airy closet, which is equipped with drawers, cabinets and racks. The fandelier with lights and crystals, which Don assembled, is a treasured accent for Beth. "I literally kind of retreat to the closet to sort of organize my week. It's a big, bright space to be in. I absolutely love it," she said. "I would say that is without a doubt my favorite space where I go in the house." The Hugheses' walk-in closets flank the spa-like bathroom just off the bedroom. The bathroom has a walk-in steam shower with stone that stretches to the ceiling, gleaming gray ceramic tile floors, quartz his and her vanities and a soaking tub. The tub is positioned underneath a window that looks down onto the rolling, wooded countryside. "The best window view, in my opinion, in the whole house happens to be in the bathroom," Don said. "Out that window, the sunsets are crazy. I've seen the most incredible storms approaching Sioux City from out there. It's so cool." Beth said she thoroughly enjoyed seeing her vision come to fruition. As for the next owners, she said they should "make it their own." However, she has one request: Don't turn her closet back into a bedroom. "That would be devastating," she said with a chuckle. "But, I think, as we did, people should do what they want and what makes them feel comfortable in their home. I understand people don't have the same taste that we do. For us, it's exactly what we wanted. It's just a really comfortable living space." Get Dear Prudence delivered to your inbox each week; click here to sign up. Please send your questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. (Questions may be edited.) Got a burning question for Prudie? Shell be online here on Slate to chat with readers each Monday at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the live discussion. Dear Prudence, I live in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country, but on one of the more modest streetsmostly doctors and lawyers and family business owners. (A few blocks away are billionaires, families with famous last names, media moguls, etc.) I have noticed that on Halloween, what seems like 75 percent of the trick-or-treaters are clearly not from this neighborhood. Kids arrive in overflowing cars from less fortunate areas. I feel this is inappropriate. Halloween isnt a social service or a charity in which I have to buy candy for less fortunate children. Obviously this makes me feel like a terrible person, because whats the big deal about making less fortunate kids happy on a holiday? But it just bugs me, because we already pay more than enough taxes toward actual social services. Should Halloween be a neighborhood activity, or is it legitimately a free-for-all in which people hunt down the best candy grounds for their kids? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halloween for the 99 Percent Dear 99, In the urban neighborhood where I used to live, families who were not from the immediate area would come in fairly large groups to trick-or-treat on our streets, which were safe, well-lit, and full of people overstocked with candy. It was delightful to see the little mermaids, spider-men, ghosts, and the occasional axe murderer excitedly run up and down our front steps, having the time of their lives. So wed spend an extra $20 to make sure we had enough candy for kids who werent as fortunate as ours. There you are, 99, on the impoverished side of Greenwich or Beverly Hills, with the other struggling lawyers, doctors, and business owners. Your whine makes me kind of wish that people from the actual poor side of town come this year not with scary costumes but with real pitchforks. Stop being callous and miserly and go to Costco, you cheapskate, and get enough candy to fill the bags of the kids who come one day a year to marvel at how the 1 percent live. Advertisement Advertisement Prudie Advertisement Dear Prudence, Like a lot of young adults, Im a twentysomething woman with a pretty high student loan debt. I graduated from high school at a time when we were being told by everyone that any loans we took out for our educations we would be able to pay back right away. Now I know better. When I graduated university, I had trouble finding a job and ended up as a cashier in a large retail company. I kept the position while going to graduate school and working two other jobs. Three years after starting at the company I have a masters degree and some good experience in my field. I also have been promoted twice at my store, and broken into management. I love my job now. Ive found it to be fast-paced, interesting, and a great use of my skills. This company has helped me grow personally and professionally, and I am so proud of what Im accomplishing as a manager. I want to stay and continue to climb the ladder. Right now it doesnt pay as much as I could get if I went on to the field I have a degree in, but I see so much more potential for growth than I did in my graduate assistantship. Lately I have been getting a lot of questions about when I plan to start my career and some condescending comments about how unimportant my job is. Im also not sure if Im making the wrong choice, and setting myself up for a life of debt. What do you think? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Ladder Dear On, Read this story of how Karen Kaplan went from being a receptionist to the CEO of Hill Holliday, one of the countrys top ad agencies. Im not surprised your company recognized they had something special in you. Not many people could juggle graduate school and two jobs. Whatever it was you were studying, you obviously have a superhuman capacity for work and a rare ability to meet your goals. Good for your employers for recognizing your talent and drive and rewarding it. Keep impressing people, and youll continue to climb. Since you started at a low pay base, you must ask for raises commensurate with your accomplishments and your education. You need to point out that now you have both a great track record at the company and a graduate degree, so you would like to increase your compensation appropriate to your experience and education. Its fine if your degree is in a subject not obviously related to retail. Make the case that what you learned in graduate school about analyzing complex data (or whatever) is something you apply every day. Also check that youre handling your loans in the most efficient wayheres a New York Times column full of tips on this. You do not express any longing for what sounds like a now-abandoned academic track. You do express a desire to make a mark as a corporate manager. So tell those naysayers that youve already launched your career and you feel grateful to have found a rewarding way to use your skills and abilities. When you become a CEO and profiles start getting written about you, please mention that one lesson youve learned is that when youre having a major dilemma, its good to turn to a neutral person for advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prudie Dear Prudence, Im a man who runs a mid-size team (50 or so people) at a company. Over the past year one employee has complained five times about sexually inappropriate behavior from both colleagues inside our team and in other parts of the company. Her complaints fall within the broadest concept of workplace harassment (being called sweetie by a co-worker, for example), but we take them all seriously. We discuss what happened and how to behave going forward with the offending party, and also note the complaint in their personnel file. My worry is that while her concerns are legitimate, they also seem like marginal offenses and her volume of complaints gives her a bit of a boy who cried wolf image. Outside of her, we have had one harassment claim in the past five years (which ended in a dismissal). Im worried I am hurting the careers of her peers by reporting offenses that seem overly sensitive. How do I address this? Advertisement Too sensitive? Dear Sensitive, Im tempted to tell you to say, Courtney, sweetie, babe. Pull that broom out of your rear end and join the human race. So its a good thing I dont teach sexual harassment law. But Jennifer Drobac does, as a professor at Indiana Universitys Robert H. McKinney School of Law, and she had some different advice. First of all, she noted that the law does not require people in offices to be robots who must check every word they say; conversely, employees cant be so sensitive that every stray comment is seen as an attack. In general, sexual harassment is severe or pervasive, and the occasional joke or remark does not constitute harassment. Drobac explained that where your company is located makes some difference on the sweetie front. In the South or some parts of the Midwest, people do this without being sexual or sexist, and she said both the speaker and listener need to have cultural sensitivity. (I live in Maryland where hon is an equal-opportunity endearment.) But youve got an employee who doesnt like it, so your best course, Drobac said, is to tell the person who uses the term that it makes some people uncomfortable (dont identify Courtney even if everyones going to know its Courtney). Say you know its a habit, but its one that needs to be curbed for the workplace. Drobac also pointed out that not every conversation between management and an employee about behavior needs to go in the personnel file as a disciplinary action. You may feel better about responding to Courtneys complaints if you see these as opportunities for education, rather than punishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Courtney is a chronic complainer, the kind of person who might like to take her unhappiness to the EEOC, you should consider taking action to protect the company. Drobac said that you could hire an expert in sexual harassmentwithout announcing it as suchto come in and review the office culture and make a report. If there are things that need correction, improve them. But you likely will end up with a document saying you have a safe and nondiscriminatory work environment. Then the next time Courtney comes to you with an outrage, tell her you took her concerns so seriously that you had an investigation done. The good news was that the company does not promote or condone a hostile work environment. Give her a copy of the report and tell her youre always happy to talk to her, but not every minor offense is actionable. Lets hope, for your sake, Courtney decides self-employment is the best course for someone with her sensibilities. Advertisement Prudie Dear Prudie, My husband and I are facing an ethical dilemma when it comes to his parents and their choice of extended-family vacation time. They are comfortable financially and it has become a tradition for us to fly down on school break from the Northeast to their home in central Florida. Often, on their dime, we visit One of Central Floridas Most Popular Destinations. This year our youngest will be turning 3 years old just ahead of arrival. That is the magical age at which admission must be paid. My in-laws have asked how we feel about passing him for a 2-year-old, thus getting in for free. Our issues are that its their money, but we feel kind of icky about lying, and also our other children would be old enough to pick up on what were doing. We are grateful for the trip and their generosity but since they asked, is it OK for us to say theyve got to pay (the ridiculous cost) for the preschooler? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement M-I-See You Go Broke Dear M-I, Im with Jim Gaffigan on Disney: If you havent been to Disney as an adult just imagine youre standing in line at the DMV. And thats it. Last year Disney CEO Robert Iger made $34.3 million. This was a crushing drop of 15 percent from the previous year, and probably due to people like you who pretended their 3-year-olds were 2-year-olds and didnt pay the $93 kiddie tariff. Yes, thats what it costs to bring a child into the park, one who later in life will have not one single memory of that $93 day. Or as Gaffigan says, We hope youre having fun. It was either this or send you to college. Perhaps when you get to the ticket booth and say junior is only 2, your older children will be appalled to discover Mom and Dad are conspiring in a lie to defraud Disney. More likely theyll be distracted by the tweens hitting puberty who are being pushed in strollers by parents claiming the kids are still toddlers. Tell your youngest to say, Ga-ga, goo-goo, as you enter and dont worry about ripping off Disneyyour group will be dropping a bundle. All age cut-offs are somewhat arbitrary, but that 3-year-old one seems positively exploitative. If you must expiate your guilt, going on the hellish Its a Small World ride is the Disney equivalent of self-flagellation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prudie Discuss this column with Emily Yoffe on her Facebook page. More Dear Prudence Columns Sharing Is Caring: My new crush says hes in an open marriage. Should I go for it? Bad Dad: A husband who confiscated his 5-year-olds blankieand other quandaries for Fathers Day. End of the Line: I dont want kidsbut that means my boyfriends parents will never have grandchildren. Am I evil? Sexy and I Know It: Im engaged to a great guy. One problem: Im way too pretty for him. Advertisement More Dear Prudence Chat Transcripts Grave Secret: In a live chat, Prudie counsels a man whose in-laws have discovered he once killed a man in self-defense. This Old House: In a live chat, Prudie offers advice about an elderly grandma who can no longer maintain her giant, run-down homebut refuses to move. Strap In or Get Out: In a live chat, Prudie counsels a pregnant woman whose husband refuses to wear his seat belt. Girls, Girls, Girls: In todays chat, Prudie counsels a single dad uneasy about the appearance of hosting his daughters slumber party. Check out Dear Prudences book recommendations in the Slate Store. t At a pancake breakfast in the southwest Ohio city of Loveland in late September, I waited through 90 minutes of speeches for J.D. Vance. As the much-discussed Senate candidate finally strode down the hallway to the ballroom where he would be speaking, an old-timer next to me turned his head. J.D. Vance, he muttered. So he does exist. The breakfast was in a 1980s-vintage event center off a long country road past farm fields and old churches. The carpet was a mix of swirly beige patterns, and there were fluorescent lights lining the 20-foot drop ceiling. Republicans live here, the surroundings said. The event opened with a presentation of the United States flag by an honor guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem, and a blessing. Advertisement As the Senate candidate finally strode to the stage, an old-timer next to me turned his head. J.D. Vance, he muttered. So he does exist. There was a pleasant social buzz that was barely dampened by the monotony of hearing 14 speakers say the same two or three things about Joe Biden, the price of gas, and the crazy stuff Democrats are doing with gender transitions and vaccine mandates. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced himself by saying: Im Dave Yost. I sue Joe Biden, and I win. Former Trump press secretary Hogan Gidley was there, identifiable as the most famous person in the room because he was wearing clothes that were at once less formal and more expensive looking than everyone elses. I made small talk with some of Vances staffers, including his press secretary, a very tall, amiable young man named Luke. (Unlike many Republican campaigns in the Trump era, the Vance team stays on professional terms with the press.) The only kind of coffee available was hazelnut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then Vance showed up, with just enough time to shake a few hands before giving his stump speech. He mentioned that hed brought his son along with him. If anything spontaneously catches fire or gets destroyed, I have a 5-year-old whos probably involved, he said. He visibly enjoyed telling an opening anecdote about how his Mamaw had hidden 19 loaded guns in her house as she became less ambulatory in her old age. Said Vance: She wanted to make sure that no matter where she was, she was within arms reach of a loaded handgun so that nobody that she didnt want coming into her house came into her house. He was less animated when discussing more typical Republican-skewing concerns. Joe Biden and my Democratic opponent have borrowed and spent trillions of dollars we dont have, he said, putting it on the backs of our grandchildren and driving up the cost of goods. Standard stuff, and mandatory in the current race, but probably not something of deep interest to Vancehes said many times that he thinks the fiscal-conservative obsession with cutting taxes and spending is of no interest to the kind of people he grew up around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As his speech wound down at the breakfast, I realized I was extremely overdue to get back to my own children. (I was in the area, in part, for a baptism.) As I sprinted for the parking lot, I passed the hallway table where a small boy, whom I assumed to be the younger Vance, was passing time with a minder. Why are you running? he asked me brightly. It was the question on everyones mind, but not about me. Advertisement Advertisement I had spent weeks in various parts of Ohio while visiting in-lawsmine, not J.D. Vanceswandering around and asking what was up with J.D. Vance. A baby-faced 38-year-old, Vance had come to prominence as a friendly, Trump-skeptical conservative intellectual and coastally based venture capitalist. Then he moved back home and did a seeming heel turn to secure Trumps endorsement for his 2022 primary campaign. But despite being vouched for by the MAGA king in a state that went for Trump over Biden by a nearly 8-point marginand then narrowly winning the primaryVance has struggled in the general election race. What was expected to be an easy Republican victory has turned out to be a tight competition with a Democrat, the Youngstown-area Rep. Tim Ryan, who has cast himself as a quasi-independent who agrees with Trump on trade, and who has an easier time claiming Ohio bona fides because he has served as a representative there for 20 years. Advertisement The enthusiasm with which Ryan has praised Trump and attacked the national Democratic Party seems to have taken the Ohio GOP by surprise. In press releases, in TV commercials, and in person, they seem almost hurt by it, as if they cant believe he wouldnt just play fair and tell everyone that hes a regular old liberal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it was not outlandish of J.D. Vance to think that he could win this race from the start. (Indeed, he very well may.) When Hillbilly Elegy came out in 2016, it was a gigantic hit, spawning a movie, selling several million copies, and making him a star on the ideas-conference circuit. Its publication was perfectly timed with a surge of national angst about the countrys white working class. (Im not arguing that we deserve more sympathy than other folks, he made sure to note in the book. This is not a story about why white people have more to complain about than black people or any other group.) Advertisement After Elegy was published, Vancewhose day job was in San Francisco at the timeannounced hed be moving back to Ohio. When he resurfaced last year as a competitor in the states overcrowded Republican primary, he was running with a nastier crowd. He appeared on Tucker Carlsons show, did an interview with 2020 election conspiracy theorist Dinesh DSouza, and did a campaign appearance with Marjorie Taylor Greene. He complained online that eBay had stopped letting users buy Dr. Seuss books that included racist caricatures, suggested that QAnon believers might be right that many celebrities and politicians are pedophiles, and signed a pledge to subpoena Anthony Fauci for numerous and demonstrable lies. Although hes stopped short of endorsing DSouza or Greenes more florid theories about events in 2020, he nonetheless said that the 2020 election had been stolen from Trump, said that he had been wrong to believe Trump would be a poor president, and flew to Mar-a-Lago to successfully seek the big mans endorsement. He suggested in a tweet that some feminists believe its bad for women to become mothers but liberating for them to work 90 hours a week in a cubicle at the New York Times or Goldman Sachs. He defended comments hed made in 2021 about the potential upside, for ones children, of sticking out an abusive marriage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maybe it was really a simple story: Having become unsatisfied with the life of a thought leader, Vance adopted the MAGA personality to pander to a different audience and get his hands on some real power. It was probably the right strategy for winning the primary in Ohio, at least. I spoke to the Columbus Dispatchs longtime political columnist, Darrel Rowland, about the states recent history not long after he announced that his newspaper job had been cut after 31 years. He reminded me that Ohio had been the quintessential bellwether state for decades. (Everyone else from Ohio will also tell you this.) It cast its electoral votes for the winning presidential candidate in every election held between 1900 and 2016 besides two. Those two were 1944, when the states lieutenant governor was on the Republican ticket running against FDR, and 1960, when Nixon carried the day. Advertisement For years, Ohio was balanced, roughly speaking, between urban and/or union Democrats, suburban chamber of commerce types, and conservative farm voters. This did not necessarily mean that every politician and person in the state was an even-tempered centristhave fun on Jim Traficants Wikipedia pagebut it tended to mean that blue-collar moderate Dems and avuncular, fiscally oriented Republicans won statewide. Goings-on in the state capital of Columbus usually accorded with the latter groups interests. There were some hard-right conservatives in the legislaturethe so-called Caveman Caucusbut, in Rowlands telling, they were generally treated with endearment because they had no power. He said onetime state representative and senator Jim Jordan, a member of that caucus, was known to reporters as one of the nice ones. Advertisement This was still the state of affairs in 2012, when Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in Ohio by 3 points, just barely underperforming the national margin. But by 2020, the state was 12 points redder than the country as a whole. The cavemen, and cavewomen, had taken over. Ohio is holding its current elections using gerrymandered maps that the states own Supreme Court has ruled are illegal under the terms of a voter-passed referendum, and it passed a law which made all abortion illegal once the Dobbs decision went into effect (though that one is currently blocked in the courts). One state senator asked during a COVID hearing in 2020 whether the colored population do not wash their hands as well as other groups, while a state rep cited the Holocaust as the kind of divisive concept that should be taught, in schools, from multiple points of view. Jordan was the House of Representatives most vocal promoter of the effort to challenge election results on Jan. 6. Not so nice! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I asked Rowland if he knew how such a hostile takeover happened so quickly, or whether there was anything he looked back on as a portent that he had missed. Im just gonna admit up front: I dont know, he said. Its one of the questions that perplexes me. He seemed shell-shocked to have realized that individuals this extreme had been circulating in his midst this entire time. There are high-level explanations for what happened. One is the depopulation of cities and towns across the state: Even small pockets of urban density in Ohio, towns with names like Portsmouth and Lorain, still skew Democratic, but those pockets have been shrinking for years. In July, the Census Bureau released detailed information about migration patterns in state-by-state commuting zones among individuals born between 1984 and 1992, a subset that happens to include J.D. Vance. Fourteen of the 17 zones in Ohio lost population. The other explanation frequently given is the rise of the tea party, whose populist anger about welfare queens and immigrants and political correctness was cashed in on, electorally, by Donald Trump, who swung the votes of white union members (and those from families that used to belong to unions) toward the Republican Party by campaigning on euphemism-free talk-radio griping. Nine heavily white counties in Ohio flipped from Obama to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Put simply, a lot of people in Ohio got angrieror were able to connect their anger to their votes in a new wayat the same time that the electoral math was starting to disincentivize moderation. Vances book observed the beginning of this phenomenonand for all that it posited that there exists a white, working-class epidemic of personal laziness and self-indulgence, its probably not entirely fair to say, as a recent piece by Sam Adler-Bell in the New Republic did, that Vances career was built by ridiculing his people for the delight of coastal elites. A certain amount of his attention has always gone toward defending some of their tendencies. In the book, for example, Vance describes the spread of birtherism and other conspiracy theories about Obama as an essentially coherent reaction to factors that have nothing to do with skin color, such as distrust of the news media and the absence of collective economic opportunity. After joining the Marines, flying through Ohio State, and graduating from Yale Law School, Vance worked for right-wing venture capitalist Peter Thiel, who infamously wrote that he does not believe freedom and democracy are compatible in an essay that identified welfare beneficiaries andI am not making this upwomen as intractable obstacles to enlightened (i.e., business-friendly) public policy. He is not a stranger to misanthropy, in other words, or the rationalization of extreme beliefs. But those impulses are more pronounced, and less tempered by the spirit of generosity, in his Senate campaign. His book describes Obama as a brilliant figure who overcame adversity in his own right, and says conspiracy theories are ultimately a destructive response to the absence of community. His website platform, by contrast, asserts that Democratic leaders believe America is an evil and racist country, blows a dog whistle toward individuals who chose to take a knee as radicals ransacked our cities, and makes six pejorative mentions of the Chinese. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This rhetoric has currency in Republican politics, but it hasnt been sufficient for Vance to achieve a normal level of popularity for a Republican in this election cycle. Over the summer, a number of polls showed him flat-out trailing Ryanwho would, if he were to beat Vance, become the first Democrat besides longtime Sen. Sherrod Brown to win a statewide legislative or executive race in Ohio since 2010. Vances fundraising was poor, and he was making relatively few campaign appearancesexcept, in one eyebrow-raising July move, at a conference in Israel. Tim Ryan is talking about kitchen-table issues, and J.D. Vance is out there going to fucking CPAC in Israel, a strategist told the Daily Beast. Another added, Republicans are like, Are you out of your fucking mind? This isnt some fucking book tour, dude. Vances pace of campaigning is now appropriately frantic, and its possible to justify or at least explain his low-key summer. Tim Ryan didnt have a competitive primary, and came out of it with a lot of intraparty goodwill and money to spend on television ads; Vance didnt have much cash left and was dealing with a divided GOP base. But the poll numbers were what they were. It was the worst of all worlds: Vance had sold out, but no one was buying. Over Labor Day weekend, I attended a downtown-revitalization street fair in Middletown, where Vance lived (more or lessit wasnt a stable childhood) until he went to law school. Its a city of 50,000 with a classic heartland Main Street, two rows of old stone and concrete buildings lining a wide avenue. A cheerful business-district sign urges passersby to visit establishments named Merkels, Grandpa Joes, and Bretts Butts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event was being put on by a group called Downtown Middletown Inc., and there was a DJwho is also Downtown Middletown Inc.s executive directorplaying 70s film soundtrack cuts from a little cupola in a grass lot. The organization exists to address the citys economic struggles, but neither of the two women staffing its tent knew that a city native who wrote a bestselling book about that subject was running for Senate. They seemed only vaguely familiar with who Vance was at all, and may have just been being polite. One of them, Sylvia, urged me to participate in a door-prize giveaway drawing, in which I was delighted to win a peach-colored T-shirt that commemorated something called The Womens Wine and Chocolate Walk. The other said, When is the Senate race? Also unaware that someone from Middletown was running for Senate were two women minding the racks of clothing outside a boutique across the street, as were the proprietor of the adjacent stained-glass gallery, Linda, and her husband and co-owner, Jay. The four of them huddled and called over another friend, who was a librarian, because they thought she would know. (She did.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On another sunny day, I drove through Cincinnati and met many others who did not know J.D. Vance was running for Senate, or who he was at all. They included three baristas at the coffee shop around the corner from his giant house in Cincinnati, a bartender (who resembled Freddie Mercury) at a restaurant underneath a coworking space where Vances fund has a registered address, and three young people eating lunch in a food-truck plaza across from the downtown skyscraper where Vances fund is also registered. A man and woman about my age (low 40s) in the plaza did know about Vance and what he was running for, but said they were from out of state. Hes a moron, said the woman. Well, OK. Its notoriously hard to get Americans (especially young ones) interested in midterms. But a top-down pursuit of Vanceheads was also unsuccessful. Most of Middletown is in Butler County, which is famously Republicanformer Speaker of the House John Boehner lives thereso I asked the Butler County Republican Party organization if it could connect me with any major Vance supporters in its ranks. I wanted to speak to someone who was enthusiastic about him, even during the early days of his campaign, I told them. They declined to furnish such a person. My former colleague Rachael Larimore, a longtime resident of suburban Cincinnati who works for the conservative publication the Dispatch, said she did not know anyone who fit that description either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fact that is potentially related to the palpable absence of Vance Fever: The places he has lived as an adult are occupied by the people he has made his new political career out of describing as weirdo scumbags. East Walnut Hills, the neighborhood where his family lives in Cincinnati, is dotted with Victorian houses that have been renovated in pastel colors and are often adorned with Pride flags; the coffee shop I stopped at there sold nut-free granola out of consideration for allergies and advertised that its organic ingredients are delivered in electric vehicles. (The neighborhood business associations website celebrates the areas diverse, eclectic, and inclusive spirit.) Joe Biden won Vances precinct in 2020 at 453 votes to 197. Two hours away, across the street from his old apartment in Columbus, there was a house decorated with a modern liberal trifectathe flag of Ukraine, a rainbow flag, and a Black Lives Matter poster. (The homes were in German Village, a classically walkable neighborhood that is Ohios ground zero for restaurants that serve $14 cocktails and, like, molasses-glazed Brussels sprouts.) Near the coworking space where his company had been registered, over the bar, there is a trans-inclusive club called Bloom that advertises drag performances. (Vance asserted on a February podcast with Steve Bannon that the U.S. military is allied with Ukraine because Vladimir Putin doesnt support transgender rights.) On the wrought-iron fence outside Vances impressive house and lawn, there is a sign that says, Drive like your kids live here. Later, when I attended the pancake breakfast, I had this exchange with the two friendly blond women in their 50s working the check-in table for the state Republican organization, the Central Committee. Can I ask you guys a couple questions about J.D. Vance? Oh, no, sorry. Were from Central Committee, but were new. Id just like to talk to someone about what people like about him. Oh, what people like about him [sympathetic noise]. Thatd be really good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This event was promoted with the tagline We need to run up the score in Clermont County and send JD Vance to Washington DC! If none of Vances ostensible supporters were going to explain what he was doing, I had to look elsewhere. And what cracked the case for me was something I probably should have done right away: reading Hillbilly Elegy. The extent of Vances promotional juggernaut, the poor reviews for the movie version, what I thought was his subsequent exposure as an opportunist, the disappointment of having read other nonfiction bestsellers that turned out to be paint-by-numbers commodity contentit all added up to the assumption that Elegy was just a disposable component of the J.D. Vance Advancement Plan. When I got the thing out and started power-skimming it for the business of writing this article, I was alarmed to find that it was quite good. So then I actually read it. Its a compelling story with two arcs. One is the large-scale operatic tragedy of the migrants, including Vances grandparents, who radiated outward from Appalachia to industrial towns and cities in the Midwest and elsewhere throughout the 1950s. They got work at, for example, the Armco steel mill in Middletown, and often resettled their Appalachian social networks in such towns in a chain-migration pattern. (Armco gave hiring preference to the family members of employees.) The second arc is about Vance and his mother and sister. His mom is a smart womanhe writes that he was never prouder than when he could tell her he finished a bookand a registered nurse. But she leaves home early, in part because of her fathers drinking, carousing, and vicious fighting with her mother, and never settles in a functional relationship. She and Vances father break up soon after hes born, and they become so estranged that Vances father legally cedes his right to have a relationship with his son. I remember the early September day in kindergarten when Mom and Lindsay picked me up from school and told me that Id never see my dad again, Vance writes. He was giving me up for adoption, they said. It was the saddest I had ever felt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Men come and go; the family moves around. Vances mother gets in trouble with the police, gets hooked on painkillers, threatens to kill him when hes 12, and loses her nursing license. Vance keeps himself sane by staying close to Mamaw, who keeps her home in Middletown functional as the area declines, and her husband, Papaw, who has now cleaned up his act and lives down the road. Mamaw keeps the peace in part by threatening to kill anyone who doesnt follow her rules, and it is widely believed that she is capable of doing so because she shot a man who was trying to steal her familys cow in Kentucky when she was around twelve. Eventually, in high school, Vance just moves in with the old woman, and does enough to graduate. From there on out its relatively smooth sailing, but Mamaw dies when hes in the Marines. I teared up a bit. The root of American societys current predicament vis-a-vis J.D. Vance, I think, is mostly in the part of the book that comes after thisthe denouement of Yale Law and the highly coveted jobs that he and his wife, Usha, whom he meets at Yale, seek out after they graduate. Vance is put off by both the hypercompetitiveness of the aspiring corporate law world and the way advancement within it depends on social signals that dont have anything to do with intellectual capabilityhaving a fashionably trim suit, making small talk with partners, knowing which order to use silverware in at a fancy meal, and so forth. He takes a Yale person to Cracker Barrel and theyre appalled, purportedly, by how unhealthy the food is. It makes him angryas angry as hed been at the self-destructive losers in his hometown who half-assed their jobs and got high and blamed their problems on other people. (At one point in the book, he describes feeling resentment directed both toward the wealthy and my own kind.) He thinks that there are still plenty of people in Middletown who could achieve at this level if there werent so many practical, but essentially trivial, barriers to doing so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps this kind of anger is what drew him toward Trumps movement, in the end: Its not so much that he supports Donald Trump as that he doesnt like the way certain people talk about Trumps supporters. As the Washington Posts Simon van Zuylen-Wood wrote in a February piece, Vance was annoyed by 2016 election postmortems that attributed Trumps success with blue-collar white voters to racism rather than to their economic predicament. Vances Yale friend Jamil Jivani, who is mentioned in the book, told van Zuylen-Wood that the last strawthe offense that fully convinced Vance to reject the ruling eliteswas that snotty critics gave the Ron HowardGlenn Close Elegy adaptation, which has a good audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, bad reviews. It seems doubtful that the most recent chapter in his life is a mere advancement tactic rather than his latest effort to figure out who, exactly, he wants to be. Vance writes in Elegy that his angerhis temperis the biggest problem in his relationship with his wife, a subject that is also addressed in an essay he wrote in 2020 for a publication called the Lamp about becoming Catholic. I realized that there was a part of methe best partthat took its cues from Catholicism, he wrote. It was the part of me that demanded that I treat my son with patience, and made me feel terrible when I failed. That demanded that I moderate my temper with everyone, but especially my family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The word incisive is overused in reference to intelligence, but thats what kind Vances is: He opens things up, gets inside them, and figures out what makes them workor more often than not, concludes that they dont. He has a temper, you might say, as a writer and critic. Theres an especially interesting section in Elegy in which he reconnects with his father and begins visiting him on weekends in large part because he likes being a part of his fathers fundamentalist church. But just as quickly as he finishes explaining what the church meant to him, he unpacks its problems: The downside of his theology was that it promoted a certain segregation from the outside world, he writes. I was a curious kid, and the deeper I immersed myself in evangelical theology, the more I felt compelled to mistrust many sectors of society. Observes Vance, I heard more about the gay lobby and the war on Christmas than about any particular character trait that a Christian should aspire to have. Vance is quick to understand, but also quick to reject. It makes him an interesting thinker but also a perpetually agitated onesomeone likely to, for example, write off a countrys worth of liberal Democrats permanently because of the behavior of a few snobs at Yale Law School. (What, he couldnt find anyone else in a college town who liked high-fat breakfast food?) In Elegy and his Lamp essay, Vance tracks himself moving through a multitude of ideological and cultural phases: burnout Black Sabbath fan, born-again Christian, proud patriotic Marine, disillusioned atheist humanities student, eager law student, disillusioned law student and fiscal libertarian, disillusioned fiscal libertarian and Catholic convert, etc. Many of these phases are tied to his attraction to the ideas or personality of a specific individual, among them his dad, Christopher Hitchens, Amy Chua, and Peter Thiel. He has, in part, tied his own adoption of succeeding personalities to the succession of father figures who rotate through his life: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Steve, a midlife-crisis sufferer with an earring to prove it, I pretended earrings were coolso much so that he thought it appropriate to pierce my ear, too. With Chip, an alcoholic police officer who saw my earring as a sign of girlieness, I had thick skin and loved police cars. With Ken, an odd man who proposed to Mom three days into their relationship, I was a kind brother to his two children. In this context, it seems doubtful that the most recent chapter in his life is a mere advancement tactic rather than his latest effort to figure out who, exactly, he wants to be. It likewise may not be excessively speculative as a matter of psychoanalysis to guess why the importance of a cohesive family unit, and the destructiveness of divorce, has been the one priority of his thats remained consistent from the startfrom his middle-school Pentecostal period up through his July attack on the childless left and women who work at demanding white-collar jobs. Vance says hes running for Senate because he remembers a time when Ohioans could live content, middle-class lives on single incomes. Even the most tangible elements of Vances platform, like corporate tax increases and tariffs on Chinese-made goods, would not make this arrangement possible for most people, and the idolization of a tranquil, single-income household format iswell, its the kind of campaign rhetoric a nerdy Catholic intellectual would come up with, and a bit out of phase with the rowdy impulses of the Republican bases ascendant activists. It would also seem like a strange setup to be applauding when you and your wife are both active professional overachievers. (Usha works for a top law firm that lists her as being based out of San Francisco and D.C.) But it makes sense if the thing youd wish for, if you had just one wish, was a dad who stays married to his childs mother and a mom who is home to read books with her little boy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On some level, Vance seems to understand that he has more criticisms of America in 2022 than ideas about how to fix it. What social progressives have accomplished over the last couple of decades is to deprive our country of any real sharedany real shared anything, right? Vance complained to the Posts van Zuylen-Wood. We dont have a shared sense of our own history. We dont have a shared sense of our own great monuments and figures. We do not have a shared religion. When the reporter pressed him on how hed achieve those things, he gave the best and funniest answer of this or, perhaps, any election cycle: Ah, I mean, honestly, he replied, I dont know. J.D. Vances life choices involve at least a subconscious acknowledgement that liberals have figured some things out. One might argue that those social progressives Vance complains about have, in fact, found their own answer to that question by clustering together in neighborhoods, like East Walnut Hills and German Village, that are heavy on public spacesby pursuing a way of life that is explicitly framed by its advocates, even, as an effort to recapture some of what was lost during the period of alienating deindustrialization that preoccupies Vance. A literal attempt to reconnect to a shared history. (The typical New American restaurant or gastropub one finds in these neighborhoods is really just a Cracker Barrel with a liquor license and marked-up prices. Recall that the godfather of modern food culture advises one not to eat anything their mamaws mother wouldnt recognize.) Vance and other conservative intellectuals tend to have convinced themselves that the liberal ruling elite discusses values like tolerance and inclusion only as a matter of virtue signaling. Perhaps this is true of some sociopaths on Twitter, rich members of Congress, and corporate executives. But for many millions of people in much of urban and suburban America, they are simply actual values, a faith that the way to have a shared community in a world of difference is to simply share ones community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement J.D. Vances choices about where to live involve at least a subconscious acknowledgement that some of the liberals have figured some of the things out. After all, Hillbilly Elegy was published in 2016. His essay on the appeal of simple Catholic communitarianism was published in 2020. Why, then, is he still living, in 2022, around the corner from rainbow flags and sustainably delivered coffee? Perhaps its just that Vance is a wealthy person who likes having a sprawling house and eating fancy food in an expensive neighborhood. He may despise elite privilege, but he certainly has it. Being well-connected is what allowed him to jump to the front of the line to win the Republican nomination, but in many ways its the problem dogging him now, to the extent that hes sweating through a Senate race in a Republican state during the presidency of a Democrat whose approval rating is 10 points underwater. The organizer of the pancake breakfast event in Clermont County was Michael Logue. He was, finally, someone who was willing to speak to me about why he liked and supported Vance. The two have a lot in common: Theyre about the same age, theyre both from small-town southwest Ohio, and they both returned to Ohio to go to college (Ohio University, in Logues case) after serving in the Marines. Being in the Marine Corps, you see good and bad leadership at different points, Logue told me. Vance, he said, struck him as someone who had learned to model the good kind during his stint, as well as someone who had the intelligence to discuss complicated issues using principles the average voter would understand. He described the primary debates as a series of other candidates describing their positions as what J.D. said. The two men had met at a brewery in July 2021 and discussed their common concerns about the geopolitical threat presented by China, and Logue has been a supporter since. (Logue works in military procurement now and is very concerned about the national security and supply chain threat presented by Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which he brought up three times in the 20 or so total minutes we talked at the breakfast and on the phone.) Despite the similarities in their backgrounds, though, Vance is running for Senate on the heels of a Netflix movie, while Logue is a township trustee. Vance got to cut to the front of the line, partly because of merit, partly because thats the way things work. The flip side of that, though, is that the people he says he is running on behalf of regard him without much enthusiasm, if they know who he is at all. He isnt one of them anymore. And if were to take his comments about professional women and urban liberals seriously, he doesnt really like where he is now, either. Its a sad story, and someone like J.D. Vance would be good at telling it. In May, 1649, Sarah Edwards cow began producing strangely colored milk. Usually, the heifer gave 6 pints per milking, but it had begun to yield only 2, and of an odd saffron color at that. The cow didnt seem to be sick otherwise, yet the milk continued to change colors. Edwards husband consulted William Pynchonthe founder, leader, and general overlord of the town of Springfield, Massachusettswho agreed that such a sudden change could not come from a natural cause. Advertisement In 17th century New England, as with Europe and elsewhere, anything for which there was no obvious and immediate natural cause was suspected to be the work of witches (as people had thought for centuries). In this case, that suspicion soon fell on the towns brickmaker, Hugh Parsons. Before the Edwards cows milk began to change colors, Parsons had been at their farm asking for milk as repayment of an earlier debt, but Sarah had had none to spare, and sent him away thirsty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And by May of 1649, there was already a great deal of suspicion about Hugh Parsons and his wife, Mary. Hugh and Mary Parsons were not like the other settlers in Springfield. While Mary labored to appear to be a dutiful housewife, she was prone to depression and mood swings as well as delusions that might fit with present-day diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia or postpartum depression. Hugh was the towns only brickmaker, a vital member of the community. (Before his arrival, houses had been built with wood chimneys, an obvious fire hazard.) But, essential as he was, he wasnt well liked; he had developed a reputation as a frightening, unpredictable neighbor, according to historian Malcolm Gaskill, and it was this reputation, along with his oddly affectless response to his own young sons death, that would lead to accusations that he and his wife were witches in league with the devil. Advertisement Advertisement Gaskills The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World tells the story of Hugh and Mary Parsons, and how they came to be accused of witchcraft in Springfield in June of 1651. Gaskill chronicles in lucid detail the events of the years leading up to the Parsons trials, when the tensions of this small town intensified until they ultimately took shape in this form. The event that took place in Salem in 1692 was by no means the only witch trial New England saw during this century. In addition to the Parsons story, there was Margaret Jones, a midwife whod been hanged in Boston Common for witchcraft on June 15, 1648, and the three people hanged in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1663Rebecca Greensmith, her husband, Nathaniel, and a third, Mary Barnes. Advertisement Advertisement These were tragic miscarriages of justice, of course, and the idea that they happened because towns used accusations of witchery to deal with marginalized women who had more or less power than they should is now familiar. But Gaskills story about Springfield is a bit different: For one, of course, Hugh Parsons was a man. More importantly, Gaskill argues that for Colonial New England, witchcraft was not some wild superstition but a serious expression of disorder embedded in politics, religion, and law. Ultimately, this is a story about historical change. Despite the fact that witchcraft accusations had existed for centuries in Europe, Gaskill notes that the vast majority of witchcraft persecutions on the continent and in the New World happened between the mid16th century and the mid17th century, a time not just of superstition but also rapid modernization, when every aspect of political, religious, and economic existence was in turmoil throughout the Western world. While his narrative sometimes gets swamped by the minutiae of Puritan theology and a broad cast of characters, Gaskill nonetheless tells a gripping, at times terrifying story about the legal and social function of witches, and how easy it was for women and men, once accused, to have their lives destroyedor in some cases lose them altogetheras communities looked for ways to mediate and make sense of this turmoil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For New England Puritans, Satan was presumed to be everywhere, always waiting. All God had to do was to withdraw his protection, and Satans emissary would slide into a person (usually via an imp or other familiar), seizing on human weakness and vanity. But Satan rarely acted alone. Far more likely he would work through intermediaries: witches. Ordinary men and women whod strayed and made covenants with the devil became his minions on Earth, and the chief cause of misfortune in day-to-day New England. Witches accomplished two goals for Puritan cultureone metaphysical, one social. Their existence provided explanations for anything that went wrong, from weird yellow cow milk to childrens deaths. In a world ruled by a benevolent, omnipotent God, calamity threatened to undermine the entire edifice; the existence of witches provided a means of explaining such disasters without threatening the overall order. Yet because such misfortunes came not directly from Satan but were instead mediated by humans, fear of witchcraft was also a means of regulating social behavior. If misfortune had to have a human actor in some form, community members had to be constantly vigilant and ready to say something when they saw something. Advertisement Advertisement Often, those who failed to fit the social order and were accused of witchcraft were women: usually old, unmarried, or widowed, otherwise existing on the edges of a patriarchal system. But Hugh Parsons story demonstrates how much wider the net could be cast. Hugh and Mary fought regularly and publicly, in ways that suggested the husband was incapable of controlling his own household. Hugh, his neighbors reasoned, could control neither his wife nor his own temper. Cantankerous and mercurial, he was angry in a way that didnt befit a good Christian man. As Gaskill explains, Parsons often unjustified rage was viewed as: Advertisement Advertisement [bq]a feminine thing, which Satan nurtured into malice, revenge and civil war. By yielding to his passion, it was said, a man unmanned himself, opening his heart to the evils he feared most. Exactly this, people concluded, had happened to Hugh. It was anger that eroded the relationship with his wife and community, from which no man could be parted and still prosper.[/bq] Advertisement As whispers and rumors swirled around the Parsons, they were hit by tragedy; their infant son fell sick and died. Hugh was out working at the time of his death and had to be told by a neighbor. Rather than rush home to comfort his wife, he went to the house of a neighbor, George Colton. Seemingly dispassionate, Parsons told Colton and Coltons wife, I hear my child is dead. But I will cut a pipe of tobacco first before I go home. Advertisement Advertisement Once he was formally accused and tried for witchcraft, this lack of obvious emotion upon hearing of the death of his child would be the chief piece of evidence used against Hugh Parsons. It was difficult to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt something as ephemeral as the bewitching of a cow or any of the other supposed hexes Parsons had been accused of. But here, plain as day, was evidence there was something not right about Hugh Parsons. The people of Springfield could not imagine that there might be other ways of experiencing a tragic loss. Failing to perform grief in a way that his Springfield neighbors could recognize made it clear to all that he was in league with Satan. Advertisement Sign Up for the Surge The most important political nonsense of the week, delivered to your inbox every Saturday. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Once they were formally accused in Springfield, nearly the entire townled by Pynchon, who sought to shore up his own religious reputation by rooting out this diabolical thorn in his townturned on Hugh and his wife. But the actual trials took place in Boston, and here, things fell apart. For one, Springfields eyewitnesses, by and large, did not travel to Boston for the trials: Their accusations were read aloud as signed affidavits, and these gripping accounts of witchery lost their sting when read aloud in monotone by Bostons judges. Mary was tried for bewitching her neighbors and acquitted for lack of evidence, but then, in a strange turn of events, confessed to the second charge leveled against her: causing the death of her third child, Joshua, who, like his brother Samuel, had also died in infancy. Its unclear why she did this, though Gaskill suggests it may have been the result of extreme postpartum depression. Certainly, the years of opprobrium, estrangement, and accusation had taken their toll. Perhaps Mary was simply tired of it all; perhaps she just wanted out. Sentenced to death, she instead died in prison. Hughs own trial ended in acquittalhe wouldnt confess, and the evidence against him wasnt deemed strong enough. He and the couples surviving daughter left Springfield. His life had been spared; it was ruined, nonetheless. Advertisement Advertisement The story of Springfield in 164951, in other words, is a story of how a community uses superstition to give a name to their unease about their own membersand how that superstition can become a way of restoring an order thats perceived to be necessary. Hugh and Mary Parsons became a means not just of explaining all things strange in Springfield but also a way of reaffirming what was and wasnt acceptable behavior in the face of tribulation. Gaskill adds a new insight to this interpretation: As New England society grew more complex, the work required of witches to explain new and arising tensions became harder and harder. For by the mid17th century, Gaskill argues, Springfield was beset with a multitude of crises beyond simply unexplained misfortune. The founder of the town, Pynchon, was embroiled in scandal as his own theological ideas ran afoul of the mainline Puritan leaders in Boston. His 1650 book, The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption, was denounced as heretical and became the first book banned in the New World. Even as he led the accusations against the Parsons, Pynchon himself would have to stand trial for his errant beliefs. And while he was generally a methodical and rational thinker, Pynchon would himself lead the legal persecution of the Parsons. As Gaskill notes, history had already shown that judicious governors tended to take witch fears more seriously when their own equilibrium was threatened, a statement as true of Pynchon as anyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As New England society grew more complex, the work required of witches to explain new and arising tensions became harder and harder. We think of 17th century Puritan New England as a place of religious intolerance, but in fact it was, Gaskill reminds us, a place of intense theological debate, where the conflict between Puritan factions was as furious as the war between Protestants and Catholics. Opponents charged each other with diabolic allegiance, and freethinkers were denounced as heretics, which in Massachusetts was a crime akin to idolatry and witchcraft. Witchcraft accusations throughout New England came not just from stable authorities persecuting marginalized individuals but also from rival factions attempting to assert their dominance over others. Advertisement Advertisement As laid out in The Ruin of All Witches, all of this was connected: 1649, Gaskill writes, was the year of patriarchal failure, writ large in the disgrace of an English king beheaded for treason. Springfields faltering confidence in Pynchon, together with the sordid end of Charles I, in turn inflamed hostile feelings toward the towns most hopeless patriarch, Hugh Parsons. Gaskills handling of Pynchons heresy trial is less successful than his narrative of the Parsons. The exact contours of Puritan theologyand specifically how Pynchon ran afoul of itfeel fuzzy at times, and the parallels between Pynchon and Hugh Parsons dont always flow smoothly. But what is made abundantly clear is that Pynchon, as both a highly successful entrepreneur and religious iconoclast, caused a great deal of consternation in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, whose leaders were perpetually seeking both material prosperity and religious devotion. Advertisement Seventeenth-century New England was a culture based around patriarchal authority and control that was faced, on all fronts, with men unable or unwilling to exercise that control. It was also a culture that wanted plenitude, as a visible sign of Gods favor, yet was wary of men willing to put profits above community (including Pynchon, a successful and at times cutthroat landowner). These conflicting needs and realities created an unstable social community that threatened to collapse this project of a New Eden entirely. Slate receives a commission when you purchase items using the links on this page. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What was needed to restore order were some witches. Witch accusations flourished in the area in the mid17th century, Gaskill argues, because the success of the Massachusetts colony began to create its own problems: The increased size and complexity of the colony bred competition, and with that the envy and hostility that had long been commonplace in England, and which gave witchcraft its destructive energy. Success brought envy, the emotion of the witch, as well as melancholy, a false conceived want that led to discontent: Neighborhood squabbles were not just events happening there on the surface: they were all-consuming inner struggles against diabolic wickedness in the heart. The rapidity with which Springfield turned on the Parsons, and the ultimate failure of the legal system to make them effective scapegoats, captures the rapid evolution of New England theology and law at a turning point in the colonies history. Rather than merely another dreary account of yet another miscarriage of justice, Gaskills book is the story of how the birth pangs of capitalism and rapid industrialization created manifold tensions and societal pressures, as God-fearing Puritans attempted to make sense of how urbanization and wealth were changing their communal dynamics. Its convenient to treat Puritan witch panics as the result of nothing other than superstition and hysteria largely directed at old and unmarried women. And while these factors were undoubtedly at play in places like Salem, The Ruin of All Witches helps fill out a more detailed picture of how vital witches were to early American culture. They provided a catchall explanation for unexpected misfortune and antisocial behavior, while resolving the contradictions between religion and capitalism. For when these inherent tensions could not be directly mediated, outside factors became essential. Its in a climate that this that an unlikable man like Hugh Parsons, attempting to collect on a debt by asking for some milk, could come to be seen as an emissary of Satan. The American rapper has been diligently filling foreign media for some time due to his statements and actions. The last of the rappers moves that attracted the attention of the general public was the closure of the Donda Academy, a school founded by the star himself. But thats not all, just a few hours after the announcement that the school was closing its doors, parents received a new message that read: Join us for the Donda Academy homecoming service. With the help of parents and the community, were back. Were coming back with with revenge! Just a day after the controversial American rapper Kanye West closed the doors of his Donda Academy and informed his parents via e-mail that the school would not hold classes this year and the next, the musician obviously changed his mind. The school sent a new, eloquent message to the parents on his behalf. Kanye Wests school just hours after closing: Were back with a vengeance. PHOTO: Profimedia Dear parents and staff, please join us in celebrating the return of Donda Academy. With the help of parents and the community, we are back. We are coming back with a vengeance! The children of the academy will change the world, read the note, which also contained an apology for the late information and greetings: Ill see you early tomorrow morning. An unusual email was shared by one of the parents with the American TMZ-jem, who quickly sent the news to the world and raised questions among many. Mike Singtonone of the leaders in American television NBCUniversal, questioned on Twitter whether the school actually provides a safe environment for children and whether Child Protective Services even knows what is actually going on there. Many others wondered the same, comparing photos of children in the same clothes with photos of cult members. To view content from social networks, enable social network cookies. Enable cookies What exactly is Donda Academy? Judging by the introductory note that adorns the front page of the rappers academy, named after his late mother, it is a project with an emphasis on sustainability, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. Using an ethic of integrity and caring, Donda Academy prepares students to become the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators by providing them with a world-class education. It is a private institution with classes of 12 students or less and welcomes anyone between the ages of 5 and 18. West also spoke about the school, which, despite the information given, is shrouded in a veil of secrecy in one of his outbursts on the social network Instagram. He complained that his children because of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian they do not attend his school, but some other private school, and that it would be better for them to spend time both in one and the other educational institution. All the details of Wests project remain a secret, due to non-disclosure agreements that parents must sign when enrolling their child in the academy. The Donda Academy currently operates in Simi Valley, California, and West plans to open branches across America. One day off, Slovak scientist Silvia Pastorekova, regional and municipal elections. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Good evening. The Monday, October 31 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready with the main news of the day in less than five minutes. Do not forget that November 1 is a holiday in Slovakia. Shops will be closed. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Historic verdict can help more same-sex couples A recent verdict that helps a Slovak-Argentinian same-sex couple is seen as groundbreaking. (Source: Stanley Dai/Unsplash) A same-sex couple wedded abroad has the same right to be granted permanent residence as applicable to married couples in Slovakia, the Regional Court in Zilina ruled in what lawyers view as a groundbreaking verdict. The verdict concerns Slovak citizen Jakub Sanko de Ruiz and his Argentinian partner Mariano Ruiz de Sanko. LGBT+ activist and lawyer, Lucia Plavakova of the Progressive Slovakia party, described the court's decision as a foundation for change. Slovakia does not recognise same-sex marriages or partnerships. More stories from The Slovak Spectator website Opposition: The former state secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Martin Klus, decided to leave the SaS parliamentary caucus. The former state secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Martin Klus, decided to leave the SaS parliamentary caucus. Referendums: Two closely-followed local referendums took place last Saturday in central Slovakia, in Varin and in Sliac. Neither of them is valid. Two closely-followed local referendums took place last Saturday in central Slovakia, in Varin and in Sliac. Neither of them is valid. Elections: Matus Vallo was reelected to the mayoral post in Bratislava. Most regional governors were reelected last Saturday as well. You can find the main takeaways from the recent elections here. For a deeper insight into current affairs, check out our Last Week in Slovakia piece published earlier today. You can sign up for the newsletter here. FEATURE STORY FOR MONDAY Slovak oncologist's research is used all around the world This year's ESET Science Award laureats. Silvia Pastorekova is in the middle. (Source: ESET/Linda Kiskova Bohusova) Silvia Pastorekova was part of the team that discovered a protein on the surface of tumour cells. In 2022, she became the ESET Science Award laureate. Learn more about the achievements of Slovak science in the latest Slovak Science newsletter. If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you. IN OTHER NEWS: Municipal elections will take place again in 47 municipalities because there was no vote last Saturday, no mayor was elected, or people did not elect the required number of councillors. The elections will be held again, for example, in Mikova, a town where Andy Warhol's parents come from. because there was no vote last Saturday, no mayor was elected, or people did not elect the required number of councillors. The elections will be held again, for example, in Mikova, a town where Andy Warhol's parents come from. 1,349 municipalities (46.5 percent) will be run by mayors who are not members of any political party. The Christian Democratic Movement will have 2,276 elected local councillors, the highest number of all political parties. Hlas will have the highest number of elected mayors, 649. Hlas will have the highest number of elected mayors, 649. In the recent regional elections, 204,000 ballots were invalid. In 2017, more than 46,000 ballots were invalid. (SME) The Slavicie Udolie cemetery in Bratislava on October 31, 2022. (Source: TASR - Miroslav Kosirer) The Slovak parliament did not face a cyber attack last week , which Speaker Boris Kollar (Sme Rodina) initially claimed to be the case. It was a technical problem, but remains unclear if it was an accident or an intended action. (SME) , which Speaker Boris Kollar (Sme Rodina) initially claimed to be the case. It was a technical problem, but remains unclear if it was an accident or an intended action. (SME) Banks in Slovakia achieved a net profit of 571.9 million from January to September. In a year-on-year comparison, this is an increase of 0.5 percent, data from the National Bank of Slovakia shows. (SITA) In a year-on-year comparison, this is an increase of 0.5 percent, data from the National Bank of Slovakia shows. (SITA) Paternity leave will be introduced from November. Both the mother and father of a child will be able to receive the maternity benefit simultaneously for two weeks within a period of six weeks from the birth of their child. Both the mother and father of a child will be able to receive the maternity benefit simultaneously for two weeks within a period of six weeks from the birth of their child. 17,420 Ukrainian refugees entered Slovakia from October 24 to 30 , the Interior Ministry reported. , the Interior Ministry reported. President Zuzana Caputova has allowed six Slovaks to join a foreign army since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. https://sputniknews.com/20221030/lebanese-acting-prime-minister-presidents-decree-on-government-resignation-has-no-force-1102852723.html Lebanese Acting Prime Minister: President's Decree on Government Resignation Has No Force Lebanese Acting Prime Minister: President's Decree on Government Resignation Has No Force DOHA (Sputnik) - Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Sunday that the presidential decree accepting the resignation of the government had no... 30.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-30T21:23+0000 2022-10-30T21:23+0000 2022-10-30T21:22+0000 world lebanon michel aoun presidential decree resignation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107918/95/1079189526_0:0:2775:1561_1920x0_80_0_0_dbbbdb7ce09c930fde814d23fe69026a.jpg Earlier in the day, Lebanon's outgoing President Michel Aoun left the presidential palace one day before the official end of his six-year term, reaching no consensus with Mikati on possible cabinet candidates. According to the Lebanese constitution, if the parliament fails to pick a president by the end of the term, his powers are temporarily transferred to the cabinet."The government will continue to carry out its duties in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and the provisions of the law which ensure its operation and the manner in which its decisions are taken, unless Parliament has a different opinion," Mikati said in a letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.According to Mikati, the decree was more of a declaration than a constructive document, so all responsibilities of the cabinet are transferred to the caretaker government until a new cabinet is appointed, "with no need for a presidential decision on the matter."Lebanon has been plunged in a grave financial and economic crisis, accompanied by political and social tensions, for over two years. Now that Aoun left a vacuum at the top of the small nation, the political crisis is expected to further deepen. lebanon 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 lebanon, michel aoun, presidential decree, resignation https://sputniknews.com/20221031/a-look-at-artifacts-taken-by-colonialists-yet-to-be-returned-to-africa-1102867846.html A Look at Artifacts Taken by Colonialists Yet to Be Returned to Africa A Look at Artifacts Taken by Colonialists Yet to Be Returned to Africa African leaders have recently increased their calls for Europeans to return cultural heritage items stolen during the colonial era. However, Europeans are not... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T16:50+0000 2022-10-31T16:50+0000 2022-11-23T11:36+0000 africa colonialism artifacts benin benin bronze west africa /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102879324_0:77:3367:1971_1920x0_80_0_0_17a74b906da6246583ca08d39258c95a.jpg During the colonial era, Europeans seized a large number of cultural artifacts from Africa, including diamonds, human remains, gold, silver, brass plates, and other valuables. As the era of colonialism came to an end, some European countries began to return artifacts to their historical homeland.For instance, the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Cambridge have recently agreed to collaborate with Zimbabwe in order to repatriate human remains of Zimbabwean origin that were seized during the colonial era.Nevertheless, many more African treasures are waiting to return home.Here is a list of some of the items taken from Africa by European colonizers.1. The Benin BronzesThe Benin Bronzes is a collection of several thousand brass plates with images from the palace of the ruler of Benin Empire in modern-day Nigeria, dating back to the 13th -16th centuries.The Benin Bronzes were seized by the British during a raid on the Kingdom of Benin in 1897. The British pillaged and burned the royal palace, stealing all of the royal treasures, including the bronzes. In retaliation for the assassination of several British officials, including Captain James Phillips, who demanded control of Benin's palm oil and rubber trade, the British also burned the kingdom to the ground.The majority of the treasures were auctioned off in London and are now scattered around the world in museums and private collections, including in the United States and Germany.Nowadays, despite a number of European countries having started to return Nigeria's bronzes, most of them remain abroad. This month, Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's minister of information and culture, urged the British Museum to return "stolen" Benin artifacts, emphasizing his ministry's formal request last year. The British Museum stated that due to UK law, repatriation is impossible.The British Museum is not the only place the minister sent his appeal to. The Benin Bronzes were scattered around the world as a result of auctions and donations, with some of them ending up in the United States and Germany, which agreed to return the artifacts.Mohammed thanked the Smithsonian Institution in the United States and the Foundation of Prussian Cultural Heritage in Germany for returning 29 and two Benin Bronzes respectively this year.2. The Great Star of Africa and Smaller Star of Africa The Great Star of Africa, the largest stone cut from the Cullinan diamond, was discovered in South Africa in 1905 in a mine owned by South African diamond magnate Thomas Cullinan. The enormous 530.2 carat drop-shaped diamond, also known as Cullinan I, was added to the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross and is currently on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The Smaller Star of Africa, the second largest gem from the Cullinan stone and the fourth largest polished diamond in the world, is the most valuable stone in the British Imperial Crown.Both diamonds were taken from Africa during the colonial period.Meanwhile, the death of Queen Elizabeth II in early September was followed by demands for the return of the Great Star of Africa. The Royal Collection Trust, however, declined the request, claiming the diamond was presented to British monarchs "as a symbolic gesture to heal the rift between Britain and South Africa after the Boer War."3. The Ife HeadThe Ife Head is one of 18 copper alloy sculptures discovered in Ife, Nigeria, in 1938. Ife's head is believed to be a portrait of a ruler known as Uni or Oni from the 14th or 15th century AD. Ife's head was removed from Nigeria by H. Maclear Bate, the editor of the Daily Times of Nigeria, who most likely sold it to the National Art Collections Trust, which further donated it to the British Museum in 1939.The Ife head was stopped by British police amid an ongoing dispute between a Belgian antiques dealer and a Nigerian museum over its ownership.The Belgian antiques dealer reportedly bought it in a government sale. Its unknown if he was aware of buying a stolen artifact, but formally he did nothing illegal and now retains his right not to relinquish his claim.In turn, the British police have remained neutral, explaining that no matter what their private preference is, the police can't take property from an individual and the dispute should be resolved between the Nigerian government and the dealer.Meanwhile, the dealer says he could sell the bronzes to the Nigerian government, while some Nigerians are outraged by the offer to pay for property initially stolen from them.4. Lusira's terracotta headLusira's terracotta head, one of the oldest sculptures discovered south of the Sahara, is thought to be around 1,000 years old. A.J. Wayland, a British geologist, excavated it and donated it to the British Museum.The Luzira Head, despite currently being displayed in the British Museum, is still the property of Uganda, authorities of the African country said this summer.5. A bronze bust of Queen IdiaA bronze bust of Queen Idia, mother of a medieval Benin ruler, was commissioned at the court in the early 16th century. Queen Idia played a key role in her son's successful military campaigns against rival tribes and factions. Therefore, after her death he ordered to make the Queen's busts and place them in front of the altars. The heads were designed to honor her military achievements. The Queen's bust was seized in the same British raid in 1897.In 1977, the Idia head was also the subjects of unsuccessful calls for repatriation. The calls were made ahead of the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, where the Nigerian authorities wanted to exhibit the Idia head among other artIfacts. africa benin west africa 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 colonialism, artifacts, benin, benin bronze, west africa https://sputniknews.com/20221031/arizona-gov-accused-of-trespassing-over-anti-migrant-shipping-container-wall-along-us-border-1102862945.html Arizona Gov. Accused of Trespassing Over Anti-Migrant Shipping Container 'Wall' Along US Border Arizona Gov. Accused of Trespassing Over Anti-Migrant Shipping Container 'Wall' Along US Border In August, Doug Ducey stressed that Arizonans cant wait any longer for the federal government to deliver on their delayed promises to resolve the US... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T08:58+0000 2022-10-31T08:58+0000 2022-10-31T08:58+0000 americas us arizona doug ducey migrants border us-mexico border /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102863903_0:156:3001:1844_1920x0_80_0_0_aab75a605b01812693ef611459b1cab2.jpg The Biden administration has accused Arizona Governor Doug Ducey of trespassing on federal land, referring to his efforts to fill gaps along the US southern border with shipping containers."That trespass is harming federal lands and resources and impeding Reclamations ability to perform its mission, Gould, whose bureau falls under the Department of the Interior, added.The remarks came a few weeks after Ducey responded to federal agencies demands to remove his shipping containers from the Arizona-Mexico border by lodging a lawsuit, which claims that land at the border shouldnt be under federal jurisdiction and that the state has a constitutional right to take action.The Grand Canyon States governor pointed out at the time that "the lack of planning and action from the Biden administration demonstrates that border states like Arizona cannot rely on the federal government to ensure its security."He said that the states border communities are overwhelmed by illegal activity as a result of the Biden administrations failure to secure the [US] southern border.This followed the Arizona governors order to start using shipping containers in August so as to fill gaps in the southern border, a move which Ducey argued aims to tackle the inaction of the Biden Administration in stopping migrants from entering the state from Mexico. Duceys plan stipulates covering a 10-mile (16-kilometer) section of the border using more than 2,700 containers, each 60-feet long.The US remains in the grip of a migration crisis, with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data revealing recently that the number of illegal migrants apprehended on the US southern border hit a new record.The CBP reported a whopping 2.3 million migrant apprehensions at the southern border over the last 12 months, in what surpassed the record high set last year. The annual total, which includes those who were stopped at the border more than once, soared by 37% from 1.7 million in 2021.In a separate development, US Border Patrol figures showed that the agencys 2022 fiscal year, which wrapped up September 30, became the deadliest twelve months for migrants. More than 800 of them died on the journey to the US, with drowning and heat exhaustion being among the top causes of death.The crisis on the US southern border began almost immediately after Biden took office in January 2021 and revoked Donald Trumps migration policies, including the 45th presidents signature border wall and the Remain in Mexico programs. Other measures, including promises to restore and expand the US asylum system, and to potentially provide a path to citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants already residing in the US, resulted in a further surge in entry attempts. https://sputniknews.com/20220402/doing-nothing-border-patrol-union-chief-rips-biden-migrant-policies-for-benefiting-smugglers-1094422591.html https://sputniknews.com/20220915/biden-reportedly-urging-mexico-to-accept-more-us-returns-of-migrants-from-cuba-nicaragua-venezuela-1100802446.html americas arizona Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.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 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg us, arizona, doug ducey, migrants, border, us-mexico border https://sputniknews.com/20221031/beijing-sco-heads-of-governments-to-hold-virtual-summit-on-tuesday-1102866210.html Beijing: SCO Heads of Governments to Hold Virtual Summit on Tuesday Beijing: SCO Heads of Governments to Hold Virtual Summit on Tuesday BEIJING (Sputnik) - A summit of the heads of governments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will take place on November 1 via videolink and focus... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T09:52+0000 2022-10-31T09:52+0000 2022-10-31T09:52+0000 world china summit shanghai cooperation organisation (sco) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/10/1100875147_0:127:3187:1920_1920x0_80_0_0_334226ac057babe900433d3c44e419ae.jpg The official also said that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang would exchange views with the leaders of SCO member states on the realization of the September summit results, security, economic, humanitarian cooperation, as well as new ideas and measures for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation within the organization.The latest SCO summit was held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand from September 15-16 during which forty-four documents were signed. In particular, Iran signed a memorandum of obligations with the SCO, paving the way for the country to join the organization. A document was also signed on the beginning of the procedure for Belarus' accession.The SCO is an international organization founded by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia and Uzbekistan in 2001. In 2017, India and Pakistan were admitted to the organization. SCO observer countries include Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, while the partner countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey. china 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 china, summit, shanghai cooperation organisation (sco) https://sputniknews.com/20221031/bridge-collapse-in-india-modi-cancels-roadshow-opposition-postpones-campaign-in-gujarat-1102858488.html Bridge Collapse in India: Modi Cancels Roadshow, Political Campaign Postponed in Gujarat Bridge Collapse in India: Modi Cancels Roadshow, Political Campaign Postponed in Gujarat At least 141 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, have died, and several others remain missing following the Sunday evening bridge collapse tragedy... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T08:01+0000 2022-10-31T08:01+0000 2022-10-31T08:04+0000 india gujarat bridge bridge bridge collapse bridge collapse bridge collapse narendra modi narendra modi bharatiya janata party (bjp) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102860619_0:220:3072:1948_1920x0_80_0_0_484df075d487fa9417356a977a83787a.jpg Prime Minister Narendra Modi became emotional on Monday while he mentioned the loss of lives in Morbi, Gujarat, where a century-old cable suspension bridge, known as the 'Jhulto Pool' (swinging bridge) collapsed into the Machchhu river on Sunday.Expressing his sorrow to the bereaved families, the PM said, "troupes from across the country came to Kevadia to perform traditional dances, but their program has been canceled due to present circumstances... I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy."The Indian Prime Minister is on a three-day visit to Gujarat, his home state. On Monday, he paid tribute to freedom struggle icon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on what would have been his 147th birthday.The Gujarat Police have filed a First Information Report under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). A criminal case has been registered against the private contractor.The Gujarat government has convened a five-member committee to probe the cable bridge collapse.The Morbi municipality was managing the bridge before the contract was provided to the Oreva Group (Ajanta Manufacturing Pvt Ltd) for the maintenance of the bridge for 15 years in March this year, local body chief Sandeepsinh Zala told the Indian Express.The bridge was reopened last week, although its fitness certificate had yet to be submitted to the local authorities, according to local media.Meanwhile, Oreva Group spokesperson said that prima facie, it appears that the bridge collapsed as too many people in the mid-section of the bridge were trying to sway it from one way to the other. https://sputniknews.com/20221031/putin-sends-condolences-to-indias-president-prime-minister-over-gujarat-bridge-collapse-1102857989.html gujarat Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.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 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg gujarat, bridge, bridge, bridge collapse, bridge collapse, bridge collapse, narendra modi, narendra modi, bharatiya janata party (bjp), congress https://sputniknews.com/20221031/channel-migrants-may-share-hotels-with-public-as-uk-struggles-to-curb-illegal-crossings-1102857394.html Channel Migrants May Share Hotels With Public as UK Struggles to Curb Illegal Crossings Channel Migrants May Share Hotels With Public as UK Struggles to Curb Illegal Crossings Last week, David Neal, the UK governments Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, told MPs that the situation at the Manston migrant... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T06:48+0000 2022-10-31T06:48+0000 2022-10-31T06:48+0000 world uk kent migrants crisis english channel europe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102857589_0:159:3079:1890_1920x0_80_0_0_7d179528f87e9b3c8ae5c1ecd28e0381.jpg Migrants in the UK may share hotels with the public as part of Home Secretary Suella Bravermans measures to tackle catastrophic overcrowding at the Manston asylum processing center in Kent amid the Channel crisis, a British media outlet has reported.Braverman was previously accused of turning a deaf ear to Manston's overcrowding problem and reportedly refusing to approve new hotels where asylum seekers could be sent upon arriving in the UK.We have two competing legal duties. First, we dont want to have people in Manston for too long. Secondly, we have a legal duty not to make people destitute. You cannot have thousands of people sent away with no plan to safely accommodate them, the source added.The Manston facility a former Royal Air Force base - was designed to process up to 1,000 people at a time, but the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee recently obtained information that there are currently about 4,000 people in the center, including a "small number" of children.The sources claims came as the problem of overcrowding exacerbated even further earlier on Sunday, when hundreds of migrants were transferred to Manston after a separate Border Force migrant center in Dover was petrol bombed by a man who then killed himself.In another development, senior Tory MPs, including Roger Gale, called on No 10 to take immediate action to ease the Manston crisis and clinch a new deal with France to reign in the Channel crossings.Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke, for her part, insisted that we have to see the Prime Minister speaking directly with [French] President Emmanuel Macron to get a different agreement in terms of stopping the small boats immediately and dealing with the source of the problem.Tim Loughton, Tory member of the home affairs committee, argued that the government has not got a grip on this and that the Home Office is still in a shambolic state.The remarks followed Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick saying last week that he intends to visit the Manston center "as soon as possible" and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper slamming the government's "disastrous handling of cross-Channel crossings."On Saturday, the UK Ministry of Defense said that nearly 1,000 migrants crossed the English Channel in 24 small boats, bringing the total number of those who make the journey from France to the UK so far this month to 6,395.Government statistics indicate that as many as 39,430 people have crossed on small boats so far this year, compared with 28,461 who arrived in Britain in 2021. Rwanda Deal in Limbo No 10 has meanwhile paid the Rwandan government an extra 20 million ($23 million) for the stalled asylum deal despite the fact that not a single migrant has yet been deported to Rwanda from the UK.Cooper slammed the policy as extortionately expensive, deeply damaging, unworkable and unethical.Under the deal signed in April 2022, adult migrants who have arrived in the UK seeking sanctuary since January were supposed to be flown to Rwanda, with the rule not applicable to children and their parents. The European Court of Human Rights, however, barred the Home Offices first attempt to transport migrants to Rwanda less than an hour before a flight was due to take off in June.Subsequently, two separate judicial reviews in the High Court left the project in legal limbo, with Home Secretary Braverman saying that the maiden flight wont take place for at least a year. https://sputniknews.com/20220615/bojos-rwanda-migrant-scheme-not-remedy-for-channel-crossings--trafficking-uk-scholars-say-1096352069.html https://sputniknews.com/20220603/deeply-un-british-policy-critics-slam-rwanda-deal-as-first-deportation-flight-to-leave-mid-june-1095969118.html kent english channel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.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 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg uk, kent, migrants, crisis, english channel, europe https://sputniknews.com/20221031/china-warns-possible-b-52-deployment-in-australia-may-trigger-regional-arms-race-1102876373.html China Warns Possible B-52 Deployment in Australia May Trigger Regional Arms Race China Warns Possible B-52 Deployment in Australia May Trigger Regional Arms Race The Pentagons purported push for stationing strategic bombers in Australia comes against the backdrop of US-China tensions over the Taiwan issue, which... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T16:03+0000 2022-10-31T16:03+0000 2022-10-31T16:03+0000 world us china australia & oceania b-52 taiwan tensions deployment asia & pacific /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102876219_0:95:3307:1955_1920x0_80_0_0_78dd9324c21acaa4cd060551a132b1cc.jpg China has accused the US of undermining regional stability as Beijing reacted to media reports about US plans to deploy nuclear-capable B-52 bombers in northern Australia.He added that the relevant US behaviors have increased regional tensions, seriously undermined regional peace and stability, and may trigger an arms race in the region.He spoke after an Australian news outlet reported the US military is weighing the possibility of deploying an array of B-52 strategic bombers to Australia in a bid to create a long-term hub in the region amid the Biden administration's ongoing tensions with China.The outlet cited unnamed insiders as saying that up to six such bombers would be stationed at the remote Tindal air base in Australia's Northern Territory.The Beijing-Washington tensions over Taiwan escalated in early August, when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island despite Chinas warning of far-reaching consequences of the move.Beijing condemned Pelosis trip, slamming it as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island. Even so, other high-level US delegations have since visited Taiwan in the face of Beijings stern rhetoric.China perceives Taiwan as an integral part of its sovereign territory and opposes any official ties between the island and other countries. Washington maintains active contacts with Taipei and is selling billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Taiwan.In September 2021, Australia, for its part, clinched a deal with the US and the UK within a trilateral security pact dubbed AUKUS. Under the pact, Washington and London pledged to help Canberra acquire nuclear-powered submarines.Wang Qun, China's permanent representative to the UN in Vienna, later told a Chinese media outlet that AUKUS is nothing but a blatant and irresponsible act of nuclear proliferation, something that once again proves that AUKUS countries are practicing a "double standard" on nuclear non-proliferation. https://sputniknews.com/20221027/china-ready-to-coexist-peacefully-with-us-despite-being-labelled-greatest-political-challenge-1102750223.html https://sputniknews.com/20221020/us-signs-78-million-deal-to-maintain-taiwans-patriot-air-defense-systems-1102473897.html china australia & oceania Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.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 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg us, china, australia & oceania, b-52, taiwan, tensions, deployment, asia & pacific https://sputniknews.com/20221031/greta-thunberg-to-skip-cop27-blasts-climate--summit-for-greenwashing-despite-previously-attending-1102860416.html Greta Thunberg to Skip COP27, Blasts Climate Summit for 'Greenwashing' Despite Previously Attending Greta Thunberg to Skip COP27, Blasts Climate Summit for 'Greenwashing' Despite Previously Attending In stark contrast to the upcoming COP27 summit in Egypt, Thunberg had no qualms about attending the previous one held in Glasgow in 2021 which she... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T07:10+0000 2022-10-31T07:10+0000 2022-11-23T11:36+0000 world news environment greta thunberg europe egypt cop27 in egypt africa /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/01/0c/1081742436_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_ba7b9bd1a44124ccefc7f2c5c03289ce.jpg Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has pledged to skip next months Climate Conference COP27 in Egypt, accusing the global environmental summit of greenwashing.Im not going to CIP27 for many reasons, but the space for civil society this year is extremely limited, she said, adding that the COPs in general are not really working and they arent really meant to change the whole system, but encourage gradual progress instead.Remarkably, Thunberg had no qualms about attending the previous COP summit in Glasgow in 2021, which she immediately slammed as a failure.The UNs 27th conference on climate opens in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on November 6th.Earlier in July, a group of environmentalists and activists penned an open letter questioning whether Egypt is fit to host the event successfully, citing its poor human rights record and alleging that thousands of prisoners of conscience remaining behind bars. Subsequently, the 19-year-old climate idol herself tweeted to express solidarity with prisoners of conscience allegedly being held in Egypt.Thunberg also called upon billions of people to get involved in climate activism, urging drastic changes to the status quo.In The Climate Book, Greta Thunberg gathered the environmental takes of over a hundred experts, ranging from geophysicists, oceanographers and meteorologists to engineers, economists, historians, philosophers and indigenous leaders. Alongside luminaries such as WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, she shares her own stories of demonstrating and calling out greenwashing around the world.The activist said she wanted the book to be educational, admitting the palpable irony as she shot to fame as a 15-year-old with school strikes that originated as solitary protests in front of the Swedish parliament in 2018.Previous literary efforts by Greta Thunberg include a collection of speeches around the world during her heyday as climate guru and media darling, as well as an autobiographic account of her climate activism penned together with her mother Malena Ernman and her father Svante Thunberg. https://sputniknews.com/20221011/greta-thunberg-calls-shutdown-of-german-nuclear-power-plants-very-bad-idea-1101740480.html https://sputniknews.com/20221028/will-cop27-address-africa-climate-issues-and-loss--damage-compensation-1102798716.html egypt africa Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Igor Kuznetsov Igor Kuznetsov 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 Igor Kuznetsov news, environment, greta thunberg, europe, egypt, cop27 in egypt https://sputniknews.com/20221031/iran-calls-german-initiative-to-blacklist-elite-troops-unlawful-1102878465.html Iran Calls German Initiative to Blacklist Elite Troops Unlawful Iran Calls German Initiative to Blacklist Elite Troops Unlawful MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Iran condemns Germany's plans to impose sanctions against the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC, elite forces of the Iranian military)... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T15:03+0000 2022-10-31T15:03+0000 2022-10-31T15:03+0000 world middle east iran irgc eu europe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107622/58/1076225836_0:52:1000:615_1920x0_80_0_0_5cdcd4f023a07e053f615e47e2674b2f.jpg "Germanys plan to add the IRGC to the list of terrorist organizations is irresponsible measure in relation to the Islamic Republic. The IRGC is an official military organization of Iran and any move to designate it as a terror group will be illegal," Kanaani said speaking at a press conference.His comments came after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Saturday that Germany and other European nations are considering inclusion of the IRGC in the list of terrorist organizations.On October 26, Baerbock stated that, taking into consideration human rights violations in Iran, Berlin imposes sanctions against Tehran, which include visa restrictions for people in the sanctions list.On October 27, the German Ambassador in Tehran, Hans-Udo Muzel, was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry over Baerbock's statements. On the same day the Iranian ambassador in Berlin was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry for the discussion of the newly imposed sanctions. iran 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 middle east, iran, irgc, eu, europe https://sputniknews.com/20221031/japan-spends-record-43bln-to-prop-up-national--currency-in-october-reports-say-1102877296.html Japan Spends Record $43Bln to Prop Up National Currency in October, Reports Say Japan Spends Record $43Bln to Prop Up National Currency in October, Reports Say MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Japanese government spent a record 6.35 trillion yen ($43 billion) on more monetary interventions in October to support the national... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T14:30+0000 2022-10-31T14:30+0000 2022-10-31T14:30+0000 world japan yen inflation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/101895/56/1018955652_0:0:4802:2701_1920x0_80_0_0_c8d07b633f6de692da3ad7da3e0867a1.jpg On September 22, the Japanese government spent 2.84 trillion yen to buy the national currency for the first time since 1998 as it fell to 145-1 against US dollar. The yen briefly recovered to 140-1 but fell again to 145-1 within days.The Japanese government never declared that it made the interventions nor disclosed the number of interventions since then.The Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources, that there were likely at least two "stealth" interventions on October 21 and October 24, evident from brief episodes of growth for the yen.A weak yen is considered a boon for Japanese exporters, whose overseas profits are increasing in yen terms, the agency reported. However, Japan, with limited resources, was seriously affected by the sharp fall of the yen, which led to an increase in prices for imported energy and food.Japan has been facing an increase in prices for 13 months in a row, due to the Japanese yen's record low exchange rate. The situation significantly worsened after Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine, which triggered an unprecedented growth in prices for energy resources, which Tokyo must import in great quantities. japan 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 japan, yen, inflation https://sputniknews.com/20221031/kenyan-activist-calls-on-west-to-pay-for-climate-change-damage-1102861082.html Kenyan Activist Calls on West to Pay for Climate Change Damage Kenyan Activist Calls on West to Pay for Climate Change Damage A Kenyan climate change activist, Elizabeth Wathuti, concerned about climate change issues, has been traveling across Europe for three weeks, during which she... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T10:11+0000 2022-10-31T10:11+0000 2022-11-23T11:38+0000 africa kenya climate change west activist east africa /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102866548_0:52:2875:1669_1920x0_80_0_0_8ce4cc4c71943eba91fb1871360c0b15.jpg Elizabeth Wathuti, a Kenyan climate justice activist, has called on the Global West, which she alleges is the world's largest polluter, to pay for the catastrophic effects of climate change in the Horn of Africa.The activist pointed out that the upcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27), which will be held in Egypt from November 6 to 18, should focus on the losses and damages.It is time to step up global solidarity to help those suffering. I am encouraged by President William Rutos recent commitment to making loss and damage finance a priority to push for at COP27. I hope leaders are feeling the strong urgency for this issue as they go into negotiations next week, Wathuti told The Nation in an exclusive interview.Earlier, Wathuti wrote an open letter to the "COP27 chairs" about the need for immediate action, which was signed by over 120,000 people. In her letter, the activist urged leaders to act immediately and to get frontline communities the help they need by delivering loss and damage finance.Wathuti called on the countries of the Global North to provide funds to tackle the damage the Global South, the least responsible for the climate crisis, bears.She used her own country Kenya as an example, where four consecutive bad rainy seasons have resulted in food and water insecurity, and thus famine. In addition to people suffering, animals are dying and ecosystems are being destroyed, she said.The activist also traveled throughout Europe, meeting people of high standing from Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the European Union (EU), as well as speaking to 30,000 people at a climate march in Brussels on October 23.Wathuti also attended the 2021 COP26 conference and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.She is not alone in her outrage over climate injustice. Earlier this month, Sudanese-British Magnate Mo Ibrahim accused the West of hypocrisy, as the European countries obstruct the attempts of African nations, the least accountable for carbon emissions, to develop their own gas and oil reserves, which he claimed are needed to save Africans from poverty. Ibrahim reminded that Africa's contribution to carbon in the air is about 3% and at the same time, Africans, 600 million of whom have no electricity, are critically in need of energy.The magnate's estimations are backed up by UN data showing that Africa accounts for only two or three percent of global emissions, but is the world's most vulnerable region from the standpoint of climate change. https://sputniknews.com/20221004/sudanese-british-magnate-ibrahim-blasts-wests-hypocrisy-over-green-agenda-use-of-african-resources-1101486491.html africa kenya west east africa 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 kenya, climate change, west, activist, east africa Grain Deal Progress May Disappear Unless Russia Resumes Participation State Dept. The progress reached under the Black Sea grain deal can disappear unless Russia resumes its participation in the agreement, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Monday. "All of that progress can disappear if Russia does not resume its participation in this," Price told a briefing. He recalled it is not a bilateral deal between Russia and Ukraine. "This is an urgent imperative on the part of much of the world. All of the developing countries of the world need this grain," Price said. https://sputniknews.com/20221031/moscow-and-ankara-discussing-gas-hub-establishment-at-expert-level-envoy-says-1102864401.html Moscow and Ankara Discussing Gas Hub Establishment at Expert Level, Envoy Says Moscow and Ankara Discussing Gas Hub Establishment at Expert Level, Envoy Says ANKARA (Sputnik) - Russian and Turkish experts are already at work to explore ways to establish a gas hub meant to redirect gas from the Nord Stream pipelines... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T08:57+0000 2022-10-31T08:57+0000 2022-10-31T08:57+0000 russia russia turkey gas gas pipeline gas supplies /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/10/1082361543_0:65:3415:1985_1920x0_80_0_0_6a414fd87ce98158db3c1d1a8923835c.jpg He also warned that the West is trying to force Turkey to join the sanctions against Russia using any means, including blackmail.The ambassador emphasized that Russia does not approve of such methods, but the final decision is up to Turkey, its government, businessmen and people.TurkStream is an export gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey through the Black Sea, with a capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year. This is three times less than what four lines of Nord Stream 1 and 2, damaged in October, would have delivered.Before Russia shut Nord Stream 1 down in August, citing maintenance, it carried 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Europe under the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 2 has never been put into operation, as Germany halted the certification process last year.On October 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow could redirect gas transit from the Nord Stream pipelines, damaged by a terrorist attack, to Turkey.The next day, Putin discussed the idea with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during their face-to-face meeting in Astana. On October 14, Erdogan said that the two leaders instructed relevant institutions of the two countries to quickly begin work on the idea of creating a hub in Turkey for gas supplies to Europe. russia turkey Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, turkey, gas, gas pipeline, gas supplies https://sputniknews.com/20221031/moscow-to-help-african-countries-amid-grain-deal-suspension-1102864598.html Moscow to Help African Countries Amid Grain Deal Suspension Moscow to Help African Countries Amid Grain Deal Suspension MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow will help African countries in connection with the suspension of the grain deal, our partners understand Russia's position, Russian... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T09:13+0000 2022-10-31T09:13+0000 2022-11-23T11:36+0000 russia grain ukraine africa /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102865216_0:0:3618:2035_1920x0_80_0_0_c84b4a7bb66f5bd77ccc97d032dd2c19.jpg "We are in contact with the leadership of many countries, such contacts are continuing, we will help as much as possible," Bogdanov said, responding to a question on whether Russia will assist African countries against the background of the suspension of participation in the grain deal.Earlier, Russian Ambassador to Turkey Alexei Yerkhov told a Turkish newspaper that Moscow did not see fulfillment of promises to facilitate the supply of Russian products as part of the Ukrainian grain deal."The realization of the Ukraine-related part [of the grain deal] seems to be good - 8.5 million tonnes of grain left Ukrainian ports. As for exports from Russia, there have been no major changes so far. Of course, we supply a number of products to the international market, including Turkey, which traditionally buys a large amount of grain from us. However, we do not see the fulfillment of the promises made to us regarding the facilitation of our deliveries," Yerkhov said.The envoy specified that Russia is unable to receive payments for goods delivered under the UN-brokered initiative due to the disconnection of Russian financial institutions from the SWIFT system.The ambassador stressed that Russia decided to suspend its participation in the grain initiative as it could no longer guarantee the safety of civilian cargo ships after the Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol.Meanwhile, Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council, upper chamber of the Russian parliament, said that Russia was ready to completely replace Ukrainian grain on the world market, following Moscows decision to suspend its participation in the grain initiative.According to the senior lawmaker, about 10.5 million tons of Russian grain have already been sent to countries in Asia and Africa outside of the grain deal.On October 29, the Russian defense ministry said that Moscow was suspending its participation in the grain deal following Ukraine's drone attack targeting vessels of the Russian Black Sea Fleet as well as civilian ships in Sevastopol. The ministry said that preparations for the attacks were carried out under the guidance of UK specialists. https://sputniknews.com/20221030/kiev-london-sabotaged-grain-deal-to-add-food-crisis-to-nuclear-blackmail-moscow-says-1102843970.html ukraine africa 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 grain, ukraine https://sputniknews.com/20221031/report-biden-lashed-out-at-zelensky-for-not-being-grateful-enough-for-us-aid-1102872910.html Report: Biden Lashed Out at Zelensky For Not Being Grateful Enough For US Aid Report: Biden Lashed Out at Zelensky For Not Being Grateful Enough For US Aid Since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, the US has delivered billions of dollars in military assistance to the Kiev regime ... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T13:53+0000 2022-10-31T13:53+0000 2022-10-31T13:53+0000 americas joe biden volodymyr zelensky us ukraine military aid /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/03/01/1093482779_0:0:3277:1844_1920x0_80_0_0_b611052748eef8398e4f9e09cea112d4.jpg US President Joe Biden raised his voice at Volodymyr Zelensky during their phone conversation as the Ukrainian president was asking for additional aid, sources told US media. The report suggested that right after Biden confirmed he had approved a $1 billion aid package, Zelensky started listing all the help he needed, but was not receiving. This infuriated Biden, who raised his voice to reprimand Zelensky, saying that the Ukrainian leader could show a little more gratitude.The report also suggested that the relations between the two presidents only got better after Kiev went into damage control mode, with Zelensky praising the US for its generosity in weapons deliveries and financial aid.At the same time, other reports said there were tensions between Kiev and Washington on several occasions, after Zelensky publicly said that the American assistance is not sufficient for Ukraine or slow, causing discontent in the White House.The amount of US aid to Kiev is unclear, but reports suggest it is between $16 billion and $40 billion - meaning that Ukraine may be the biggest recipient of American aid in the 21st century. However, the massive assistance packages have left many Americans dissatisfied.The policies regarding the military aid may also change after the midterms, as the Republicans are projected to take control over the House of Representatives, and have a strong position in the Senate race. americas ukraine 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 joe biden, volodymyr zelensky, us, ukraine, military aid https://sputniknews.com/20221031/report-us-considering-deploying-b-52-bombers-to-australia-amid-tensions-with-china-1102855676.html Report: US Considering Deploying B-52 Bombers to Australia Amid Tensions With China Report: US Considering Deploying B-52 Bombers to Australia Amid Tensions With China In 2021, tensions between the US and China were kicked up a notch after the then-signed AUKUS agreement paved the way for the Aussie government to be provided... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T03:28+0000 2022-10-31T03:28+0000 2022-10-31T03:49+0000 military b-52 australia & oceania pentagon base china tensions deployment /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106843/70/1068437093_0:0:1583:890_1920x0_80_0_0_99cdeb7377e60fce901b0aeb930f6ee9.png The US military is reportedly weighing the possibility of deploying multiple B-52 bombers to Australia in a bid to create a long-term hub in the region amid the Biden administration's ongoing tensions with China.Citing insiders familiar with the developments, the Australian Broadcasting Corp revealed that approximately six bombers would be stationed at the remote Tindal air base in Australia's Northern Territory.Documents detailed that a "squadron operations facility" would include a parking area for the bombers and an adjoining maintenance center. The services are expected to be used during the territory's dry season.At present, the region already plays host to various joint military exercises with US forces on a near-annual basis, a collaboration that was first undertaken during the Obama administration. Although US-China tensions have remained heated for quite some time, ties between the two nations reached a near-boiling point in early August when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) opted to pay a visit to Taiwan.At the time, talk remained high that China was planning to "invade" Taiwan, a self-governing island nation that Beijing sees as a wayward province and a matter of its own domestic policy. With Beijings official policy envisaging a peaceful unification of Taiwan with mainland China, the Communist Party opposes any official contacts between the island and nations. Beijing has repeatedly said that the One-China principle is a political foundation of China-US relations and that violations by Washington of its own obligations have been jeopardizing cooperation between the two countries, while posing a threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.Moments after Pelosi touched down in Taipei, China's foreign ministry underscored that Pelosi's actions severely impacted already shaky relations between the US and China.Nearly three months after the Taiwan trip, concerns are yet again on the rise over how a B-52 deployment to Australia might be received by China."It's a great expansion of Australian commitment to the United States' war plan with China," Richard Tanter, a senior research associate at the Nautilus Institute and a long-time, anti-nuclear activist, told the outlet. The official further stressed that when compared to the regular deployments of US Marines in the Northern Territory, the presence of B-52s was far more significant, and proved "a more open signal to the Chinese that we are going along with American planning for a war with China."News of the potential deployment comes as the US is already in the midst of building a $270 million jet fuel storage facility on the outskirts of Darwin, which is located some 200 miles from the Tindal base. https://sputniknews.com/20220801/singapore-calls-for-stable-us-china-ties-amid-taiwan-tensions-1097999703.html australia & oceania china 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 b-52, australia & oceania, pentagon, base, china, tensions, deployment https://sputniknews.com/20221031/riyadh-abu-dhabi-uphold-opec-oil-cuts-as-us-envoy-worried-over-global-economic-uncertainty-1102872532.html Riyadh, Abu Dhabi Uphold OPEC+ Oil Cuts as US Envoy Worried Over Global Economic Uncertainty Riyadh, Abu Dhabi Uphold OPEC+ Oil Cuts as US Envoy Worried Over Global Economic Uncertainty In early October, OPEC+ unanimously agreed to reduce oil production by two million barrels per day starting in November in response to uncertainty in global... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T13:39+0000 2022-10-31T13:39+0000 2022-10-31T13:39+0000 world saudi arabia united arab emirates us oil production opec /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103034/68/1030346819_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_2cce0af36eeeb02c5d523fb25be46b7b.jpg Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have upheld a recent move by OPEC+ to slash oil production as a US envoy warned of the global economic volatility in the not-so-distant future. In an apparent nod to the oil cartels decision on oil cut, Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference on Monday that we [Riyadh] dont owe it to anybody but us.Bin Salman was echoed by his Emirati counterpart Suhail al-Mazrouei, who hinted that a surge in oil production would unlikely be in place soon even though OPEC and its allies are "only a phone call away if the requirements are there to increase output.Amos Hochstein, the US envoy for energy affairs, for his part told the Abu Dhabi conference that he thinks at the end of the day, we are facing an economic uncertainty globally.This came after White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby insisted last week that OPEC+s move to cut oil production contradicts the talks between the Biden administration and Saudi Arabia on boosting oil output.Kirby recalled that the US discussed the issue with the Saudi leadership before and during President Joe Bidens visit to the kingdom in July and that there was an increase in oil production in the aftermath of his trip.OPEC+ took a two-million-barrels-per-day oil cut early this month, citing uncertainty in global energy markets. The Biden administration denounced the move as short-sighted amid rising energy prices in the US and Europe, accusing Saudi Arabia of aligning itself with Russia.Riyadh rejected the allegations, stressing that the decision to slash oil production was to stabilize the global market amid declining demand caused by slowing economies across the world. https://sputniknews.com/20221012/saudi-arabias-top-diplomat-says-opecs-decision-to-cut-oil-production-was-purely-economic-1101754421.html https://sputniknews.com/20221023/opec-output-cuts-likely-to-be-four-times-less-than-flagged---us-special-envoy-1102558879.html saudi arabia united arab emirates Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.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 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg saudi arabia, united arab emirates, us, oil production, opec https://sputniknews.com/20221031/russia-will-carry-out-arctic-council-projects-without-partners-envoy-says-1102884090.html Russia Will Carry Out Arctic Council Projects Without Partners, Envoy Says Russia Will Carry Out Arctic Council Projects Without Partners, Envoy Says MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia will execute the projects it presented in the framework of the Arctic Council despite the lack of partners, Chair of the Senior... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T17:54+0000 2022-10-31T17:54+0000 2022-10-31T17:54+0000 russia arctic russia partners us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102640/24/1026402465_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_8521fe7ec341af9e5a4e2ab45b6930e8.jpg In March, after the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the United States announced that they would not participate in the meetings of the Arctic Council held under Russian chairmanship. In June the seven countries agreed to partially renew their participation in the projects Russia is not involved in.The envoy called it "disappointing" that Russia's projects with other countries within the Arctic Council were being blocked, as each project undergoes a long process of coordination and fund-raising before being launched.Regarding the newly adopted US national strategy for the Arctic, Korchunov said that Moscow was concerned with the fact that the United States made confrontation with and deterrence of other countries a cornerstone of the document.In early October the United States adopted its National Strategy for the Arctic Region for the next ten years. According to the document, Washington intents to effectively compete with Russia and China, as well as to cooperate with Finland and Sweden in the security area. https://sputniknews.com/20221017/after-heated-arctic-debate-china-expert-explains-why-prc-wont-dance-to-natos-tune-on-russia-1101958922.html 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 arctic, russia, partners, us https://sputniknews.com/20221031/us-has-spent-9-billion-on-african-gas-projects-it-then-condemns-for-polluting---report-1102896600.html US Has Spent $9 Billion on African Gas Projects it Then Condemns For Polluting - Report US Has Spent $9 Billion on African Gas Projects it Then Condemns For Polluting - Report Although the United States is the worlds largest per capita polluter on the planet, it has also postured itself as the leader of the global transition to a... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T21:04+0000 2022-10-31T21:04+0000 2022-11-15T14:20+0000 africa climate change gas us investment southern africa sub-saharan africa oil /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/0a/1101694471_0:0:3327:1872_1920x0_80_0_0_53ffad501d570230375ff9ca4a44a97f.jpg Since signing the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 to reduce carbon emissions, the US government has invested more than $9 billion into carbon-emitting oil and gas projects in Africa that the Paris agreement was intended to bring to an end, according to a tally by a British media outlet.When it comes to the US governments Export-Import Bank, in that same time period the US has spent 51 times as much money on fossil fuel projects in Africa as it has on renewable energy projects there. That includes coal mining in South Africa, oil drilling in Nigeria, and gas extraction in Mozambique.Kate DeAngelis, international finance program manager at Friends of the Earth, said that at first, she was thrilled with the Biden administrations December 2021 promise that it would end investments in carbon-intensive fossil fuel-based energy projects and sponsor a new generation of renewable energy sources.Its been frustrating and tiresome to see so many opportunities lost to transition away from fossil fuels, DeAngelis added. Its just business as usual. We are seeing some of the most vulnerable communities in Africa be negatively impacted and they dont have a voice.The issue is not necessarily the dramatic exacerbation of climate change thanks to the projects: although the continent is home to 15% of humanity, it is responsible for just 3.8% of global carbon emissions. Rather, it is that while pushing such projects ahead, the US is also condemning African nations for those very same projects and demanding they transition to renewable energy sources. By contrast, 20 nations are responsible for 80% of the worlds carbon emissions - and not one of them is African.That has led some of the worlds poorest nations, many of which are African and nearly all of which are former European colonies, to begin demanding that the worlds most pollutive countries help them finance a green energy transition as well as compensate them for the climate change-related damages they have suffered in storms, floods, and other disasters.Well guess what, folks? Mother Nature does not measure where the emissions come from. They don't have a label of one country or another on them, Kerry said. They are from all of the choices we make about how we move our vehicles, how we heat our homes, how we light our businesses.Western governments and media have also attacked China for continuing to invest in fossil fuel projects, including in Africa. The claims have been made especially as part of a narrative that China is colonizing Africa just like Europeans did, to exploit the continents natural resources and ravage their societies. By contrast, Chinas refusal to meddle in the internal affairs of other nations has served as a cornerstone of its relations with African nations, including joint infrastructure projects made via the Belt and Road Initiative. africa southern africa sub-saharan africa Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Fantine Gardinier Fantine Gardinier 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 Fantine Gardinier climate change, gas, us, investment, southern africa, sub-saharan africa, oil https://sputniknews.com/20221031/why-did-russia-leave-grain-deal-and-whos-to-blame--1102875661.html Why Did Russia Suspend Participation in Grain Deal and Who's to Blame? Why Did Russia Suspend Participation in Grain Deal and Who's to Blame? Russia has come under criticism from the US, EU, and NATO for its decision to suspend its participation in the grain deal with Kiev in response to Ukraine's... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T16:19+0000 2022-10-31T16:19+0000 2022-11-23T11:36+0000 opinion russia ukraine nato us europe the united nations (un) turkey grain wheat /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/05/19/1095758210_0:14:960:554_1920x0_80_0_0_630f456637dce8a64c242da5c30a91df.jpg On October 29, the Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the grain deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea after Kiev's drone attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet and civilian vessels in the port of Sevastopol which occurred earlier that day.Having pulled out of the deal, Moscow immediately drew fire from the US, EU, and NATO. US President Joe Biden called Russia's decision "purely outrageous," claiming that it's "going to increase starvation," while State Secretary Antony Blinken even went as far as to claim that Russia "is weaponizing food again." For their part, the EU and NATO demanded that the Kremlin "reverse its decision."How It All BeganThe much-discussed grain deal was signed by Russia and Ukraine on July 22, 2022 in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who helped mediate the agreement.The deal came amid growing fears of the emerging food crisis in the Global South, most notably in the Greater Horn of Africa, which is experiencing its worst drought in more than four decades with over 37 million people facing acute hunger, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The situation was exploited by the West to step up criticism of Russia's special operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine.The Western press claimed that Moscow had exacerbated the unfolding famine by "blocking" 20 million tons of grain in Ukraine's sea ports. However, the mainstream media deliberately overlooked the fact that Russia's own food and fertilizer supplies were frozen by the West's sweeping sanctions slapped on almost all sectors of the nation's economy soon after the beginning of the Ukraine special operation on February 24, 2022.It has become a commonplace for the Western press to say that Russia and Ukraine together produce roughly 30% of the global wheat supply, falling short of specifying that Russia's share amounts to 18-20% and Ukraine's to 9-11%. When it comes to fertilizers, Russia remains the world's largest supplier of the much-needed commodity. In 2019, Russia's global share of the nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus export markets accounted for 15%, 19% and 14%, respectively, while Ukraine's share of fertilizers amounted to less than 1%. In May 2022, the African Union, a continental union consisting of 55 member states, warned of the "collateral impact" of the West's unprecedented sanctions on Russia's food supplies to the Global South.At the same time, the narrative of the "Ukraine grain blockade" by Russia does not hold water either: the Russian MoD arranged a safe corridor for food exports from Ukraine as early as in May. The corridors, with a length of 139 miles and width of three miles, were operating daily from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (GMT+3) in the Black Sea for vessels stationed in the ports of Kherson, Nikolaev, Chernomorsk, Ochakov, Odessa, and Yuzhny. However, Kiev long refused to de-mine its ports.West Did Not Walk the TalkOn July 27, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) was established in Istanbul to control the movement of ships and cargo. The UN website opened a page to publish JCC reports, information on routes and recipients of agricultural products. According to the UN, 390 bulk carriers shipped around 8.8 million tons of food from the ports of Odessa, Yuzhny, and Chernomorsk in the course of the deal until its suspension by Russia on October 29.Despite Moscow observing the accords, they have never been implemented in full. First, over a half of all food deliveries shipped from Ukraine ended up in warehouses of developed nations, including the EU, the UK, Israel, and South Korea. For some categories of agricultural products - rapeseed, corn, and soybeans - EU countries received from 60% to 100% of supplies from Ukraine. Meanwhile, starving nations, such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Sudan, and Afghanistan, received just 3% of the food, primarily through the UN World Food Program.Second, even though the UN guaranteed that Western sanctions constraining Russia's food and fertilizer exports would be lifted, that never happened. Transportation of Russian goods by international companies is prohibited. The obstacles to the export of Russian fertilizers through European countries have not been removed. Russian ships still do not have access to European ports, while the lack of insurance of Russia's cargo and carriers liability creates further obstacles. In addition to that, the nation cannot receive payments for goods delivered under the UN-brokered initiative due to the disconnection of Russian financial institutions from the SWIFT system.In early September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow is ready to provide 300,000 tons of fertilizers to developing countries free of charge and urged the UN to push the EU to lift its sanctions that block Russian exports. The Russian president also noted that Moscow is going to supply up to 30 million tons of grain to the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America by the end of 2022. Who Blew the Deal Up?However, Russia's decision to suspend the grain deal did not stem solely from the refusal of Western countries to lift sanctions and the hypocrisy of developed nations who rushed to replenish their own grain silos at the expense of countries in need.The first blow to the grain agreement was dealt by Ukraine's terror attack on the Crimean Bridge over the Kerch Strait. On October 8, a truck exploded causing seven fuel tanks on a freight train to catch fire. As a result of the bombing of Russian civilian infrastructure, two spans of the road bridge partially collapsed and four people died. On October 12, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said that the organizer of the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge was the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.Citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia were involved in the transportation of the cargo, where the explosive device was hidden, from Bulgaria to the Georgian port of Poti and then to Armenia. Several citizens of Russia, Ukraine, and Armenia who participated in the preparation of the terrorist attack have been detained.Speaking to the press on October 18, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not rule out that explosives for the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge could have been delivered by sea from the Odessa region, when asked whether the bomb was delivered on grain cargo.On October 28, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs drew attention to repeated violations of the grain deal's implementation. In particular, the ministry referred to artificially-created large concentrations of vessels in the port of Istanbul with the apparent aim to put pressure on Russian inspectors, weaken control, and speed up the procedure for checking cargo.Over 70 ships were stopped or even suspended for systematic non-compliance with the rules of navigation in the sea corridor and smuggling attempts. These incidents cannot be ignored in the context of the investigation of the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge, the ministry pointed out at the time.The October 29 drone attack in the Black Sea added to raising security concerns. The Russian MoD qualified the incident as a terrorist attack, which was conducted by Ukrainian and British military specialists against the Black Sea Fleet and civilian vessels involved in ensuring the security of the grain corridor, and announced the suspension of the agreement.For its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry clarified that the deal had been "suspended indefinitely," since Moscow can't guarantee the safety of the civilian vessels amid Ukrainian attacks.Deal Suspended, Whats Next?The suspension of the deal does not mean that Russia will cease its efforts to supply food and fertilizers to the Global South. Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev told journalists on October 29 that Russia is ready to deliver up to 500,000 tons of grain to developing countries in the coming four months free of charge. The minister specified that Russia would supply grain "with the participation of our permanent partner - Turkey."On October 31, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov confirmed that Moscow will help African countries in connection with the suspension of the grain deal. For his part, Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, said that Russia was ready to completely replace Ukrainian grain on the world market, stressing that at least 50 countries are critically dependent on our grain, including the poorest countries in Africa.Meanwhile, Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN signaled on October 30 that they would move on with the JCC, announcing on Sunday that Ukrainian, Turkish, and UN delegations had agreed on the traffic route for October 31 for 14 vessels under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The decisions made by Kiev, Ankara, and the United Nations on the movement of ships under the grain deal do not oblige Russia to do anything, a Russian source told reporters on Sunday. https://sputniknews.com/20220724/turkish-observers-us--eu-hindering-russo-turkey-efforts-to-solve-food-crisis-mediate-peace-1097745149.html https://sputniknews.com/20221014/how-west-betrays-horn-of-africa--sahels-starving-people-1101855831.html https://sputniknews.com/20221030/kiev-london-sabotaged-grain-deal-to-add-food-crisis-to-nuclear-blackmail-moscow-says-1102843970.html https://sputniknews.com/20221015/live-updates-air-raid-alert-declared-in-kiev-city-admin-says-1101869109.html https://sputniknews.com/20221031/moscow-to-help-african-countries-amid-grain-deal-suspension-1102864598.html russia ukraine turkey horn of africa africa Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova opinion, russia, ukraine, nato, us, europe, the united nations (un), turkey, grain, wheat, food crisis, famine, horn of africa https://sputniknews.com/20221031/world-leaders-offer-huge-congratulations-to-lula-da-silva-on-presidential-runoff-win-1102868274.html World Leaders Offer Huge Congratulations to Lula da Silva on Presidential Runoff Win World Leaders Offer Huge Congratulations to Lula da Silva on Presidential Runoff Win In Brazils general election on October 2, Lula gained 48.4% of the vote, while Bolsonaro obtained 43.2%. Since neither of the candidates managed to get over... 31.10.2022, Sputnik International 2022-10-31T11:37+0000 2022-10-31T11:37+0000 2022-10-31T12:14+0000 americas brazil lula da silva presidential runoff win support jair bolsonaro /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/0a/1f/1102868086_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_2b164f95970e8377524583ae9f1df337.jpg World leaders have offered congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, widely known as Lula, on his victory in the Sunday presidential runoff in Brazil, which saw the 77-year-old victorious in the competition with incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, winning 50.90% of the vote.I hope that by joint efforts we will ensure the further development of constructive Russian-Brazilian cooperation in all areas, Putin stressed.US President Joe Biden tweeted that he is sending his congratulations to Lula on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections. Biden added that he was eager to work together to continue the cooperation between the US and Brazil in the months and years ahead.Modis Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif wished Lula great success, expressing a desire to work with the Brazilian president-elect to enhance bilateral relations. Sharif added that the two share consensus on the dangers of climate change.Sunak's Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau made it clear in his Twitter post that he was keen to work with Lula in order to strengthen the partnership between our countries, to deliver results for Canadians and Brazilians, and to advance shared priorities like protecting the environment.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended huge congratulations to da Silva on a tremendous victory in the Brazilian elections, indicating his intent to collaborate with Lula on protecting our global environment.Ramaphosas Kenyan counterpart William Samoei Ruto underscored that his country looks forward to closer relations with Brazil for the prosperity of our citizens."A separate message came from Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked extensive US intelligence surveillance operations, who tweeted in Portuguese that he offers congratulations to Lula and Brazil for the victory.This followed da Silva delivering a speech after he prevailed over Bolsonaro by getting support from a record 60.2 million voters (50.90 percent) in the Sunday runoff, in which the incumbent president gained 49.10 percent.Lula, who became president in 2003 and served two terms until 2010, has been praised for the extensive social welfare program he introduced during his presidency, helping lift tens of millions into the middle class, and presiding over the countrys economic boom. The 77-year-old left office with an approval rating of 83 percent.His latest election campaign focused on taxing the rich, introducing a policy for land reform, raising the minimum wage, and fighting the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. https://sputniknews.com/20221030/-xx-declared-winner-of-brazils-runoff-presidential-election-1102852836.html https://sputniknews.com/20210317/brazils-lula-da-silva-will-be-a-major-political-force-next-year-journalist-brian-mier-explains-1082370584.html americas brazil Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.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 Oleg Burunov https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg brazil, lula da silva, presidential runoff, win, support, jair bolsonaro Joseph C. Sarago of Cheektowaga, New York passed away on Thursday, Oct. 27 at age 80. Mr. Sarago was a life-long fixture of harness racing at Batavia Downs and in western New York, having first gotten involved in the sport with a Standardbred named Choicey Williams that he owned through his aunt and uncle who raced back in the 1960s. After first getting licensed in 1966, Mr. Sarago went on to both train and drive and over the years, honed his skills and abilities through relationships with top reignsmen Gerry Sarama and Mike Gagliardi. Mr. Sarago drove mostly in the 1970s and 80s and scaled back that part of his career in the 1990s in lieu of expanding his training time. Mr. Sarago had a long list of top performers including arguably his best pacer ever, the 74-time winner Cambiance (1:55.1, $235,460), Crash Helmet (1:55.2, $160,123), Niatrator (1:55.4, $106,518), Woodhill Flash (2:01.1, $73,488) and Magnolia Queen (1:59.4, $56,405). Through his career, Mr. Sarago had 245 driving wins that earned $571,077 and 136 training wins that banked another $361,676 for his connections. He stepped away from full time participation in the barn in the late 1990s but stayed close to the sport by driving the starting car at Tioga Downs from 2006 until 2020. Mr. Sarago was universally liked and respected within the harness racing community and will be deeply missed by all that knew him in throughout his career. Mr. Sarago was the beloved son of the late Anthony and Clara (nee Wentzel) Sarago; dearest brother of Mary Ellen (Michael) DiVincenzo; dear uncle of Michael III (Lynn) and Anthony (Ken McGee) DiVincenzo. Family will be present to receive relatives and friends Tuesday (Nov. 1) from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Melvin J. Sliwinski Funeral Home, 5090 Transit Road (south of Como Park Blvd.) Depew, New York where services will be held at 6:30 p.m. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Joseph Sarago. (Batavia Downs) By taking control of Twitter, the billionaire Elon Musk now wields a nearly untold level of influence. First, Elon Musk revolutionized the automobile industry, then he tackled space travel. By taking control of Twitter, the eccentric billionaire now wields a nearly untold level of influence. In using his fortune to grab hold of such an important platform, experts say, he has even inserted himself squarely in today's global political conversation. "He is not just expressing views on an instrument of communication, he now owns it and sets the policy of how that instrument will be used," Jeffrey Winters, a specialist in elites and oligarchs at Northwestern University, told AFP. The question now is what he will do with that power, starting with the topic on everyone's mind: Whether or not Musk will allow former US president Donald Trump to return to the site. Without anyone to answer to, Musk "is going to change the constellation of political voices that are going to be expressed through Twitter," Winters said. According to the professor, Musk represents a typical oligarch -- a person whose fortune lends them social and political power not available to an average citizen -- though Musk does not have any governments or militaries under his control. - Oracle - In the business world, Musk's bona fides as an innovator are well-established. "He goes into directions that people just never go in, and he creates brand new products that proved to be highly effective and successful," said Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek Research. Musk did not invent the electric car, but with Tesla, "he showed it was possible in a big scalable way," Colas explained. With SpaceX, Musk introduced internet satellites and reusable rockets, technologies that were "something that's been promised but never really delivered until he came along," Colas added. For Colas, Musk can in some ways be compared with inventors as prolific as Thomas Edison or iconic Apple founder Steve Jobs. He has proven at least that he knows how to make money: Tesla is by far the highest-valued car company on the stock market and SpaceX is worth more than $125 billion. So when the richest man in the world gives his two cents on a business matter, such as his opinion on a company or on cryptocurrency, like an oracle -- his fans listen. He can shake up the markets with just a few words. In 2021, when Musk edited his Twitter bio to simply say "#bitcoin," the price of the virtual currency temporarily soared 20 percent. He could have stuck to his role as a businessman and adopted a low profile. According to Winters, that's what most rich people do, fearing hostile reactions to their wealth. They employ lawyers and lobbyists to discreetly protect their interests, sometimes financing political campaigns. But "Elon Musk is unafraid to be very rich and very visible," Winters said. - Red line? - "The creation of Tesla as an iconic brand brought him to people's attention and great wealth," said Arizona State University communication and marketing specialist Mark Hass. "Then he just was willing to put himself out there continually on social media on issues that other CEOs would never publicly engage (with) the way he did," he added. "He's not afraid to say what is on his mind, regardless of who he insults, regardless of which regulator he angers," said Hass. When Musk took to Twitter to propose a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, he probably viewed himself "as just giving his opinion like anyone else," Winters said. "When you control the satellites that are important for Ukrainians' ability to communicate, your opinion has massive ripple effects," he explained. But in Washington, Musk still has less influence than other financial heavy-hitters such as JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon or Goldman Sachs' David Solomon, who "control the banking system," Colas said. In buying Twitter -- largely with his own money, but also with significant backing from investors who expect a return on their own risk -- Musk has taken on a huge potential liability. "He can't just flip a switch and make an anarchy there (at Twitter), because every big advertiser will back away," Colas cautioned. "He likes to push things to the edge," Hass said. And so far, "he's never self-destructed." But in controlling Twitter, Musk has a more direct line to the public than ever before, and "I don't know where his red line is," Hass added. A Geomagnetic storm warning has been issued today as a solar storm races towards Earth. Potentially, it could cause major damage. Earth has faced numerous solar flares these past few months and more are expected as the Sun moves ahead in its cycle. The Sun is in the middle of its 11-year solar cycle leading to an increase in solar activity and solar storms over the last few months. Strong Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been observed being emitted from the Sun in the past couple of days. Now, a geomagnetic storm warning has been issued for today as these frighteningly powerful CMEs will hit Earth's magnetosphere today. According to spaceweather.com, A high-speed stream of solar wind is gently buffeting Earth's magnetosphere today. As a result, there is a chance of minor G1-class geomagnetic storms. Arctic sky watchers should remain alert for auroras this weekend. Geomagnetic storms are the result of solar storms hitting the planet. Formation of Solar Storms Solar storms occur due to a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that is set off on the surface of the Sun. This ejection sends solar flares hurtling towards Earth. As per the K-index, which measures the magnetic field around the Earth, solar storms are divided into 5 classes from G-1 to G-5. The G-1 is the lowest impact solar G5 is given to the most severe solar storms. As the particles erupted during the solar storm reach Earth, they interact with Earth's magnetic field and spark Geomagnetic storms. How solar flares affect our tech Fortunately, thank to all the tech marvels NASA has deployed, scientists can tell when solar flares are heading for Earth. This means we can get enough time to secure our tech before a solar storm can reach us. The part that really affects tech seriously is referred to as an EMP. It contains a bunch of charged particles and when they hit something conductive, they impart that charge on that conductive object, creating current in a part of a circuit that overloads a powered line. This can destroy components and even melt wires when they become overloaded. Could a Solar Storm end all life? According to NASA scientists, Earth has two very distinct advantages the magnetic field and atmosphere. The magnetic field interacts with the solar flares to stop them while Earth's atmosphere acts as an insulator and absorbs most of the solar particles. Alex Young, Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland said in a video way back in 2012, Even in the largest events that we've seen in the past 10,000 years, we see that the effect is not enough to damage the atmosphere such that we are no longer protected. Credit: Advanced Materials (2022). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202270298 Springs, squeegees and soda straws function with a common propertythey are rigid in one direction and flexible in another. Structures like these, with properties that vary across dimensions, have played critical roles in human technology from the longbow to the booster rocket. Now, researchers have drawn inspiration from the art of origami to create programmable surfaces that allow engineers to alter physical properties of a uniform substance across a range of directions. In an article published in the Oct. 26 issue of the journal Advanced Materials, the researchers described structures that are also programmable, so dimensions and corresponding properties can shift as needed. The researchers hope that designers will be able to apply the techniques to medical devices, architecture, robotics and aerospace. "We have an almost infinite number of adjustments, which provide a rich design space," said Glaucio Paulino, the Margareta Engman Augustine Professor of Engineering and one of the principal researchers. Paulino, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, worked with colleagues from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Peking University, the University of Tokyo and the University of Trento on the project. Researchers use techniques from origami to advance engineering and materials science. Credit: Muza Productions/Princeton University To create the structures, the researchers began with cells of four kite-shaped figures known as rhombuses; each rhombus is connected to two others along two sides, with a tail end of each rhombus free. The connecting sides are hinged in some special ways, so each cell can click through a variety of forms, from a wide basket to thin folds. (See the corresponding video for more information.) The researchers combine many of these cells to create a wide range of surfaces. By adjusting cells, the researchers can change the properties of the entire surface: Among the options, they can vary compressibility, flexibility and density. Because individual cells are adjustable, the researchers can vary properties within the surface and can easily change and adjust the properties. "Usually, a single origami pattern has one specific mechanical property," said Tomohiro Tachi, one of the researchers and a professor at the University of Tokyo. "This structure can switch between multiple states that have distinct properties. It is a universal module for programming and reprogramming materials with versatile properties." Each cell demonstrates three stable states, meaning they will hold the position once clicked into it. This feature is useful for engineers seeking to use the origami patterns in applications because it allows for greater control of structures. It also allows designers to use the techniques without needing to add supports for the structures as their orientation changes. For example, a designer could adjust a series of cells to make a surface more flexible in one area and be confident that the cells would hold this position without requiring additional support. "What we observed experimentally is a real tri-stable structure because the stable states can be determined by the 'click' sound it emits when it snaps among the different configurations," said Diego Misseroni, a professor at the University of Trento and a member of the research team. The technique takes advantage of a phenomenon that physicists call frustration. In geometry, frustration is a feature that stops a pattern from propagating across a wide spacelike a jagged rock in a snowfield. With the adjustable cells, the researchers can introduce frustration into structures. They use this to change the properties of the surface. They can do so over wide areas and small spots. "A frustration is a kind of engineered defect, a defect by design," Paulino said. "If a defect is arbitrary, it is usually bad. But if we can engineer it, we can use it in a way that is interesting." The researchers can use engineered frustrations to precisely change the patterns of the surface. By changing the patterns, they can adjust the surface's properties. Credit: Muza Productions/Princeton University Co-researcher Ke Liu said he was pleased by the ability to turn a defect into an engineering advantage. "A defect by design is no longer a defective flaw," said Liu, a professor at Peking University. "In this work, we use the magic of origami to create a material whose defects can be programmed through geometric frustration." The researchers can use these engineered frustrations to precisely change the patterns of the surface. By changing the patterns, they can adjust the surface's properties. "A frustration line changes the density, or the alignment, or the composition of the material. This changes the material's properties, and we can take advantage of that," Paulino said. Paulino said the researchers have used modeling and experimentation to demonstrate the use of the technique in one-dimensional and two-dimensional systems. He said the researchers are conducting further work to see how the technique works in three dimensions by stacking the cells as well as connecting them horizontally. The inspiration for the technique came from crystallography, Paulino said. Many important material properties are determined by the geometry of crystalline structures. Diamonds' clarity and strength, for example, depend on regular configurations of carbon structures. Paulino and his colleagues wanted to explore whether they could use geometry to mimic those conditions in larger-scale materials. Phanisri Pratapa, one of the researchers and a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, said the researchers were encouraged by the results and eager to continue along this line of inquiry. "The intriguing mechanisms exhibited by our folding material indicate the existence of more such mysteries in origami-based architected metamaterials that are yet to be unraveled," he said. The article was published in Advanced Materials. More information: Ke Liu et al, Triclinic Metamaterials by Tristable Origami with Reprogrammable Frustration (Adv. Mater. 43/2022), Advanced Materials (2022). Journal information: Advanced Materials Ke Liu et al, Triclinic Metamaterials by Tristable Origami with Reprogrammable Frustration (Adv. Mater. 43/2022),(2022). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202270298 An illustration of the light-powered, one-step remediation process for hydrogen sulfide gas made possible by a gold photocatalyst created at Rice University. Credit: Halas Group/Rice University Rice University engineers and scientists have created a sweet way for petrochemical refineries to turn a smelly byproduct into cash. Hydrogen sulfide gas has the unmistakable aroma of rotten eggs. It often emanates from sewers, stockyards and landfills, but it is particularly problematic for refineries, petrochemical plants and other industries, which make thousands of tons of the noxious gas each year as a byproduct of processes that remove sulfur from petroleum, natural gas, coal and other products. In a study published in ACS Energy Letters, Rice engineer, physicist and chemist Naomi Halas and collaborators describe a method that uses gold nanoparticles to convert hydrogen sulfide into high-demand hydrogen gas and sulfur in a single step. Better yet, the one-step process gets all its energy from light. Study co-authors include Rice's Peter Nordlander, Princeton University's Emily Carter and Syzygy Plasmonics' Hossein Robatjazi. "Hydrogen sulfide emissions can result in hefty fines for industry, but remediation is also very expensive," said Halas, a nanophotonics pioneer whose lab has spent years developing commercially viable light-activated nanocatalysts. "The phrase 'game-changer' is overused, but in this case, it applies. Implementing plasmonic photocatalysis should be far less expensive than traditional remediation, and it has the added potential of transforming a costly burden into an increasingly valuable commodity." Each molecule of hydrogen sulfide gas (H 2 S) contains a pair of hydrogen atoms and one atom of sulfur. Each molecule of clean-burning hydrogen gas (H 2 )the staple commodity of the hydrogen economycontains a pair of hydrogen atoms. In the new study, Halas' team dotted the surface of grains of silicon dioxide powder with tiny islands of gold. Each island was a gold nanoparticle about 10 billionths of a meter across that would interact strongly with a specific wavelength of visible light. These plasmonic reactions create "hot carriers," short-lived, high-energy electrons that can drive catalysis. In the study, Halas and co-authors used a laboratory setup and showed a bank of LED lights could produce hot carrier photocatalysis and efficiently convert H 2 S directly into H 2 gas and sulfur. That's a stark contrast to the established catalytic technology refineries use to break down hydrogen sulfide. Known as the Claus process, it produces sulfur but no hydrogen, which it instead converts into water. The Claus process also requires multiple steps, including some that require combustion chambers heated to about 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The plasmonic hydrogen sulfide remediation technology has been licensed by Syzygy Plasmonics, a Houston-based startup company with more than 60 employees, whose co-founders include Halas and Nordlander. Halas said the remediation process could wind up having low enough implementation costs and high enough efficiency to become economical for cleaning up nonindustrial hydrogen sulfide from sources like sewer gas and animal wastes. "Given that it requires only visible light and no external heating, the process should be relatively straightforward to scale up using renewable solar energy or highly efficient solid-state LED lighting," she said. More information: Minghe Lou et al, Direct H2S Decomposition by Plasmonic Photocatalysis: Efficient Remediation plus Sustainable Hydrogen Production, ACS Energy Letters (2022). Journal information: ACS Energy Letters Minghe Lou et al, Direct H2S Decomposition by Plasmonic Photocatalysis: Efficient Remediation plus Sustainable Hydrogen Production,(2022). DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.2c01755 People cross the street in front of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu Billionaire Elon Musk is already floating major changes for Twitterand faces major hurdles as he begins his first week as owner of the social-media platform. Twitter's new owner fired the company's board of directors and made himself the board's sole member, according to a company filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk later said on Twitter that the new board setup is "temporary," but he didn't provide any details. He's also testing the waters on asking users to pay for verification. A venture capitalist working with Musk tweeted a poll asking how much users would be willing to pay for the blue check mark that Twitter has historically used to verify higher-profile accounts so other users know it's really them. Musk, whose account is verified, replied, "Interesting." Critics have derided the mark, often granted to celebrities, politicians, business leaders and journalists, as an elite status symbol. But Twitter also uses the blue check mark to verify activists and people who suddenly find themselves in the news, as well as little-known journalists at small publications around the globe, as an extra tool to curb misinformation coming from accounts that are impersonating people. "The whole verification process is being revamped right now," Musk tweeted Sunday in response to a user who asked for help getting verified. On Friday, meanwhile, billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said he and his Kingdom Holding Company rolled over a combined $1.89 billion in existing Twitter shares, making them the company's largest shareholder after Musk. The news raised concerns among some lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut. Murphy tweeted that he is requesting the Committee on Foreign Investmentwhich reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyersto investigate the national security implications of the kingdom's investment in Twitter "We should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in repressing political speech and impacting U.S. politics, are now the second-largest owner of a major social media platform," Murphy tweeted. "There is a clear national security issue at stake and CFIUS should do a review." Having taken ownership of the social media service, Musk has invited a group of tech-world friends and investors to help guide the San Francisco-based company's transformation, which is likely to include a shakeup of its staff. Musk last week fired CEO Parag Agrawal and other top executives. There's been uncertainty about if and when he could begin larger-scale layoffs. Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition on March 9, 2020, in Washington. Musk posted video Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, showing him strolling into Twitter headquarters ahead of a Friday, Oct. 28, deadline to close his $44 billion deal to buy the company. Credit: AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File "I do think there will be a lot of layoffs," said Matthew Faulkner, an assistant finance professor at San Jose State University. Faulkner noted the need for cost-cutting after Musk bought Twitter for a premium and the platform's longtime struggles trying to turn a profit. But Musk might also want as quickly as possible to weed out employees who don't believe in his mission so that those who stay feel more secure. "You don't want to have frantically scared employees working for you," Faulkner said. "That doesn't motivate people." Those who have revealed they are helping Musk include Sriram Krishnan, a partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which pledged back in the spring to chip in to Musk's plan to buy the company and take it private. Krishnan, who is also a former Twitter product executive, said in a tweet that it is "a hugely important company and can have great impact on the world and Elon is the person to make it happen." Jason Calacanis, the venture capitalist who tweeted the poll about whether users would pay for verification, said over the weekend he is "hanging out at Twitter a bit and simply trying to be as helpful as possible during the transition." Calacanis said the team already "has a very comprehensive plan to reduce the number of (and visibility of) bots, spammers, & bad actors on the platform." And in the Twitter poll, he asked if users would pay between $5 and $15 monthly to "be verified & get a blue check mark" on Twitter. Twitter is currently free for most users because it depends on advertising for its revenue. Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion in April but it wasn't until Thursday evening that he finally closed the deal, after his attempts to back out of it led to a protracted legal fight with the company. Musk's lawyers are now asking the Delaware Chancery Court to throw out the case, according to a court filing made public Monday. The two sides were supposed to go to trial in November if they didn't close the deal by the end of last week. Musk has made a number of pronouncements since early this year about how to fix Twitter, and it remains unclear which proposals he will prioritize. He has promised to cut back some of Twitter's content restrictions to promote free speech, but said Friday that no major decisions on content or reinstating of banned accounts will be made until a "content moderation council" with diverse viewpoints is put in place. He later qualified that remark, tweeting "anyone suspended for minor & dubious reasons will be freed from Twitter jail." The head of a cryptocurrency exchange that invested $500 million in Musk's Twitter takeover said he had a number of reasons for supporting the deal, including the possibility Musk would transition Twitter into a company supporting cryptocurrency and the concept known as Web3, which many cryptocurrency enthusiasts envision as the next generation of the internet. "We want to make sure that crypto has a seat at the table when it comes to free speech," Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao told CNBC on Monday. "And there are more tactical things, like we want to help bring Twitter into Web3 when they're ready." He said cryptocurrency could be useful for solving some of Musk's immediate challenges, such as the plan to charge a premium membership fee for more users. "That can be done very easily, globally, by using cryptocurrency as a means of payment," he said. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Attorneys for Twitter and Elon Musk formally asked a Delaware judge to dismiss litigation now that the takeover has been completed. Attorneys in the saga over Elon Musk's Twitter takeover have asked a Delaware court to dismiss the litigation following the deal's closure, according to court documents released Monday. "Yesterday evening, Defendants and Twitter closed the transaction contemplated by the merger agreement dated April 25, 2022," said the October 28 letter from Musk's attorney in the case to Judge Kathaleen McCormick. "In light of this development, Defendants and Twitter have agreed to dismiss their claims and counterclaims as set forth in the stipulation and proposed order of dismissal submitted with this letter." Twitter sued Musk in the Delaware court in July after the unpredictable billionaire tried to walk away from the April deal to acquire the social media company for $44 billion. But with an October trial date looming, Musk revived the deal in early October, ultimately sealing the takeover last week. After taking over, Musk immediately dismissed senior Twitter leaders and said he would appoint a "content moderation council." 2022 AFP In this photo taken from video footage and released by Hangpai Xingyang, people with suitcases and bags are seen leaving from a Foxconn compound in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. Workers in a Foxconn facility in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou appear to have left the facility to avoid COVID-19 curbs, with many traveling by foot days after an unknown number of factory workers were quarantined in the facility following a virus outbreak. Credit: Hangpai Xingyang via AP Workers who assemble Apple Inc.'s newest iPhone walked away from a factory in central China following virus outbreaks and complaints of unsafe working conditions, highlighting the clash between the disease's enduring risks and efforts to restore the global flow of goods. Employees started leaving the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou after some fell ill in mid-October and received no treatment, according to an employee who asked not to be identified by name. He said Foxconn has begun requiring face masks and disinfects the workplace daily but work continues normally. "There are still people getting infected at the assembly lines, and they are still worried about going to work," the employee said Monday by phone from Zhengzhou. He said he had left the factory and planned to return to his hometown. As other countries ease anti-virus curbs, exporters in China are trying to fill orders while coping with a "Zero COVID" strategy that abruptly shuts down cities for a week or longer to contain outbreaks. In a statement, Foxconn said it is using "closed-loop management" in Zhengzhou, an official term for having employees live in their workplace with no outside contact. The company said it was providing three meals a day. It did not say when those measures began. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Electronics Inc., didn't respond to questions about how many employees were infected, whether new cases were occurring or to complaints that people who were sick in early October received no treatment. Motorists wearing face masks ride their electric-powered scooters on a street during the morning rush hour in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong The activist group China Labor Watch said Foxconn was under pressure from Apple to maintain its output of the iPhone 14 during its "peak production season." It said the factory in Zhengzhou, with 90 assembly lines, is the main iPhone assembly site. Apple didn't respond to questions about how production might be affected. The Foxconn statement said the company would coordinate with other factories to "reduce any potential impact." It wasn't clear how many workers left the factory, which Foxconn says employs about 200,000 people. The employee in Zhengzhou and social media posts said as many as half had left. President Xi Jinping's government faces mounting public frustration over controls that have confined tens of millions of people to their homes. That has boiled over into protests and fights with police in Shanghai and other cities. In this photo taken from video footage and released by Hangpai Xingyang, people with suitcases and bags are seen leaving from a Foxconn compound in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. Workers in a Foxconn facility in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou appear to have left the facility to avoid COVID-19 curbs, with many traveling by foot days after an unknown number of factory workers were quarantined in the facility following a virus outbreak. Credit: Hangpai Xingyang via AP Foxconn, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, is the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other consumer electronics. Its factories, with hundreds of thousands of employees, are among China's biggest private employers. Companies are required to pay for anti-disease controls and monitoring of employees for possible infections. That gives them an incentive to cut corners. Those with large workforces might miss violations. Foxconn reacted slowly, according to news reports, China Labor Watch and the employee reached by phone in Zhengzhou. "At the beginning of the outbreak, no one took care of the workers that were confirmed as having contracted the virus," said the employee. "No food and no medicine." Later, when employees who tested positive were quarantined, Foxconn used sites including nearby unfinished apartment buildings, according to China Labor Watch. Employees complained that the food the factory provided was poor quality. A man gets his routine COVID-19 throat swabs at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong Employees who live in crowded factory dormitories worry about neighbors who test positive and are released after one week in quarantine, said the employee in Zhengzhou. "They have no choice but to leave," he said. Videos on social media showed people said to be Foxconn employees climbing over fences and walking down a road with their belongings. It was impossible to confirm whether all the videos showed Foxconn employees. Volunteers from nearby villages put out food and drinks for the workers. Governments of cities near Zhengzhou appealed to Foxconn workers to report to authorities in their hometowns to undergo quarantines. Foxconn and the city government of Zhengzhou announced Sunday they would arrange transportation for employees who want to leave. "The welfare of our workforce is a priority," the Foxconn statement said. It appealed for "understanding and support." A man wearing a face mask holds his testing tube as masked residents line up for their routine COVID-19 throat swabs at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong "Zero COVID" has helped to keep China's infection numbers low but at a rising cost that has prompted warnings the ruling party needs a less disruptive strategy. Restaurants and other small businesses have shut down due to high costs and plunging revenue. The economic impact of anti-virus controls is so severe that foreign companies are shifting planned investments to other countries, business groups say. Apple Inc. recently announced it will also make its iPhone 14 at a Foxconn factory in India. Fewer than one in five companies surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai rank China as No. 1 in investment plans, down from 27% last year, according to the chamber. It said travel curbs and quarantines have "dulled the desire" of executives to visit. "Unless China harmonizes its COVID policies with the rest of the world, this fall from favor may be repeated next year," the chamber said in a report. A food delivery rider wearing a face mask rides past communist symbol of stars on display outside a restaurant in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong Commuters wearing face masks walk through the plastic curtain as they exit a subway station in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong A man gets his routine COVID-19 throat swab at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong A woman wearing a face mask rides past autumn-colored ginkgo trees along a street in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong Auto factories, securities firms and and some other companies in Shanghai kept operating under "closed loop" conditions after the city shut down in March following virus outbreaks. They paid bonuses of up to 100% of salary to employees, according to Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, a vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. "The costs are quite high," she said. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Thank you for your support! WASHINGTON The oral arguments the Supreme Court will hear Monday concern two cases that are momentous, even though the desirable outcomes would not prevent the losing parties from continuing reprehensible practices. The cases concern racial preferences in admissions to Harvard and the University of North Carolina. By holding that such preferences violate the Constitutions guarantee of equal protection of the laws and the 1964 Civil Rights Acts prohibition of racial discrimination by recipients of federal funding, the court can bolster the wholesome belief held by a large, diverse American majority: The nations laws should be colorblind. Affirmation of this precept is urgently needed by a nation saturated with the racial obsessions that identity politics encourage, especially on campuses. The precept can block todays expanding racial spoils system, which is perpetrated in the name of equity. However, a ringing denunciation of the sordid business of divvying us up by race (Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.s words in a 2006 congressional redistricting case) will be unavailing: Colleges will continue allocating opportunity through racial discrimination, thus continuing their adversarial stance regarding the national aspiration for a colorblind society. In 1978, in the Supreme Courts first consideration of universities racial preferences, four justices considered them permissible to compensate for historical injuries and current disparities. Four justices opposed preferences as unjust discrimination. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. put the nation on the descending path to todays dilemma by holding that race could be one plus factor in admissions, but only to serve societys compelling interest in diverse student bodies. In two 2003 cases from the University of Michigan, the court ruled against the undergraduate admission policy of adding 20 points to each Black applicants admissions index (the equivalent of adding a full letter grade to the Black applicants record). But the court upheld the law schools practice, which avoided such inconvenient explicitness: The law school considered race as part of what the court called a holistic evaluation of applicants. The court thereby endorsed a vocabulary that can nullify the legal consequences of any ruling against racial preferences. Preferences continue if the sordidness is obscured by a semantic fog. The suits against Harvard and North Carolina are brought by Students for Fair Admissions, some Asian American students challenging the indisputable bias against Asian Americans, the nations most academically able demographic cohort. SFFA says: An Asian American in the fourth-lowest decile [of Harvards academic index] has virtually no chance of being admitted to Harvard (0.9%); but an African American in that decile has a higher chance of admission (12.8%) than an Asian American in the top decile (12.7%). If SFFA wins, universities will accelerate their abandonment of standardized tests (e.g., the SAT). This will help institutions hide discriminatory practices in an opaque holistic process. Nineteen years ago, the court said: We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary. Actually, preferences will flourish forever unless the court undoes the damage it did in 2003 by saying, in effect, that the Constitution guarantees equal protection of the laws only until a university claims educational benefits from ignoring the guarantee, at the expense of some disfavored minority. Todays multibillion-dollar diversity industry of consultants and academic bureaucrats is part of the damage. The diversity rationale for racial discrimination in admissions in 1978 the court cheerfully anticipated a robust exchange of ideas is mocked by campuses that offer racially segregated dormitories, graduation ceremonies, etc. And by the survey of Harvards class of 2025 showing that 72.4% are predominantly liberal, and 8.6% are very or somewhat conservative. And by the fact that since the court embraced the diversity rationale for racial discrimination, universities have become markedly more intellectually monochrome and intolerant. Last June, progressives wanted a plebiscitary Supreme Court i.e., not a real court that would follow public opinion by preserving Roe v. Wade. Today, progressives want the court to ignore public opinion regarding racial preferences: In 1996, Californians voted 54.6% that the state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race in public education. In 2020, a much bluer and more diverse California was asked to repeal the 1996 proposition. Instead, Californians endorsed it more emphatically (57.2%). A national Pew Research Center poll in April found 74% hostile to racial preferences, including Hispanics (68%), Asians (63%), Blacks (59%), Republicans (87%) and Democrats (62%). The sordid business of divvying us up by race has brought us together in opposition to it. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The threat actor behind the Fodcha distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) botnet has resurfaced with new capabilities, researchers reveal. This includes changes to its communication protocol and the ability to extort cryptocurrency payments in exchange for stopping the DDoS attack against a target, Qihoo 360's Network Security Research Lab said in a report published last week. Fodcha first came to light earlier this April, with the malware propagating through known vulnerabilities in Android and IoT devices as well as weak Telnet or SSH passwords. The cybersecurity company said that Fodcha has evolved into a large-scale botnet with over 60,000 active nodes and 40 command-and-control (C2) domains that can "easily generate more than 1 Tbps traffic." Peak activity is said to have occurred on October 11, 2022, when the malware targeted 1,396 devices in a single day. The top countries singled out by the botnet since late June 2022 comprises China, the U.S., Singapore, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, the U.K., Canada, and the Netherlands. Some of the prominent targets range from healthcare organizations and law enforcement agencies to a well-known cloud service provider that was assaulted with traffic exceeding 1 Tbps. Fodcha's evolution has also been accompanied by new stealth features that encrypt communications with the C2 server and embed ransom demands, making it a more potent threat. "Fodcha reuses a lot of Mirai's attack code, and supports a total of 17 attack methods," the cybersecurity company noted. The findings come as new research from Lumen Black Lotus Labs pointed out the growing abuse of the Connectionless Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (CLDAP) to magnify the scale of DDoS attacks. To that end, as many as 12,142 open CLDAP reflectors have been identified, most of which are distributed in the U.S. and Brazil, and to a lesser extent in Germany, India, and Mexico. In one instance, a CLDAP service associated with an unnamed regional retail business in North America has been observed directing "problematic amounts of traffic" towards a wide range of targets for more than nine months, emitting up to 7.8 Gbps of CLDAP traffic. The Black Lotus Labs warning also coincides with a joint advisory released by U.S. government agencies to help organizations take proactive steps to reduce the likelihood and impact of DDoS attacks. As preventive measures, enterprises are urged to identify critical assets, understand how users connect to the corporate networks, enroll in a DDoS protection service, and develop DDoS response and business continuity plans. "IoT devices are internet-connected and often use default passwords and lack sound security postures, making them vulnerable to compromise and exploitation," the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said. "Because infections of IoT devices often go unnoticed by users, an attacker could easily assemble hundreds of thousands of these devices into a formidable botnet capable of conducting a high-volume attack." G.I. Pride submitted a proclamation to the City of Grand Island in August recognizing the groups annual community event and showing support for Grand Islands LGBTQ+ members. Mayor Roger Steele dismissed the proclamation, however. The proclamation, written by G.I. Pride, was sent to the city on Aug. 12. It talked about basically making Grand Island a safe space for LGBTQ individuals, said Chrissy Brooks, G.I. Pride event organizer. It was basically just asking the mayor to recognize our event, to recognize the pride event, recognize that there are LGBTQ people in the community, and that our community is a safe place for them. City Clerk RaNae Edwards confirmed to The Independent that the proclamation was submitted to the city and forward to Mayor Steele, who chose not to take action on it. Mayor Steele did not respond to a request from The Independent for a comment. G.I. Pride held its annual event on Sept. 10 at Grand Islands Grace Abbott Park. With elections coming up, I think its very important for the LGBTQ community, who will be voting in our upcoming election for our mayor, to know that Mayor Steele does not support you, said Brooks. He does not support the LGBTQ community and he did not want to sign a proclamation for us recognizing our event. She added, That was very disappointing. The proclamation, as submitted by G.I. Pride, reads: Whereas, our nation was founded on the principles equality before the law and the pursuit of happiness, but the fulfillment of these promises have been long in coming for many Americans. Some of the most inspiring moments in our history have arisen from the various civil rights movements that have brought one group after another from the margins to the mainstream of American society; Whereas, in the movement toward equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, an historic turning point occurred on June 28, 1969, in New York City, with the onset of the Stonewall Riots. During these riots, LGBT citizens rose up and fought against the discriminatory criminal laws that have since been declared unconstitutional; Whereas, LGBT pride celebrations have taken place around the country every June to commemorate the beginning of the Stonewall Riots; June is celebrated as LGBT Pride Month nationwide; Whereas, Grand Island celebrates pride the second Saturday in September; Whereas, Grand Island has a diverse LGBT community that includes people of all ethnicities, religions and professions; Whereas, everyone should be able to live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence and hatred based race, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation. ... It is important for a city to show support for its LGBTQ members, said G.I. Pride member Raul Arcos Hawkins. We want that equality. Were not asking for any other rights than anybody else has, but I think its important to showcase also why its important to be represented, he said. To us, it was important for him, as a city official, just to acknowledge it. He didnt even acknowledge it. We had previously asked the year before and we also didnt get it. Hawkins is disappointed that Steele will not work with the group. I had previously worked with the mayor and he always seemed very welcoming, he said. Even if he would have just signed the proclamation, we didnt specifically ask him to be there, I think that would have been recognition enough, that he also represents the LGBTQ community in the city. Thats all we wanted. Brooks, as a Grand Island resident and parent of LGBTQ kids, shares this disappointment. I was sad and a little angry that the mayor, who was elected to represent the people of Grand Island, did not feel it was necessary to recognize our event, which is inclusive of all the people in Grand Island, she said. Some hostility toward LGBTQ+ people does exist in Grand Island, said Brooks. It depends on who youre talking to and where youre going, but I think there are still quite a few LGBTQ individuals in our community that do not feel safe here, that do not feel welcome here, she said. G.I. Pride and Grand Island PFLAG (Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) are working to change this perception. As part of the pride committee and as president of PFLAG I do my best to make our community as open and welcoming and accepting of people, regardless of their sexual identity and their gender identity, said Brooks. Unfortunately, with all that went down with the newspaper at Grand Island Northwest, we have a long way to go still. G.I. Pride will submit its proclamation to the city again next year, said Brooks. Every year we plan on submitting a proclamation to the mayors office, hoping to have the mayor sign it and recognize our event, she said. For more information about G.I. Pride, visit grandislandpride.org. ACLU talks of legal action after Nebraska high school axes journalism program The ACLU is warning Northwest Public Schools in Grand Island that closing the school paper and ending the journalism program because of LGBTQ+ articles is a violation of students' rights. Northwest journalism supporters 'Will Press' by establishing nonprofit Former Grand Island residents Tim Wardyn, Erin Merrihew, Jared Rawlings and Allison Luth have teamed to form a nonprofit supporting student journalists: We Will Press. Grand Island Pride inspires openness, belonging at community event The day of activities began with a march to Five Points Intersection, where participants were met with honks and waves of support. Offering homestead exemptions to more disabled veterans would move Nebraska closer to becoming the most veteran-friendly state in the nation, a legislative committee was told Friday. Toward that end, James Shuey, representing the Disabled American Veterans, urged the Revenue Committee to reconsider an exemption proposal that died earlier this year because of its $64 million estimated cost. Shuey took issue with some of the assumptions used when making the cost estimate for Legislative Bill 853. But he also said there would be ways to bring down the price tag and still help disabled veterans with the property taxes on their homes. He said the proposal should not be considered a budget-buster, particularly given Nebraskas strong economy and the 2% annual decline in the number of surviving veterans. LB 853 was introduced by State Sen. Jen Day of Omaha. It would have expanded the states homestead exemption program, under which the state covers the cost of property taxes for some groups of homeowners. Those include low-income seniors, low-income people with certain disabilities and some veterans. Currently, the program provides 100% property tax exemptions for veterans with 100% service-related disabilities, regardless of their income or the value of their home. Day sought to provide partial exemptions for veterans with service-related disabilities rated at 50% up to 99%. Under LB 853, the amount of exemption would have matched the amount of the disability, so that a 70% disabled veteran would get a 70% exemption. At Fridays interim study hearing, she said that the cost of the new exemption could be reduced by applying income limits or limits on the value of the home or both. Ryan McIntosh, a lobbyist for the National Guard Association of Nebraska, said he thought that adding income limits would be a reasonable approach. Shuey suggested the state set exemptions for all disabled veterans at a flat amount, based on their disability rating. He said the exemptions could easily be adjusted in the future. He said there are more than 39,000 veterans in Nebraska with less than a 100% disability rating. Of those, about half are 65 or older and may already qualify for a homestead exemption based on age and income. Community colleges in Illinois including several in the region are reporting an increase in enrollment as more students return to classrooms. Statewide, more than 233,800 students are attending community colleges, a modest 1.5% increase over last fall and the first uptick in student headcounts over several years. In Southern Illinois, three of the four community colleges show enrollment increases as well. John A. Logan College enrollment is up 10.8% over fall 2021, to 3,272 students. Shawnee Community College and Southeastern Illinois College are both up just over 11% to 1,174 and 1,379 students respectively. Even though the number of students attending Rend Lake College dropped 10.3% to 1,796 students, the college reports an increase in credit hours of 2.32%, indicating a smaller number of students are enrolled in more classes. "It's good to see students returning to the fold after these last few challenging years," said Terry Wilkerson, Rend Lake College president and president of the Illinois Community College Council of Presidents. "Community colleges, particularly, are key to our state's continued improvement. There is work to be done, jobs to be filled, and progress to be made. Our institutions are built for the task." Across the state, the Illinois Community College Board system reported fall-to-fall enrollment increased by 1.5%, with gains reported by 28 colleges. "The growth in enrollment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of community college faculty, staff and leadership. Thanks to their ability to be nimble and adjust to changing circumstances, community colleges are emerging stronger, more innovative and even more responsive, propelling these numbers forward," said ICCB executive director Brian Durham. John A. Logan College administrators agree. The entire college has worked hard and prepared coming out of the pandemic to be ready to serve students and provide the education and services needed to help students be successful, explained Steve OKeefe, assistant vice president for marketing, public relations and communications at John A. Logan College. Our student services team has worked tirelessly to develop new ways to reach students: Saturday sign-up events, extended hours on Tuesdays along with offering more night classes, a winter session and eight and 12 week courses. Ultimately I believe it is our flexibility and affordability that has enrollment trending in the right direction. Southeastern Illinois College saw gains in all three metrics: headcount, full-time equivalent and enrolled credit hours. Weve seen many students return to school after the pandemic and life has gotten back to normal, said Dr. Jonah Rice, president at SIC. Our new afternoon academy for high school career programs and new initiatives for both traditional and non-traditional students have paid off in new enrollment. Plus, our key alliance with Rend Lake College has allowed us both to benefit from enrollment. Data also shows a continued interest by students in online courses, with online students accounting for 47.3% of all community college students in Illinois, nearly twice pre-pandemic levels. (TBTCO) - Cuc Du tru Lien bang My (FED) co kha nang se tiep tuc ot tang lai suat lan tiep theo trong thang 12 toi, nhung voi muc o co the nhe hon. ieu nay se lai la mot trong nhung yeu to tac ong en thi truong tai chinh va tien te trong nuoc. The U.S. Forest Service has tentatively agreed to drop a Bighorn National Forest plan to kill native plants like sagebrush and larkspur as the agency battles invasive weeds on the sprawling federal reserve in north-central Wyoming. Following a hearing with five groups that objected to the plan, Forest Service Deputy Regional Forester Jacque Buchanan told them native plants would no longer be targeted. In exchange, the groups Bighorn Audubon Society, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, Western Watersheds Project, Council for the Bighorn Range and Bighorn Native Plant Society, will agree to drop their objections, according to an email Buchanan sent them. Conservationists objected to the Forest Service killing native mountain big sagebrush and larkspur as it targets exotic noxious weeds ventenata and medusahead. The Bighorn planned to attack the vegetation with toxic herbicides, some of which would be applied by aerial spraying, in part to improve grazing for domestic stock. The plan called for burning and mowing sagebrush as well. Under the pending agreement, all sagebrush treatments, as well treatments of other native plants, to include duncecap larkspur will be dropped from the plan, Buchanan wrote. In agreeing to not further challenge the plan, the objecting groups appear willing to no longer protest the aerial spraying of herbicides on invasive weeds. Buchanans email followed a public hearing with objectors held Oct. 19. Bighorn Audubon hailed the pending change. Thats great news for birds, other wildlife, native plants, and the Bighorn National Forest, JoAnne Puckett, Bighorn Audubon president said in a statement. As we all learn more and more about the importance of native plants in having functioning ecosystems, we are encouraged that the Forest Service staff took our concerns to heart. The national forest had targeted up to 76,000 acres of sagebrush and several hundred acres of native larkspur, protesters said, across the 1.1-million-acre reserve covering the Bighorn Mountains northwest of Buffalo. Sagebrush covers about 15% of the forest, and the plan would have targeted some 42% of that. Critics worried that sagebrush removal would further imperil greater sage grouse, which depend almost exclusively on that landscape. Larkspur, considered toxic to cattle, helps sustain broad-tailed hummingbirds and other wildlife, objectors said. In its 246-page environmental review that sparked the objections, the Forest Service said reducing sagebrush would also benefit several wildlife species. Stock interests had supported the plan, including attacks on sagebrush and larkspur. The Wyoming Stock Growers Association had urged the national forest to employ all available resources to destroy the maximum amount of sagebrush annually about 5,100 acres. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department backed the forest plan but said sagebrush should be burned, not killed with chemical spraying. Competing views regarding forest, environmental and range health clashed during a two-year review of the plan. The Forest Service planned to use tebuthiuron, an herbicide banned in Europe that critics say will leach into groundwater, on sagebrush. But stock growers hold native larkspur in contempt. Some counties that underlie the forest have designated native larkspur as a weed because of its perceived toxicity to grazing livestock, the federal environmental review stated. The Bighorn National Forest wants to provide range for 113,800 Animal Unit Months of grazing, an AUM being the amount of forage a cow and a calf consume in a month. Non-native invasive plants are deleterious to the forest environment, the Invasive and Other Select Plant Management plan stated. Invasive plant species like the Medusahead and Ventenata grasses threaten native plant and wildlife habitat, undermine the health of watersheds, and increase wildfire risk, the environmental review stated. Neighboring Sheridan County treated 28,000 acres of those two exotic grasses in 2020, according to the agencys draft environmental study that now awaits final approval with the proposed changes. PINEDALE (WNE) Chett Logan Whitman, 25, on Thursday pleaded not guilty to the single felony count of aggravated assault and battery for the alleged July 9 attack of Chris Meeks. During the arraignment in 9th District Court, Whitmans attorney, Rives White, explained his client has an opportunity to move to Arizona for work. White worked with Sublette County Deputy Attorney and Prosecutor Clayton Melinkovich to agree to remove a bond condition that prevented Whitman from leaving Wyoming. Per the court order, Whitman must first arrange a way to have random urinalyses performed at his own expense in Arizona before he is allowed to relocate. As a condition of his bond, Whitman is not allowed to possess or consume alcohol or drugs. He is also required to provide monthly status reports to the court. Whitman is accused of brutally beating Meeks, of Daniel, and leaving him unconscious behind the Cowboy Bar in Pinedale. Meeks was life-flighted to an out-of-state trauma facility. A fundraiser to offset his medical expenses took place on Oct. 23. The court will soon schedule a jury trial for Whitman. CHEYENNE Lawmakers are taking heed of Gov. Mark Gordons call for fiscal conservatism in the upcoming general session, despite reports that state revenue estimates have exceeded previous forecasts. I really applaud the governor, and I strongly agree with his approach, said Rep. Cyrus Western, R-Sheridan, a member of the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee. The reality is, its hard to say for sure how sustainable well be. If we knew this is what our budget was going to be, or our revenue streams were going to be for the next 10 years, we might be able to have a different conversation. Consensus Revenue Estimating Group officials presented the October report Wednesday to the Wyoming Legislatures Joint Appropriations Committee and cited estimates of $2.2 billion worth of combined increases in the general fund and budget reserve accounts, as well as the School Foundation Program Account. The forecast included other revenue streams that are expected to increase in the current 2023- 24 biennium but placed an emphasis on the $738 million jump since January. Gordon will have $912 million available under statute for his supplemental budget recommendation, which will be released Nov. 18. He said he hopes to make investments for the future, due to the volatility of mineral revenues, and a federal energy policy and misguided investment mandates that are hostile to our states primary industries. Legislators across the state told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle they believed a fiscally responsible approach was important, but their plans for approaching the budget varied. Some also argued now was the time to reevaluate revenue streams and tax systems in the wake of an economic boom. The Legislature will be really fiscally prudent, said Joint Revenue Committee co-Chairman Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper. We have become experts in Wyoming over the last couple of decades, of really taking windfalls like this and investing them for long-term benefits. I think youll see weve done it with the Permanent Mineral Trust Fund and the Hathaway Scholarship. Harshman provided an example, such as by saving $700 million in surplus, the state could generate nearly an extra $100 million in revenue. He said that is a tremendous rate of return, and he hopes to see appropriations for trust funds for the suicide prevention hotline or Wyomings Tomorrow Scholarship in order to take care of residents. He said he believes a very large portion of the excess revenue will go toward savings and investments in other respects. Harshman said state employees should receive pay raises, and funding should go toward infrastructure. He said buildings are one way to invest in your state and local communities, because the cost will not get any cheaper, especially for educational facilities. Laramie County is continuing to grow Teton, as well, and I just think thats part of that deal, he said. Thats part of that whole savings and investment piece. Youre basically spending one-time dollars on a one-time facility that will benefit many generations of kids, students and families. Western agreed that funding should go into investment accounts, because the best money is the money that makes money for you. He said he would also consider one-time appropriations, but was wary of recurring expenditures, such as employee raises or K-12 education external cost adjustments. He said he has voted on raising state employee wages in the past, but more funding should be put into savings. Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, serves as co-chairman of the Revenue Committee with Harshman, and he is advocating for a conservative budget, but not a spartan budget. He wants to save as much as possible moving forward, in hopes that the state can prepare for the harsher economic times he expects. However, he said the state should make appropriations for education and state employees. Case said the state has lost ground in funding education, and it is proven in terms of teacher salaries and the ability to recruit staff. While he said the political environment and socially motivated criticism are also impacting educators desire to stay in the profession, the state must maintain competitive wages. He said he still doubts there will be significant increases in the wake of the Wyoming Education Association lawsuit over K-12 education, because legislators will want to wait and see where the court stands. Members of the Joint Appropriations and Revenue Committees on the other side of the aisle voiced a similar perspective, saying they agreed with Gov. Gordon to a point. Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, said there is enough funding to wipe out the structural deficit in K-12 education and put money into the school capital construction account to invest and provide a stable revenue stream. He said the difficulty in making that decision isnt if there is enough money, but whether fellow legislators have the political will to do it. He said he is a conservative Democrat when it came to spending, but there were other areas where he hoped funding would go, such as state employees, because there arent enough to develop the programs being asked for by the public. He said employees are underpaid and overworked, and the state continues to ask more of them without compensating them properly. Are we going to take care of our employees, and get new employees, so we can get these programs funded and out the door? he said. Or are we just going to continue to have our employees run out the door and quit and go to the private sector, because they see no end in sight of this? Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, said the state has the breathing room to help state employees, and he doesnt want hundreds of millions of dollars going into savings at their expense. He said he also hopes that the supplemental budget discussions will include solutions for housing problems across the state, because there is an affordable housing crisis. Yin said the state still needs to prepare for the downturn in the boom-and-bust cycle, otherwise budget cuts will go too deeply again in the future. He sees this happening in a re-evaluation of the tax system in Wyoming. Yin said the diversification of the economy and encouraging business growth is important, but he doesnt believe it will benefit the state in the current tax structure. He said the best time to make those changes is not when state pocketbooks are hurting, but in a time when there is an excess of funds. This money right now gives us an opportunity to have a discussion without having a gun to our head when we do it, Gierau concurred. And thats the time to have it, is when you can have a full rational discussion about what would be the best way for us to go, given our circumstances. But will we? Im doubtful. He said Republicans are reluctant to revise the tax structure, because they are in fear of losing their jobs for their own political hierarchy. Case said he has tried his best in recent years to focus on the future for Wyoming, when the ability to depend on the mineral industries runs out. He said hes looked at a more balanced tax structure, similar to the majority of states across the nation, but people dont have the appetite for anything that has the T-word. He doesnt believe that low taxes create a thriving economy, even after the state was rated the best business climate in the country. He said it is difficult to attract businesses when there arent amenities, and what the government provides in terms of education or roads. The truth is, Wyomings economy grew slower than any of our neighboring states over the past decade. It actually contracted; it got smaller. And the population in Wyoming grew less than any one of our neighboring states, than any other state in the West, Case said. What does that tell you? If low taxes were such a great thing, we would be swimming with people. Other Republicans were not as welcome to re-evaluating the tax structure. Western said that consistency and reliability are not the hallmarks of the revenue streams that the state has relied on, but he wouldnt entertain a tax increase before meaningfully reforming our spending, specifically in K-12. Harshman said he still believes that minerals are going to play a huge part in revenue streams for the state into the future, and possibly nuclear energy. He said the difficulty with diversification is having enough workforce, and the state doesnt have enough with its current population. Wyomings future is very bright. I think these ups and downs are tough, he said. But I think were getting really good at saving during these times, and making this investment in the permanent mineral trust fund, all these common school accounts, all these things that will provide revenue investment income forever. Wyomings unemployment rate ticked up in September, but remains below the national figure, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported. The Equality States joblessness rate ended September at 3.3%, up from 3.1% a month earlier. The national rate stood at 3.5% in September. The states unemployment rate has hovered between 3% and 3.4% for the past seven months. It stood at 3.3% in April, dipped to 3% by July and has creeped up since then, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Still, on a year-to-year basis, Wyomings employment outlook has improved. The states unemployment rate was nearly a point higher in September 2021. Wyomings total nonfarm employment has increased over the past year. It now stands at 291,500, up from 283,800 a year earlier. That change is reflective of just how hard the coronavirus pandemic hit the states economy as fewer Americans traveled, dealing a blow to the energy industry. Unemployment rates have fallen the most in the past year in Natrona (down from 4.7% to 3.7%), Campbell (down from 4.2% to 3.3%), Sublette (down from 4.2% to 3.4%) and Converse (down from 3.5% to 2.7%) counties, workforce services reported. Unemployment was at its lowest last month in Teton (1.9%) and Weston (2.2%) counties, according to workforce services. It was at its highest in Sweetwater (3.8%), Natrona (3.7%) and Unita (3.5%) counties. Marshall A. Burt, Libertarian Q: What are your qualifications for this office? A: no response Q: How would you meet the needs of Wyomings aging population while maintaining adequate government services for all ages? A: no response Q: What are your priorities in responding to catastrophic disasters affecting our state? A: no response Q: Do you support Wyomings trigger law regarding abortion? Why or why not? A: no response Cody Wylie, Republican Q: What are your qualifications for this office? A: A lifelong resident of Sweetwater County Cody graduated from Rock Springs High school, later gaining an associate degree at Western Wyoming Community College and then received his bachelor's degree at the University of Wyoming in political science. While attending the University, Cody would meet his now loving wife Marie. Upon graduation Cody would return home to Sweetwater County and join his family's construction business. A third-generation builder and businessman Cody would gain a unique understanding of the county's economic innerworkings and future outlook. Cody's wife Marie finished her degree in criminal justice at the University and relocated to Sweetwater County becoming a Sheriff's Deputy. Q: How would you meet the needs of Wyomings aging population while maintaining adequate government services for all ages? A: Wyoming needs to keep our elderly population healthy, happy, and in good shape. We can do this by broadening our tax base. This can be achieved by economic diversification. Q: What are your priorities in responding to catastrophic disasters affecting our state? A: Severe weather, drought, forest fires. Wyoming has several concerning issues when it comes to natural disasters that our state has to deal with. Changing weather patterns are causing flash floods, droughts, and forest fires that we all have to live with. Standing together as Wyomingites will go far. We need more control as a state to how our forests get managed within our boarders. We need to keep the water we have in our reservoirs for our use. A rapid response is a must once we have these occurrences across the state. Q: Do you support Wyomings trigger law regarding abortion? Why or why not? A: I am pro-life, I believe once the fetus has a heartbeat it has rights. It is our duty to protect the rights of those who cannot protect themselves. That being said there are medical conditions and certain situations that would require abortions and thus should be allowed under Wyoming Law to ensure the health of the mother. AN 89-year-old woman was found dead in Tunapuna yesterday morning after a fire at her home. The deceased has been identified as Zubida Mohammed of Prescott Lane in Tunapuna. Residents of the area told the Express that around 8.45 a.m. they heard a loud explosion, and then observed flames coming from one of the rooms of the bottom floor of the two-storey home. There could be no doubt that the post-pandemic situation is fraught with many problems ranging from concerns for health, education, economy and personal situations. Among these that may be prioritised according to our individual cares come the national concerns. Even then debate will range over which should be our priorities. My view is that the greatest and most enduring problem will be our loss of effective teaching-learning time over well nigh two years. Old Pueblo Playwrights skipped the 2020 New Play Festival and had to transition last year to Zoom courtesy the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year its back to in-person for its 31st annual showcase of local playwrights works in progress. The group will present 10 play readings at the Tucson Malls Arizona Rose Theatre this weekend. Each play will be performed once with actors reading the scripts with minimal set pieces, lighting or blocking. The idea is to focus on the play, not the actors, so that audiences can give the playwright an idea if their piece works. Our authors are hungry for the valuable feedback they gain from audience response and post-performance talkbacks, Old Pueblo Playwrights President John Vornholt said in a written release. Longtime festival coordinator David Zinke, who is a Tucson actor, will be among the playwrights featured. His one-act play Zoom Intervention begs the question: Can Zoom help a dysfunctional family impacted by the pandemic? Other plays explore everything from ghosts to patron saints to family dynamics and family drama. The festival runs Thursday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 6, at the Arizona Rose Theatre, lower level of the Tucson Mall, 4500 N. Oracle Road, across from the Container Store. Performances are at 7 pm. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is pay what you will. Details: facebook.com/ oldpuebloplaywrights. Heres the schedule: Thursday The Curious Incident of the Dogs Who Might Bite, a one-act comedy by Carl Damhesel and David Rochon. A young woman trying to help a pack of stray dogs causes chaos in a quiet neighborhood. Sharon Surhoffs one-act piece All Hallowed Justice. Unrequited love is challenged by a supernatural visitor. Janice, Sydney Flynns one-act comic mystery. Janice is dead. Or is she? Friday Mel Hectors two-act play St. Beseenya. Set in a pre-pandemic nursing home, this work shines a light on Americas vulnerable adults. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sharon Surhoffs St. Joseph. Can praying to the saints help you sell real estate? Gavin Kayners Bud and Lou Play Right. Love lost again. Sharon Surhoffs The Intrepid. Marie and Dee revisit how WWII affected Dees father. Saturday, 7 p.m. Gavin Kayners Flying Lessons. A high-flying love story. Sunday David Zinkes one-act, Zoom Intervention. COVID lockdowns introduced us to Zoom, but can the platform rescue this dysfunctional family? An estimated 150,000 people gathered in the streets on Tucsons west side in 2021 to participate in the collective mourning, honoring and remembering of lost loved ones as part of the annual All Souls Procession. As the first in-person procession to take place since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which at that point in time had killed more than 700,000 Americans, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the experience was deeper for many participants, said artistic director Nadia Hagen. It was more relevant, Hagen said. Death was more present in peoples space in a really personal way. It was not this conceptual exercise. Hagen said Many Mouths, One Stomach, the collective that puts on the procession, is expecting even higher attendance at this years event, set to take place this Sunday, Nov. 6. Whether you are from the Tucson area, or traveling from afar, here is what you can expect. The route As has been the case for the last several years, the All Souls Procession will take place west of Interstate 10, in the Barrio Hollywood and Menlo Park neighborhoods. Folks will start gathering at about 4 p.m. just south of West Speedway on North Grande Avenue. At about 6 p.m., the procession will begin its journey south, snaking its way down North Grande and North Bonita avenues, along the Santa Cruz river, until finding its way to the Mercado District, south of West Congress. The All Souls Procession guide on the website, allsoulsprocession .org recommends bringing comfortable shoes, water and a flashlight. The trek is about two miles long, so if you are not used to walking, maybe find a good parking spot toward the end of the route, to catch the final ceremony. The Mercado District, and more specifically, the lots near the MSA Annex, 267 Avenida del Convento, will serve as the staging area for the finale a mix of theatrical and dance performances, live music and elaborate visuals culminating in the burning of a massive urn hoisted high into the sky. I love this route, Hagen said. I think there is something so special about walking through the barrios. The barrios are the heart of the city. Having that connection to the river, the path that goes along the river and ends at the foot of the mountain that is our namesake. That really resonates. The theme For this years theme, A Sandstorm is a Seedstorm, Hagen was inspired by none other than biologist and natural historian David Attenborough, who filmed an episode of his 2022 BBC documentary series The Green Planet in Southern Arizona. There was something he said in that episode about within every haboob, there is not just dust, but millions of seeds, Hagen said. That one line got Hagen and her team talking about the bigger patterns in life. How things that are destructive, might also be necessary parts of a cycle that in turn create new life, according to the All Souls website. The website continues: Beyond resilience is an ability to not just spring back but spring forward. The concerts While the procession is free to attend, many of the behind-the-scenes aspects that go into putting on such a large-scale event do cost money. Hagen estimates that, for this year alone, $11,000 will go toward police and another $11,000 will go toward traffic control. Then there are things like trash collection and port-a-potty rentals. The procession has historically relied on donations, but donations have been down in recent years, Hagen said. Organizers are hoping that several fundraising concerts, dubbed the Dance of the Dead series, will help offset some of the costs. The series consists of two concerts and an afterparty, all held in the festival area of the MSA Annex. Concert One will take place Friday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m. and will be headlined by MarchFourth, the marching band with a funk rock attitude from Portland, Oregon. The group has been through Tucson several times and always brings the party. Tickets are $20 in advance through the All Souls website and $25 at the door. Concert Two, at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, will include performances from First Nations vocalist Shylah Ray Sunshine and multi-instrumentalist world musician, Porangui, who has also been tapped as the composer for the finale ceremony. Tickets for this concert are also $20 in advance through the website and $25 at the door. The afterparty happens directly following the procession finale and will feature sets from local Latin-fusion supergroup Santa Pachita and the Casa De Los Muertos DJs. Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. The future The procession has taken on seven new directors this year to help steer the event into the future, including a new volunteer coordinator, a new usher director and a new director for the Procession of Little Angels, a separate walk for children that will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at Armory Park, 221 S. Sixth Ave., downtown. Almost all of the new directors are women, Hagen said. All of them are in their early 30s. It is a generational shift, which is huge. Hagen said Many Mouths, One Stomach started putting out feelers for new directors during the pandemic. It is our intention for the event to have a legacy, Hagen said. The way to have legacy is to mentor. To hand off the responsibility and the information; the wisdom that we gain in doing this over the years so the next generation can be empowered to take that on. Otherwise, there is no legacy or future. Hagen said after 32 years, the annual event continues to grow. When it was first starting, it was like a baby and couldnt walk, Hagen said. It was a wild, unruly teenager for a while. Now, we are a young adult. Weve got some things figured out. We probably still need to call home and ask for money every now and again, but we know where our limbs are, how our hands work, what we like. Weve learned some things. Aspiring teachers can now apply to be a part of the second cohort of the Arizona Teacher Residency, a program that prepares individuals with a rigorous graduate education, a yearlong apprenticeship and ongoing professional development. The program, an initiative through the Arizona K12 Center at Northern Arizona University and supported by the Arizona Department of Education, is modeled after medical residencies and is open to any U.S. or permanent citizen with a bachelors degree. Addressing our states dire teacher shortage requires multiple strategies. The Arizona Teacher Residency is already helping local districts fill critical positions and providing robust support for these teachers as they enter classrooms, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman. The program begins with a summer institute, followed by a year of in-school apprenticeship under a supervising teacher. The residents then become the teacher-of-record during the second year of the program. Throughout the two years, the residents complete graduate coursework to obtain a masters degree from NAU. The participants receive a living stipend during residency and a salary from their respective school districts during their years as teachers-of-record. In exchange, the participants commit to serving in partner school districts for at least three years beyond their residency year. The Arizona Teacher Residency, currently in its first year with the first cohort, has residents teaching at Osborn, Roosevelt and Tempe Elementary school districts. For more information about the program, visit aztr.org or email aztr@azk12.org. Essay contest winners Two Pima County fifth graders were among the winners of the third annual AZ529 Essay Writing Contest. Alyssa Hackett of Gale Elementary School in the Tucson Unified School District and Jonsie Taccogno of AZ Connections Academy, an online school based in Gilbert, were among the 20 winners selected from a pool of 631 essay entries. The essay question was, What is your dream job, and how do you plan on achieving it in the future? Hackett wrote about aspiring to be a fashion designer and plans to carve out her career by sketching her ideas and working hard in school. Taccognos dream is to write code, songs, music and short stories by continuing to practice and take courses to improve his skills. The winners each received $529 toward a new or existing AZ529 Education Savings Plan, which may be used for future educational expenses such as tuition for college, trade school or workforce development training. Teacher of the Year Martha Bishop, a kindergarten teacher at Twin Peaks K-8 School, was awarded the 2022 Arizona Science Teachers Association (ASTA) Elementary Teacher of the Year. The award honors certified, full-time teachers from elementary, middle and high schools who are members of ASTA. It is presented annually to recognize educators who exemplify quality science teaching. Ms. Bishop makes science learning come alive for her young kindergarten students. Her creativity and excitement shine through, Principal Dondi Luce said in a news release from the Marana Unified School District. Bishop, who has worked at Twin Peaks K-8 for six years, has served as a STEMAZing Teacher Leader for MUSD, for which she has participated in professional learning sessions on science instruction. Through the program, she designed and developed quarterly science workshops for her teaching peers to promote high-quality instruction in their classrooms. She has also served as an advocate on the districts Child Assistance Behavior Team, mentored new teachers and facilitated professional development opportunities for her colleagues. A former Michigan police officer who shot a Black motorist in the back of the head will stand trial for second-degree murder, a judge said Monday. Judge Nicholas Ayoub announced his decision after hearing testimony last week and seeing video about the death of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A jury will decide whether Christopher Schurr 's use of deadly force was necessary after a full and fair trial, Ayoub said. Lyoya, 26, briefly ran from a traffic stop then grappled with Schurr across a front lawn before the white officer shot him at point-blank range. The final moment last April was recorded on video by a man who was a passenger in the car with Lyoya. Schurr repeatedly told Lyoya to take his hands off the officer's Taser, according to video. The refugee from Congo was on the ground when he was killed. Ayoub only had to find probable cause to send the case to the Kent County trial court, a low standard at this stage under Michigan law. Grand Rapids police Capt. Chad McKersie testified Friday that Lyoya had gained an advantage over Schurr during an intense physical struggle. But the judge noted that McKersie was unsure whether Lyoya was trying to flee or to attack the officer. So far there is sufficient evidence from which a jury could conclude that (Schurr) did not reasonably believe that his life was immediately at risk," Ayoub said. Schurr's attorney argued that the officer was defending himself and that Lyoya wouldn't give up. A forensic video analyst, Robert McFarlane, testified that Lyoya failed to comply with 20 commands. He pushed. He shoved, popped his arms, lawyer Matt Borgula said. Schurr, an officer for seven years, was fired in June after being charged with murder. A lawyer representing Lyoya's family, Ven Johnson, said a trial will be a key step toward obtaining full and complete justice. Grand Rapids, which has a population of about 200,000, is 160 miles (260 kilometers) west of Detroit. Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez NEW YORK (AP) The city of New York is settling lawsuits filed on behalf of two men who were exonerated last year for the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X, agreeing to pay $26 million for the wrongful convictions which led to both men spending decades behind bars. The state of New York will pay an additional $10 million. David Shanies, an attorney representing the men, confirmed the settlements on Sunday. Muhammad Aziz, Khalil Islam, and their families suffered because of these unjust convictions for more than 50 years, said Shanies said in an email. The City recognized the grave injustices done here, and I commend the sincerity and speed with which the Comptrollers Office and the Corporation Counsel moved to resolve the lawsuits. Shanies said the settlements send a message that police and prosecutorial misconduct cause tremendous damage, and we must remain vigilant to identify and correct injustices. Last year, a Manhattan judge dismissed the convictions of Aziz, now 84, and Islam, who died in 2009, after prosecutors said new evidence of witness intimidation and suppression of exculpatory evidence had undermined the case against the men. Then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. apologized for law enforcements serious, unacceptable violations of law and the public trust. The New York City Law Department, through a spokesperson, said Sunday it "stands by" Vance's opinion that the men were wrongfully convicted and the financial agreement brings some measure of justice to individuals who spent decades in prison and bore the stigma of being falsely accused of murdering an iconic figure." Shanies said over the next few weeks the settlement documents will be signed and the New York court that handles probate matters will have to approve the settlement for Islam's estate. The total $36 million will be divided equally between Aziz and the estate of Islam. Aziz and Islam, who maintained their innocence from the start in the 1965 killing at Upper Manhattans Audubon Ballroom, were paroled in the 1980s. Malcolm X gained national prominence as the voice of the Nation of Islam, exhorting Black people to claim their civil rights by any means necessary. His autobiography, written with Alex Haley, remains a classic work of modern American literature. Near the end of Malcolm Xs life, he split with the Black Muslim organization and, after a trip to Mecca, started speaking about the potential for racial unity. It earned him the ire of some in the Nation of Islam, who saw him as a traitor. He was shot to death while beginning a speech Feb. 21, 1965. He was 39. Aziz and Islam, then known as Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson, and a third man were convicted of murder in March 1966. They were sentenced to life in prison. The third man, Mujahid Abdul Halim also known as Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan admitted to shooting Malcolm X but said neither Aziz nor Islam was involved. The two offered alibis, and no physical evidence linked them to the crime. The case hinged on eyewitnesses, although there were inconsistencies in their testimony. Attorneys for Aziz and Islam said in complaints that both Aziz and Islam were at their homes in the Bronx when Malcolm X was killed. They said Aziz spent 20 years in prison and more than 55 years living with the hardship and indignity attendant to being unjustly branded as a convicted murderer of one of the most important civil rights leaders in history. Islam spent 22 years in prison and died still hoping to clear his name. Nick Schaffer loves Cuban food. Like many Tucsonans, though, he was struggling to find it here. There are places that have Cuban items on their menus, but theres no Cuban restaurant here, he said. He found what he was looking for on social media: a local home cook was selling Cuban food out of her house and taking orders online. The chef, Patricia Espinosa, makes a public appearance only once a year, at our favorite smorgasbord, Tucson Meet Yourself. Patricia is Cuban, and would make classic dishes like ropa vieja and Cubano sandwiches for other Tucsonans from the Caribbean diaspora. Now, shes helping lead the menu at Mojo Cuban Kitchen and Rum Bar. (The restaurant is named after mojo chicken, pronounced mo-ho, a signature Cuban dish made with salsa verde.) The restaurant at 1929 E. Grant Road officially opens today, Oct. 30. I tried her food a few times, and I knew she was the real deal, Nick said. When he started assembling a team to bring Cuban food to Tucson, she was one of the first people he got on payroll. Shes now the sous chef at Mojo, working with executive chef Janet Valderas, who until recently helmed the upscale dining program at Tanque Verde Ranch. She left a mark on our menu by guiding us to whats authentic, Nick said. One thing we might not have known otherwise is, Cuban food is not spicy. You might come across recipes with chiles, but thats not how its eaten on the island. The menu was also inspired by a staff trip to Little Havana in Miami. We tried a Cuban sandwich empanada that will be on the menu, he said. Cuban empanadas are fried, but were not frying them in lard (the old school way) but instead vegetable oil. Theyll also make empanadas with seasoned, vegan ground beef, [called picadillo] and separate the fryers to make a plant-based option. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up A rum bar was always part of the plan. Theyll be offering a mojito made with pure sugar freshly muddled into the base (rather than simple syrup) and garnished with a wedge of sugar cane another detail picked up in Little Havana. But beyond the typical rum cocktails: mojitos, pina coladas, daiquiris made the way Ernest Hemingway liked them, Nick said theyll also be offering the spirit straight-up. Were going to do rum flights to reintroduce Tucson to rum, he said. Different tiers where the uniqueness or scarcity, or different regions will be highlighted. The restaurant shines most when its offering experiences you cant find anywhere else: the croquetas, remarkably full of rich flavors; the sliver of sugar cane in the mojito, enjoyed on a sunny patio bar. Mojo Cuban Kitchen and Rum Bar Location: 1929 E. Grant Road Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday | 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday | 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday | 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday For more information, check out their website. Note: Their pick-up window, La Ventanita, will be open at 8 a.m. for breakfast, coffee, and Cuban milkshakes until the full restaurant opens. Our Eat + Drink coverage is supported by: Great food and drinks start with great water Restaurants, breweries and coffee shops know that clean, pure water is crucial. You can get that at home too with Kinetico Quality Water. Kinetico removes more contaminants than any other system. Get up to $500 off a non-electric, high efficiency, patented Kinetico system (restrictions apply). Visit KineticoTucson.com. What does "supported by" mean? Click here to learn more. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Missouri's health department is investigating whether a hospital violated federal health care rules in denying a woman an emergency abortion, an agency spokeswoman confirmed Monday. Missouri Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox in a statement said the agency launched an investigation into southern Missouri's Freeman Health System's treatment of Mylissa Farmer. Farmer, who is from Joplin, told The Associated Press that she went to the system's local emergency room when her water broke months early on Aug. 2. She said tests showed that she had lost all of her amniotic fluid because of a pregnancy complication and doctors told her the fetus was not expected to survive. Doctors also told Farmer that awaiting a medical emergency may put her at further risk for maternal mortality or the removal of her uterus, medical records show. But because her fetus still had a heartbeat and her condition wasnt considered a life-threatening medical emergency at that moment, they couldnt terminate the pregnancy in Missouri, they told her. She eventually got an abortion in Illinois. Records from that visit say doctors told Farmer that the law supersedes their medical judgment and contrary to the most appropriate management based (on) my medical opinion, due to the legal language of MO law, we are unable to offer induction of labor at this time. They were telling me to basically get out of the state to get the care that I needed, the 41-year-old told AP. Farmer criticized Missouri's abortion ban in a campaign ad for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, who is running against Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Missouri's abortion ban includes exceptions for medical emergencies, although doctors and hospitals have said they're unsure exactly what that covers. Hospital spokeswoman Liz Syer said its their practice not to comment on patient care. She did not immediately return a request for comment Monday regarding the investigation. Missouri's health department investigation centers on a federal law requiring medical facilities to determine whether a person seeking treatment may be in labor or whether they face an emergency health situation or one that could develop into an emergency and to provide treatment. In July, soon after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in an email to health care providers that the federal EMTALA statute protects your clinical judgment and the action that you take to provide stabilizing medical treatment to your pregnant patients, regardless of the restrictions in the state where you practice. Becerra wrote that a hospital violating any provision of EMTALA may be subject to termination of its Medicare provider agreement and/or the imposition of civil monetary penalties. Civil monetary penalties may also be imposed against individual physicians for EMTALA violations. Additionally, physicians may also be subject to exclusion from the Medicare and State health care programs. Associated Press writer Jim Salter contributed to this report from O'Fallon, Missouri. Ungar reported from Louisville, Kentucky. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korean police investigated on Monday what caused a crowd surge that killed more than 150 people including 26 foreigners during Halloween festivities in Seoul in the countrys worst disaster in years, as President Yoon Suk Yeol and tens of thousands of others paid respects to the dead at special mourning sites. Saturdays disaster was concentrated in a sloped, narrow alley in Seouls Itaewon neighborhood, a popular nightlife district, with witnesses and survivors recalling a hell-like chaos with people falling on each other like dominoes. They said the entire Itaewon area was jammed with slow-moving vehicles and partygoers clad in Halloween costumes, making it impossible for rescuers and ambulances to reach the crammed alleys in time. Police said they've launched a 475-member task force to investigate the crush. Officers have obtained videos taken by about 50 security cameras in the area and are also analyzing video clips posted on social media. They have interviewed more than 40 witnesses and survivors so far, senior police officer Nam Gu-Jun told reporters Monday. Other police officers said they are trying to find exactly when and where the crowd surge started and how it developed. They said a team of police officers and government forensic experts searched the Itaewon area on Monday. The government will thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident and do its best to make necessary improvements of systems to prevent a similar accident from recurring, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said at the start of a government meeting on the disaster. The Itaewon area, famous for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, is the countrys hottest spot for Halloween-themed events and parties, which have grown increasingly popular among young South Koreans in recent years. An estimated 100,000 people were gathered there in the countrys largest Halloween celebration since the pandemic began. The dead included 26 foreign nationals. One of the Americans killed was Anne Gieske, a University of Kentucky nursing student from northern Kentucky who was doing a study-abroad program in South Korea, the university said in a statement. The other was Steven Blesi, 20, his father, Steve Blesi, wrote on Twitter after earlier seeking information about his son. Blesi appealed for information after not hearing from his son, asking, If anyone has any news please share. After a flood of responses offering help and support, he tweeted, We just got confirmation our son died, followed by Thank you for the outpouring of love. We need time to grieve. Australian victim Grace Rached, a Sydney film production assistant, was described by her family as our life of the party. Her family said in a statement that We are missing our gorgeous angel Grace, who lit up the room with her infectious smile. The Japanese dead included Mei Tomikawa, who was studying Korean language in Seoul, according to Japanese media. Her father, Ayumu Tomikawa, told Japanese public broadcaster NHK that his daughter really liked South Korea and was enjoying her life there. Halloween festivities in Itaewon have no official organizers. South Korean police said Monday they don't have any specific procedures for handling incidents such as crowd surges during an event that has no organizers. Police said they dispatched 137 officers to maintain order during Halloween festivities on Saturday, much more than the 34-90 officers mobilized in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before the pandemic. Citing those figures, police dismissed as different from the truth speculation that a police station in the area was understaffed because it was providing extra security for Yoon, who earlier moved the presidential office to a site near Itaewon. They said police-provided security for presidents has long been handled by two special police units which have nothing to do with the Yongsan police station, whose jurisdiction includes Itaewon. Some witnesses said the stampede was caused by people in the upper part of the downhill alley pushing others in the lower area. Local media also questioned an apparent lack of safety preparations for the large crowd expected to gather in Itaewon. Asked about those possibilities, Nam, the police officer, said the investigation would look into all possible causes of the crush. As of Monday morning, the government said it has identified 153 of the 154 bodies and informed relatives of their identification. Nearly two-thirds of the dead 98 were women. It said 149 others remain injured. The death toll could rise further because officials said 33 of the injured were in serious condition. More than 80% of the dead were in their 20s or 30s and 11 were teenagers, the Interior Ministry said. Among foreign victims, five were from Iran, four from China, four from Russia, two from the United States, two from Japan, and one each from Australia, Norway, France, Austria, Vietnam, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka, according to the ministry. As the identifications of the dead neared completion, bereaved families were expected to begin funerals for their loved ones. Officials said the government will provide necessary support for funeral procedures. President Yoon on Sunday declared a one-week national mourning period and ordered flags at government buildings and public offices to fly at half staff. The government opened special memorial sites on Monday in Seoul and other major cities. Tens of thousands of people including Yoon and other top officials visited the sites, placed white flowers and bowed deeply. Many people also laid chrysanthemums, bottles of Korean soju liquor, candles and snacks near an Itaewon subway station and posted a host of condolence messages. Following the disaster, many hotels, department stores, amusement parks and other businesses canceled Halloween-themed events. The crowd surge was South Koreas deadliest disaster since 2014, when 304 people, mostly high school students, died in a ferry sinking. The sinking exposed lax safety rules and regulatory failures. It was partially blamed on excessive and poorly fastened cargo and a crew ill-trained for emergency situations. Saturdays deaths will likely draw public scrutiny of what government officials have done to improve public safety standards since the ferry disaster. Associated Press writers Adam Schreck in Bangkok and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. Freddies Bar-B-Q and Steak House in Sapulpa, which this year is celebrating its 60th anniversary, will close permanently after service Dec. 31. The decision to close the restaurant, at 1425 New Sapulpa Road, comes just a few months after the death of owner Edmond Tex Slyman, who died July 25 after a long illness. As a family, we have made the incredibly difficult decision to close Freddies at the end of this year, said owner Sherian Slyman, widow of Ed Slyman. We want to express our deepest gratitude to the people of Oklahoma and beyond for their many decades of patronage and support. We invite our loyal customers to join us throughout the holiday season to get their final fix of Freddies. Freddies was started in 1962 by Fred Joseph, who had turned an oil-field grocery store between Drumright and Shamrock into Freddies Steak House. A decade later, Joseph sold the business to Slyman, his nephew. Slyman ultimately doubled the size of the restaurant, but a devastating fire in 1978 destroyed the building. Rather than rebuild, Slyman chose to start a new location in Sapulpa, which opened in 1979. Freddies is one of the last of the traditional Lebanese steakhouses that once were populous throughout the Tulsa area. Ones entree is preceded by an array of appetizers, including a relish tray with hummus, tabouli, cabbage roll, barbecue ribs and bologna, and salad. In addition to steak, Freddies offers several seafood entrees as well as full barbecue dinners. One can also order the appetizers as a full meal, if desired. Freddies also dresses its steaks in a unique smoke sauce, a salty, ink-black condiment that some diners have found addictive. Freddies will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through Dec. 31. freddiesbbq.com. What the Ale, Beer of the Week: Marshall Brewing Co.s El Cucuy The wheels on the bus: The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that 16 Oklahoma school districts and a CareerTech campus will receive almost $29 million in federal grant funds to purchase electric and zero emission buses. Recipients include Tulsa, Beggs, Grove, Oilton, Pocola, Webbers Falls, McAlester, Earlsboro, Lone Grove, Geronimo, Clinton, Chickasha, Nashoba, Sentinel, Buffalo Valley, Shawnee and the Talihina campus of the Kiamichi Technology Center. Money, money, money: The Oklahoma State Department of Education is partnering with DonorsChoose to distribute $6 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to be used for classroom materials. OSDE will provide up to $800 for individual proposals, available on a first-come, first-served basis for one project per classroom teacher. Requests must be for materials that will be directly used by students rather than for professional development costs. An online portal will open up at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on DonorsChoose.org for teachers to submit their proposals with the submission day determined by their school districts area code. Tuesday is for school districts in the 580 area code, Wednesday for school districts in the 918 area code and Thursday is for school districts in the 405 area code. The portal will remain open each day until all the funds for that area code have been claimed. Any project started or posted to DonorsChoose before a districts application date will not be eligible for CLASS Grant 2.0 funding. To be eligible, applicants must teach full-time in-person at an Oklahoma public school, charter school or Bureau of Indian Education school. Along with teachers, speech pathologists, media specialists, counselors, reading specialists and occupational/speech therapists are eligible to submit projects for possible funding. Loading up the bike rack: Union High Schools manufacturing and automotive students are accepting donations of new and gently used childrens and youth bicycles and new helmets for its annual Bikes for Kids program. Donations may be dropped off at Union Collegiate Academy, 6636 S. Mingo Road, between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. through Dec. 1. Community event: In collaboration with Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease, Tulsa Public Schools Parent Resource Center is hosting a fall festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 525 E. 46th St. North. The free event is open to the public. COVID-19 by the numbers: Five area districts and one charter school published updated COVID-19 case counts Friday. Bartlesville Public Schools reported four cases among employees and two among students. Berryhill and Glenpool did not have any reported cases among students or staff. Collinsville Public Schools reported one case among staff and two cases among students. Tulsa Public Schools reported five cases among students and one case among employees. Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences reported three cases among students and one among staff. Skiatook Public Schools did not publish an updated case count by the close of business Friday. Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Claremore, Coweta, Jenks, Mounds, Liberty, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Sperry, Union and Wagoner are not publishing updated case counts at this time. School board calendar: Owassos board of education has a special meeting on Monday. Lone Stars board of education is scheduled to meet on Tuesday. Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Tulsa World Staff Photographer I have worked for the Tulsa World from 1995-2000 and from 2005-present. I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a degree in Photographic Arts/Journalism. I live in Owasso with my wife, Brandi, and daughters, Sonnie and Sarah. Scientists searching for victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre have uncovered 17 more unmarked graves at the city-owned Oaklawn Cemetery, an official said Monday. State archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck said researchers on Friday discovered 11 fully delineated coffins and a 12th that had not yet been completely unearthed. On Saturday, five more unmarked adult-size graves were discovered at Oaklawn, she said. Stackelbeck said it is too early to know whether the coffins hold the remains of victims of the race massacre, adding that its still not clear whether the coffins are the plain wooden ones for which scientists are searching. Those details will come as researchers take a closer look at the burials, a process that will entail hand excavation, Stackelbeck said. The city of Tulsa began the second excavation of Oaklawn Cemetery on Wednesday. Scientists have set out two goals for the second excavation: to gather more DNA samples from the 19 sets of remains exhumed and later reinterred from the southwest section of the city-owned cemetery last year; and to expand the excavation site to the west and south. The excavation work is being overseen by the Oklahoma State Archeological Survey and a private firm, Stantec, which was previously known as Cardno. The city has contracted with Utah-based Intermountain Forensics to analyze the genetic material. Oaklawn Cemetery was chosen as the first excavation site because public records and funeral home records from that time state that at least 18 named and unnamed race massacre victims were buried in the Black potters field in the southwest corner of the cemetery. The site is known as the Original 18. Death certificates were issued for 37 people 25 Black, 12 white killed in the violence of May 31-June 1, 1921, but reports from the very first indicated that the toll was actually higher and perhaps much higher. The 12 coffins discovered on Friday were from a new trench to the west and slightly north of the area searched last year. What we are going to be doing is picking up with the process of doing hand excavation, use finer grain tools in order to clean up those coffins so that we can get a better sense of each one of those graves, Stackelbeck said last week on the citys website. Researchers will be looking to determine the construction style and shape of the coffins and whether any hardware was left behind, she said. This is going to be part of our process of discriminating which ones were going to proceed with in terms of exhuming those individuals and which ones we are actually going to leave in place at least for now, she said. As part of the work last week, Stackelbeck said, researchers went back into the original excavation site and took seven more DNA samples. Throughout the day Monday, researchers wearing bright florescent vests carried buckets of soil out of the trench where the 12 coffins were found Friday and delivered them to a nearby work area to be sifted. Meanwhile, at the latest excavation site near the south edge of the cemetery, Stackelbeck and her colleagues worked to mark the five graves discovered on Saturday. The researchers also used a backhoe to widen the trench. Kavin Ross, chairman of the 1921 Race Massacre Public Oversight Committee, said the news of the additional burials took his breath away. I am hoping that with the expanded area we will be able to find the so-called Original 18 that were killed, Ross said. Mayor G.T. Bynum announced in late 2018 his intent to reexamine whether mass graves from the massacre exist. BROKEN ARROW Katie Miller is not too anxious about her post-graduation job prospects. Miller is slated to graduate in December from Northeastern State University with a bachelors degree in English education and certification to teach grades 5-12. And she plans to put that degree to use in a classroom. People have asked me why I want to be a teacher, she said. I didnt sign up to be a teacher for the pay or the cool reputation. Ive wanted to teach since I was in fourth grade. Im signing up for the students not any of the other stuff. Within the span of an hour Friday, she handed out resumes to 10 school districts during a teacher fair at NSU-Broken Arrow that attracted recruiters from school districts, charter schools, private schools and early childhood programs from across four states, hoping to attract Miller and other potential new hires. Miller is entering the job market as school districts nationwide continue to struggle to find and retain staff. According to data published Oct. 7 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21,700 school workers nationwide left their jobs in September alone. That figure includes teachers, administrators and support staff, such as paraprofessionals and bus drivers. In addition to those departures, there were already an estimated 300,000 vacant campus-based positions nationwide at the start of the school year as projected by the National Education Association, the countrys largest teachers union. Although theres need everywhere, it gives an opportunity for teachers now to have a selection of areas to go to rather than be forced to one specific site, Cherie Nicholson said. They have options now that might not have been viable before. Nicholson is the superintendent at Elkhart Independent School District in Elkhart, Kansas. She and a colleague made the six-hour trek from far southwestern Kansas to NSU-Broken Arrows job fair primarily in search of math and English teachers, as well as contacts for elementary teachers in case of potential openings at the end of the current school year. The districts attendance area butts up to Kansas boundaries with both the Oklahoma Panhandle and Colorado, something she has been touting in her multistate recruitment efforts. Were a stones throw from several states, she said. That makes us unique because for our young teachers, they can go just about anywhere on the weekend and have a good time before coming back to class on Monday. Although Nicholson was looking for contacts in the event of potential openings, several districts conducted same-day interviews at Fridays job fair in an effort to fill current classroom openings or positions that will be vacant come January. Among the districts looking to fill an immediate need was Justus-Tiawah, a dependent district immediately east of Claremore. Jenn Riley, the districts elementary school principal, started the school year fully staffed. However, since classes began, a first-grade position opened up and during the course of Fridays job fair, Riley was to be able to line up same-day interviews with two candidates to potentially fill that vacancy. While grateful for both candidates, she said having public support for her school has been a key component in order to retain and attract staff. Community support matters for teachers, she said. Feeling like parents, community members back our districts and have our best interest at heart is a big deal. Were a small community and have great support but overall, thats an important part. Meanwhile, Miller will be waiting to see which districts call her back for an interview. Despite Oklahoma having a lower average starting pay than both Kansas and Texas, nine of the 10 school districts she gave her resume to on Friday were in eastern Oklahoma. With a baby due in March, Miller is not looking to start teaching until August. However, even with that on the horizon, she said at least two districts expressed interest in bringing her into their classrooms even sooner than that. There are a couple who said If we cant find anyone else, we will call you in January, even though they know Im having a baby in March, she said. Im not too worried about being able to find a job. Video: Test scores show COVID setbacks for students across U.S. Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper and the Vietnam Industry Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched the Vocation story in the 4.0 era contest as part of the ongoing forum on building an autonomous industry in 2022. The contest is accompanied by the Vietnam Technology Advice and Solutions from Korea Centre (VITASK). Launched on Thursday, the contest is a forum for participants to tell the stories of their lives and professions in the field of industrial production. This is a playground and an opportunity for workers and businesses active in the mechanics and supporting industries to share information about their jobs, careers, the application of technology to the production process, and how they expand business scale and boost value in the industrial revolution 4.0. Their stories are expected to inspire young people about occupations that are considered quite tough and boring such as mechanics and supporting industry. Participants can submit their own stories or share the journeys of domestic and foreign businesses and startups. The stories can be about how workers and engineers approach and apply science and technology to their work to boost efficiency and productivity, their plans for the future, and how they contribute to the country's industrial development. The entries can also be the opinions of experts and managers on how to promote industrial development, thereby offering solutions to improve competitiveness for enterprises and their products. Participants: Vietnamese or foreigners can participate, regardless of age and occupation. Entry requirements: - Entries should have the maximum length of 1,500 words, and it is recommended to include photos and video illustrations. - Entries are presented in Vietnamese. - The author clearly states the address, phone number, and email, for easy contact from the organizing board. - Entries have not been submitted to any contest and have not been posted on all media and social networks. If the entries are selected to be published on Tuoi Tre newspaper, the authors will receive royalties from the organizing board. Prizes: - 1 first prize: VND20 million. - 1 second prize: VND10 million. - 1 third prize: VND5 million. - 2 special sub-prizes: VND10 million each (for enterprises that apply science and technology effectively in production). The award ceremony is scheduled for December 2022. General rules: - The authors are responsible for the accuracy of the information in the entries and the copyright of their entries. - Reporters and employees of Tuoi Tre newspaper and staff of the accompanying units, as well as their family members, are allowed to submit entries, but their entries will not be selected to win the prizes. - The organizing board has the right to use the winning entries for awareness and promotion campaigns during and after the competition. - The organizing board reserves the right to consider and decide all issues related to the prizes. - Published entries are considered to be in the preliminary round. Entries in the preliminary round will be judged by reputable experts. Entries can be sent to chuyennghecongnghiep@tuoitre.com.vn to via post to Tuoi Tre newspaper at 60A Hoang Van Thu, Ward 9, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. The title should be "Entry for the Vocation story in the 4.0 era contest." Entries must be sent from October 27 to December 10, 2022. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A large number of counseling offices in Vietnamese grade schools are primarily used as an alternative resting area, or a quiet area for inspection of students misbehavior. The mental well-being of Vietnamese K-12 students has become a heated issue following consecutive cases of teenage suicides. The students within this age group face serious psychological matters, including anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders and depression. Rampant mental health issues As the 2022-23 academic school year began in September, an official request from the Ministry of Education and Training was sent to schools across the country, asking them to increase the quality of counseling services for high school students. Despite the establishment of a dedicated counselors office, the number of actual visits was next to zero. Some students were even unaware of the offices existence. Thirty out of 50 Hanoian students reported having no idea where the counselors office was located in their school. Those who were aware of this service did not list the place as their number one solution to their psychological problems. To deal with their own issues, students take refuge in reading, drawing, songs, games, or crying out loud by themselves. Some went on pleasure trips while others switched to online chatting sites. A number of students resorted to alcoholic drinks or punching bags. Some found cursing in private spaces an effective way to let off steam. According to Dr. Trinh Thi Bich Huyen from the Institute of Mental Health under Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, one of the major culprits behind students mental problems is stress, be it from their own life, school work or familial and other relationships. A female patient was admitted to this institute recently due to her inability to blend in with new classmates who were from a different cultural background. This Saigonese student who moved to Hanoi regularly came under stress and exhibited signs of self harm. She once cut her arm with a paper knife in the classroom. This behavior persisted, leaving scars on her arms, thighs and other bodily parts. I dont want to die. I just cut myself to feel less tense, she said to her doctor. Synchronous measures for higher effectiveness If theres a counselors office, please let me know. I spent four years in this school and I had no idea there was such a place, said N.Q.H., a 14-year-old student. Most of the sample of the aforementioned survey hoped that all of their students in their schools could be informed of the counseling service available. Based on the analysis of Associated Professor Dr. Tran Thanh Nam a clinical children and adolescent psychologist, the counselors office in high schools is an ineffective idea. Nam said that the guidelines for counseling were dispatched to Vietnams public schools by the Ministry of Education and Training in 2017. However, he acknowledged that this solution was not effective even though a counseling office was established in a large number of schools. Some students dread visiting this place fearing jeers from their peers. They dont want to be labeled crazy in school, he explained. Therefore the counselors office is basically deserted. Only with funding, support from non-governmental organizations, and qualified part-time counselors can schools maintain this service. Nam quoted research showing 80 percent of children suffered mental health issues following prolonged social distancing policy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most schools, however, fail to establish workable guidelines on childrens mental counseling. Instead, the emphasis remains children's academic progress. Even when children confide their anxiety in parents and teachers, they get blamed for being lazy and misbehaving, said Nam. This hurts the children even more. The psychologist believes that enhanced mental wellbeing in K-12 students stem from public awareness of such issues, active engagement of trained professionals and the deployment of necessary resources. At the same time, schools ought to host relevant workshops for teachers and parents. The counseling office needs sufficient funding for daily operation and it should be placed at the hands of qualified individuals. Another necessity is a refined procedure for mental counseling, diagnosing and filtering potential patients. Part of this is setting up an anti-bullying room. Nam emphasized the need for synchronized measures, sufficient funding and the sustainable operation of school mental health counseling. Huyen, also from the Institute of Mental Health, stressed the collaboration between families and schools to ensure early diagnosis of potential health issues before these have developed beyond easy treatment. I hope that students find joy in their everyday experiences at school, and their after-class time at home will be filled with joy as well, she said. The family should be an encouraging environment that promotes parent-child conversations. A three-tier mental health counseling model The current mental health support model at Nguyen Binh Khiem High School in Cau Giay District, Hanoi, is one of the outstanding samples for this movement. According to Bui Bich Lien, a school age psychologist, this school based their idea on the model of the American Psychological Association. It includes three tiers, the first one of which caters for 80 percent of students with basic mental support needs. The second level of counseling is for the next 15 percent who are in danger of a mental breakdown and need direct support, and the last 5 percent of students who suffer greater risks with clear symptoms can access the last tier. Besides educating the students, we educate parents and teachers as well through small-scale workshops, forums and talk shows, said Lien. The best agent for this movement is the teacher in charge of the classes. This school currently evaluates students happiness index by progression over academic years through self-assessment forms based on their own reflections. Initiatives from students The 50 students who participated in the survey proposed a few initiatives. They believed counseling will be most effective when no third party is involved in the sessions between the patient in need and the counselor, which ensures confidentiality. They also proposed anonymous letter boxes located around the schools, talk shows and extracurricular lessons on mental health. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Senior Chinese lawmakers hear reports on draft law deliberations Xinhua) 09:23, October 31, 2022 Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the 127th meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Council of Chairpersons of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee held a meeting Saturday to hear reports on the deliberation of a draft law and law revisions. The meeting, presided over by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, heard reports on changes made to a draft revision to the Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women, a draft Yellow River protection law, and a draft revision to the Animal Husbandry Law. Lawmakers also heard deliberation reports on treaties on international judicial assistance in criminal matters, reports on deputies' proposals, and personnel-related bills. The meeting decided to submit the drafts to the ongoing session of the NPC Standing Committee for review. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) AHMEDABAD, India -- At least 81 people were killed in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday when a footbridge packed with sightseers enjoying holiday festivities collapsed and plunged them into the river below. Reuters TV footage showed dozens of people clinging onto the cables and twisted remains of the bridge over the Machhu River in the town of Morbi as emergency teams struggled to rescue them. Some clambered up the broken structure to try to make their way to the river banks, while others swam to safety. A number of children were among the victims. Prateek Vasava, who swam to the river bank after falling from the bridge, told 24 Hours Gujarati-language news channel that he witnessed several children drop into the river. "I wanted to pull some of them along with me but they had drowned or got swept away," he said. The bridge had collapsed in just a few seconds, he said. Atul Prajapati, a medical officer at the state hospital near the disaster site, said: "We have found 81 bodies and the final rites process has begun." Dozens of people were also injured, officials said. Authorities said more than 400 people were on and around the colonial-era suspension bridge at the time of the collapse. State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said more than 150 people were on the bridge itself. The bridge had drawn many sightseers celebrating the Diwali, or festival of lights, and Chhath Puja holidays. "Many children were enjoying holidays for Diwali and they came here as tourists. All of them fell one on top of another. The bridge collapsed due to overloading," said one witness, who gave his name as Sukram. The 230-metre bridge was built during British rule in the 19th century. It had been closed for renovation for six months and was reopened for the public last week. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in his home state Gujarat for a three-day visit, said he had directed the state chief minister to mobilise teams urgently for the rescue operation. Fifty navy and 30 air force personnel were called in to help along with a national disaster management team to trace missing people, the government said in a statement. A five-member team was appointed to conduct an investigation into the disaster. Opposition party leaders alleged that the government had not conducted a thorough technical assessment and load bearing capacity before it was opened to the public. Morbi is renowned as ceramic manufacturing center. The incident also comes ahead of elections in Gujarat, which are expected to be held by the year-end with the current term of the Modi's ruling party's term ending in February, 2023. Police announced on Sunday they had initiated legal proceedings against 35 people involved in a fatal shooting on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam. The 35 people have already been arrested, according to Colonel Le Van Quy, deputy director of the department of public security of Kien Giang. Among them, Vo Van Luong, Bui Minh Trung, Nguyen Van Thai, and Bui Duc Ngoc were determined as the masterminds. Police coordinated with border guard officers to patrol all streets, ports, ferry stations, and the airport on Phu Quoc Island to search for the suspects, as well as encouraging the culprits to voluntarily surrender. The shooting took place in Cua Duong Commune at around 11:30 am on Thursday, according to preliminary information. The incident arose from a land dispute between two groups led by Luong and Khuc Van Doai. Luong and 50 other people traveled in different vans and buses, each having from seven to 16 seats, to a venue owned by Doai that day to address their dispute. Doan Thien Long, a member of Luongs group, used guns to chase and shoot Doai and his people. Consequently, two people were killed after being shot in the head and chest, while four others were injured. Aside from arresting the 35 suspects, police officers searched the houses of relevant individuals and confiscated two guns, 19 bullets, one fake seal, and a 16-seater automobile. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Authorities on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam began dismantling the bungalows that were previously found being built illegally above the water within a protected marine area. The removal of eight overwater bungalows and bridges that encroach on the Phu Quoc protected maritime area was initiated on Monday morning, according to Huynh Quang Hung, chairman of the islands administration. Covering about 524.6 square meters, the facilities belong to a local resident named Mai Tien Dung. On September 15, the Phu Quoc Peoples Committee issued the order to dismantle the illegal bungalows owned by Dung and another resident, Le Van Boul. However, competent authorities encouraged the owners to remove them on a voluntary basis. If they fail to comply with the order, authorities would carry out the dismantling themselves. Authorities pull down the illegal overwater bungalows on Phu Quoc Island off southern Vietnam, October 31, 2022 in this supplied photo. As of Friday last week, Boul had already pulled down his illegal constructions and had restored the original conditions of a 1,501-square-meters section of the protected maritime area. Meanwhile, Dung initially said he would dismantle his bungalows before November 8 but later said he needed assistance from local authorities. The illegal overwater bungalows in the Phu Quoc protected maritime area were previously detected and reported by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondents in mid-August. Regarding the 79 villas that were discovered being built against the law in Duong To Commune, Phu Quoc, in late September, authorities are making procedures to pull down the constructions in accordance with the law. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news today in Vietnam: Politics -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Beijing on Sunday afternoon, starting his official visit to China at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. -- Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Sunday sent his condolences to President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea and bereaved families of a stampede in Seouls Yongsan District. Society -- A tractor trailer crashed into a motorbike on My Phuoc-Tan Van Street in southern Binh Duong Province on Sunday afternoon, killing one man, one woman, and two children on the spot. -- Police announced on Sunday they had initiated legal proceedings against 35 people involved in a fatal shooting on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam. -- Rescuers found the body of a drowned boy after he and two peers sank on a canal along Tran Hai Phung Street in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday morning. The two peers were fortunately saved by local residents. -- Nearly 5,000 military officials participated in a large-scale drill against terrorism, riots, demonstrations in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday. -- Storm Nalgae, which was located 590 kilometers east of Vietnams Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago by 4:00 am on Monday, is likely to move north and gradually strengthen in the next 24 hours before weakening due to interaction with a cold front, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Business -- The 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, which will take place from November 17 to 27, will feature displays from Vietnamese car maker VinFast, alongside other global brands, according to the organizers announcement. World news -- At least 81 people were killed in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday when a footbridge packed with sightseers enjoying holiday festivities collapsed and plunged them into the river below, Reuters reported. -- A stampede left seven spectators and one police officer dead during a packed concert by African music star Fally Ipupa at the biggest stadium in DR Congos capital, AFP quoted the police chief as he was telling official press agency ACP on Sunday. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Ferrari crashed into a motorbike on Le Quang Dao Street in Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi on Monday morning, causing one person to die at the scene, according to local police. The Ferrari driver was 25-year-old H.B.V. and the victim was the motorbike rider, who was later determined to be L.D.H., 58. Another woman was also sitting in the Ferraris front passenger seat at the time of the traffic accident. Preliminary information showed that the two vehicles were running in the same direction. They were both damaged after the collision. Police officers collected CCTV footage along Le Quang Dao Street for an investigation into the case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Nearly 5,000 people took part in a counter-terrorism, riot and demonstration exercise in Thu Duc City, a district-level unit under Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday morning. The municipal Party Committee and Peoples Committee and the Ministry of Public Security earlier assigned the municipal police to coordinate with relevant agencies to organize the drill. The cavalry force whose main duty is to fight crimes to ensure security and order. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre The event, held at a resettlement area at 26 Mai Chi Tho Boulevard, featured scenarios for ensuring security and social order, rescuing victims, and fighting fires in high-rise buildings. The drill also included martial arts and Qi Gong performances as well as a parade of special-use vehicles and the cavalry force from Ho Chi Minh police and the Mobile Police High Command under the Ministry of Public Security. Mobile police officers perform martial arts. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre Moreover, a task force of Ho Chi Minh City police and the Mobile Police High Command enacted a scenario to stop two cars, detain 16 terrorists in a multi-story building, and defuse bombs and mines. Planes from the Ministry of National Defense were used to access and rescue hostages. Mobile police officers fight people posing as terrorists with bare hands. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre An officer uses a hammer to break a brick on the back of another officer. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre A female mobile police officer in a martial arts performance. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre Special-use vehicles of the mobile police force. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre A kind of armored vehicle which is used to fight against terrorism, demonstrations and riots, and disperse crowds. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre Armored vehicles are used in fights against terrorism and riots. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Seven has unveiled its splashy new promo for Australian Idol coming to Seven in 2023, hosted by Idol discovery Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie including with Live performance shows. With a new breed of Australian artists ready to shine bright, seven aspiring contestants showcase the depth of incredible talent in the upcoming competition, performing Rihannas Diamonds in the series dazzling launch clip. Having travelled to every corner of the country, judges Harry Connick Jr, Meghan Trainor, Kyle Sandilands and Amy Shark have left no stone unturned to help unearth the next Australian Idol. Eight-time ARIA Award-winner Amy is thrilled with the chance to nurture emerging Australian artists: Its going to be pretty special to find that diamond in the rough and then see how they progress through the show. Australian Idol has changed the lives of so many artists in the past. Im so excited to be part of that. This week Foreign Correspondent focuses on Ukraine, stories from the Russian occupation. A young couple celebrates their wedding in front of a bombed-out building. An old man sweeps up the debris caused by missile strikes, bewildered by Russias aggression. Investigators dig up bodies from a mass burial site in a forest. People gather in a bunker for a writers festival. These are the stories Europe correspondent Steve Cannane uncovers as he travels through northeastern Ukraine in the wake of an extraordinary military victory against Russia. Liberated from occupation, people are sharing stories of trauma and hardship, hope and survival. 70-year-old Anatolii Garagatyi, an amateur cameraman with a YouTube channel, recounts how he spent 100 days locked up in a police cell. When he refused his Russian captors request to make a propaganda video, he was tortured. It doesnt matter how much longer I live but I dont want my soul to meet my parents in heaven and for them to think Im a traitor. In a quiet forest outside the town of Izium, investigators dig up hundreds of bodies from a mass burial site. For me, its not debatable. Its war crimes, says the Defence Minister, Oleksii Reznikov. Its the next package for a future tribunal. We call it Nuremberg 2. Tetiana Pylypchuk, the director of Kharkivs Museum of Ukrainian Literature, has organised a literary festival in a bunker. Its a show of defiance against an adversary who wants to obliterate their culture. Holding such events in a city which is under threat is a very strong message to the enemy. Humiliated by its recent losses, Russia is retaliating with missile strikes at power plants and vital infrastructure. As winter approaches, many are living without gas, power and water. But Ukrainians resolve to defeat their invader has only hardened. We have to survive. We have to fight for our land, for our family, for our houses, says Reznikov. What are you talking about? Weve already won! says Garagatyi. Theyve got no idea what theyre doing here. Cowards. Theyre cowards. 8pm Thursday on ABC. Sustainable Screens Australia, a new initiative addressing the need to reduce the screen industrys environmental impact, has announced 16 leading industry organisations have come on board as seed funders and Foundational Members. They are ABC, SBS, Netflix, and Paramount ANZ, screen agencies Screen NSW, VicScreen, Screen Queensland and Screen Tasmania, production companies BBC Studios, CJZ, Dreamchaser, Film Art Media, Matchbox Pictures and Regen Studios, the Docklands Studios and Shark Island Foundation. Anna Kaplan & Sara Horn, Co-Chairs, Sustainable Screens Australia, said: We are thrilled to be launching this vital initiative with the backing of such an influential cohort of foundational members. Its immensely encouraging to see the screen industry putting sustainability and carbon reduction squarely on the agenda. We look forward to supporting the industry to reduce our collective environmental impact and respond to climate change with the urgency it demands. Pamela Longstaff, Head of Sustainability, ABC, said: The ABC is proud to partner with Sustainable Screens Australia as part of our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our content. We look forward to working with SSA and our production partners to improve sustainable production practices across our content and in the Australian screen industry. Kathryn Fink, Director of Television, SBS, said: SBS is pleased to be joining the Sustainable Screens Australia industry initiative. Having recently completed our first assessment of our carbon footprint we look forward to working with our partners in the industry on ways we can all reduce our emissions and be more sustainable. Toni Skaife, General Manager 10 Melbourne & General Manager Content Business Affair, said: Were proud to be the first Australian commercial broadcaster to be seed investors in Sustainable Screen Australia and will implement their tools into our own productions and encourage our commissioned content creators to also adopt best practice models. Our determination to reduce our carbon footprint is focused on protecting our planet and industry so we can ensure the productions of tomorrow. Kylie Washington, General Manager & Creative Director, Production, BBC Studios ANZ, said: Sustainability is an issue close to BBC Studios heart. Globally we are committed to acting sustainably and reducing our carbon emissions and these aims are embedded in all our productions here. Were delighted to be able to support this local initiative that will be a valuable resource for programme makers and enable real behavioural change. Kyas Hepworth, Head of Screen NSW, said: Screen NSW is thrilled to support Sustainable Screens Australia (SSA) this initiative will reduce the environmental impact of the screen industry in NSW and bring us in line with international best practice. This is an exciting and timely initiative that will be industry-led and build capacity to measure and reduce carbon and ecological footprints. Moneypenny (accountancy), Shiff & Company (legal) and NIXCO (public relations) are also offering pro-bono services. SSA was founded on a vision to change the climate of screen production in Australia through collaboration, education, tools and resources, with the goal of transforming the industry into one which integrates sustainability into everyday practices. As Australia commits to a 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to net zero by 2050, the screen industry is expected to reduce its environmental impact along with all other industries. The local screen production industry contributes over $5.34b in value-add to the economy and over 31,000 full-time equivalent jobs, but SSA believes creating screen content should not be at the expense of the planet. With the Australian screen industry contributing a large ecological footprint, primarily through electricity and fuel consumption that lead to greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change, SSA is committed to addressing this by: creating an online hub for best practice checklists and toolkits, industry specific carbon literacy training, a vendor/services database, bespoke carbon footprint calculator, and social impact partnerships to support our local screen industry in establishing a standardised approach to sustainable production. Ultimately, SSAs goal is to create a behavioural shift across the industry towards more environmentally responsible practices that align with science-based targets. Thanks to the support of the seed funders, SSA has raised funds that will enable the organisation to launch to the wider industry as a member-based organisation in early 2023. This member-based funding structure will support SSAs initiatives into the future. Screenwriter James Cripps has won the Australian Writers Guilds Monte Miller Award for unproduced scripts. His television pilot High Rotation took home the award in the Long Form category. The script explores the exhilarating and near-impenetrable world of the Australian music industry. Previously Screentimes Drama Development Coordinator, he was involved in the development and production of shows such as Wolf Creek, Pine Gap and Underbelly Files: Chopper. He has been script editor on Informer 3838 and Janet King. Rhianna Malezer received the Short Form award for her short film The Stockman. The two winning writers will now receive a total of $10,000 in script development funding, with the prize invested by Scripted Ink. Its a total shock and absolute honour that High Rotation has received such a prestigious award, said Cripps. Thank you to the Guild for their continued support of Australias emerging screenwriters, and thank you to my co-creators, Catherine Kelleher and Henry Stone. Without them, this script would not exist. Jane The Waegukin by Ra Chapman was the long form runner-up with a further six highly commended projects. The Monte Miller Awards will open for entries in early 2023. People demonstrate for the legalization of gay marriage and parenting on December 16, 2012 in Paris, France. Antoine Antoniol/Getty Images There are currently 32 countries that allow same-sex couples to marry. The latest country to pass legislation was Slovenia, which did so on October 4, 2022. Most countries have legalized same-sex marriage via legislation, but some were through court decisions. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. People fighting for same-sex marriage rights around the world have seen global support increase in recent years. Australia, Malta, and Germany legalized same-sex marriage in 2017, and Taiwan made history in 2019, becoming the first government in Asia to welcome legislation on marriage equality. Slovenia became the first post-communist country to legalize it on October 4, 2022, after the Constitutional Court of Slovenia overturned a prior ban on same-sex marriages in July, arguing that it violated the country's constitution. The court gave the Slovenian government six months to pass legislation to rectify it. "With these changes, we are recognizing the rights of same-sex couples that they should have had for a long time," State Secretary Simon Maljevac told lawmakers at the time. There are currently only 32 countries that allow same-sex couples to marry. Keep scrolling to read the full list: 1. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriages. Revelers on a boat parade the Prinsengracht canal participating in the Amsterdam Canal Parade during Amsterdam Gay Pride on August 2, 2014 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Jasper Juinen/Getty Images The legislation gave same-sex couples the right to marry, divorce, and adopt children. Source: CBS News 2. Belgium followed suit in 2003 and granted equal rights to same-sex married couples. Wedding conducted by Lord Mayor Willy Demeyer in Leige, Belgium on July 13, 2013. flamenc/Creative Commons Beginning in 1998, the Belgian parliament offered limited rights to same-sex couples through registered partnerships. In 2003, the parliament legally recognized same-sex marriages. Source: The Guardian 3. In 2005, the Canadian Parliament passed legislation making same-sex marriage legal nationwide. Spectators watch along Yonge Street, at the annual Pride Festival parade, July 3, 2016, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ian Willms/Getty Images In 1999, some provincial governments extended common law marriages to gay and lesbian couples, providing them with most of the legal benefits of marriage but laws varied across the country. Story continues Source: CBC News 4. Also in 2005, a closely divided Spanish parliament agreed to do the same. A reveler dressed with a gay pride flag walks the streets next to Cibeles Square before the Pride Parade during the Madrid Gay Pride Festival on June 29, 2016, in Madrid, Spain. Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images The law guaranteed identical rights to all married couples regardless of sexual orientation. Source: New York Times 5. After South Africa's highest court ruled the country's marriage laws violated the constitutions guarantee of equal rights, parliament legalized same-sex marriage in 2006. Lesbian Angels march at the Gay Pride in Johannesburg, South Africa, October 7, 2006. Lesbian Angels/Creative Commons Exemptions were also included in the new marriage law. Both religious institutions and civil officers could refuse to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies. Source: NBC News 6. In 1993 Norway allowed gay couples to enter civil unions, but it took until 2008 for a Norway to pass a gender-neutral marriage law. A fjord in Norway, with the Norwegian flag in the foreground, October 14 206. Graeme Maclean/Creative Commons In January 2009, the bill was enacted into law, and gay couples were legally granted the right to marry, adopt children and receive artificial insemination. Source: NBC News 7. In 2009, Sweden voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. A pride flag waves on Saint James Church in Stockholm, Sweden, December 26, 2010. Sergey Ashmarin/Creative Commons The bill passed with 261 votes in favor, 22 votes against and had 16 abstentions. Source: BBC News 8. Iceland's parliament voted unanimously to legalize same-sex marriage in 2010. LGBT pride march in Reykjavik, Iceland, in August 2004. Henna/Creative Commons Iceland's then-Prime Minister Johanna Sigurardottir married her longtime partner Jonina Leosdottir as the law came into effect. Source: The Telegraph 9. Portugal has also allowed same-sex marriage since 2010, after legislation was originally challenged by the country's president. A woman carries a flag during the LGBT march in Lisbon, Portugal, June 18, 2016. Pedro/Creative Commons Portugal had passed a measure legalizing same-sex marriage in February of 2010, but Portugal's former president, Anibal Cavaco Silva, asked the Constitutional Court to review the measure. In April 2010, the Constitutional Court declared the law to be constitutionally valid. Source: The Guardian 10. In 2010, Argentina became the first Latin American country to allow same-sex marriage. LGBT Pride Marcha del Orgullo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on November 7, 2009. Beatrice Murch/Creative Commons Prior to the same-sex marriage law, a number of local jurisdictions, including the nation's capital, Buenos Aires, had enacted laws allowing gays and lesbians to enter into civil unions. Source: The Guardian 11. Denmark's legalization came in 2012 after Queen Margrethe II gave her royal assent to the proposed legislation. The Danish National Association of Gays & Lesbians at Copenhagen's LGBT Pride March in 2009. Ankara/Creative Commons Denmark was the first country to allow same-sex couples to register as domestic partners in 1989. Source: BBC News 12. Uruguay passed legislation allowing same-sex marriage in 2013. Uruguay fans celebrate as Uruguay scores their first goal against England as seen on the screen set up at Word Cup FIFA Fan Fest on Copacabana beach June 19, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Civil unions have been permitted in Uruguay since 2008, and in 2009 gay and lesbian couples were given adoption rights. Source: BBC News 13. In 2013, New Zealand became the first country in the Asia-Pacific to legislate for same-sex marriage. Paul McCarthy and Trent Kandler walk down the aisle after being married at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, on August 19, 2013, in Wellington, New Zealand. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images The law won approval by a 77-44 margin in the country's legislature, which included support from former Prime Minister John Key. Source: SBS News 14. President Francois Hollande signed a measure legalizing marriage equality in France in 2013. People demonstrate for the legalization of gay marriage on December 16, 2012, in Paris, France. Antoine Antoniol/Getty Images Hollande's signature had to wait until a court challenge brought by the conservative opposition party, the UMP, was resolved. France's highest court, the Constitutional Council, ruled that the bill was constitutional. Source: The Guardian 15. Brazils National Council of Justice ruled that same-sex couples should not be denied marriage licenses in 2013, allowing same-sex marriages to begin across the country. Drag queens Sara and Nina perform during an LGBT protest held inside the city council on May 16, 2017, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mario Tama/Getty Images Prior to the law, only some of Brazil's 27 jurisdictions had allowed same-sex marriage. Source: The Australian 16. England and Wales became the first countries in the UK to pass marriage equality in 2014. Peter McGraith and David Cabreza married shortly after midnight at Islington Town Hall in one of the UK's first same-sex weddings on March 29, 2014, in London, England. Rob Stothard/Getty Images Northern Ireland and Scotland are semi-autonomous and have separate legislative bodies to decide many domestic issues. In 2017, a judge dismissed two cases on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. Source: BBC News 17. Scotland voted overwhelmingly in favor of of legalizing same-sex marriage later in 2014. A couple are married shortly after midnight in one of the first same-sex weddings in Scotland on December 31, 2014, in Glasgow, Scotland Mark Runnacles/Getty Images In addition to allowing same-sex couples to wed, the measure gave churches and other religious groups the option to decide whether or not they want to service same-sex marriages. Source: BBC News 18. Luxembourg overwhelmingly approved legislation to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed and to adopt children that went into effect in 2015. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel (L) and his husband and First Gentleman Gauthier Destenay (R) celebrate with the American ambassador and his wife, July 3, 2014. US Embassy Luxembourg/Creative Commons The bill was spearheaded by the country's Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel. Bettel married his long-time partner Gauthier Destenay a few months after the legislation passed. Source: Reuters 19. Finland approved a marriage equality bill in 2014. Helsinki Pride 2007 marches through the street of Aleksanterinkatu in Helsinki, Finland on June 30, 2007. Markus Koljonen/Creative Commons The bill started out as a public petition and was passed with 101-90 votes. Source: Reuters 20. Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote in 2015. Thousands gather in Dublin Castle square awaiting the referendum vote outcome on same-sex marriage, May 23, 2015, in Dublin, Ireland. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images 62% of the referendum's respondents voted "yes" to amend the Constitution of Ireland to recognize same-sex marriage. Thousands of Irish emigrants had traveled home to participate in the popular vote. Source: BBC News 21. Greenland, the world's biggest island, passed same-sex legislation in 2015. Homes are seen against the backdrop of mountains on July 28, 2013 in Nuuk, Greenland. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Although Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, it was not subject to Denmark's 2012 ruling on legalizing same-sex marriage. Source: Copenhagen Post 22. The United States Supreme Court made marriage equality federal law in 2015. The US Supreme Court handed down a ruling regarding same-sex marriage on June 26, 2015, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images Same-sex marriage had been legal in 37 out of the 50 US states, plus the District of Columbia, prior to the 2015 ruling. Source: CNN 23. Colombia became the fourth Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2016. AUGUST 30: Sara Fuentes, originally from Colombia holds a flag from her home country during a naturalization ceremony August 30, 2007 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Joe Raedle/Getty Images Same-sex couples were already allowed to form civil partnerships before the ruling. Source: BBC News 24. In 2017, Germany became the 15th European country to allow same-sex couples to wed. German Greens Party parliamentarian Volker Beck celebrates following a vote at the nearby Bundestag which approved gay marriage in Germany on June 30, 2017, in Berlin, Germany. Sean Gallup/Getty Images Germany gave full marital rights to homosexual couples in a vote that Chancellor Angela Merkel voted against. Source: New York Times 25. In 2017, nearly all of Malta's parliament voted in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. The Grand Harbour as seen from Valletta on March 29, 2017, in Vittoriosa, Malta. Sean Gallup/Getty Images Despite opposition from the Catholic Church on the small Mediterranean island, marriage equality was passed by a landslide 66-1 vote. Source: The Independent 26. Australia legalized same-sex marriage in 2017 after lawmakers enacted the will of the majority of citizens who overwhelmingly voted for the measure by postal vote. People gather in front of the State Library of Victoria on November 15, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. Scott Barbour/Getty Images Same-sex couples were officially allowed to marry beginning January 9, 2018, more than a month after it was legalized in the country. 27. Taiwan made history on May 24, 2019, becoming the first place in Asia to pass laws on marriage equality. Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate outside the parliament in Taipei on May 17, 2019. SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images Taiwan, which considers itself an independent democracy that champions human rights issues, passed a bill in favor of marriage equality by an overwhelming margin in 2019. The bill allows full legal marriage rights for same-sex couples and also offers limited adoption rights. 28. Ecuador's highest court approved same-sex marriage in a 5-4 ruling. Gay rights activists protest outside of the Constitutional Court, waiting for the court's decision on gay marriage, in Quito, Ecuador, Tuesday, June 4, 2019. AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa Ecuador has recognized same-sex partnerships since 2015, but the Constitutional Court officially approved same-sex marriages on June 12, 2019. The court instructed the government to pass legislation that will cement equal rights for all citizens who wish to marry. Source: BBC 29. Costa Rica became the first Central American country to legalize same-sex marriage on May 26, 2020. People celebrate the implementation of a bill allowing same-sex marriage on May 26, 2020, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Manuel Arnoldo Robert Batalla/Getty Images Costa Rica passed a bill to allow same-sex marriage on May 26, 2020. "May empathy and love be the compass that guides us forward and allow us to move forward and build a country that has room for everyone," President Carlos Alvarado Quesada wrote on Twitter following the ruling. 30. The Swiss Parliament overwhelmingly voted to legalize same-sex marriage on December 16, 2020. Supporters kiss as they pose for a picture after the first projections following a nationwide referendum on same-sex marriage, in Swiss capital Bern on September 26, 2021. Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images The people of Switzerland backed up their government's decision months later when a September 2021 public referendum confirmed same-sex marriage by 64%. 31. Chile became the 31st country to legalize same-sex marriage when the country's president signed a bill into law on December 7, 2021. A couple kisses during a rally after the bill for same-sex marriage was approved by the Chilean senate on December 7, 2021 in Santiago, Chile. Photo by Claudio Santana/Getty Images The country's senate and lower house had previously passed a marriage equality bill expanding access. Same-sex unions had been legal in the country beginning in 2015. 32. Slovenia became the first post-communist country to legalize same-sex marriage on October 4, 2022. People smile as they wave the rainbow flag during the Ljubljana Pride Parade in Ljubljana, on June 17, 2017. JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images The Constitutional Court of Slovenia overturned a prior ban on same-sex marriages in July 2022, arguing that it violated the country's constitution. The court gave the Slovenian government six months to pass legislation to rectify it. Editor's note: This list was first published in November 2017 and has been updated to reflect recent developments. Read the original article on Business Insider Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been told that creating safe routes for refugees and dealing with a backlog in migrant claims is worth dreaming about. More than 110 refugee charities have signed an open letter to the Cabinet minister, calling for a kind and effective system for those seeking asylum in the UK. It referred to comments made by Ms Braverman at a fringe event during the Conservative Party conference earlier this month, that her dream and obsession is seeing a plane taking off to Rwanda with migrants. She has also said the only way for refugees to get into the UK is through a safe and legal route. Suella Braverman told a fringe event during the Conservative Party conference that her dream and obsession is seeing a plane taking off to Rwanda with migrants (Jacob King/PA) The letter read: Home Secretary, when you talk of safe and legal routes, you must be aware that it is impossible to ask refugees to come exclusively through such a path when even Afghan interpreters who are eligible for one of our few existing schemes remain in hiding from the Taliban. When you talk of illegal migrants, you must be aware that the top nationalities of people making dangerous journeys include Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria, and that at least 97% of asylum claims made by people from these countries are successful. When you question the existence of modern slavery, you must be aware that you are dismantling your own partys proud and internationally-recognised achievement in protecting the survivors of trafficking. And when you complain about the cost of housing asylum seekers, you must be aware that, while people seeking safety did not choose to leave their homelands, they are willing to work and keen to contribute, if only the law permitted them. You have referred to this countrys proud history of offering sanctuary, so we ask you to make this happen with a fair, kind and effective system for refugees. Deal with the backlog in asylum cases, create safe routes, respect international law, and the UN convention on refugees, and give refugees a fair hearing, however they get here. Then you would have really done something worth dreaming about. Story continues The letter, co-ordinated by charity IMIX and coalition campaign Together With Refugees, was signed by groups such as Choose Love, Christian Aid, City of Sanctuary UK, Doctors of the World, English National Opera, Freedom from Torture, Good Chance Theatre, JCORE, Jesuit Refugee Service, Rainbow Migration, Refugee Action, Refugee Council, Scottish Refugee Council, Safe Passage and Save the Children. It came as almost 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel on Saturday. Earlier this month, Ms Braverman said migrants crossing the Channel will face a ban from claiming asylum in Britain. Sonya Sceats, chief executive of Freedom from Torture, said: Every day in our therapy rooms torture survivors tell us about the hardship that 12 years of anti-refugee policies have caused them. Suella Bravermans policy proposals promise to intensify their cruelty. Bravermans dream of flying refugees to Rwanda by Christmas seems even further from realisation, after the airline hired to carry out the fights bowed to pressure from Freedom from Torture and pulled out of the scheme. This letter shows the depth of feeling against the Governments anti-refugee policies and that there are positive alternatives possible. A Home Office spokesperson said: The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who genuinely need it through our safe and legal routes, recently welcoming hundreds of thousands of people from Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Ukraine. The public rightly expects us to control immigration, at a time when the number of people arriving in the UK via small boats has reached record levels, placing pressure on the asylum system and stretching our capacity to support those in need. We are using every tool at our disposal to deter illegal migration, disrupt the business model of people smugglers and relocate to Rwanda, those with no right to be in the UK. Storyful Lava flow was recorded from Hawaiis Mauna Loa overnight into Monday, November 28, as eruptions continued.The United States Geological Survey (USGS) released this timelapse footage and said it was filmed on the north rim of Mokuaweoweo, the summit caldera of the volcano.In an update, USGS said lava was overflowing from the caldera but was not threatening populated areas.Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano on earth, according to the USGS. It has erupted 33 times since the first recorded eruption in 1843. Credit: United States Geological Survey via Storyful Sao Miguel, Azores made the hit list of must-visit destinations (Photo: Francesco Riccardo Iacomino via Getty Images) Sao Miguel, Azores made the hit list of must-visit destinations (Photo: Francesco Riccardo Iacomino via Getty Images) Consider our 2023 holiday inspiration list officially jam-packed with ideas thanks to National Geographic naming its top 25 locations to visit next year. The list, which the publication describes as filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems, is made up of under the radar holiday ideas. Chosen by the global editors of National Geographic, the spots are divided into five categories - Community, Nature, Culture, Family, and Adventure. The Community list focuses on places that stand out for sustainability, with Karpathos in Greece taking the top spot for women-led ventures leading the charge in sustainable tourism. Milwaukee, Wisonsin as well as Alberta, Canada also made the billing and Ghana was recommended for a chance to explore Black heritage. Laos was named thanks to a new high-speed train that makes lesser known regions of the area accessible. The UK made it to the Nature category with the Scottish Highlands but Botswana hit the top of the list thanks to its programs to rehabilitate endangered species. Texas was named for its Big Bend National Park and Slovenia got a shout out for being a long-term leader in sustainable tourism. The Azores also made the billing for the Nature category due to its incredible whale watching opportunities. Heres the rest of National Geographics Best of the World 2023 list in full: Culture Egypt (including Cairo) Busan, South Korea Appian Way, Italy Charleston, South Carolina Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China Family Switzerland Trinidad and Tobago San Francisco, California Colombia Manchester, UK Adventure Choquequirao, Peru New Zealand Utah, US Austria Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico You can see the full list with more details for yourself here. This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated. Related... King Charles is to host a reception in London ahead of the COP27 climate change conference credit:Bang Showbiz King Charles is to host a special pre-conference reception ahead of the COP27 summit in Egypt. It was previously confirmed the monarch will not be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in in Sharm el-Sheikh but it's now been revealed he will bring together around 200 international business leaders, campaigners and politicians at Buckingham Palace in London for an event to mark the end of the UK's presidency of COP26. It will take place on November 4 - two days before COP27 kicks off on November 6. Guests at the reception will include UK Prime Minister Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - who has also confirmed he does not plan to attend COP27 - as well as COP26 President Alok Sharma and John Kerry who is America's special envoy on climate change. There had been speculation King Charles would head to the event in Egypt in his first official overseas trip since becoming monarch as he has previously attended in his role as Prince of Wales and even gave one of the key note speeches at COP26 in Glasgow last year. However, Buckingham Palace later confirmed the King - who is a longtime campaigner on environmental issues - would not be going. In his speech at the 2021 Glasgow conference, King Charles called for "a vast military-style campaign" to "marshal the strength of the global private sector" in an effort to bring about changes needed to save the planet. He added: "I can only urge you, as the worlds decision-makers, to find practical ways of overcoming differences so we can all get down to work, together, to rescue this precious planet and save the threatened future of our young people." (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded a guarantee from Ukraine on the safety of Russian vessels in the Black Sea grain corridor. The Kremlin suspended the landmark export route after claiming, without evidence, that a drone strike against its naval fleet may have come from a grain ship thats part of the United Nations initiative. Most Read from Bloomberg Wheat prices soared after Russia said that shipments will become much riskier without its participation, even as ships loaded with grain began to leave Ukraine. Ukraine said Russia hit two tugboats pulling a grain barge outside the corridor. The UN and Turkey worked to salvage the agreement to keep seaborne exports flowing. A fresh round of Russian missile strikes hit power and water infrastructure across Ukraine. (See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.) Key Developments Russia Says Unacceptable to Move Grain Ships Via Corridor Russian Missile Strikes Cut Ukrainian Power, Water Supplies Wheat Surges as Russia Warns on Ship Safety After Ditching Deal Russia Is Mostly Failing in Race to Find New Oil Markets Ukraine Sees First Signs of Price Stability as War Grinds On On the Ground Russian missiles targeted the capital, Kyiv, including essential civilian infrastructure, leaving parts of the city without water and electricity. Explosions were also reported in regions including Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk and Vinnytsia. Russias military struck the Dnipropetrovsk region with artillery and drones overnight, hitting residential buildings and other facilities as well as energy infrastructure, local authorities said on Telegram. Ukraine, however, said it had shot down 45 of 55 Russian missiles targeting the countrys energy facilities. Russian forces began preparations to remove artillery from the Dnipro Rivers right bank in the Kherson region, Ukraines southern operational command said on Facebook. Story continues (All times CET) Putin Demands Guarantee Against Attacks in Grain Corridor (10:30 p.m.) Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday his country has not pulled out of the grain agreement as he demanded assurances from Ukraine on the safety of Russian vessels. Russia has accused Ukraine, without evidence, of using the so-called Black Sea corridor to attack its navy ships. Ukraine must guarantee, that there are no threats for civilian ships and Russian vessels, Putin said at a press briefing in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. He said that drones had traveled partly through the corridor in assaults on the Russian fleet. They created a threat both to our ships, which are supposed to ensure the safety of grain export, and to civilian ships that are engaged in this, he said, calling the grain deal disruption a suspension. The Russian leader also said that recent Russian strikes on Ukraine territory could have been more severe, and that he would wait for Ukraine to change its position and resume peace negotiations. Four Russian Copters Shot Down, Zelenskiy Says (10:30 p.m.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said four Russian attack helicopters had been shot down, and underscored an earlier government report that Russia missed most of its targets in a large-scale missile attack on Monday. Ukraines air-defense troops, he said, shot down 45 out of 55 launched cruise missiles. Of course, we will reinforce our anti-missile troops further, Zelenskiy said in his nightly address. But even now to achieve ten hits terrorists have to spend at least four times as many missiles. Results of Russias drone attacks, including those supplied by their allies from Iran are even worse. Zelenskiy Reaffirms Commitment to Grain Deal (8:32 p.m.) Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a tweet that he reaffirmed his governments commitment to the grain shipment deal to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and informed him about the consequence of the missile terror & nuclear blackmail by Russia. Russia Says No Ship Assured of Safety Along Grain Corridor (7:54 p.m.) Ships must not use the UN grain corridor, and no vessel is guaranteed safety there without further clarification from Ukraine, Russias Defense Ministry said. It said ship movements along the corridor are unacceptable because Ukraines leaders and the command of its armed forces are using it to conduct military operations against the Russian Federation, Russias military said in an emailed statement. There can be no question of guaranteeing the safety of any object on this route until the Ukrainian side accepts additional obligations not to use it for military purposes, the Russians said. At the same time the Defense Ministry said that it didnt pull out of the grain deal but suspended it until the situation with drone strikes against its naval fleet is clarified. Ukraine Says It Shot Down Most of Russias Missiles (7:50 p.m.) Ukraine shot down 45 of 55 Russian missiles targeting the countrys energy facilities, including hydro power plants, on Monday, its military staff said. The rest hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi and other regions. One rocket fell in neighboring Moldova after it was downed by Ukraines anti-missile troops, Ukraine said. Ukraine also said that Russia, running short of troops, is pulling mercenary forces out of Mali to deploy them in Ukraine. Russia Hit Tugboats East of UN-Agreed Grain Corridor (6:42 p.m.) Russian shelling hit two civilian tugboats near Ochakiv on the northern Black Sea coast towing a barge with grain, the Ukrainian militarys southern command said on Facebook. The attack set the vessels on fire, killing two crew members and wounding one, while another one went missing, according to the statement. The incident took place near the Ochakiv port in the Mykolaiv region on the northern Black Sea coast, which is to the east of a UN-agreed corridor that had been used for food exports, according to the post. Power Restored to Kyiv Customers After Russian Missile Attack (6:40 p.m.) Ukraines private power company DTEK restored electricity connections to customers and water supply facilities in the countrys capital, according to a statement on the companys Facebook account. While all clients in Kyiv have been connected to a temporary supply scheme, some had to remain without power in order to help the energy system, DTEK said. Ukrainian Cabinet Cuts GDP Growth Forecast (6:11 p.m.) Ukraines cabinet slashed its economic growth forecast to 3.2% from 4.6% for next year, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram. The cabinet also now sees 2023 inflation at 28%, compared with 30% expected before, he said. The next years budget deficit will exceed 20% of gross domestic product InteeIMF, Shmyhal said. Russia Warns It May Move to Control Black Sea Ship Passage (6:07 p.m.) Russia will be forced to take its own measures to control ships passing without its approval in the Black Sea, Russias permanent representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, said at a meeting of the UN Security Council, according to the Russian Tass newswire. Given the existing facts of abuse of the humanitarian corridor and the fact that the Black Sea remains a war zone, we cannot allow the passage of ships without our inspection, and we will be forced to take independent measures to control dry-cargo ships, he said. The Black Sea Initiative, the deal between Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, which was signed in July, shouldnt be carried out without Russia, he said. Turkey Urges Restoration of Grain Shipments (5:28 p.m.) Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that he discussed the halt of grain shipments in a call with his Russian counterpart. The continuation of the grain initiative, which makes a great contribution to the solution of the global food crisis and shows that all problems can be solved with cooperation and dialogue, is of great importance, he said, urging that it be separated from the conflict conditions. Electricity Cut Off in Lviv After Russian Strikes (5:22 p.m.) Electricity cutoffs started at 5 p.m. in the Lviv region in western Ukraine and would last three to four hours, regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi said on Telegram. Lithuania Denounces Russian Missile Strikes on Ukraine Infrastructure (5:10 p.m.) Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called Russias attack on Ukraines civilian infrastructure further evidence of grave war crimes in a statement after meeting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. We must continue military, political and humanitarian support to Ukraine and help it to counter Russias barbaric military aggression, he said. We must continue the policy of sanctions against Russia and Belarus and prepare a new package of targeted and effective sanctions. We also have to reinforce defense capabilities in NATOs eastern flank. Belarus to Open Joint Military Training Centers With Russia (4:50 p.m.) Belarus plans to create joint military training centers with Russia, the state-owned news agency Belta reported, citing a decree signed by the President Alexander Lukashenko. The countrys defense ministry is tasked with holding talks with Russia on setting up the centers and signing an agreement. Ukraine Assesses Damage From Russian Strikes (4:45 p.m.) Russian missiles and drones damaged infrastructure in 10 Ukrainian regions and hundreds of locations are without power in seven of them, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram. The strikes left more than 80% of Kyiv residents without running water and 350,000 apartments lost electricity supply, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. By evening, 40% still had no water supply and 270,000 apartments remained without electricity, he said. Russia Plans to Raise Diesel Exports Ahead of EU Ban (1:20 p.m.) Russias diesel exports via its key Baltic and Black Sea ports are set to reach a seven-month high in November as Europe grapples with a fuel shortage ahead of a full ban on such purchases early next year. EU Grain Corridors Have Carried 29 Million Tons of Goods (1:10 p.m.) More than 14 million tons of agricultural products have been exported to Ukraine via the so-called solidarity lanes between May and Oct. 20, European Commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker told reporters in Brussels. Over the same period, 15 million tons of non-agricultural products such as steel, oil and humanitarian products were exported. Latvia Detains 37 After Removing Soviet Monuments (1:03 p.m.) Police detained 37 people after authorities began taking down an obelisk honoring the Soviet military in Latvias second-biggest city of Daugavpils. The city, near the eastern border with Belarus, is nearly half ethnic Russian. Latvia removed a tall Soviet obelisk in the capital Riga in August and plans to take down all Soviet monuments across the country. Ukraines DTEK Depleted Stockpiles to Fix Power Lines (12:52 p.m.) Ukraines largest private power company DTEK is running low on inventories of spare parts to fix power infrastructure damaged by Russian shelling. We have already used up the stockpiles of equipment which we had in our depots after the first two waves of attacks since Oct. 10, Dmytro Sakharuk, executive director of DTEK, said on TV. DTEK was able to buy some equipment in the market but needs to purchase millions of dollars worth of spare parts as procurement problems are mounting amid soaring prices, he said. Preliminary estimate of damage to DTEK from Russian attacks is estimated in millions of dollars, according to Sakharuk. Poland Sees Reverse in Flow of Ukrainian Refugees 12:50 p.m.) This months massive Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure may trigger a new wave of refugees to Poland, Wojciech Kononczuk, deputy head of Polish Center for Eastern Studies said on Twitter. Polish border guard data show that October is on track to be the first month since April when number of Ukrainians moving to Poland was higher than those traveling back to Ukraine. Turkey to Talk to Russia About Grains Corridor (12:29 p.m.) Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he will discuss Russias withdrawal from the Ukraine grain corridor deal in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu later on Monday. The suspension of this initiative is neither to the benefit of Russia nor Ukraine, a Turkish Defense Ministry statement said. We are continuing to hold talks with Ukrainian and Russian defense ministers. Kremlin Says Grain Shipments Without Russia Much Riskier (12:38 p.m.) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said grain shipments from Ukraines Black Sea ports become much riskier after Russia suspended participation in a deal to protect them, but he declined to comment on what conditions Moscow is setting out for rejoining the pact. In circumstances where Russia is talking about the impossibility of ensuring the security of shipping in these areas, of course such a deal is hardly implementable, he told a conference call. It takes on a different character, much riskier and more dangerous. He said diplomatic consultations are underway with Turkey and the UN on the future of the pact. Russia Hit Infrastructure in 10 Regions of Ukraine (11:26 a.m.) Russias missile and drone attacks on Monday damaged 18, mainly energy, facilities in 10 regions of Ukraine, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram. They are not targeting military facilities, but critical civilian infrastructure, he said, adding that hundreds of locations have had power cut off in seven Ukrainian regions. Ukraine has 25 regions, including Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. University of North Georgia (UNG) alumnus 2nd Lt. John Belser, '20, has been accepted into the United States Army Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. "I'm looking forward to getting back into the military environment and putting the skills I learned in law school to use for the Army, Belser said. Belser was in the Corps of Cadets, serving as the second battalion commander, while he earned a bachelor's degree in history from UNG. He received an educational delay and is currently in law school at the University of South Carolina. "The whole reason I wanted to be a JAG was to help soldiers and their families with legal problems. I know that's a skill that I have, and I want to use it to assist those who sacrifice so much," Belser said. The Evans, Georgia, native was inspired by his dad, also a judge advocate. Belser shared that UNG was 100% instrumental in his acceptance. "The commandant staff and professor of military science staff helped me tremendously to develop those leadership skills the Army is looking for," Belser said. "Learning from retired Maj. Richard Neikirk and Col. Joshua Wright, both of whom wrote letters of recommendation for me, provided me with skills and relationships that got me where I am today." Neikirk, UNG's assistant commandant, said he is proud of Belser. "John's accomplishment is a tremendous reflection of his dedication and devotion to fulfill one of his life's goals," Neikirk said. "He is an inspiration to other cadets interested in attending law school. It takes a lot of determination to do what he did. Upon graduation from law school in spring 2023, Belser plans to attend U.S. Army indoctrination training at Fort Benning, Georgia. NEW YORK Viet Nam reaffirmed its consistent stance on the Palestine issue during the UN Security Councils open debate on the situation in the Middle East on October 28. In his speech, Ambassador ang Hoang Giang, permanent representative of Viet Nam to the UN, voiced his concerns about the escalating violence, especially in the West Bank. He held that people of both Israel and Palestine need to be equally entitled to protection measures, calling on all the parties concerned, especially authorities of Israel, to exercise self-restraint to avoid inciting more violence. Regarding solutions for the future, he urged the parties concerned, particularly Israel, to seriously implement the UN Security Councils Resolution 2334, halt the expansion and construction of resettlement areas, and stop the demolition of houses and the eviction of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Giang said that the implementation of Resolution 2334 is beneficial to Israels security itself. The diplomat also affirmed Viet Nams support for parties to play an active role in the peace process, including diplomatic efforts by the Quartet, the Arab Peace Initiative, as well as any initiative by the international community that is beneficial to the region. Viet Nam welcomes the Israeli Prime Ministers recent statement on supporting the two-state solution, and also welcomes Palestinian organisations reaching an agreement in Algeria which includes the organisation of elections in the future, he added. The Vietnamese representative noted that while pending a comprehensive, durable, and equitable solution to the Palestine issue, it is necessary to continue paying due attention to humanitarian assistance to help Palestinians in the current trying times. At the open debate, other participants also expressed their concerns about the escalating violence. Most of them showed objection and appealed for an end to Israels expansion of resettlement areas in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, along with its demolition and confiscation of Palestinian property, which they said have violated Resolution 2334. Some countries called on the parties concerned to exert efforts to promote the stagnant peace process. Many also stressed the importance of humanitarian relief for Palestinian people. Resolution 2334, adopted by the UN Security Council in 2016, affirms that the resettlement areas built by Israel in the occupied territories since 1967 are invalid. It requests Israel immediately cease the construction of new structures and calls on all the parties concerned to end violent acts and work towards substantive negotiations on all the final status issues in the Middle East peace process. VNS HA NOI President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Sunday sent his condolences to President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and bereaved families of those killed in a stampede in Seouls Yongsan district. A Vietnamese citizen is suspected among those killed in the tragedy, the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul confirmed on Sunday. The embassy said it was cooperating with local authorities to verify the information. It has also requested South Korean authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and perform necessary citizen protection measures to protect the rights and interests of the Vietnamese people. The consulate department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also cooperating with local authorities to verify the identity of the victim and perform necessary procedures. Vietnamese citizens wanting more information can contact the Citizen Protection Hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at (+84) 981.84.84.84 or the hotline of the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK at (+82)10.6315.6618. VNS HA TINH About 0.04 to 0.07 per cent of Vietnamese carry the rare Rh- blood type. It is imperative that people with this blood type be ready to help in case of emergency. In the central province of Ha Tinh, a club called "Rare blood type Rh- Club" was founded to connect people of this blood type to hospitals. o Thi G., 84, needed a large amount of blood when she experienced an emergency at Nghe An General Hospital on July 6. The club connected G. with Captain Pham Vuong Minh, Deputy Chief of Thach Lien Commune Police, who immediately went to the hospital to donate blood. One year earlier in September 2021, the club connected Nguyen Thi Thuy of Nghi Xuan Ward, Nghi Loc District, central Nghe An Province to a patient desperately needing Rh blood in an emergency. These are just two examples of how timely help from the "Rare blood type Rh- Club" has saved lives. "Our hospital acquires a heavy volume of blood to serve emergencies yearly," said Hoang Quoc Anh, deputy director, Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion at Ha Tinh General Hospital. "However, the amount of blood of rare types we receive is minimal, and sometimes we don't even have it available. The lives of people with these blood types are at risk in operations or emergencies, when we don't have the amount of blood needed," Quoc Anh added. With these challenges, the Ha Tinh Red Cross established "Rare blood type Rh- club", which gathered people of the blood type Rh- together. "There are not many people with rare blood types in Ha Tinh, so it is necessary that the club be established," said Tran Thi Hai Viet, deputy director of the Ha Tinh Red Cross. "The club will manage and distribute the human and blood resources needed in emergencies. Club members will have a great opportunity to network and update information faster," Viet added. The Ha Tinh Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation has asked local Red Cross offices in Ha Tinh Province to make a list of people carrying Rh- blood type in their area, and to inform these people about the club. "The direction of the Ha Tinh Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation has made the club operate more efficiently, with clear plans and regulations," said Quoc Anh. "The club will also be expanded and more people with rare blood types will join, making help easier and faster whenever a patient is in need of blood." Along with the establishment of the Rh- rare blood club, the blood donation campaign in Ha Tinh is spreading and expanding further. In 2022, the province has donated 6,941 units of blood, with 16 blood banks around Ha Tinh working tirelessly and efficiently, delivering blood to people in need at medical facilities across the province. VNS The 20th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park took place on October 29 Mai said that after 20 years of development, SHTP has contributed to transforming the city's economic structure and improving the quality of growth according to industrialisation and modernisation. Investment has increased over 20 years in quantity and quality with globally competitive products. However, Mai said that compared with the original goal, SHTP needed to make more efforts to realise the goals of developing a technology incubator and a human training centre, applying and transferring high technologies, developing supporting industries, and increasing localisation. Mai said that the city would complete the development strategy of SHTP in the new period. A restructuring plan will be issued to select industries and fields that are high-tech such as the semiconductor chip industry, biotechnology, renewable energy and the environment. To attract high-tech industries, in the coming time, the city will focus on completing infrastructure, as well as the legal and organisational structure of SHTP in accordance with international criteria. The city will also expand SHTP Phase 2 with the function of an open creative park. "From the lessons of phase 1, the high-tech park phase 2 will be not only a place of production but also a centre of knowledge, an open, connected and creative urban area," said Phan Van Mai. As an investor operating in SHTP, Truong Gia Binh, FPT chairman of the Board of Directors, said that the park possesses the potential to become "the nucleus of Ho Chi Minh City, an intellectual centre of the region and a green pearl of the world." Ho Chi Minh City will have the opportunity to lead the world in the development of new technologies such as AI, Blockchain, Metaverse, icloud, researching and developing the latest technologies in clean energy as well as energy storage methods such as hydrogen and electric motors and a new generation of clean energy vehicles, said Binh. Hopefully, world corporations will continue to see Vietnam not as a cheap human resource but as an innovation centre with many young people and a good education system." Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat said that SHTP needs to create new industries for the country to be a leader in research and development and innovation. He said that the Ministry of Science and Technology was finalising a draft decree to submit to the prime minister to remove some policy obstacles and create a more favourable legal corridor for attracting investment in high-tech industrial parks. SHTP has attracted 160 projects with the total investment capital equivalent to $12 billion. Of those, there are 51 foreign-invested projects with the total investment capital of more than $10.1 billion (84 per cent). Many high-tech enterprises and corporations have a presence at the park, such as Intel, Jabil (US), Nidec, Nipro, NTT (Japan), Samsung (Korea), and Datalogic (Italy). The export value of SHTP has reached $120 billion so far, of which $20.9 billion was in 2021 (accounting for nearly 52 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City's export turnover). It is expected to reach $23 billion this year. Intel injects additional $475 million into Vietnam facility Intel Corporation today (January 27) announced it has invested a further $475 million in Intel Products Vietnam (IPV). Samsung HCMC converted to export processing enterprise After a long wait, Samsung HCMC CE Complex Electronics Co., Ltd., the investor of a large-scale electronics manufacturing complex in Saigon High-Tech Park, was just approved to convert into an export processing enterprise. United States sets sights on Vietnamese investment US capital inflows to Vietnam are expected to grow this year following the high hopes set on vaccination and upcoming direct flights between both countries. Producers strive to minimise grim supply chain disruptions As supply chains have been stretched thin thanks to the pandemic, manufacturers are adjusting their strategies to respond to the current constraints. HCM City The Vietnamese logistics sector is eyeing the urgent need for renovation, overall solutions and vision as well as new development orientations to catch up with the global trend, creating a breakthrough for the countrys socio-economic recovery and development, according to experts. Illustrative image (Source; VNA) Vietnam ranks 11th out of the 50 countries in the 2022 Emerging Market Logistics Index released by logistics and freight provider Agility. The countrys freight and logistics market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.5 percent in 2022 2027. Its economy has posted a strong recovery this year, growing at 8.93 percent in the first nine months. Vietnams foreign trade was worth 557 billion USD in the period, representing a large freight and logistics market. However, Le Thi Ngoc Diep, Director for Trade of SLP Vietnam, said that the standards of the storage and warehouse system have remained modest, while many logistics firms have yet to be able to join the global supply chain. Meanwhile, the demand for a modern logistics system that combines automation and meets the growth of retailers and the e-commerce industry in Vietnam is very high. This requires the logistics industry in Vietnam to change and transform in an irreversible trend with the investment in modern warehouse infrastructure, applying digital and automatic management and more professional governance model, she said. A young and growing population of around 100 million people, stable and supportive Government policies, extensive trade agreements with other countries, and favourable trends in manufacturing, exports and domestic consumption are driving logistics services, Chih Cheung, founding managing partner at SLP Vietnam, said. But at the same time, there were a lot of inefficiencies in the industry, he said, adding that logistics costs represent 20 percent of GDP in Vietnam while it is 7-9 percent in mature markets. Speaking at the Vietnam Logistics Transformation forum held in HCM City recently, Hoang Quang Phong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), proposed the setting up of an inter-sectoral working group between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to review and remove difficulties and support the logistics industry by proposing policies and solutions to serve the development of projects to promote Vietnam's economic growth in the context of escalating logistics costs and shortages in serious containers in 2021. Dao Trong Khoa, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Logistics Business Association, said the logistics industry is benefiting from free trade agreements and the rapid growth of e-commerce. E-Logistics has leveraged the efficiency of logistics services, he said. However, the countrys logistics landscape is still fragmented and a master plan to attract investment and develop infrastructure to fully tap its potential is urgently needed, he said. Most of domestic businesses are small- or medium-sized with limited capital, technology and automation, and face fierce competition from foreign companies. They only have a 30 percent market share, with the remaining 70 percent held by foreign businesses, he said. But domestic businesses are increasingly investing in infrastructure, modern warehousing and technology to increase their market share, he added. Vietnam utilising its advantages of logistics to aid supply chain advances Vietnams logistics system remains less competitive than some neighbouring countries. Marco Civardi, CEO of JAS China , a privately-owned international freight forwarder, gave VIRs Bich Ngoc his assessment of the shifting of manufacturers to Vietnam and how the country is positioning itself to be more integrated into the global supply chain. In the third quarter of 2022, Vietnam economy showed a firm bounce back post-pandemic. The World Bank recently raised its Vietnam GDP growth forecast to 7 per cent this year, backed by a recovery in exports, retail and tourism, plus a relaxed coronavirus containment policy. According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows reached $15.43 billion in the first nine months of 2022, increasing 16.43 per cent on year. This marks the highest nine-month FDI inflows since 2018. The recruitment market, therefore, saw an upward trend. Adecco Vietnams data shows steady growth in new job openings and applications. Increasing FDI inflows and investor-friendly policies for industrial zones lead to higher demand in manufacturing, engineering, and industrial real estate. According to Thu Ha Nguyen, director of Hanoi Office at Adecco Vietnam, the demand for middle and senior-level roles in manufacturing is on the rise, especially in electronic manufacturing, since global electronic brands and original equipment manufacturing suppliers are relocating their production sites to Vietnam following months of supply chain disruption. Good government support, young and large workforce, appropriate cost, fewer COVID restrictions, and a stable political-economic landscape are some reasons that make Vietnam an ideal destination for supply chain relocation, thus the opportunity to become a chain in the global logistic network. The need for factory management, quality assurance, and engineers roles has been heating up faster, including existing and new factories, she noted. The service sector also recorded positive signs in hiring demand, especially in food and beverage, as easing coronavirus restrictions and high vaccine coverage allow people to return to their pre-pandemic habits. However, staffing in hospitality has been slow in recovering since Vietnam reopened for international tourism in mid-March. While the global tech industry is going through a hard time of large layoffs and hiring freezes, the pendulum seems to swing the other way in Vietnam, with tech candidates only meeting about 50 per cent of the hiring demand. According to Kim Truong, associate director of Permanent Recruitment, Adecco Vietnam, Vietnam is still a competitive market for foreign and local tech employers. More foreign investors are coming, plus the shortage of qualified candidates is exaggerating the war for talent. Tech experts are sought after to fuel digitalisation projects for digital banks, fintech firms and software companies. However, there is a supply-demand mismatch. Businesses offer attractive remuneration packages for strategic tech-related positions, but few candidates are qualified. Most fall short of expectations for English and technology proficiency. Post-COVID, candidates working onsite for foreign companies are returning home, which is a good sign to fill the gap, she added. With regards to hiring in the year-end season, candidate movement tends to slow down during Q4 as companies and candidates need to take more factors into account. To enhance efficiency and ensure a smooth hiring process during the year-end season, both employers and candidates should communicate upfront about their needs and expectations. Gen Z demand flexible, digital-led work environment People under 25 are more likely to change their jobs, have higher expectations of their employers, and demand more flexibility, according to recent surveys. Employers expect strong hiring outlook for first half of 2022 International and local employers in various sectors are expecting their hiring intentions to rise in the first half of 2022 as the economy is gradually recovering, according to the newly published Vietnam Employment Outlook Survey. WATERLOO Jurors have sided with an Evansdale man in his lawsuit against a Waterloo casino where he was attacked by another patron in January 2021. Attorneys for Montana Gunhus, 36, asked the jury for a $1.98 million verdict during closing arguments Monday. The casino was gambling with the publics safety, said Jordan Talsma, who is representing Gunhus. They will take your money, but they wont protect you. In a verdict reached Monday afternoon, the jury awarded Gunhus $1.732 million. This included $32,314 for past medical expenses; $50,000 for past loss of mind and body; $550,000 for future loss of full mind and body; $100,000 for past pain and suffering and $1 million for future pain and suffering. On the issue of comparative liability, jurors found Gunhus didnt share any fault. The jury awarded an additional $45,000 in loss of parent consortium $15,000 for each of Gunhus three children. According to testimony, Gunhus found a players club card belonging to Damond Williams wife inside a slot machine at the Isle Casino. He began using the card, spending $100 in fan play credits. Williams, 46, reported the card missing. Staff traced machines where it had been used and found Gunhus. When security staff approached Gunhus, Williams came up behind him and punched him, knocking him to the ground. In the 25 seconds that followed, Williams landed 15 punches and kicks. Gunhus suffered facial fractures and was left blind in his right eye. Talsma said the Isle of Capri Black Hawk County was liable because staff didnt take steps to keep Williams and Montana apart during the missing card investigation, and staff didnt intervene to stop the attack because the business has a hands-off policy for physical confrontations. Attorney Mark Thomas, who represented the Isle, said Williams who is facing criminal charges is the real person responsible for Gunhuss injuries. Were not Mr. Williams. He was not employed by the casino, and hes not a defendant in this case, Thomas said. He said Williams wasnt angry or threatening before the attack, so casino employees had no reason to suspect he was a danger. The casinos non-intervention policy is standard for similarly sized casinos in the Midwest, Thomas said. The defense also said Gunhus shared responsibility because he took and was using Williams wifes loyalty card. He is the trigger for the entire event, Thomas said. Jurors began deliberation in the case on Monday morning and reached a decision in the early afternoon. Williams is charged with willful injury causing serious injury and is currently the subject of a bench warrant after allegedly missing a court date in August 2022. WATERLOO Two women are vying for the position of state senator in Iowa Senate District 27. Annette Sweeney and Sam Cox are running in the district that spans from northwest Black Hawk County, down to the border of Poweshiek and Mahaska counties, and west to Hardin County. Sweeney, 64, of Buckeye, is a Republican senator for District 25, which before redistricting covered southwest of Waverly all the way southwest to below Ames. She previously served in the Iowa House from 2009 to 2013. She also worked as the state director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but turned to a Senate campaign when a special election arose after Bill Dix of Shell Rock resigned in 2018. She used to farm row crops and raise purebred Angus cattle feed stock in Buckeye. She stays involved with farming as the vice-chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sweeney is also chair for the natural resources and environment committee and said if re-elected, wants to continue to share what Iowa farmers are doing in regards to water quality. Secretary Mike Naig is doing a great job, but we need to make sure we keep that voice out there for farmers to see what theyre doing, because a little speculation has been happening when the government tells us what to do, Sweeney said. I want to make sure its out there and encourage farmers to do the great things theyre doing. Another main goal for Sweeney is to address maternal health in rural areas. She said she would like to continue working on the More Options for Maternal Support bill. The MOMS bill would require the department of human services to create a program that would support nonprofits that provide pregnancy support services to promote healthy pregnancies and childbirth, according to the bill. We have maternal health deserts in our rural areas, and we need maternal health regions and to only have somebody drive an hour or less to get maternal health care, Sweeney said. If we have those places to do that, and also include pediatric care at the same time, I think that will be a boost to our small towns in rural Iowa. She also said she wants to make sure parents have a voice in their childs education, referring to materials children and teachers use in the classroom. Some of the things that are being taught are contrary to parents beliefs, and that was showing people that you need to look at whats going on in your childrens education, Sweeney said. As for the Iowa school voucher bill that would divert money from public school to private schools, Sweeney said she was the only Senate Republican to vote against it. One of the goals she accomplished, and one reason she ran for office, was because of unfair taxation for farms in relation to inheritance taxes. I am engraved into our rural lifestyle, Sweeney said. I believe in our small towns, our small schools and the people that are residents here. And I take that voice to the Capitol every day. Sam Cox, 53, of Grinnell, is the owner of two coffee shops in the Grinnell area. She is running on the Democratic ticket. She said the main reason she is running is because Sweeney was unopposed. I dont believe in a shoo-in because no one else wants (to run), Cox said. I think we all deserve a choice. Like Sweeney, Cox does not support the voucher bill, but she doesnt agree with the scrutiny she wants to instill over schools. I trust and have faith in our education system to teach children whats necessary, she said. Theres nobody looking over my shoulder to do my job. On her website, she stated she would increase funding for public schools, increase starting pay and retirement benefits for teachers and provide more supplies and resources for the good of all our children. Another focus for Cox is expanding mental health care. She says Iowa is at the bottom of the list of states for mental health bed capacity. Theres so many people in crisis these days and we need a health care system they rely on, she said. We are just not doing enough. She had similar thoughts on womens reproductive health care issues, saying, If you dont want the end result to be an abortion, you have to provide something else to reduce that number. Some ideas she threw out were providing free contraceptives and free health screenings. Cox said although she didnt grow up on a farm, she is committed to listening to farmers about their issues. We all need a seat at the table and need to be represented, she said. Im just as capable of having a conversation and being able to problem-solve like any other person. CEDAR FALLS Captured on a large-scale print, the elusive coyotes feral face is an atmospheric study in inky black layered in subtle, earthy hues and overlaid with translucent silver. Its just one of numerous prints visiting artist Duane Slick created in the printmaking studio at the University of Northern Iowa on the way to producing a limited edition screen print. Art professors Aaron Wilson and Tim Dooley and their students were able to observe and participate in the process from start to finish. I think about my own experience as a student when a visiting artist would come to campus. Its a very important experience. And its the nature of printmakers to like working with other people around, while painters are about isolation, Slick said, smiling. Slick is nationally acclaimed as both contemporary painter and printmaker. He is on sabbatical from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, where he has been an art professor for nearly 30 years, teaching painting and printmaking. This week-long residency was an opportunity for Slick, born in Waterloo and a 1986 University of Northern Iowa graduate, to give students an immersive experience, as well as spend time with his family in the area. I tell people that I live in Providence, but Iowa is my home, Slick said. Using the archetypal coyote as the narrative for Slicks design in the UNI studio reflects his connection to this trickster character in Native American tribal folklore. Slick is a member of the Meskwaki Nation through his father, and the Ho-Chunk Nation in Nebraska through his mother. He describes himself as a storyteller working primarily on paper and canvas, along with the written and spoken word, to explore stories of history, heritage, life and death. Slick earned a masters degree in painting from University of California-Davis in 1990. He has won numerous honors awards and fellowships. His work is widely displayed in collections, galleries and museums, including the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, the Des Moines Art Center and UNI, among many others. Slick also lectures at colleges and universities and taught at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M. His work was exhibited in 2021 at the Hearst Center for the Arts. Using a coyote mask he bought in Mexico, Slick made sketches from the digital projection of the 3-D model to begin the printmaking project. The technology allowed him to freeze the mask at certain places to play with expression. Usually Im holding the mask in my hand to make tracings, so its never still, he explained. The 3-D scans made it easier to sketch without contending with light and shadow. Working with Slick was a good collaborative experience for students, said Wilson, noting that while some participants came from beginning classes, the majority were advanced students. Bringing in visiting artists always breathes a little life into the faculty and students. Someone coming in from the outside helps us all stay connected with our practice and see things from a different perspective. The printing process is labor-intensive, but also exciting as various elements emerge through layers in each successive print. Were working in a generative manner and looking for the prints to give us feedback, Wilson explained. Learning from an artist like Slick has been a valuable opportunity for students, Dooley said, providing them with broader knowledge. Fourth-year student Carlie Loyd felt the pressure to get it right the first time while making the screen prints. Its very special to work with such a distinguished artist, which means I need to be at my very best and make sure everything is lined up perfectly correct, she explained. Bob Lockhart, an advanced student, spent the better part of a day working on the project and described it as inspiring. Working with Slick was challenging. Its one thing to be able to see Aaron and Tim as a printmakers, but Duane is a painter, too, and to see him working in this medium and as a supporter for what were doing is important, he said. Slicks UNI-made coyote print likely will be shown in one of his future exhibitions. Currently his work is part of a new display at the Des Moines Art Center, and the artist is preparing for several shows, including at the American Academy in Rome in February. SIOUX CITY -- A 19-year-old Sioux City man has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two people on the west side early Saturday morning. Joseph Cruz was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of second-degree murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon causing serious injury and willful injury, according to criminal complaint documents. At around 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Sioux City Police officers were called to 1421 West Fifth St. for a shooting. On arrival officers found the victims, Anthony Williams and Carlos Aguierre, both on the kitchen floor unresponsive. Williams was pronounced dead at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. Aguierre, who had been shot at least twice, was pronounced dead on the scene. Cruz arrived at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's at around 2:42 a.m. having suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, according to a criminal complaint. Williams was identified as a cousin of Cruz's, while Aguierre is described as a friend, but they had "recently began having issues over firearms," according to a criminal complaint. Cruz wanted a firearm that Aguierre had on him and they began fighting over it, according to the complaint. At some point Cruz got ahold of the gun and "immediately fired off several rounds," striking Aguierre and Williams. In an interview with police, Cruz admitted to shooting Aguierre "out of anger" but denied having shot Williams, saying he "would not shoot his own cousin," though he also said he didn't recall how Williams was shot. DES MOINES Republican Mike Naig is seeking another four-year term as Iowas secretary of agriculture in order to continue to seek new markets for Iowa agriculture products and to continue work on improving water quality in the state. Democrat John Norwood, a businessman and Polk County Soil and Water commissioner, wants to expedite Iowas work on improving water quality and foster an agricultural system that he says would be built to last. Naig had been working as deputy secretary of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship when, in 2018, he was promoted to the post after former Secretary Bill Northey accepted a position in the federal ag department. Later that year, Naig won election to a full, four-year term as ag secretary. Mike Naig During an interview, Naig, 44, praised his departments work over the past four years in response to historic flooding, droughts, a derecho, and return of the bird flu, not to mention a global pandemic. Weve had to be very flexible. Weve had to be responsive to the times. And, frankly, those were some things that were historic and unprecedented. We hadnt seen things like that before, Naig said. And Im proud of the way that our team has reflected the agriculture community in how they had to deal with these things, to be resilient and really still get the job done. Naig said he is proud of the work that has been done to improve Iowas water quality during his tenure, and that he hopes to expand upon that work in another four-year term. He said with dedicated funding from the state in place for the next 17 years, he expects the state can leverage that funding to obtain even more resources through federal and private funding. The percentage of Iowas waters that are deemed impaired declined slightly in 2022, but still is at more than half, according to an annual state Department of Natural Resources report. That percentage has been higher than 50% since 2010, according to the report. We finally secured long-term, dedicated funding that has allowed us to turn the page now and focus on how do we scale up, Naig said. Were looking at ways to leverage those state resources with federal dollars, with private sector dollars, with farmer and landowner dollars, cities, and how do we just continue to leverage and get more and more efficient in our work and get more and more done. John Norwood Before Norwood moved to Iowa in 2002, he lived and worked for a large water utility in Boston and led an agricultural land trust California. In Iowa, he owns a small business and is a business adviser. During an interview, Norwood, 58, said the pace of Iowas work on water quality issues is not sufficient. We cant do things one at a time and hopefully move the needle, Norwood said. He said the state needs to scale up its work, should work more with local drainage districts and develop a strategy that includes all stakeholders, including both the farm operators and land owners on farms where those are separate. Norwood said he believes Iowas agriculture system is unbalanced, with too much reliance on growing corn and soybeans, which can have a detrimental impact on water quality if farmers grow crops too close to waterways. He believes the state should find ways to encourage farmers to diversify their crops. The commodity markets were so good at. Its really the specialty markets we have to get better at, ensuring things that complement the systems. We need that because the foundation of our economy is agriculture. But our agriculture is unbalanced, Norwood said. We need to add resiliency. We need to add diversity and inclusiveness. We need to add flexibility to the system. Norwood said he feels that some government programs, like crop insurance, may be encouraging farming practices that will be bad for the land in the long-term. He proposes using incentives to encourage practices that will preserve or even improve water quality and soil health. I use sort of that model for when youre a physician: first do no harm. Were doing things today where were harming the system, Norwood said. The first responsibility is to protect the resource. If we dont protect the resource, then were trading present productivity for future productivity. Its an intergenerational issue. And I think we have a moral and ethical responsibility not to run the system aground. Early voting is underway. Election Day is Nov. 8. The flow of those wishing to contribute to the liberation of the fraternal lands from the damned Satanists continues to grow. They continuously arrive in Grozny from all regions of Russia. Looking at them, once again you are convinced that we are on the right path to victory. They, like the previous groups, went to the zone of the NWO from the Grozny International Airport named after the Hero of Russia Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov. Rejecting everyday life, young people decided to closely associate themselves with military craft. A significant contribution to the rapid development of the relevant skills is made by the Russian University of Special Forces, where instructors most effectively and quickly teach the basics of combat in different conditions. The Regional Public Foundation named after the Hero of Russia Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, in turn, provided the fighters with everything they needed. Dear BROTHERS: Chairman of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic Magomed Daudov @MDaudov_95, Minister of the Interior for the Chechen Republic Ruslan Alkhanov and Deputy Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic Abuzayd Vismuradov personally saw off the soldiers. They wished them a speedy victory over the Nazi evil spirits and a safe return home. I join all the words addressed to our selfless brothers. I wish the volunteers good luck in their noble cause! *** Work in the area of responsibility of dear BROTHER, Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Adam Delimkhanov @adelimkhanov_95, is not only in coordinating the course of hostilities against Ukrainian gangs. Adam Sultanovich pays much attention directly to the development of new special operations and the solution of organizational issues. And, of course, under his leadership, excellent cooperation has been established with the command of the Russian military group in the Donbass, as well as with our units. This and other important topics were discussed at a meeting at the General Staff with the brave, battle-hardened commanders of the Chechen power structures. One of the main tasks of Adam Sultanovich outlined the preservation of personnel, as well as the observance of the order of conduct of hostilities. The mood of our soldiers is always fighting. They expressed confidence that all the tasks set by the countrys leadership would be fulfilled. To do this, they will apply all the necessary forces and means. For the umpteenth time, Adam Delimkhanov made an appeal to the overstayed Chechen-speaking champions of European values from the so-called Ichkerian battalions, so that they would not hide behind the backs of Ukrainian Satanists and show themselves anywhere from Kherson to Lysichansk. Also, the assembled soldiers said that they were not against the appearance in their zone of some kind of American airborne division, about which there was a serious debate on the Internet. Our fighters are intrigued and will not refuse additional NATO weapons and equipment. The meeting went well. Some interesting adjustments have been made to further tactics. A glorious hunt awaits us in the coming days. Victory will be ours! There is no doubt about it! AHMAT-POWER! ALLAH AKBAR! WtR Interview with Sergey Lavrov for the film The World on the Edge. Lessons from the Caribbean Crisis, October 30, 2022. As in 1962, so now we are talking about creating direct threats to the security of Russia right on our borders. There is a military campaign to pump up Ukraine with all types of weapons. There is serious talk about the need to strengthen the nuclear capabilities of NATO in addition to the five countries that already have American tactical nuclear weapons on their territory. This situation is very worrying. The difference is that back in 1962, N.S. Khrushchev and J. Kennedy found the strength to show responsibility and wisdom, and now we do not see such readiness from Washington and its satellites. The United States, NATO, the European Union continue to talk about the need to defeat Russia on the battlefield. As you rightly pointed out, behind all of this is the absolute inability of the United States to give up the desire to rule everything and everyone. <> President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that we have never refused and do not refuse negotiations. He warned that those who refuse this is done by Ukraine on the direct orders of Western sponsors should understand: the longer they delay negotiations, the more difficult it will be for them to negotiate with us. <> If we are approached with realistic proposals based on the principles of equality and mutual respect of interests, aimed at finding compromises and a balance of interests of all countries in this region, it will not be up to us. #CaribbeanCrisis #Lessons of History WtR Statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Until the situation around the committed by Ukraine on October 29 of this year is clarified. terrorist action against warships and civilian vessels in the city of Sevastopol, traffic along the security corridor defined by the Black Sea Initiative has been suspended. We emphasize that the Russian Federation, as the main participant in these agreements, does not withdraw from them, but suspends them. In this regard, the movement of ships along the security corridor is unacceptable, since the Ukrainian leadership and the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine use it to conduct military operations against the Russian Federation. Under the current conditions, there can be no question of guaranteeing the security of any object in the indicated direction until the Ukrainian side accepts additional obligations not to use this route for military purposes. Taking into account the fact that the signing of the agreement the Initiative for the Safe Transportation of Grain and Food from the Ports of Ukraine (the Black Sea Initiative) and its implementation were carried out through the mediation of the UN Secretary-General A. Guterres, brought our position to him and the UN Security Council. We count on the assistance of an international organization in obtaining guarantees from Ukraine on the non-use of the humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports, determined in the interests of exporting agricultural products, to conduct military operations against the Russian Federation. @mod_russia Statement by the Permanent Representative V.A. Nebenzya at the meeting of the UN Security Council in connection with the suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (October 31, 2022). Read completely On Saturday, October 29, at about 4 a.m., the Ukrainian armed forces, under the cover of the humanitarian grain corridor created as part of the Black Sea Initiative, launched massive air and sea strikes on ships and infrastructure of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the preparation of this terrorist attack was carried out by Kyiv under the guidance of British specialists located in the port of Ochakov, Mykolaiv region of Ukraine. Also noteworthy is the presence on Saturday in the sky over the Black Sea near the coast of Crimea of the US strategic reconnaissance drone RQ-4 Global Hawk. We are surprised that the UN leadership not only did not condemn, but did not even express concern in connection with terrorist attacks under the guise of a humanitarian corridor. We proceed from the fact that the Black Sea Initiative concluded between Russia, Turkey and Ukraine upon the assurance of the UN on July 22 should not be carried out without us, and the decisions and measures taken without our participation do not oblige us to anything. At the same time, taking into account the existing facts of abuse of the humanitarian corridor, and in general the fact that the Black Sea remains a war zone, we cannot allow the unhindered passage of ships without our inspection and will be forced to take independent measures to control the missed SCs without our approval of dry cargo ships. We will detail our conclusions and approaches to the implementation of the grain deal in the near future. We are surprised that the UN leadership not only did not condemn, but did not even express concern in connection with terrorist attacks under the guise of a humanitarian corridor. The UN Secretariat first promptly reclassified the grain deal from humanitarian to commercial, and now it turns a blind eye to its use for military purposes. WtR Authorities have arrested a drugstore worker in the slayings of two teenage girls who were killed in the woods outside their small town in northern Indiana nearly six years ago REMSA and the Reno Fire Department have been working hard to provide families with all the safety tips they need to avoid anyone from getting hurt while out on the streets. November 1: Toni Collette, 50 Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP The Aussie-born Oscar nominee for her role in The Sixth Sense has been making a big splash on the small screen this year, first in the Netflix thriller Pieces of Her, in which she played a mother with a violent past, and then in HBO Maxs The Staircase, a true-crime drama based on a celebrated docuseries of the same name. Collette stars as Kathleen Peterson, a woman who was found dead at the bottom of her homes staircase and whose husband (Colin Firth) was convicted of her murder. Later this month, shell dive into some lighter material with the comedy The Estate, in which she and Anna Faris play sisters trying to convince their terminally ill Aunt Hilda (Kathleen Turner) to add them to her will before she dies. Quarterly Activities Report Brisbane, Oct 31, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The September 2022 Quarter (Quarter) and the subsequent month of October have been eventful for both the energy sector and State Gas Limited ( ASX:GAS ) ( STGSF:OTCMKTS ). The Australian gas market has continued to perform very strongly. The average Wallumbilla spot price across the Quarter was $26.38/GJ (June quarter: $27.31 /GJ) indicating that while the market has seen greater stability than in the previous quarter, pricing has not materially decreased. Current Federal Government forecasts indicate ongoing high prices for the immediate term. In this context your Company is focussed on developing its projects and commercialising its resource as quickly as possible. With full control over its key projects (Reid's Dome and RollestonWest), your Company is also developing strategic partnerships to maximise its outcomes. CNG trucking 'virtual pipeline' project A key focus of the Company during the Quarter has been to commercialise its proven gas resource at Reid's Dome (PL 231) as soon as possible. The Company is planning to truck compressed natural gas to the market, delivering into the high pressure pipeline network some 60km away. The Company has secured key equipment items (the compressor and dehydrator) and is working through the necessary approvals and arrangements for a Q1 2023 start. Rougemont-3 drilling During the Quarter the Company commenced, and has subsequently completed, its dual horizontal well Rougemont-3 within State Gas' 100%-owned Rolleston-West Project (ATP 2062). Targeting the Bandanna Formation coal measures (in commercial production at the Arcadia Valley to the south-east), the well is to confirm the gas production potential of the Rougemont area. Rougemont gas will support the development of an export pipeline from Reid's Dome and supercede the CNG virtual pipeline infrastructure which may then be redeployed to service other stranded gas assets. Rougemont-3 consists of two laterals drilled sub-horizontally through highly permeable coal seams identified by the previously-drilled Rougemont-2 well. The laterals connect to the Rougemont-2 vertical well, enabling the vertical - dual horizontal well system to be tested as a single unit. As previously advised, the laterals successfully achieved their intended extent with at least 97% within the target coal seams, resulting in more than 2400m exposure to the reservoir. Gas shows (99% methane) in drilling fluid during drilling of the laterals averaged a very promising 20%, across both laterals, indicating the coals are gas saturated, a good sign for gas production once testing starts. Testing of the combined Rougemont-2 and -3 well pair will commence once Rougemont-2 has been recompleted and a new pump installed. This is expected in the next few weeks, subject to weather conditions. Testing will commence with the water level in the wells being drawn down slowly to optimise production. Initial gas flows are expected to commence within the next 2-3 months and peak gas flows are expected in about 6 months. New ATP 2068 issued As announced in the previous quarter , State Gas has developed a strategic partnership with Santos through a joint venture for new acreage in the area. Santos holds interests in gas production and exploration tenure across a broad area of the southern Bowen Basin and operates the Arcadia Valley fields to the east of State Gas' projects. This joint venture creates an alignment of ownership interests across the gas resource in the majority of the southern Bowen Basin, providing the opportunity for coordinated and synergistic development of the whole region. The joint venturers (State Gas subsidiary State Gas (CQ) Pty Ltd 35%; Santos QNT Pty Ltd (65%) were appointed preferred tenderers of two areas in the most recent Queensland Government acreage release program announced in May 2022. On 11 July 2022 new Authority to Prospect 2068 was issued to the joint venturers for one of the areas (PLR2021-1-2), with second area (to be ATP 2069) to follow completion of native title processes, expected later this, or early next, year. Planning for first activities on both tenures is underway with Santos. Export pipeline Your Company continues to progress work towards an export pipeline from Reid's Dome, which will enable significantly larger gas deliveries than is possible with trucking. Last quarter's route survey work identified a preferred route exiting the Reid's Dome area to the north, passing through the Rougemont area to one of the two high pressure pipelines to the east. During the Quarter additional on the ground survey work was undertaken, to confirm the viability of this northern route. The next steps will involve detailed survey work and the commencement of the approval processes. Carbon Management Joint Venture Work during the Quarter for State Gas' Carbon Management Joint Venture in Central Queensland focussed on establishing the landholder relationships which will be critical to a successful project, and identifying a suitable location for the initial boreholes. The Carbon Management Joint Venture will initially investigate the potential of the Buckland basaltic ignimbrite within and nearby to Reid's Dome for a range of ex-situ mineral carbonation purposes. In addition, the Joint Venture will seek to apply the process currently being implemented by Carbfix in Iceland, which is described as a natural and permanent storage process that turns CO2 into stone underground in less than two years. The Carbfix in situ mineralisation process is one attracting significant international attention, with the US Department of Energy demonstrating the technology at Washington state, and Rio Tinto recently announcing a project in Minnesota, USA. Events after the Quarter end - Strategic Investment and a new Board Notably, the Company has attracted strategic investment from leading energy sector entrepreneurs the St Baker Group. Trevor St Baker and his son Philip have made a strategic investment, participating in a $7 million equity raising to support the Company's growth projects, outlined further below. In conjunction with this investment the Company's former major shareholder, Triangle Energy (Global) Ltd, reduced its shareholding to 10.1% (on a fully-diluted basis), attracting a new institutional shareholder and resulting in a more balanced share register. Philip St Baker and Jon Stretch, both highly experienced energy market executives, joined the board of State Gas, bringing new market focussed expertise to the Company's leadership. Financial Position Since the end of the Quarter and as noted above, the Company has raised $7m in funds, of which $185,000 is subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting. Immediately prior to the $7m equity raising during October, the Company had net funds of $1.23m after expending $1.58m in Project development costs and $0.41m in other costs during the Quarter. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/OLI6680X About State Gas Limited State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) is a Queensland-based developer of the Reid's Dome gas field, originally discovered during drilling in 1955, located in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland. State Gas is 100%-owner of the Reid's Dome Gas Project (PL-231) a CSG and conventional gas play, which is well-located 30 kilometres southwest of Rolleston, approximately 50 kilometres from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network. Permian coal measures within the Reid's Dome Beds are extensive across the entire permit but the area had not been explored for coal seam gas prior to State Gas' ownership. In late 2018 State Gas drilled the first coal seam gas well in the region (Nyanda-4) into the Reid's Dome Beds and established the potential for a significant coal seam gas project in PL 231. The extension of the coal measures into the northern and central areas of the permit was confirmed in late 2019 by the Company's drilling of Aldinga East-1A (12 km north) and Serocold-1 (6 km to the north of Nyanda-4). State Gas is also the 100% holder Authority to Prospect 2062 ("Rolleston-West"), a 1,414 km2 permit (eight times larger than PL 231) that is contiguous with the Reid's Dome Gas Project. Rolleston-West contains highly prospective targets for both coal seam gas (CSG) and known conventional gas within the permit area. It is not restricted by domestic gas reservation requirements. The contiguous areas (Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West), under sole ownership by State Gas, enable integration of activities and a unified super-gasfield development, providing economies of scale, efficient operations, and optionality in marketing. State Gas is implementing its strategic plan to bring gas to market from Reid's Dome and Rolleston-West to meet near term forecast shortfalls in the east coast domestic gas market. The strategy involves progressing a phased appraisal program in parallel with permitting for an export pipeline and development facilities to facilitate the fastest possible delivery of gas to market. State Gas' current focus has been to confirm the producibility of the gas through production testing of the wells. Quarterly Activities Report Brisbane, Oct 31, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emerging lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited ( ASX:SYA ) ( DML:FRA ) ( SYAXF:OTCMKTS ) has made further advances towards the restart of lithium production at its North American Lithium (NAL) operation in Quebec, Canada, as highlighted in this Quarterly Activities and Cashflow Report for the September quarter 2022. Quarter Highlights Quebec, Canada - North American Lithium (NAL) restart on track for first production in Q1, 2023 with permitting and procurement nearing completion and additional management and staff engaged - Quebec company, L. Fourner & Fils, appointed as contractor to restart mining operations at NAL - Sayona promoted to S&P/ASX200 Index, reflecting substantial growth in market value. Western Australia - Morella capital raising completed to support exploration of Morella/Sayona earn-in tenure - Sayona exploration continues, repositioning to lithium focus over 100% owned tenements. Post-Quarter - Pre-feasibility study (PFS) launched for production of lithium carbonate at NAL - PFS commenced for Moblan Lithium Project, targeting development of lithium mine and concentrator - Quebec company, Solurail Logistique Inc appointed to transport spodumene (lithium) concentrate from NAL to port - Annual General Meeting to be held on 16 November 2022 from 11.00am (AEDT), both in person in Brisbane, Queensland and online. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/W91BH216 About Sayona Mining Limited Sayona Mining Limited (ASX:SYA) (OTCMKTS:SYAXF) is an Australian, ASX-listed (SYA) company focused on sourcing and developing the raw materials required to construct lithium-ion batteries for use in the rapidly growing new and green technology sectors. The Company has lithium projects in Quebec, Canada and in Western Australia. Please visit us as at www.sayonamining.com.au Quarterly Activities Report Sydney, Oct 31, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Theta Gold Mines Limited ( ASX:TGM ) ( 3LM:FRA ) ( TGMGF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to report on its activities for the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 September 2022. HIGHLIGHTS POST SEPTEMBER 2022 QUARTER UPDATE: - Theta Gold signed a A$110m (US$70m) non-binding Term Sheet ("TGME Stream") with Sprott Streaming and Royalty Corporation ("Sprott") for pre-development, development capital and operating expenditure to bring the initial stage of TGME Gold Project (the "Project") into production and reach positive cash flow. Key features of Sprott TGME Stream Term Sheet include: - Sprott to advance US$70 million cash in return for a gold stream on Theta's TGME Gold Project where Theta is expected to deliver to Sprott up to 100,000 ounces of gold. - The TGME Stream will be a significant milestone on the path of achieving Theta's initial 1.24Moz Life of Mine ("LOM") strategy of first gold production at the TGME Gold Project. - The TGME Stream covers 90% of TGME Gold Project's first stage US$77m peak funding requirement; the funding provides further confidence for the Theta board to deliver its growth strategy to achieve a 160,000 oz p.a production profile within five years with potential to expand the mineral resource and incorporate up to 40 other mines near to the plant site. - The Stream funding is conditional on completion of due diligence, final definitive documentation, cost to complete certificate and South African regulatory approvals. - TGM received firm commitments for A$1.7 million (before costs) through a Private Placement ("Placement") from existing and new institutional, professional and sophisticated investors on 27 October 2022. Further to the Placement, the Company also announced a Share Purchase Plan ("SPP") to raise up to A$1.5 million on the same terms as the Placement. - The Company announced that its 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday, 30 November 2022 at 11am (Sydney time) at the Boardroom, Servcorp Offices, International Tower One, 100 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo, Sydney, NSW, 2000. Shareholder Proxy votes must be received by the share registry by 11am (Sydney time) on Monday, 28 November 2022. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/G7W723FU About Theta Gold Mines Limited Theta Gold Mines Limited (ASX:TGM) (OTCMKTS:TGMGF) is a gold development company that holds a range of prospective gold assets in a world-renowned South African gold mining region. These assets include several surface and near-surface high-grade gold projects which provide cost advantages relative to other gold producers in the region. Theta Gold Mines core project is located next to the historical gold mining town of Pilgrim's Rest, in Mpumalanga Province, some 370km northeast of Johannesburg by road or 95km north of Nelspruit (Capital City of Mpumalanga Province). Following small scale production from 2011-2015, the Company is currently focussing on the construction of a new gold processing plant within its approved footprint at the TGME plant, and for the processing of the Theta Open Pit oxide gold ore. Nearby surface and underground mines and prospects are expected to be further evaluated in the future. The Company aims to build a solid production platform to over 100Kozpa based primarily around shallow, open-cut or adit-entry hard rock mining sources. Theta Gold Mines has access to over 43 historical mines and prospect areas that can be accessed and explored, with over 6.7Moz of historical production recorded. Quarterly Activities Report Melbourne, Oct 31, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cohiba Minerals Limited ( ASX:CHK ) ( CHKMF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to provide an update in relation to the exploration activities carried out during the September 2022 quarter. Highlights - High level activity across our exploration portfolio in the Gawler Craton. - Significant zinc-lead-silver results received from the Pernatty C drilling. - Horse Well hole HWDD06W1 completed to a depth of 1,504.1m. - Horse Well hole HWDD07 completed to a depth of 1,519.0m and successfully intersected the Bluebush Fault extending its known strike length to 400m. - Horse Well hole HWDD08 commenced drilling and had reached 1,013.8m by the end of the quarter (with a target depth of 1,500m). - Warriner Creek drill hole assays returned some anomalous Rare Earth Element (REE) results but not sufficient to warrant a continuation of the Farm-In Agreement. - Final report for Pernatty C was submitted to DEM SA for the ADI Funding and $298,500 was received. - Cash balance of $2.2M at 30 September 2022. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/3SW0ZJWB About Cohiba Minerals Limited Cohiba Minerals Limited (ASX:CHK) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with the primary focus of investing in the resource sector through direct tenement acquisition, joint ventures, farm in arrangements and new project generation. The shares of the company trade under the ticker symbol CHK. The Company recently acquired 100% of the shares in Charge Lithium Pty Ltd, which holds exploration licences in Western Australia. Quarterly Activities Report Perth, Oct 31, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - On 2 August the Company BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) announced that, following its shareholders meeting on 21 June 2022 at which shareholders voted unanimously to approve to make an investment in hydrogen technology company Clean Hydrogen Technologies Corporation (Clean Hydrogen Technologies), BPH and its investee Advent Energy Ltd (Advent) have now settled for the acquisition of a 10% interest in Clean Hydrogen Technologies for $1,000,000 USD (8% BPH and 2 % Advent). BPH and Advent have a further first right of refusal to invest in Clean Hydrogen Technologies to a maximum of a further US$1m for a further 10%, on or before 31 December 2022. Anthony Huston has been appointed as a director to the Board of the Vendor. Capital On 18 August 2022 the Company announced that it had received binding commitments to raise approximately $1.5 million (before costs) (Placement). The Placement comprised the issue of 115,384,615 new fully paid ordinary shares (Placement Shares) in the Company at an issue price of $0.013 per share. The Placement was undertaken pursuant to the Company's existing placement capacity under ASX Listing Rule 7.1 and 7.1A. In addition to the Placement, the Company launched a non-renounceable Entitlement Offer to raise approximately $400,000 (before costs) through the issue of up to 30,769,230 million new shares (Entitlement Shares) at $0.013 per New Share (Entitlement Offer). Placement and Entitlements Issue participants will receive one (1) free Attaching Option for every one (1) New Shares subscribed for under the Placement and Entitlement Offer, exercisable at $0.03 each with an expiry date of 30 September 2024 (Attaching Options). The Attaching Options will be subject to Shareholder Approval at the General Meeting and are expected to be granted in late November 2022, and will be listed subject to ASX requirements being met. The Company also intends, subject to ASX approval and in compliance with the Corporations Act, to undertake a loyalty option issue of one (1) option for every eight (8) shares held to all shareholders registered on a record date proposed to be on or around late November 2022 (Loyalty Options). The Loyalty Options will have the same exercise price and expiry date as the Attaching Options. Everblu Capital Limited (Everblu) acted as the Lead Manager for the Placement and Entitlements Issue. Everblu will be paid a cash fee of 6% on funds raised by Everblu under the Placement and 1 Broker Option per 3 Placement Shares issued exercisable at $0.03 per share, expiring 30 September 2024. The Broker Options are subject to shareholder approval and if approval is not granted then a cash equivalent will be payable. The intended use of funds will be for: - $0.90 million - Further Investment in Clean Hydrogen Technology - $0.68 million - Funding for exploration and development of oil and gas investments - $0.32 million - For working capital including costs of the offer Subsequent to period end the Company announced it had received binding commitments to raise approximately $1.196 million (before costs) for the issue of 66,494,825 new fully paid ordinary shares ("Placement Shares") in the Company at an issue price of $0.018 per share, to be issued in two tranches as follows: 1. 52,099,087 Placement Shares will be issued pursuant to the Company's existing placement capacity under ASX Listing Rule 7.1A ("Tranche 1"); and 2. the remaining 14,395,738 Placement Shares will be issued subject to shareholder approval being granted at the next General Meeting of the Company ("Tranche 2"), expected to be held in late November 2022. Placement participants will receive one (1) free attaching option for every one (1) New Share subscribed for under the Placement, exercisable at $0.03 each with an expiry date of 30 September 2024 ("Attaching Options"). The Attaching Options will be subject to Shareholder Approval at the General Meeting and are expected to be granted on or around late November 2022. The Company intends to apply for quotation of the Attaching Options, subject to ASX requirements being met. Everblu Capital Limited ("Everblu") acted as the Lead Manager for the Placement and will be paid a cash fee of 6% on funds raised and 1 Broker Option for every 3 Placement Shares issued, exercisable at $0.03 per share, expiring 30 September 2024. The Broker Options are subject to Shareholder approval. *To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/SX13V41Z About BPH Energy Limited BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes. The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license. BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise. BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). Tombola Gold Ltd (ASX:TBA) is pleased to announce that the Company has achieved a significant milestone by reaching agreement with Ilwella Pty Ltd, one of the Company's substantial shareholders, for the pre-sale of the first 200 ounces of gold to be produced. WASHINGTON Elon Musk on Sunday tweeted a link to an unfounded rumor about the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosis husband, just days after Musks purchase of Twitter fueled concerns that the social media platform would no longer seek to limit misinformation and hate speech. Musks tweet, which he later deleted, linked to an article by a fringe website, the Santa Monica Observer, an outlet that has previously asserted that Hillary Clinton died on Sept. 11 and was replaced with a body double. In this case, the article recycled a baseless claim that the personal life of Paul Pelosi, the speakers husband, somehow played a role in an intruders attack last week in the couples San Francisco home, even though there is no evidence to support that claim. Musk did so in reply to a tweet by Hillary Clinton. Her tweet had criticized Republicans for generally spreading hate and deranged conspiracy theories and said, It is shocking, but not surprising, that violence is the result. In response to Clintons tweet, Musk provided a link to the Santa Monica Observer article and added, There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye. The Los Angeles Times, the dominant news organization in the Southern California area where the Observer is located, has said the Observer is notorious for fake news. Police in San Francisco have said the suspect in last weeks attack, identified as David DePape, 42, broke into the Pelosi familys Pacific Heights home early Friday and confronted Paul Pelosi, demanding to know, as the AP has reported, Where is Nancy? The two men struggled over a hammer before officers responding to a 911 call to the home saw DePape strike Paul Pelosi at least once, police said. DePape was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary. Prosecutors plan to file charges on Monday and expect his arraignment on Tuesday. Police say the attack was intentional and not random but have not stated publicly what they consider to be the motive. The exchange between Musk and Clinton occurred a day after Yoel Roth, Twitters head of safety and integrity, tweeted that the companys policies toward slurs and hateful conduct were still in place. Bottom line up front: Twitters policies havent changed. Hateful conduct has no place here, Roth wrote. Shortly after Musk took control of Twitter, some accounts on the platform began tweeting messages ranging from racist slurs to political misinformation, such as Trump won, to see what Twitter will now tolerate. Musk himself said Friday that he would form a content moderation council for Twitter and promised advertisers that the website would not devolve into a free for all hellscape. Musk has also described himself as a free speech absolutist. But at least one major advertiser, General Motors, has said it will suspend advertising on Twitter while it monitors the direction of the platform under Musk. Also on Sunday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, said on NBCs Meet the Press that she didnt trust Musk to run Twitter. Referring to antisemitic attacks and the QAnon conspiracy theory that were advanced online by DePape, the suspect in the attack, Klobuchar said, I think you have to have some content moderation. If Elon Musk has said now that hes going to start a content moderation board, the senator said, that was one good sign. But I continue to be concerned about that. I just dont think people should be making money off of passing on this stuff thats a bunch of lies. DENVER Colorado House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, known for his warm personality, wicked sense of humor and for reaching across the aisle to build legislative consensus, has died. He was 55. McKean was found dead in his Loveland home Sunday morning after complaining of feeling unwell the day before, Roger Hudson, deputy chief of staff of the Colorado House GOP caucus, told The Colorado Sun. The cause and manner of death have not been released. McKean entered politics in 2009 when he was elected to the Loveland City Council. He was elected to the state legislature in 2016 and spent the last two years as minority leader trying to unite the GOP caucus and win back a majority in the chamber, according the The Sun. Whenever I saw him or spoke to him, he had an encouraging word and was ready to lift others up. Whenever I think of Hugh McKean, Ill think of his smile and his positive outlook on life, Colorado GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown said in a statement. Hudson told The Sun that McKean had been busy trying to grow the House GOPs ranks in the upcoming election and to form a policy platform for the next legislative session, all while building a new home. He was doing all these things at the exact same time, so I expressed some concern, Hudson said. Hugh was I hate using the past tense had the most wicked sense of humor. If there was a way to take a bad situation and make it dark humor, Hugh found it. It made everybody just find the light in everything. I adored this man. His loss is something I cant even quantity for you. A vacancy committee made up of Republicans in his Loveland-based House District 51 will select a replacement for McKean, who was unopposed in the general election. McKean is survived by his children Aiden McKean, 21 and Hanna McKean, 23 and his longtime partner, Amy Parks. Oct. 26Clovis city commission will soon vote on whether or not to adopt an ordinance that draws a line in the sand between the city and the state over abortion rights: The ordinance attempts to ban abortion clinics in Clovis. Laura Wight, a Clovis resident, heads up a social media group of individuals who believe health care decisions should be between patient and doctor. The group, Eastern New Mexico Rising, she said, is a non-partisan progressive group, a non-political group focused on social justice issues. The group opposes the proposed ordinance, which is scheduled to go before Clovis city commissioners on Nov. 3. Pastor Ryan Denton, who directs church congregations in Clovis and Lubbock, is one of the area people who have been driving adoption of the anti-abortion clinic ordinance. Were trying to get this passed in communities across eastern New Mexico, Denton said. We saw Hobbs move the ordinance forward Thursday for a vote, I believe on Nov. 7. Eastern New Mexico Rising had a Zoom meeting Oct. 18 with about 35 members involved with three people from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Albuquerque and Las Cruces regarding the anti-abortion ordinance in Clovis. Essentially they reassured us that the issue is very much on their radar, Wight said. She said the ACLU is working behind the scenes on strategy and has sent letters to the mayor and city commissioners on the matter. The ACLU has been providing us with helpful training information, Wight said. For instance how to work with local governments, talking points on reproductive health care and civil liberties such as sunshine laws about access to public information. What our rights are and how to exercise them. If the ordinance passes, what will Eastern New Mexico Risings strategy be? We will re-group a little bit, Wight said. We will be taking a closer look as to what the legal options are in terms of rescinding the ordinance and in terms of the citizens of Clovis having the health care access they need. She said the group will also be working on matters so physicians, any health care business may operate in the city of Clovis. Wight said the mayor and commission have acknowledged the ordinance goes against New Mexico law so they expect legal action. That is a reckless disregard to the taxpayers of Clovis, Wight said. She said the group isnt just focused on reproductive health care. The group also focuses on LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, economic equity, anything that falls under social justice. Wight finds it interesting that the majority of the folks who join Eastern New Mexico Rising express Im so glad I found you, I thought I was alone. It shows to me there are a lot of people in Clovis who care about these issues, Wight said. Pastor Denton said Lovington discussed the anti-abortion ordinance Monday night. He said officials in Grady, Texico and Portales are interested in adopting a similar ordinance also. This is just kind of a start, Denton said. Really, we see it as a matter of life and death. What are the plans if the ordinance isnt adopted in Clovis? If they vote against this ordinance well need to see changes in the leadership of Clovis, Denton said. However, we are hopeful that the commission will stand strong and represent the people. Denton said the work he and others are doing is part of doing everything we can to defend the lives of women and children in our city, regardless whether or not this passes. We think the ordinance is the best way to protect the women and children, Denton said. ___ (c)2022 Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. Visit Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. at www.easternnewmexiconews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Its a neck-and-neck race to represent southern New Mexico and parts of Albuquerque as Election Day approaches. A Journal poll found that Democratic challenger Gabe Vasquez has a slight edge over Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., as the race enters the home stretch. Polling shows 47% of likely voters support Vasquez while 45% favor Herrell. About 8% of voters are undecided, according to recent polling data. New Mexicos three congressional districts changed earlier this year as part of redistricting. Herrells district rooted in southern New Mexico now includes parts of Albuquerques West Side and South Valley, which are traditionally more liberal areas. That race is proving to be the most competitive of the three House races. Polling shows that Vasquez has opened up a large lead among Hispanics in the district. He has the support of 61% of that demographic and 29% of Hispanics in the district say they will vote for Herrell. She does have the support of 60% of Anglos in the district, according to Journal polling. The district has the most expensive of the three House races in New Mexico. Herrell has raised over $4 million and Vasquez over $3.2 million, according to the Federal Election Commission. Both campaigns are airing television ads attacking the other in the final days of the race. This is not a district where you win by touting yourself as being a liberal and progressive Democrat, said Brian Sanderoff, the president of Research and Polling Inc., which conducted the poll. We see that the opponents to Vasquez are trying to paint him as a liberal, progressive, extreme Democrat. And hes trying to position himself as a moderate Democrat. The other two House districts now stretch farther into southeast New Mexico, which is traditionally a more conservative part of the state. But the Democratic incumbents are still leading their respective challengers, according to Journal polling. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., is enjoying a 48% to 42% lead over Republican candidate Michelle Garcia Holmes. The 6% gap between Stansbury and Garcia Holmes is much narrower than the most recent elections. Garcia Holmes lost the 2020 race to former Rep. Deb Haaland by 16 percentage points. Stansburys strongest support comes from Hispanics, who favor her 56% to 37%. She also has a wide lead among voters with a graduate degree 61% of those voters support her, according to Journal polling. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., has a 53% to 35% advantage over GOP candidate Alexis Martinez Johnson, according to Journal polling. Leger Fernandez has shored up support from women, 61%, and Hispanics, 68%, according to Journal polling. Meanwhile, the 2nd Congressional District is getting national attention because it could affect the balance of power in Congress. This seat has national implications, and lots of people watching, Sanderoff said. Control of the U.S. House will be determined by a handful of seats around the nation. The seat has flipped back and forth between the parties in recent elections. Prior to Herrell, Democrat Xochitl Torres Small held the seat and before her was Republican Steve Pearce. Sanderoff said that although Vasquez is polling in the lead, Herrell has traditionally outperformed polling data and has traditionally favored well with independent voters. I have no problem in saying that Yvette Herrell has tended to over-perform in both local and national polls, he said. The Journal poll was conducted from Oct. 20 through Oct. 27. The voter sample has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points. The margin of error grows for subsamples. All the interviews were done by live, professional interviewers, with multiple callbacks to those who did not initially answer the phone. Both cellphone numbers (83%) and landlines (17%) of proven general election voters were used. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A high-ranking administrator at University of New Mexico Health Sciences is leaving at the end of the year. Amy Levi has been the vice president for academic affairs at Health Sciences since 2017, a position she will leave on Jan. 1, 2023, the university announced Friday. The university plans to split her duties between two new interim directors. Levi began at the UNM College of Nursing on July 2012. She started as interim chair of the practice team and interim associate executive dean. In 2016, she was appointed director of interprofessional education for the Health Sciences Center. I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have experienced such a full career at the University of New Mexico, Levi said in the release. Im really grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of this amazing Health Sciences Center and to participate in the education of nurses and midwives in the state of New Mexico. Douglas Ziedonis, executive vice president of UNM Health Sciences, thanked Levi for the work she has done at the university over the last 10 years. She has made many invaluable contributions to our educational mission that have provided tremendous benefits for our students, Ziedonis said in the release. Levi currently oversees a number of offices at the college of nursing, including faculty contracts, professionalism, interprofessional education and student services. She is also the Leah L. Albers endowed professor of midwifery at the UNM college of nursing. It has been an honor to have Dr. Levi as a member of the senior faculty of the College of Nursing, Christine Kasper, dean of the college of nursing, said in the release. As the Leah L. Albers Professor, her scholarship has also improved midwifery in New Mexico. Levis academic record is a long one. She earned her bachelors degree in nutrition from Hampshire College. After that, she went on to earn an associate degree in nursing from State University of New York and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Widener University. She also has a nurse practitioner certificate, a Master of Science in nursing and a doctorate in nursing all from the University of Pennsylvania. Aside from her work with UNM, Levi is also a fellow in the American College of Nurse-Midwives, where she is the founding chair of the Midwives for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Abortion Caucus, according to the release. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two people were killed in separate alcohol-related crashes across Albuquerque in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. The first crash occurred around 2 a.m. in Northwest Albuquerque near St. Pius High School at Coors and St. Josephs NW. Officers discovered a white 2008 Chevrolet Impala was traveling southbound on Coors approaching St. Josephs. At the same time, a blue 2007 Toyota Yaris was making a westbound turn from northbound Coors when it impacted into the Impala, police spokesman Chase Jewell said in an email. The Yaris was pushed into a traffic pole and the driver was pronounced dead on the scene, Jewell said. The driver and several passengers from the Impala fled on foot while another of the Impalas passengers was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Jewell added. Alcohol and speed both are considered factors for this crash, he said. Once the driver is identified charges will be filed. The second crash took place around 3:30 a.m. south of Southern Boulevard at Pike and Coconino SE. An investigation into the incident determined a house party was breaking up and a woman was walking in the roadway toward her vehicle when an unrelated red Ford Mustang drove east on Coconino with its hood up and struck the female pedestrian and proceeded to drag her for about 400 feet, Jewell said. The driver of the Mustang fled the scene, but was later located. The woman was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Alcohol is a factor in this case and the offender was booked into the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center, Jewell said. Twitters unending fight against spam accounts is now a problem for new owner Elon Musk, who pledged in April to defeat the bot scourge or die trying! He later cited bots as a reason to back out of buying the social platform. Now that the billionaire has completed the deal, hes faced with the task of delivering on his promise to clean up the fake profiles that have preoccupied him and bedeviled Twitter since long before he expressed interest in acquiring it. The challenge carries high stakes. The bot count matters because advertisers Twitters chief revenue source want to know roughly how many real humans they are reaching when they buy ads. Its also important in the effort to stop bad actors from amassing an army of accounts to amplify misinformation or harass political adversaries. The bigger picture in my mind is: How do we make Twitter a better place for everybody, said bot-counting expert Emilio Ferrara, who worked over the summer to investigate the problem for Musk. He cited the value of the platform as a societal experience, as a collective place to have civilized discourse and talk freely without interference from nefarious accounts, or scams, spam, pornography and harassment. To find out just how bad the bots are, Musk hired Ferrara and other data scientists to investigate. At the time, he sought to prove that Twitter was misleading the public when it said fewer than 5% of its daily active users are fake or spam accounts. If Twitter lied or withheld crucial information about the bot count, Musk could argue that he was justified in terminating the $44 billion agreement. Ferrara, an associate professor of computer science and communications at the University of Southern California, said he had no real interest in whether Musk ultimately ended up owning the platform. Instead, he hoped that any findings would be able to help improve the platform, Ferrara told The Associated Press, speaking for the first time about his planned role as Musks expert trial witness. The question now is what Musk will do with that information. Ferraras presentation some 350 pages of analysis and supporting documents is locked up in confidential court filings, and he said he cant disclose his conclusions. Twitters former leaders and its lawyers said Musk wildly exaggerated the problem because he had buyers remorse. Precise counts are almost impossible because any bot estimate is based on assumptions that can lead to bias, said Filippo Menczer, a researcher who has been studying social bots for more than a decade and was consulted by Twitter earlier this year. Nobody knows exactly how bad the problem is, said Menczer, director of Indiana Universitys Observatory on Social Media, who said he was speaking from his role as an academic researcher, not a consultant. I would guess its not as bad as Musk said and not as good as Twitter claimed. Many experts also doubt Musks ability to easily make improvements, which hes suggested would rely on using algorithms to track and remove fake accounts and implementing new measures to authenticate real people. Earlier this month, Ferrara was preparing to travel to the East Coast to testify in Delaware, where Musk was defending against Twitters lawsuit asking a court to force him to close the deal. But two weeks before the scheduled Oct. 17 trial, Musk changed his mind and said he would go ahead with the $44 billion acquisition. It closed Thursday. Most legal experts didnt think Musk had much of a case. The courts head judge seemed likely to side with Twitter based on the specific terms and conditions of the April purchase agreement. But thats not to say Musk didnt have a point about the bots, according to Ferrara and other researchers hired by Musks legal team. The analysis firm CounterAction, which worked with Ferrara, said it concluded in a July 18 report submitted to the court that Twitters spam rate for monetizable accounts those of value to advertisers was at least 10% and could be as high as 14.2%, depending on how the rate is measured. Trevor Davis, the firms founder and CEO, said that analysis was based on a firehose of internal data that Twitter gave to Musk, but the company declined to provide additional data sought by Musks team. We expect that access to the withheld data would reveal an even higher true spam rate, Davis said in a prepared statement. Musk has long been preoccupied with Twitter spambots promoting cryptocurrency schemes, in part because as a celebrity user with more than 110 million followers, he sees a lot of them. Some scammers have opened accounts mimicking Musks name and likeness to try to get people to think hes endorsing something. Not all bots are bad. Twitter encourages the use of automated accounts that report the weather, earthquakes or post humor or lines from literary classics. Twitter also allows for anonymity, which protects free speech and privacy especially in authoritarian regions. But that practice can make it harder to root out malicious fake accounts. Ferrara first caught Twitters attention in the aftermath of revelations that Russia used social media to meddle in the U.S. presidential election in 2016, when he led a research group that estimated that 9% to 15% of Twitters active English-language accounts were bots. In a blog post soon after, Twitter complained that such outside research is often inaccurate and methodologically flawed. The company has repeatedly reported the under-5% number in its quarterly filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission, though it also cautions that it could be higher. Before Musks takeover, Twitter said it removed 1 million spam accounts each day. To calculate how many accounts are malicious spam, Twitter reviews thousands of accounts sampled at random, using both public and private data such as IP addresses, phone numbers, geolocation and how the account behaves when it is active. But over the past months, Musk and Twitter have tussled over the methodology. Twitter uses a metric it calls mDAU, for monetizable daily active usage. That is literally a metric they invented, Ferrara said. You cannot contrast and compare that metric with any other service. When Musk first started publicly raising questions about the bot numbers after agreeing to buy the company, another firm, Israel-based Cyabra, said it had the answer. That elusive number you are looking for we have it. Its 13.7%, the firm tweeted on May 17, flagging Musks Twitter handle to get his attention. Cyabras machine-learning technology works by scanning a large number of social media profiles to track behavioral patterns, trying to pick out which are behaving like humans. Such guesswork can misfire but the tweet caught the attention of people close to Musk, if not the billionaire himself. Cyabra CEO Dan Brahmy said the company started working with the Musk camp by the end of May. Regardless of what the true count is, he said its not going to be an easy problem to solve. Some bots are definitely nefarious, Brahmy said. The trade-offs are between being extremely high on sign-up standards and information security versus being extremely open minded in a way that fosters freedom of speech and creativity. 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 RICHMOND, Va. The national reckoning on race and policing that followed the death of George Floyd with a Minneapolis police officers knee on his neck spurred a torrent of state laws aimed at fixing the police. More than two years later, that torrent has slowed. Some of the initial reforms have been tweaked or even rolled back after police complained that the new policies were hindering their ability to catch criminals. And while governors in all but five states signed police reform laws, many of those laws gave police more protections, as well. More than a dozen states only passed laws aimed at broadening police accountability; five states only passed new police protections. States collectively approved nearly 300 police reform bills after Floyds killing in May 2020, according to an analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland. The analysis used data from the National Conference of State Legislatures to identify legislation enacted since June 2020 that affects police oversight, training, use of force policies and mental health diversions, including crisis intervention and alternatives to arrests. Many of the accountability laws touched on themes present in Floyds death, including the use of body cameras and requirements that police report excessive force by their colleagues. Among other things, police rights measures gave officers the power to sue civilians for violating their civil rights. North Carolina, for example, passed a broad law that lets authorities charge civilians if their conduct allegedly interfered with an officers duty. But it also created a public database of officers who were fired or suspended for misconduct. In Minnesota where the reform movement was sparked by chilling video showing Floyds death at the knee of Officer Derek Chauvin the state Legislature enacted several police accountability changes, but they fell well short of what Democrats and activists were seeking. The state banned neck restraints like the one used on Floyd. It also imposed a duty to intervene on officers who see a colleague using excessive force, changed rules on the use of force and created a police misconduct database. But during this years legislative session, Democrats were unable to overcome Republican opposition to further limits on no-knock warrants even after a Minneapolis SWAT team in February entered a downtown apartment while serving a search warrant and killed Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man. In Minneapolis, voters defeated a 2021 defund the police ballot initiative that would have replaced the department with a reimagined public safety unit with less reliance on cops with guns. Similar dynamics have played out in states as varied as Washington and Virginia, Nevada and Mississippi. And if the range of outcomes has varied as well, that comes as no surprise to Thomas Abt, a senior fellow with the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank. Were in the midst of this extraordinarily painful, very formidable process, Abt said. ___ WASHINGTON: PROGRESSIVE REFORMS MET WITH BACKLASH Days before the first anniversary of Floyds killing, Washingtons Democratic governor signed one of the most comprehensive police reform packages in the nation, including new laws banning the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants. Police had argued that some of the reforms went too far and would interfere with their ability to arrest criminals. The pushback didnt stop after the new laws went into effect. Theres just that atmosphere of emboldened criminals and brazen criminality, and people telling law enforcement, I know that you cant do anything, said Steve Strachan, executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Before the reforms, officers were generally allowed to use the amount of force necessary to arrest a suspect who fled or resisted. Police had historically been allowed to use force to briefly detain someone if they had reasonable suspicion that the person may be involved in a crime. Under the new law, police could only use force if they had probable cause to make an arrest, to prevent an escape or to protect against an imminent threat of injury. Police said the higher standard tied their hands and allowed suspected criminals to simply walk away when police stopped them during temporary investigative detentions. Earlier this year, lawmakers rolled back some provisions, making it clear that police can use force, if necessary, to detain someone who is fleeing a temporary investigative detention. Police must still use reasonable care, including de-escalation techniques, and cannot use force when the people being detained are being compliant. Some are pushing for additional rollbacks. In a video released last month, a group of sheriffs, police chiefs and elected officials urged people to call their legislators to ask them to lift some new restrictions on police pursuits. Some suspects are ignoring commands to pull over, they said, knowing police cannot chase them. Current law prohibits police from engaging in a pursuit unless there is probable cause to believe someone in the vehicle has committed a violent offense or sex offense, or there is reasonable suspicion that someone is driving under the influence. Carlos Hunter, a 43-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by police in 2019. His sister, Nickeia, said it was disheartening to see some of the laws amended after years of reform efforts. Any good the reforms that were in place did, they are going to try to undo in 2023, she said. They are trying to roll back every gain that was made. ___ NEVADA: REFORMS BLUNTED BY LACK OF FUNDING On paper, the police reforms passed in Nevada in 2021 appeared expansive. The public would get a statewide use-of-force database with information on deadly police encounters. Law enforcement agencies were mandated to develop an early-warning system to flag problematic officers. And officers had to de-escalate situations whenever possible or appropriate and only use an objectively reasonable amount of force. A year later, a lack of funding and a failure to follow through have blunted the impact of the reforms. The database doesnt exist yet. The early-warning system wasnt clearly defined, so some police departments said theyve made no changes. And many law enforcement agencies already had de-escalation language in their use-of-force policies. While the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the states largest, had enacted reforms before the new laws, little has changed in the daily operations of smaller police forces. Sheriff Gerald Antinoro of Storey County, an area outside of Reno with an Old West mining past, said his department regularly updated its use-of-force policy and had its own fail safes to identify troubled officers. If you want my opinion, mostly it was feel-good legislation that somewhere along the lines, somebody thought they were making a huge difference, Antinoro said. Its fluff and mirrors. Others are even more blunt. The reforms are a waste of time said Bill Ferguson, undersheriff for rural Mineral County. I think its a way for a politician to say they made a change, Ferguson said. It really hasnt changed the way weve been operating. For this story, reporters at the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University contacted the largest police departments in Nevada, as well as the sheriffs offices for each of the states 16 counties. Of the eight agencies that responded, a few said they made small changes, like tweaking their use-of-force policies to align with the new law. Nevadans pro-police Blue Lives Matter sentiment and intense lobbying by prosecutors and police unions made it harder to pass reforms in Nevada than elsewhere, said Frank Rudy Cooper, director of the Program on Race, Gender & Policing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The pared-down reforms still face obstacles. The Nevada Department of Public Safety waited more than a year before it received funding in August to begin collecting use-of-force data from all law enforcement agencies in the state. An estimate prepared by the software developer projected that costs associated with the data gathering would top $85,000. Details will include type of force and whether the civilian had a mental health condition or was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Other aspects of Nevadas police reforms lack clear enforcement mechanisms. No one, for example, oversees setting standards for how departments identify problematic officers. We were able to get ourselves out of that one, said Mike Sherlock, executive director of the Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, the states regulatory agency for law enforcement. Sherlock said the commission worried about the labor needed to keep track of officers and a lack of specifics about what defines problematic behavior. Meanwhile, no state agency is charged with tracking whether departments have updated their use-of-force policies. The Legislatures leading reformer, state Sen. Dallas Harris, said she had to scale back the bills to get them passed. Ultimately, she said, its up to the public and the police departments themselves to make sure change happens. Im in the Legislature, Harris said. Theres only so far our reach extends. ___ MISSISSIPPI: LITTLE APPETITE FOR POLICE REFORM In Mississippi, where 38% of the population is Black, there is little political appetite for police reform and Republican state Sen. Joey Fillingane is clear when he explains why. The general feeling among my constituents in south Mississippi is we need to support police and thank them for the job theyre doing because crime is on the rise and they are standing between us and the criminal element, he said. But there are some who see a need for action. Jarvis Dortch, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives when Floyd was killed. He watched as states around the country enacted a wide assortment of police reforms while no police accountability measures were approved in Mississippi. Its disappointing, Dortch said. It is more than disappointing to Black people like Darius Harris who say their encounters with police are fraught because of racism. For years, Harris would go into Lexington, Mississippi, four or five times a week, to visit his brother or go grocery shopping. These days, Harris said he goes 20 miles out of his way to buy food rather than set foot in the small city in the Mississippi Delta. The reason, according to Harris, is that he is regularly targeted and threatened by Lexington police. Its not worth the risk of being harassed, said Harris, a 45-year-old construction worker. Harris is one of five plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit that accuses the Lexington Police Department of subjecting Black residents to intimidation, excessive force and false arrests. Harris and his brother, Robert, were arrested on New Years Eve in 2021 as they shot off fireworks at Robert Harris house. The brothers were arrested again in April and charged with retaliation against an officer after they spoke out against the police department at a meeting, according to the lawsuit. Lexingtons population of 1,600 is about 80% Black. The lawsuit alleges that Lexington is deeply segregated and controlled by a small group of white leaders. Also named as a defendant is former Police Chief Sam Dobbins, who was fired in July after he was heard on an audio recording using racial slurs and saying he had killed 13 people in the line of duty. Attorneys for Dobbins acknowledge in court documents that the former chief was recorded saying things he should not have said, but argue that he did not violate the constitutional rights of the Harris brothers and the other plaintiffs. The new police chief, Charles Henderson, is Black. He denied any racial bias on the part of his officers. Our police, were not prejudiced, he said. We definitely dont stand behind any kind of racial profiling. ___ VIRGINIA: SHIFTING MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AWAY FROM POLICE Virginia, once a reliably conservative state, flexed its then-new Democratic muscle after Floyds death, passing a sweeping package of police reforms. Among them: legislation banning the use of chokeholds and no-knock search warrants. A key part of the reform package was a bill to set up a new statewide framework giving mental health clinicians a prominent role in responding to people in crisis rather than relying on police. The law was named after Marcus-David Peters, an unarmed Black man who was fatally shot by a Richmond police officer in 2018 during a psychiatric crisis. Advocates hoped the new law would minimize police participation in emotionally charged situations that they may not be adequately trained to handle and can end with disastrous results. Five pilot programs began last year in various regions of the state, but some supporters of the law were disappointed when an amendment approved by the Legislature earlier this year gave localities with populations of 40,000 and under the ability to opt out of the system. Peters sister, Princess Blanding, said the law she envisioned has been watered down to the point that overall it is ineffective. The law allows each region to decide how to respond to mental health crises. This lack of consistency is very dangerous and it could be the difference between life and death, Blanding said. Before the program began, police would be dispatched to respond to mental health emergency calls to 911. After the new system launched in December, lower-risk calls began to be connected to the regional crisis call center but high-risk calls continued to be dispatched to police. Now, where the system is active, community care teams made up of police and mental health professionals (also known as co-response teams) are dispatched by 911 under certain circumstances, when available. Under the new system, mental health calls are assigned levels of urgency: Those that do not require police investigation and are connected to the regional crisis call centers part of the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support and mental health referrals. Calls in which the risk is assessed as urgent and a community care team is deployed. High-risk situations, when police and other first responders are dispatched. On a recent weekday, dispatchers at the Richmond Department of Emergency Communications Center received a call from a woman who said there was a schizophrenic homeless man screaming on her front porch. A co-response team made up of a police officer and a mental health clinician responded. The man told them he was trying to get out of the rain and didnt mean any harm. Another caller said someone told her to check herself into a mental ward. The dispatcher asked her if she was hurting anyone, including herself. Nothing happened, but Im going through a psychosis, she said. The dispatcher transferred her to the 988 center. The legislation allowing small communities to opt out was introduced by Republican lawmakers who said those localities worry they cannot afford to set up a new response system and to hire additional mental health workers. The General Assembly allocated $600,000 for each regional behavioral health authority in the state to implement the program, but some small communities say that is not enough. Nine out of the 10 counties covered by the Middle Peninsula Northern Neck Community Services Board a sprawling area, roughly the size of the state of Delaware, along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay have decided to opt out, said Executive Director Linda Hodges. When this law was developed, they did not take these small rural communities into consideration, Hodges said. In the capital Richmond, John Lindstrom, chief executive officer of the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, said he is encouraged by the early results of the co-response teams. Between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30, when the first of two co-response teams was activated, there were 69 calls. None resulted in arrests, the use of force or injuries. Nine people were taken into custody for involuntary hospitalization, and 87% were given referrals to community mental health providers. Were not going to fix every bad outcome, Lindstrom said, but we want to further reduce them, to increase resources so people can have more confidence that if you call 911 or call 988 youre going to get help, youre not going to get hurt. ___ This story corrects the name of Mineral County Undersheriff Bill Ferguson. A previous version had his name as Brian Ferguson. ___ Lavoie reported from Richmond, Virginia; Monnay reported from College Park, Maryland; Rihl reported from Las Vegas. Rachel Konieczny in Phoenix and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis also contributed reporting. ___ This story was supported by Columbia Universitys Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights in conjunction with Arnold Ventures. ___ This story is a collaboration among The Associated Press and the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at the University of Marylands Philip Merrill College of Journalism and at Arizona State Universitys Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The Howard Centers are an initiative of the Scripps Howard Fund in honor of the late news industry executive and pioneer Roy W. Howard. Contact Arizona States Howard Center at howardcenter@asu.edu or on Twitter @HowardCenterASU. Contact Marylands Howard Center on Twitter @HowardCenterUMD. JERUSALEM Israeli voters appear to be hopelessly deadlocked as the country heads to elections once again on Tuesday, with opinion polls saying the race is too close to predict. Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who governed for 12 years before he was ousted last year, is asking voters to give him another chance, even as he stands trial on corruption charges. The current prime minister, Yair Lapid, has billed himself as a voice of decency and unity. He hopes his brief term as head of a caretaker government has shown voters that someone besides Netanyahu can lead the country. In Israels fragmented political system, neither Netanyahus hard-line Likud party nor Lapids centrist Yesh Atid is expected to capture enough seats in parliament to form a new government. Instead, each hopes to secure the required 61-seat majority in the Knesset, or parliament, with the support of smaller political allies. If neither succeeds, Israel could soon be facing another election, after already holding five votes in under four years. Here is a look at the factors that could swing the outcome: TURNOUT: Both Lapid and Netanyahu need strong turnout from their bases. Netanyahu, who appeals to poorer, religious and small-town voters with hawkish views toward the Palestinians, has spent the summer touring Israel and delivering campaign speeches to adoring crowds in a small, bulletproof truck known as the Bibi-bus. Lapid, popular with secular, urban voters, has built up a formidable army of volunteers and party activists across the country. But the real key to the election could lie with Israels Palestinian citizens, who make up about 20% of the population. Arab voters, whose communities have long suffered from poverty, neglect and discrimination, have little enthusiasm for either candidate and turnout is expected to be low. But those who do vote tend to favor Lapid and his allies. If Arab voters turn out in modest numbers, that could give a lift to Lapid. But if they stay home, as opinion polls forecast, their absence could push Netanyahu to victory. ON THE THRESHOLD: Any party that wins more than 3.25% of the vote makes it into parliament, with seats divided up by how many votes they capture. Over 10 parties could be elected. Small parties that squeak past this threshold can find themselves in a powerful position to form the next coalition. For those who fall short, their votes are wasted. Two venerable parties in the anti-Netanyahu bloc Labor and Meretz are hovering near the threshold in opinion polls. A failure by either of them to do so would be devastating for Lapid. On the other side, Jewish Home, a hard-line nationalist party loyal to Netanyahu, is also struggling. Polls indicate the party will not make it into parliament. But if it does, the Netanyahu bloc almost certainly will win. POTENTIAL POWER BROKERS. The far right Religious Zionism party has been the story of this campaign. Led by openly anti-Arab and homophobic politicians, the party has burst out of the extremist fringes of Israeli politics and is poised to emerge as one of the largest factions in parliament. It is a strong ally of Netanyahu, and its leaders will expect a generous payout if they propel him to victory. In return, they have indicated they will try to erase the charges against him. On the other side, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who leads a small, center-right party, could be critical for a Lapid victory. If Gantz can siphon votes away from Netanyahu, he could prevent the former prime minister from his hoped-for majority. Gantz also has good relations with Netanyahus religious allies and could potentially bring them over to Lapids side. That could make him a powerful player in coalition negotiations and even position him to be a future prime minister. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. During Lapids brief four-month term, Israel has fought a three-day battle against Gaza militants, stepped up arrest raids in the occupied West Bank and reached a diplomatic agreement with Lebanon over a maritime border between the enemy countries. An unexpected bout of violence or surprising diplomatic breakthrough could all potentially sway voters at the last moment. SAO PAULO Four years ago, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas reputation and political future were in tatters. After an unlikely rise from poverty to union leader to Brazils presidency, the man universally known as Lula had landed in prison. On Sunday in yet another twist Brazilian voters chose him by the narrowest of margins to once again lead the worlds fourth-largest democracy. He will also be putting his legacy on the line. I consider myself a citizen who has had a process of resurrection in Brazilian politics, because they tried to bury me alive, da Silva said in a speech Sunday night after results that confirmed his third presidential win. I am here to govern in a very difficult situation. But I have faith in God that, with our peoples help, we will find a way out for this country. The life of da Silva has unfolded in such a unique, extraordinary way that it strains credulity. His family moved from Brazils poor northeast region to Sao Paulo state in pursuit of a better life, following his father who had traveled south years before. Upon arriving, however, they found he had settled down with another woman. Da Silvas mother was left alone to raise eight children, of whom Lula was the youngest. Pressed for money, he became a metalworker at age 14 in the metropoliss gritty outskirts. It was a physical job that cost him his left pinky finger. He became a union leader in an era when Brazils manufacturing workforce was still vast, and translated that into political power. He made his first presidential run in 1989, which he lost along with two subsequent races. Finally, in 2002, he claimed victory and became the first worker to assume the nations top job. And he was reelected four years later, defeating Geraldo Alckmin, a center-right candidate who this year became his running mate. Commodities exports to China were surging, filling government coffers, and a vast welfare program lifted tens of millions of Brazilians into the middle class. Da Silva left office with an approval rating above 80%, and then-U.S. President Barack Obama called him the most popular politician on Earth. His hand-picked successor, Dilma Rousseff, was elected in 2014. In Rousseffs second term, however, a sprawling corruption investigation ensnared top politicians and businessmen alike. It plunged her administration along with da Silva and the rest of the Workers Party he founded into disgrace. Revelations of systemic kickbacks in exchange for government contracts were followed by a deep, two-year recession that many blamed on Rousseffs economic policies, and which turbocharged resentment of the Workers Party. She was impeached in 2016 for breaking fiscal responsibility laws regarding management of the federal budget. Then da Silva himself was sentenced for corruption and money laundering, and confined to a 160-square-foot (15-square-meter) room on the fourth floor of a Federal Police building in the southern city of Curitiba. That sidelined him from the 2018 presidential race and cleared the way for Jair Bolsonaro, then a fringe lawmaker, to cruise to victory. Da Silvas political legacy was in tatters. His personal life, too, was blown to pieces. His wife passed away, which at the time he blamed on the strain caused by the investigation. Slowly, hope crept in. He started exchanging love letters with a woman named Rosangela da Silva, nicknamed Janja. Their relationship blossomed thanks to da Silvas then-lawyer, Luis Carlos Rocha, who visited him every weekday. Rocha acted as dutiful courier, hiding Janjas letters inside his jacket pocket where guards wouldnt check. He told The Associated Press he saw da Silvas face light up with each colorful envelope he delivered. God willing, one day we will publish (the letters), da Silva said at a rally in September. But only for people over 18. The Supreme Court also started assessing the legality of his convictions, which it eventually annulled on the grounds that the presiding federal judge had been biased and colluded with prosecutors. After 580 days imprisonment, da Silva was a free man free to marry his girlfriend, and free to run for the presidency. Still, Bolsonaro, seeking a second term, reminded voters of da Silvas convictions at every turn, warning that electing him would be like letting a thief return to the scene of the crime. It revitalized semi-dormant sentiment against the Workers Party, and the fact that much of Brazil still holds da Silva in disdain is a key reason this years contest between the two political titans grew ever closer. Ultimately, it came down to the wire: Da Silva was elected with 50.9% of the vote. It was the tightest election since Brazils return to democracy more than three decades ago. During his victory speech, Janja was by his side, as she was throughout his campaign. She shed tears, overwhelmed with emotion. And she wasnt alone. I cried when he was jailed. Now I cry because he will take Brazil back to normal. He can do it, he has the charisma to do it, said Claudia Marcos, a 56-year-old historian who joined thousands of others to celebrate the leftists victory on Sao Paulos main boulevard. He is our phoenix. The most important president in Brazils history. At the Workers Partys headquarters on Sunday, da Silva read out a long, carefully written speech promising to unite Brazil. Seeking redemption, he will face a much more challenging environment economically and politically than during his last presidency. He will take office on Jan. 1, and has said he will be a one-term president. It could be his final act. It is not the number of years that makes someone old. What makes you old is the lack of a cause, said da Silva, who turned 77 three days before the vote. Brazil is my cause. The Brazilian people are my cause. ___ Associated Press writers Daniel Politi in Curitiba, Brazil, and Diane Jeantet in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report. The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is investigating after a Silver City Police Department officer shot a man last week. The incident happened Thursday when Silver City police officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant for burglary on 32-year-old Trevor Franco, according to a news release. As officers approached Franco, he ran inside his house located at 2602 Yucca Street, the release says. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. When officers entered the residence Franco was holding a knife to his girlfriends neck. During the encounter, an officer with the Silver City Police Department fired his duty firearm at least once striking and injuring Franco. Franco was taken to an area hospital before being airlifted to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, the release says. His current condition is not known; however, the release states that after Franco is released from the hospital, he will be booked on charges of kidnapping, aggravated battery on a household member with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery on a household member by strangulation, assault on a household member with intent to commit a violent felony and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews, the release states. Billionaire Elon Musk is already floating major changes for Twitter and faces major hurdles as he begins his first week as owner of the social-media platform. Twitters new owner fired the companys board of directors and made himself the boards sole member, according to a company filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk later said on Twitter that the new board setup is temporary, but he didnt provide any details. Hes also testing the waters on asking users to pay for verification. A venture capitalist working with Musk tweeted a poll asking how much users would be willing to pay for the blue check mark that Twitter has historically used to verify higher-profile accounts so other users know its really them. Musk, whose account is verified, replied, Interesting. Critics have derided the mark, often granted to celebrities, politicians, business leaders and journalists, as an elite status symbol. But Twitter also uses the blue check mark to verify activists and people who suddenly find themselves in the news, as well as little-known journalists at small publications around the globe, as an extra tool to curb misinformation coming from accounts that are impersonating people. The whole verification process is being revamped right now, Musk tweeted Sunday in response to a user who asked for help getting verified. On Friday, meanwhile, billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said he and his Kingdom Holding Company rolled over a combined $1.89 billion in existing Twitter shares, making them the companys largest shareholder after Musk. The news raised concerns among some lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut. Murphy tweeted that he is requesting the Committee on Foreign Investment which reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyers to investigate the national security implications of the kingdoms investment in Twitter We should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in repressing political speech and impacting U.S. politics, are now the second-largest owner of a major social media platform, Murphy tweeted. There is a clear national security issue at stake and CFIUS should do a review. Having taken ownership of the social media service, Musk has invited a group of tech-world friends and investors to help guide the San Francisco-based companys transformation, which is likely to include a shakeup of its staff. Musk last week fired CEO Parag Agrawal and other top executives. Theres been uncertainty about if and when he could begin larger-scale layoffs. I do think there will be a lot of layoffs, said Matthew Faulkner, an assistant finance professor at San Jose State University. Faulkner noted the need for cost-cutting after Musk bought Twitter for a premium and the platforms longtime struggles trying to turn a profit. But Musk might also want as quickly as possible to weed out employees who dont believe in his mission so that those who stay feel more secure. You dont want to have frantically scared employees working for you, Faulkner said. That doesnt motivate people. Those who have revealed they are helping Musk include Sriram Krishnan, a partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which pledged back in the spring to chip in to Musks plan to buy the company and take it private. Krishnan, who is also a former Twitter product executive, said in a tweet that it is a hugely important company and can have great impact on the world and Elon is the person to make it happen. Jason Calacanis, the venture capitalist who tweeted the poll about whether users would pay for verification, said over the weekend he is hanging out at Twitter a bit and simply trying to be as helpful as possible during the transition. Calacanis said the team already has a very comprehensive plan to reduce the number of (and visibility of) bots, spammers, & bad actors on the platform. And in the Twitter poll, he asked if users would pay between $5 and $15 monthly to be verified & get a blue check mark on Twitter. Twitter is currently free for most users because it depends on advertising for its revenue. Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion in April but it wasnt until Thursday evening that he finally closed the deal, after his attempts to back out of it led to a protracted legal fight with the company. Musks lawyers are now asking the Delaware Chancery Court to throw out the case, according to a court filing made public Monday. The two sides were supposed to go to trial in November if they didnt close the deal by the end of last week. Musk has made a number of pronouncements since early this year about how to fix Twitter, and it remains unclear which proposals he will prioritize. He has promised to cut back some of Twitters content restrictions to promote free speech, but said Friday that no major decisions on content or reinstating of banned accounts will be made until a content moderation council with diverse viewpoints is put in place. He later qualified that remark, tweeting anyone suspended for minor & dubious reasons will be freed from Twitter jail. The head of a cryptocurrency exchange that invested $500 million in Musks Twitter takeover said he had a number of reasons for supporting the deal, including the possibility Musk would transition Twitter into a company supporting cryptocurrency and the concept known as Web3, which many cryptocurrency enthusiasts envision as the next generation of the internet. We want to make sure that crypto has a seat at the table when it comes to free speech, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao told CNBC on Monday. And there are more tactical things, like we want to help bring Twitter into Web3 when theyre ready. He said cryptocurrency could be useful for solving some of Musks immediate challenges, such as the plan to charge a premium membership fee for more users. That can be done very easily, globally, by using cryptocurrency as a means of payment, he said. ___ Associated Press Writer Randall Chase contributed to this story. Two people from Silver City died in a head-on collision Friday after their car, being driven by a 15-year-old male, crossed the center lane of State Road 26 and hit another vehicle, a New Mexico State Police news release says. State Police officers were dispatched to SR 26 northeast of Deming at about 3 p.m. for a crash involving a Toyota Tacoma and a Dodge pickup that was towing a camper. The initial investigation indicated that the Toyota driven by a 15-year-old-male was traveling east on SR 26, the release states. For reasons still under investigation the Toyota crossed the center line into the opposing lane of travel and struck the westbound Dodge head-on. Martyn Pearson, 38, and Alexandra Olsen, 40, who were passengers in the Toyota, suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead on the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator, according to the release. The driver of the Toyota, as well as the 70-year-old driver and sole occupant of the Dodge, were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, the release says, adding that alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the crash. New Mexico State Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle Saturday on U.S. Highway 64 between Farmington and Shiprock, according to a State Police news release. The initial investigation indicated that for unknown reasons, Ramon Natividad-Garcia, 40, of Bloomfield was crossing the westbound lanes of U.S. 64. He was struck by a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by a 51-year-old male, the release says. He was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased by the Office of the Medical Investigator. Police said the Mitsubishis driver and passenger did not suffer injuries. The creations Kate Gerwin makes are conversation starters. The owner of Happy Accidents in Nob Hill found herself in competition with 11 other mixologists/bartenders in the Netflix series, Drink Masters. The series in its inaugural season puts 12 world-class mixologists together to showcase their dazzling cocktail-crafting skills as they compete for a $100K prize and the title of Ultimate Drink Master. The 10-episode season is currently streaming on Netflix. My goal was to make it to the end and I didnt expect to win, Gerwin says of her time on the show. Mission accomplished. Gerwin managed to place second in the competition, losing out to Lauren LP Paylor. Im so glad that LP won the entire competition, Gerwin says. All of the contestants developed a great friendship with each other. It was an experience like no other. Gerwin admits that being part of the series almost didnt happen. I wasnt going to do this series after being asked, she says. The producer for the show was the same producer for Bar Rescue when I did it eight years ago. He reached out to me and I said, No. I told him Id help him find people. Then the pandemic hit. Gerwin, like many others, had her mental health decline during the pandemic. She was left in a weird mental state. My friends in this business all decided to pivot and went into real estate, she says. I dont have a pivot. I was like, Man, this is it for me. When we opened Happy Accidents, we wanted to change the way things function. This would be an awesome avenue to propel the bar to a different level. Gerwin got her spot on the series. She flew out to Canada on Nov. 4, 2021 and was filming until the end of December. The longer you stayed in the competition, the longer I was away from home, she says. Since it was the first season, there werent many days that I had to myself. The hours were long filming. Being on set was rigorous and stressful. Gerwins purpose for competing on the series is two-fold she wanted to challenge herself and learn, as well as shine a light on the mixology scene in Albuquerque. At Happy Accidents, we take the industry very seriously, she says. I know thats true of many of the establishments around town. Gerwin moved to New Mexico in 2005, when she opened Casa Vieja in Corrales. By 2011, she started consulting and traveling around the country, but kept a home here. Two months before the pandemic in 2020, she bought a house and unpacked her storage. In May 2021, she opened Happy Accidents after a two-year journey of searching for the right space. I dont think the market was ready for us five or 10 years ago, she says. Right now theres an amazing vibe happening around town with mixology. These spaces are getting together and being social. Weve incorporated a number of nonalcoholic drinks on our menu. The series debuted on Oct. 28 and rose up the ranks becoming a top 10 hit on Netflix. Gerwin hopes that the series gets renewed for a second season. I hope they would ask me to be a guest judge, she says. I also am so proud that this show is shining a light on bartending. Theres a lot that goes into it and were always learning new things. I think this show puts us in the same place as chefs. SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART. As pandemic-related restrictions ended, the Grief Center of New Mexico began segueing from virtual to in-person support groups, only to find more people calling for services and not enough bereavement facilitators to lead the groups. The building at our new location was still being remodeled and we actually got everything completed and opened our doors on Sept. 6, Suzie Blake, the centers development director, said Monday. To meet the increasing need, the center is holding a three-day volunteer facilitator training session in January at their Albuquerque offices. The training, which unfolds over 14 hours, is $45, which goes toward the cost of conducting background checks and training materials, Blake said. By leading grief support groups, the volunteers will help children, their caregivers and adults talk about their feelings of grief, give them an outlet to process their grief and understand that they are not alone, she said. They also learn coping skills for dealing with the loss of that important person in their life. Its particularly important for children to be in a group with other kids, who are going through the same thing, Blake said. The volunteers, who must be at least 21 years old, train exclusively to lead groups, rather than conduct one-on-one facilitation. They will be expected to lead support groups twice a month and commit to at least a year of service, she said. There is no cost to the people who receive the grief services. The bereavement facilitators are not counselors and do not have to be licensed by the state, Blake said. The training is, however, accredited by the National Association of Social Workers and can be counted toward certified continuing education credits for social workers and counselors. For professionals seeking only CEU credits and who do not intend to volunteer at the Grief Center, the training fee is $260. The organization was founded more than 21 years ago by a group of people who had experienced deaths in their families. Unable to find grief support services for their children, they formed the Childrens Grief Center of New Mexico. In March, the word children was dropped from the organizations name to more accurately reflect the wide-ranging age of people who seek and receive grief support services, Blake said. For more information: The Grief Center of New Mexico is located at 4125 Carlisle NE. To register for the centers bereavement facilitator training course, scheduled for Jan. 7, 8 and 14, call (505) 323-0478, or go online to www.griefnm.org/training. Hair loss is undesirable for many men and women because ones hairstyle is often closely tied to their self-confidence. And while some people embrace it, others wish they could regrow their lost strands. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano Letters have used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict compounds that could neutralize baldness-causing reactive oxygen species in the scalp. Using the best candidate, they constructed a proof-of-concept microneedle patch and effectively regenerated hair on mice. Most people with substantial hair loss have the condition androgenic alopecia, also called male- or female-pattern baldness. In this condition, hair follicles can be damaged by androgens, inflammation or an overabundance of reactive oxygen species, such as oxygen free radicals. When the levels of oxygen free radicals are too high, they can overwhelm the bodys antioxidant enzymes that typically keep them in check. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is one of these enzymes, and researchers have recently created SOD mimics called nanozymes. But so far, those that have been reported arent very good at removing oxygen free radicals. So, Lina Wang, Zhiling Zhu and colleagues wanted to see whether machine learning, a form of AI, could help them design a better nanozyme for treating hair loss. The researchers chose transition-metal thiophosphate compounds as potential nanozyme candidates. They tested machine-learning models with 91 different transition-metal, phosphate and sulfate combinations, and the techniques predicted that MnPS 3 would have the most powerful SOD-like ability. Next, MnPS 3 nanosheets were synthesized through chemical vapor transport of manganese, red phosphorus and sulfur powders. In initial tests with human skin fibroblast cells, the nanosheets significantly reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species without causing harm. Based on these results, the team prepared MnPS 3 microneedle patches and treated androgenic alopecia-affected mouse models with them. Within 13 days, the animals regenerated thicker hair strands that more densely covered their previously bald backsides than mice treated with testosterone or minoxidil. The researchers say that their study both produced a nanozyme treatment for regenerating hair, and indicated the potential for computer-based methods for use in the design of future nanozyme therapeutics. The authors acknowledge funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province China. Family Karma, the first docuseries to feature an all-Indian cast, returns for season three and will be available to stream on Hayu from November 7. Family Karma is an intimate look at seven Indian American friends navigating life, love and careers while balancing the cultural traditions and expectations of their traditional parents and grandparents. Returning for season three are Amrit Kapai, Anisha Ramakrishna, Bali Chainani, Brian Benni, Monica Vaswani, Rish Karam, and Vishal Parvani. COMING UP THIS SEASON Amrit and his fiance, Nicholas, gear up to tie the knot in the first elaborate Indian gay wedding in their community, but they confront the difficulties of planning an interracial same-sex marriage. Anisha has found Mr. Right, but her focus on him has put a strain on the relationship with her circle of friends. She returns to Miami in hopes of making amends, but not everyone is on board. Bali and OMalley are stronger than ever, but an ultimatum from Balis ex-husband forces her to make a life-changing decision. She continues to balance her life as a mother and friend to the group and their mothers, better known as the Aunties. Brian is once again single and ready to mingle. While on the search for the girl of his dreams, hes also taking steps to be the man he wants to be, which may include leaving the nest for good. Monica is considered the perfect Indian girl by her community and is ready to take her relationship with Rish to the next level. However, a growing secret among her friends threatens their future together. Rish has been friends with Monica since childhood and, unlike most twenty-somethings in his community, he lives on his own. He is eager to give Monica the assurance she wants, but in his own time. After 10 years of dating and three engagements, Vishal and Richa are finally ready to walk down the aisle. Their families plan the Bollywood wedding of their dreams, and Vishal plans to party like its 1999, which causes both his and Richas moms to worry. Vishal lives by the definition of work hard and play harder, and while hes thriving professionally, he may need to hang up the life of the party title for his new role as husband. Family Karma is produced by Truly Original. Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin, Michelle Schiefen, Camilo Valdes, Westley Harris, Ariel Algus and Michael Meinecke executive produce. Experience a cultural explosion of fun, tradition and drama as Family Karma returns for season three, streaming on Hayu from November 7. The Laws and Rules in the tech space have evolved rapidly in the last two years with the increase in social media and digital usage by the consumers. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) noted that there is a need to amend the IT Rules to keep up with the challenges and gaps emerging in an expanding digital ecosystem. The IT Act 2000 was brought into action and the focus of IT Rules 2000 was to provide electronic commerce, or transactions made via electronic data exchange and other forms of electronic communication, a legal status. However, issues like Cybercrime and Cyberbully were not mentioned in the act. Hence, The Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008, a significant revision to the IT Act, 2000, was adopted in 2008 to address some of the primary problems. The insertion of the Section 66A, which punished transmitting offensive texts, was one of the changes highlighted. Additionally, it created Section 69, which granted authorities the power to intercept, monitor, or decode any information through any computer resource. It also included laws addressing voyeurism, child porn, cyberterrorism, and pornography. Although the amendments and the numerous rules outlined aimed to address a number of issues, experts believe the issues like transparency, cyber security, spamming, phishing, data protection in online banking, privacy protection, identity theft, cyber war, cyber stalking, cyber fraud, chat room abuse, theft of internet hours, copyright and trademark violations, gaming, cryptocurrency, social media, and many others still need to be addressed. Major pieces of secondary and subordinate legislation like the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011, the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines (Amendment) Rules, 2018 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, have been notified to make basically social media intermediaries accountable. These Rules have been framed to curb users from engaging in online material which is paedophilic, pornographic, hateful, racially and ethnically objectionable, invasive of privacy, etc., and to prevent mob lynchings spurred by fake news and rumours and messages circulated on social media platforms. The Information Technology Act of 2000 and its following amendments/ rules were insufficient, and the Government of India intends to draft the Digital India Act (DIA) in the coming months to solve these issues. This has been stated by the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrashekhar. According to him, India will replace the IT Act of 2000 with a new law called the Digital India Act that will include a new set of laws and regulations that will act as accelerators for innovation and defending citizen's rights. To help India flourish in the techade, the new legal system will be adjusted to the realities of the 21st Century. Now, the government declared on Saturday, October 29, 2022, that platforms operating in India will have to abide by local laws and the Constitutional rights of Indian users. As a result of the new IT Rules, social media companies are legally required to use all reasonable means to prevent the dissemination of illegal content and false information. The guidelines have been created in response to complaints regarding intermediaries responses to user complaints about unacceptable content, including measures such as suspending accounts or inaction. Also Read: IT Rules amended; new Grievance Appellate Committee for social media complaints Posting this on his Twitter handle, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, and Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, Digital Nagriks/ citizens grievances will now never go unaddressed under amended #ITrules a Grievance Appellate committee formed. He further posted, Amended #ITrules makes Intermediaries responsible for enforcing their own content guidelines AND also ensure NO content on platform of 9 types from Porn to someone else's content to online gambling to misinformation, etc. Chandrashekhar further tweeted, New amended IT Rules are the next step to realising our governments duty to Digital Nagriks of Open, Safe & Trusted, Accountable Internet. It also marks a new partnership between Govt and Intermediaries in making and keeping our Internet safe & trusted for all Indians. He also stated that the new changes to the Information Technology (IT) rules ensure that these platforms cannot suspend citizens accounts without following a deliberate procedure. Adgully reached out to a cross-section of experts from the digital space to know about their views and opinions on the new amendment to the IT Rules and how it will impact the social media ecosystem. Ashok Lalla, a Digital Business Advisor, noted, The changes have been made with the idea to increase the accountability of the intermediaries and social media platforms to its users and to ensure compliance to the Constitution of India. This is always a positive thing. While accountability was expected earlier too, the onus on the platforms has been more strongly emphasised now. The strengthening of the redressal mechanism by replacing the Grievance Redressal Officer with a Redressal Committee is another aspect of the new rules. However, the compliance to the rules by the platforms and how easily an ordinary citizen receives relief via the Grievance Redressal committee when they are aggrieved is to be seen and will demonstrate the true effectiveness of the revised rules. On the other hand, Ashish Bhasin, Co-Founder and Chairman, RD&X Network, was of the opinion that the regulation should be self regulatory rather than Government imposed. He added, There is definitely some need to regulate social media and even some part of the OTT channels. The reason for that is the polarisation that can happen through fake news is very strong. The committee is going to be constituted within three months, which will be an appellate-like committee for looking at the content, whether it's appropriate or not. I feel that the intent is right, but Im always a little worried about the Government getting into censorship. Things can go the other way in that sense. According to Bhasin, the better solution is that there should be some sort of restraint and regulation, particularly where there is false information being spread or any harmful or mischievous activity done. But the solution, he felt, was self regulation by the industry itself. The tech players are large enough and have enough technology and resources. A body like ASCI, which is an industry-led body, gets self regulation, it involves intellectuals from the public space, it involves people from the industry, it also involves experts and knowledge holders in the field. That to me would make it more palatable than a Government appointed committee looking into it. I fear that it should not get misused, he opined. Atul Raja, Executive Vice President Global Marketing, Wadhwani Foundation, said, The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2022 should prove to be effective in removing some of the ambiguity of the IT Rules 2021 and the biggest change is that social media platforms are now subject to the sovereign law of India as they need to comply by the provisions of the Constitution of India. The new rules are designed to bring transparency, safety and accountability through a digital media ethics code, which will regulate the use of social media, online news platforms and other digital channels and assumes significance in the light of the high degree of proliferation that we are seeing in fake news, misinformation, objectionable and defamatory content. Significantly, the Social Media Intermediaries will now be required to have a Compliance or Grievance Officer, who will come under the purview of the Grievance Appellate Committee, which has the power to override the decision of the Compliance or Grievance Officer. This is significant as it provides a redressal and governance forum for the first time besides judicial recourse. It is likely to significantly impact how information is shared in India and create a more responsible and responsive online environment. He further added, Although the amendment is aimed at taking down defamatory, inflammatory or offensive content through stricter Intermediary Guidelines and protecting users from arbitrary deplatformization, there are still some grey areas to be addressed before we can have a final say in this matter like: (1) Expeditious redressal of complaints is outlined as within 72 hours of reporting. In todays redefined social media age, this is too long a period (2) The amendment applies to Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs), defined as platforms with over 5 million subscribers. This leaves a huge number of small and medium digital platforms outside the purview of the amendment (3) The structure, scope, powers, composition and terms of reference of the Grievance Appellate Committee are yet to be formalised and much will depend on how the right balance is struck on these parameters so that free speech and public discourse are protected. mPokket Indias leading and one of the fastest-growing lending platforms today announced the launch of its social media campaigns #mPoweringYourPocket and #mPoweringYourDreams. The campaigns highlight the companys initiatives in empowering customers and employees this festive season. As part of the product-centric campaign, the brand has launched teasers to showcase how mPokket has been financially empowering the youth of India through hassle-free instant loans. In the LinkedIn campaign, #mPoweringYourDreams, employees of the organization highlight how mPokkets initiatives are boosting their confidence at the workplace and providing them with an open space to showcase their talent and share ideas. Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Gaurav Jalan, Founder & CEO, mPokket, said, We wanted to align our social media presence with the Companys core business values and work ethics. Our team has been working tirelessly to ensure the disbursal of flexible and paperless loans to help individuals manage financial emergencies in time. The social media campaigns and hashtags reiterate this message, thanking employees for driving our growth since inception. mPokket believes in bringing the change you need and the empowerment you deserve. Presenting to you our brand-new identity with our new hashtag #mPoweringYourPocket. Looking forward to solving your financial problems with more dedication and commitment.#mPokket #mPowering pic.twitter.com/16mWvvFhnK mPokket (@mPokketOfficial) October 29, 2022 mPokket has been financially empowering the youth through their instant loan disbursal process, lending amounts from Rs500 to Rs30,000. Their social media campaign encapsulates this theme through the strong message of facilitating financial independence for users. As part of its campaign, mPokket ran an engaging contest, asking its audience to guess the hashtag they would be introducing. mPokket will be giving out exciting gift vouchers to the top 3 winners who guess the hashtag correctly. Besides this, the brand has come up with an amusing comic strip that addresses diverse concerns and stigmas associated with instant loans. The post captures how mPokket acts as a handy companion in helping college students and young professionals meet their end-of-the-month cash crunch. Additionally, to highlight the different initiatives taken by the Company to boost employee morale and satisfaction, mPokket has launched a special LinkedIn campaign. This shows how the team amplifies the ethos of enthusiasm and resonates with the team-building spirit through several fun activities and competitions held regularly. With its robust ambition of turning into a truly diverse, people-driven company, mPokket has incorporated the essence of inclusivity and equitability among its employees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Paytm during his speech at Uttarakhands Mana Village. Commending the increase in penetration of digital payments in the country, PM Modi said women entrepreneurs of the village are accepting digital payments with Paytm and have QR codes outside their shops. The Prime Minister was addressing a rally after laying the foundation stone of various developmental projects at Mana which is considered the last village at the border between India and China. Digital payments pioneer Paytm has been at the forefront of Indias digital revolution and is widely used across the country from small villages to bigger cities and towns. The company pioneered the QR code revolution in India. From offline payment devices to credit, Paytm is enabling merchants with robust business solutions to scale their businesses. The company has disbursed 9.2 million loans in the second quarter of FY23, registering a 224% Y-o-Y growth in volume. Meanwhile, the total value of loans disbursed during the quarter grew 482% Y-o-Y to 7,313 Cr ($894 million). Paytm has further strengthened its leadership in offline payments with the number of devices deployed exceeding 4.8 million as of Q2 FY23, with over 1 million new deployments during the second quarter. The company is committed to its mission of driving financial inclusion in the country and bringing half a billion unserved and underserved Indians to the mainstream economy. This is in line with the governments mission to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. With technology-led innovations in financial services and products, Paytm has created a formidable digital infrastructure that is catalysing Indias techade. -- UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns Saturday's terrorist attack in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, said his spokesman on Sunday. "The secretary-general strongly condemns these heinous attacks and reiterates that the United Nations stands in solidarity with Somalia against violent extremism. He pledges continued support for a peaceful and prosperous Somalia," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement. The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the attack and extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, which include UN staff, as well as the government and people of Somalia. He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured, said the statement. Twin car bomb explosions targeting Somalia's Education Ministry building killed at least 100 people and injured more than 300 others on Saturday. The fatalities are likely to rise, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Sunday. ShareChat (Mohalla Tech Pvt Ltd), Indias largest homegrown social media company with brands like Moj and ShareChat, has appointed Gaurav Jain as Head of Emerging Business to lead its monetization efforts. At ShareChat, Jain will focus on reaching mid-market and SMB clients and head the independent agency network in India. Jain has over 15 years of experience in monetising digital platforms in India and the APAC region. Before joining ShareChat, Jain was with Snap Inc and led business expansion for the APAC region. He has also worked with global tech companies like Meta and Google, building their mid-market business, monetisation, strategising sales, revenue development, and agency relationships. At ShareChat and Moj, Jain will focus on tapping into Indias burgeoning small and medium advertiser base and a long list of regional champion brands who have started migrating from traditional advertising channels to digital platforms. Welcoming Gaurav Jain, Ankush Sachdeva, CEO and Co-founder of ShareChat & Moj, said, We are happy to have Gaurav on board with us to lead monetisation of emerging businesses for ShareChat. As longtail merchants and MSMEs are transitioning to digital advertising, ShareChat and Moj are the foremost platforms to reach the Bharat audience. In the past year, we have developed several services and offerings tailored for brands keen to engage with their audience based in the regional markets. We are creating customisable hyperlocal advertising solutions that allow business owners to target customers in their preferred local languages with affordable price points and high ROI opportunities. Gauravs rich experience and expertise in growing mid-market segments will surely help us in achieving leadership in local markets. Commenting on his appointment, Gaurav Jain, Head of Emerging Business, ShareChat & Moj, said, I am delighted to become a part of Indias largest homegrown social media company. While ShareChat is the one-stop social platform for Bharat, in a short span, Moj has become the largest Indian short-form video app for young Indians. The rising demand for regional language content is making brands turn to localized and culturally targeted advertising. Regionally customized ads are helping raise brand awareness much faster and more effectively. Indias mid-market enterprises are rapidly growing and are ripe to move into the digital space. I strongly believe that ShareChat and Moj are the ideal platforms for MSMEs and SMBs to gain targeted access to their desired audience. ShareChat has been rapidly expanding its self-serve ads platform, allowing SMBs, D2C businesses, and advertisers to drive targeted awareness for their brands. Within a year, over 2,400 businesses have been able to reach and engage with more than 400 million MAUs on ShareChat and Moj that are spread across every part of India. With deep insights and wide reach in India, ShareChat provides micro-segmentation of its audience and creates personalised multilingual campaigns with hyperlocal targeting. ShareChats self-serve ads platform provides various ad targeting mechanisms, including features to create innovative and personalized advertisements, in the desired regional language, in the form of in-feed display banners, in-feed videos, and interstitial exit ads. Film producer Anand Pandit and Yash Birla Ventures have joined hands for a new venture, Nature 4 Nature - The complete care range. The brand was launched with an objective to share the message of love and compassion by offering consumers with 100% natural products. The substances used in the creation of beauty products strive to replace the use of harmful & toxic acids with natural ingredients. Every product is consciously curated with natural ingredients sourced from different parts of the country which are then packaged using natural materials. Along with the brand launch, Nature 4 Nature announced the appointment of two young Bollywood brands ambassadors, Tara Sutaria and Ishaan.The brand ambassadors had also shared a teaser of the brand film on their social media handles offering a sneak peek to the fans. The actors will help the brand to transform its enthusiasm into effective messaging. Nature 4 Nature is also planning to offer customers the option to reuse the same bottle multiple times which will enable sustainable practices among customers. The products are in-line with the brand's aim of creating a world free of harmful chemicals and materials for both the planet and humans. The packaging of the item comes with a QR code which will initiate the process of refilling the bottle thus reducing the amount of waste on the planet. The hero ingredients are specially sourced from cities they are known for, for instance chandan is sourced from Jammu & Kashmir, Cinnamon from Myanmar, Sri lanka, Tamil Nadu & green tea from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala etc. Yash Birla, Founder, Nature 4 Nature said, We want to build a brand that isn't just concerned with human well-being but also contributes significantly to a sustainable and healthy future. Our objective is to provide our customers with 100% natural products rather than the increasing use of toxic acids. The raw ingredients used in the product and packaging are sustainable in nature and come from all around the country. Bollywood film Producer and Founder of Nature 4 Nature, Anand Pandit said, It is a pleasure to delve into skincare by honoring Indian heritage through ayurveda. Nature 4 Nature is a skincare brand that will commemorate Indian roots by using all natural components and using packaging that is sustainable in nature. We hope to come closer to nature and its people by blending all resources into beauty. The launch is in association with Yash Birla Ventures, and we are eager to hear what our audience think about the quality of products we are offering. Commenting on the association,Ishaan, said, Im overjoyed to be associated with Nature 4 Nature - not only for their qualitative and diverse range of products but for the larger vision behind them. Theyre leading the way in India by manufacturing their products in a 100% natural, sustainable way and Im proud to be associated with them in this path breaking effort. Tara Sutaria, said, Nature 4 Nature is based on the concept of sustainability and love for nature. This motivated me to become involved with the brand that is not only 100% natural but also works towards a plastic-free environment. The brand's website has been created to provide clients with a personalized experience by proposing products depending on their skin type and concerns. For every product purchased from the website, a fruit tree will be planted in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, increasing the farmers' income. 31st October 2022, India: Titan Company, Indias biggest consumer company announces the launch of its latest brand, IRTH. IRTH from the House of Titan is a thoughtfully designed womens handbag brand. Every woman carries a bag and owns multiple. However, to this huge potential market, the existing solutions today are largely catering to the vanity. Hence, Titan sees potential in organised styling as a space that is unoccupied by anyone. Also given the large loyal base of women consumers that Titan caters to, this is yet another endeavour to enhance her every day. IRTH intends to create long meaningful relationships with its consumers, making their purchase process exciting and special. Suggestive of the brands name, IRTH symbolizes the care and attention applied to the product design and exemplifies the sense of wonder and emotion inherent in the brand, says Manish Gupta, Chief Executive Officer & VP, Fragrance and Fashion Accessories Division at Titan. Commenting on the Titans new brand launch, Kanwalpreet Walia, Marketing Head, Fragrances and Accessories Titan Company Limited said, We see great potential in this category and want to explore new opportunities for women in handbag category. IRTH hand bags cater to women from all walks of life and let them define what the bag carries. The products have been designed with great detailing and craftsmanship, including limitless organising space and options to buy detachable organisers. The campaign brings this Yours to define emotion alive in a very effortless manner. DesignStudio, a global brand agency, the Australian arm has worked with Titan on IRTH brand presentation & visual architecture. The launch advertising work for Irth, has been developed by the Wieden+Kennedy, New Delhi. Leading with the motto of Yours to Define, the W+K team took a visibly subversive approach to the brand. From the first moment we spoke with the team at Titan, we began to understand the frustration with womens handbags in Indian life today - they are beautiful to look at, but entirely impractical to use said DesignStudio Principal for Asia Pacific, David Storey So we created a brand rooted in the idea that Irth is Made to Delight said James Duru, Executive Creative Director for DesignStudio Asia Pacific. A brand that has a sense of joy at the heart of it - as can be seen through the entire visual expression, from the logo to the colour palette to the photography style. A brand thats not just seen its felt said James Duru. It is a cultural reality that women are often assigned meaning by the fashion they wear or carry, even more so in the case of premium bags, which often become personality-defining symbols in their own right. This trend continues in contemporary advertising aimed at women, where binary labels such as home maker or career woman are the norm. Not the case here. The agency deftly avoids labelling the women it is talking to, thus sidestepping these narratives. No doubt, that Titans own legacy of progressive work has paved the way for the maturity of thought here. The launch campaign celebrates this live-and-let-live ethos, using warm language and nuanced, open-ended communication to drive home the brand idea. We respect the intelligence of the audience we are speaking to. We are here only to make every active womens journey joyful and organised. With the tagline Yours To Define, the brand adds meaning and value to every womans journey without any stereotype. IRTH bags are meant for the women of today to elevate their everyday. IRTH bags are centred on both design and functionality. Hence brand has launched a main brand film bringing alive the Yours To define brand world. The beautiful frames captures the premium IRTH bags in the best way, showing the many possibilities any active women has with IRTH bags. Brand will also be launching feature films that will highlight the many the nuances of functionality built in each IRTH bag, in the most stylish manner. We were happy when we were given the creative mandate from the house of Titan to launch this wonderful product line up under the brand IRTH. With Creative Directors, Amrish Kondurkar & Sunayna Sabharwal at the helm along with their team, weve tried to create a world that forever stays delightful to work on. The campaign traverses touchpoints, in a way that celebrates the product range and user in a casual candid way, Santosh Padhi (Paddy) Chief Creative Officer, Wieden+Kennedy India. Talking about the launch campaign Ruchika Khanna (Head of Business Titan Irth) said: Its always a pleasure to work with clients who bring clarity and thought to a creative brief. For us the challenge really was to give life to a new brand, to find a fresh voice in a category that already has many expressions. And to find a balance between the functionality of the product and the beauty of the brand IRTH has a product portfolio ranging from workbags, tall totes, shoulder bags, handhelds, slings, cross body, clutches and wallets. Delights and Organisers are the categories unique to IRTH. These packed IRTH bags are priced economically to suit every pocket, INR 2595 INR 5995/ and available at http://www.irth.in/.The launch pack of IRTH has a wide choice of 90 bags + 4 organisers in two colour ways to choose from. U-Report India, the global flagship digital youth engagement platform initiated by UNICEF, celebrated the enrolment of over 2 million U-Reporters in India. U-Report is UNICEF's flagship digital platform started in 2011, and relaunched in India in 2019, to engage young people in programme priorities, emergency response and advocacy actions. U-Reporters are young people who have enrolled voluntarily in the U-Report platform who use WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram or Instagram DM to provide information on issues that matter to them the most, to influence change. U-Report in turn engages the youth through Quizes, polls, surveys, resource bots and tasks and shares opinions and ideas, verified information and opportunities, resources and toolkits on life skills, career mobility, climate change and environmental sustainability among many other topics. It is also a key tool to collect quantifiable data on specific areas that impact children, including the most vulnerable. Speaking at the event celebrating the two million U-Reporters, Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative, said, The youth of India form the largest generation of young people. U-Report gives the girls and boys, and young women of India a platform to pursue their potential by co-creating solutions, sharing their views, ideas and informing policy and business decisions. U-Report helps young people play raise awareness on issues that matter most to them, and as a result contribute to improving the well-being of hundreds of millions of families and communities. UNICEF is proud of the partnership with the Government of India, private sector, United Nations, YuWaah and youth themselves that has made U-Report India a model of success Over 1 million youth joined the network in the past year itself. The digital platform has the highest representation from Haryana, having 340,000 U-Reporters, followed by Uttar Pradesh, having over 119,000 U-Reporters. Thirty-nine per cent of the U-Reporters in India are in the 15-19 age group, followed by the 20-24 age group comprising 31 per cent of the network. Forty-six per cent of this network is comprised of girls. With the closure of schools and colleges during the pandemic, U-Report India worked collaboratively with YuWaah (Generation Unlimited, UNICEF India) to develop engaging tasks to promote meaningful civic engagement in young people, promoting COVID appropriate behaviour followed by interactive 21st century-skills learning bot, FunDoo. With the collaboration of YuWaah and other 1,350+ partners, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ministry of Youth Affairs (MoYAS), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) the #YoungWarrior movement engaged over 800,000 young people on U-Report India. Speaking on this occasion, 17-year-old Irene Mariam John from Kottayam, Kerala said, I have been engaging with U-Report since 2021 on various conversations of climate change, COVID Appropriate Behaviour and life skills, but, this was the first time I learned about kindness to others through the #KindnessMatters campaign, the purpose of which is to mobilize the worlds youth to achieve the 17 SDGs through transformative acts of kindness.. On this occasion, U-Report also launched a Race to the Next Million Campaign to encourage more enrolments on U-Report India through referrals which will reward the young people with maximum referrals to achieve the next 1 million U-Reporters, and the U-Ambassadors programme to recruit young people as representatives of U-Report in their own region to promote enrolment and interactions on ground. Eleven U-Reporters were felicitated for their exemplary engagement on U-Report India. Dhananjay Kumar, 17- year-old U-reporter from a remote block in West Champaran Bihar said, I find the conversations on Climate Change very relevant and I use the resources from U-Report India to share the information with my youth peers. More than 50,000 young people from pan India joined the event online. BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of political parties and governments as well as heads of state worldwide have sent congratulations to Xi Jinping on his election as general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). While expressing warm congratulations on Xi's election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Sefik Dzaferovic said developing relations with China is extremely important for BiH. He said he believes that BiH and China will continue to consolidate and develop their friendly relations in the spirit of mutual respect and appreciation. While sending congratulations to Xi on his election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud wishes the friendly Chinese people continuous development and progress. Lee Hsien Loong, secretary-general of the People's Action Party and prime minister of Singapore, said he believes that under Xi's outstanding leadership, China will be able to move forward towards its long-term goals, overcome challenges and achieve lasting stability and prosperity. Lee stressed that he looks forward to working with Xi to further strengthen Singapore-China relations. Nepal attaches great importance to developing all-round relations with the CPC, the Chinese government and people, said President of the Nepali Congress party and Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, adding that he looks forward to working closely with Xi and the CPC to enhance the time-honored mutually beneficial and friendly relations between the two countries. Lesotho Prime Minister Sam Matekane, who is also the leader of the Lesotho political party Revolution For Prosperity, said Xi's election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee shows the trust of the Chinese people in him, adding that his party will spare no effort to cooperate with the CPC at all levels. Those also sending congratulatory messages include: Joseph Djogbenou, president of the Progressive Union Renewal of Benin; Dembo Bojang, national president of Gambia's National People's Party and presidential adviser; Alassane Bala Sakande, president of the People's Movement for Progress, Burkina Faso; Fred M'membe, president of the Socialist Party of Zambia; Luciana Santos, president of the Communist Party of Brazil; Ali Ruckert, chairman of the Communist Party of Luxembourg; Katsuya Okada, secretary general of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan; Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Shaaban, secretary-general of the Egyptian Socialist Party; Hanna Gharib, general secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party; Najm al-Deen al-Kharit, secretary-general of the Unified Syrian Communist Party; Abdulraham Al-Saqqaf, general secretary of the Yemeni Socialist Party; Solly Afrika Mapaila, general secretary of the South African Communist Party; Peter Kanhai, general secretary of the United National Congress of Trinidad and Tobago; Aleksandar Paunov, first secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Bulgaria; Haji Hajiev, chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan; Morris Tovebae, general secretary of the Pangu Party in Papua New Guinea; Robert Griffiths, general secretary of the Communist Party of Britain; Marco Rizzo, general secretary of the Communist Party of Italy; Jeronimo de Sousa, general secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party; Massimiliano Ay, general secretary of the Communist Party of Switzerland; Abdulrahman Kinana, vice chairman (Mainland) of Chama Cha Mapinduzi, Tanzania; Maite Mola, first vice-president of the Party of European Left. It is my opinion that this midterm election will not be a "red wave" or a "red tsunami." I predict a Red Flood of almost Noahic proportions. First will come the overwhelming rejection of the Biden agenda on November 8. Then will come the rejoicing by most of Red America. But after that, the illegalities will begin, starting with challenging the vote counts and the calls for recounts. Then it will escalate to violence unless there is a plan to nip it in the bud. During the period from midnight November 8 to the next days and weeks, I anticipate widespread violence and election fraud. Democrats will try to claw back some wins from their losses. They have demonstrated that nothing is too outrageous, illegal, or demonic when it comes to cheating and violence, so those two tactics will be at the forefront of efforts to negate the massive Red Flood come Wednesday morning. After all, with Biden stopped in his tracks, no more of their insanity will likely get passed. So how is the uproar likely to happen? First will come halting the vote count long enough to "find" more ballots, something that always favors Democrats, oddly enough. Then will come the protesting, rioting, burning, property destruction, harassing of politicians, doxxing, and intimidation of Republican politicians and some SCOTUS justices. Image: A "mostly peaceful" protest. YouTube screen grab. The media will go full metal jacket, "finding" instances of GOP cheating (which will not be found) and election fraud. What are Republican power brokers prepared to do? We know that the radical left Democrats are generously funded by Soros et al., but who funds conservatives, and how much? My problem with Republicans is that they rarely anticipate Democrat chaos. They always seem to be taken by surprise. They are reactive instead of proactive. For example, what precautions are being taken right now to prevent cheating, demonstrating, burning, violence, and fraud? I am not asking what Republicans will do when these things happen. I am asking them if they are anticipating these things happening. If not, what possible excuse is there for not anticipating these things? Moreover, what do they plan to do to put out the literal and figurative fires? There is a fundamental personality difference between Democrats and Republicans. It would help a lot if the latter understood that Democrats, unlike Republicans, have no compunction against violence and cheating. They have no internal governor controlling their scurrilous and vitriolic behavior. Nothing is out of play for leftists. Republicans need to plan for that. Yet the GOP always seems surprised and "appalled" by radicals being radicals. The fable of the scorpion and the frog comes to mind, as well as the song containing the line, "You knew I was a snake before you took me in." Democrats do violence and chaos. It is who they are. There are no excuses for being surprised at what they might do. Just recently, a truly nauseating, snarling red-haired transgender activist, demonstrating against an appearance by Matt Walsh at the U of Wisconsin, viciously and unfathomably ate some pages from a Bible to make a point. This behavior is more than extreme. It is demonic. Demonic behavior is becoming more and more frequent among leftists. Imagine what they are planning when they rightly perceive that their perverse Luciferian agenda is threatened by the results of November's midterm elections. I challenge the Republican Party, its candidates, and its leaders to tell America what they have got planned to deal with violence and voter fraud. I'm not talking about after the election, although that, too. I mean now. Right now. Much of the "Look, squirrel!" stuff going on in the aftermath of the attack on Paul Pelosi in his home by a drug-addled bum in San Francisco is focused on an erroneous tweet sent by Elon Musk, who now owns Twitter. Yes, it was a bad tweet, all right, and he got rid of it, but that's not the only problem in the media response to the attack. Everyone from Joe Biden on down, and that's quite a rat hole, is yelling about political violence now as a result right-wing political violence, to be specific, which in itself is a false claim, given that the attacker, David DePape, was a bum who lived in a "hippie house" with a Black Lives Matter sign out front in Berkeley, California. DePape was a mentally deranged drug addict. He belonged in a mental health facility or some sort of jail. His internet trail is a string of inchoate gibberings. The failure of blue cities to deal with such problems is an issue in itself. It's not just that this isn't being reported by the press as politicians preen about Trump being the intellectual author of the attack; it's what the press and pols don't report. Michael Shellenberger, a centrist writer who investigated the attack himself because the press wouldn't, called it a double-standard: And if mainstream news journalists are so concerned that political extremism is resulting in more violence against public officials, why did they, en masse, downplay the assassination attempt against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June? Where The New York Times has put the alleged Pelosi assassination attempt on its front page for two days in a row, it buried the story of the Kavanaugh murder plot on page A20. Three days later, none of the Sunday morning political shows, such as NBC's "Meet the Press," even mentioned the assassination attempt. Today, "Meet the Press," focused on the Pelosi plot and framed it as overly political, making no mention whatsoever of DePape's psychotic delusions. "The chilling and violent attack on Paul Pelosi House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's 82-year-old husband is raising fears of more political violence," said its host, Chuck Todd. The double standard in news media coverage is brought into sharper relief when one considers that the suspect in the murder plot against Kavanaugh, Nicholas John Roske, 26, has, unlike DePape, shown no sign of psychosis. Rather, he appears to be motivated by the same kind of political fanaticism that has gripped climate activists around the world. The attempt on Kavanaugh was just as real, but it was caught before the perfectly sane and ideologically motivated leftist could do any damage, so it lacks the emotional impact of the attack on Pelosi, whose skull was broken. But it was bona fide political violence, the kind the media clowns and Democrat pols are now raving about, except that it comes from the left. Other recent cases of political violence were far more serious. They include the near murder of House leader Steve Scalise and others by a fanatical Bernie Sanderssupporter and two violent attacks on Sen. Rand Paul, who was hospitalized in the first with six broken ribs and ended up losing part of his lung after a brutal attack by another leftist, and then was targeted and attacked again by a mob of Black Lives Matter thugs, only to be rescued by police. Those cases were swept under the rug, memory-holed, and, horrifically enough, barely punished, despite the huge damage done. Paul was gracious in the wake of the attack on Pelosi but pointed in his remarks, noting that Pelosi's daughter actually endorsed the political violence against himself: No one deserves to be assaulted. Unlike Nancy Pelosis daughter who celebrated my assault, I condemn this attack and wish Mr. Pelosi a speedy recovery. https://t.co/2LxIlbIYQP Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 28, 2022 The man who lost part of his lung in an actual political attack by a politically motivated leftist is now being blasted for it by the left. According to the Independent of London, the tweets were nasty. "That Rand can't bring himself to either just say nothing or condemn the assault without resorting to whataboutism speaks volumes about him," journalist Aaron Rupar tweeted. "This tweet is an example of why no one felt sympathetic about Senator Badperm getting thrown around by his neighbor," another Twitter user said. "Maybe it's just me, but I feel like getting beat up for being a shitty neighbor and getting attacked by someone who broke into your house trying to assassinate your wife are actually not the same thing," a third account holder said. Leftists had some nerve to attack him on that matter. Sit that one out, clowns you've got apologizing to do, both on behalf of your miserable selves and your political movement that Petri-dished it. Of course, they get away with it. Meanwhile, the gunfire attack on Scalise was simply memory-holed in the press, and Bernie Sanders was held harmless for the kind of follower he attracted, even as he barely condemned the attack. The garbage is still going on, not just against Kavanaugh, but in the dangerous "swatting" incidents targeting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the phenomenon of someone calling 911 and falsely reporting a gun incident or standoff or problem at the home of a political enemy in order to use the cops to surround the house in full SWAT gear and hope one of them makes a mistake by shooting someone inside. This vile sort of attack has happened to Greene six times now, she has said. That's political violence, too, of the most nerve-wracking kind. And don't forget the attacks on crisis pregnancy centers and churches vandalism, church desecration, and fire-bombings all of which are nakedly politically motivated and never investigated with any seriousness by the politicized authorities. Bottom line here is that the politically motivated violence is coming from the left, not the right. The left is blaming the right in order to extend surveillance and police powers on conservatives, while allowing the violent mobs to attack conservatives unfettered. Unlike the media narrative now, the real problem is the upsweep in violent crimes and threats of crimes to the right. The Pelosi attack was a sorry aberration, brought on by blue-city policies of tolerance of drug-addicted bums without forced treatment. The attacks on the others were all purely political. That's the sorry situation and the flaming double standard. Image: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. A little over a week ago, the Heritage Foundation issued a report that did not get the attention it deserves. The report is entitled 2023 Index of U.S. Military Strength, and it details how significantly the U.S. military has declined under the not-so-tender care of the leftists in charge of the White House and the Pentagon. Indeed, if one considers China to be our greatest geopolitical foe, its questionable whether our military has the ability to fight, let alone win. The 2023 Index has an executive summary that pretty much says it all: As currently postured, the U.S. military is at growing risk of not being able to meet the demands of defending Americas vital national interests. It is rated as weak relative to the force needed to defend national interests on a global stage against actual challenges in the world as it is rather than as we wish it were. This is the logical consequence of years of sustained use, underfunding, poorly defined priorities, wildly shifting security policies, exceedingly poor discipline in program execution, and a profound lack of seriousness across the national security establishment even as threats to U.S. interests have surged. The summary explains that The condition of Americas military power is measured in terms of its capability or modernity, capacity for operations, and readiness to handle assigned missions. These metrics are measured against specific military objectives: defending American soil, successfully concluding a major war that poses a serious threat to America, and preserving freedom of movement within the global commons (the sea, air, outer space, and cyberspace domains) through which the world conducts its business. Except for the Marines, which have managed to resist the Pentagons woke obsessions, every one of Americas forces is in increasingly dire straits. The threats are those you would expect: Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and other bad actors. Whats depressing is the grades assigned to the various branches of the military. Image: The Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and Cheatham Annex celebrates Pride Month (2019, before Bidens obsession with LGBTQ issues). Twitter screen grab. The Armys status is described as marginal. Its systems are not being modernized, it has just 62% of the troops it requires, and only 25 out of 31 of its brigade combat teams are technically ready, while it remains an open question whether theyre actually capable of performing. The Navy is in worse shape than the Army, coming in at weak. While the report sees 400 manned ships as the minimum necessary, the Navy has only 298 ships, with a predicted loss of 18 more over the next 15 years. Moreover, I can say from the many years I belonged to the Navy League and paid attention to the ships, that the Obama administrations focus was on new ships being green, rather than being maximally effective. I doubt that focus has shifted under Biden. I suspect the Navy brass have, instead, doubled down. The Air Force, which once helped us control the skies, is very weak. Its doing a terrible job of training and retaining pilots (and just think how many were forced out over the vaccine) and is missing 650 pilots from what would be a full force. The fighter aircraft fleet is, on average 32 years old. When you think how quickly planes went from the drawing board to the air during WWII, this is an appalling example of government inefficiency and the high cost of inevitable graft. The report says that the Air Force might win against some tin-pot little country but almost certainly cannot compete against a country with a first-rate military force. The Space Force is weak because no one in the Pentagon or Congress seems to have been making any effort to turn it into a legitimate defense/fighting force. Our Nuclear capabilities are failing. Again, this is because no one in Washington, especially Democrats, has any interest in keeping these weapons systems viable. The Chinese and Russians, though, are very interested in and supportive of their nuclear weapons capabilities. The Marines, as noted, remain strong. The bottom line is that Trump, debilitated by the Russia hoax from the moment he came into office, was unable to turn around the military that Obama had already degraded. And now, Biden has further degraded the U.S. military, openly making clear that his primary focus as commander-in-chief is creating racial strife, elevating transgenderism and the LGBTQ agenda, and being green. No wonder enlistment is down. Sane men and women know that this is a military that, rather than winning, will get them killed. The only (very small) consolation I had reading the summary was that, while the Chinese build things, they dont build them well. If their military weapons work as well as the things they send to Home Depot and Walmart, their military may be a bit of a paper dragon. That, however, does not make up for what the leftists have done to Americas frontline defenders. The day before yesterday, Paul Pelosi, the husband of House speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked at the couple's home in San Francisco by a male assailant. Law enforcement sources that remained unnamed told CNN that the assailant was searching for the speaker of the House. The source claims that the intruder confronted the speaker's husband in their San Francisco home shouting, "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?" This was apparently the exact call that January 6 "rioters" made as they "hunted" the House speaker and broke into her office. How did Paul Pelosi manage to alert the police? According to another unnamed CNN source, Paul called 911 himself after telling the intruder he had to go use the bathroom. Yes, the violent intruder was considerate enough to allow Paul to take a bathroom break. This is very rare, but let's give Paul the benefit of doubt. Perhaps Paul is one of those rare lucky individuals who arouses compassion even in a psychopathic assailant. The man who assaulted Paul Pelosi tried to tie him up "until Nancy got home," according to two CNN sources familiar with the situation. Once again, these two sources were unnamed. When officers arrived on the scene, police said they saw Paul Pelosi and his assailant with their hands on a hammer. At that moment, the assailant allegedly pulled the hammer from Pelosi and struck him. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Nancy Pelosi, released a statement that Paul was taken to a hospital, where he underwent a "successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands," and "his doctors expect a full recovery." It is very rare for a man in his eighties, attacked with a hammer causing a skull fracture, to make a full recovery. It is also very rare for doctors to be able to make such a declaration without observing the patient for a prolonged period. But let's give Paul the benefit of doubt, again, perhaps because he is one of those rare lucky individuals. There are a few open questions about the attack. Doesn't Nancy Pelosi's residence have security? She is third in line for the presidency, after all. My firm served a lawsuit against Paul Pelosi one time in SF after attempting to serve at other residencesNapa, Georgetown. They werent home, but staff were, & multiple law enforcement officers were on the perimeter. Break-in is odd given this level of security. Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) October 28, 2022 The motive behind the attack is unclear. San Francisco Police chief William Scott said during a news conference on the investigation that authorities are still determining a motive behind the attack, but they intend to book the suspect on felony charges. "The suspect is still in the hospital, but let me say this: we intend to book the suspect, whether it's in absentia or whether it's in person he will be booked for felony charges." But that didn't stop the Democrats and their media messengers from baselessly claiming that the attack was politically motivated and blaming whom else but Republicans and President Donald Trump. Biden described the attack as "despicable" and denounced a corrosive political climate for contributing to violence and baselessly claimed the attack appeared to be "intended for Nancy." Barack Obama suggested that the attack was politically motivated. Obama on the Paul Pelosi attack: "One thing is clear. This habit that we see ... of saying the worst about other people, demonizing people, that creates a dangerous climate." pic.twitter.com/VIb2nDWjFM Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 29, 2022 There were many other liberals reacting. Donald Trump has been spreading The Big Lie for 2 years. The violent assault on Paul Pelosi and the attempt to murder Speaker Pelosi is directly related to that Lie. Donald Trump is 100% responsible for this and Jan.6. He must be indicted and never be allowed to hold office. Rob Reiner (@robreiner) October 28, 2022 Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton blamed the Republican Party and its "mouthpieces" for regularly spreading hate and deranged conspiracy theories, adding that the attack was shocking but not surprising. The Republican Party and its mouthpieces now regularly spread hate and deranged conspiracy theories. It is shocking, but not surprising, that violence is the result. As citizens, we must hold them accountable for their words and the actions that follow.https://t.co/MQor4NDFeE Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 29, 2022 Clinton shared a Los Angeles Times article about the suspect, David DePape, claiming he spread QAnon and other far-right conspiracies. The mainstream media also pushed the narrative that DePape was a "far-right extremist." There are some who claimed DePape was driven to violence due to drug-induced paranoid psychosis. The media are portraying the suspect in the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband as a man fundamentally driven by right-wing ideology. But it's obvious to anyone who looks that what drove David DePape to violence was drug-induced paranoid psychosis.https://t.co/qfs5zHokni Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) October 29, 2022 He is most likely a mentally unstable individual; this is documented here in a detailed piece by Andrea Widburg. Elon Musk, fresh off his acquisition of Twitter, responded to Hillary's tweet with a caption: "There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye." And Elon just tweeted it. pic.twitter.com/GnZkxPd4VL Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 30, 2022 Musk linked to a site with the headline, "The Awful Truth: Paul Pelosi Was Drunk Again." The article claimed that Paul Pelosi was drunk and met his alleged attacker, who is a male prostitute, at a gay bar. The article claimed that Paul was attacked when something went wrong between the two, the implication being that the liaison went overboard. The media were quick to pounce on Musk, as they are resentful that he took over Twitter, and this was their chance to attack him. MSN claimed that "Musk tweets anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theories about the Paul Pelosi attack." Yahoo News, NBC News, Forbes, the NYT, and The Daily Beast called it a conspiracy theory. The Independent called it a lurid conspiracy theory. Musk mocked the reaction to the media: This is fake I did *not* tweet out a link to The New York Times! pic.twitter.com/d6V6m5ATW2 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2022 Musk also deleted the Tweet. So what do we have here? We do not know what exactly happened that night at the Pelosi residence. The information available is based on claims of unnamed sources. When the media want to fabricate, unnamed sources are used usually. The fact that police body cam footage or security footage wasn't released certainly raises questions. Yet the Democrats engaged in a dangerous conspiracy theory without any proof, blaming the GOP for the attack on Paul. They are hoping to scare voters prior to the midterms and secure votes. The article that Musk tweeted about also makes insinuations and claims without proof, but it asks some valid questions. It is unlikely that someone as astute as Musk isn't aware of this. The P.R. wing for the Democrats, which masquerades as the mainstream media, obviously pounced upon Musk, while the Democrats' conspiracy theories were treated as God's truth. The fact that Musk deleted his tweet proves he didn't entirely believe in the claim about Paul, but he was engaging in an exercise with a purpose. Musk was revealing the absurdity in the Democrats' claim by engaging in some ludicrousness himself. However, the claims made in the article that Musk tweeted about are more credible than the Democrats' preposterous claim. But there is a difference between Musk and the Democrats. That difference is that the Democrats via Biden have power and access to government agencies. If history has taught us anything, conspiracy theories that Democrats float are usually weaponized and used against political opponents. A special counsel was appointed after the Democrats floated and amplified the Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy theory. Trump was impeached twice based on conspiracy theories. The January 6 committee was founded on the basis of a conspiracy theory of the "insurrection." The Democrats know that they are likely to lose during the midterms. They will do all they can to either cling to power or place impediments before the GOP after they retake the House and the Senate. The question is not if, but when and how their latest conspiracy theory will be used against their political opponents. Musk himself may also be a target. We may know in the next few days, or perhaps in the months after the elections. Image: Steve Jurvetson CC BY 2.0 license. Highlights of foreign congratulatory messages on Xi's election as general secretary of CPC Central Committee (11) Xinhua) 09:23, October 31, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of political parties and governments as well as heads of state worldwide have sent congratulations to Xi Jinping on his election as general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud extended his most sincere congratulations and best wishes to Xi, wishing the friendly Chinese people steady progress. Highly appreciating Xi's endeavors to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro voiced high confidence that bilateral relations will achieve greater development. Alassane Ouattara, leader of the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace of Cote d'Ivoire and the country's president, congratulated Xi on behalf of his party as well as in his own name, wishing China prosperity and progress. Lazarus Chakwera, president of the Malawi Congress Party and the country's president, said Xi's election reflects the trust of the Chinese people in him and the firm confidence in China's prosperity under his leadership. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, president of the Union for the Republic of Togo and the country's president, expressed his confidence that the CPC will lead the Chinese people in advancing the great cause of building a modern socialist country in all aspects. Ilham Aliyev, chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party of Azerbaijan and the country's president, said that Xi's election fully demonstrates the trust of all CPC members in and their support for him. He expected the ruling parties of the two countries to make new contributions to the friendship and friendly cooperation between the people in both countries. Senegalese President Macky Sall said that he would like to work with Xi to strengthen bilateral relations and firmly defend the common position of the two sides in international affairs. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki expressed his belief that under Xi's leadership, China will make greater achievements and continue to contribute to building a fair and just international order. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, awards Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China during a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, on Monday awarded Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China. A ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese state councilor and foreign minister, read out the order of award. Xi presented the medal to Trong, hailing Trong as a staunch Marxist, and a close comrade and sincere friend of the CPC. With his great attention and personal promotion, the traditional friendship between the two parties and countries has been consolidated, political mutual trust enhanced, practical cooperation deepened, and exchanges and mutual learning have been increasingly close, Xi said. The medal represents the friendly feelings of the CPC and the Chinese people toward Trong and the Vietnamese people, symbolizes the profound friendship between China and Vietnam as "comrades and brothers", and embodies the ardent hope of the two parties and the two peoples for a better future together, said Xi. Noting China and Vietnam are good neighbors and friends "connected by mountains and rivers, as close as lips and teeth," Xi said the two countries are like-minded comrades and partners with a shared future committed to the cause of peace and progress of humanity. On the journey of promoting socialist modernization of the two countries, the CPC is willing to work with the CPV led by Trong to inherit the traditional friendship created and carefully cultivated by Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh and other older-generation leaders of the two parties and two countries, and to jointly lead China-Vietnam relations to achieve greater development. Trong said he sincerely thanked Xi for awarding him the medal, which fully reflects the feeling of friendship of the CPC, Chinese government and Chinese people toward the CPV, Vietnamese government and people, as well as toward Vietnamese leaders. It is also a great inspiration for Vietnam's long-term commitment to the Vietnam-China friendship. He said it is a great pleasure for him to accept the honor, and he will work with the Vietnamese people on his post to continue to adhere to the socialist path, constantly consolidate and deepen the Vietnam-China friendly relations as "comrades and brothers," and jointly realize a brighter future. Trong also expressed the hope that the Vietnam-China friendship will last forever, and that the Vietnam-China relations will become a model of international relations from generation to generation. After the awarding ceremony, Xi and Trong had a tea chat to talk about the traditional friendship and development prospects between the two parties and countries. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, have a tea chat after an awarding ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 31, 2022. Xi Jinping awarded Nguyen Phu Trong the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China on Monday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) The United Nations is holding a ritzy greenie summit extravaganza called COP27 in the tourist mecca of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. Last time we heard about that place, it was the site of a bloody Islamist massacre of tourists that left 224 dead, back in 2015. Nice place. Now they're holding a pricey United Nations summit, no different from all the other summits that came before it. The agenda, of course, is to shake money out of the "rich" countries on nominal behalf of the poor, and watch it all go to consultants. These extravaganzas attract the Davos crowd, plus world leaders, reportedly some 90 of them, as well as rich characters like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, exhorting us to ride the bus and eat bugs, while they jet in on a humongous carbon trail from their private jets, drink white wine and dine on chateaubriand and lobster for the trouble of telling us. Big corporations, steeped in wokester ideology known as ESG, serve as moneybag sponsors -- Microsoft, Vodafone, Coca-Cola, Cisco, and Boston Consulting, are a few noted on the COP27 website, and there likely are more. Their job is making money and they see government money. Naturally, Joe Biden is going. Since when has the dotard-in-chief ever turned down an opportunity to make a fool of himself on the world stage? We can expect Biden wandering off and getting lost, Biden farting for royalty, Biden having "bathroom incidents" and Biden wondering why no one wants to stand next to him in the world leader photos, which are all hallmarks of his past travel to such events. Anyone who thinks this one will be different is living in fantasyland. What's interesting here is that some significant world leaders are skipping the shakedown this time. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has no intention of going, he's got work to do to fix the U.K. economy, which needs doing. Nor is King Charles, who reportedly was persuaded by the U.K.'s previous prime minister, Liz Truss, to not go to the summit, likely because it flamed of leftist politics, which the King needs to avoid. Vlad Putin of Russia is not going, for obvious reasons. Xi Jinping of China, whose nation emits more carbon dioxide than anyone else's, can't be bothered, either. So, expect Joe and the Eurochickens, cheek to jowl with the corporate big money, make the pious show as third world nations that have mismanaged their finances, clamor for multi-billion-dollar bailouts in the name of going green. Which is now starting to see pushback from greenie fanatics, who are used to drawing a lot of attention through their protest antics. Such as Greta Thunberg, the queen bee of these activist groups: Im not going to COP27 for many reasons, but the space for civil society this year is extremely limited, Thunberg said. "COPs are mainly used as an opportunity for leaders and people in power to get attention, using many different kinds of greenwashing. Thunberg first attended the COP summit in 2019, when she was just 16 years old. After a 1-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she attended the COP26 in 2021 and became an outspoken critic of the conference calling the whole summit a failure. The COP conferences are not really meant to change the whole system, Thunberg said to a crowd in London on Sunday, noting that instead of pushing for radical change, it encourages gradual progress. So as it is, the COPs are not really working, unless, of course, we use them as an opportunity to mobilize, Thunberg insisted. Just as a stopped clock is right twice a day, so is Thunberg. She rightly points out that these summits are consultant-fests and money-shoveling festivals, and corporate hog wallow to boot. They are virtue-signalers, not the green new deal as she wants, and certainly not anything useful as the rest of us who know that global warming is a scam want. They're just a power grab, a moneyfest and the logical culmination of all the greenie madness out there. If the COP27 summit were a serious matter, they'd feature the someone from Sri Lanka, stepping forward and offering the cautionary tale of going green to world leaders and the press-- your people starving, your nation bankrupt, your government fallen, and your capital on fire. That's the green agenda, taken to the absolute hilt, courtesy of these back-slapping international conferences. I checked to see if whoever it is who's now running Sri Lanka is coming, and found a small reference to the ministry of power and energy talking COP27 in the Sri Lankan press. Maybe the guy is going. The COP27 website, very fancy and done by the best of coders, with lots of space dedicated to catering ... doesn't mention Sri Lanka. Image: Raafat, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0 A few days back, it was reported that Biden's chief of staff Ron Klain received a warning for violating the Hatch Act after he retweeted a political groups post from his government Twitter account. The Hatch Act is a federal law that was passed in 1939. The law limits certain political activities of federal employees, as well as some state, D.C., and local government employees who work in connection with federally funded programs. (source: Defense Logistics Agency, public domain) Back in May, Klain retweeted a post from the Democrat PAC thanking Biden for shipping out baby formula during the spring shortage. Operation Fly Formula delivers 70,000 pounds of infant formula for American mothers and their infants. Thank you @POTUS Get your Democrats Deliver merch today! https://t.co/NjmLQMG3FP pic.twitter.com/HtzN6sGnys STRIKE PAC (@StrikePac) May 22, 2022 The tweet also contained a link to the PAC store with the text, Get your Democrats Deliver merch today! This was obviously a solicitation for Democrat merchandise, which made it political. Klain removed the retweet when he learned of the complaint. America First Legal, a group run by former Trump administration official Stephen Miller, brought the retweet to the attention of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) which is an independent federal agency. The OSC concluded that Klain was in violation of the Hatch Act, yet decided that Klain would receive only a warning because he promptly removed the tweet. The following is a key except regarding the OSCs decision: Although OSC has concluded that Mr. Klain violated the Hatch Act, we understand that he promptly removed the retweet upon being notified of this complaint. Accordingly, we have decided not to pursue disciplinary action and will close this matter. Mr. Klain has been warned that if in the future he engages in activity prohibited by the Hatch Act while employed in a covered position, OSC would consider such activity to be a willful and knowing violation of the law that could result in disciplinary action. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Klain is very careful and takes the act seriously but got it wrong this time. He fixed it as soon as it was pointed out and takes the warning to be more careful seriously." As expected, she claimed the Trump administration "blatantly, openly, and carelessly violated the Hatch Act repeatedly. So how has the Biden administration's record been? Bidens Former press secretary Jen Psaki was also previously called out for Hatch Act violation when she said the following about the 2021 Virginia governors race. Were going to do everything we can to help former Gov. [Terry] McAuliffe, and we believe in the agenda hes representing, she said of the Democratic nominee. In March 2021, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge violated the Hatch Act by signaling support for Democratic candidates for the upcoming 2022 Ohio Senate election Bidens frequent mention of MAGA and ultra-MAGA probably could be considered a violation of the Hatch act. What about Biden's admin using agencies to persecute political opponents? In the past Bush Administration officials, Obama administration officials, and Trump administration officials have been called out for violating the Hatch Act As always, the mainstream media creates a firestorm for violations during a Republican administration. The laws potential penalties include debarment from federal employment for a period not to exceed 5 years, suspension, reprimand, or a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000. But the question is: has any official in recent times ever suffered the consequences for Hatch Act violations? Biden fired Herschel Walker and Mehmet Oz from their positions on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition due to the two being active Republican United States Senate candidates. The terminations were a result of Hatch Act violations. But apart from that, there havent been any major job losses in recent history. Why then does a law even exist if a violation has no consequences? The law doesnt seem to make practical sense, especially in todays polarizing climate. It is inevitable that Presidents, their cabinet members, their staff, and the rest make political statements. Politics is the reason they got elected. The implementation of their agenda is related to politics. The Medal of Honor is usually given to individuals who are politically aligned with the sitting President. Guests and speakers invited to the White House for any engagement are also usually based on political affiliations. Politics and governance are inextricably tied. Back to the Hatch Act. Its purpose is to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation. Perhaps the save time, money, and human effort, the Hatch act can be amended to exclude the President, his cabinet members, and staff members. However, the part about federal programs being administered in a nonpartisan fashion and protection of federal employees from retaliation for their political leanings needs to remain and perhaps be strengthened. The Hatch act must apply to government agencies that have been politicized. The law must be enforced, and penalties must be levied against those who are abusing their power to push their political agenda. But do not expect the DC Democrat establishment and the Deep state will never ever initiate remedial measures and penalize their own. The Democrats see every agency as a means to accumulate power and influence, perhaps pecuniary gains as well. If the law is amended, the question is who will enforce that law? The results from Brazil show a deeply divided nation. The map was reminiscent of that Bush-Kerry map from 2004 where one region voted one way and the other the other way. This is from NPR: In just three years, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has gone from prisoner to president-elect. After being jailed on corruption charges, the left-wing da Silva engineered a stunning political resurrection on Sunday by winning Brazil's presidential runoff election in a nail-biter over right-wing incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro. With nearly all the ballots counted, official returns gave da Silva, who is a former two-term president, 50.8% of the vote compared to 49.2% for Bolsonaro. Da Silva will be sworn-in for a four-year term on Jan. 1. On Sunday night, I spoke with a friend in Sao Paulo, and he confirmed just how divided the nation is. He accepts the results but wonders what President-Elect Lula is going to do next. He won, but he has no mandate, and the regional divide is astonishing. Bolsonaro won the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo, or the two financial centers. As expected from a candidate of the left, Lula promised to increase the minimum wage and jump-start the economy. Well, I wonder how he is going to do that! The economy was hurt by the COVID pandemic. Of course, Lula pledged to protect the Amazon rainforest, but no one is sure of how he will keep that promise and jump-start the economy at the same time. I would have voted for Bolsonaro, but I admit that his personality was often his biggest enemy. At the same time, maybe Brazilians will miss his personality when Lula starts governing. We wish Brazilians the best, but it will be rough down there, as it is in most other Latin American countries, especially with the slowdown of the U.S. economy. One hundred twenty million people voted in Brazil, and they had a winner by 7 P.M. Central. Is there a lesson there for us? PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. Image: World Economic Forum/Swiss Image, ch. "We (Hispanics) stand for the values we were raised with -- God, family and hard work," exclaimed Congresswoman Mayra Flores (R) Texas on Fox News Ingraham Angle. Two other Texas Republican Hispanic women congressional candidates, Casey Garcia and Monica De La Cruz, reaffirmed the statement. Politico noted Flores "won an upset special election victory (in June) in South Texas, ending nearly a century of uninterrupted Democratic control of the region." Flores, who is the first Mexican-born woman to serve in Congress, was shockingly rebuffed recently by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus dominated by Democrats. Flores said, "I don't need them. The Hispanic community doesn't need them. We (Republican Hispanics) are the real voice for the Hispanic community." This rejection of Flores was a slap in the face to all Mexican Americans, who are the largest group (>60%) of Hispanics in America. In fact, according to 2020 U.S. Census data, about 1 in 10 Americans are Mexican American. Never mind this was also a punch in the gut to all American women. Hispanics have deep Christian faith, family is central in their lives, and there is no job too hard for them to do. Our Hispanic neighbors never hesitated to help my elderly parents, as the elderly are also highly respected by Hispanics. Republicans and Hispanics dwell in the same house and our values speak as one. Demographics America is rapidly becoming more Hispanic. In 2021, according to the Pew Research Center, there are 62.5 million Hispanics in America. Hispanics now make up 1 in 5 (19%) of the U.S. population. Pew Research points out that "Hispanics have accounted for more than half of total U.S. population growth since 2010." From 2010 to 2021 the Hispanic population grew by 12 million. According to Pew, most of this Hispanic population growth was due to about 1 million newborn Hispanics being born each year during the 2010s. Furthermore, Pew says the median age of Hispanics in America is 30 and more than 60% are 35 years old or less. What does this rapid Hispanic growth mean for the U.S.? Writing in the Atlantic in 2015, Alexia Fernandez Campbell compelling stated: "Every 30 seconds, a Latino turns 18 and becomes eligible to vote. That's about 66,000 every month, or 800,000 every year, according to the Pew Research Center." This yearly increase in new U.S.-born Hispanic voters is projected to continue for at least the next two decades. North Dakota had highest Hispanic growth rate A curious Pew statistic showed North Dakota led the nation in the highest percentage increase in Hispanic population growth from 2010-2019. The Hispanic population more than doubled (129%) to 31,500. Multiple sources remarked the Hispanics who moved to North Dakota in the last decade came for jobs in the oil and gas industry. Willing to work in the dangerous and hard labor oil industry in the brutal winters of North Dakota is a testament to the hard work ethic of Hispanics. President Biden shut down construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline in North Dakota on his first day in office. The pipeline was projected to be able to employ 11,000 high-pay workers. In 2019, Daniela Hurtado of KFYR TV in North Dakota reported: "The rise of (the Hispanic) population has created a community full of hope searching for the American Dream... opportunities (in oil industry jobs) have inspired thousands of Hispanics to relocate to North Dakota." After Texas, North Dakota is the second highest oil-producing state. The Biden Administration's "war on oil" has surely affected Hispanic jobs in North Dakota and throughout the US oil and gas industry. Historic election for Hispanic Republicans Despite Hispanics being one in five people in America, they have poor representation in the Senate and House. Currently, in the U.S. Senate there are only six (4D,2R) Hispanics who hold office. In the U.S. House only 46 (33D, 13R) representatives are Hispanic equating to just 10.6% of the 435 representatives. In recent years the GOP has been reaching out to Hispanic and other minority communities. The New York Times reported on Oct 11: "The (midterm election) lineup of 67 (people of color) Republican candidates is historic -- 32 Latinos, 22 Black candidates, 11 Asian Americans and two Native Americans, according to the National Republican Congressional Committee." Politico said recently, "House Republicans could be on track to increase their number of Latino members in 2023 by 50 percent -- or more -- after concerted recruitment efforts and a slew of summer primary wins by Hispanic and Latino candidates." Vox said there were a record number of 42 Republican Latinas in this years House seat primaries and 17 won. Vox remarked, "If theres a red wave in 2022, it will be powered by Latina candidates. Republicans may be awakening a sleeping giant. In the 2022 midterms everyone may soon see the elephant in the room -- Hispanic Republicans. Dios, familia, mucho trabajo -- Vota Republicano! (God, family, lots of work -- Vote Republican!) Image: Library of Congress Greetings from New York City where this week a madman with a gun hijacked an MTA bus; a group of women brutally beat and robbed a 15-year-old girl in the subway; and a transgender murderer who raped, tortured, and killed a 12-year-old girl was released from prison. So a pretty average week in Fun City. Lee Zeldin, the surging Republican candidate for governor, just released an ad stating, "Vote like your life depends on it; it just might." The ad captures the zeitgeist. New York feels as if it may collapse into oblivion, remembered only as a cautionary tale, and people are furious. Lee Zeldin in the New York gubernatorial debate last week (YouTube screen grab). I spoke to a variety of New Yorkers about why they're voting for Zeldin, and their answers were seared with pain. Listen to this chorus of despair and disgust arising from the garbage-strewn streets of the city. Here is what they had to say, edited for publication. Photo by author at a Zeldin rally. Kate: "I was recently the victim of a violent hate crime in the park where I've gone for 16 years. I never felt unsafe there before. Now we limit where our family goes and what we do. We don't go out at night because it's everywhere. I'm anxious, but I'm angry. Why should I have to live under these circumstances? Why should my kids have to?" Julie: "I'm an Upper East Side mom. All the moms are talking about how we want to give our kids independence, but at what cost? There was a man lying in front of my kids' school with his pants down, and my kids had to walk past him. I'm teaching them to cross the street when they see a crazy person, but who wants to live like that?" Ilana: "I feel like we're living on the edge. The homeless are so visible. I walk outside, and it's like I'm surrounded by zombies in a sci-fi movie. New York didn't used to feel this way. When I get back to my apartment at the end of the day, I say a prayer of gratitude that I made it home because it's not guaranteed. It's so disturbing." The sheer cruelty of the lockdown continues to reverberate in New Yorkers' lives, with its destruction of livelihoods, shattering of community, and sadistic torture of children. Governor Kathy Hochul was elevated to power when Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace, and she immediately distinguished herself with an icy indifference to New Yorkers' well-being. Daniel: "I'm a registered Democrat, but the policies around COVID here in Brooklyn have been a nightmare. I had three kids stuck at home for a year and a half, and then the vaccine mandates came and caused a lot of division in the school community. If you refused it, you were shunned. The lockdown was horrible. It devastated the economy. I know so many people who lost their jobs or had their small businesses destroyed. Many of them left New York. Now Governor Hochul is saying she'd do it all over again, and she's threatening to do more." Emmanuel: "Before COVID, I had worked my way up into a position where I felt blessed. I had two jobs, one with the city and one teaching at a college. I felt that I was serving the community with my skills. When the lockdown and mandate happened, all that hard work went down the drain. I lost both jobs because I won't get the vaccine, and I took a huge professional and financial hit. People at work couldn't understand what I was doing. I think they conflated community with conformity. Now a judge has said the [vaccine] mandate was unconstitutional for city workers, and they should be rehired with back pay, but the city is refusing to do it. I want to be vindicated, but there's no accountability." Maggie: "My husband was in a New York City nursing home when Governor Cuomo signed an order on March 25, 2020, forcing nursing homes to take in COVID patients. The home was completely unprepared to deal with it: they had no masks, gloves, gowns, or tests and no way to separate contagious patients. Immediately, patients and staff began dying. Over 15,000 nursing home residents died in New York State because of this order. Miraculously, my husband survived COVID, but the nursing home was locked down, and nobody could visit him. He held on for ten months, completely isolated, with no family allowed to enter, and he died alone. Lee Zeldin has said that he will investigate the nursing home deaths. Maybe the families can finally find justice for what happened to our loved ones. What my husband suffered was inhuman." Angie: "Basically, they tortured the kids with masks for two years. Even when they let adults go back to normal and take off their masks, they forced the kids to wear them, because they wanted to push them all to get the vaccine. But when the kids did get vaccinated, they still made them wear masks! Finally, they let the five-year-olds take off their masks, but the toddlers still had to wear them, even when they were all in the same school. It made absolutely no sense. What kind of science justifies that? Now all the moms are terrified because Hochul just gave a speech saying that because of the RSV virus, kids should mask up again. She actually said there are cute masks and kids are used to them already. Maybe it's because she doesn't have kids, she doesn't understand how horrible masks are for children." Kobe: "Democratic policies are destroying the black community. We have out-of-control borders and immigrants are getting all the help. There's massive unemployment in the black community; meanwhile, they're building a big shelter for immigrants on Randall's Island [in New York City]. Plus they turned Times Square into a Gun-Free Zone. We need the Second Amendment, because we're getting to the point of kill or be killed." On November 8, it's go time in New York. Kathy Hochul is a cut-rate Marie Antoinette, who will go down in infamy for her acid reply to Zeldin when he criticized her for letting violent criminals roam free: "I don't know why that's so important to you." Lee Zeldin is a former Army paratrooper in Iraq, a four-term congressman, and a man with steady nerves who kept his cool a few days ago when two teenagers were shot directly outside his home. If New York can still be saved, Lee Zeldin is the man to do it. A lot of New Yorkers are praying for Lee Zeldin because we love our home and don't want to lose it. With the midterm elections coming up, some commentators are already speculating if there will there be a GOP wave or maybe even a GOP tsunami. In the mainstream media (MSM), they would like nothing better than to be able to say it was just a Republican year, typical of the first midterm with any president. So, before election results come in, it is helpful to establish what the background for this election is and what would constitute a year, a wave, or a tsunami for the Republicans. The background of this election is that the Senate is evenly split at 50-50, and the House is very narrowly divided, 222 Democrats to 212 Republicans with one vacancy. The presidential election of 2020 was quite unusual in that an incumbent president reportedly lost, while his party gained seats in the House. This is taken by many commentators to mean there are fewer in-play House seats this year that the GOP could gain. What would constitute a GOP year? What results would allow the MSM to at least semi-honestly claim it was just a typical midterm? Since WWII, in the first midterm of a presidency, the party of the president has on average lost about 28 seats in the House and about 1.5 seats in the Senate. That implies that if the Republicans gain fewer than two Senate seats and fewer than 30 in the House, one might just call it a typical midterm, though the caveat about there being fewer in-play House seats should be kept in mind. The bottom line is that if the GOP wins anything less than 240 seats in the House and 52 seats in the Senate, the MSM will certainly argue that such results are typical for any president's first midterm elections. If the GOP gains more than 30 seats in the House and two or more seats in the Senate, we are moving in Republican wave territory. If the GOP wins 242 to 250 seats in the House and 52 to 53 Senate seats, some will call this a wave election. This would require the GOP to hold all its Senate seats, including the toss-up seats in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and pick off two or three of the four toss-up seats in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and New Hampshire. When does a GOP wave become a Republican tsunami? That would be when the GOP starts beating Democrat incumbents and winning in Democrat strongholds, such as in Vermont, Colorado, and Connecticut. The RealClearPolitics website has moved the Washington state Senate election to toss-up status. If the GOP wins 40+ House seats and 4+ Senate seats, the GOP would be in tsunami territory. Gubernatorial races might also play into this. Further evidence of a GOP tsunami would be GOP wins in even a third of some races long thought to be safe Democrat such as Oregon, Michigan, N.Y., New Mexico, and Minnesota. The bottom line is that it is starting to be a tsunami if the GOP gains 40+ House seats for a 252 to 183 or larger majority and wins a 53 to 47 or better majority in the Senate. Further evidence of a tsunami would be the GOP winning three or more of those nine races listed that were thought to be safe Democrat seats heading into this election or other surprise results for the GOP. In summary, if the GOP gains fewer than 30 House seats ending with less than 240 seats in the House and fewer than 52 Senate seats, it is probably just a typical Republican year for a first midterm of a Democrat president. If the GOP gains between 30 and 40 House seats, earning between 243 and 252 seats in the House and 52 or 53 Senate seats, it is a GOP wave election. Finally, if the GOP gains 40+ House seats, finishing with 252+ House seats and 54+ senators, then it is a GOP tsunami, particularly if they pick off some Democrats thought to be safe in Democrat states. James L. Swofford is a professor of economics in the Department of Economics, Finance and Real Estate at the University of South Alabama. Image: Library of Congress. Por un servicio mas eficiente! El premier Anibal Torres llego de manera inopinada esta manana al aeropuerto Jorge Chavez para supervisar el trabajo de @MigracionesPe, exigiendo que se optimicen los recursos para la emision de pasaportes y la orientacion a los usuarios. pic.twitter.com/3GsWJVgZbD Google Messages could soon get end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for group chats. A recent thread on the Google Messages subreddit suggests the company is testing the feature for groups. RCS-enabled one-to-one conversations in Googles messaging app already support E2EE. A screenshot posted on the subreddit mentioned above shows that Google Message is trying to establish an E2EE connection in an RCS-enabled group. The feature is seemingly not fully ready yet, as the attempt failed. Instead of receiving an end-to-end encrypted message, group members received a note saying the message is encrypted, followed by the link to Googles official support page for E2EE and a string of code similar to query parameters on URLs. This is likely because not everyone in the group has access to E2EE. Perhaps because members are using two different messaging apps. Along with Google Messages, this group also reportedly consists of people using Samsung Messages, which supports RCS too. But its now evident that Google is preparing for a wider rollout of E2EE for group chats in Messages. That has been revealed by the apps Phenotype flags as well. Multiple users confirmed that E2EE for group chats is live in Google Messages for them. Advertisement It seems Google has begun a limited public beta of the feature. But its unclear which version of Google Messages currently supports E2EE for group chats and if the change is rolling out via a server-side update or an update for the app itself. Either way, the company appears on track to roll out the feature by the end of this year, as it promised during the Google I/O 2022 a few months back. Google is readying end-to-end encryption for group chats in its Messages app Google has been working on E2EE support in Messages for more than two years now. The company first started beta testing the feature back in November 2020. It publicly rolled out E2EE for one-to-one conversations in June this year. The feature requires both parties to have an active internet connection and RCS enabled on their device. A lock icon in the Chatting with banner at the top, as well as on timestamps and the send button, indicates that the chat is end-to-end encrypted. The recent developments suggest Google is almost ready to bring E2EE to group chats as well. Many popular messaging apps already offer this feature, including WhatsApp. Google wouldnt want to lag anymore. We will let you know as and when we have more information. TEHRAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Russia have signed contracts worth around 6.5 billion U.S. dollars for cooperation in the gas sector, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday. The newly signed deals are parts of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) valued at 40 billion dollars signed between the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Russia's Gazprom in July, that have recently turned into contracts, Fars quoted Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari as saying. Safari expressed hope that the remaining parts of the MoU would also turn into contracts within one month, adding that negotiations in this regard are underway. He noted that the gas swap deal between Iran and Russia is also being finalized, saying the only issue left undecided is choosing an intermediary country for sending the Russian gas to Iran. The Iranian diplomat said Iran's plan is to import Russia's gas while exporting Iranian gas to foreign markets, noting that it benefits his country by reducing the costs of transferring Iranian gas from the southern regions to the north. The joint project will also help increase political solidarity among Iran, Russia and intermediary countries, such as Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, and thus, will contribute to the region's political stability, security and peace, Safari added. He noted that in the coming days, the two countries would also agree on the details of a contract for swapping oil and petroleum products, which was discussed in October during a visit by Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji to Russia. Safari said the two countries' focus in their oil swap negotiations is on an annual target of 10 million tonnes. (ANSA) - ROME, OCT 31 - The government on Monday put off till December 30 the implementation of former justice minister Marta Cartabia's reform of the justice system. The postponement aims to ensure better conditions for the full implementation of the reform according to the schedule laid down by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and is also a response to an appeal by 26 prosecutors general to new Justice Minister Carlo Nordio.(ANSA). (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, OCT 31 - On the eve of Israeli elections, the Israeli domestic security services Shin Bet raised their level of alert to ward off the risk that voting might be subjected to foreign interference, Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Monday. The newspaper noted that most voting in Israel is done manually, with the voter inserting a ballot that he or she has marked into an envelope. However, votes are calculated online and thus in theory exposed to risk. Haaretz also said that foreign agencies might try to carry out cyber attacks against Israeli infrastructure including the power network. Technical faults will also be taken into consideration, such as one last week for Whatsapp. If this were to be repeated on Tuesday, the newspaper said, the parties would find ti difficult to mobilise their activists to go to the voting stations. Experts questioned by the newspaper also warned that fake news may be used in an attempt to influence the voting. Some websites on Sunday reported the fake news that Prime Minister Yair Lapid's wife was "secretly a follower of an Evangelical Christian sect". The Fake Reporter website meanwhile mentioned that, in some environments near Likud, rumors have appeared that the head of the election commission is against their party. It mentioned, in particular, ballots r with the symbol of the Likud party had a spelling mistake, with 'Netanya' written instead of 'Netanyahu', and that they would therefore be annulled during the vote counting. It later emerged that the error was not the fault of the election commission but Likud itself, which is now working to replace the ballots. However, right-wing social media accounts especially have been claiming that efforts will have to be made to prevent "the outcome of the voting from being stolen from us". (ANSAmed). (ANSAmed) - MADRID, 31 OTT - Spain on Monday celebrated for the first time a day "in memory of and in homage to the victims of the military coup, the war, and the dictatorship" established by the new Democratic Memory Law. The law came into force in recent days. The reference is to the 1936 military insurrection in which troops under General Francisco Franco tried to overthrow the Republican government, as well as the following periods of civil conflict (1936-1939) and oppressive regime (1939-1975). The date chosen, Oct. 31, marks that of the parliamentary approval of the current Spanish constitution in 1978 in the post-Franco period. "As a country, we have paid a high price for freedom during our history," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said. "So high that, in addition to efforts to preserve this legacy, we must never take it for granted." He added that the "advance of reactionary forces" such as ones seen in "several places in Europe" are a reminder that "progress and democracy are not irreversible", clearly shown by the "autocracy with which Putin is invading Ukraine". At the beginning of his speech, Sanchez paid homage to Manuel Azana, president of the Second Spanish Republic in the civil war period. (ANSAmed). 'Riding on a Cloud', Mroue to talk about Lebanon in Rome Artist at MAXXI museum 2-3/11 for Romaeuropa festival (ANSAmed) - ROME, OCT 31 - Having gained an international reputation for uniting innovation, conceptual complexity and political urgency, the Beirut-born but Berlin-based artist Rabih Mroue will be at the 37th edition of the Romaeuropa Festival on Nov. 2-3. He will be at the MAXXI - Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo (with which the event is being held) with Riding on a Cloud, a work in which he once again combines private documents and realities in a personal style to explore Lebanon's economic and social conditions. The performance is a halfway between a theatre performance and a conference, with which the director makes use of a personal experience during the Lebanese civil war between 1975 and 1990 to create a sort of universal story to reflect on memory, fiction, and political reality. Taking the stage will be Mroue's brother Yasser who, injured at age 23 during shooting amid the civil war, lost his ability to speak. He is the one to narrate his own life through both virtual and real-life objects: old photos, letters, and school report cards that reconstruct his life and path, while at the same time interrogating those in the audience on the concepts of presence and absence. The performance turns Yasser's existence itself into a piece of theatre that centers on some of Mroue's favorite themes: a reflection on the power of images, their role as a threshold between the truth and lies, the political history of Lebanon, and its media narratives as a form of political control, while at the same time evoking emotions as part of an artistic and performative act. Rabih Mroue was born in 1967 in Beirut and now lives in Berlin, working as an actor, director, dramatist and visual artist. He has held exhibitions at Kunsthalle Mainz (2016), New York's MoMA (2015); Kunsthalle Mulhouse (2015); SALE of Istanbul (2014); the Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo di Madrid (2013); Documenta, Kassel (2012); Kunstverein Stuttgart (2011); and BAK, Utrecht (2010). He has created performances since 1990, tearing down the barriers between theater and visual arts, often through the use of screens and images projected. He gained international attention due to his unique mix of innovation, conceptual complexity, and political urgency. His 2007 piece on the Lebanese civil war entitled How Nancy Wished That Everything Was an April Fool's Joke was presented around the world and - when initially banned in Lebanon - debuted as a preview in Tokyo. In 2012 he created a series of photographs with cellphones in Homs, Syria, showing the violence and victims of the fighting. He is associate director of Muenchner-Kammerspiele. (ANSAmed). Remains of 3,000 bodies found in pit in Slovenia Slovenian victims of post-WWII summary executions (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, OCT 31 - The remains of 3,200 victims of summary executions in the period following WWII have been found in recent months in a pit near Macesnova Gorica in the forests of Kocevski Rog, Slovenia. The news was reported by the Slovenian news agency STA. The site is reportedly where the largest number of killings of Slovenians happened after 1945, representatives of a Slovenian government commission tasked with looking into post-1945 mass graves told the media on Friday. Following years of searches and preparation, excavations in Macesnova Gorica began in May and ended in October. The victims hidden at the site were mostly Slovenian nationals, historian and member of the commission Mitja Ferenc said. (ANSA). Aoun's departure as president leaves power vacuum in Lebanon Lacks fully empowered government and now head of state (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, OCT 31 - Lebanon on Monday entered a season of institutional void, lacking a fully-empowered government and a president after the term ended on Sunday of the Christian Maronite president Michel Aoun. Aoun had been president since 2016, when he was elected after over two years of an institutional void. Aoun had signed a decree for the resignation of the current government under Sunni Muslim Najib Miqati. However, this move did not have any concrete effect on the next government, which Aoun tasked Miqati himself with forming in recent months. Lebanese political and religious leaders and their regional and international power brokers have not reached an agreement yet for a new "consensus" head of state. The country's parliament speaker is the only top government role with full powers at the moment, held by Shia Muslim Nabih Berri, who will call in the coming days "national dialogue sessions" to speed up the naming of a president "of consensus". At the same time, there are no signs of the overcoming of a political stalemate as concerns the formation of the next government. Miqati remains the prime minster-designate in charge of dealing with urgent matters. (ANSAMed). Britain may be facing a perfect storm over the next six months with the risk of a new wave of far-right lone wolf terrorists competing to be saints and martyrs on a computer game-style leader board, an expert has said. Professor Matthew Feldman, who has given evidence in 40 convictions of radical right extremists in the UK, warned of a heightened threat this winter amid the cost-of-living crisis and political instability. In an interview with the PA news agency, he identified at least five lone wolf attacks over the last seven years, while highlighting counter-terrorism police officers continuing success in foiling more plots. The murder of MP Jo Cox by a right-wing extremist in 2016 was followed a year later by a fatal van attack on Muslims in Finsbury Park. In 2020, a teenager enacted a demonic ideology with far-right associations by killing sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in a London park. Prof Feldman counts the fatal shooting of five people in Plymouth in August last year as a lone wolf attack, most likely driven by Incel ideology. Flowers near Finsbury Park Mosque in north London, after a van struck pedestrians in 2017, killing one man and injuring eight people (John Stillwell/PA) Also last year, the Southend MP Sir David Amess was cut down at a constituency surgery by an Islamic State fanatic. Prof Feldman said the far-right variant of what he calls self-directed terror is on the rise globally, fuelled by the glorification of mass murderers such as Norwegian Anders Breivik, whose 2011 manifesto is still just three clicks away online. If we think about what drives far-right extremism, it tends to be political crises, and social crisis, or at least the perception of social crises, he said. Right now the conditions in Britain are absolutely stark, indeed blinking red, that the political and social crises are only going to deepen over the next six months. It is a real recipe for crisis when an average wage earner is struggling to make ends meet on 25,000 a year in many parts of the country, he said. Most desperate people suffer silently with anxiety or going to foodbanks, but we also know that desperate people can do desperate, horrible, things. My genuine concern is that were heading into a period of protracted crisis and there doesnt seem to be a great deal of joined-up thinking about what that crisis means and how it can be ameliorated, and indeed on how that crisis could very quickly spin out of control. Prof Feldman identified a bloody triangle of factors that can lead to far-right terror. The first point of the triangle is the concept of self-directed attacks, which still remains poorly understood, he said, pointing to the deluge of scholarly studies on the so-called myth of lone-wolf terrorism. The second is the growing trend of terrorist manifestos spreading ideas on political violence online. While they existed before Breivik killed 77 people in 2011, his manifesto changed the dynamic and set off a diabolical race. A vigil for the victims of the Keyham mass shooting at North Down Crescent Park in Keyham, Plymouth (Ben Birchall/PA) Earlier this month, a terrorist killed two people outside a gay bar in Bratislava before releasing a 65-page manifesto filled with antisemitic hatred. Prof Feldman said: They are still finding new ways of publishing, whether theyre on some social media channels or file sharing channels. Some are remarkably easy to find. Even today, you are literally three clicks from terrorism. Around 44 months ago, the third point of the triangle emerged, and it is the most dangerous, Prof Feldman said. It relates to far-right terrorists being hailed as saints or martyrs online, with memes of mass killers with halos. Prof Feldman said: This idea didnt come out of nowhere, but it has caught on like wildfire. I think the real danger that poses is not just the lone wolf, not just a manifesto, but in conjunction with these two, you might take isolated, alienated white men between the ages of 15 and 25 who may not feel like they have a future. They decide I can either be a nothing all my life, or I can go into martyrdom and sainthood. I can go on the leader board. Leader boards rank far-right lone wolves by how many innocent people they have killed, with Breivik at the top followed by Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 worshippers in March 2019. Prof Feldman explained: Its called getting a high score. I think a lot of that gamification exists because of the way in which the Christchurch killer undertook his live-streamed terrorist act, like a first person shooter video game. The idea of saints and martyrs and of being a hero for your race today absolutely post-dates Christchurch. A high score would technically be more than 77 innocent people slaughtered, going about their daily business. Forensic officers at the scene where Southend MP Sir David Amess was murdered by an Islamic State fanatic (PA) These memes circulate on a lot of fringe platforms. But its growing as a motive in and of itself. You can be a nobody or you can be a saint. And that sick notion just didnt exist even four years ago. Most right thinking people would say the slaughter of innocent men, women and children is the opposite of sainthood its closer to demonic. All of a sudden its become an attraction to become a terrorist saint. Its fundamentally new although fascists have long used this language. Sainthood requires acting alone through the terror cycle; sainthood requires writing a manifesto explaining your actions and enshrining your notoriety. This is your 15 minutes of fame for fascist terrorists. And the way to do it is through all three points of this bloody triangle. Prof Feldman called for society to stop listening to false experts who deny the existence of the lone wolf. People can be more aware and report any suspicious activity that gives them cause for concern without becoming busybodies. Thirdly, he said authorities should take more action to force technology companies to identity and remove extremist material glorifying lone wolf terrorists through expanding the hash-sharing database a unique digital fingerprint that can remove terrorist materials in bulk. He added: We can still do our democratic duty by saying that these people who glorify slaughtering the innocent absolutely must be prosecuted and marginalised, and do what we can through our personal social media and democratic channels to challenge it. A case against 11 people accused of taking part in a child sex ring involving witchcraft, attempted murder and serious sexual violence will be continued early next year. Seven men and four women are facing a 14-page indictment listing 43 different charges on alleged crimes that happened between January 2010 and March 2020 at various addresses in Glasgow. The accusations involve multiple young children, but mainly centre around two girls and a boy. Some charges claim the alleged victims were forced to take part in satanic seances where they were told they were drinking blood and eating a heart. Judge Lord Beckett set an eight-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow for September next year (Jane Barlow/PA) It is claimed they were made to kill animals and made to use a ouija board, or similar object, to call on spirits and demons. One of the young girls was said to have been shut in a microwave, a fridge, an oven and a freezer in an attempt to kill her. There are also claims members of the group did clap, cheer and verbally encourage as well as video record the children being sexually abused. Iain Owens, 44, Elaine Lannery, 38, Lesley Williams, 41, Paul Brannan, 40, Marianne Gallagher, 38, Scott Forbes, 49, Barry Watson, 46, Mark Carr, 49, Richard Gachagan, 45, Leona Laing, 50, and John Clark, 46, deny the charges they face. Maureen Goudie, Steven McHendrie, Robert Brown, James McLean and Douglas Gachagan are also mentioned as being involved in a number of the charges, but court papers said they are now deceased. At a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, Judge Lord Beckett described the case as a unique situation. Questions were raised over how best to hear evidence from some witnesses in the trial, and lawyers were given until the end of the year to lodge any complaints about proceedings ahead of the trial next year. Carr, who had failed to show at the previous hearing, appeared in the court for a brief moment, but was told by Lord Beckett his attendance was not compulsory and he left. Members of the group are accused of getting the young boy to courier controlled drugs on their behalf. The second charge is against 10 members of the group, apart from Forbes, who have been accused of assaulting one of the girls over half a decade from when she was six years old. This included drugging her, running a wheelchair into her legs, putting a black plastic bag over her head, and forcing her to eat cat food. It is then said Owens, Lannery, Williams, Brannan and Gallagher assaulted the young boy. They are accused of holding his head under liquid in a bath which they told him was blood. Owens, Lannery, Williams, Brennan and Clare are then accused of attempting to murder the younger of the two girl victims. The charge states between 2015 and 2019, they forced her to act like a dog and to eat cat and dog food and frozen food. The group are said to have chased her wearing a mask of the devil, and hung her by her jumper from a nail on the wall. The charge then claims the girl was pushed inside a microwave, an oven, a fridge, a freezer and various cupboards, including one with an electricity metre. The group are then accused of trapping her inside these places, in an attempt to kill her. Court documents claim all 11 members wore cloaks and devil horns and got the children involved in witchcraft, leading them to believe that they themselves had metamorphosed into animals. They made the young boy stab a budgie to death and have been accused of killing a number of dogs including getting the children to attack the animals. Owens then faces a number of charges that he raped the older girl on various occasions over a period of seven years between 2012 and 2019. Some of these incidents are said to include Watson, Brannan, Clark and Forbes, who are also charged with raping the girl at several points over four years. Other charges included members of the group raping the boy and the younger girl, and making the elder child operate a camera and create video footage of some of the abuse. Another involves members of the group threatening one of the young girls that they had arranged for her to go to Turkey with a male stranger. And prosecutors state Gachagan, Laing, Carr, Forbes and Watson allegedly paid for sexual services for three of the children. Owens and Lannery also face charges of attempting to defeat the ends of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice. This includes threatening one of the girls and her call to the police being disconnected. They also allegedly got rid of items to avoid arrest. The indictment goes on to detail further separate drugs charges against the group. Judge Lord Beckett set an eight-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow for September next year. A further hearing has been fixed for January. Hundreds of thousands of households have not redeemed vouchers which will take 400 off their energy bills this winter, leading to concerns that some might miss out on vital Government support. PayPoint said only a little over half (53%) of the 800,000 vouchers it has issued have been redeemed so far. It means that households are so far missing out on around 27 million in support that would be paid by the Government. What support is available if Im struggling to pay my bills? If you live in England or Wales @CitizensAdvice have lots of advice that can help https://t.co/dVGKYUcD4N pic.twitter.com/VBbB9FlGhg PayPoint (@PayPoint) October 28, 2022 Under the Government scheme, which was announced in May, households will get between 66 and 67 taken off their energy bill every month between October and April. For households that pay via direct debit, or who have smart pre-payment meters, this money is taken off automatically. But millions of households are on older pre-payment meters and these people are instead sent a voucher which they have to redeem in a shop. In data first reported by the BBC, PayPoint said it has emailed vouchers to the customers of nine different energy companies, but it is not the only company that will be issuing them so the problem is likely to be larger. The business said many of the 28,000 convenience stores where customers can top up their gas and electricity cards are open seven days a week. It said the most popular times to redeem the vouchers are between 11am and 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Are you on a NON-SMART PREPAYMENT energy meter? If so there are reports today many people on these have not yet claimed their 66/mth winter energy help vouchers. If you're in that position, have you claimed, if not why not (maybe just not topped up yet after pre-loading?) Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) October 31, 2022 Adam Scorer, chief executive of the charity National Energy Action, said: One of the least surprising outcomes from the Energy Bills Support Scheme is that people on older pre-payment meters are most likely to miss out. They may not know that the scheme exists, be reluctant to open letters from suppliers, miss the email, or cant print the voucher off. Having the support in place is, of course, vital. Making sure people can and do access it is just as important. The UK Government must learn this lesson for whatever comes after the Energy Price Guarantee. DHAKA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government on Monday has again rescheduled the office time from November, following the previous change which was due to a power crunch. The decision was made at a cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam told journalists. He said government offices and autonomous institutions will open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. instead of the seven hours from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The new schedule will take effect on Nov. 15, said the official. He said the Supreme Court, Bangladesh Bank, and school and college administrations will set their own schedule. In an apparent bid to save electricity and ease traffic gridlock, energy-starved Bangladesh in August reduced government office time by one hour. The family of Sir Sean Connery are supporting a pioneering new project which will support children with dyslexia a cause which was close to his heart. Sir Seans granddaughters were identified as dyslexic and during his lifetime he became acutely aware that someone can be both highly intelligent and yet struggle to decode language, according to his son, Stephane Connery. The late actor, who died in 2020, was a passionate reader and the grant from the Sean Connery Foundation will provide children with dyslexia access to specialist teachers and tutors in partnership with Dyslexia Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. Funded for three years, the grant will support additional specialist teachers and classroom assistants will help other members of staff to support young people with dyslexia. If successful, it could be expanded nationally. Families most in need across Scotland will also be able to access specialist dyslexia tutors through charity Dyslexia Scotland. This will result in an additional 150 hours more support a week and will reach eight times as many pupils. Coming from an extremely modest background, learning to read opened the door to a world of endless possibilities for my father, Stephane Connery added. With literacy, hard work and dedication he was able to forge an extraordinary career. When his beloved granddaughters were identified as dyslexic, Sean became acutely aware that someone can be both highly intelligent and yet struggle to decode language. Just as learning to read opened the doors of opportunity for my father, we hope this programme will help to open the doors of opportunity for children challenged by dyslexia and, in success, be expanded across Scotland with government support. Sir Jackie Stewart has given his backing to additional funding for children with dyslexia (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Sir Jackie Stewart, president of Dyslexia Scotland, and a close friend of Sir Sean has also backed the programme. He said: At Dyslexia Scotland, an organisation that I am very proud to have been a part of creating due to my personal challenges as an extreme dyslexic, we have a wonderful team led by our CEO, Cathy Magee and we have a very active board. As president of Dyslexia Scotland, I am thrilled with the support of the Connery Family and their desire to help the people of Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council on this ground-breaking programme. Sean was a wonderful friend and a great ambassador to our country and the Connery family have been extremely generous in a way that Sean clearly would have been very proud of. Coun Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: This is an amazing gift from the Sean Connery Foundation which is resulting in a significant increase in our support for individual learners, with literacy difficulties/dyslexia in all our schools. Thanks to this partnership work with the Connery family and Dyslexia Scotland, we are also increasing our staff training and developing groups for parents so they feel more confident and informed about how to support their childs needs. Rishi Sunak begins his first full week as Prime Minister facing questions about his decision to bring Suella Braverman back as Home Secretary, calls for a U-turn over a climate summit snub and concerns about national security at the heart of Government. The Prime Minister is considering reversing his decision not to attend the United Nations climate conference in Egypt next week, with environment minister Mark Spencer saying Mr Sunak would go if his diary allows. While Mr Sunak is focusing on domestic issues, including preparations for the November 17 autumn statement, he also faces political challenges including the backlash over the reappointment of Ms Braverman. Home Secretary Suella Braverman (Victoria Jones/PA) The Governments climate tsar Alok Sharma said he was disappointed by the decision not to attend the Cop27 summit, while Tory former chancellor George Osborne asked why Mr Sunak would trash the partys record on the environment. With US President Joe Biden expected to attend, and reports suggesting Mr Sunaks arch-rival Boris Johnson could go to the summit, the Prime Minister is weighing up whether to go. Mr Spencer said the possibility of Mr Johnson going was not a consideration for the Prime Minister. I think, actually, hell be looking at how much hes got in his inbox, he told LBC. But I think the fact that Boris is thinking of going is a demonstration of how seriously the Conservative Party and the Conservative Government takes these things. Mr Spencer told Sky News he would like to see the Prime Minister go to Cop27 if hes got time but hell make that call and Im sure itll be the right one. Meanwhile, the way Tory ministers have handled sensitive information remained in the spotlight. My letter to the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/TaWO1PMOF2 Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) October 19, 2022 Ms Braverman was forced to quit as Home Secretary under Liz Truss after she emailed a potentially market-sensitive draft written ministerial statement to veteran backbench Tory Sir John Hayes, a fellow right-winger, from a personal email account. But less than a week later she was back in the role in Mr Sunaks first Cabinet. In another information security issue, it emerged in the Mail on Sunday that Ms Truss personal mobile phone was hacked by Russian agents while she was foreign secretary. Mr Spencer said Ms Truss clearly was hacked but suggested all ministers used personal phones even if there was some little man in China listening in. We all talk on personal phones, dont we, you know? I ring my wife, maybe theres some little man in China listening to the conversations between me and my wife. But, you know, youve just got to be careful about what information you use on which phone and you get a lot of help and support from the security services on that. Labour will seek to question Ms Braverman about her conduct and issues relating to national security in the Commons, while the Home Secretary is also in the spotlight over conditions at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent. (PA Graphics) Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said full details around the breach of the ministerial code which led to Ms Bravermans initial resignation needed to be set out to MPs. She told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: There is a blunt immediate question, which is how many other security breaches have there been? How many other security lapses has she been involved in? And thats the most important question. Another issue dating to Ms Truss chaotic seven-week period in charge could also come back to cause trouble in Tory ranks, with Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle expected to receive a report on the stormy scenes in Parliament on the evening before her resignation. Tory MPs were reportedly manhandled in the voting lobbies as Ms Truss administration forced them to oppose a Labour motion on fracking, events which contributed to the collapse in support for the prime minister. Two men have died after a car chase that ended with a Deliveroo driver being knocked off his moped and another man fatally shot. The men, both in their 20s, were killed in Railton Road, Brixton, shortly before 8pm on Sunday after local people heard shots ring out and vehicles crashing. Police said two cars were involved in a high-speed chase when one hit a moped and a number of parked cars. A man then got out of the crashed car and was chased and shot dead by a gunman from the second car, which then drove away. The scene on Railton Road in Brixton (Stefan Rousseau/PA) On Monday a Deliveroo driver working near the scene said he knew one of the victims, who had been making his last delivery of the day when he died. Paulo Silva, 42, described him as a good boy and young and said he had been planning to go to Brazil in December. Reports on social media suggested that the shot man was a drill rapper. Haani Samuels, a 30-year-old electrician, who has lived on Railton Road with his girlfriend for six months, said he initially thought the noise was fireworks. He said: My girlfriend said, oh, is that gunshots? And I initially thought, well, obviously not. But then it was followed by a big crash. Mr Samuels added: I kind of came out and saw that there was shells from a bullet on the floor. We thought bloody hell. We saw the ambulance delivering CPR on someone for quite a while, my girlfriend was quite upset. Its not something you want to see anywhere, but especially on your doorstep. The Metropolitan Police have not yet confirmed the identities of either of the victims but said that work was continuing to inform their families. Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove said: Following initial inquiries, we believe that two cars were being driven at speed in the Railton Road area. One of the cars struck a moped before colliding with parked vehicles. The rider of the moped is one of the two men who died at the scene. At this stage, there is nothing to indicate that he was an intended target. Tragically, we believe he was out riding his moped when he was caught up in this violent incident. Debris was strewn across the road (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Following the collision an occupant of the first car got out and made his way down the road, pursued by a male from the second car who was in possession of a firearm. A fleeing male was shot and also tragically died at the scene. The gunman returned to his car and drove away. Were not confirming the identity of the victims at this stage but officers are confident they know who they are. The next of kin have been informed and will be provided with support from specialist officers. I know I share the feelings of the whole community when I say that Im shocked and saddened by this incident, and I recognise a concern it will have caused locally and to the wider community, and were already working closely with our partners to provide reassurance and support to residents and others that have been affected. White forensic tents were put up at the scene on Monday, where debris could be seen strewn across the road. There were two crashed vehicles a silver car which had lost one of its tyres and a moped. A 322 bus was left parked within the police cordon. pic.twitter.com/mLmxNjyLmi Lambeth Police | Central South BCU (@LambethMPS) October 30, 2022 The latest violence means four people have been killed in two shootings in five days in the English capital, after a separate incident in Ilford, east London, on Tuesday that left two men dead and a third injured. This follows a spate of shootings in July in which three men died in separate attacks in six days. Before these killings, up until July 19 this year, there had been no firearms deaths in the English capital since October 31 2021. In the whole of 2021, there were 12 fatal shootings among a total of 134 homicides recorded by the Metropolitan Police. And in April, the force said it had seen a reduction in gun crime, with the number of all shootings, including fatal and non-fatal, down from 283 in 2019/20 to 196 in 2021/22. Elon Musk's SpaceX expects first Starship launch to orbit this year, NASA says (Adds NASA quote, Starship background) By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - SpaceX is targeting early December to launch its giant Starship rocket system into orbit for the first time, a pivotal demonstration flight as it aims to fly NASA astronauts to the moon in the next few years, a U.S. official said on Monday. Billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX has sought for years to send its towering next-generation rocket system into orbit from the company's private launch facilities in Texas, where it has only launched prototypes of Starship's upper half some 6 miles (10 km) high to demonstrate landing attempts. The December mission will test the entire system for the first time, involving the company's 230-foot (70-meter) Super Heavy booster to lift the 160-foot (50-meter) Starship spacecraft into orbit. "We track four major Starship flights. The first one here is coming up in December, part of early December," Mark Kirasich, a senior NASA official overseeing development of the agency's Artemis moon program, said during a live-streamed NASA Advisory Council meeting. Further ground tests with the rocket and regulatory reviews could delay the debut orbital mission beyond December. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees commercial launch site safety, has not yet granted a license for the mission to SpaceX, part of Musk's growing universe of companies that also includes Tesla and Twitter. The FAA and SpaceX did not immediately return requests for comment. Starship is poised to be SpaceX's flagship rocket system once fully developed, succeeding the company's fleet of reusable Falcon 9 rockets as a more powerful and fully reusable ride to space for large batches of commercial satellites, space tourists and professional astronauts. NASA in 2021 picked SpaceX's Starship to land humans on the moon around 2025 for the first time since 1972. That mission, under a roughly $3 billion contract, requires several spaceflight tests in advance that could delay the 2025 moon landing mission. Read more: Wall Street asks if Musk can manage Twitter, Tesla and more SpaceX capsule splashes down, returning 4 astronauts from Space Station (Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Franklin Paul and Lisa Shumaker) Storm Claudio is set to bring gusty weather overnight, with winds in excess of 70 miles per hour possible in some coastal areas of England. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind for the south until 8am on Tuesday, saying the weather could risk causing disruption. (PA Graphics) As well as strong winds in that area in the early hours of the morning, people across much of England and Wales can expect a wet night. Storm Claudios move eastwards on Tuesday is expected to leave in its wake a showery day for much of the UK, with Wales and areas in southern and central England predicted to see the most frequent rainfall, the Met Office added. Yellow weather warning issued Strong Winds in some southern coastal counties of England Tuesday 0000 0800 Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/h9O0s0bXWs Met Office (@metoffice) October 31, 2022 Neil Armstrong, chief meteorologist, said: The biggest impacts from Storm Claudio are expected in northern France, which is why is has been named as a system by Meteo-France. What it means for us in the UK is for some high winds to be possible along much of the southern coast of England. Some isolated and especially exposed coastal areas could see gusts in excess of 70mph, while much of the warning area will see gusts of between 50 and 60mph. Yellow weather warning issued Strong Winds in Irish Sea coastal areasWednesday 0700 1800 Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/w6V1oUwc6v Met Office (@metoffice) October 31, 2022 Conditions are unlikely to improve by midweek as low pressure moving in from the west is forecast to bring wet and windy weather. The Met Office said winds are likely to be strongest along Irish Sea coastal areas, including western Wales, north west England and south west Scotland, as well as the east coast of Northern Ireland. It has issued a yellow weather warning for wind on Wednesday. Deputy chief meteorologist Steven Keates said: Within the warning area, gusts are expected of between 55 and 65mph. This is associated with low pressure moving towards the north west of the UK, which is bringing with it some heavy rain on Wednesday, especially across parts of south west Scotland, Cumbria and western Wales, although much of the UK will see some rain through the day. In addition to high winds in the warning area, many parts of the UK will experience strong and gusty winds, at least for a time, during Wednesday. The windy weather comes after the UK enjoyed above-average temperatures as October came to an end, with the mercury reaching the low 20s in some parts resulting in balmy conditions for this time of year. Advocates for Children of New York revealed new data last week on child homelessness in New York City. The report revealed that 104,000 of the roughly 1 million students in the New York City public school system were homeless last year, about 3% higher than the previous year. Christine Quinn, former speaker of the New York City Council and president and CEO of WIN, a non-profit that provides shelter to the homeless, says child homelessness is an overlooked problem. A lot of people you say homelessness, and their Pavlovian response is single man on the street, Quinn recently told Yahoo Finance's editor-in-chief, Andy Serwer. But over 65% of everyone in shelter, right now is a family with a child. In fact, there are more children in shelters than there are seats in the Barclays Center where the Nets play. Every year, around 4.2 million children and young adults experience homelessness, according to estimates from the National Conference of State Legislatures. In New York City, as of August, there are around 17,680 homeless children sleeping every night in shelters, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2021/07/29: Protester seen holding a sign at the protest. Members of a NYC homeless advocacy coalition staged a direct action outside City Hall. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images) That is a massive number of children who are spending some significant portion of their early lives in shelter, Quinn said. And we know that one of the factors of trauma that indicate you're likely to be a homeless adult is being a homeless child. Children experiencing homelessness face disproportionate challenges compared to the general population. They get sick at double the rate of children who have homes, according to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. They are also three times more likely to suffer emotional and behavioral problems than children who have homes. Worse still, they often endure lifelong damage to their psychological health, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. WIN, the non-profit Quinn runs, shelters around 2,200 children a night and served 4,700 children total last year. In addition to food and shelter, each family receives an essentials kit that included new sheets and towels; pots, pans, dishes, and flatware, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and toilet paper. Quinn says children at a WIN shelter also have access to counseling from trained social workers. WIN has recently experienced a strain on its resources due an influx of migrants arriving in New York City. Since spring, over 21,000 migrants have arrived in the city, The New York Times reported on Oct. 21, citing city officials. Many are fleeing Venezuela due to its severe economic decline and have been bused in from Texas by Governor Greg Abbott in response to President Bidens border policies. Consequently, the non-profit is struggling to support roughly additional 700 children, according to Quinn. We are having to provide them with all new clothes, with winter clothes with three meals a day, you know, every day with full protein, etc, Quinn said. New York's skyrocketing homelessness has overwhelmed shelters. Those now shelters serve 64,000 people, well over NYCs 2019 record of 39,365 people, according to the NYC Department of Homeless Services. In response, Mayor Eric Adams this month declared a state of emergency. Despite such challenges, Quinn affirms WIN will persevere in its work. The mayor is not wrong when he says it's a crisis, because that's not typically what our system was designed to take care of, Quinn shrugged. You put your foot down in New York, you're a New Yorker, and we're going to take care of you. Quinn served as the first female and openly gay speaker of the New York City Council from 2006-2013. Since 2015, she has served as the president and Chief Executive Officer of WIN, previously Women in Need. The non-profit runs 14 shelters and 400 supportive housing units in New York City. Dylan Croll is a reporter and researcher at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @CrollonPatrol. Click here for the latest technology business news, reviews, and useful articles on tech and gadgets Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration is moving forward with an overhaul of several student debt forgiveness programs, aiming to make it easier for borrowers to get relief if they are duped by their colleges or if they put in a decade of work as public servants. The Education Department on Monday finalized a package of rules that it proposed earlier this year. The new rules take hold in July and are separate from President Joe Bidens sweeping student debt forgiveness plan, which has been held up in court amid a legal challenge from Republican-led states. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called it a monumental step" that will make it faster and simpler to get debt relief. The Biden administration is fixing a broken system and putting borrowers first, Cardona told reporters on Monday. Chief among the changes is a revamp of a program known as borrower defense, which offers debt forgiveness to students whose colleges make false advertising claims or otherwise commit fraud. The program aims to help the victims of predatory for-profit colleges, but it has been bogged down by complex rules and political battles, resulting in a mounting backlog of applications. The new policy clarifies that the Education Department can review claims from individual borrowers or it can grant forgiveness to huge swaths of students from the same college, if it has been found to have committed fraud. The department can pursue such group discharge claims on its own or in response to requests from states or nonprofit legal groups. Its a reversal from Trump-era policies that eliminated group discharges and made it harder for individuals to qualify for relief. The new rule cements the departments ability to erase debt for thousands of borrowers in a single action, as the Biden administration has already done for those who attended ITT Tech, Corinthian Colleges and other for-profit college chains. In a major shift, the federal government will also be able to force colleges to cover the cost when their students are granted loan cancellation because of fraud. Those costs have typically been passed to taxpayers, prompting complaints from conservative critics who say the program too freely cancels debt at the publics expense. Were putting students ahead of special interests, said Cardona, adding that his agency will go after shady schools that leave students with heavy debt and useless college degrees. The rules were embraced by student advocates but blasted by an industry group representing for-profit colleges. The group said the rules will deprive schools of due process protections, and it questioned how closely the department reviewed the more than 5,000 public comments responding to its initial proposal. The department has cut corners in a rush to ram through a punitive borrower defense rule with serious legal and regulatory flaws that could undermine the American education system, said Jason Altmire, a former Democratic congressman and president and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities. The overhaul also brings big changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which was created by Congress as an incentive for government and nonprofit workers but has failed to deliver its promise because of notoriously complex rules. Under the existing rules, teachers, nurses and other public workers can get the rest of their federal student debt erased after making 120 monthly payments. All payments must be made in full and within 15 days of their due date, otherwise they don't get counted toward the 120 monthly payments. The new rule erases the 15-day rule, allowing payments to count even if they are made late or in multiple installments. It also allows borrowers to make up to a year of payments in advance in a single sum, rather than making monthly payments. Borrowers in certain situations will also be able to make progress toward debt forgiveness even if they arent making payments. Those who get their student loans paused for cancer treatment, military service or the Peace Corps, for example, will be treated as if they are still making monthly payments during that time. More flexibility will also be added to a separate program offering debt cancellation to those with disabilities. That program cancels federal student debt for people who are permanently disabled and unable to generate significant income. But many have been granted that relief later had their debt reinstated because they failed to submit paperwork during a three-year monitoring period. The new rule will eliminate the monitoring period and make more types of disabilities eligible for cancellation. Loosening the rules around existing debt forgiveness programs has been a priority for the Biden administration, which has already granted $38 billion in debt cancellation for defrauded students, public students and others. That doesn't include Biden's broad cancellation plan, which is estimated to cost about $400 billion. A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked Biden's plan, creating uncertainty for millions of borrowers who were told they would get up to $20,000 canceled. The Education Department has said it's still processing applications even while it's barred from erasing the debt. Cardona on Monday said his agency is moving full steam ahead with the plan. ___ The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said on Monday he wants a U.S. national security review of a Saudi Arabian conglomerate's stake in Twitter Inc after Elon Musk's takeover of the social media company. Murphy said he was asking the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) which reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyers "to conduct an investigation into the national security implications of Saudi Arabia's purchase of Twitter." Most foreigners seeking to take even noncontrolling stakes in U.S. companies must seek approval from CFIUS, a powerful Treasury-led committee that reviews transactions for national security concerns and has the power to block them. On Friday, Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding Company and the private office of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said they will continue their ownership of Twitter shares valued at $1.89 billion, according to a statement tweeted by Prince Alwaleed. "The deal is in line with the long-term investment strategy which Kingdom Holding Company is known for," the statement said. Alwaleed's Kingdom Holding is 16.9% owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "We should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in repressing political speech and impacting U.S. politics, are now the second-largest owner of a major social media platform," Murphy wrote on Twitter "There is a clear national security issue at stake and CFIUS should do a review." The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for U.S. Treasury, which leads CFIUS, declined to comment. Musk last week closed the $44 billion deal announced in April to take Twitter private. Banks including Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Corp committed to provide $13 billion in debt financing. (Reporting by David Shepardson in WashingtonEditing by Franklin Paul and Matthew Lewis) IAN LANGSDON/EPA-EFE/REX Some of America's richest people made their fortunes as innovators, most becoming self-made billionaires. They transformed the world with technology, have improved the lives of others with their philanthropy, kept the shelves stocked during the pandemic and are working on ways to change tomorrow. See Our List: 100 Most Influential Money Experts Small Business Spotlight: GOBankingRates Celebrates Small Businesses Across the US You know the names, but just how much wealth do the richest Americans hold? Using data from Forbes' Real-Time Billionaire List, GOBankingRates identified the 10 richest people in America and ranked them in ascending order from least rich to richest. The list also includes their ages, net worths and the source of their fortunes. WESLEY HITT / Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Jim Walton U.S. wealth rank: 10 Overall wealth rank: 16 Net worth: $57.4 billion Age: 74 Source of income: Walmart The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Jim Walton turned his seat on the company's board over to his own son, Steuart, in 2016. Now, he serves as chairman of Arvest Bank, which - along with its $20 billion in assets - also belongs to his family. Sam Walton's heirs own about half of the Walmart stock. Take Our Poll: Do You Believe in Quiet Quitting? rblfmr / Shutterstock.com Michael Bloomberg U.S. wealth rank: 9 Overall wealth rank: 12 Net worth: $76.8 billion Age: 80 Source of income: Bloomberg LP, self-made Michael Bloomberg built his enormous fortune from the ground up, starting his Wall Street career at the entry level before building a financial empire based on media and technology. His second act was a political career that included a long run as the mayor of New York. He remains the CEO of Bloomberg LP. Francois Durand / Getty Images Steve Ballmer U.S. wealth rank: 8 Overall wealth rank: 11 Net worth: $77.9 billion Age: 66 Source of income: Microsoft, self-made Stanford dropout Steve Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 as employee No. 30. As CEO from 2000-14, he shepherded the company through the dot-com bust, the rise of Google, and Apple's most transformative era of innovation. After his retirement from Microsoft, he found a new passion when he bought the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA, spending $2 billion on the team. James Duncan Davidson / Flickr.com Sergey Brin U.S. wealth rank: 7 Overall wealth rank: 10 Net worth: $81.7 billion Age: 49 Source of income: Google, self-made Sergey Brin is no longer the president of Google's parent company Alphabet, but he remains a member of the board and a controlling shareholder. Along with Larry Page, he co-founded Google in 1998 while studying at Stanford. Forbes reported Brin is the richest immigrant to America; he and his family moved to the U.S. from Russia when Brin was 6. Kimberly White / Getty Images Larry Page U.S. wealth rank: 6 Overall wealth rank: 9 Net worth: $85.1 billion Age: 49 Source of income: Google, self-made Like Sergey Brin, Larry Page was pursuing an advanced computer science degree at Stanford when he co-founded Google in 1998. He was instrumental in developing the PageRank algorithm that made it possible to search the early internet. Although he stepped down as CEO of Alphabet, he remains a controlling shareholder. Kimberly White / Getty Images Larry Ellison U.S. wealth rank: 5 Overall wealth rank: 7 Net worth: $89.7 billion Age: 78 Source of income: Oracle, self-made Larry Ellison still owns more than one-third of Oracle, the software giant he co-founded. He sat on the board of Tesla from December 2018 to August 2022 but owns about 15 million shares of Elon Musk's company. He bought almost all of the Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012 for $300 million and now lives there full-time. Daniel Zuchnik / WireImage Warren Buffett U.S. wealth rank: 4 Overall wealth rank: 6 Net worth: $92.4 billion Age: 92 Source of income: Berkshire Hathaway, self-made Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway owns dozens of companies and brands, many of which, like Duracell and Geico, are household names. He also happens to be one of the most successful stock investors of all time. He bought his first stock at age 11. Buffett and Bill Gates teamed in 2010 to form the Giving Pledge, which asks billionaires to donate at least half of their assets to charity. JStone / Shutterstock.com Bill Gates U.S. wealth rank: 3 Overall wealth rank: 5 Net worth: $102.2 billion Age: 66 Source of income: Microsoft, self-made Bill Gates spent the first part of his life amassing one of the world's greatest fortunes and now seems intent on giving it away. Although he rose to power, prominence, and wealth as the founder of Microsoft, he is now best known for his philanthropic efforts through the world's largest charity, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. While they still co-lead the organization, the Gateses announced they would divorce in May 2021. Melinda Gates received $6 billion in shares of public companies in the divorce. Drew Angerer / Getty Images Jeff Bezos U.S. wealth rank: 2 Overall wealth rank: 4 Net worth: $138.6 billion Age: 58 Source of income: Amazon, self-made Jeff Bezos amassed a fortune from Amazon, the e-commerce powerhouse he started out of his garage in 1994. Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021 but still serves as executive chairman. Other ventures include The Washington Post and Blue Origin. He and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie Scott, divorced in 2019, and she was granted a quarter of what he owned in Amazon stock at the time - about 16%. He still owns close to 10% of the company, per Forbes. Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com Elon Musk U.S. wealth rank: 1 Overall wealth rank: 1 Net worth: $255.1 billion Age: 51 Source of income: Tesla, SpaceX, self-made Elon Musk, the cofounder and CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla and CEO of SpaceX, recently renewed his on-again, off-again bid to buy Twitter for less than the $44 billion he initially agreed to pay. He currently owns a 9.1% stake in the social media company in addition to a 25% stake in Tesla. SpaceX, Musk's private space company, is worth $127 billion, according to Forbes. More From GOBankingRates Daria Uhlig contributed to the reporting for this article. Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates used Forbes "Real-Time Billionaire" data to find the 10 richest Americans as of Sept. 26, 2022, at the end of trading. For each American billionaire GOBankingRates found: (1) net worth as of Sept. 26, 2022, (2) age; (3) source of wealth; and (4) overall wealth rank in the world. All data was collected and is up to date as of Sept. 26, 2022. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Top 10 Richest People in the U.S. The Home Secretary will face MPs to explain the car crash decisions behind the chaos at a migrant holding centre. Suella Braverman is expected to be questioned about the problems at the Manston site in Kent when she appears in the House of Commons later on Monday. Earlier in the day, Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale described the overcrowding at the facility in his North Thanet constituency as wholly unacceptable and suggested it may have been allowed to happen deliberately. It comes as the Channel crossing crisis deepened, amid growing concern over the conditions in which migrants are being held while waiting to be processed once they arrive in the UK, and after one of the sites in Dover was firebombed. So far this year close to 40,000 people have made the treacherous journey from France, crossing the worlds busiest shipping lanes in dinghies and other small boats, provisional Government figures show. Veteran backbencher Sir Roger told Sky News there are now more than 4,000 people at the Manston facility, describing the situation there as a breach of humane conditions. And speaking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme, he said: There are simply far too many people and this situation should never have been allowed to develop, and Im not sure that it hasnt almost been developed deliberately. The Home Office is struggling to find hotel accommodation, he said, adding that he now understands that this is a policy issue and a decision was taken not to book additional hotel space. Thats like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then theres a car crash, and then suddenly theres a five-mile tailback. The car crash was the decision not to book more hotel space, he said. Sir Roger blamed the Home Office, under either former home secretary Priti Patel or the present incumbent Ms Braverman, of failing to book hotels, contributing to the overcrowding at the Manston migrant processing site but Downing Street rejected the criticism. A view of the Manston immigration short-term holding facility (Gareth Fuller/PA) But allies of Ms Patel said she signed off on hotel accommodation for asylum seekers whenever it was required, despite it being politically unpalatable. A source close to Ms Patel told the PA news agency: There was never any overcrowding when she was there. What would happen was if it got to the point where people were getting worried about conditions, we would sign off on more hotels. Despite the political difficulties, the cost to the taxpayer and the potential for a media backlash, Ms Patel agreed to hotels because it was the right thing to do. Another source close to the former home secretary said it had been business as usual right up until the point that she resigned when Liz Truss became prime minister. Former Home Office mandarin Sir David Normington said it could amount to another breach of the ministerial code if Ms Braverman made such a decision. The departments permanent secretary from 2005 to 2011 told BBC Radio 4s World At One: If it was deliberate, its a very serious matter. They mustnt knowingly disobey or break the law. Its a serious matter but we dont know the facts and we will hear from the Home Secretary this afternoon. I am grateful to the Minister for visiting Manston to see, the problems that we face, for himself. I would like to add my thanks to all the Border Force, civilian catering and medical staff for doing a difficult job under very challenging circumstances. 1/3 https://t.co/HooCM6qUZG Sir Roger Gale MP (@SirRogerGale) October 30, 2022 He said he was certain Ms Braverman would have been given advice by officials that she and the Home Office must abide by the law. Dover MP Natalie Elphicke warned of rising tensions and called for an entirely fresh approach to tackle the out of control Channel crossings when she appeared on TalkTV, adding: Whats been happening is simply not working. Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor told the Today programme the Home Office needs to get a grip on the situation, adding: They need to speed up the processing of migrants, they need to make suitable provisions so people can be moved off site as quickly as possible and housed in humane and decent conditions. The facilities are not set up for people to be staying. Its not a residential facility. Its a short-term holding facility which is supposed to process people through. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick visited Manston on Sunday after another watchdog, chief inspector of borders and immigration David Neal, told MPs he was left speechless by the problems at the site. In a post on Twitter, Mr Jenrick said migrants continue to be processed securely in challenging conditions, adding: I was hugely impressed by the staff I met, managing this intolerable situation. The same day police said two or three incendiary devices were thrown at a migrant processing centre in Dover and caused a fire. (PA Graphics) The suspect, a 66-year-old man from High Wycombe, was identified and found dead at a nearby petrol station, Kent Police said. Officers were searching a property in the Buckinghamshire market town on Monday. Two people inside the centre at Western Jet Foil were left with minor injuries. Although the site remained open, 700 people were moved to Manston for safety reasons. A Reuters photographer said a man threw petrol bombs with fireworks attached before killing himself. The attacker was described as a white man wearing a striped top, who drove up to the centre in a white Seat 44 vehicle, the news agency reported. Some 468 people arrived in the UK on Sunday after crossing the Channel in eight boats. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also revised figures for several previous days of crossings, taking the provisional total for the year so far to 39,867. Environment minister Mark Spencer said the UK had a very proud record of helping refugees and people from other countries who are in desperate situations, telling Sky News: That will continue, but we need to make sure that were getting the right people. He added that the UK needs to find a way to deal with migrants compassionately, as he acknowledged there are huge challenges in the system. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said there is no silver bullet to fix the migrant crisis, adding: Clearly theres more to do, but were making progress. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Obviously there is significant pressure being placed on accommodation facilities with the high number of crossings we are seeing, and it remains a significant challenge to provide the right sort of accommodation, and also indeed to fulfil our legal duty to ensure people are not made destitute. There is a large amount of work being done by the Home Office to secure further accommodation as we speak. Meanwhile, three people suspected of trying to smuggle migrants to the UK by boat have been arrested, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. Belgian police arrested two men, aged 34 and 44, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, on suspicion of people smuggling offences, as they arrived on the coast near Nieuwpoort, a town in the northern part of the country, at 4.30am on Sunday. Some 12 migrants, believed to be Albanian nationals, were also detained. A 46-year-old man was arrested by NCA officers in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, later the same day on suspicion of assisting unlawful immigration. SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export of passenger cars hit a record high in the third quarter due to high demand for eco-friendly vehicles, customs office data showed Monday. Passenger vehicles shipment jumped 30.1 percent from a year earlier to reach a new quarterly high of 12.63 billion U.S. dollars in the July-September quarter, according to Korea Customs Service. It was attributable to robust demand for eco-friendly vehicles and the improved supply of semiconductors used to produce cars. Export for eco-friendly passenger vehicles spiked 42.3 percent to post a fresh high of 4.05 billion dollars in the cited quarter. Passenger car export to the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Spain grew in double digits in the third quarter, but shipment to France, Vietnam and the Netherlands retreated in double figures. Import for passenger cars expanded 17.7 percent over the year to 3.5 billion dollars in the third quarter. The import of eco-friendly passenger vehicles soared 29.3 percent to 1.79 billion dollars. The funeral for rock n roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis will take place on Saturday, his family has announced. The ceremony will take place in the US musicians birthplace of Ferriday, Louisiana, and be officiated by his cousin, Reverend Jimmy Swaggart. Lewis, who was as well known for his controversial private life as his music, died on Friday aged 87. Known for hits including Great Balls Of Fire and Whole Lot Of Shakin Going On, he was one of the last survivors of a generation of groundbreaking performers which included Elvis Presley and Little Richard. Jerry Lee Lewis at a press reception at the Mayfair Hotel, London (PA) In a statement on Monday, the Lewis family said there will be two memorial services available for the public to attend. One will take place on Thursday November 3 at the Hernando Funeral Home in Mississippi, with a second one on Saturday in Ferriday. The funeral will be live streamed for those unable to attend, with details still to be announced. A private burial will take place after the service, as well as a celebration of the musicians life at the Arcade Theatre in Ferriday. Lewis, nicknamed The Killer, died at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, south of Memphis, with his wife Judith by his side, his publicist announced on Friday. After his death, global stars including Sir Elton John, Ronnie Wood and Sir Ringo Starr paid tribute to his trailblazing inspiration in the world of music. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said his hit songs served as a foundation of the sound and spirit of youth culture, and praised his rock and roll swagger. Lewis was part of the Hall of Fames inaugural class in 1986 and inducted alongside other groundbreaking performers including Chuck Berry, James Brown, Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Presley. On Thursday, his death was falsely reported before a representative for Lewis confirmed he was still alive. Lewis is survived by his seventh wife, Judith Coghlan Lewis, his children Jerry Lee Lewis III, Ronnie Lewis, Phoebe Lewis and Lori Lancaster. Britain's King Charles attends the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, September 19, 2022. (Photo by HANNAH MCKAY / POOL / AFP) (Photo by HANNAH MCKAY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) HANNAH MCKAY/POOL/AFP via Getty King Charles III is expressing his condolences following a fatal crowd surge in South Korea over the weekend. The new King, 73, sent a message to Yoon Suk-yeol, president of South Korea, hours after a crowd surge in Itaewon killed at least 120 people and injured 150 others on Saturday. "Dear Mr. President," Charles began in a statement shared by Buckingham Palace. "I wanted you to know how deeply shocked and saddened both my wife and I are to hear of the many people who have lost their loved ones as a consequence of the recent, tragic incident in Itaewon, Seoul." "However inadequate this may be under such heartbreaking circumstances, we extend our deepest possible sympathy to all the bereaved families," the monarch continued, speaking on behalf of himself and Queen Camilla. "We also offer our special thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery to all those who suffered injury." RELATED: At Least 120 People Killed and More Than 100 Injured in South Korea During Halloween Event King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle on September 13, 2022 in Hillsborough, United Kingdom. King Charles III is visiting Northern Ireland for the first time since ascending to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on September 8, 2022. Niall Carson - WPA Pool/Getty King Charles recalled meeting Suk-yeol, 61, during his visit to London for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 19. He reminded the president that "the United Kingdom stands in solidarity with the people of the Republic of Korea at such a time of national mourning." Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! President of South Korean, Yoon Suk-yeol, signs a book of condolence at Church House following the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London, England. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. David Parry - WPA Pool/Getty Following his father's statement, Prince William also sent sympathies to everyone affected by the tragic mass casualty. "Catherine and I send all our love and prayers to the parents, families and loved ones of those tragically lost in Seoul yesterday evening," the Prince of Wales tweeted Sunday. He signed the post "W & C," a personal signature for tweets composed by himself and his wife, Kate Middleton. (L-R) Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales on the long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022, before meeting well-wishers. - King Charles III pledged to follow his mother's example of KIRSTY O'CONNOR/POOL/AFP via Getty Kate Middleton and Prince William Prince Albert of Monaco also shared his condolences with the South Korean president. "Mr. President, It is with great emotion and sadness that I learned the tragedy which took place, in the night from Saturday to Sunday in Seoul in the district of Itaewon, following a deadly crowd surge," Albert said in the message. "In these tragic circumstances allow me, along with my family, to convey my profound solidarity and the full support of the population of the Principality of Monaco for the Korean people and finally our sincere compassion for the families of the victims." On Saturday, a crowd surge occurred in a narrow alley in the town of Itaewon, Seoul, killing over 100 people and injuring over 100 more, the Yongsan Fire Department chief Choi Seong-beom said, multiple outlets reported. Prince Albert II of Monaco attends the 73rd Monaco Red Cross Ball Gala on July 18, 2022 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis Prince Albert The incident prompted President Yoon Suk-yeol to order his government to provide disaster medical emergency assistance, according to the BBC, The New York Times, and CNN. According to the BBC, the popular nightlife spot reportedly drew 100,000 people for Halloween festivities, the first such event for the holiday without a face mask requirement since the pandemic began. Rescue officials and police gather in the district of Itaewon in Seoul on October 30, 2022, after a Halloween crush which left at least 120 people dead. - At least 120 people were killed on October 29 and some 100 were injured in a stampede in central Seoul when thousands crowded into narrow streets to celebrate Halloween, officials said. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images) ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Officials later responded to the area after receiving reports of people experiencing "difficulty breathing," CNN reported. Authorities have yet to release the cause of the incident and deaths. Meanwhile, Yonhap News Agency (via CNN) reported people were suffering from "cardiac arrest" during the stampede. A 12-year-old girl is hospitalized in critical condition after she fell from a hayride and was run over by the trailer, authorities in Oklahoma said. Vinalee Follmuth had just turned 12 days before the horrible freak accident on Saturday, Oct. 29, according to loved ones fundraising for her family via GoFundMe. She ended up falling head-first under the trailer and getting run over, Reanna Marie Schaapveld said on behalf of Vinalees mother. State troopers responded to the collision about two miles east of Grove in Delaware County, according to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Authorities said a 60-year-old man from Delaware was driving the Kubota tractor eastbound on a country road when the girl fell off at about 7 p.m. The cause of the incident is under investigation, though troopers said the drivers condition was apparently normal. Roads were wet and it was rainy at the time, according to the report. Vinalee, of Delaware, was one of 15 passengers on the ride at the time of her fall, officials said. Nine of the passengers were children. Troopers said she was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa with head, arm, trunk and leg injuries. She has a very long recovery but we are blessed she survived, aunt Sharri Beery Follmuth said on Facebook. Grove is about 90 miles northeast of Tulsa and 65 miles southeast of Delaware. 5 people, including infant, die after 3 vehicles collide on highway, Florida cops say High school mourns loss of 3 students killed in Georgia crash. Terrible tragedy High school student trying to board school bus is hit by vehicle, Pennsylvania cops say The violent attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband is reigniting fears of political violence heading into the midterms on both sides of the aisle. "It's disgusting. This violence is horrible. You know that's happened. We had a door knocker in Florida that was attacked. I mean, this stuff has to stop," said Sen. Rick Scott. "What's happening in our country right now, and I've been traveling our country, there's some scary stuff happening," said Vice President Kamala Harris. David DePape, the man accused of breaking into Pelosi's home and severely beating her husband with a hammer, posted conspiracy theories online questioning the results of the 2020 election. Now, some law makers are blaming the GOP for not doing enough to quash extreme rhetoric within the party. "This has been going on for years, the attacks on her and this group of MAGA extremists who by the way, are putting up candidates on the ballot that Donald Trump supports," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. SEE MORE: Source: Pelosi Attacker Carried Zip Ties, In Jan. 6 Echo Rhetoric that has already led to violence. "The language used by DePape when he attacked Paul Pelosi or the blogs that he had not only mimicked January 6th but sound like a lot of our elected officials today," said former Rep. Denver Riggleman. Republican lawmakers including Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and house minority leader Kevin McCarthy, have condemned the attack, and blamed extremism on both ends of the political spectrum for fueling more violence. A recent NBC News poll found 80% of Democrats and Republicans said the opposite political party posed a threat that, if not stopped, will destroy America as we know it. "It's a terrible environment. And I believe people in both parties are guilty of intense rhetoric that really leads to feed into these people who are deranged. And create violence. It's the same thing that happened with the shooter that shot at Steve Scalise and several of the Republican colleagues," said Rep. James Comer. Former President Donald Trump has remained silent so far on the attack. President Joe Biden told reporters it's not enough to condemn the violence; lawmakers need to condemn the talk that inspires it. "The talk has to stop. That's the problem. That's the problem. You can't just say, feel badly about the violence, and condemn it. Condemn what produces the violence. This talk produces the violence," said President Biden. A recent New York Times poll found 28% of all voters, including 41% of Republicans, said they had little to no faith in the accuracy of the midterm elections. Benton County is set to become the owner on Tuesday of the former Kennewick General Hospital building on Auburn Street. The building is planned to be used as a recovery center campus for patients with mental health and addiction issues, along with a nearby building the county will lease to provide some additional inpatient services. Benton County Commissioners on Friday authorized the signing of closing documents to buy the 123,000-square-foot building from LifePoint Health for $1.6 million. Its expected to close on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Efforts toward creating a recovery center for the Tri-Cities began with a grassroots effort in 2018 as Michele Gerber, who lost her son to drug addiction, started the Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition. The Kennewick Public Hospital Board then took on the mission of providing comprehensive mental health services for the Tri-Cities area, with Benton County stepping in with the resources to make the recovery center a reality. The commissioners in both Benton and Franklin counties approved a 0.1% sales tax increase to pay for operating a new center. Restrictions on hospital sale LifePoint Health agreed to sell the building for a recovery center, but has long said that there would be restrictions on services that could compete with those it already offers in the Tri-Cities as the owner of Trios Health and Lourdes Health. The sale of the building comes with a restriction that prohibits inpatient mental health care for longer than 72 hours for adults. Benton County is buying the old Kennewick General Hospital building, most recently Trios Womens and Childrens Hospital, on Auburn Street in Kennewick to use for mental health services. As a result, Benton County is in the final steps of negotiating a lease for space not far from the hospital building to provide some services that would be difficult to offer under that restriction. The lease is close to being finalized and an announcement could be made in a few weeks, said Matt Rasmussen, deputy county administrator. He also expects to request proposals for managing services for the leased site this week. The leased space will serve as an entry point into the new mental health and addiction treatment center and is expected to offer crisis stabilization, secure withdrawal and inpatient detoxification. It will serve as a drop-off point for law enforcement for people who need to detox or are in mental health crisis. People in crisis can also walk in or be brought into the facility by family members, Rasmussen said. Continuing services would then be offered at the old Kennewick General Hospital building site. Services planned at hospital building The county envisions a campus of services related to mental health and addiction recovery, with providers recruited to lease space in the Auburn Street building. Plans now call for it to include transitional housing for people coming out of the recovery, Rasmussen said. The county would also like to have youth behavioral health services there. The 72-hour restriction on inpatient mental health services applies only to adults. The county will be looking for providers for those two services first. Counseling and other services provided there will depend on who is interested in leasing space. The county also has negotiated permission to use some space there for the Benton Franklin Health District, although no decision on moving services there has been made. Rasmussen expects to have all services at the leased building in place in 2025, although some services could be phased in earlier. It also will be working on opening services at the Auburn Street campus in the meantime. Paying for the hospital, improvements The old hospital building will require upgrades. The original portion of the building the county is purchasing opened as a community-owned hospital in 1952. The former Kennewick General Hospital building, which served as the Trios birth center, was closed with the opening a new birthcenter on the Southridge hospital campus in Kennewick. When Trios Health expanded to a new campus in south Kennewick in 2014, the original building in the downtown Kennewick area remained in use as the Trios Womens and Childrens Hospital. About 1,400 babies were born there each year until LifePoint Health closed the building and opened a new birth center on the Trios Southridge Hospital campus. An inspection found the Auburn Street structure and its roof to be sound, Rasmussen said. But the heating and cooling system, electrical and mechanical systems will need to be upgraded. That could be done in phases as services are added and space remodeled for each. The purchase cost of the building and remodeling and upgrades for both the old hospital building and the separate leased space nearby will be paid for with $1.5 million the Washington state Legislature approved in its last session, $7 million in state and federal funds, and $5 million set aside in American Rescue Plan Act for the county. Operating costs and the lease of the second facility will be covered by the new sales tax. President Biden will deliver remarks Monday highlighting reports of huge profits raked in by oil companies, while Americans are facing high prices at the pump. Exxon Mobil on Friday morning reported its highest earnings ever at $19.7 billion for the quarter, while Shell reported its second highest of $9.5 billion. The soaring profits in the third quarter of 2022 continue a trend of massive profits for the oil industry as Russias invasion into Ukraine is driving up gas prices. Biden will give remarks at 4:30 p.m. at the White House on reports over recent days of major oil companies making record-setting profits even as they refuse to help lower prices at the pump for the American people, the White House said in a statement. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday said Biden believes its unacceptable for oil companies to be making record profits . Energy companies are often quick to raise gas prices when the price of oil goes up, but slow to bring the price of gas down when the price of oil drops, she said. Were seeing that again now with profit margins on a gallon of gas at the pump well above the typical levels. She added that Biden is using the bully pulpit to talk about this when asked if he will speak to oil and gas companies directly on the issue. When the president uses his bully pulpit, that matters. That does send a very powerful message a direct message and to this case, to the oil companies, she said. The president earlier on Monday flew to New York to attend a private memorial service. Later that evening, he will host local children of firefighters, nurses, police officers and members of the National Guard at the White House for trick-or-treating. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments for two cases on Monday that challenge race-based admissions policies at Harvard University, the nation's oldest private college, and the University of North Carolina, the nations oldest public university. The plaintiff in both cases, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), is asking the court to overturn its precedent Grutter v. Bollinger, which allows the narrow use of race in college admissions decisions. SFFA argues that Harvards policy violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits recipients of federal funds from discriminating based on race. In the UNC case, SFFA argues that the universitys policy violates Title VI in addition to the 14th Amendments guarantee of a person's equal protection under the law, which covers state universities. The makeup of the Supreme Court changed significantly during the presidency of Donald Trump, resulting in a six-to-three conservative majority. During oral arguments in the UNC case, some of the conservative justices pointed to an aspect of the 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger decision in what could become the basis for a ruling that ends race-based college admissions. Justice Sandra Day OConnors writing for the majority in the Grutter decision said in part, We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today. Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked SFFA attorney Patrick Strawbridge, When do you read or do you calculate to the extent you consider it at all the 25-year limit? I think the language in Grutter had an aspirational element to it, and it was aspirational for a reason, Strawbridge replied. They want the use of race to diminish over time. Some of the justices challenged what the end of that timeline would look like if race were no longer a factor in the college admissions process. Justice Elena Kagan suggested there would be a steep decline in admissions for minorities and expressed her concerns for other implications: Universities are the pipeline to leadership [in our society]. She said that if universities arent diverse, institutions of leadership such as the military or the law wont be diverse either. Justice Sonia Sotomayor challenged SFFAs models on how admissions programs would engage in the admissions process without considering race. Blacks decreased in every one of your simulations, she said. All I see in your models is that we step backward, we dont step forward. Another major concern from the liberal justices, including Ketanji Brown Jackson, is that ending affirmative action in admissions processes could create more of an equal protection problem than its solving. Jackson said that overturning race-based admissions means colleges could consider all of the other background and personal characteristics of other applicants, but they cant value race." The Supreme Court is currently considering challenges to affirmative action in higher education. (Jose Luis Magana/AP) Meanwhile, Justice Clarence Thomas, a longtime critic of race-based admissions, pressed North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park, who is defending UNCs policy, on how diversity benefits education. Ive heard the word 'diversity' quite a few times, and I dont have a clue what it means, Thomas said. It seems to mean everything for everyone. When Park argued that diversity promotes a deeper and richer learning environment and that diverse groups of people perform at a higher level, Thomas replied, I dont put much stock in that, because Ive heard similar arguments in favor of segregation too. The conservative justices came back to the idea that a reliance on race needs to end, citing the Grutter ruling. Justice Samuel Alito grilled Park on when diversity would be achieved through these programs. Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked Park, When is your sunset? When will you know? She continued, "Grutter says this is dangerous and it has to have an endpoint. And I hear you telling Justice Alito there is no endpoint." Later in the day, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Harvard case, which Jackson had previously announced she would recuse herself from because she served on the universitys board of overseers. The conservative justices questioned Harvard attorney Seth Waxman on allegations that the school's admissions policies discriminate against Asian American applicants. Waxman rejected the claim. Nine states already have bans against the use of race for college admissions, according to research from the National Conference of State Legislatures: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington. Most of those restrictions were put in place by voters through ballot initiatives. Poll numbers show that majorities of basically every identifiable group (Republicans, Democrats, Blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asian Americans) dont agree with using racial preferences in college admissions, Jess Bravin, a Supreme Court reporter at the Wall Street Journal, said in an interview with the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery. If you can overrule Roe v. Wade and move on," Bravin said, "this is relatively small potatoes to [the Supreme Court]. I think this case is a lot easier to envision in some ways them overruling the precedents than Roe was. A decision in the two cases likely wont come until the end of June 2023. Fanis Ishmuratov was a 26-year-old turbine technician when he died aboard the Kursk, a submarine that sank in the Barents Sea on April 12, 2000, just weeks after Vladimir Putins election to the Russian presidency. Ishmuratov left behind a 3-year-old son, Danis, who would follow his father into the military, eventually joining the Russian army as a contract soldier, based most recently at the 201st Military Base in Tajikistan. Last week the newspaper Kommersant reported that the younger Ishmuratov, 25, had been killed in Ukraine. He was an only child. Danis Ishmuratov in a screengrab of an interview published in the newspaper Kommersant earlier this year. (Ivan Vodopyanov/Kommersant) It is difficult not to see the tragedy of the Ishmuratov family as the tragedy of Russia under Putin, which emerged from the post-Soviet twilight as a resurgent economic and military power. But if that resurgence has been evident in the restored imperial palaces of St. Petersburg (Putins native city) and the glittering high-rises of central Moscow, it has come at enormous human cost, borne most often by the residents of Russias seemingly infinite hinterlands. These are the soldiers and miners, roughnecks and sailors who power Russia and are often invisible to the elites who, until recently, could enjoy entree into the high societies of London and New York. According to Kommersant, Danis Ishmuratov lived in Ufa, the capital of the state of Bashkortostan, near the border with Kazakhstan. The region is home to people of Central Asian, not Russian, ethnic descent. Young men from Central Asia and the semiautonomous regions in and near the Caucasus Mountains (Chechnya, Dagestan) have in part powered the Russian war effort in Ukraine, thousands of them dying in Putins quest for Slavic unity. In an interview with Kommersant published earlier this year, Danis Ishmuratov said he could not remember his father but he thought of him constantly. You can say that my father is an idol for me, he told a reporter. But I don't compare myself to my father. I think it's too early to compare. The sinking of the Kursk was the first tragedy of Putins rule. Installed in 1999 as acting president to replace the increasingly incapacitated Boris Yeltsin, the young former intelligence officer could hardly have been expected to account for the decrepit state of the enormous Russian military. But although Russians did not blame Putin for the sinking of the Kursk, which took place during a naval exercise, his response to the disaster was an ominous sign of what was to come. The crew of the Kursk nuclear submarine lines up on its deck. (Reuters) Putin was vacationing in Sochi, a Black Sea resort, when he was told that an explosion had torn through the Kursk and that the submarine had sunk to the floor of the Barents Sea. The news found him in a stupor, the British journalist Catherine Belton would later write. He didnt know how to deal with it, and therefore he avoided dealing with it, someone who was a Kremlin official at the time told her. Twenty-three sailors had survived the initial blast. Sequestered in the relative safety of the submarines aft ninth compartment, they were certain that rescuers would soon arrive. But although Western naval services offered Russia help almost right away, the Kremlin spurned such offers, fearing international embarrassment. Military officials also worried that a rescue operation conducted by Sweden or the United Kingdom the most likely candidates to launch such an effort would result in revelations about Russias nuclear submarines. As a result, all 23 of the Kursk survivors died, along with the 95 shipmates who perished in the initial blast. According to Danis Ishmuratov, his father had been among those legendary survivors. His body was eventually recovered, according to Radio Free Europe, and interred in his native Bashkortostan. At the time, Russian society still enjoyed a measure of openness, and the grieving families of the Kursk dead assailed Kremlin officials including Putin himself for failing to do more. But instead of seeing the tragedy as a turning point that could orient Russia toward greater accountability, Putin regarded the Kursk episode as an indictment of open society, in which journalists and ordinary people could ask questions without easy, pat answers. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the city of Kursk in 2003, lays flowers at a monument commemorating the sailors of the Kursk submarine. (Itar-Tass/Kemlin via Reuters) This is a new country, sure, but its leaders were brought up under the old system. It's impossible to change their mentality, a submarine officer told the Washington Post at the time. The war in Ukraine can be seen as an even more damning sign of how little reform has been achieved since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. As in the bleakest Soviet times, a cloistered Kremlin seems to be leading ordinary Russians into ruin. Earlier this year, Danis Ishmuratov spoke to Kommersant for a series on the children of the victims of the Kursk. Dressed in military fatigues, his hair closely cropped, he showed a reporter photographs of his father on his iPhone: a handsome young man with dark hair. My first childhood memory is of my father's funeral, Ishmuratov said. The younger Ishmuratov studied at Bashkir State Agrarian University, but employment opportunities were few (according to Kommersant, he worked at a car wash and a trampoline park), so he eventually enlisted. I dream of becoming an officer, he told the newspaper, of raising many children, at least seven I want to be the father of many. I want to have a house, a banya, children, so that my mother could rejoice in her grandchildren. Customers browse Foster Farms chicken at a Costco store in San Francisco. Foster Farms has recalled 148,000 pounds of frozen chicken patties sold at Costco due to the possible presence of plastic in the meat. (Bloomberg) Foster Farms is recalling nearly 148,000 pounds of chicken sold at Costco warehouse stores after some customers found pieces of hard, clear plastic in their frozen meat, federal inspectors said. The fully cooked, breaded chicken breast patties are sold frozen in 80-ounce plastic bags. The products were produced Aug. 11 and the bags include a "best by" date of Aug. 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement Saturday. The possibly contaminated chicken patties were shipped to Costco distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah and Washington and could have been sent to Costco retail warehouses, authorities said. The federal government is concerned that some of the contaminated meat is already in people's freezers and is urging consumers not to eat the chicken. The product should be thrown away or returned to where it was purchased. There are no reports of any injuries, but the USDA said the products could cause injury if eaten. The frozen chicken has the establishment number P-33901 and lot code 3*2223** in inkjet print on the back edge of the packaging as well as the number 7527899724 under the barcode. The chicken was prepared at the Farmerville, La., facility and exclusively for Costco, Foster Farms said in a written statement. "Food safety is of the highest concern to Foster Farms a concern we know is shared by our customers and the families we serve. Foster Farms maintains rigorous food safety protocols and has taken immediate steps to remove the identified product from commerce," the company said in an email. Consumers with questions about the recall can call the Foster Farms Consumer Hotline at (800) 338-8051 or send an email to info@fosterfarms.com. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Back in 2018, Have You Heard? reported that Oklahoma-based Braums had purchased land near the southwest corner of 53rd North and Meridian to build a future restaurant and store. Spokeswoman Amanda Beuchaw warned that it would be some time before the business would be built, but that time has come, and it will open Tuesday. Wichita is a great market and this will bring our total stores company-wide to 309, president and CEO Drew Braum said in a news release. The company has stores in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. This is the 13th Braums in the Wichita area. The business is more than 6,000 square feet and has seating for about 80 people with room for almost 40 more on a covered patio outside. In addition to being a restaurant, Braums also has a market with grocery items such as meat, fruits and vegetables. Hours are 6 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. daily. Grand opening celebrations, with prizes and free offerings, will be Nov. 14 to Nov. 20. CANBERRA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Australia's national science agency has announced a new phase in its National Koala Monitoring program. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) launched the next stage on Monday, saying it would provide a strong estimate of the national population of the iconic marsupial. It came eight months after the federal government officially listed the koala as an endangered species in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory after land clearing, bushfires, droughts and disease drove a rapid decline of its population. The Australian Koala Foundation has estimated between 32,000 and 58,000 individual koalas were left in the wild. "The koala is an iconic species for all Australians, and of enormous cultural and spiritual significance to First Nations people," Andrew Hoskins, co-leader of the monitoring program and CSIRO Senior Research Scientist, said in a media release. "Partnerships are core to the National Koala Monitoring Program. As such, we recognize that the only way we can recover this iconic species is having everyone involved, the broadest community minds possible." Hoskins and his team have spent the last year designing the program with research, agency, community and Indigenous partners. The new phase will bring together university, Indigenous and citizen science groups to use state of the art surveying and modeling techniques. Data on koala sightings will be collected using consistent methods nationally, providing a rigorous snapshot of populations and distribution. "Good science is key to good conservation. This new National Koala Monitoring Program will help us make better investments and better conservation decisions, so that we can protect the iconic koala for generations to come," Fiona Fraser, Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner, said. A journalist died Sunday in Haiti after getting seriously injured when chaos broke out at a police substation in Port-au-Prince- and he was hit in the head with a police tear gas canister, a Haitian journalists association confirmed. The journalist was identified as Romelson Vilcin and he was a correspondent for Generation 80, a radio station based in the northwestern city of Port-de-Paix, the Association of Haitian Journalists said in a communique that raised concerns about the manner in which Vilcin died. The association said several journalists were injured when police fired tear gas when they gathered at the Delmas 33 police substation to demand the release of an arrested colleague. The Association of Haitian Journalists strongly condemns these antidemocratic and repressive acts ... by the Haiti National Police against the press, said Jacques Desrosiers, secretary general of the association, who referred to the incident as police brutality. A man rides his bicycle past a burning barricade during a protest over the death of journalist Romelson Vilcin , in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Haiti National Police spokesman Garry Desrosiers confirmed the death of Vilcin, but did not provide any additional details about the circumstances leading to his death nor the arrest of journalist Robest Dimanche. Vilcin and the others had come to demand Dimanches release from detention when the incident happened. Initially, it was believed that Vilcin had been injured by a police bullet. But several sources told the Miami Herald that it was a tear gas canister that hit his head. A journalist being attacked inside a police substation is grave, said Marie Yolene Gilles, a human rights activist who noted that the canister hit Vilcins head as he ran out of the police substation. We have a lot of concerns about what is happening to journalists and we have concluded that the police are advancing at the expense of journalists, said Gilles, who runs the human rights group Fondasyon Je Klere, or Eyes Wide Open Foundation. They are firing tear gas at them, shooting bullets at them, hitting them with clubs and nothing is done. No sanctions are ever taken against them. A protester throws a stone at police during a protest over the death of journalist Romelson Vilcin in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Vilcins death marks the third time in days that journalists in Haiti have been victimized. On Tuesday, Roberson Alphonse, a leading investigative journalist at the countrys oldest daily, Le Nouvelliste, survived an assassination attempt in Delmas 40B when his vehicle was peppered with bullets as he drove to work. Alphonse, who was shot in both arms, is recovering. The next day, the newspaper announced that it was temporarily halting publication of its print product, because of the impossibility to stock up on fuel and the countrys serious security problems. Also, authorities in the southern city of Les Cayes found the body of missing journalist Garry Tess, a journalist from LeBon radio, who had gone missing. Today, you have the sense that the freedom of expression in Haiti is under threat, Gilles said. The advocate noted that up to now, no investigations have been done, and in the case of Tess, journalists in Les Cayes are afraid to sleep at home out of fear that they too could become victims. She said the attack on Vilcin is the latest in a series of troubling incidents involving journalists and the police, who have become very aggressive toward reporters in the country. The Inspector General needs to hold police accountable. We already lived through this during the dictatorship and we dont want to relive this, Gilles added. READ MORE: Haiti journalist victim of armed attack The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti has also expressed its concerns about attacks on the press, citing the two recent attacks in a communique following the Friday night assassination of a well-known political leader, Eric Jean-Baptiste. Vilcin was among a group of journalists, some of them working for online media, who went to the Delmas 33 police substation to show support for Dimanche when chaos erupted. Dimanche had reportedly been arrested with several members of a political militant group in Delmas during a protest. It is unclear if Dimanche, who works at Radio Tele Zenith, was covering the demonstrations when his arrest happened. Teams from both the Inspector General of the Haiti National Police, the equivalent of internal affairs, along with the Bureau of Criminal Affairs from the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) were deployed to the scene to launch an investigation, a source told the Miami Herald. Jacques Desrosiers, who heads the journalists association, said he had been told that at least five journalists were injured Sunday when a specialized unit of the Haiti National Police began firing tear gas onto the crowd. Desrosiers said the association is demanding that Haitian authorities identify the police officers who are responsible for this act and hold them accountable. Journalists and media need protection and security, he said. WASHINGTON The Justice Department on Monday filed two charges in federal court against the suspect in Fridays brutal attack on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Prosecutors charged the suspected assailant, David DePape, 42, with attempted kidnapping and assault with intent to retaliate against a federal official by threatening or injuring a family member. The complaint alleged that DePape was attempting to kidnap the House speaker when he broke into the San Francisco residence, not realizing that she was in Washington, D.C., and only her husband, Paul Pelosi, 82, was home. "Pelosi was asleep when DePape came into Pelosis bedroom and stated he wanted to talk to 'Nancy.' When Pelosi told him that Nancy was not there, DePape stated that he would sit and wait," the complaint said. The complaint says Paul Pelosi called authorities from the bathroom. Police recovered zip ties in Pelosi's bedroom and in the hallway near the front door of the home. In DePape's backpack, they also found "among other things, a roll of tape, white rope, one hammer, one pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and a journal." During an interview police conducted on the day of the attack, DePape said, "He was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her." "If Nancy were to tell DePape the 'truth,' he would let her go, and if she 'lied,' he was going to break 'her kneecaps'" investigators said in the complaint. The suspect also told investigators that "by breaking Nancy's kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions." The complaint said DePape told police that "he wanted to use Nancy to lure another individual" to him, but the complaint didn't identify that person. On Saturday, law enforcement determined that DePape had been living for the last two years in the garage of a residence in Richmond, Calif., just outside of San Francisco. In the garage, "among other things, agents seized two hammers, a sword, and a pair of rubber and cloth gloves," the complaint said. The FBI has been working with San Francisco police and the Capitol Police on the investigation into Friday's attack on Paul Pelosi. DePape was not expected to appear in federal court on Monday. DePape is also expected to appear in court this week on separate state charges. San Francisco police said DePape would be arraigned on charges of attempted homicide, first-degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury, elder abuse, threatening a public official, or family member, among others. Paul Pelosi remained in the intensive care unit surrounded by family members, a source with knowledge of the situation told NBC News early Monday. The FBI, San Francisco police, Capitol Police and the district attorney got his testimony on Sunday, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The source said he is awake and has all of his cognitive functioning and appeared to remember everything he told them his version of events. On Friday, he "underwent successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands," Pelosi's office said. His doctors expect him to make a full recovery. Two sources briefed on the investigation said the suspect was searching for the House speaker, who was in Washington, D.C., at the time of the attack. Before the assault occurred, the intruder confronted Paul Pelosi shouting, Where is Nancy, where is Nancy? San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said officers arrived at the Pelosi home just before 2:30 a.m. PT and observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer. The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it." Police tackled the suspect, disarmed him and took him into custody, Scott said. San Francisco police said Sunday that zip ties were found at the scene. According to a Pelosi family member, the suspect brought the hammer and broke the windows of the Pelosi home facing the backyard. The family member said once inside, the suspect was trying to tie up Paul Pelosi and said they would wait until Nancy got home. When the suspect wasnt looking, Paul called 911. The family member said Paul was home alone and was hit in the head with the hammer multiple times. When the police arrived, the suspect said, We are waiting for Nancy. The suspect appears to have operated a website on which he wrote a wide variety of posts touching on almost all manner of modern conspiracy thinking: aliens, Jewish people, communism, vaccines, voter fraud and many other topics. Two law enforcement officials said an early look at DePapes online footprint showed recent blog posts that espoused ideas typically associated with far-right extremism along with some liberal anti-establishment ideas. What does a 1970s Houston choir teacher have to do with the $300 million health science center proposed for downtown Wichita? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Wichita State University President Rick Muma was in eighth grade, sitting in choir class in the Houston public schools, when his teacher announced he would be leaving to become a physician assistant a relatively new career at that time. Muma went on to become a PA himself. He eventually earned a masters degree in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston located at the Texas Medical Center, which serves as a kind of a model for the proposed center hes championing here. The Texas Medical Center is home to more than two square miles of medical institutions that often work together, including the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas A&M School of Medicine. Muma called it a really enriching medical environment where such things as open heart surgery and the heart bypass procedure were pioneered. Muma, who was born in Wichita, saw a need for something similar here when he returned in 1994 as a WSU faculty member. I was a little bit in shock about just kind of the lack of coordinated care in the city . . . like you see at a health science center. . . . Ive always thought that well, why arent we working more closely together, why arent we combining our efforts together not only in classrooms, but simulation spaces and just the way that we educate individuals in clinical settings? Muma said life in general and healthcare issues in specific are too complicated to be handled by one discipline or in one way only. Its been proven in numerous ways and research that interprofessional training, when you have the whole team at your disposal and learning to gather around patient care, or a patient, that improves patient outcomes. The pandemics influence About four years ago, when Muma was provost, he began having conversations at WSU about more integrated learning and also with the University of Kansas Medical Center about collaborating with the KU School of Medicine-Wichita, which had been having its own discussions about a new Wichita facility for itself. Talks continued and included WSU Tech as well. Then the pandemic happened. And, of course, COVID made us think about how we should do all kinds of different things, not just in healthcare, but a number of things, Muma said. He was proud of how WSUs Medical Laboratory Sciences department set up a molecular diagnostic laboratory for COVID-19 testing in just a few months. However, he wondered what could have happened if WSU already had a partner like KU. You just think if we were all together how we could have probably better responded to health care needs during the pandemic. Along with new ways of thinking came new public money through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. Muma said one of the purposes of the money is how can you come out of this post-COVID environment in a way thats going to be beneficial to the community? He said WSU and KU approached the Legislature about accessing ARPA funds, And so they gave us $35 million towards this project to help kick it off. Hard work still to come WSU and KU also have a $60 million request to Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas, a statewide group that distributes ARPA funds. The schools also have requests to the Legislature for $10 million each to bond the expected $300 million for the center. The bond is similar to a mortgage. We still have to go through the hard work of creating more efficiencies and identifying space that can be shared and leveraged that way, which will help it become a little smaller, likely, Muma said. The plan is for WSU to move to the center its physician assistant and physical therapy programs, its school of nursing, its communication sciences and disorders program, its public health sciences program, its medical laboratory sciences program and possibly its dental hygiene program. KU would move its schools of medicine and pharmacy to the center along with four clinics. For WSU Tech, the move could include its programs for certified nurse aides, certified medication aides, home health aides, practical nurses, emergency medical technicians, registered nurses, patient care technicians, surgical technology and healthcare administration and management. Comcare of Sedgwick County, the countys outpatient mental health facility, could be part of the center at some point. Although no site has been chosen, the center most likely would locate downtown possibly around the area near William and Topeka, where Wichita Transit is leaving for its new home in Delano. If you go and study any of these kinds of facilities, theyre in the core of the city, Muma said. Its got good access to Kellogg . . . and of course Douglas. Its centrally located. Theres an infrastructure thats developing down there, theres housing down there, theres the entities that will be helpful to support students once theyre down there. Wichita State University President Rick Mumas vision for a health science center in Wichitas core had its roots in his eighth grade choir class in Houston. Its also adjacent to WSU Techs culinary school and the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. Muma said discussion of the science center started before the osteopathic school was conceived, but he said hes been in regular talks with the school, and he said he could envision it one day having a role at the science center as well. Its great that theyre there, Muma said. This is the beginnings of a true comprehensive health science center. And thats how you solve problems when you bring people together. You dont do it on your own. Incredibly transformative Though Muma has firsthand knowledge of health science centers in Houston and St. Louis, hes been studying the Phoenix Bioscience Core because its a more recent development. Hes visited twice, once with a legislative contingent and Robert Simari, executive vice chancellor for the KU Medical Center. Bioscience executive director David Krietor was impressed with two high-level administrators doing this together, exploring this opportunity, asking questions about what worked and what didnt work. He was even struck that they always sat next to one another. I wanted to take a picture and send it to our folks. What eventually became the Bioscience Core started with a 2004 push to get Phoenixs first medical school. A health science center where the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University each have a presence came later. Krietor said Muma and Simari had a lot of technical questions, such as accounting for cost sharing what entity pays what percentage of basic things such as building security, landscaping and shared faculty. He said that investigation is the best thing that theyre doing and the thing that probably we should have spent a little more time on in the beginning. From 1992 to 1997, Krietor was economic development director for the city of Phoenix, one of the most suburban of places. He worried about never achieving a viable downtown but said the Bioscience Core has changed that through attracting young people to work and study there, and new dining, music and sports opportunities have developed as a result. Its very cool here, Krietor said. Things that I never really thought would happen are taking off. Greater Wichita Partnership president Jeff Fluhr sees the same potential for Wichitas core. This could be the largest investment in downtowns history, and thats remarkable, because where does that go next? Wichita State University President Rick Muma and others working on a new health science center have identified a downtown corridor where theyd like to see the almost 500,000-square-foot center locate. Fluhr called the health science center an incredibly transformative project not only for the citys core but for the region and state as well. In addition to bringing another 1,600 jobs downtown plus 200 faculty and staff and 3,000 students, Fluhr said the center is a huge indicator to people beyond our region to how we work together to see great things come to fruition. Innovation Campus leads the way WSU and KU hope to secure funding for the health science center this year, design it in 2023, start construction in 2024 and finish by 2026, which is when some of the ARPA money needs to be used by. Muma is confident both in the partnership with KU and his own schools ability to make the center happen. One of the things that I think helps all this is what weve done on (the) Innovation Campus, he said of the 130 acres where 50 partners, including businesses, organizations and restaurants, have located. The university obviously has gone through a lot of transformation over the last 10 years, and has, I think, proven to this community that we can put things together in pretty short order. Muma already is thinking ahead to future phases of the center that include more research and testing. Obviously, bringing these disciplines together and universities together is likely to create more grant funding and . . . research labs and space. I think theres opportunities for other institutions in the state to bring their own aspect to this, too. In one future scenario Muma envisions, that could include out-of-state institutions as well. To start, though, Muma said it just requires a lot of coordination and a lot of people giving up some of the way they do things to accommodate the other side. So thats going to be difficult. Theres just no way around that. He knows others question whether the center will become a reality. That negativity distracts from really what were trying to do here, but I know from just being around the country and visiting universities that this has been done (a) long time ago, in lots of other places, cities our size, bigger or smaller. This can be done. Fort Worth Star-Telegram photographers captured dozens of photos of the final hours of President John F. Kennedys life on Nov. 22, 1963. Kennedy arrived at Carswell Air Force Base late Nov. 21, slept at downtowns Hotel Texas and spoke the next morning at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast. The motorcade then passed through the city on the way back to Carswell, where Air Force One took off for Dallas at 11:25 a.m. Just over an hour later, Kennedy would be assassinated. Here are behind-the-scenes photos from the Star-Telegram archives of the 12 hours Kennedy spent in Fort Worth, some of which you may have never seen before. Arrival at Carswell AFB At 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 21, 1963, people begin to arrive at Carswell Air Force Base in anticipation of the presidents arrival. Police estimate the crowd at 6,000. Air Force One lands at 11:07 p.m.; the president wades into the crowd and begins shaking hands for 20 minutes before heading to Hotel Texas, now the Hilton, where they stay in Suite 850. Crowds waiting at Carswell Air Force Base for arrival of President John F. Kennedy and his wife and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Nov. 21, 1963. Crowd waits at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth for arrival of President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie, Nov. 21, 1963 President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy descending from Air Force One at Carswell Air Force Base. Congressman Jim Wright, Gov. John Connally and Mrs. Connally seen in the doorway. Nov. 21, 1963 President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy greet well-wishers along the reception line after Air Force One landed at Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, on Nov. 21, 1963. Lady Bird and Vice President Lyndon Johnson are at the head of the line. President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie, surrounded by a crowd and followed by bodyguard Clint Hill and Vice President Lyndon Johnson, enter Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth on Nov. 21, 1963. Mirrored wall with corner couch and Chinese wall hanging, Suite 850, Hotel Texas, prepared for President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, photographed on Nov. 19, 1963 A.D. Rials, assistant manager of Hotel Texas, in Suite 850 living room with maid, being prepared for visit by President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, Nov. 19, 1963 Friday, Nov. 22, 1963 Crowds outside Hotel Texas At 4 a.m., crowds begin to gather in the parking lot across from Hotel Texas to wait for the presidents early morning address. Kennedy crosses the street at 8:50 a.m. to speak at an outside rally until 9:05 a.m. Aerial of crowd waiting to hear John F. Kennedy speak outside Hotel Texas, now the Hilton. A flatbed truck moved in place as a temporary stage. Mounted sheriffs patrol did crowd control. Fort Worth, 11/22/1963 Crowd gathered outside Hotel Texas, now the Hilton, to hear John F. Kennedy speak, 11/22/1963 Crowds outside Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth, waiting to greet President John F. Kennedy, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy walking with group of men including, from left, Jim Wright, Don Kennard, Gov. John Connally, and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Fort Worth, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy shaking hands and speaking with the crowd outside Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy greets mounted sheriffs patrol and crowd control officers who are on horseback in front of Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth. The man in the hat is Sheriff Lon Evans. 11/22/1963 John F. Kennedy surrounded by crowd outside Hotel Texas, Fort Worth, 11/22/1963 John F. Kennedy shaking hands with crowds outside Hotel Texas, Fort Worth. 11/22/1963 John F. Kennedy surrounded by crowd outside Hotel Texas, Fort Worth, Nov. 22, 1963 John F. Kennedy speaking to crowd in front of Hotel Texas, Fort Worth. V.P. Lyndon B. Johnson to JFKs left and Texas Governor John Connally over JFKs left shoulder, Sen. Ralph Yarborough over right shoulder, and State Sen. Don Kennard to JFKs right, on morning of November 22, 1963. John F. Kennedy speaks to crowd outside Hotel Texas, Fort Worth. 11/22/1963 Chamber breakfast Just after 9 a.m., President Kennedy returns into the hotel and attends a breakfast sponsored by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. At 9:25 a.m., Jackie Kennedy appears in a pink suit and pillbox hat. People climb the lobby stairway at the Hotel Texas in downtown Fort Worth to attend the Chamber of Commerce breakfast for President John F. Kennedy and his party. 11/22/1963 The Hotel Texas ballroom at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast, where President John F. Kennedy was speaking. 11/22/1963 People climbing the lobby stairway at Hotel Texas to attend the breakfast for President John F. Kennedy and his party, 11/22/1963 Hotel Texas chefs preparing the breakfast for President John F. Kennedy and party, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy takes the podium at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce breakfast, Hotel Texas, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy and wife Jacqueline are escorted to seats at a table on the dais, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce breakfast, Hotel Texas, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy applauds his wife Jacqueline during introductions at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce breakfast, Hotel Texas, 11/22/1963 Motorcade to Carswell AFB After the breakfast, at 10:10 a.m., the Kennedys return to their Hotel Texas suite and prepare for the trip to Carswell Air Force Base. Their motorcade from the hotel passes through downtown Fort Worth along Main Street to the courthouse, then Belknap Street to Jacksboro Highway to River Oaks Boulevard. After greeting more crowds at Carswell, Air Force One takes off at 11:25 a.m. for Dallas Love Field. President John F. Kennedy signing an autograph with Jackie Kennedy at his left and Gov. John Connally in the motorcade limousine outside of Hotel Texas. The motorcade drove down Main Street on the way to Carswell Air Force Base. Nov. 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy with Gov. John Connally in the motorcade limousine outside of Hotel Texas. The motorcade drove down Main Street on the way to Carswell Air Force Base. Nov. 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedys motorcade progresses north along Main Street toward the Tarrant County Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth on its way to Carswell Air Force Base to fly to Dallas. Streets were decorated for the Christmas holidays, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedys motorcade driving down Main Street in downtown Fort Worth, on the way to Carswell AFB to fly to Dallas, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedys motorcade through Fort Worth on the way to Carswell AFB, with school children lining the street, 11/22/1963 Presidential motorcade driving through Fort Worth on the way to Carswell Air Force Base to fly to Love Field in Dallas; John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, and Gov. John Connally in the back seat. Nov. 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedys motorcade leaving Fort Worth along streets lined with school children from Castleberry Elementary School, Fort Worth, 11/22/1963 Fort Worth school children wait along River Oaks Boulevard for the motorcade with President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie on their way to Carswell AFB to fly to Dallas, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy with Jackie Kennedy signing autographs at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth on their way to Dallas Love Field. Nov. 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy signing autographs at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth on the way to Dallas Love Field. Nov. 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy signing autographs with Jackie Kennedy at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth on the way to Dallas Love Field. Nov. 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy holding hands with Jackie Kennedy during their visit to Fort Worth at Carswell Air Force Base on their way to Dallas Love Field. Nov. 22, 1963. President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie followed by bodyguard Clint Hill as they leave Carswell AFB for Dallas, 11/22/1963 President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy enter Air Force One to fly from Fort Worth to Dallas. JFK waves to crowd at Carswell Air Force Base. Nov. 22, 1963 Air Force One at Carswell Air Force Base, John F. Kennedys visit to Fort Worth, 11/21-22/1963 MORE: Check out more historic photo galleries from the Star-Telegram archives here. FILE PHOTO: The seal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seen at their headquarters in Washington, D.C. By Nell Mackenzie (Reuters) - Senate Republicans want the SEC to explain why staff are leaving the nation's corporate watchdog at the highest rate in 10 years amid a flurry of proposed rules, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Sunday. The private letter dated Oct. 27 from Senate Republicans to the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, adds to mounting criticism that the U.S. regulator lacks the internal firepower it needs to accomplish its ambitious rulemaking plans. Gensler, a veteran Wall Street regulator who was chosen by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has already clashed with Republicans over the watchdog's proposals on corporate climate-related disclosures. Gensler has previously contended that his new rules are critical to ensuring the U.S. capital markets remain the global "gold standard." Republicans have claimed he has overstepped his authority and adopted a hostile stance toward the financial industry. The SEC has introduced 26 new rule proposals in 2022, more than double the number in 2021 and the highest total of any year in the last five years, the Republican letter says. The letter, signed by six of the 12 Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee, references a public Oct. 13 report posted on the SEC's website from the Office of the Inspector General, the SEC's own internal watchdog, detailing staff attrition and reports of discontent. Republicans want Gensler to explain how he will address the concerns in the report and also to allow more time for industry feedback on the new rules. The SEC was not immediately available for comment. Employees interviewed for the internal watchdog report said they received little feedback on rules they had written, according to the report. Staff feared an increased risk of litigation because of shortened industry comment periods, the report said. The SEC is losing employees at its highest pace in 10 years, said the Inspector General's report. The agency expected attrition in senior officer positions to be 20.8% this fiscal year and 8.4% for attorney positions, it said. The letter concludes that "efforts to ram through hurried rulemaking without proper analysis, deliberation or consideration of downstream negative impacts is nothing short of regulatory malpractice." Senate Republicans Thom Tillis from North Carolina, Mike Crapo from Idaho, Tim Scott from South Carolina, Michael Rounds from South Dakota, Bill Hagerty from Tennessee and Steve Daines from Montana signed the letter. (Reporting by Nell Mackenzie; Additional reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) The conservative-majority Supreme Court on Monday appeared skeptical of affirmative action in higher education during arguments over race-conscious admissions policies at two prestigious universities. Over nearly five hours of oral argument, the justices posed sharp questions over admissions programs at the University of North Carolina (UNC) and Harvard University that consider the race of applicants as one of many criteria in order to achieve student body diversity. The courts majority appeared receptive to arguments by the conservative challengers, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), who argued that the schools had impermissibly weighed race in admissions decisions. What is your response to the simple argument that college admissions are a zero-sum game? Justice Samuel Alito asked an attorney for a group of students backing race-conscious admissions. And if you give a plus to a person who falls within the category of underrepresented minority but not to somebody else, youre disadvantaging the latter student? The cases heard Monday tee up the prospect that decades of affirmative action precedent could be overturned by the 6-3 conservative majority court, which last court term showed an extraordinary new willingness to scrap past rulings. A key question heading into Mondays arguments was how the affirmative action challenge would land with former President Trumps three nominees Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett none of whom have ruled on the issue as appellate judges. Those justices on Monday appeared to lean in favor of the conservative challengers, though it wasnt clear how broadly the courts newest members might be willing to rule. The courts three most senior conservatives Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas and Alito each of whom had opposed racial preferences in prior cases, seemed similarly wary of the colleges arguments. Some of the conservative justices at times seemed to be searching for a way to rule on relatively narrower grounds, for instance by heightening the requirements on schools to explore race-neutral means to reach their diversity goals. Some justices questioned whether eliminating admissions preferences for the children of alumni, donors or other connected applicants might be a step in this direction. Suppose the university could achieve, race-neutrally, all of its diversity objectives, if it just eliminated those preferences. Would strict scrutiny require it to do so? Gorsuch asked, posing a hypothetical question to an attorney representing UNC. Later, Kavanaugh asked a similar question about whether universities should be required to make these sort of sacrifices as part of their pursuit of race-neutral alternatives. The schools, for their part, contend that that they have explored such approaches and continue to do so but that no workable, race-neutral options are available. The courts three liberals, for their part, leaned in favor of the schools use of race-conscious admissions. Among them was Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the nations first female African American justice, who participated in the UNC case but recused from the Harvard dispute due to her recent role as a member of Harvards board of overseers. During a colloquy with the lawyer for SFFA, Jackson pushed back against the notion that schools should be allowed to consider a range of applicants identity markers like if they have veteran status or if they are disabled but not race. What Im worried about is that the rule that youre advocating, that in the context of a holistic review process, a university can take into account and value all of the other background and personal characteristics of other applicants, but they cant value race, she said to lawyer Patrick Strawbridge. What Im worried about is that that seems to me to have the potential of causing more of an equal protection problem than its actually solving, Jackson said, referring to the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause. SFFA, in its argument, urged the court to overrule its landmark 2003 decision in Grutter v. Bollinger, which permits colleges to diversify their student populations by using race as one part of a holistic assessment of individual applicants. The argument highlights a central concern in the cases: the degree to which the use of racial classifications to benefit minorities is compatible with the Equal Protection Clause in the UNC dispute, and with federal civil rights law in the case of Harvard. SFFA argues that any purported educational benefits that come from student body diversity a claim which it has called nebulous does not justify breaking with the principle of equal protection. Lawyers representing UNC and Harvard, student groups and the Biden administration, at turns, emphasized the real-world benefits of racial diversity on campus, from reducing stereotyping to enhancing cross-cultural engagement. The evidence and findings in this case confirm what this Court has long recognized: that a university student body comprising a multiplicity of backgrounds, experiences and interests vitally benefits our nation, lawyer Seth Waxman argued on behalf of Harvard. Stereotypes are broken down, prejudice is reduced and critical thinking and problem solving skills are improved. In its suit against Harvard, SFFA made an additional claim: that the schools admissions policy discriminates against Asian Americans. The group argued that Harvards subjective personal ratings scores have tended toward negative racial stereotypes, with the effect of making it harder for Asian Americans to be admitted compared to white applicants. Waxman at times appeared to struggle with the issue under tough questioning from Alito and Roberts. After Waxman conceded that race is sometimes determinative in admissions decisions, the chief justice pounced. Okay, so were talking about race as a determining factor in admission to Harvard, Roberts said. Race for some highly qualified applicants can be the determinative factor, just as being an oboe player in a year in which the Harvard-Radcliffe orchestra needs an oboe player will be the tip, Waxman replied. Yeah. We did not fight a civil war about oboe players, Roberts said. We did fight a civil war to eliminate racial discrimination, and thats why its a matter of considerable concern. And I think its important for you to establish whether or not granting a credit based solely on skin color is based on a stereotype when you say this brings diversity of viewpoint. SFFA in both lawsuits suffered defeat in the lower courts, where judges rejected its arguments based on Grutter and related cases, prompting their appeal to the Supreme Court. Decisions in the cases SFFA v. UNC and SFFA v. Harvard are expected by this summer. Updated at 5:08 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A double cheeseburger from Heavy Handed in Santa Monica. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) Here are my weekly recommendations on where to eat and what to order right now. Smash burgers and dipped cones from Heavy Handed I will never tire of a good cheeseburger. I dont discriminate when it comes to a properly cooked patty and melted cheese. There is a time and a place for a thick steakhouse burger, but I am partial to the smash burger, a ground beef patty smashed on a griddle and cooked until the edges approach a crispy meat lace. There are too many smash burgers in Los Angeles to count. I credit Burgers Never Say Die with starting the frenzy. They are still excellent. For the Win has been a consistent favorite. And the latest and greatest addition to the scene is Danny Gordon and Max Millers Heavy Handed. The two started as a driveway pop-up in March 2020, transitioned to a truck and recently opened their first bricks-and-mortar, a square, bright yellow walk-up on Main Street in Santa Monica. The Heavy Handed double cheeseburger is a two-patty stack made with a blend of short rib and chuck and American cheese. What sets these burgers apart from the pack is the onions, cooked down for two to three hours until they approach the consistency of jam. Along with the heavy sauce, a Thousand Island-inspired ketchup and mayo-based sauce with dill pickles made specifically for the condiment. And the bread-and-butter pickles, sweet and tangy hand-sliced cucumbers that are brined for months before they make it onto your burger. Its all the little details that compile a California burger," Gordon said. "We do things slowly and meticulously and in-house when possible. Chocolate dipped cones from Heavy Handed in Santa Monica. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) The burger is reason enough to visit, but Heavy Handed is also serving old school, chocolate-dipped vanilla soft serve swirled into flat-bottomed sugar cones. Our chocolate dip is from a supplier in the Midwest, so our biggest worry is sourcing at the moment, he said. Hopefully we have enough to last us a couple of months. Fingers crossed. Lunch at Coni'Seafood An order of camarones cucarachita from Coni'Seafood in Inglewood. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) Lunch at ConiSeafood is never just a single dish. Its a compilation of favorites, whittled down and expanded again over years of meals with friends and more than a few recommendations from the late great Jonathan Gold. When people ask for a restaurant thats emblematic of the best Los Angeles has to offer, this is often where I send them. The Nayarit-style seafood restaurant started in Vincent "Chente" Cossios backyard in the '80s. Its now run by his daughter, Connie, who continues to source seafood from Sinaloa and Nayarit for both the Inglewood and Del Rey restaurants. The ideal four-course lunch starts with an order of the camarones cucarachita. The petite shrimps are fried with their shells on, in a rust-red butter sauce laden with garlic. Theyre served swimming in the sauce and best eaten with your red-stained fingers. Next, create your own taco sampler with an order of the tacos de marlin (crisp tortillas folded around smoked fish and cheese reminiscent of a good tuna melt) and the tacos al gobernador (plump shrimp with sauteed vegetables and plenty of melted cheese). No meal is complete without an order of each. Pescado zarandeado at Coni'Seafood in Inglewood. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) And for the grand finale, the pescado zarandeado. The snook is butterflied and grilled with butter and soy sauce, handsomely splayed out on a large platter. As important as the fish itself is the bowl of caramelized onions served on the side, a salty, saucy condiment drenched in what tastes like soy or Maggi seasoning. The best lunches are spent on the back patio, scraping tender bits of charred fish from the bone, making tacos with the fresh corn tortillas and onions while chatting with friends. Malai broccoli from Delhi Belly The malai broccoli from Delhi Belly in Alhambra. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times) Chef Sagar Ghosh wanted a unique name for his Alhambra restaurant, something that would be memorable and not easily confused with any other Indian restaurant around town. "Lots of people already have tandoor or tandoori in their name, so I didn't want to do that," he said. "Delhi is the capital of India, and everyone has a belly, so I went with that." The chef, who is originally from Kolkata, also wanted to devote a section of the menu to what he calls "clay oven delicacies," or dishes cooked in the tandoor oven he sourced from home. He's cooking everything from slabs of paneer to lamb chops, pineapple and Cornish hen in the oven, but the most memorable was the Malai broccoli, a plate of charred florets coated in a creamy, tangy sauce laced with cardamom and white pepper. "There is no recipe in India called Malai broccoli," he said. "Malai is a generic term that can mean creamy, but when you make homemade yogurt, it's that small creamy layer on the top." Ghosh strains and hangs his yogurt for two days to remove any excess liquid, then adds mascarpone cheese, labneh and lemon juice. He blanches his broccoli then coats the vegetable in the yogurt mixture, skewers them and cooks them in the hot oven until tender and charred. The marinade ends up clinging to the broccoli, creating pockets of the thick yogurt cheese sauce in between the florets. The treatment is enough to make the Malai broccoli the star of the table, a dish I'd happily eat as an entree with a side of garlic naan. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in his fight to prevent a U.S. House of Representatives committee from gaining access to his tax returns for reasons he claims are politically motivated. Trump filed an emergency request to put on hold a lower court ruling against the Republican former president that upheld the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee's request for the tax materials as a justified part of its legislative work while his attorneys prepare an appeal. "If allowed to stand, it will undermine the separation of powers and render the office of the Presidency vulnerable to invasive information demands from political opponents in the legislative branch," Trump's lawyers wrote, referring to the division of authority among the three branches of the U.S. government. The fight has lingered since 2019 when the committee sued Trump to force disclosure of the tax returns. Trump was the first president in four decades years not to release his tax returns as he aimed to keep secret the details of his wealth and the activities of his company, the Trump Organization. The committee in its request invoked a federal law that empowers the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee to request any person's tax returns from the IRS. House Democrats have said they need Trump's tax returns to see if the IRS is properly auditing presidential returns and to assess whether new legislation is needed. Trump's lawyers have called that explanation "pretextual" and "disingenuous," saying the real aim is to unearth politically damaging information about Trump, who is considering another run for the presidency in 2024. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, sided with Congress in December 2021 and threw out the case, finding that the committee holds broad authority over a former president's tax returns. In August, the District of Columbia U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled against Trump, concluding that "every president takes office knowing that he will be subject to the same laws as all other citizens upon leaving office." The appeals court refused a rehearing on Oct. 27. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in Washington and Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Will Dunham) Rishi Sunak could U-turn on his decision to skip a crunch climate summit if he feels sufficient progress has been made in planning for his highly anticipated autumn budget, No 10 has confirmed. The Prime Minister last week insisted he must focus on the depressing domestic challenges rather than go to the Cop27 conference in Egypt, drawing widespread criticism, including from within the Tory ranks. But following reports this could change, No 10 confirmed on Monday that the position was under review. The PMs official spokesman said Mr Sunaks attendance in Sharm El-Sheikh was dependent on preparations for the autumn budget, due on November 17. Rishi Sunak at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow in 2021 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) As weve said, the Prime Minister is focused on pressing domestic issues, most significantly preparing for the autumn statement, so any attendance at Cop would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing, he said. The Prime Minister fully recognises the importance of the Cop summit and is fully committed to addressing climate change. The spokesman said the PM believes the public would rightly want him to focus on issues at home, particularly on restoring fiscal credibility and delivering a budget that works for the British people. As substantial progress is being made on that, he said the position on Cop27 is being kept under review. Downing Street also suggested the public judges the Government on outcomes, not vibes, when grilled on the Cop26 President and climate minister losing their seats around the Cabinet table. Cop26 President Alok Sharma has been stripped of his Cabinet seat (Victoria Jones/PA) I think, frankly, the public dont judge us on the sort of vibes, I think they judge us on our outcomes, the PMs spokesman said. Parliaments cross-party environment group wrote to the Prime Minister on Monday, calling on him to attend the summit in Egypt. The group, which includes backbench Conservative MPs, urged Mr Sunak to join other world leaders and demonstrate global leadership on climate and nature both at Cop27 and the Cop15 biodiversity summit in Montreal. They added: We hope that, as Prime Minister, you will use your power to support environmental politics which improve the economy whilst enhancing the environment at home and abroad. The decisions your Government takes will have a noticeable impact on the lives of people across the country, and indeed our entire planet, for generations to come. Friends of the Earth said Mr Sunak was right to review his position but insisted showing up is not enough. The Prime Minister is right to reconsider his decision not to attend the climate summit, energy campaigner Tony Bosworth said. If Rishi Sunak wants to be taken seriously on this issue, he should attend these vital talks. But showing up is not enough Sunaks Government must do far more to demonstrate its commitment to building a fossil fuel-free future. The Green Party also called on Mr Sunak to show global leadership by making the trip to Egypt, warning this years talks are more important than ever. The UN says that only an urgent transformation of society and our economy can avoid disastrous climate impacts, co-leader Adrian Ramsay said. If our Government rises to this challenge, we can show global leadership and create a better society at the same time. The Governments climate tsar Alok Sharma had said he was disappointed by the decision not to attend the Cop27 summit, while Tory former chancellor George Osborne asked why Mr Sunak would trash the partys record on the environment. With US President Joe Biden expected to attend, and reports suggesting Mr Sunaks arch-rival Boris Johnson could also go, the Prime Minister will now review his own plans. US President Joe Biden is expected to attend Cop27 (Toby Melville/PA) Earlier, Government minister Mark Spencer told LBC the possibility of Mr Johnson going was not a consideration for the PM, who will be looking at how much hes got in his inbox. But I think the fact that Boris is thinking of going is a demonstration of how seriously the Conservative Party and the Conservative Government takes these things, he added. Mr Spencer told Sky News he would like to see the Prime Minister go to Cop27 if hes got time but hell make that call and Im sure itll be the right one. Labour accused Mr Sunak of dithering over the issue, claiming that if he does make the trip, it will be to avoid embarrassment rather than to provide leadership. Shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband said: Last Friday his Environment Secretary said Rishi Sunak wasnt going because Cop27 wasnt a big summit. Now after a storm of criticism, her deputy says he might go if he can find the time. A dithering Prime Minister who cannot even decide whether he is going to a major environmental summit cannot provide the leadership our country needs. Whats clear now is that if he turns up, it wont be to provide leadership but to avoid embarrassment. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak heads into his first full week in office with pressure mounting over his Cop27 snub and reappointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary. He is considering a U-turn on his decision not to attend the United Nations climate conference in Egypt next week, according to reports. His earlier insistence that he must focus on the depressing domestic challenges rather than go to the summit sparked a backlash in the Tory ranks. The Governments climate tsar Alok Sharma said he was disappointed by the move, while Tory former chancellor George Osborne asked why Mr Sunak would trash the partys record on the environment. Questions about Ms Bravermans return to the Home Office, six days after she was forced out, also continue to dog the Prime Minister. A leaked email threw fresh doubts over the Home Secretarys claim that she rapidly reported her mistake in sending a sensitive document to a Tory backbencher and parliamentary staffer from a personal account without permission. Home Secretary Suella Bravermans conduct is under intense scrutiny (Victoria Jones/PA) The email, obtained by the BBC, appeared to contradict her timeline, as Ms Braverman asked the recipient to ignore and delete her original message several hours after it was sent. Mr Sunak has resisted calls for an inquiry into the matter as Labour prepares to force the Government in Parliament to release risk assessments of the breach. The Government is also facing demands for a probe into another security issue, amid reports that former PM Liz Trusss phone was hacked by Russian agents. Ms Braverman has also come under scrutiny for her handling of worsening conditions at the Manston asylum processing centre in Kent, where alleged overcrowding only intensified as 700 people were moved from a Dover migrant centre that was firebombed. She is considering housing migrants in hotels alongside the public instead of reserving entire hotels, in a bid to relieve overcrowding, the Telegraph reported. Ms Braverman allegedly failed to heed legal advice that migrants were being detained at the facility for unlawfully long periods, the Sunday Times reported. But Cabinet colleague Michael Gove rejected claims she ignored any advice and defended her as a first-rate, front-rank politician. People arriving at the Manston facility in Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) Mr Gove also urged people to judge the Government by our actions on the environment rather than Cop27 attendance. But Lord Deben, chairman of the Climate Change Committee, warned the UKs bid to tackle emissions was off track. The peer told the Independent it would be very valuable for Mr Sunak to go to the climate summit. Allies of the Prime Minister indicated he might go after all, the Financial Times and i reported. The sources said that while dealing with the economic crisis is his priority, he could go to Egypt if enough progress is made on preparing the November 17 budget, according to the newspapers. Downing Street has been contacted for comment. Mr Sharma, the outgoing Cop26 president who was recently demoted from Cabinet, told the Sunday Times he was pretty disappointed that the Prime Minister is not going, saying attendance would send a signal about the UKs renewed commitment on this issue. Mr Osborne said Mr Sunak had mishandled the situation. Touting the Tories environmental record, the ex-chancellor told Channel 4s The Andrew Neil Show: Why trash that because you dont want to get on a plane to Egypt? Speculation that Boris Johnson, Mr Sunaks predecessor at No 10, could go to the UN conference has increased pressure on the Prime Minister. It added to a wider dispute over UK representation, after the King was advised by Downing Street not to attend the Sharm El-Sheikh summit. Charles will host a reception for 200 guests, including US climate envoy John Kerry, at Buckingham Palace on Friday to mark the climate conference, with Mr Sunak due to say a few words. ISLAMABAD, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's southwestern Gwadar district will be a hub of trade and investment in the future thanks to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Director-General of Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Mujeeb Ur Rehman Qambrani said on Monday. Addressing a special session on "Gwadar and the Road to Sustainable Development" organized by the Islamabad-based think tank Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Qambrani said that the master plan of Gwadar smart port city envisions the development of an industrial base which will not only create a lot of employment opportunities but also promote tourism in the area. The master plan is inspired by China's city of Shenzhen and the GDA is vigorously executing it for timely delivery, he said, adding that the master plan was finalized after collaboration between Pakistani, Chinese, and other stakeholders. He said that Gwadar international airport being constructed with cooperation from China will be functional in 2023 and will enhance the development process of the district. Hassan Daud Butt, senior advisor at the China Study Center of the think-tank, said that Pakistan-China cooperation on the CPEC and combating COVID-19 has transformed Pakistan's technological pace. "China is building an enabling environment for business and economic opportunities in our country. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves to capture the opportunity," he added. Also speaking at the event, Sajid Amin, deputy executive director at the SDPI, said that the development sector and civil society organizations can play a pivotal role as knowledge partners and in the advocacy of the immense socio-economic potential of Gwadar. Home Secretary Suella Braverman will face MPs in the Commons on Monday to be questioned over the problems at the Manston migrant processing centre. As the Channel crossings crisis deepens and the number of arrivals continues to grow, concerns about the site in Kent have been propelled into the spotlight as the Home Office came under fire amid criticism of overcrowding and poor conditions. What is the Manston migrant processing centre? The Manston short-term holding facility, on a disused airfield near Ramsgate in Kent, opened in January and used to be the Ministry of Defence (MoD) fire, training and development centre. It is now where security and identity checks are carried out on migrants after they arrive in the UK having crossed the Channel. Detainees are only meant to be held there for a maximum of 24 hours before they are moved onto longer-term accommodation, which is currently hotels. The site at Manston has been described as outstripping capacity (Gareth Fuller/PA) When the plan was first announced last year, the Home Office initially said the secure site would be used to hold migrants for up to five days. At the time then immigration minister Tom Pursglove said the site would provide safe and secure accommodation while initial checks are carried out. What concerns have been raised about the site? Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale described the overcrowding at the facility in his North Thanet constituency as wholly unacceptable and suggested it may have been allowed to happen deliberately. Last week the scale of the problems were laid bare by an immigration watchdog who warned the facility had already passed the point of being unsafe. Chief inspector of borders and immigration David Neal told the Commons Home Affairs Committee he was left speechless by the conditions he saw at the centre, prompting him to write to the home secretary with his concerns. He said the site was already outstripping capacity by at least 1,000 people and described the pretty wretched conditions, which included families having to sleep on the floor in marquees for over a month, adding that it was a really dangerous situation. The revelations prompted charity the Refugee Council to call for urgent action and asked to meet with ministers to discuss proposals for tackling the problems. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to render Channel crossings completely unviable (Victoria Jones/PA) The Sunday Times reported Ms Braverman had been accused of failing to act on legal advice received at least three weeks ago which warned migrants were being detained for unlawfully long periods claims which were dismissed by the Home Office as baseless. The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to publish the legal advice reportedly ignored by Ms Braverman. What is the Government doing to tackle the Channel crossings crisis? So far this year close to 40,000 people have made the treacherous journey from France, crossing the worlds busiest shipping lanes in dinghies and other small boats, provisional Government figures show. The growing numbers are still a fraction of the volume of people going to mainland Europe. But the UK figures are also far higher than in 2021, when 28,526 made the journey. The Government has stressed there is no silver bullet to tackling the migrant crisis. Asked when new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was going to get a grip on the situation, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: I think all ministers involved have been clear that this is a very difficult, longstanding problem. We do have a package of measures, everything from the Rwanda deal down to what we are doing stopping around 28,000 crossings with French colleagues, and changing the laws to make it easier to crack down on the criminal gangs that are exploiting people. We do want to proceed with the Rwanda policy, which we believe will have a significant deterrent effect. But there is a great deal of work that needs to be done across the board before we make further progress. Mr Sunak and Emmanuel Macron also pledged to deepening the partnership between the UK and France in a bid to render Channel crossings completely unviable during their first phone call together. LONDON (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin's foreign minister on Sunday needled Joe Biden over Ukraine, saying that he hoped the U.S. president had the wisdom to deal with a global confrontation similar to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cuban crisis when the Soviet Union and United States came close to nuclear war. Then-U.S. President John Kennedy discovered that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had deployed nuclear missiles on Cuba after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion - a U.S.-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Communist rule that was thwarted by Cuba - and the U.S. deployment of missiles in Italy and Turkey. In an interview for a Russian state television documentary on the missile crisis, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there were similarities to 1962, largely because Russia was now threatened by Western weapons in Ukraine. "I hope that in today's situation, President Joe Biden will have more opportunities to understand who gives orders and how," Lavrov said. "This situation is very disturbing." "The difference is that in the distant 1962, Khrushchev and Kennedy found the strength to show responsibility and wisdom, and now we do not see such readiness on the part of Washington and its satellites," Lavrov said. A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council declined to comment on Lavrov's statements but pointed to past comments about keeping lines of communication open with Moscow. The top U.S. and Russian generals held talks by phone on Monday for the first time since May, a day after the U.S. and Russian defense ministers spoke for second time in three days after not speaking since May. On Oct. 27, 1962, the world came close to nuclear war when a Soviet submarine captain wanted to launch a nuclear weapon after the U.S. Navy dropped depth charges around the submarine. Later that day, Kennedy secretly agreed to remove all missiles in Turkey in exchange for Khrushchev removing all missiles in Cuba. The crisis was diffused, though it became a symbol of the perils of superpower rivalry in the Cold War. President Vladimir Putin cites the West's dismissal of Russian concerns about the security of post-Soviet Europe, and in particular the enlargement of the NATO military alliance eastwards, as one of the causes of the conflict. The United States and its European allies say Russian concerns are overblown and cannot justify the invasion of a former Soviet neighbour whose borders Moscow recognised after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine says it will fight until it has ejected every Russian from its territory, casting Russia's big power diplomacy as a sham used to distract from an imperial-style land grab that Kyiv says is doomed. Asked what Russia should do now in the current crisis, Lavrov said: "The readiness of Russia, including President Vladimir Putin, for negotiations remains unchanged." Read more: FACTBOX-What is known about the drone attack on Crimea? ANALYSIS-What is Russia's policy on tactical nuclear weapons? (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Wilmington, Del.; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Lisa Shumaker) YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. US President Joe Biden congratulated Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his victory in the presidential election of Brazil held on October 30, the White House said. I send my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections. I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead, Biden said in a statement. Brazil held its presidential election runoff on October 30. Leader of the Workers Party Lula da Silva received 50.9% of the vote with 99.99% of ballots counted, while his main rival, conservative Jair Bolsonaro, garnered 49.1%, TASS reported. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. In 2023 the government of Armenia plans to ensure significant improvement in state debt towards the GDP, Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan said during the joint session of the parliamentary standing committees dedicated to the debate of the 2023 state budget draft. The more the debt and the debt servicing are in a reliable environment, the more all our tasks in the medium term could be fulfilled with the volumes that are planned with a greater guarantee. We know that there are many uncertainties, and the environment of this year is the evidence of it. We must take into account all potential developments in order to manage the debt in a way so that they do not create risks for the governments actions in the medium term, the minister said. He reminded that in 2021 the state debt against GDP was at a very high level, comprising 60.3%. During the period of the governments action plan, we must do so that this figure is not higher than 50% of GDP, he added. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. Ethnic Armenian lawmaker of the Turkish Parliament Garo Paylan sees a window of opportunities for the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. Speaking to ARMENPRESS, Garo Paylan said they are very close to the normalization of the relations, but noted that Armenians do not believe that the relations will normalize and the borders will open. He said Armenians have prejudices which are understandable. We saw, faced many things in the past two years, Turkey is responsible for the traumas of Armenians. We have faced many things for 100 years. Therefore, these prejudices are understandable, but Turkey as well has learned lessons from the experiences of these two years. The government of Turkey believed that it could have power in Caucasus through war, but it saw that it did not happen. Russia and other big countries have greater power in Caucasus now. I make efforts to convince the Turkish government that all countries could jointly benefit through peace. Both Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan can use peace. For this purpose, the borders need to be opened. Of course, Turkey and Armenia have problems. But if your border with the neighbor is closed, how can you solve the problems? Secondly, the people of Turkey do not know the people of Armenia. The people of Armenia know more the Turkish people, but the people of Turkey do not know the Armenian people. Therefore, the border should be opened, the economic, cultural and diplomatic relations should start. The opening of the border doesnt suppose that all problems are resolved, Turkey and Greece have also problems, but the border is open, trade is taking place, they have ambassadors, diplomatic and cultural relations. Of course, there are problems, problems with neighbors could always exist, but the opening of the borders, the establishment of relations are the most important, after that we again must fight for the problems to be solved, he said. Commenting on the question whether the Turkish society wants to see normalization of the relations with Armenia, Garo Paylan said: For hundred years Turkish nationalists have been presenting Armenians as enemies inside Turkey, in Turkish schools. Generations have been grown up in this way. Lawmakers approach me in the parliament and say: You know, Garo, I was taught that Armenians are an enemy, but you are not such a person, you are like us. Because they do not know Armenians. When we start talking, people will see that we are sorry for the same things, we are happy for the same things, we eat the same things and we dance the same way. We, the Armenians of Turkey, cannot be enemies as we have lived together for hundreds of years and again can live together. We can say this is a dream. But this is a necessity, the ethnic Armenian MP of the Turkish parliament said. He also commented on the fact that Turkey links the normalization with Armenia with the ongoing negotiation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Paylan said Turkey wants Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a peace treaty. He said putting preconditions is not good, but added that that is Turkeys intention. Within Turkey Erdogan has formed an alliance with nationalists, there is a nationalist environment in the country, and Azerbaijan is exerting pressure on Turkey. But I also make efforts to convince my party to make effort for a fair peace. Peace is a necessity, but we need to build the dream of stable peace. If peace is not fair, it will not be stable. We need to build a fair peace, he said. YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia plans to purchase 49 firefighting vehicles in 2023 for the 15 units of the Rescue Service, First Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Artyush Grigoryan said during the debate of the 2023 state budget draft at the joint session of parliamentary standing committees. The cost of the project is 3 billion 740 million drams, he said. A bench of Justices S K Kaul and Abhay S Oka tagged the petition filed by former Major General S G Vombatkere with a similar pending matter New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a plea challenging the Centre's decision that enables linking electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem. A bench of Justices S K Kaul and Abhay S Oka tagged the petition filed by former Major General S G Vombatkere with a similar pending matter. "Petitioner has drawn attention to 2019 Aadhaar judgment to contend that only if some benefit is sought to be conferred then Aadhaar can be mandatory but not to deny rights, and the right to vote is the highest of such rights. "Two other petitions have also been filed by him and there may be some overlapping. Thus, this requires tagging. Tag this petition with that matter," the bench said. Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that right to vote is one of the most sacred rights and it should not be denied if an individual lacks Aadhaar. The Centre had earlier amended the Registration of Electors Rules to allow linking Aadhaar details with a voters list to weed out duplicate entries and make election law gender neutral for service voters. Florida Board of Medicine Legislative Committee Votes to Ban Harmful Procedures for Gender-Confused Minors NEWS PROVIDED BY Oct. 31, 2022 ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 31, 2022 / Christian Newswire / -- The Florida Board of Medicine Legislative Committee approved a rule on Friday that would prohibit minors from receiving puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and mutilating surgery to remove healthy male or female organs. Minors currently taking puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones would be allowed to continue if they were part of an Institutional Review Board approved clinical trial at a university affiliated center. Florida Board of Medicine Member Nicholas Romanello proposed the rule, citing that the risks of these procedures outweigh the benefits as well as the lack of consistent, reliable, scientific peer reviewed evidence concerning efficacy and safety. The rule will move forward with subsequent meetings to the Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine for final approval. During the public comment period, several people shared their "de-transitioning" experiences and noted the irreversible effects of these procedures. One pregnant woman shared, "After nearly four years of being on testosterone, I decided to de-transition and accept my womanhood. My mental health improved exponentially. Three years later my menstrual cycle has still been irregular. I still have to shave my face daily and I struggle with hormonal acne." Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said in an interview, "The media, the talking points they have, is that everyone agrees, it always works and this is the standard of care. Meanwhile a lot of doctors don't agree with it and are afraid to speak. Countries in Europe like Sweden don't provide this care anymore for children outside of a research setting because they've seen outcomes that are harmful and there's really no medical standard here because it is totally experimental. How can giving puberty blockers to children who require hormones because their bodies are changing or removing their sex organs, how can that not be experimental? Of course it's experimental. So that's something...the Department of Health put forth to the Board of Medicine to consider for some rulemaking and basically, they're still in that process. But they're moving forward toward stopping these procedures in children, which is totally appropriate. That is the right thing to do for the health of children." "When the evidence is unclear, I'll say it's unclear. And I won't say that these therapies help people when unfortunately the research isn't there. These are low quality studies that people cite as being definitive evidence, and they're not definitive evidence. And it's terrible they are taking advantage of the fact that most people don't have the training to be able to decipher the difference," Ladapo said. Dr. Ladapo earned his M.D. at Harvard Medical School and a Ph.D. in Health Policy at Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and has been published in many journals and had five research grants from the National Institute of Health doing cardiovascular disease. "This is a parallel to the COVID vaccines in this country. If you only listen to the media in this country, you would think it is normal for people to recommend these vaccines for babies, toddlers, for children, for young adults. If you only listen to the media in this country, you'd think it's normal for you to provide puberty blockers to children, to provide 'sex reassignment' surgeries to children who have a diagnosis of transgender. Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, most of Europe are not pushing COVID-19 vaccines on children. They're not even recommending them. Not pushing them on young adults. In the transgender area, backing off from providing this as routine care because they have been doing it longer than we have. There's literally reports from governmental health organizations in Europe such as Sweden...where they basically say they can no longer recommend this as part of routine care because it's not clear that the benefits outweigh the risks," said Ladapo. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost. SOURCE Liberty Counsel CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org by Nirmala Carvalho Search and rescue operations continue in the town of Morbi. The bridge had been closed for maintenance work and was reopened a few days ago. The Catholic Church is in the front line in providing aid. The local archbishop, Msgr. Thomas Macwan: "Even in this tragedy we will be witnesses of God's love through our apostolate of service". Morbi (AsiaNews) - At least 141 people were killed when a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Machchu River collapsed last night in the city of Morbi, western Gujarat State. The bridge had been reopened a few days ago after being repaired. Meanwhile, search operations continue for those missing in the river. Rescuers have so far rescued 177 people. Fr. Johnson Kadaparambil, pastor of St Mary's Church in Morbi, told AsiaNews: "The bridge is about three kilometres from our church. The parish is carrying out a preliminary investigation, identifying the people involved in the tragedy, although it is very difficult to reach the spot where the accident occurred, but we are helping the families of the victims'. According to reports, several people were marching on the bridge for the Hindu festivities of Diwali and Chhath Puja. The bridge, which is over a century old, is a well-known tourist attraction in India and had been closed in March this year for maintenance work, but had apparently not yet received a certificate of fitness from the municipality when it was reopened on 26 October. This is not the first time Morbi has been hit by tragedy: in 1979 a dam collapsed and flooded the town, while in 2001 an earthquake killed over 12,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes. "I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in this disaster, so many people have lost their lives, families have lost their loved ones, everyone has lost a son, a daughter, a mother or a father. There is so much suffering, it is a terrible accident. It should never have happened,' said Msgr Thomas Macwan, Archbishop of Gandhinagar. "I offer my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and injured, and pray that God's consolation will strengthen them in their grief." The Church in Gujarat has always intervened in relief operations in times of disasters and calamities by sending its own personnel. "Christians are 0.5 per cent of the population in Gujarat and Catholics 0.25 per cent, but the Catholic Church has always been in the front line, without discrimination of caste or creed. Even in this tragedy, we will be witnesses of God's love through our apostolate of service," the archbishop added. by Vladimir Rozanskij The biggest push comes from Uzbek President Mirziyoyev. Security, Afghanistan and rights at the centre of the meeting between Central Asian and EU leaders. Tashkent proposes the creation of an economic cooperation committee between the two regions. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The President of Uzbekistan Savkat Mirziyoyev has spoken at the summit in Kazakhstan between the European Union and Central Asia, calling for a focus on greater integration between the two areas: "The regional and global situation has changed radically, today we need more active support from European partners for the integration processes in Central Asia". He proposed considering the joint approval of a wide-ranging policy document, a 'travel charter' to accelerate the implementation of common strategies. Mirziyoyev also insisted on coordinating the actions of the special services and security control bodies of Central Asia and Europe in order to exchange information for a joint fight against the many contemporary threats. Speaking specifically about the situation in Afghanistan, the Uzbek President expressed his concern about the worsening humanitarian conditions in that country during the winter period, and called on the entire international community to help the Afghan people. Another point touched on in the report concerns economic relations between Uzbekistan and the EU, proposing the formation of a 'European Union - Central Asia' economic cooperation committee at the level of the deputy prime ministers of all the governments involved. Uzbekistan 'is planning to broaden the measures affected by the many changes', speaking firstly of 'the absolute priority of legality, the all-round support of civil society institutions, the guarantee of people's rights and gender equality, freedom of speech and the assertion of one's beliefs'. The summit in this format was held for the first time, and was attended by the leaders of all the countries involved (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with representatives from Azerbaijan and Afghanistan also present), along with European Council President Charles Michel. On the eve of the meeting, four international humanitarian associations had approached Michel with the request to submit 'critical issues' in the sphere of human rights to the conference, especially with the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. On 26-27 September, the joint meeting took place in Astana; on 28 October, Michel travelled to Tashkent, where he and Mirziyoyev confirmed the commitments announced at the meeting with the other leaders of the region. by Mathias Hariyadi The Holy See chose an indigenous clergyman to replace 78-year-old Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar. Bishop You has always supported Indonesias national unity. Born in Uwebuta, he followed his priestly vocation from a very young age. Jayapura (AsiaNews) Pope Francis announced on Saturday the appointment of Fr Yanuarius Teofilus Matopai You, an indigenous priest from Painai, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Jayapura, Papua province, Indonesias easternmost territory. His predecessor, Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar, now 78 years old, had repeatedly expressed hope of retiring after leading the diocese for 28 years. Jayapura has been the scene of clashes between Indonesian security forces and pro-independence indigenous groups. The Holy See has chosen an indigenous man, but one who supports Indonesian unity. According to Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke, this is "the best choice" because "the bishop-elect is indeed a nationalist figure. Born in Uwebuta, Bishop You grew up in a Catholic family and expressed the desire of becoming a priest from an early age, after he realised that children in his village did not have access to the teachings of the Church due to the lack of priests in the region. As the eldest son he was pushed by his parents to marry, but "I was already interested in becoming a priest during my childhood years, the new prelate explained. I have always been motivated to be faithful to my priestly vocation until my last breath," he said in 2016 during the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of his priesthood. Bishop You is a senior native Papuan priest, widely respected by his fellow priests, indigenous or not, said Fr Istata, who has worked in Papua for 11 years. by Chiara Zappa A 2,300 seat place of worship inaugurated last year with a statue of Our Lady to whom it is dedicated. The Pontiff will hold an ecumenical meeting and prayer for peace during his trip to the Gulf. Its construction was the fruit of the mission of Mgr Ballin, vicar apostolic who died in 2020. Milan (AsiaNews) - At least 2,300 seats, a chapel housing the statue of Our Lady patroness of the Arabian Peninsula and, all around, the desert. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, inaugurated a year ago just a few kilometres from Bahrain's capital Manama, will be one of the most significant stops on Pope Francis' apostolic journey to the small Persian Gulf archipelago, which kicks off on November 3. The ecumenical meeting and prayer for peace, scheduled for the following day, will be held in the large cathedral built on land donated by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the Awali area, where many of the migrant workers employed in the local oil refineries live. In fact expatriates make up more than half of Bahrain's 1.5 million inhabitants. From abroad - India and the Philippines, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and almost everywhere in the Middle East - also come the vast majority of Christians, about 15% of the population, of all denominations: from Greek Orthodox to Syriacs, from Latin Catholics to Copts, from Anglicans to Syro-Malabars. A multifaceted people bearing witness to their faith in Jesus in these lands where, despite the need to adapt to a largely Muslim context, the Church is experimenting with new ways of presence and paths of dialogue, even with the local authorities. The Awali Cathedral, the largest in the Persian Gulf, is tangible proof of this. Devotion to Our Lady of Arabia was born on 8 December 1948, the day of the dedication of a small chapel in Kuwait to which a statue of Mary holding the baby Jesus in her arms and a rosary in her hands was brought, blessed in the Vatican by Pius XII. In 1957, a decree by the same pontiff proclaimed Our Lady of Arabia patroness of the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait. A devotion cultivated with passion by Msgr. Camillo Ballin, a Comboni priest from Veneto who was appointed Vicar of Kuwait in 2005 and first Vicar of the newly formed circumscription of Northern Arabia in 2011, which also includes Qatar, the Saudi kingdom and precisely Bahrain, to which his Episcopal See was moved that year. This missionary, a profound connoisseur of the region who died prematurely in 2020, had asked the Holy See to establish a feast day for Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Arabia. The solemnity was established in 2011, on the Saturday preceding the second Sunday of Ordinary Time, with the exceptional permission to celebrate it also on Sundays. In Bahrain (where the first church in the Persian Gulf opened in 1939) Monsignor Ballin received citizenship and was appointed a member of the Centre for Peaceful Coexistence founded by the king. The bishop had also pursued cooperation with the authorities on the construction of a new church: it is precisely from this patient weaving of relations that the construction of the new Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia originated, which was inaugurated last December by Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the sovereign's representative, in the presence of, among others, Card. Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. Archbishop Ballin did not make it in time to attend that historic day, but today the pope's trip to Bahrain, which the Combonian had dreamed of for years, will also represent the crowning of his long and intense missionary work. Today's headlines: over 170 civilians were killed by the Taliban in Panjshir in one year; Storm claims 98 lives in the Philippines; Anti-Covid measures are back in Macao, although electronic visas will be valid from tomorrow; The EU is considering whether to include Iranian Revolutionary Guards on list of terrorist organisations; Russia suspends the Festival of Magic. SOUTH KOREA The death toll from the stampede during Halloween celebrations in Seoul's Itaewon district has risen to 154 with 149 injured. Among the dead were citizens of several countries. Dozens of people went to pay their respects to the victims near the scene of the accident. Several citizens blamed the authorities for poor controls. AFGHANISTAN Various sources confirmed that in one year, 172 civilians were killed in the Panshjir region, where resistance to the Taliban regime is concentrated. There have been several clashes since September last year; among the victims are also minors who had no connection to the resistance. The Taliban spokesman denies that civilians were killed and that if it was done by mistake, the government will launch an investigation. PHILIPPINES Storm Nalgae has claimed 98 lives in the Philippines. This was announced today by the national disaster agency, which said there is no chance of finding the 63 missing. The island of Mindanao is less frequently affected by extreme events, but these are usually more deadly. Nalgae flooded villages, destroyed crops and interrupted electricity in many regions as it swept across the country. MACAO China reimposed anti-Covid measures in Macau, including the closure of the well-known MGM Cotai casino after several new coronavirus cases were detected over the weekend. In the meantime, however, travel restrictions to the former Portuguese colony have been lifted: from tomorrow it will be possible to travel there from mainland China with an electronic visa. KAZAKHSTAN The Ministry of Labour in Astana has released statistical data on the influx of labour migrants from foreign countries into Kazakhstan, which overall exceeds 15,000 people, including 3,539 from China, 1,801 from India, 1,707 from Turkey, 1,487 from Uzbekistan, and even 1,125 from Great Britain. RUSSIA In the Russian city of Perm, the Festival of Magic, scheduled for Halloween Eve, was suspended due to an "armed terrorist attack" against the esoteric workshop that was preparing the event. It was to gather 'Taro masters and shamans' from all over the world, including Peru, and had received harsh criticism from 'patriotic' journalists. EU - IRAN Germany and the European Union are considering whether to classify the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said this yesterday. Her comment comes after the Iranian Pasdaran announced to intensify its repression against protesters. by Sumon Corraya The annual event brought together Catholics from all over the country who joined in the procession, Masses, Eucharistic adoration, and the Way of the Cross. A solemn Mass celebrated by the vicar of Dhaka concluded the gathering. Through their devotion to Mary, the faithful ask for support in tackling lifes hardships, from illness to unemployment. Sherpur (AsiaNews) Tens of thousands of Catholics, at least 30,000 according to some estimates, took part last Friday in the annual pilgrimage to the shrine dedicated to Mary, Queen of Fatima, in Baromari, a parish in the Diocese of Mymensingh, Sherpur district, northern Bangladesh. The faithful gathered a day earlier to participate in the Eucharistic adoration, the Way of the Cross, and the rosary recited during a candlelit procession on the hills surrounding the Marian site. The event, which ended with a solemn Mass celebrated by Fr Gabriel Corraya, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Dhaka, drew pilgrims from across the country who came to pay homage to Our Lady and ask for her help and protection. The Marian shrine was built in 1997 in response to John Paul II's call for pilgrimages of faith ahead of the 2000 Jubilee. It is located near St Leos Church in Baromari, which dates back to 1942. The Diocese of Mymensingh has about 85,000 members divided among 18 parishes. I have come here to express my gratitude to Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, because one of my manot (prayer) was fulfilled, said Lina Sangma, a tribal Garo from Bhatikeshore, a parish in Mymensingh. Regular medicines did not cure her health problem, but praying worked a miracle, she told AsiaNews. Sumita Mree, from Noulakiri parish, too regularly recites the rosary in the family" and, for this reason, has received "many blessings from Mary and Jesus, who protected us" from Covid and Dengue and "today we are here to thank them and pay homage to God" as well as praying "for our children". Khakon Cruze, from Dhaka, lost his job during the pandemic and has faced hardship ever since. Hence, I am here, he said, to ask for the grace of a job". These stories are but a few examples why thousands of pilgrims have come to the shrine to pray. For the vicar general of Dhaka, the spirit of the initiative and the desire to bear witness to Christ are what counts. The teachings of Jesus and Mary, Queen of Fatima are the same. They are a call to prayer and sacrifice, so that we can lead a holy life, said Fr Gabriel Corraya, who urged the faithful to pray the rosary. For his part, Fr Torun Bonowary, parish priest in Baromari, urges the faithful to also pray for peace in the country and for a harmonious coexistence among believers of all religions. 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. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Panasonic to Start Building Kansas Battery Factory Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati Published Oct. 31, 2022 Tesla battery partner Panasonic said it intends to start the buildout of its Kansas plant in November, and is looking to start mass production there by March 2025. With its Kansas plant, Panasonic is making a serious play for the fast-growing EV segment in the U.S. Panasonic is already supplying batteries for Tesla through Gigafactory Nevada. The upcoming Kansas plant is expected to provide batteries for Teslas Gigafactory Texas facility. In July, Panasonic announced it had picked Kansas as the site for its new battery factory; later reports suggested the Japanese conglomerate is looking at a possible Oklahoma facility as well. Panasonic said it expects the upcoming Kansas plants initial production capacity to be around 30 GWh. Kansas officials have shared their excitement for Panasonics new battery plant. State officials said in July the facility is expected to create up to 4,000 jobs with an investment of up to $4 billion. In a statement, Kazuo Tadanobu, president of Panasonic Energy Co., explained the company is looking to strengthen its battery production capacity in North America. As the global shift to EVs accelerates, we are looking into ways to strengthen our battery production capacity in North America and meet the growing demand from our automotive partners, Tadanobu said. As noted in a Reuters report, Panasonic would be producing 2170 cells in its Kansas plant. However, expectations are also high that the Japanese company would be producing Teslas newer and larger 4680 cells in the facility. Tesla and Panasonic are currently working together to develop 4680 cells, with the Japanese battery maker expected to start production of the new batteries in Japan during its next fiscal year. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission. But lets take things one at a time. The photo youre looking at was snapped back at the beginning of September, but was made public more recently by the U.S. Air Force ( USAF ). It shows three planes flying over Australias Northern Territory during what the military branch calls a demonstration of friendship and cooperative leadership.The planes were looking at are an F-22 Raptor (the one furthest out), an EA-18G Growler (closest to the viewer), and a very colorful Eurofighter Typhoon in the middle. They are deployed with the USAF, German Air Force, and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), respectively.Now, getting three planes of different allied nations in the same place for a show of force is impressive in itself, but even more impressive is who was flying these three planes: not regular pilots, but the men who lead them.The Raptor seen here is flown in this pic by USAF General Kenneth Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander; the Typhoon is piloted by Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, German Air Forces Air Chief; and the Growler is controlled by Robert Chipman, RAAF Air Marshal.The display of might and so many stars in the sky at the same time is not something that happens everyday and is probably the most impressive Photo of the Day weve featured in recent times.More importantly, the three men did not fly alone, but with other pilots and aircraft as part of a dynamic force employment demonstration, and that makes this rare instance even more meaningful in the current global context. As reported by Romanian media over the weekend, the place was the scene of Halloween-themed gathering for at least 140 high-profile guests over the weekend, including Angelina Jolie, Googles Sergey Brin and Larry Page, SpaceXs Steve Jurvetson, and PayPals Peter Thiel and Luke Nosek.The main star of the event, though, was allegedly Elon Musk , who was also said to have rented the place for the celebration in exchange for 75,000 euros (about the same in dollars), according to local publication Ziare.com.Although many of the local outlets claim Musk was not only the one who rented the castle but also paid for everything, and even bring out witnesses to back their claims with stories of Elon Musk sightings, others say the billionaire didnt even get to the East European castle.CNN affiliate Antena3 cites Romanian highlife sources who claim Musk not only didnt come to Draculas place of birth, but was not even the one who organized the party.Musk or no Musk, the Bran Castle was the place where a mammoth party was held last night. The place, considered by some as one of the homes of legendary vampire Dracula (because of its connection to Vlad the Impaler, the man who inspired the Bram Stoker character), is where rich people go for many years to celebrate a proper Halloween. And theyve always done so in total secrecy, so chances are well never really know who was there or not.As for Musk, when the party was in full swing, he was busy taking on the former leaders of Twitter, the lawyers that represented them, and The New York Times, but also asking people whether Vine should be brought back. The Australian couple is now encouraging other families to also follow their dreams. Theirs started seven years ago, after watching a documentary about a sailing record. The two gave up their steady and secure lifestyle in Adelaide to start sailing the world. But they prepared for it. It took two years to save the money for the 47-foot (14 meters) yacht called Roam, and then they borrowed the same amount (AUD $85,000/$54,480), so they could live 12 months at sea without a job.Another important aspect was getting mentorship from a family who had already done this, in addition to the sailing and first aid classes. Sailing is not rocket science, Erin told Euronews , encouraging those who may also be thinking about this to jump onboard. At the time, she is running her own adventure travel PR agency while David takes care of homeschooling their kids and maintaining the boat.The two compare their lifestyle to living in an apartment on water because they dont sail all the time. Theyll spend a few weeks in each new place and mostly sail on weekends. Together with their three kids, aged eight to 13, theyve traveled to the Caribbean and crossed the Atlantic to Portugal and further. Turkey and Morocco are some of their next destinations, but only after the end of the European winter, which they plan to spend in Australia.As bold as it sounds, what this Australian family is doing is not that rare. Data shows that the global sailboat market will continue to grow, and so does the international community of full-time cruisers. The commercial is a funny example of how respect is a fundamental step in traffic, regardless of what you are driving or riding. The more fragile road users often take for granted that they have a preference and act as if no one else were around. That is a bad policy, as this advertisement presents.At the time, the Fiat Palio had just arrived in South Africa. Developed and manufactured in Brazil, Fiats Project 178 was exported to multiple countries. You must imagine how happy this driver was with his B-segment hatchback at least until the bicycle rider got close to his car and used it as a support to keep standing.We have no idea what the biker was listening to with his Walkman something most readers must have no clue about (google it if you dont). However, wed bet it was Lean on Me by Bill Withers. The Palio driver got visibly irritated with the biker's attitude. Little did he know he would do that again at the next traffic light.This time, the Fiat driver tried to warn the bike rider how unhappy he was by honking. It did not help: either the biker did not listen to it, or he did and pretended not to, pushing his earphones even deeper into his ears. Well, the Palio driver decided he would not take that any longer.At the third traffic light, he just watches the bike riders approach. With perfect timing, the Fiat reverses precisely when the bike rider is trying to lean on it, which makes him go to the ground in a glimpse. Again, a funny situation to remind all road users to be respectful to each other.Surprisingly, the videos first comment comes from Simon Henderson, who claims to be the cyclist in the commercial. Although we have no way to verify that, we wonder what reason he would have to lie, so we will take his story as accurate.According to Henderson, the commercial was filmed in Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa, in December 1999.It was a scorching hot day, but I had to wear a long kit to cover the padding. I did my own fall, no mats on the floor. The casting agency was 'The Selection Team,' and I was contracted to them. David Lee was the driver of the car, and I rode a Trek for this advert. Good memories.Now you can also have them by watching the commercial and sharing Hendersons story especially with those you know who behave just like the character he played in this commercial. Back in May of last year, for instance, the Copernicus Sentinel mission (two satellites floating in space with the mission to scan the poles for changes) discovered the worlds largest iceberg. Called A-76 , it has a total area of 4,320 square km (2,684 square miles), larger than the Spanish island of Majorca, and broke off the Ronne Ice Shelf (allegedly not because of global warming, but because of calving).But thats just one of many icebergs, be them planning or fully-committed to floating on the worlds water. Because its Halloween, the European Space Agency ( ESA ) thought to remind us of a potential one near something called... the Halloween Crack.First spotted by Sentinel on Halloween day in 2016, the Halloween Crack runs right up next to the Brunt Ice Shelf, it too barely holding on to the greater Antarctica. The Crack itself is now stable, according to ESA, but its proximity to Brunt makes people nervous. If and when the shelf breaks off, it could become an iceberg of 1,750 square km (676 square miles) in size, which is about five times the Mediterranean island of Malta.That may be a lot smaller than A-76, and given how that one didnt increase the levels of our seas and oceans significantly, people might be inclined to believe things are not as bad as they sound, after all.But ESA warns a key aspect of ice shelves, which is to act as brakes on glaciers and prevent them from moving out to sea, is impacted in Antarctica, and that may lead to greater risks of more land ice ending up in the oceans and thereby adding to sea-level rise, something arguably more frightening than Halloween. Europe is a place loaded with Harley-Davidson custom shops. Most of them reside in Germany, and as we know Germans, they mostly go for impressive builds that are meant to speak to souls rooted in reality, not to those with artistic inclinations.Things change however when we cross over into Italy, a place that can be associated with many things, but first and foremost with art. And when a custom motorcycle is born over there, artistry overcomes functionality.Just take a look at the custom Harley-Davidson we have here. It was put together back in 2015 by a crew we featured here on autoevolution before, MS Artrix (see, the word art is even in their name), and is a true jewel on wheels.Not much is known about the bike, but it sure is a pleasure to look at. Officially called Blue Bat, it was put together for Andrea Formilli Fendi, an Italian luxury fashion house thats in the business of making anything from leather goods and fragrances to timepieces and wine.Allegedly made entirely by hand, the bike takes the form of a bagger with massive bodywork, especially at the rear, and a very simple-in-design but large-in-size 23-inch wheel at the front. The bodywork comes in blue, hence the name of the thing, and its not the paint that impresses, but the various futuristic, otherworldly faces depicted on the fuel tank, bags, and even inside the front fairing (check gallery to see them all).On the mechanical side, the single major change performed is the fitting of the 1,700cc engine with a reverse gear, installed on specific customer request.The current whereabouts of the Blue Bat are not known, but MS Artrix still features it on its website, with no mention of cost, of course. AMG SUV Rapper Lil Baby , whose real name is Dominique Armani Jones, has had this Mercedes-G 63 Brabus for a while and it also saw different exterior customization over time. Since hes a longtime collaborator of Road Show International , a car dealership in Atlanta, Georgia, he gets whatever he wants in terms of upgrades and customized rides. In return, he usually sends part of his fleet to every car show the dealership wants to enter.But Lil Baby doesnt own this Mercedes-AMG G 63 just for show. In fact, he gets behind the wheel of this powerful ride regularly. Most recently, he used it as a hangout place for himself and fellow rapper Nardo Wick.In the shots, the two rappers casually hang out on the hood of the luxury off-roader, which surely comes with quite a price tag, that matches all the upgrades Initially finished with a Nipsey Satin Blue exterior with blue accents, thenow features Metallic Baby Blue Pearl paint that glimmers in the sunlight. The interior is Satin Baby Blue, with his record label, 4PF's logo featured throughout the cabin. The list of mods includes an RS Complete Purple Carbon Widestar Package, Carbon Widestar Hood, RS purple Carbon Trim with Purple accents, a light bar, a roof wing, and 24-inch Forgiato wheels, which have been coated with blue, black and purple gloss powder.When he first got it, the G-Wagen also got a power increase thanks to the Brabus updates, taking the 4.0-liter V8 engine to deliver 789 horsepower (800 ps). The extra power makes it run from zero to 62 mph (100 kph) in as fast as 3.1 seconds and hit a top speed of 200 mph (322 kph).All of these are great reasons why Lil Baby seems to go for this G 63 quite often. And its custom hood does seem to be a good place to hang out with fellow rappers, too. Drawing a relationship between that wisdom and sailing never really crossed my mind until I saw a picture of America's Cup contender Luna Rossa's AC75 hydrofoil capsized in the Gulf of Cagliari. The fact that a $8-10 million high-tech hydrofoil would capsize in light winds while at a virtual standstill is somewhat of a head-scratcher.Even more confusing is the explanation offered by Australian and America's Cup winner helmsman Jimmy Spithill once the crew reached shore. He states in the video below it's just one of those capsizes where you get caught slow, slow boat speed. Just prior to that explanation he described the day out on the water as a great sailing day. It is hard to imagine the captain of a boat describing a day that ends in the capsize of their multi-million dollar hydrofoil as a great sailing day.It may very well be, he was referring to the performance of the Luna Rossa prior to the capsizing . You can see in the video the Luna Rossa LEQ12 sailing on its hull in a reported 16-breeze and moderate swell conditions. Their support team trailing LEQ12 clocked her speed at 28 knots (51.86 kp/h) on close and broad reach courses.A close reach is a heading more closer to the wind (think of driving a car into the wind with the wind hitting either front end fenders from the side. A broad reach (the fastest point of sail ) is where the wind is broader to the wind but not directly downwind (think of driving a car away from the wind with the wind hitting the rear quarter panels from either side).There is no video evidence of the LEQ12 getting up on her foils, but given the sea state that is no surprise.We have seen this before with these highly nimble and extremely fast foiling boats as recently as early September when the Alinghi/Red Bull Syndicate's AC75 dubbed 'Boat Zero' capsized off the coast of Barcelona. After two years of absence, Royal Caribbean is finally back in Australia and adventurers can now book cruises on the Ovation of the Seas, to visit not just Australia but also New Zealand and the South Pacific. The ship arrived in Sydney Harbour and it will be followed tomorrow by another Quantum-class cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean, namely the Quantum of the Seas, whose arrival is expected in Brisbane.The Ovation of the Seas is the third ship in its class and has a gross tonnage of 168,666 GT. It was ordered in 2013 and completed in 2016 when it also entered into service. A behemoth of a vessel, the Ovation of the Seas measures over 1,141.9 ft (348 m) in length and has a draught of 27.11 ft (8.5 m). It can reach a speed of 22 knots (25 mph/41 kph).Just like all the cruise ships in Royal Caribbean s fleet, this one was also designed to offer those onboard the ultimate on-water adventure, offering more amenities than you can wrap your brain around. The ship has 18 decks, of which 16 are accessible to guests, and it offers a maximum capacity of 4,905 passengers.Visitors onboard the Ovation of the Seas are promised an unforgettable experience, with a plethora of activities available. For instance, theres the North Star all-glass observation capsule that holds the world record for the highest viewing deck on a cruise ship . Guests can also enjoy the RipCord by iFly skydiving experience, the FlowRider surf simulator, and the SeaPlex, touted as the largest indoor activity complex at sea.Those who are into more laidback, relaxing activities, can chill inside the indoor and outdoor pools available on the Ovation of the Seas and at the Vitality Spa, or they can enjoy over 20 restaurants, bars, and lounges, to offer just a few examples.Royal Caribbeans cruises onboard the Ovation of the Seas are available to book now on the companys website kW Called vRS (or simply RS, depending on where it was sold), this Fabia was produced from 2010 until 2014 in the second generation of the B-segment hatchback. It was powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine delivering 132(176 hp) at 6,200 rpm. That was a pretty reasonable punch in a car that weighed 1,390 kilograms (3,064 pounds). Yet, the Fabia probably had a reputation for being a soft-touch car, which was something Skoda had to change to sell a high-performance version. This commercial was an amusing effort to get there.The video starts by presenting one of the most famous Fabia ads. A team builds a cake car while Julie Andrews sings My Favorite Things. The slogan is that the Fabia is full of lovely stuff. The vRS had to be less edible, so to speak.Thats why one of the factory workers turns off the television showing that cake commercial with an arrow. And that is just part of the story: the worker is wearing a helmet with two horns and shoots with a crossbow pistol.There is no stamping in the factory. Unnecessary pieces of steel are removed with bites and headbutts. A worker with brass knuckles punches the door to create the door handle niche. The steel comes from recycled katanas, and vultures are around the body-in-white, which looks like a carcass waiting for them to clean it.The commercial shows the vRS has tires sculpted in a machine. In some languages, people say that they poisoned the engine as a synonym for preparing it, which is probably why snake poison is used to make the engine more aggressive. A worker with a mechanical arm drinking green juice paints the Fabia vRS green. The idea is that the juice is the paint, to be honest.The black roof the spicy supermini had was not painted: it was marked with tire tracks made with a superbike. The Skoda badge is laser-engraved by a worker with a laser cannon installed where his right eye should be. He probably did not know Superman actually had heat vision, not lasers. Ok, I didnt, but lesson learned!The commercial ends with us discovering that the crossbow pistol was built with the vRSs windshield wipers. When the Mean Green is ready, the workers have to keep it at a distance with a pole, and the machine attacks even with that precaution. Skoda finishes the advertisement by stating that the vRS is made of meaner stuff (than the Fabia). Too bad it was not enough to keep it alive. If the name Lazzarini rings familiar, its because its usually attached to some of the most outlandish watercraft (and not only) studies out there. Lazzarini designs the private yachts of dreams , be they smaller dayboats or megayachts that are comparable to floating resorts. Lazzarini also designs the Jet Capsule , introduced a few years ago, and refreshed ever so often with new features and functionality, to match the latest trends in yacht design.Unlike most concepts penned by the Italian design studio, the Jet Capsule actually exists, which makes the existence of the GT-F, the most recent iteration, a matter of time. Make that a matter of time and money, to be more accurate though a price tag is not offered yet.The Jet Capsule GT-F , which stands for Gran Turismo Foil, is a private watercraft offered with a wide array of customization options, from the powertrain to the layout, and consequently, variable functionality. It comes with the same capsule-shaped shell and cutting-edge hydro propulsion, and an interior that can serve a variety of purposes, from private to commercial use, like in luxury public transport.The shell is made of carbon fiber and fiberglass, with photochromic windows made of 70% carbon using vacuum-infusion molding. This means that the entire shell is very lightweight yet durable, which, together with the preferred system of propulsion, will translate into maximum performance. Speaking of propulsion, it can be a diesel or gasoline or even a fully-electric configuration, with twin hydrostatic transmissions, and between 880 hp and 1,200 hp on tap.Like the previous Jet Capsules, the GT-F comes with distinctive styling and the promise of almost-unmatched performance. The latter is thanks to the hydrofoil system that ensures a smoother and faster ride, by elevating the watercraft over rough waters for minimal resistance. Lazzarini says that the GT-F can rise up to 1 meter (3.2 feet) over the surface of the water, enabling top speeds of up to 60 knots (69 mph / 111 kph). The watercraft will cruise at a respectable 35 knots (40.2 mph / 65 kph), which is still much faster than most boats.Then again, a boat the GT-F is not. Measuring 10 meters (32.8 feet) in total length and 3.44 meters (11.28 feet) in maximum width, the flying spaceship offers a total surface of 22 square meters (236.8 square feet) that can be configured whichever way suits the owners needs. Lazzarini mentions a business jet configuration that would seat up to 20 passengers in classic private jet style (but on water), and the assettor royal layout, which is more like a dayboat. In the latter configuration, you could seat 10 passengers and still have room for a dinette and a toilet room, which would render the capsule perfect for use as a tender or dayboat Lazzarini says that the Jet Capsule GT-F is made to order , with a timeline of up to a year for delivery, but a price range is not specified. But you can bet it wont be cheap: the original Jet Capsule, which was officially introduced at the 2014 Monaco Yacht Show, started at $250,000 apiece.That might seem cheap, but bear in mind that were talking about a watercraft that is much smaller, less luxurious and less flying, since it did not have hydrofoils. In other words, if youre thinking the one thing missing in your life is this GT-F flying spaceship (*on water), youd best be prepared to part with a couple of millions. On the other hand, one of the biggest shortcomings they come with is the limited app access. In other words, Android Auto and CarPlay cant run certain apps because, well, they arent supposed to be used while driving.Its not hard to understand why Google and Apple dont want you to be able to run YouTube on Android Auto and CarPlay, but at the end of the day, such a limitation doesnt necessarily make sense. If anything, the app should be blocked when the car is in motion, but otherwise, theres no reason not to allow it when the vehicle is parked.If youve had enough of these restrictions and want to get the full experience in the car, the best way to go is a custom dash mod.Soundman Car Audio on YouTube has recently demonstrated one such project for a Chevy 1500 , and the result is mesmerizing. The custom dash mod he created includes a dedicated kit for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, so youre getting not only full access to the App Store but also a larger screen with better resolution than the ones automakers typically install.The quality of the build is obviously top-notch, and best of all, the dash mod also allows the driver to access his Sony head unit when the iPad is undocked. In other words, despite being provided with the full iPad experience behind the wheel, the driver isnt giving up on the Sony head unit either, so theyre winning on pretty much every single front.Needless to say, the most convenient alternative to building a custom dash mod is to use an iPad with a tablet holder which many people do anyway, given the whole thing is a lot more affordable. Referred to as 'cost sharing' grants, companies are required to allocate resources to the goal of any given project equal to the sum of the granted money.Group 14 Technologies of Woodinville, Washington, is one of two companies that will receive $100 million. Group 14 incorporates silicon-carbon technology to replace graphite in lithium -ion batteries in an effort to reduce costs and environmental impact. The company has stated it intends to use the grant money to create two commercial manufacturing modules with the capacity to produce enough battery material for 100,000 electric vehicles per year. In addition, Group 14 will build a manufacturing facility in nearby Moses Lake, Washington, creating up to 500 jobs.This last May, Group 14 secured funding from Porsche AG to the tune of $400 million to accelerate the production of lithium-silicon battery materials. Cellforce Group, a subsidiary of the German automaker, is said to be a customer of Group 14, according to Automotive news.The other beneficiary of a tranche of $100 million in federal funds is Sila Nanotechnologies. The company will use the funds to build a new facility also in Moses Lake to produce a proprietary lithium-ion anode material. The company aims to be in production in 2024 with the capacity to produce enough battery material for 200,000 electric vehicles annually.Mercedes-Benz, whose parent company Daimler owns a minority stake in Sila, will be the launch customer for Sila's anode materials, using it to power its 2025 G-Series automobiles.Amprius of Fremont, California, which touts the U.S. Army and Airbus as current customers, will be the recipient of $50 million in federal funds and will use it to show how battery manufacturing can be scaled for its ultra-high energy density batteries initially developed at Stanford University. Carried out in the Russian far north, in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the doomsday explosion shook the entire planet. And not just from a political and military standpoint but literally, as the shockwave circled the Earth three times (a weather station in New Zealand recorded bursts of atmospheric pressure increase in the following three days).The cataclysmic weapon was and remains to this day the largest explosion triggered by an artificial mechanism. Needless to say, it is also the greatest nuclear explosion in the history of atomic science. To put it into perspective: take the Hiroshima atomic bomb and multiply its energy three thousand times. Or imagine all the explosives detonated during World War Two and increase that ten-fold. You now have the devastation capacity of the Tsar Bomb.Ironically, it was downscaled to half its original design power by removing certain uranium elements from the build, specifically to reduce the radioactive fallout of the blast. Even so, the Soviet weapon was strong enough to shatter the nuclear arms race between the USA and the USSR and bring about a ban treaty (signed in 1963 ).The bomb was so monstrous that it couldn't fit in the carrier bomber, the specially modified Tupolev TU-95 (airplane enthusiasts might know it by the affectionate codename "The Bear"). The standard version of the heavy bomber - among the world's biggest and most powerful airplanes at the time - was still deemed unfit for this duty.To carry its hell-bringing payload of 60,000 lbs. (27 tons), the Bear had its engines, bomb bay, and suspension and release mechanisms wholly refitted. The bomb alone amassed 15% of the combined weight of the airplane's gross weight (aircraft and cargo put together).For this one-of-a-kind mission, the bomber had the internal fuel tanks removed, and the bomb bay doors were dismantled. The weapon seven feet in diameter and some 26 feet long (two meters by eight meters) was carried hanging under the fuselage and not inside it.Even with its superpower aura, a normal Tupolev-95 couldn't do the job, and project Tu-95V bearing no. 5800302 took shape. The standard engines were replaced by more powerful versions - 14,800 shaft horsepower each, turning the four-bladed counter-rotating propellers. This setup gave the aircraft a top speed of 497 kts - 572 mph/920 kph a vital feature for the survival of the nine crewmembers selected to carry out the drop.Still, the survivability rate was estimated at just 50%. A special deflective coating was added to protect the flying machine, and a long list of precision reading and recording instrumentation was fitted to monitor the test. Watch the declassified Soviet documentary below enable subtitles, please to see how the entire operation unfolded.Discouraging as it sounds, the chances were raised by adding a massive parachute to the bomb to slow down its descent just long enough to allow the bomber to flee the no-survival area. The 1,800 lb (800-kilogram), 17,000 sq ft (1,600-square-metre) parachute deployed immediately after the 34,500 feet (10,500 meters) launch.The bomb dived for 188 seconds down to 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) above ground and exploded. At that time, the Bear bomber was 24 miles away (39 kilometers). The shockwave caught up with it five minutes later when the TU-95V was 71 miles (115 kilometers) from ground zero. The fierce blast force dropped the heavy bomber 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) before the pilot could regain control of the aircraft.At 151,5 feet (46.2 meters) long and with a wingspan of 164,5 feet (50 meters), the base Tu-95 weighed 198,500 lbs. (90 tons) empty. Its maximum takeoff weight of 414,000 lbs. (188,000 kilograms) put it in the heavyweight category, with a nuclear punch capable of reaching over 8,100 nm (9,300 miles - 15,000 kilometers) at a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet (13,700 meters). At the time, the TU-95 was USSR's most potent long-range nuclear bomber. It's the only turboprop strategic bomber still in active service worldwide.In an ironic twist of nuclear fate, this doomsday prophet was derived from a Soviet copycat of the B-29 the bomber that flew over Japan in August 1945, delivering the nuclear attacks. Terrifying as they were, those two detonations were mere firecrackers compared to the Tsar Bomba test sixteen years later.The Soviet apocalypse lit brighter than the sun for 30 seconds, completely vaporizing the dense cloud strata above the impact zone. The five-mile fireball (eight kilometers in diameter) could have been seen nearly 620 miles (1,000 km) away. The mushroom cloud reached an altitude of 42 miles (67 kilometers) roughly seven times higher than Earth's tallest mountain, Everest. An Indian businessman from Gujarat has been shot dead in Uganda Kampala Kuntaj Patel, a 24-year-old Indian businessman from Gujarat, has been allegedly shot dead by a police constable in Kisoro town of Uganda. Police constable Elioda Gumizamu, 21, a member of the Field Force Unit has been arrested after he stormed a hardware shop last week, where Patel worked, and fired at him. Patel was attending to a client when the off-duty armed cop walked in and shot him in the chest. Gumizamu was apprehended by the locals as he tried to flee the crime scene, and handed over to the police. The victim was taken to St Francis hospital in Mutolere where he succumbed to his injuries. According to local media reports, Gumizamu told police that he killed Patel in a case of "mistaken identity". He told the police that he was given the "contract to kill" the owner of the hardware shop, Patel's cousin. The Kisoro police station are now looking into Gumizamu's claim and are also on a lookout for the person who commissioned the killing. Patel, a native of Thasra in Kheda district, had moved to Uganda four years ago, along with his wife, to work in his cousin's hardware shop. According to estimates, at present, there are 35,000 Indians living in Uganda with the majority of them mainly concentrated in Kampala and Jinja. People of Indian origin and NRIs are estimated to have invested over $1 billion in Uganda in the last two decades. Indians, who constitute less than 0.1 per cent of Uganda's population, contribute a major part of the East African nation's direct taxes. ALSO READ: Morbi bridge collapse: Polish Foreign Minister condoles loss of lives The incident comes close on the heels of two Indians who remain missing in Kenya since July this year. In a statement, the Karabakh parliament also said that Armenias government must be careful about recognizing Azerbaijans territorial integrity through a bilateral peace treaty that has been discussed by Yerevan and Baku in recent weeks. The statement was unanimously approved at an emergency session broadcast live to a massive crowd that gathered in Stepanakerts main square. It was one of the biggest ever rallies held in Karabakh. The legislature appealed to Russia to continue its commitment to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh (Karabakh) and put in place additional political and military mechanisms for that purpose. It did not specify those mechanisms. Russia deployed 2,000 peacekeeping troops in Karabakh after brokering the ceasefire that stopped the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war. Karabakh leaders said last week that Russian peace proposals made recently are far more beneficial for the Karabakh Armenians than an Armenian-Azerbaijani deal promoted by the West. They claimed that Moscow wants to indefinitely delay an agreement on Karabakhs status while the Western powers favor the restoration of Azerbaijani control over Karabakh. Russian President Vladimir Putin made the same claim afterwards. He spoke of a Washington variant of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty that would commit Yerevan to recognizing Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. The U.S. State Department responded by accusing Putin of spreading disinformation. But it did not say whether Washington has indeed drafted any peace agreements. Our only intent is to help these countries achieve for themselves an end to the violence and a lasting and a comprehensive peace that the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan so desperately want, the department spokesman, Ned Price, told a news briefing in Washington. The United States and the European Union have organized a series of high-level Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations since the September 13-14 fighting on the border between the two South Caucasus states. The peace treaty sought by Baku was reportedly the main focus of those talks. Armen Grigorian, the secretary of Armenias Security Council, said on October 12 that Yerevan and Baku are planning to sign such a deal and delimit their border before the end of this year. Grigorian and a senior Azerbaijani official met Washington in late September for talks hosted by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Saturday that Russia and the West have different perceptions of an Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement. He did not elaborate. Armenia agreed to the Russian perception in principle in January 2021, he said, adding that he is ready to sign a relevant document at his trilateral meeting with Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev slated for Monday. One of their leaders, Ishkhan Saghatelian, said the demonstration is meant to demonstrate that Pashinians administration does not express the will of the Armenian people and has no mandate to sign far-reaching agreements on Nagorno-Karabakh. He again accused it of planning to help Baku regain full control of Karabakh. The overwhelming majority of our people are against Artsakh being a part of Azerbaijan, Saghatelian told a news conference. The opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem blocs began daily protests in Yerevan on May 1 two weeks after Pashinian signaled his readiness to recognize Azerbaijans territorial integrity and lower the bar on Karabakhs status acceptable to the Armenian side. They scaled back the protests six week later after failing to unseat the prime minister. Saghatelian cited at the time the need to change the structure and tactic of our resistance movement. Pashinian and his political allies dismissed the demands for his resignation, saying the opposition has failed to attract popular support for regime change. Opposition leaders announced another change of tactics at their last rally held on September 2. They did not organize further street protests in the following weeks. Saghatelian said on Monday that the opposition has been inspired by Sundays massive demonstration in Stepanakert against attempts to restore Azerbaijani rule in Karabakh. Its organizers and participants thus sent a clear message to Armenia, he said. The ball is now in Armenias court, added the outspoken oppositionist. Karabakh Armenian leaders on Sunday again warned the Armenian government against unequivocally recognizing Azerbaijans territorial integrity through a bilateral peace treaty that has been discussed by Yerevan and Baku in recent weeks. They earlier voiced support for Russian peace proposals which they say are far more beneficial for the Armenian side than a deal advanced by the West. Pashinian insisted at the weekend that he agreed to the Russian plan in early September and is ready to sign a relevant agreement with Azerbaijan. Saghatelian dismissed those assurances, saying that Pashinian is using his provincial dexterity to mislead the domestic public and foreign powers. His claims that he is in favor of the Russian proposals will have no value until he makes it clear that he rejects the other variant [of the peace deal with Azerbaijan,] he said. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Highlights of foreign congratulatory messages on Xi's election as general secretary of CPC Central Committee (12) Xinhua) 09:28, October 31, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of political parties and governments as well as heads of state worldwide have sent congratulations to Xi Jinping on his election as general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embalo said that under Xi's outstanding leadership, China has made historic achievements in economic and social development, scientific and technological innovation and other fields, and will usher in an even better future. President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum said that Xi has led China to great achievements in national development, and his election demonstrates the unparalleled confidence of the Chinese people in him. The 20th CPC National Congress has charted the future course for the Chinese people, and it is believed that China will make new major contributions to peace, democracy, development, human rights and international cooperation, said Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said that thanks to Xi's efforts, Cyprus and China have forged closer ties. He said he believes that the mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries in various fields will be further strengthened. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani extended sincere congratulations to Xi on his election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. He wished the friendly Chinese people continuous development and progress, and that the strategic partnership between Qatar and China will be further strengthened. Xi's election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee demonstrates the trust of the CPC and the Chinese people in him, said Pravind Jugnauth, leader of the Militant Socialist Movement of Mauritius and Mauritian prime minister. He voiced confidence that under Xi's leadership, China will remain committed to safeguarding international peace and stability. In the course of achieving the Second Centenary Goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, China will have closer cooperation with other developing countries, said Gaston Browne, leader of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party and the country's prime minister. Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa expressed sincere congratulations to Xi, saying she believes that under Xi's strong leadership, China will continue to develop and always enjoy prosperity. China has provided the world with a solution to poverty alleviation of milestone significance, said Ronnie Brunswijk, head of the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), who is also vice president of Suriname. Brunswijk also said that the ABOP looks forward to strengthening relations with the CPC and continuously promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two sides. Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of Thailand's Palang Pracharath Party and the country's deputy prime minister, said that his party is willing to further deepen all-round exchanges and cooperation with the CPC and make greater contributions to the development of bilateral relations and the welfare of the two peoples. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Bangladesh police captured dozens of suspects after launching a crackdown in Coxs Bazar refugee camps this weekend against armed criminal groups linked to a wave of killings targeting Rohingya, officials said Monday. Lawlessness by armed Rohingya groups has increased in the sprawling camps amid recent unrest across the border in Myanmars Rakhine state, law enforcers and refugee community leaders said, with one police official even saying that Rohingya militants were using the camps as a safe haven. At least five dozen suspects all of them Rohingya have been arrested since authorities began Operation Root Out on Friday, an official with the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) confirmed to BenarNews. The police launched the operation in response to killings of Rohingya that have struck fear among many in the refugee community of about 1 million, claiming at least 40 Rohingya lives since the start of 2022, according to police records. Fights have been going on between the junta army and a group for about 2 months in Myanmar near the border with Bangladesh. For this reason, some Rohingya terrorists from the neighboring country have entered into Bangladesh and taken refuge in the refugee camps where they created unrest, Md. Faruk Ahmed, a battalion assistant superintendent, told BenarNews. A total of 60 criminals have been arrested in two rounds of the drive, he said. Ahmed said 41 suspects were arrested on Saturday and 19 more Sunday night into Monday, adding that police would continue to arrest suspects. Out of the 19 people arrested in the operation, 12 are accused of robbery and seven are accused in other cases, Faruk said. Alleged members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya insurgent group, have been observed targeting night watch security volunteers and community leaders in recent attacks at the camps. Nine Rohingya, including a child, have been killed in suspected ARSA attacks this month alone, according to police and camp leaders. Armed police battalion members participate in a special operation, Operation Root Out, at a Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhia, Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, Oct. 29, 2022. [Handout photo/Bangladesh Armed Police Battalion] Panic in camps Rohingya, especially the camp leaders who have been pushing for repatriation to their home villages in Myanmar, said the recent attacks have terrorized the refugee population. I cant explain to you what kind of fear I am in right now. There are three to four Majhis (Rohingya community leaders) here who enter the police camp every day after Asr prayers and leave in the morning. This is how our days are going, said a Majhis in camp No. 9 in Balukhali who asked to remain anonymous over security concerns. Now not only ARSA, but some other groups including the Nabi Hossain Group, Munna Group and RSO [the Rohingya Solidarity Organization] are active in the camps. They are the ones who are causing the killings, he said. Another Rohingya leader blamed ARSA for killings and other crime in the camps. Although there are several groups in the Rohingya camps, ARSA is responsible for these crimes aimed at establishing absolute dominance in the camps, Master Shafi Ullah, 50, a leader of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights in the Balukhali Camp, told BenarNews. He said the ARSA members oppose Rohingya returning to Myanmar, so they are attacking and, in some cases, killing those who are pushing for repatriation. Everybody is afraid of what danger could befall them, he said. Myanmar apologizes Meanwhile on Sunday, Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) officials expressed regret about recent firing along the border of Bangladesh, a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) official said after a five-hour meeting in Teknaf, a sub-district of Coxs Bazar. BGB regional commanding officer Lt. Col. Sheikh Khalid Muhammad Iftekhar said the Myanmar officials promised that the shelling would stop. Col. Cao Na Yan Show led the seven-member Myanmar delegation. We agreed to help each other in any need. We have also decided to work together to protect the bordering people on both sides, he said. Massive gunfire and shelling erupted along the border between Myanmar troops and members of the Arakan Army, another insurgent group in Rakhine state. On Aug. 28, two shells fired by Myanmar landed in Bangladesh territory, leading officials in Dhaka to file a strong protest and summon the Myanmar ambassador. U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Phnom Penh next month for two regional summits, according to the White House, which said the trip will underscore Americas enduring commitment to Southeast Asia amid a growing rivalry for influence between Beijing and Washington. Biden will join leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for one of the last summits of Cambodias chairmanship of the group, as well as the East Asia Summit, which has historically included leaders from Russia, China, Japan and India and Australia. The Nov. 12 and 13 trip comes amid a flurry of summits, with Biden also scheduled to attend the G-20 Leaders Summit in Bali, Indonesia, from Nov. 13 to 16 as speculation percolates about Russian President Vladimir Putins plans. It will also be the first trip to Cambodia by a U.S. president since Barack Obamas visit the last time the country served as chair of the 10-country bloc in November 2012. That proved a frosty affair, with Obama pressing Prime Minister Hun Sen on his regimes human rights abuses during tense meetings but otherwise avoiding overt criticism. The Cambodians just want to get through this time without a blow-up, said Gregory B. Poling, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Their last time hosting ASEAN in 2012 was a nightmare they served as the proxies of China and wrecked consensus, and theyve been hearing about that for a decade. For the first time in ASEANs then 45-year history, the 2012 summit in Phnom Penh closed without a joint statement, with Cambodia ending the blocs consensus position that disputes over the South China Sea be negotiated between Beijing and the bloc as a whole. The shift came two years after an upgrade of ties between China and Cambodia. By comparison, so far this year, theyve done well, Poling said. Thereve been complaints but theyve managed a difficult time coming out of COVID, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the crisis in Myanmar, he said. If they can just get through this final summit, theyre going to breathe a sigh of relief: Itll be the Indonesians turn to deal with it. One-on-one with Biden? It is not clear if Hun Sen will meet privately with Biden during the two summits. Delivering a speech on Sunday, the prime minister only confirmed Bidens plans to attend the summits and gave no further details. If the pair meet, all eyes will be on the approach taken by Biden the seventh U.S. president to serve in office since Hun Sen became prime minister in the wake of five years of political repression that dismantled Cambodias democracy and pushed Phnom Penh closer to Beijing. A lot has changed in Cambodia since Obamas visit. Most prominently, the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which almost beat Hun Sens party at the disputed July 2013 national election, was banned in the lead-up to the 2018 vote. Its leader, Kem Sokha, was arrested for allegedly planning a color revolution under direction from the U.S. government, and remains on trial for treason five years later. The spate of repression has not abated, with Hun Sen last week threatening to ban the Candlelight Party a remnant of the opposition that his government banned five years ago if it does not distance itself from comments made by exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy. Biden will be walking a fine line, said John D. Ciorciari, a Southeast Asia analyst and director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the University of Michigans Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He said Hun Sen would seek a more accommodating U.S. posture on governance. Since Obamas 2012 visit, Ciorciari noted, Hun Sens government has cast aside a pretense of democracy and engaged in political abuses that require stern U.S. criticism. But since American officials also fear driving Cambodia even further toward Beijing, he explained, the tone of Bidens visit may not be dramatically different than that of Obamas. Upgraded relations The trips focus will remain the dual ASEAN and East Asia summits. Notably, the United States and ASEAN are expected to officially upgrade diplomatic relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership during next months meeting, after Chinese-ASEAN ties were similarly upgraded during last years summit in Brunei, when it chaired the group. Collin Koh, a research fellow at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said Biden likely would engage with Hun Sen only to the extent needed to help shore-up ties with the 10-country regional bloc he currently leads. The trip is mainly for the Biden administration to demonstrate its commitment toward engaging ASEAN, not so much Cambodia per se, Koh said. Cambodia happens to be the destination because its the current chair of ASEAN and is hosting the ASEAN summits. He said he doubted there would be substantial changes to the strained U.S.-Cambodian relationship coming out of the summit. While both sides might pay lip service to improved dialogue, Koh said, its difficult to imagine how Cambodia-U.S. relations can overcome the cumulative trust deficit that has built up over the recent years, especially as Phnom Penh continues to deepen its engagement with Beijing. Ultimately, Bidens trip says more about the rivalry between Beijing and Washington, which Phnom Penh is in a fortunate enough position to exploit, said Sophal Ear, the author of Aid Dependence in Cambodia and an associate professor in global political economy at Arizona State Universitys Thunderbird School of Global Management. This is about showing ASEAN love when China is both embracing and arm-twisting ASEAN, Ear said. Cambodias goal is to once again project to its people and the region that it is loved by the U.S. and respected by the U.S., while of course maintaining its ironclad friendship with China. Poling from the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Bidens trip to Phnom Penh after five years of U.S. condemnation of Hun Sen will in any case serve as a testimonial to Western foreign policy failures. The U.S. vastly overestimated its leverage to affect change in Cambodia, he said. If sanctions, or trade restrictions or diplomatic naming-and-shaming were going to have an impact, they would have by now. The U.S. and Europeans just dont have the influence they think. This story was produced by Radio Free Asia, a news service affiliated with BenarNews. Malaysian Royal Army officer gets his finger marked with indelible ink before he casts his ballot during early voting ahead of the 14th general election in Kuala Lumpur, May 5, 2018 Despite its shock defeat in the 2018 general election, UMNO may win next months national polls because with a fragmented opposition, the majority Malay community believes it is the only party that can safeguard its interests as a recession looms, experts say. Pakatan Harapan, the opposition coalition which defeated the United Malays National Organization in the election four years ago, led a short-lived government and suffers from a trust deficit among the conservative Malay voters, according to analyst Oh Ei Sun. I think the popular sentiments toward Pakatan are a mixture of resentment and resignation, largely along communal lines, Oh, a senior fellow with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIAA), told BenarNews. The majority of Malay voters are largely resentful of the more multicultural outlook of Pakatan, such as appointments of more non-Malays to senior positions. Many of them thus revert to voting for UMNO which they see as more protective of their special positions and privileges, he said, referring to the ethnic Malay majority, which is largely Muslim and comprises nearly 70 percent of the 30.2 million population. For instance, under the Pakatan administration, Malaysia saw the appointment of Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader Lim Guan Eng as the countrys first non-Malay finance minister in 44 years. Lims appointment, from a party UMNO had labeled anti-Malay, did not sit well with many conservative Malays. Besides, the collapse of the Pakatan government due to infighting only 22 months into after its historic win had led to a long period of political uncertainty. Malaysia for the first time saw three prime ministers during a single parliamentary term. Based on that experience, the electorate might see the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition as a safer choice during an economic downturn, said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the Merdeka Center, a think-tank. On the surface, the fragmented opposition does lend Barisan an advantage, he told BenarNews. On Nov. 19, around 21 million eligible Malaysian voters will get a chance to elect a new government. For the first time, voters aged 18-20 some 5 million of them will be eligible to cast their ballots. In 2018, Malaysians voted decisively to remove UMNO from power, but because the coalition they elected fell, it was succeeded by two unelected governments. With the upcoming election, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the mandate will be returned to the people. Multi-cornered contests This time around the opposition is not united, unlike four years ago when the 1MDB financial scandal brought together a diverse set of opposition leaders under the Pakatan umbrella. Pakatan in 2018 included the Bersatu party, led at the time by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. On Nov. 19, two registered opposition blocs and one unofficial opposition coalition will be vying against the main UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition in the countrys 15th general election. The coalitions are Pakatan, led by Anwar Ibrahim; Perikatan Nasional, led by former PM and current Bersatu party leader Muhyiddin Yassin; and the unofficial coalition Gerakan Tanah Air, led by the indefatigable former PM Mahathir, now 97. Oh, the political analyst, said the votes for the opposition would be split in a multi-cornered contest, like they were in the state election in Johor early this year that saw UMNO-Barisan return to power. If the opposition coalitions are contesting their respective candidates in the same constituencies, the votes for the opposition will inevitably be split. Thus, in closely contested seats, UMNO would hold the advantage, he said. Ibrahim of the Merdeka Center agreed, although he forecast Barisans vote share declining if some Malay voters opted for the Malay-centric Perikatan headed by Muhyiddin. His party has partnered with the conservative Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS. Should Perikatan make inroads among younger Malay voters, they could reduce Barisans vote share, Ibrahim said. After all, in the last general election, Bersatu, then led by Mahathir, had contributed some 25 percent of the Malay vote which helped Pakatan defeat UMNO-Barisan. For the same reason, Pakatan will be a disadvantage this time, Ibrahim said, because the Anwar-led coalition may have lost some Malay support after Bersatu quit the coalition. Oh added that the minority non-Malays are basically resigned to there likely never again being a multicultural government in Malaysia after the Pakatan administration collapsed in 2020. Many of them are thus reluctant to even come out to vote, he said, adding that a low voter turnout, like in Johor early this year, would also benefit UMNO, which has the grassroots machinery to ensure its supporters come out in force to vote. Based on these factors, Oh said UMNO is likely to win the most number of seats out of the 222 contested, and thus be in a position to form the next government. James Chin, a professor of Asian Studies with University of Tasmania, said he saw a Malay party winning the next election. I predict that there will be a dominant Malay party emerging from this election, he told BenarNews. Mostly from rural Malay voters. Focusing on economic stability Furthermore, UMNOs policy of providing short-term economic solutions, such as direct cash aid, instead of longer-term reform, is more attractive to voters in developing countries such as Malaysia in times of economic hardship, Oh said. In more developed countries, when there is an ongoing or impending recession, the electorate would typically opt for a new government in hope of having a new set of economic policies to revive the economy, Oh said. In a developing country, however, the electorate is typically already experiencing serious socioeconomic hardship, and would actually be more prone to short-term solutions such as material handouts as offered by UMNO, as opposed to much-needed but more long-term reforms as offered by Pakatan which might incur short-term pains, he added. For the 2023 budget, which was presented days before the parliament was dissolved to make way for the election, the UMNO-led government had allocated 372.3 billion ringgit (U.S. $79 billion), including tax cuts and direct cash aid for lower income households. Unlike last year, the government expanded cash aid to cater to more income groups. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri of UMNO is making sure to push this point to the electorate, saying he will make sure the budget is implemented if he is given a mandate to return as the countrys prime minister. Awang Azman Awang Pawi, a political analyst with Universiti Malay, said UMNO will seize on this point in its campaigning as well. UMNO is very confident in its campaign to regain the peoples mandate by focusing on economic stability and prosperity, amidst the fear of economic recession next year, he said. Buildings and communication structures are seen on an artificial island built by China in Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, in an aerial photo taken Oct. 25, 2022. China has progressively asserted its claim of ownership over disputed islands in the South China Sea by artificially increasing the size of islands, creating new islands and building ports, military outposts and airstrips. New images have emerged showing airfields and structures on some of Chinas artificial islands in the South China Sea that have become fully militarized, according to the American commander in the Indo-Pacific. Ezra Acayan, a photographer with Getty Images, obtained access to flights near some reefs and rocks that China has reclaimed and turned into military bases with radar stations, airstrips and artillery installations. The photos, taken on Oct. 25, show another dimension of the Chinese artificial islands. Up to now, these were mostly captured via satellite images. Adm. John C. Aquilino, who heads the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in March that China had fully militarized at least three artificial islands including Mischief Reef, Subi Reef and Fiery Cross, all in the Spratly archipelago that Beijing claims historical rights over. Life on Fiery Cross The Getty photos provide extensive details of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) facilities on Mischief Reef, Gaven Reefs, Subi Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef and Hughes Reef six of the 15 Spratly features occupied by China. Fiery Cross Reef appears to be one of the most developed, with a fully operational airfield, hangars, other large buildings and radomes, or domes with radar equipment inside. A new type of building spotted on Fiery Cross, as well as on Mischief and Subi Reefs, is a garage-like structure that may be sheltering missile launchers, according to analysts. My guess is that the sea-facing garages are for angled cruise missile launchers, Tom Shugart, adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, wrote on Twitter. Another analyst, Tyler Rogoway, editor of The War Zone defense news portal, said they could be used to house, service, and rapidly deploy launchers used to fire surface-to-air, anti-ship, or surface-to-surface missiles. Shugart also noted some other details such as a car driving around Fiery Cross and someone walking down a street. Its not crowds, but its also not nothing, he wrote. Three weeks ago, Chinese state media reported that there was a growing population of more than 5,000 officers and soldiers stationed on islands and reefs, which Beijing occupies in the South China Sea. An aircraft is seen on the tarmac of the artificial island built by China in Mischief Reef in the South China Sea, in this aerial photograph taken Oct. 25, 2022. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Radomes and gun turrets In one of the pictures of Fiery Cross, a KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft is visible on the runway. The image of a KJ-500 on the runway is compelling and confirms that the PLA is still regularly flying aerial patrols off the islands, Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told Radio Free Asia. That has been ongoing since 2020, he added. According to The War Zones Rogoway, the KJ-500 and other intelligence-gathering and submarine-hunting aircraft frequently operate from the airfield there. Radomes, gun turrets and close-in weapon systems for detecting and destroying incoming missiles and aircraft are common features on all the artificial islands. On Subi Reef, several objects possibly vehicles, or carts are blocking the main runway. This is an unsafe act, hostile to anyone else flying in the area as pilots of an aircraft in true distress may not see the blockade and crash, according to Shugart. This once again puts the lie to the idea these islands were built for the navigational safety of all, the Fort Hood-based analyst said. Theyre military bases, period. Buildings, airstrips and communication structures are seen on an artificial island built by China in Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, in this aerial photo taken Oct. 25, 2022. [Ezra Acayan/Getty Images] China and five other parties claim parts of the South China Sea including the features which, according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, are reefs and rocks and not islands. By law, reefs and rocks have much more limited rights to natural resources than islands. Beijing has developed at least seven artificial islands, creating 1,295 hectares (3,200 acres) of new land since 2013, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS. On a trip to Washington in 2015, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said China does not intend to pursue militarization of the artificial islands in the South China Sea. But, critics say, they greatly expand the offensive capability of the PLA and threaten other countries in the vicinity. 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. South Korean police are investigating what caused a crowd surge that killed more than 150 people during Halloween festivities in Seoul over the weekend Twas the night before Halloween, and all through Adams marched a spooky and special tradition. Sunday marked the welcome return of the towns Clarkston, WA (99403) Today Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 24F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 24F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. MADISON COUNTY - Tips from the public helped lead to a man being sentenced in Madison County District Court last week for multiple wildlife crimes, including one felony count of unlawfully killing, possessing or wasting wildlife, according to a press release from the Idaho Fish and Game. Brayden Froehlich was sentenced on October 24 after an extensive investigation by Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officers and the Madison County Sheriffs office turned up charges for seven illegally taken animals. The animals included one 5-point white-tailed buck, one 2-point white-tailed buck, three white-tailed does, one bull elk, and one pronghorn antelope. These wildlife violations are said to have occurred during the months of July and August of 2021 near Rexburg in Madison County. Often times people fail to report wildlife crime because they dont think that it is important, or they dont think anything can be done, says Regional Conservation Officer Barry Cummings. A large majority of the cases that conservation officers are able to take to a successful prosecution started with a tip from the public. As a result of the investigation, Froehlich was charged with one felony count of unlawfully killing, possessing or wasting wildlife and one misdemeanor count for hunting with a revoked license. According to the Idaho Fish and Game, Froehlichs initial 2-year license revocation stemmed from a prior prosecution in 2020 after officers received a tip from the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline that Froehlich had killed a deer with a rifle during archery season. In addition to his wildlife crimes, Froehlich was also convicted of a felony burglary charge that occurred in Madison County. As part of his sentencing, Froehlich received a lifetime hunting revocation in Idaho and the 48 other states that are members of the Wildlife Violators Compact. He was also sentenced to a Rider program with an underlying sentence of 5 years in prison consecutive to a sentence of 6 years for the burglary charge. A hearing for sentencing on restitution has been scheduled for December 5, 2022. No matter how big or small the violation may be, we greatly appreciate those individuals that call in with information to help officers make connections that solve wildlife crimes, says Cummings. A simple call can make all the difference in bringing wildlife violations to justice. If you have any information about a wildlife crime, the Idaho Fish & Game encourages you to "Make the Call" to the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. BANNOCK COUNTY - On Monday, October 31, 2022 at approximately 12:10 p.m., the Idaho State Police were called to a crash involving two vehicles on US30 near milepost 370, just west of Lava Hot Springs in Bannock County. According to a press release from the Idaho State Police, a 60-year-old Hansen, ID man was traveling eastbound on US30 in a 2008 Cadillac STS along with a 58-year-old passenger. At the same time, a female juvenile was traveling westbound in a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze, along with another juvenile passenger. Police say that it appears the juvenile driver and the Chevrolet Cruze crossed over the center lines and collided with the Cadillac STS. The drivers of each vehicle were both transported via ground ambulance to a local hospital. The passengers of the vehicles both succumbed to their injuries at the scene. Traffic on US30 was reduced to a single lane in both directions for approximately three and a half hours as the scene was cleared. The Idaho State Police also received assistance from the Bannock County Sheriff's Office, Bannock County Search and Rescue, Bannock County Ambulance and Idaho Transportation Department. The average household paying more for heat this winter, the White House urges Americans to wear facemasks, Covid causing a surge in alcoholism, a new survey ranks the unhappiest places in the country. Plus, the true story of the pilgrims and the voyage of the Mayflower. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices At least three decades in the making, mRNA vaccine technology has come a long way indeed. While many researchers and scientists worked on mRNA technology, tirelessly burning the midnight oil, a few names do come to the forefront. Dr Robert Malone, developmental biologists Paul Krieg and Douglas Melton, and molecular biologists Tom Maniatis and Michael Green have been the notable researchers who paved the way for this technology. At the same time, there are doubts raised about the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines. Moreover, challenges associated with the manufacture and the logistic needs of the mRNA vaccines are also some of the areas that need more focus and innovation. Let's dig deeper into the world of mRNA tech. With the launch of Indias first mRNA vaccine by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, India has something to cheer for. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given its consent in June 2022 for a restricted emergency use for the countrys first home-grown mRNA COVID-19 vaccine GEMCOVAC-19. This is an achievement of one-of -its-kind as Gennova Biopharmaceuticals is among the few of the companies in the world that have undertaken the manufacturing of mRNA vaccines for various diseases. The vaccine is stable at 2-8C. The company noted that GEMCOVAC-19, available as a lyophilised powder, uses Spike (S)-protein of the virus as antigen. One dose of 0.5 ml contains the mRNA 10 g, DOTAP 0.3 mg, Squalene 0.376 mg, Sorbitan Monostearate 0.372 mg, Polysorbate-80 0.372 mg, Citric acid monohydrate 1.05 mg and Sucrose 50 mg. The GEMCOVAC-19 has been used in Phase I, II and III clinical trials, a number of participants received one or two doses in Indian trials. The Phase I clinical trial was conducted in 82 healthy subjects between the age of 18 and 70 years. Three dose strengths of 5 g, 10 g and 25 g were compared with placebo. GEMCOVAC-19 is indicated for active immunisation of individuals 18 years old for the prevention of COVID-19. The vaccine should be administered in two doses, the second dose after 28 days of the first dose. A volume of 0.5 ml should be administered intramuscularly. However, there is no safety, immunogenicity or efficacy data to support interchangeability of GEMCOVAC-19 with any other COVID-19 vaccines. Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have seen a steady upsurge in demand for new technologies thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has also led to the successful development and utilisation of mRNA vaccines. Though, globally, only a handful of companies are involved in manufacturing of mRNA vaccines, the technology is expected to play a pivotal role in developing a support system for other technology platforms such as CART-T cell therapies or CRISPR-Cas gene-editing therapies. Accessibility and sustainability At present, around 90 lead developers of mRNA vaccines have been identified in a global landscape evaluation. These lead developers have 137 mRNA vaccine candidates in the pipeline; 76 per cent in preclinical/exploratory and 24 per cent in clinical development. However, this is rapidly changing. The majority of mRNA vaccine development is being led by biopharma companies based in Asia and Oceania or North America. Moderna will build its first mRNA production facility in the Southern Hemisphere at Clayton in Melbournes south-east and is expected to produce up to 100 million vaccine doses each year in Australia, including COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Though the pandemic has opened avenues for more research on mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 treatment, research activities were already undertaken for other diseases as well. The advantage of an mRNA vaccine is that a smaller dose is required given that the antigen (spike protein) will be created inside the body itself. Only limited to covid treatment? Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the commercialisation of mRNA vaccines was focussed on high-cost personalised cancer vaccines, and prophylactic vaccine development was slow and limited. With the demonstration of large-scale manufacturing of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, the creation of local manufacturing capabilities holds promise for more equitable access to COVID-19 and other vaccines. Click here to read the full story.... Sanjiv Das (sanjiv.das@mmactiv.com) The Ministry of Health and Family welfare was going to implement the Unique Device Identification (UDI) for medical devices from January 1, 2022, but deferred it until further notice. Under Rule 46 of the Medical Devices Rules, UDI would have been mandatory for medical devices approved for manufacturing for sale or distribution or import. Globally, UDI is expected to play a pivotal role in improving patient safety by enabling device identification and tracking and most importantly overcome counterfeiting. Expounding in detail about the counterfeiting menace in India and urging the government to bring into effect the UDI, Nakul Pasricha, President, ASPA (Authentication Solution Providers Association) converses with BioSpectrum India in an exclusive interaction. ASPA is a Non-Profit organisation that has 69+ member companies providing physical and digital authentication solutions. This industry body of authentication solutions providers encourages its members to adopt best practices, standards, and advanced technology in providing cost-effective, anti-counterfeiting solutions. Edited excerpts: How has the medical device landscape changed in India? What led to this change and how would you perceive its future changes? The healthcare sector in India is going through a revolutionary transformation, resulting in a more favourable environment for patient well-being. India is playing a significant role in the global healthcare landscape, the country was already on the brink of this transformation, and COVID-19 accelerated it. A substantial part of this transformation is multi-faceted innovation in medical devices aimed at precision in delivering healthcare to patients. New age innovative and efficient medical devices driven by intelligent technology are a massive support to medical practitioners and nursing staff. With the growing need for healthcare in the country, it has a challenging task in front of them despite putting in its best efforts. There is a shortage of nursing staff in the country; our country currently has 1.7 nurses per 1000 people, while the WHO recommended rate is three nurses per 1000 people. This, coupled with the increasing need for healthcare services; medical devices creates a huge opportunity that can facilitate quick and accurate delivery of healthcare. What has made India boost domestic production of medical devices? India has been holding an important position in the global healthcare landscape as the pharmacy for the world. This has led to accumulation of meaningful information about this industry. The huge demand and future scope for medical devices in the country and across the world, coupled with the intelligence and insights that the industry has gathered over the years, has motivated Indian manufacturers to participate aggressively. In recent years, the technology-led perspective of the manufacturing industry has enabled the development of excellent products of world-class quality and capable of delivering precision. Has the demand for precision medical devices spurred the circulation of substandard and fake MedTech devices? Increasing need and widespread popularity of medical devices, especially the growing adoption of precision medical devices, has put pressure on manufacturers and the supply chain. The gap in demand and supply essentially is seen as an opportunity by the illicit manufacturers and sellers. They are further motivated by a relatively immature market and low awareness levels. When customers are unaware of the ease with which spurious, fake or substandard products can be infused into the market, it becomes easier for illicit traders to dupe them. Concerning a new product, customers are relatively less aware of the device and are unaware of how to know if it is an authentic standardised device or not. This gives the illicit manufacturers and sellers a window to cheat them and sell copycat devices. Due to technological advancement, counterfeiters can churn out low-quality precision medical devices and copycat packaging easily and quickly. What damages do illicit MedTech devices pose on various facets of the industry, society and ecosystem? Fake, spurious or substandard MedTech devices do not go through quality checks and do not match the standards set for those devices. Thus, they undermine and hamper the delivery of good quality and precise healthcare to the patients in need. Their inability to precisely deliver the device's purpose makes it impossible to provide a timely diagnosis or treatment. For instance, a substandard or fake Home Blood Sugar Monitor machine might not display accurate results, and the patient's health would be at risk due to a delay in giving timely treatment. The more crucial the device's purpose, the more significant threat it is to the patient's health. Apart from the threat of endangering the lives and well-being of patients, illicit products hamper the faith of patients in the medical fraternity and the whole ecosystem. Our medical fraternity, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, etc., put in a lot of hard work and investment into enabling good quality and timely healthcare to patients. But, the presence of fake and substandard medical devices and drugs can lead to grave tragedies. Additionally, any illicit trade eats into governments' revenues and brands. How do illicit manufacturers and sellers get into the ecosystem and supply chain? Authentication solutions are implemented on some products, which can easily determine their authenticity. But due to a lack of awareness about this and low participation in the authentication process, illicit products are not identified and reported correctly to enable corrective action. Low awareness among consumers, medical fraternity, nurses and pharmacists about the widespread presence of substandard and fake products allows them to cheat them into buying these. During a global crisis, a vulnerable supply chain also presents itself as an opportunity for these criminals. The pandemic was one such eye-opener in this regard. Through the duration of the pandemic, a disturbing number of incidents surfaced, which were related to substandard and falsified medicines and medical products in India and globally. There was an alarming spike of 47 per cent in the incidents reported of falsified and substandard medical products during 2020-2021. It was also observed that these were mainly related to COVID-19 products such as vaccines, antibiotics, test kits, sanitizers and face masks (Ref: ASPA's Report to the Nation). These incidents were observed in 23 out of 29 Indian States and Union Territories of the country. Is there a proper regulatory framework that protects authentic MedTech devices and innovations? MedTech space is changing rapidly, which calls for the regulatory framework to adapt and become more inclusive to cover innovations and new technologies. Medical devices continue to be regulated as drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. Efforts have undoubtedly been made to bring medical devices under proper regulation by amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Rule from time to time. And it was only in January 2017 that the Medical Devices Rules were framed for the first time. A step in the right direction, but more improvements are required. International norms have been revised since then, and in some cases, Bureau of Indian Standards norms are not in conformity with Indian Standards Organisation or International Electrotechnical Commission requirements. The Ministry of Health and Family welfare was implementing Unique Device Identification (UDI) for medical devices from January 1, 2022, but this has been delayed till further notice. Under Rule 46 of the Medical Devices Rules, UDI would have been mandatory for medical devices approved for manufacturing for sale or distribution or import. Globally, UDI is expected to play a pivotal role in improving patient safety by enabling device identification and tracking. Such positive initiatives, in our opinion, should not be delayed and should be implemented as soon as possible. The regulatory framework for protecting innovation and intellectual property and existing governance structures needs to be strengthened to stay attune to the new age changes. How can the country, industry and brands prepare themselves to fight the problem of fake and substandard MedTech devices? The solution starts from acknowledging and understanding the problem and its magnitude. We need to stay one step ahead of the criminals to make their task difficult and unrewarding. Government can guide the whole ecosystem towards a more nurturing environment for authentic products. They can take the lead by making it mandatory to use authentication and traceability solutions to secure the supply chain. The MedTech brands that invest heavily into producing world-class devices should take on the responsibility of protecting the product by implementing physical and digital solutions. From tamper-proof packaging such as one-time break plastic sleeves to digitally enabled labels that easily give information about the origin and journey of the product to QR Codes that can be scanned through intelligent devices. It is a misconception that implementing authentication solutions or building track and trace systems is a considerable cost. There are cost-effective tech-enabled solutions which are highly effective. Together with industry, governments, authorities, and brands are responsible for undertaking awareness campaigns that would engage the medical fraternity, nurses, pharmacists, and consumers into actively being careful of buying a fake device. Their participation in the authentication system can be a game-changer. How practicable is it to implement a robust track and trace infrastructure to secure the supply chain and avoid pilferage? It is possible to implement a robust track and trace system that records, and provides information on-demand about an authentic product in the ecosystem. Getting this information is as easy as scanning a QR Code or barcode or sending an SMS from a mobile phone. Every product has a unique identification that makes its location known in a few seconds when attached to the track and trace system. The track and trace system, due to its design, has proved very effective in identifying pilferage spots in the supply chain by showcasing inconsistencies. This helps in identifying the defaulters and the culprits in the system. Anusha Ashwin Shilpa Medicare Limited (SML) started its operations as API manufacturer way back in 1987 at Raichur, Karnataka. The commercial production in the SML was started in November 1989. Today SML, with a consolidated revenue of R 1,159.76 crore for the year 2021-22 against the previous years revenue of Rs 931.27 crore, has emerged as a global brand within manufacturing and supplying of affordable API and Formulation globally in different regulated markets. The Group with over 20 subsidiaries is now setting up a greenfield project located in Karnataka. BioSpectrum India spoke to Vishnukant Bhutada, Managing Director, Shilpa Medicare Limited on the new facility and challenges and growth of the company. Edited excerpts; Shilpa Group is setting up SBPL, a greenfield project located in Kadechur industrial area space spread across 30 acres in Karnataka. How much is your investment in this project? Shilpa Group started in 1989 with the vision of becoming a pioneer in niche areas of pharmaceuticals. We started with Oncology APIs followed by finished dosage forms and eventually evolved with diversified areas including Therapeutic peptides, speciality polymers, advanced intermediates, finished formulations (Injectables, Oral solids, Transdermal patches, Opthalmics, Oral thin films), Biologicals and Biosimilars. With 3200 plus employees, 492+ patents filed, 200+ DMF filings and several international regulatory approvals, listed in NSE, BSE, I always felt that something more needs to be done. It is with this thought that we set up Shilpa Biologicals at Dharwad, Karnataka to achieve a prominent position in Biopharmaceuticals space with our own pipeline of Biosimilars, New Biological Entity and CDMO services from our world class facilities. Shilpa Biocare, the new site at Kadechur, Karnataka was envisioned even before the pandemic to have a world-class large scale facility for manufacturing of fermentation based API and therapeutic products on Microbial platform (preferably E.coli and Pichia pastoris) to avoid dependency on imports. Now this project is of high relevance in the context of a pandemic situation where there was shortage of such products with high dependency on imports especially from China. Our new project at Kadechur is in line with our governments vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. The investment is to the tune of Rs 400 crore. Are you looking to raise additional funds for this project? At this stage we havent made a concrete decision on this although we have been approached by financial institutions and likeminded companies. Now that the project is in an advanced stage there are various opportunities that are being evaluated in addition to manufacturing of our own NBE-Recombinant Human Albumin. When is it expected to be completed and become operational? How many jobs will it create? Any particular reason to set up in Kadechur. The project is expected to be completed by Q4-2023 and it will create about 400 jobs. As a company we always Think global but actLocal. We had set up our first manufacturing site in Raichur (200 kms from Hyderabad) but successfully managed to get our facilities audited by several international agencies including USFDA, EU, PMDA-Japan etc. and registered our products in international markets much to the satisfaction of our customers and shareholders. In this process we created huge employment opportunities for many locals. Likewise Shilpa Biologicals (for our Biological Drug substance and Drug product site in Dharwad) we were aiming at a location in Karnataka. Shilpa Biocare location at Kadechur was also to set up a facility in Karnataka at a location other than Bangalore and in the process create local employment opportunities. Although we are located in Karnataka with manufacturing sites in Raichur, Dharwad, Dabaspet, we have our R&D centre at Raichur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Dharwad and offices in Mumbai, US, Europe and employees from pan India. To summarise we had this firm belief that if we have a clear vision, right commitment and business principles laced with Quality in Mind we can always make our presence felt irrespective of location. Could you give us some insight about your Biopharmaceutical SBU - Shilpa Biologicals? Shilpa Biologicals started with a vision to provide quality, affordable, accessible Biopharmaceutical healthcare products to patients across the globe. While in the pharmaceuticals space we have achieved excellence and continue to improve our products and services, we wanted to embark on a similar path for Biopharmaceuticals. Shilpa Biologicals is the biological site where we have a full range of capabilities right from Concept to commercialisation. We have a unique Business model which is Self-propelled and Synergistic. While we develop, manufacture, register and commercialise our own Biosimilars and NBE, we are also a prominent CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation). Our Biosimilar pipeline includes high concentration Adalimumab (ORIADALI), Aflibercept, Abatacept, Tenectaplase, Pembrolizumab and New Biological Entity- Recombinant Human Albumin'' which is developed for both Therapeutic and Non-therapeutic applications. We are the first company in India to develop and successfully complete Phase-III study of high concentrated biosimilar Adalimumab. Soon to be commercialised in India. Our CDMO model from a very early stage has started providing services to various clients- Sputnik-V for and DNA Vaccine for COVID-19 vaccines have been manufactured by us. We have a world class Infrastructure: Our R&D has capability of Clone development, Process development, Analytical development and full product characterisation. We have dedicated drug substance manufacturing facilities for microbial and mammalian based products and three drug product facilities for filling in PFS and Vials. Our highspeed vial line with high throughput has been specifically set up for high volume products especially vaccines. In addition to above through our new division Shilpa Biosciences- domestic marketing division we will improve the reach of our high-end biologicals pan India directly and through government institutions including but not limited to Pradhan Mantri Janaushadi Pariyojana. We are also in discussion with several domestic companies and multinationals to in-license biological drugs to improve the access of lifesaving drugs. How is this new facility different from other facilities? We are setting up about 250 KL large scale fermentation facilities which, presently, we don't have in any of our current facilities. Each facility of ours is different: API Facilities at Raichur, Karnataka Oncology Formulation unit at Jadcherla, Telangana Film/TD Formulation unit at Dabaspet, Bangalore Biological unit at Dharwad, Karnataka Fermentation facility at Kadechur, Karnataka Differentiation of Shilpa Biocare (new site at Kadechur) stems from our vision to have a large scale world class facility for manufacturing of fermentation-based products with equally sized downstream facility for purification of therapeutic proteins. The uniqueness is in the infrastructure that allows manufacturing of multiple products including but not limited to Recombinant Human Albumin, Recombinant Human Insulin and analogs, Recombinant Enzymes etc. In addition to this we have earmarked adequate space considering the need for expansion in near future. Can you give us some insight on how your current biopharma facility and the upcoming one will bring overall growth to the group? Shilpa Biologicals will set the launch pad for its growth with the commercialisation of Adalimumab (ORIADLI) in India. This will be followed with other biosimilars that will set the tone for overall organisation growth driven by improving the outreach of these biosimilars to patients across the globe. Our US and EU strategy is well crafted and can by itself change the entire landscape. Our distinctive CDMO services will also play a major role in this growth path. Shilpa Biocare is again on the lines of Shilpa Biologicals Self-propelled and Synergistic. Our NBE by itself is a blockbuster product. While it has the potential to garner a major share from the ~$6 billion market, our flexibility with the CDMO model will aid in self progress. Biopharmaceuticals/biologicals are a slow growth but profitable business in the long run. Patience always brings promising results. Hence these two businesses in due course of time will definitely bring in overall growth of Shilpa group. Manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines has not been a commercial success but you've, nonetheless, developed the capabilities of Recombinant vaccine manufacturing. What was the major learning from this? It was a good learning. But we must be careful in the future while investing in new areas. Treading on the COVID-19 vaccine opportunity undoubtedly has added a new dimension to our capabilities enhancing our manufacturing capacities that will be put to full use for Mabs business in near future. Our intent was primarily to rise to the national demand for vaccine security and hence it was a conscious decision to venture into this. Unfortunate situations resulting from unprecedented market dynamics which were beyond anybody control, we missed the opportunity. Although it has been a setback from a financial angle there has been more pros than cons. With the vaccine experience, we are now being approached by a few multinationals for CDMO services. You have a list of over 20 companies as subsidiaries, joint ventures, which ones are giving good growth and how do you see the growth for these firms in the post pandemic era? Globally most of the companies of our size are ideally looking to consolidate their position depending on the degree of setbacks owing to the market situation and naturally a moderate progress is expected. Having said that on the small molecules front we are working to develop new products which are set to launch by next 2-3 years. Similarly our Therapeutic peptide division is also developing a good pipeline of products some of which are going off patent in next 2-5yrs. Shilpa Biologicals (Biopharma Business), Shilpa Biocare (large scale facility) and Shilpa Biosciences (Domestic marketing division) as mentioned earlier are expected to further elevate our position in domestic and international markets. We are reenergised in our quest for growth post pandemic era notwithstanding the moderate progress. What are the current challenges before the company? The main challenge is in monetising the investments made in the last few years which didnt progress as expected due to the unprecedented pandemic situation. This, apart from the dynamics in the regulatory environment due to lack of convergence in systems across various countries, are main challenges. Nevertheless, since our Biosimilar Development programme has been built in accordance with EU/US standards on the basis of Totality of Evidence we expect that we will be able to open up many markets that will have access to our Biosimilars in the next few years thereby resulting in good progress overall. -------------- Narayan Kulkarni narayan.kulkarni@mmactiv.com InnAccel Technologies, C-CAMP, and USAIDs SAMRIDH Initiative convene to strengthen respiratory support for newborns in Assam Bengaluru-based startup InnAccel Technologies and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) have joined hands with the SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Finance Facility to strengthen respiratory support for newborns and paediatric populations in Assam with an indigenous life-saving technology to reduce neonatal mortality due to Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) in the state. SAMRIDH is a multi-stakeholder innovation and financing platform supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by IPE Global. Respiratory Distress Syndrome is the cause of over 1.5 lakh deaths among newborns annually in India, with one-third of deaths occurring during transport to hospitals with Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) capabilities. In Assam, there are 40 deaths per 1,000 live births, which makes it the state with the third-highest infant mortality rate in India. Through this partnership, InnAccel Technologies will receive access to affordable finance and technical assistance to expand the production and distribution of SAANS, which is the world's first infrastructure-independent, easy-to-use, portable neonatal CPAP system that can provide lifesaving breathing support to infants in hospital settings, as well during transport. The partnership between InnAccel, C-CAMP and SAMRIDH, with support from the National Health Mission - Assam and the Government of Assam, will help deploy 307 units of SAANS in Assam, which are expected to meet almost 100% of the states current demand to supplement respiratory support technology. Through this study, Godrej Interio has suggested a systematic and structured approach to ergonomics training that could reduce the risk of WMSDs among office goers Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, has announced that its business Godrej Interio, Indias leading furniture solutions brand, in home and institutional segments, has published the findings of an exclusive study titled Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Employees (WMSDs). To understand the employee expectations and concerns in the hybrid work model, the Workspace & Ergonomics Research Cell at Godrej Interio conducted a nation-wide study that uncovers different aspects such as employees concerns related to body pain while working, incorrect work tool integration, and views on long work hours and static muscle load in office. A total of 500 office-going employees participated in the research in the age group 2140 years, most of them, working for MNCs and Indian corporates. According to the study, WMSDs are becoming a growing concern due to their impact on employee productivity and well-being. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. However, WMSDs are conditions in which the work environment and the tasks performed at work significantly worsen the condition, especially if it persists for an extended period of time. 91% of workers are not fully aware of the workplace factors that can endanger their health and cause the onset of WMSDs (Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders) while 82% of employees reported concerns related to body pain while working from home. Greater adoption of digital platforms and strengthening the digital healthcare ecosystem will significantly reduce medical and drug errors in both the private and public healthcare sectors, leading to improved patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Source: Shutterstock. Studies show that around 8% of hospital patients show adverse reactions to treatment and half of these are preventable. Although most medical errors do not result in major harm or death, a significant number can have the potential to seriously harm patients through side-effects like permanent neurological damage. Many of the successes and failures of healthcare can be traced to a single point in the system - that is, doctors making effective decisions with their patients. In addition, most of the R200bn per year in private healthcare benefits paid by medical schemes is steered by healthcare professionals from the point of care. Getting it right is of major importance to all healthcare stakeholders, including patients, hospitals, medical schemes, healthcare professionals and big pharmaceutical companies. Part of the problem is that the world of medicines is in a state of constant change, with new pricing, drugs, science, and data around the safety and efficacy of medicines emerging almost daily. But heres the issue, says Khan: healthcare professionals are not provided with digital tools that support up to date and full transparency of local medicines pricing in South Africa. This leaves them disempowered in making the most cost-effective decisions for their patients. To date, much of the digitisation of the healthcare sector has focused on digitising existing processes and workflows, but there has been relatively little movement towards providing relevant and practical clinical and medicines intelligence that empowers better decisions at the point of care. Most digital systems actually increase the work of the doctor, as they focus on data collection for the funder or hospital. Effective digital platforms will decrease the burden of admin for the doctor and improve clinical decision making. Clinical and medicines information must be configured into different tools, like dosage tools, reimbursement tools, and tools that monitor and flag drug interactions. Digital scripting With digital scripting now starting to take place, the integration of medicines intelligence into the scripting workflow is the critical impact point for healthcare professional decisions and patient outcomes. These digital tools will also help consumers avoid the dreaded co-payment problem when they fetch prescribed drugs from pharmacies by allowing doctors to take their patients funding status into account when prescribing medicines. Pricing and reimbursement are major issues within the private sector, in particular. The pharmaceutical industry has a key role to play in driving greater awareness of medicines at the point of care and it is able to provide support through at most stages of a 'medicine lifecycle' including drug education, safety, reimbursement, and research. Drug manufacturers must play a greater role in the empowerment and support of healthcare professionals. They have made substantial investments in the science and development of modern medicines, and it is vital that we provide a platform which allows healthcare professionals to tap into that support in a transparent and unbiased way to be able to optimise decision-making. There is a wealth of potential product and patient support activity that can be offered effectively through digital channels. In effect, digital platforms can be the bridge which brings together healthcare professionals, the broader industry, funders, and hospitals by not just pushing content to doctors but allowing healthcare professionals to become actively involved in reporting drug reactions and how they use pharmaceuticals. Marketing has long clung to the notion that a brand is mostly composed of the communications it puts out into the world. We do our due diligence and develop these lovely brand strategies. We sit and work out our brand DNA, or our brand eggs, or our brand onions, or our brand keys. Source UX Indonesia Unsplash Brands' number one priority should be customers objectives These multi-levelled multi-faceted documents filled with jargon and acronyms that the consumer never sees and the brand team barely touches after the initial presentation. These things are necessary, of course. When youre crafting the next big campaign, referring back to the original brand documents is an important starting point. Customer experience is the brand However, the consumer doesnt care. Your latest omni-channel masterpiece slips right through their awareness. They dont see the connection between the billboard and the Facebook page. They dont care about your metrics, your reach, your engagement, your conversions. What they care about is their customer experience. In short, customer experience is the brand. This changes things dramatically because first and foremost its a space that many agencies dont play in. Most agencies are pretty good at the big campaign, some even fairly good at collecting the all important first-party data. Those campaigns certainly do contribute to customer experience, so their role is not negated. But still, theres a bigger picture. There are some agencies that are beginning to test the waters of customer experience. They do the big campaigns, but they also look beyond that, at the entire journey. The relationship with a brand may begin on Google, but what about the rest? Marketing often stops at that moment. We got them to notice you, maybe even smile at you. Maybe we even got them to go a bit further. Our job is done. Where the real magic takes place But the real magic of the relationship doesnt live in the first kiss, its much more and much longer than that. What happens in-store? What happens during purchase? How did the sales clerk treat you? Did you get the item in a nice box? What happens if it breaks? A brand like Apple doesnt have to do a lot of marketing because it has nailed down customer experience. Say what you will about the hardware, the experience of purchasing a Mac is really cool. The reason is simple, Apple has mapped out the entire journey with the customer at the centre of it. Sounds a bit obvious doesnt it? Well, for a lot of brands, it isnt. Number one priority: customers objectives Marketing conversations usually focus on two different, but overlapping things, the brand objectives and the marketing objectives. Our number one priority should be the customers objectives. Once we start talking about those experiences, then questions like what we do with all this first-party data answers itself. A new type of agency requires their clients to think about their brand differently and to open themselves to conversations not just about that first kiss, but how big should the wedding be, and how many kids youre going to have. Stop having one-night stands and grow up. This year's Sunday Times Fiction Award has been awarded to debut author Tshidiso Moletsane's Junx. Supplied. This years Sunday Times Fiction Award has been awarded to debut author Tshidiso Moletsanes Junx Moletsane was up against worthy competitors, including Damon Galgut (The Promise, 2021 Booker Prize winner), Joanne Joseph (Children of Sugar Cane), Karen Jennings (An Island) and Thenjiwe Mswane (All Gomorrahs are the Same). Published by Penguin Random House under the Umuzi Trailblazer imprint, the judges described the book as A tour de force. Bold, raw and surprisingly elegant Gonzo style writing. For 29-year-old Moletsane, the award was a real surprise. I didn't have any real expectations for it. I believed the literary scene probably wouldn't take too well to the content or the premise. The character is unlikable, there isn't a lesson at the end, the language is coarse, the book is too short, he says. He also says that the writing of Junx was part of satisfying a goal that was on his vision board for some years. Once it got published, I thought, I did it! I did it! I'm done. SA Catcher in the Rye We at Penguin Random House Local Fiction are doing a victory dance, says Catriona Ross, the books editor. This is a story that captured our attention back in 2016, when Moletsane first submitted a sample to us. He then lost all his notes in a hijacking, spent the next couple of years reconstructing the novel, and finally resubmitted it. Ros says when she I read those first chapters she was sold. Here was a unique voice, an unnamed, unbelievably cool narrator leading us through a wild night in Joburg with honesty, intelligence and humour. Calling it A Catcher in the Rye for this crazy country, Ross says it is a book with the potential to garner a cult following (see the Trevor Noah part!). A rollercoaster without a seatbelt Junx captures the spirit and sass of South Africans as they pick their way through multiple challenges daily: corruption, poverty, mental health issues, dodgy parties. Moletsane is a unique local talent. We are so proud of him. Thank you, judges, for recognising the genius of his book, adds Ross. Telling the story of a guy who kicks off his day by sharing a joint with his imaginary friend Ari, Junx is a rollercoaster without a seatbelt. With Ari perched on his shoulder, both protecting and goading him, our man will end up joyriding to a brothel in a snatched tourist rental car, then trying to outrun the police while the tourists catch up. At some point, things are going to come to a head. Will they turn out okay? Ask Ari. Ari never lies. Meets the prize criteria Both in style and content, Junx meets the prize criteria, being a novel of rare imagination and style, evocative, textured and a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark of contemporary fiction. Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, says the department has stepped up its security across all points in the question paper chain, as the 2022 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams commence today. Image source: Jatuphol Jaturapat 123RF.com Grade 12 learners are sitting for the NSC examinations from today until 7 December 2022 in all nine provinces. Motshekga, along with Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, is monitoring the start of the National Senior Certificate exams in Mamelodi, Tshwane. Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, Motshekga said there has been a gradual increase in the number of full-time enrolments in 2022. The department, she said, has gone to great lengths to ensure that the examinations happen with no irregularities. All learners sitting for the NSC examinations and their parents have signed Commitment Agreement to maintain honesty and not to participate in irregularities during the writing of examinations. The agreement binds the learners and parents to follow the rules relating to the examination. In line with this agreement, learners and parents are obliged to make any irregularity related information immediately available to the school principal or the DBE hotline. They are also expected to surrender cellphones and any other related devices if there is an allegation of involvement in an act of dishonesty, the Minister said. Motshekga said learners are briefed on all the rules and regulations pertaining to the examinations and on the consequences, should they be implicated in irregularities. Load shedding The Minister said the department continues to liaise closely with Eskom, the security cluster, provincial Education Departments (PEDs) and other relevant stakeholders to manage the risks posed by load shedding and other security related matters. The DBE can confidently state that it is fully prepared to administer the November 2022 examinations based on the principles of fairness, reliability, validity and integrity, Motshekga said. Challenges Motshekga, supported by her deputy Dr Reginah Mhaule; the Director-General, Mathanzima Mweli and managers in the department have been traversing the country to monitor schools. The Minister said based on their findings, there are "big challenges". In recent weeks, they have had to deal with reported cases where some schools denied learners the right to sit for the NSC exams because they are pregnant. The Minister said the National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy states expressly that barring a learner from school on the grounds of pregnancy is discriminatory. In terms of the policy, schools are required to take all necessary steps to reasonably accommodate the learner to facilitate her continuing education. A learner who is pregnant shall be allowed to sit for national examinations if her health condition permits. The school principal and staff, in collaboration with parents/guardians, shall take all reasonable steps to accommodate the learners learning, health and maternal needs during the examination period. This policy came into effect in January 2022, and we expect all our school communities to comply with it and implement it accordingly, Motshekga said. The Minister has appealed to South Africans to rally behind the Matric Class of 2022. Fedhasa Inland has appointed its new board at its AGM held recently in the Vaal. Source: Supplied Current chairperson Rosemary Anderson updated delegates on the organisation's activities over the past year to keep members informed about legislative and government notices, as well as lobby government directly and in media to create an enabling environment for hospitality to flourish. Among these were the recent ZEP Webinar and FAQ, the successful setting aside of the extension of Bargaining Council to non-parties and sharing of over 70 statutes and information concerning legislation affecting Fedhasa members. "We will be building a new resource-based website which will be a rich platform for members to source templates, resources and collaborate virtually with their industry peers through interactive forums. We will also reengage in person through in-person networking and engagements we are a social industry after all," said Anderson. Lastly, the organisation has set its sights on establishing a basket of benefits such that the savings achieved through these outweigh the fees members pay to be part of Fedhasa. A deal for hospitality businesses with a third party was currently being finalised and details would be announced soon, she added. During the event, Fedhasa Inland members elected their board which comprises: Hotels segment: Ross Phinn, City Lodge Hotel Group Dave Milne, Peermont Global Small accommodation segment: Gavin Ferreira, Kruger Shalati Gustav Pieterse, The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa Pieter van Rooyen, Bon Hotels Bloemfontein Restaurant and catering segment: Monwabisi Thethe, Brand Contact Rosemary Anderson, Stonehaven on Vaal Trusted partner segment: Bruce Mckay, Tuscan Hospitality "We will appoint a chair and vice chair during our first board meeting, as well as define the sub-committees who will be taking FEDHASA 2.0 forward in the inland region and build on the excellent work that has been done in the past year to enhance the relevance of FEDHASA to South Africas hospitality sector," Anderson concluded. Roger Baxter will step down as CEO of Minerals Council South Africa when his contract expires in April 2023. The council has embarked on a process to appoint a new CEO designate who will support Baxter through to the conclusion of his contract. Under Baxter's leadership, the Minerals Council rebranded and renamed the 132-year-old organisation, elected the first woman president in its history, managed the Covid-19 pandemic better than many other sectors by vaccinating 77% of the workforce, led the mining sector in recording its safest year on record in 2019, and successfully advocated unlocking private sector investment in energy. Its been a real privilege to have been afforded the opportunity to lead the Minerals Council through a remarkable period of change. I have been blessed with capable and dedicated Minerals Council colleagues and fantastic office bearers who have given generously of their time and their advice to make sure I could do my best for our industry. We, as the Minerals Council, could not have achieved as much as we have without them, says Baxter. Long history with Minerals Council Baxter joined the then-Chamber of Mines in 1992, taking a one-year break in 1999 to work in the stockbroking industry before returning to the organisation as its chief economist. He then joined Rio Tinto for a year in 2011 before the Chamber persuaded him to return in 2012 and he was appointed senior executive in 2012, then COO in 2014 and then CEO in 2015. Roger has led the organisation for nine years through momentous changes and challenging times, playing a key leadership role at the Minerals Council during this period of positive and transformative change. He has been an exemplary leader and CEO of the Minerals Council and he has worked tirelessly to promote and position the mining industry and the country for transformative growth and to #MakingMiningMatter, says Nolitha Fakude, president of the Minerals Council. While there is still much more work that needs to be done on several fronts, there is no doubt that a solid foundation has been laid by the Minerals Council and good progress has been made in several areas. Under Rogers leadership, the Minerals Council has become a real force to be reckoned with." I could not wait for the all-new Kia Sportage to roll into my driveway for a week of testing. And when I handed the keys back, I did so most grudgingly. Everything about the fifth-generation Sportage was something to write home about. But it does not stop there. The SUV really turned heads wherever I went. And at times, I had to jump out of the vehicle to let admirers take a closer look. With an updated look and sleeker lines, I was not surprised. Aesthetically, it's a stunner. Image supplied Three decades of Sportage culminate in the most complete version of Kias global best-selling SUV. Below is a quick heads-up: High specification and exceptional value for money across the range gives customers maximum choice Turbocharged powertrain and standard dual-clutch transmission ensures dynamic performance and everyday frugality Advanced technology and advanced driver assistance systems abound The ultimate? Designed from the ground up to be the ultimate urban SUV, the all-new, fifth-generation Sportage is Kias most loved and best-selling model globally. The newcomer is a flagbearer of the Kia brands pioneering DNA and leads by example in every respect. With its bold, sporty design, the Sportage brings innovation and excitement to the popular compact SUV segment with its hearty blend of driver-centric design, advanced driver-assistance systems and state-of-the-art interior finishes. The Sportage has always been a car of firsts for the Kia brand, says Gary Scott, CEO of Kia South Africa. When it first debuted in the late 1990s, it set the tone for multiple automakers to pursue the design and development of what we know as an SUV today. Precise design From the front, the all-new Sportage showcases a precise and intricate design form with its detailed-orientated black grille graphic stretching across the width of the face. The tiger-nose grille adds to the distinctive futuristic-styled boomerang-shaped LED DRLs (daytime running lamps), which in turn create solid boundary lines for the striking Matrix LED headlamps. Image supplied The road presence is incredible with taut lines cutting across clean but refined body surfaces that seamlessly blend the contrasting volumes together. Fastback Then theres a muscular, swooping fastback design that flows into the rear lamps, which have been crafted to give the impression that they cut into the body with fine precision. Depending on the model, the all-new Sportage rides on 17-inch, 18-inch or range-topping 19-inch wheels, with a choice of 12 different exterior colours. Image supplied Considering the importance of Kias 'bold for nature' design pillar in the Sportage design, these colours new additions such as Experience Green, Orange Fusion and Splash Lemon complement well-loved colours such as Casa White, Black Pearl, Blue Frame and Infra Red Metallic. Plenty interior space The interior of the all-new Sportage personifies boldness with character and softness in qualities and innovation in technology. This creates a driver-oriented space that is truly state-of-the-art. The cabin has been carefully crafted to fuse breakthrough technology with luxury features, premium materials and modern style. Image supplied The high-tech 12.3-inch touchscreen acts as the nerve centre for driver and passenger connectivity, functionality and usability needs, designed for highly intuitive and soft-to-touch ease-of-use and equipped with the latest-generation full thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display for incredibly precise and clear graphics. Powertrain The all-new Sportage is offered, for the first time, only with a 1,6l T-GDi petrol engine, and exclusively with an advanced version of Kias seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). The turbocharged engine endows the all-new Sportage with a hearty balance of power and performance, while the DCT aids in delivering exceptional fuel consumption. The turbocharged engine delivers 132kW of power at 5,500r/min. All of this came together in a long drive on the national road to the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Comfortable and pleasing as ever at speeds around 120kmph or more when required. Average petrol consumption in all drive conditions was approx. 7.9l per 100km. Verdict With consideration of its striking exterior design and plush yet high-tech interior, the all-new Sportage offers a daring combination of luxury and value for money that sets it apart in its segment. Pricing Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi LX: R539,995 Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi EX: R593,995 Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line: R649,995 Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line Plus: R677,995 Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi GT-Line S: R734,995 All Sportage models ship as standard with Kias industry-leading unlimited kilometre/five-year warranty, inclusive of roadside assistance. In addition, a pre-paid six-year/90,000km service plan is included to give customers peace of mind and predictability when it comes to vehicle maintenance. Forming part of the Teachers4DataAnalytics programme, global analytics leader, SAS held workshops at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU) in mid-October to provide those teachers in attendance with the knowledge and tools to inspire their students to pursue careers in data analytics. Teachers4DataAnalytics was launched at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in late August. I conceptualised it and thought carefully about what we could do in a matter of about five to six hours. This is where the SAS DataFly resource that offers a fun and engaging way to explore data in real-time is perfect. We show teachers how to capture information in an easy way and then represent it in the form of a graph or other visual presentation, says Professor Delia North, former dean and head of the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, for the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. These workshops saw teachers being taught at UWC and NWU how to transfer this knowledge to students on multiple levels. The teachers were taught what the differences are between mathematical and statistical thinking. The workshops also had theoretical and practical components to show the teachers how to apply what they learnt through SAS DataFly. After the workshop at UWC one teacher said to Prof. Renette Blignaut, the manager of the UWC Data Science programmes: I hope we have similar workshops in future, we really learnt so much. Another teacher said: If you arrange workshops in future, I will definitely attend. The digital revolution is driven by data. This data can bring huge value if it is used ethically and in proper context. Through Teachers4DataAnalytics, the value is unlocked when statistical methods and technology is applied by learners to gain insight and make recommendations to explore and create solutions for pressing global issues, says Andre Zitzke, manager: Global Academic Programmes in Africa for SAS. Data is everywhere and is the driving force behind much of todays innovation. But rarely do school learners have the opportunity to work with data in authentic, meaningful experiences beyond the math classroom. Thus, many learners are not achieving data literacy. This is something that Teachers4DataAnalytics seeks to overcome by empowering teachers with the skills they need to nurture passion for data in their students. The level of knowledge that the teachers have generally is in the mathematical thinking domain as opposed to statistical thinking domain. The workshops held this past weekend showed teachers how to interpret what data means beyond the mathematical. It is about providing context to a story and not simply delivering a statistical approach to analysis. The value of the programme, and workshops like these, is to open teachers and learners minds to understand that in the real world there is a lot of use of data. It is absolutely essential that they study further in data analytics because data is everywhere and you need to be able to make evidence-based decisions, says Professor North. Dr Julia Keddie of the UWC Data Science team addressed the teachers on how they are the change agents who can show learners to appreciate the value of using statistics in the real world or to study statistics further when they complete their schooling. Ms Nombuso Zondo, from UKZN, guided the teachers through a hands-on session of SASDataFly. From setting up the polling questions through experiencing first-hand the excitement of the dynamic changing graph as the data kept flying in. The ease with which it is done makes it very easy to use in the classroom, not just in mathematics classes but in all subjects. Making this an additional tool helping the teacher assess, in a fun and interactive way, if the learners understood what was taught, says Ms Zondo. To encourage the teachers to take up this initiative Dr Danielle Roberts, also from UKZN, invited the teachers to tell a story, by creating a poster, based on data generated by responses from learners, on any topic of interest using SAS DataFly. The poster must be submitted to the judging committee and will be judged at the South African Statistical Associations annual conference at the end of November 2022 where the winners will be announced. Handsome prizes are up for grabs. Prof. North added that SAS DataFly was selected as it is the ideal platform to workshop with teachers as they can then also easily explain to their learners and show them how to unlock the passion for data analytics. After all, the teachers are the ones who will reach countless children over the years of their careers in education making teachers well placed to show learners to appreciate the value of using statistics in the real world or to study statistics further when they complete their schooling. SAS DataFly makes the process interactive and fun for the teachers and learners. They can input the data into the tool and see instantly how the graphic changes as new values are entered. For learners keen on using the tool, they can identify themselves by choosing emojis or specific colours for dots. It provides a great foundation on which to develop a love for data analytics and we are excited by the potential these and other workshops can have in the South African market, concludes Zitzke. Following its acquisition of a 50% stake in boutique media company UrbanSigns in 2018, leading out-of-home (OOH) media owner Tractor Outdoor has since announced that it will take over the rest of the business. Ben Harris Ben Harris, managing director at Tractor, explains that upon the initial part-acquisition of UrbanSigns four years ago, a joint venture between the two businesses was launched a separate entity called urbantrac. Through merging the portfolios of both companies, clients were able to benefit from having access to multiple OOH locations and thus maximise their reach. With this latest move, we will now do away with urbantrac and consolidate everything under the Tractor Outdoor umbrella. This will unlock significant value for our clients by adding 26 key sites to our Western Cape portfolio, extending our footprint and influence. Moreover, having complete autonomy will allow us greater opportunity to innovate, update and augment the portfolio as we go. Harris says that the relationship with UrbanSigns has been a mutually beneficial, rewarding and long-standing one, adding that: UrbanSigns owner Antony Urbaniak founded his company around 30 years ago, and is one of the stalwarts and pioneers of the local outdoor media industry. He has run an admirably tight ship and managed a successful business for many years, and it has been a privilege working with and learning from him. We look forward to building on this legacy while taking our own business into the future. Remarks Urbaniak: It has been a wonderful partnership and I will miss working with Tractor and their dynamic team. Harris says that the Western Cape continues to yield exciting potential for media owners and advertisers. The provinces outdoor media landscape is well-regulated and it sees a large number of tourists, business travellers and holidaymakers each year. There is a great demand for iconic, premium sites, and Cape Town is well-known for these. Thus it remains a core strategic focus within our national network of OOH and digital out of home (DOOH) inventory. This announcement follows the recent acquisition of a minority stake in Tractor Media Holdings by black-owned private equity and venture capital firm Hlayisani Capital; with the intention behind both moves being to aggressively accelerate the Tractors DOOH growth strategy over the next few years. The massive population increase in South Africa over the past decades, failing water infrastructure, and lack of good rain have compounded the current water crisis in the country, but here are ways of surviving a possible 'day zero', when the municipal taps are shut off, says Hans van Kamp, CEO of Kampwater, a Stellenbosch based water treatment supplier who are assisting affected organisations like hospitals to overcome the crisis. Hans van Kamp, CEO of Kampwater The sources of clean, fresh water in South Africa is limited, and organisations and homeowners are looking at different ways of water supply that are less dependent on the current infrastructure. Water supply systems and the distribution networks are high on maintenance. In Gqeberha it is estimated that 40% of the municipal water is lost due to leaking pipes. In the rest of the country, large amounts of treated, clean, drinkable water is lost daily because of the thousands upon thousands of leaks that characterise South Africas water piping system. Compounding this is the fact that we have not had good rains for more than seven years and we have had a sharp increase in water consumption from across sectors, be it residential, business, or other. One of the solutions should be that a major part of the maintenance budget should be spent on the infrastructure, the current pipework network. Most of the maintenance work should be spent on preventative maintenance and upgrades to cope with the increasing demand. However, most municipalities are struggling to keep up and keeping the system from collapsing. There are some exceptions but not many, says Van Kamp. The loadshedding of electricity from Eskom is also wreaking havoc on the water system of the country. A good example would be the constant power trips at Rand Waters Zuikerbosch purification plant recently that lead to pump stations and reservoirs across Johannesburg being adversely affected. This left several Johannesburg Water reservoirs and towers with critically low to empty water levels and hospitals like Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph hospitals had to make use of mobile tankers to sustain their supply. Van Kamp says the current water system and challenges it is experiencing with loadshedding cannot cope with the ever-increasing population. South Africa boasts the 33rd largest economy in the world and the 23rd largest population on the planet, according to The World Bank. We are the most populated nation south of the equator, home to over 59 million people. This number is only expected to increase as citizens from poorer countries in the vicinity migrate to look for new homes, work, and other opportunities. The investments in the supply of water to the population can only be done with a long-term vision. The systems we have cannot cope with the growth of the population. In 1994, Cape Town had 2.384 million residents and water usage of roughly 300 megalitres per day (MLD). This year, we are looking at a population of 4.760 million people in the same area and water usage of 769 MLD per day. That is more than a 100% increase in people and water usage in 28 years with a system that did not grow at the same rate to provide for this increase, says Van Kamp. If all the new dams identified by the government are built as promised, it will help in the future to alleviate the pressure. These include the dam on the Mzimvubu River in Eastern Cape, the expansion of the Clanwilliam Dam in Western Cape, the Nwamitwa and Tzaneen dams in Limpopo, the Hazelmere Dam in KwaZulu-Natal, and the Polihali Dam in Lesotho, which will provide water to Gauteng. But, says Van Kamp, for at least the next six years, water supply will get tighter. People need to know that there is going to be a squeeze on water supply. This information is essential if communities and households are to play their part. People will not change their behaviour unless they are told what is happening and how to avoid a crisis, says Van Kamp. Just adding dams to the infrastructure is not the only solution: The drought we had in 2018 would not have been such a crisis if it were not due to the increase in demand. The current dams are limited to the inflow from the catchment areas, you cannot just add a dam and expect that to be the only solution. Resources are limited, there cannot be unlimited population growth if there are not enough resources. You cannot plan to increase the supply of water indefinitely unless you use desalination, which is expensive and uses a lot of energy, says Van Kamp. He says a short-term solution, like having a power inverter at home, would be to have a backup water tank, which will help to relieve the problem with water supply in the short term: For domestic users, this solution can offer relief. If you add a water tank that is topped up by the municipality supply and have a booster pump to the house, it will relieve pressure when there are events like watershedding, or restrictions applied. For industrial water users, and especially the essential services like hospitals, the blood banks, and frail care centres, we need to look for alternative supplies, like rivers and boreholes, says Van Kamp. Boreholes have been a source of water for a very long time but despite this, their benefits are still relatively unknown to a lot of business owners. The most common use of boreholes is as a self-sufficient water source for businesses. A deep hole is drilled down to the water source, the sides of the well are secured, and a pump is installed to draw the water to the surface. To do this you need a geohydrologist to do a study of the likelihood of finding a reliable source of water. If you do, you access the source by drilling a bore hole, evaluate the yield and water quality, do site preparations like a slab, electrical connection, and water connections, and then install tanks and a water purification system. To be able to run a sustainable system, you need to do online monitoring of the borehole level, extraction, tank levels and water quality. It is important to also have a service level agreement in place for the bore hole that will include maintenance and online monitoring, says Van Kamp. Many consumers cite the fact that boreholes provide a self-sufficient edge as their primary benefit: The water contained within these holes has accumulated because of rain and natural run-off, so the consumer is merely accessing a resource that has accumulated because of the topography of their region. There is no reliance on third party machinery or processes for the water supply. Being dependent on a municipal supply only will become more of a risk in the future, and in some areas, this is already a risk. Using boreholes as the main source of water mitigates this risk, says Van Kamp. He says to make your borehole legal, you would need to apply for a water use licence that will be submitted to the regional office of the Department of Water and Sanitation. The regional office will charge a licence processing fee and will do the assessment in the regional office and catchment management agency. Your licence application will then be finalised, and a decision will be provided to you. There are generally three steps to processing any licence. These steps aim to evaluate the application against the principle of beneficial use in the public interest and specifically against Section 27 of the National Water Act. Step one is when your pre-application enquiry is received. This is a step where the department determines and advises you on the information required to compile a water use licence application technical report to support the application. The determination of information requirements will be based on the information contained on the form or the site inspection, if required. Applicants may be requested to advertise the proposed water use, or to invite interested and affected parties to comment. You will be required to provide a complete application on the day of submission. Step two is the screening of the technical report, and the last step is the assessment of the technical report where the information is evaluated by specialist groups, and a recommendation is made to the delegated authority for a decision. After considering all the relevant information, the delegated authority will decide on whether to approve the application. An application for a water use licence can take up to 90 days to process, depending on the complexity of the application, its benefits to the nation, and its possible impacts. Generally, low impact, high value licence applications will be processed faster, concludes Van Kamp. By 2026, 573.7 million households worldwide will have smart home devices, 19 million of which will be South African. To help make more South African homes smarter, sooner, CBI-electric: low voltage has recently launched its IoT (internet-of-things) home automation range, called the Astute Range Established in 1949 in South Africa, CBI-electric: low voltage is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of quality low voltage electrical distribution, protection, and control equipment, which can be found in many homes across South Africa. The new Astute Range enhances this offering with high-tech solutions to oversee and manage almost every aspect of ones home, including monitoring, energy efficiency, voltage fluctuations, and the remote control and automation of appliances, amongst others. Energy efficiency: Smart home devices help homeowners to monitor their energy usage so they can control consumption. Not only can users keep an eye on which items are consuming the most electricity but also turn them off when not in use and schedule when they are turned back on. For instance, users can control when geysers and other heavy energy-using appliances switch on. They can also predetermine which days their pool pump goes on and for how long. This functionality is crucial for saving electricity, which in turn helps users to save money. Voltage fluctuations: Voltage instability before and after load-shedding means that there is a potential for voltage fluctuations in the distribution network and therefore ultimately in your house. These fluctuations can be either higher or lower than the standard voltage supply of 230V AC. These high and/or low voltages can damage appliances and the best way to protect against this is to only allow voltage to an appliance once it has stabilised. With smart home automation devices, users can easily set a minimum and maximum safe operating voltage range via an app. Hence, if the voltage is not stable, the smart device will police the voltage levels and only allow power to the load (appliance) when it is within a safe operating voltage range. Remote control and automation of appliances: When it comes to controlling their appliances, users have the ability to switch them on and off remotely. This can be applied to lights, aircon and underfloor heating, for example. Automation enables users to set timers and schedules to activate and deactivate their devices at specific times and on certain days. Their lifestyle and safety requirements can help determine how best to set up these remote controls and automations for optimal use. Smart homes are no longer a thing of the future, but a reality of the present, and soon they will be even smarter. Going forward, they will be more connected, meaning that they will be able to anticipate users needs, which, in turn equates to an effortless integration into your daily routine. These smart devices provide insight, control and automation all at the tip of your fingers. Start investing today in the smart homes of tomorrow. For more information, go to https://cbi-lowvoltage.co.za or follow CBI-electric: low voltage on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter. Tongaat Hulett has entered into a voluntary business rescue process (BRP) for two of its South African operations, Tongaat Hulett Limited and Tongaat Hulett Development Proprietary Limited, after lenders pulled their financial support. These operations are planned to move ahead under the business rescue process. In a Sens statement the JSE-listed company which is currently suspended from trading due to a delay in publishing its latest financials said that its debt levels are well in excess of what it can service after business recapitalisation plans took longer than expected. Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe sugar operations will be exempt from the rescue process as they remain financially sound. These three businesses are funded independently from the company and should be largely unaffected by the adverse circumstances affecting the company. This is according to the group. Facing financial difficulties Tongaat has faced significant challenges following years of high and increasing debt levels, alleged financial misstatements and historic mismanagement under previous leadership. The new leadership team and board have worked since 2019 on delivering a turnaround strategy. Good progress was made on a variety of fronts, including realising cost savings and improving available funding. Debt, specifically, has been reduced by more than R6.6bn from a high of R11.7bn. Despite the good progress, there is a shortfall in the companys working capital facilities of approximately R1.5bn, largely driven by the impact of Covid-19 and the recent unrest in KwaZulu-Natal. This shortfall is necessary to fund the peak working capital requirements to complete the 2023 financial year. The South African lender group has informed the company that they will not be able to continue supporting the company with additional funding in South Africa. Without this funding, the board concluded that Tongaat is, or would be, facing "financial distress", as defined by the Companies Act and that the South African operations are no longer financially sustainable without further liquidity. The board resolution and a sworn affidavit stating the reasons for going into business rescue have been filed with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), with the finalisation of their processes in development. Peter Van den Steen, Trevor Murgatroyd and Gerhard Albertyn of Metis Strategic Advisors will be appointed as the business rescue practitioners. Tongaat CEO Gavin Hudson says: "Although this is not the outcome we were hoping for, the start of business rescue is not the end for Tongaat Huletts South African operations. Business rescue provides a legal framework that allows business rescue practitioners to work with key stakeholders to find optimal solutions to our financial difficulties. "Tongaat has a proud 130-year legacy and is a significant player in agriculture in South Africa. We have dedicated people working very hard to find the best way forward, and the leadership team is committed to working closely with the business rescue practitioners to ensure a successful outcome to the restructuring of the company that protects those associated with Tongaat." While the company has interest from both existing shareholders and potential new equity investors to support the recapitalisation and retain its existing operating footprint, no one has been able to provide the total funds required within the time needed to do so. Some of the most memorable advertising produced anywhere in the world is for cars. That's not because the human race is dominated by petrolheads - just the opposite in fact. One of the toughest marketing sells in any product category is to sell a performance car to someone who is a fan of one of your rivals. Very seldom does it happen that any car fanatic will be tempted away from his or her favourite brand by advertising, so brands which try that route often waste their money. On the other hand, cars are bought by ordinary peopleand they become part of the lives of those ordinary people. They provide transport, sure, but they also provide a means to make memories. And, many are the car companies who have learned, the hard way, that you mess with a family favourite at your peril. When you have taken the decision to stop production of a car which has become an icon, youve got to be especially clever in how you spin it and how you take the fans with you, in anticipation - rather than disappointment and anger. Thats exactly what Ford UK has done with a charming video to mark the death of the hugely well-liked Fiesta. In line with the way the world is changing, Ford UK has recognised two things: that small, petrol-powered hatchbacks are yesterdays automotive news. Families these days want SUVs and the world is moving toward electric vehicles. Fords video is narrated by Grandad, as he reads to his grandson the story of My Little Family Car. From the childs storybook intro, we see the various iterations of the car, which debuted in 1976 and was Fords first mass-production front-wheel-drive car and went on to become the global giants third-best seller in history. It wasnt a big car, it wasnt a fancy car, the story goes, but it was a car for the people. It became part of the family Grandad says it sometimes went fast (as in the successful rally cars) and sometimes it went slow (as when Mum fetched the kids). But, It always, always went But one day it didnt. Not because it wouldnt. Not because it couldnt. But, says grandad, because its job was done. They both say thank you little car and then Goodnight Fiesta, where the final scene is the old parked next to the new, which is plugged in. Its the future. What a wonderful, and emotional way to gently say out with the old and in with the new. I may be a bit sentimental. Over the years, our family has made many emotional bonds with cars. And Ford has been one of the brands which is part of our family history from my mothers speed demon days in her brothers Ford V8, to my first car (a Cortina GT), my sisters first (an Escort 1300 Super) to the Fiesta we got for my daughter as a student car; right up to the newer Fiesta she now drives and the most recent addition, the Kuga bought by my son and his wife. I make no apologies for sending the Orchid this week to Ford UK this is going viral and we all know the Internet is no respecter of international boundaries. This is great advertising because it helps solidify the bond between the customer and the product. Make a strong emotional connection with your customer and back that up with a reliable product and the chances are good youll have them for life. Well done, Ford. While the e-tolls debacle showed the power of protest (after the longest consumer boycott in South African history), it was also a case study of how not to market a sensitive or possibly controversial product. I have no idea which agencies advised the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral), but hopefully, they would have advised then CEO, the arrogant Nazir Alli, to go easy and gentlyyou catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, they should have told him. He would have ignored them anyway and in his know-it-all way, tried to force the projects down the throats of Gauteng motorists. What you should have realised, Sanral and Alli, was that you were effectively proposing double taxation by getting people to pay again for road infrastructure they have already paid for through taxes. What you should have done, slowly and years ahead of time, was to prepare people for what was coming by telling them South Africa was going to be on the international stage at World Cop 2010 and we should show everyone how we can be a First World nation. Then, you should have gradually revealed to people that it would be their patriotic duty to fund these roads. but with such low charges, they would barely notice. Putting up toll gantries and levying huge fees was not the way. Had you suggested to the public that a Gauteng-only fuel levy of 30 cents per litre would cover the costs, most people would have gone along with it. And, you would have paid off the roads by the end of 2020. The lesson in the e-toll fiasco is that even governments have to market themselves to their citizens and that marketing should not consist of running puff-piece adverts with photos of ministers. Engage marketing professionals to advise you and we have plenty of them in this country. To agencies pitching for government business tell them straight. If you dont chase the bucks, you could find yourself associated with any failures your client is involved in. In the meantime, Sanral, you get the Onion for arrogance. Got anything you'd like to say or got any great work I may not know about? Drop me a line at brendanjseery@gmail.com Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that British navy personnel blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine. Russia did not give evidence for its claim that a leading NATO member had sabotaged critical Russian infrastructure amid the worst crisis in relations between the West and Russia since the depths of the Cold War. The Russian ministry said that "British specialists" from the same unit directed Ukrainian drone attacks on ships of Russian Black Sea fleet in Crimea earlier on Saturday that it said were largely repelled by Russian forces, with minor damage to a Russian minesweeper. "According to available information, representatives of this unit of the British Navy took part in the planning, provision and implementation of a terrorist attack in the Baltic Sea on September 26 this year - blowing up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines," the ministry said. Britain denied the claim. "To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale," the British defence ministry said. "This invented story, says more about arguments going on inside the Russian government than it does about the West." Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russian foreign ministry, said Moscow will seek reaction from the U.N. Security Council saying on social media Moscow wanted to draw attention to "a series of terrorist attacks committed against the Russian Federation in the Black and Baltic Seas, including the involvement of Britain in them". Russia, deeply isolated by Western nations since its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, has previously blamed the West for the explosions that ruptured the Russian-built Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines on the bed of the Baltic Sea. But it had not previously given specific details of who it thinks was responsible for the damage to the pipelines, previously the largest routes for Russian gas supplies to Europe. A sharp drop in pressure on both pipelines was registered on Sept. 26 and seismologists detected explosions, triggering a wave of speculation about sabotage to one of Russia's most important energy corridors. Reuters has not been able to immediately verify any of the conflicting claims about who was to blame for the damage. The Sydney Morning Heralds website layout and branding have been replicated by criminals to spread fake articles on Facebook and dupe people into investing in fraudulent financial schemes. Truck driver John McSorley was one of many people who have been targeted by the false articles circulated on social media, that use this reporters name. McSorley was unemployed earlier this year and looking for extra money when he noticed an article on Facebook which purported to be published by the Herald. Former Bank Employee Leaks Secret How Aussies Can Get Rich In a Matter of Months (Banks Are Furious), was the headline. Causeway (M) 94 minutes Jennifer Lawrence rose to such dizzy commercial heights so early in her Hollywood career that its sometimes forgotten she made her breakthrough in 2011 in Winters Bone, a powerfully austere independent film set in the Ozarks and produced for just $US2 million. At the time, Lawrence was only 19, yet even then, her physical assurance was matched by an air of authority so refined she left you in no doubt of her talent and what she could do with it. Jennifer Lawrence stars as Lynsey, an American soldier recovering from injuries, in Causeway. We havent seen much of her lately, except for her part last year in Adam McKays political satire Dont Look Up, but she has a strong line-up of forthcoming roles, among them the lead in Luca Guadagninos screen version of Burial Rites, Australian writer Hannah Kents remarkable 19th century novel about the last woman to face execution in Iceland. First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on November 4, 1967 Thousands wait to see princess ... then cork flew like a bullet Sir Lorimer Dods was speaking of Princess Soraya. I never realised what breathless beauty meant until I saw her last night, he said yesterday. Princess Soraya passes by the crowd of thousands of shoppers who waited to greet her. November 3, 1967. Credit:Stuart MacGladrie One could almost have heard an oyster drop in the Viking Restaurant at Roselands Shopping Centre, Wiley Park, as 180 guests, including the ex-Queen of Persia, listened to Sir Lorimer. Then, with a report that in the hush sounded like a small field-gun, a champagne cork flew from a bottle. Queensland is moving to a traffic light system of COVID-19 monitoring, as the state braces for a fresh wave of cases and the Chief Health Officers emergency powers are wound back. The sweeping pandemic powers of Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard are wound back on Monday afternoon. Credit:Matt Dennien Health authorities in Victoria are worried that state is heading into a fresh COVID-19 wave, driven by waning immunity and the potential effect of variants such as XBB, detected in Singapore last week before cases showed up in Australia. Queensland CHO Dr John Gerrard admitted if Victoria or NSW started to experience a fresh wave, Queensland would usually follow suit within weeks, but said he was relaxed about the states ability to deal with new waves. Certainly the symptoms associated with these variants is no worse than current strains we are seeing, and it does appear that Omicron infection-induced immunity will protect us against those subvariants, he said. Queenslands students are struggling to make ground in writing, national test results show, while their numeracy and reading skills have improved over the past 15 years. The latest report on NAPLAN testing also shows participation dropping among year 9 students in the program, which the state has long campaigned against and is again facing calls for review. The standardised national tests, which measure reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy across four year levels, have drawn significant criticism in Queensland. Credit:Getty Nationally, the percentage of year 9 boys reading at the minimum standard has fallen to a record low. Spelling skills among that cohort are also falling. The trend is similar in Queensland. While other year levels have been on an upward trend, the number of all year 9 students reading at or above the minimum standard has been declining. Beatrice is a 19-year-old Australian university student. She has no family ties to Ukraine and has never been there. Last weekend, Beatrice attended a rally outside Sydney Town Hall and sent a message of solidarity to the people of Ukraine and their defenders. She did it in the Ukrainian language she has learnt over the past eight months. Since I arrived in Australia earlier this year as Ukraines ambassador, its been extraordinary to meet so many decent Australians like Beatrice who have chosen to support Ukraine and the democratic values it stands for. I think its those values which Aussies sometimes call the fair go or standing up for your mates against bullies that bring Australia and Ukraine together across a vast geographical distance. From your leading politicians to everyday people I have met at footy matches and in pubs, your warmth, your positivity and your moral support are inspiring. Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko is grateful for Australias support during the Russian invasion. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen We Ukrainians whether its the combat soldier in a Bendigo-built Aussie Bushmaster near Kherson or his wife and kids temporarily sheltered in Molong, near Orange truly appreciate everything you do for us. Thank you. For example, we took great heart when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently visited Kyiv in the middle of the war. He and I shook hands on the Kyiv plaza where Ukrainians fought for democracy in 2014 which was followed by Russia illegally invading and annexing Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine. Former Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney has won his defamation suit against a WA Police forensic investigator who inferred he got away with murder during a public seminar, with damages awarded to the ex-prosecutor now totally more than $3 million. In the wake of the decision, Rayney called for police officers involved in his wifes unsolved murder case to be held accountable for their unrelenting pursuit of him. Forensic investigator Mark Reynolds and former barrister Lloyd Rayney. Credit:Nine News Perth Senior investigating forensic officer Mark Reynolds was among about 100 people who in 2014 attended a Curtin University presentation exploring the forensic evidence in the unsolved murder of Corryn Rayney, when a member of the audience asked if there would be a cold case review. Reynolds stood up and interjected from the back of the lecture theatre and told the audience he was the forensic senior investigating officer for the case. Price controls on gas will not deliver significant cuts to power bills, industry and energy analysts warn, as coal prices continue to soar. Gas plays an important role in determining the price of electricity, which is forecast to rise a further 30 per cent next year, and the federal government faces a wave of public pressure to intervene in the market to force down the cost of the fuel for power generation plants. A global energy crunch driven by Russias invasion of Ukraine is pushing up the cost of energy across the world, including Australia. Credit:Fairfax Media Federal and state energy ministers met on Friday and agreed to urgently consider intervening in the market, including by putting controls on the price of gas sold on the east coast, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday he wanted to see action as soon as is practicable. But Australian Industry Group energy analyst Tennant Reed said cheaper gas would not deliver significant cuts to power bills. A global human trafficking syndicate has exploited flaws in Australian border security and the immigration system. See all 15 stories . The alleged kingpin of a human trafficking ring is facing deportation after law enforcement agencies launched an investigation into how the criminal syndicate exploited flaws in Australian border security and the immigration system to run a national illegal sex racket. Binjun Xie, the alleged Sydney-based crime boss at the operations centre, was exposed in the Trafficked investigation, a project led by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, 60 Minutes and Stans Revealed that also unveiled allegations of visa rorting, human trafficking and foreign worker exploitation in Australia, including in a booming underground prostitution industry. Binjun Xie, the alleged kingpin of a human trafficking syndicate, is now the focus of an investigation by Australian law enforcement agencies. Credit:60 Minutes In a joint statement, Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said an investigation into the revelations was under way following an urgent meeting of the heads of the Australian Border Force (ABF), Home Affairs, and the Australian Federal Police on Monday. Last night and this morning, 60 Minutes and the Nine papers outlined a series of allegations detailing grotesque abuse of Australias visa and migration system to facilitate sexual exploitation, human trafficking and other organised crime, the statement said. Dominic Perrottet asked to see the CVs of the shortlisted contenders for the contentious agent-general role in London while he was treasurer, even after a preferred candidate had been selected. Now-Premier Perrottet, who has maintained he had no role in the selection of the agent-general, asked for the information before a meeting that was to be set up with frontrunner Paul Webster. Perrottet ultimately never met with Webster. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet. Credit:Brook Mitchell Despite being the preferred candidate, Webster was not appointed to the role, and former head of lobby group Business NSW Stephen Cartwright, a late entrant to the process, was given the lucrative position. Webster, who is now the second-in-charge trade commissioner under Cartwright, gave evidence on Monday via video link from London to the parliamentary inquiry into the governments trade commissioner roles. Read more on integrity in government. See all 27 stories . The Labor chair of a parliamentary subcommittee told independent auditors reviewing Victorias integrity agencies to remove any references to the Andrews government underfunding or under-resourcing the states anti-corruption body in their final report. The opposition has accused government MPs of gagging the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and interfering with the work of independent auditors from Canberra-based Callida Consulting. Dustin Halse instructed independent auditors to delete references to the Andrews government underfunding IBAC. In an email to Callida Consulting in early October, the chair of the integrity and oversight subcommittee, Dustin Halse, instructed the firm to delete references to funding in its recommendations, as well as references to the government underfunding IBAC. He said the independent performance auditor must comply with directions given by the committee under the IBAC Act, and listed its red flag feedback, which included deleting the sentences: New York: The city of New York is settling lawsuits filed on behalf of two men who were exonerated last year for the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X, agreeing to pay $US26 million ($40 million) for the wrongful convictions that led to both men spending decades behind bars. The state of New York will pay an additional $US10 million, making a total equivalent to Australian $56 million. David Shanies, an attorney representing the men, confirmed the settlements on Sunday. Muhammad Aziz after his arrest, in New York, in 1965, outside court after his conviction in the killing of Malcolm X was vacated last November. Credit:AP Muhammad Aziz, Khalil Islam, and their families suffered because of these unjust convictions for more than 50 years, said Shanies said in an email. The City recognised the grave injustices done here, and I commend the sincerity and speed with which the Comptrollers Office and the Corporation Counsel moved to resolve the lawsuits. Shanies said the settlements send a message that police and prosecutorial misconduct cause tremendous damage, and we must remain vigilant to identify and correct injustices. Latest News Joust teams up with Nectar Mortgages The alliance aims to provide borrowers a smooth home loan application process Fifo Capital boosts corporate team Three new roles created as company expands Commonwealth Bank has rolled out its new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and introduced its new Indigenous leadership team. Our purpose at the Commonwealth Bank is to build a brighter future for all and through our Reconciliation Action Plan we seek to deliver on this commitment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples every day, CBA CEO Matt Comyn said. In its seventh RAP, and the third to achieve Elevate status, CBA sets out an ambitious plan for the next three years to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, customers, and communities by: removing barriers to accessing appropriate financial products and services building community trust in the bank and embedding Indigenous rights considerations in its business removing barriers to employment within the bank and economic participation for First Nations businesses understanding the unique nature of financial abuse in the First Nations context and working with community to develop ways to identify and address it As the nation begins an important public discussion about constitutional recognition and an Indigenous voice to Parliament, Commonwealth Bank is supportive of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, Comyn said. Taking the advice of our Indigenous Advisory Council, we are supporting conversations across the bank to understand what is proposed and how it might contribute to better outcomes for First Nations peoples. CBA also introduced an Indigenous Leadership Team, a diverse group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders from across the bank who will help inform the banks approaches and decisions, along with the banks Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC) and elected members of the banks Indigenous Employee Network. The ILT is underpinned by strong cultural concepts of leadership and together we seek to amplify the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being, the purpose of which is to support interactions across CommBank in Indigenous-focused business and projects, said Mitchell Heritage, a Kuku-Yalanji/Goorimpul man, a senior product owner in retail banking services, and member of the ILT and employee representative on the groups IAC. Sean Gordon, chair of CBAs IAC, said the banks continuous efforts to improve how it engages with First Nations employees, customers, and communities will ultimately lead to improved reconciliation outcomes. This is an ambitious plan and one that I am proud to oversee in my role as chair of the CommBank IAC, Gordon said. I look forward to working with the Indigenous Advisory Council, Indigenous leadership team, and teams across the bank to continue to build a brighter future for First Nations peoples. In support of reconciliation, artwork made by First Nations artist Leona McGrath for the bank, which was unveiled for NAIDOC Week in 2021, will be made available as a background in the CBA app. has decided that Appario Retail would cease as a seller on the e-commerce giants platform. Appario Retail, one of the largest sellers on the platform, is housed under Frontizo Business Services a joint venture between and the Patni Group. The development comes at a time when Cloudtail, once the largest seller on Amazons India marketplace, shut operations on the e-commerce platform as a seller this year amid regulatory pressure. Cloudtails parent, Prione Business Services, was jointly owned by Catamaran, led by Infosys founder and . The two parties said the joint venture has been renewed but Appario will cease to be a seller on both and Business the wholesale platform within the next 12 months. The Amazon-Patni JV for Frontizo has been renewed for three years, according to sources. Amazon and Indias Patni group-owned Zodiac LLP have agreed to renew their joint venture, Frontizo Business Services Private Limited, said an Amazon spokesperson. Partners have decided that Appario Retail Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Frontizo, will cease to be a seller on amazon.in, and amazon.in/business within the next 12 months. The partners will continue to explore new business opportunities, including helping businesses across India to scale up their online presence. In 2017, Amazon formed a joint venture with the Patni Family, the founders of Patni Computer Systems (PCS), a family business that was instrumental in establishing the Indian IT industry. The aim was to build an e-commerce and customer services platform as part of Amazons expansion plans in the country. had launched the JV with Ashok Patni and his son Apoorva Patnis Zodiac Wealth, which had 51 per cent stake in the business. The parent firm provided customer service for Amazon. However, Appario started its operations as an Amazon seller in 2017 in the area of mobile and electronics and became one of the largest sellers on the e-commerce platform. Appario Retail reported revenue of Rs 14,628 crore in FY21 with a profit of Rs 54 crore. Experts said that Indian regulations dont allow foreign-owned entity running an online marketplace and its group to own stakes in any seller on the platform, or to have control over their inventory. Local traders have alleged that online retail were promoting their preferred sellers on the platforms. In 2019, the JV related to Prione Business Services which houses Cloudtail, was restructured after the government stipulated that foreign e-commerce marketplaces cannot sell the products of their group on their platforms. Following this, Catamaran Ventures increased its stake in Prione to 76 per cent, reducing Amazon Asias stake to 24 per cent. A major chunk of Priones revenues came from its ownership of Cloudtail, which was one of the biggest and most profitable retailers on Amazon. Last year in August, Amazon and Catamaran Ventures mutually decided to not continue their joint venture (JV) beyond the end of its current term. The JV, Prione Business Services, which had been running successfully for the past seven years, was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022. Private Limited, reported its revenues for the financial year 2021-22 as Rs 19,090 crore, a 15 per cent jump since the last financial year. The company further reported a net loss of Rs 522 crore during the same fiscal. The companys total expenses for the fiscal were reported as Rs 19,573 crore. However, Cloudtail doesnt sell on Amazon India anymore after Amazon reportedly bought a 100 per cent stake in Prione.Amazons move to remove Cloudtail as a seller on its platform had started in March this year after it sent termination notices to merchants and their businesses were transferred to new entities. In March this year, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) cleared Amazons proposal to acquire Catamaran Ventures entire stake in Prione Business Services Pvt. Ltd. In June this year, Cloudtail, reportedly accused the countrys antitrust agency Competition Commission of India (CCI), of illegally detaining its employees during a raid over suspected competition law violations.Cloudtail, among a handful of online sellers raided in an investigation of Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart over suspected preferential treatment on e-commerce platforms, argued in a court filing the detentions were cause for disallowing materials taken during the raid. E-commerce major and its joint venture partner Patni Group-owned Zodiac Wealth on Monday announced delisting of online seller Appario Retail from Amazon's online marketplace in the country. This is the second giant online seller, after Cloudtail, that has been delisted on . " and India's Patni group-owned Zodiac Wealth Management LLP have agreed to renew their joint venture, Frontizo Business Services Private Ltd. The partners have decided that Appario Retail Private Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Frontizo, will cease to be a seller on Amazon.in and Amazon.in/business within the next 12 months," the joint statement read. "The partners will continue to explore new business opportunities, including helping businesses across India to scale up their online presence," the joint statement read. Amazon set up the Frontizo JV with the Patni group in 2017. In April this year, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) hailed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for conducting raids on the offices of Cloudtail and Appario. The trade body had said that predatory pricing, deep discounting, loss funding, and exclusive sale of branded products in collusion with respective corporate companies, owing inventory are some of the fundamental issues raised by the CAIT. In 2019, Amazon reduced its stake in Cloudtail -- a joint venture firm between Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and the e-commerce giant -- from 49 per cent to 26 per cent after the Centre unveiled new foreign direct investment (FDI) rules for ecommerce firms. In January this year, the CAIT moved the CCI, seeking a direction to block the acquisition of Cloudtail India by Amazon. India is a key market for Amazon which has invested over $6.5 billion in the country. --IANS na/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.) Indias start-ups are resorting to steep hiring cutbacks as the changing dynamics of the ecosystem have led to a churn in the last 12 months, according to a report by RazorpayX, fintech firm Razorpays business banking platform. With many startups facing the chills of a funding winter, most of them are cutting back on hiring, said the Annual Insights Report by RazorpayX . The hiring of new permanent employees has dipped by 61 per cent as compared to October 2021. The dip in hiring is seen across seniority with CXO hiring dropping by 93 per cent during this period. While hiring across departments has decreased, hiring in technology seems to have been least impacted. Technology-related jobs have managed to marginally increase their contribution to the overall workforce by 4 per cent, while the hiring trend is slowing down in general. The data from RazorpayX indicates that start-ups have been optimising their workforce by building leaner yet stronger teams, keeping in mind the macro-forces, said Shashank Mehta, vice-president and head, RazorpayX. Moreover, compensating their existing employees for their contribution towards building sustainable runways in the long run shows that have been looking inwards, alongside the increasing adoption of giggers. Indeed, while hiring permanent employees has seen a fall, gig workers seem to be the preferred option for start-ups. Payments to gig workers have grown 153 per cent since October 2021. The total number of enterprises that have shifted to a semi-gig workforce model has increased by 15 per cent. Semi-skilled gig workers, who are paid less than Rs 20,000 per month, have the highest contribution to the pool of gig workers being hired by start-ups, followed by those who earn Rs 20,000-40,000. But these sets of workers are among the slowest growing cohorts at 26 per cent and 52 per cent respectively. However, skilled gig workers who earn from Rs 85,000 to Rs 150,000, despite contributing the least to the overall pool, have seen the highest growth (62 per cent). Gig workers who earn more than Rs 150,000 grew by 69 per cent in the last one year, suggesting they are gaining precedence among startups over hiring full-time employees. While overall hiring has decreased, salary spends have increased by 64.7 per cent. Contrary to previous trends, salaries across different levels have been rising gradually but not exponentially, at an average of 12 per cent. However, salary growth is very different across scales of gig workers. While the median salaries of such workers have increased by only 19.9 per cent, salaries in the 99th percentile of gig workers grew by 58.3 per cent. There is no parity of salary distribution across genders. The growth in salaries for men is higher at 29 per cent, compared to 22 per cent for women. Moreover, salary gaps have widened, the report added. While the median salary gap between men and women was 46 per cent in the last one year, the salary gap between the two genders in the 95th percentile salary bracket was 70 per cent. This salary gap is accompanied with a lower participation of women in the workforce one woman was hired for every two men who were recruited in the last one year. The survey analysed data from October 2021 to September 2022 of 25,000 employees across 1,000 Indian startups and 20 sectors. Diversified conglomerate Ltd has tiptoed into the rapidly growing tech industry adding a potent revenue stream for the future. Drawing synergies from its and hospitality verticals, the company has set up a string of cloud kitchens dotting Tech City, Bengaluru, dishing out quite a fare from Whole Wheat Paratha Kathi Rolls to Afghani Biryani and Pull Apart Bagels. The concept evolved during the Covid lockdown, which gave the tech space legs, and the tobacco-to-hotels major seized the moment. It started small a pilot from the Windsor hotel in and the corporate office, Green Centre, which houses the foods division, and then separate cloud kitchens were set up. There are about 12 kitchens now, most of which were started this year. The brand portfolio consists of Creations (premium North Indian), ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations (gourmet bakery and desserts), ITC Aashirvaad Soul Creations (wholesome and everyday goodness brand) and Biryani Creations by ITC . Across the 12 cloud kitchens, there are 48 brand outlets now. With the products getting traction on food delivery platforms, the pilot is now waiting to take the next leap. The product-market fit has been established. The next phase is to set up the technology stack, processes and systems for scaling up and we will look at expanding beyond in a phased manner, ITC chairman and managing director, Sanjiv Puri, told Business Standard. In Bengaluru, the number of cloud kitchens can be enhanced from 12 to 18-20; the idea is to service every viable area by one of ITCs kitchens. The logical extension could then be to expand in proximal markets in the South. Or, it could be a different region to test waters. And multiply operations thereon. A call is likely to be taken by the end of the year, but its a journey that could happen in a short period of time. Institutional synergies are at play here the cuisine expertise of the hotels business is combined with brands and capacity of the foods vertical to achieve scalable solutions. Incidentally, Master Chef, Sunfeast and Aashirvaad are brands under ITCs packaged foods segment. offers frozen snacks, cooking pastes while Sunfeast has a range that straddles between biscuits and cakes to noodles and pasta; Aashirvaad is the companys top brand with staples, dairy and instant meals under its fold. With the market potential, ITC is looking at food services and cloud kitchen as a serious revenue stream. Sources pointed out, from an industry size (GMV gross merchandise value) of less than Rs 1,000 crore in 2015, as per reports, the food-tech industry has reached a size of Rs 35,000 crore and is expected to touch Rs 70,000 crore in the next five years. New opportunities One of the key levers of the ITC Next strategy is to identify new opportunities that lie at the intersection of digital, sustainability and our enterprise strengths. ITCMAARS, sustainable packaging and food tech are three such areas that have been identified, Puri explained. ITCMAARS is an integrated phygital ecosystem, embedded with a full stack agritech platform with farmer producer organisations (FPOs) as the pivot. The platform provides farmers with AI/ML driven personalised and hyperlocal crop advisories, access to good quality inputs and market linkages as well as allied services like pre-approved loans. Agriculture and allied sectors are estimated to be a Rs 35 trillion industry and offer immense potential. ITC can make a big play in this segment. Its an area where we have a right to win, Puri said. With our domain knowledge in agriculture and our deep relationship with farmers, we have a complete ecosystem to build this. It plays to our strengths, he added. ITCMAARS will open up new revenue streams for the growing agribusiness. Launched in April, it has already generated revenues of a few hundred crores. The scale-up so far: 460+ FPOs in nine states with about 180,000 farmer registrations till date. The other piece sustainable packaging will add to revenues of the paperboards, paper & packaging vertical. Sustainable packaging is an evolving segment with the world moving away from plastics. We have already launched a range of solutions in the market. We are leveraging the capabilities of the ITC Life Sciences and Technology Centre (LSTC) as well as global collaborations to develop a range of innovative solutions, Puri said. The LSTC in is at the core of driving innovation to support ITC products and brands. And yet another model, on the back of its research, Sleep Boutique, is being tested at some of the . The Sleep Boutique is being piloted at some of the based on the extensive work done over the years at the Sleep Lab in ITC Life Sciences and Technology Centre (LSTC), Puri said. The offerings are being retailed only through the boutiques in hotels and the proof of concept is being carried out. Once we establish the product market fit, we will scale up, Puri added. The diversification gambit of the tobacco major that started many decades back is on to its next level with food tech, ITCMAARS, et al. The Reserve Bank on Monday said it has imposed penalties on various financial entities, including Rs 1.76 crore on Vakrangee, for violating various norms. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1,76,00,000 on Ltd for non-compliance with certain provisions of the White Label ATM (WLA) directions, the central bank said in a release. Among others, the regulator has imposed a Rs 30 lakh penalty on The Jammu and Kashmir State Co-operative Bank Ltd; a fine of Rs 6 lakh on Mumbai-based The Pratap Co-operative Ltd and Rs 5 lakh each on and The Mysore Merchants Co-operative Bank Ltd. The Nagar Sahakari Bank Ltd, Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh has been levied a fine of Rs 4 lakh; while Karnataka-based The City Co-operative Bank Ltd and Uttar Pradesh-based Banda Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd were penalised with fines of Rs 2 lakh each. The said these actions are based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and are not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the entities with their customers. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) reported a consolidated net profit at Rs 1,514.42 crore in July to September quarter (Q2FY23), down by 87.3 per cent, on the back of declining margins. In the year-ago period, net profit was at Rs 11,918.11 crore. Revenues from operations at Rs 59,877.52 crore was marginally down from Rs 60,387.13 crore in the year-ago period. While revenues came in higher than expectations, profits fell short of estimates. A Bloomberg consensus estimate pegged revenues at Rs 56,321.5 crore and net income at Rs 3,154.7 crore. Sequentially, revenues were down 5.6 per cent and net profit by 80.49 per cent. T V Narendran, and managing director, Tata Steel, said, concerns about slowdown in key economies, persisting geopolitical issues, coupled with seasonal factors, led to a volatile operating environment. Despite these headwinds, registered best-ever domestic sales in India, enabled by a strong product portfolio and an extensive distribution network, which services end-to-end requirements in chosen segments, he said. However, it was offset by fall in realisations and high-priced raw materials. Deliveries from operations were lower on QoQ basis, in part due to seasonal factors and subdued demand in . Turnover was 2,307 million and Ebitda was 199 million, which translates to an Ebitda of 106 per tonne. Gross debt in the September quarter stood at Rs 87,516 crore compared with Rs 82,597 crore in the June quarter. Koushik Chatterjee, executive director and chief financial officer, Tata Steel, said the quarter saw bunching of several large cash payouts, including the highest-ever dividend payout relating to financial year 2021-2022, the acquisition of NINL, an accelerated capex driven by the need to complete the Kalinganagar Phase II. However, while gross debt increased, Chatterjee said the financial metrics continued to be well within the grade level. He said the company would work towards reducing it by the year-end. The Tata Steel management is expecting gradual improvement in the second half. UK operations On the support under discussion with the UK government for its transition to green steel, Narendran said discussions with the new government had not yet happened. But the companys proposal was with the government. We have to give them some time to come back to us As we have said, we want a decision sooner than later, he said. Tata Steel's future course of action with respect to its UK business will be based on the British government's response to the company's proposal seeking financial support to sustain the business there, CEO T V Narendran said Monday. owns the UK's largest steelworks at Port Talbot in South Wales and employs around 8,000 people across all its operations in the country. The company is seeking 1.5 billion pounds from the UK government to execute its decarbonisation plans. On a conference call, Narendran said, "Obviously plans are being made in case we don't get the support that we seek form the (UK) government, but it's too early to talk about (it), but again a lot of conversations are going on internally to how we plan for all situations." He made the remarks in reply to a question on the company's plan in case the UK government does not accept the Tata Steel's proposal. is seeking support from the UK government in two forms. In policy terms by encouraging the transition to green steel and ensuring a cost competitive landscape, and partnership in financing of the project given the size of investment and the financially constrained position of the UK business. When asked if a decision to engage with a buyer will be taken after the response of the government, Narendran replied in affirmative. "Absolutely, whatever we do we will decide based on the response of the UK government," he said. Narendran further said the company has performed well in India and the Netherlands during the quarter ended September 30, 2022. Compared to the two operations, UK business faces "some challenges," 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.) moves to in droves as emirate eases ownership rules Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani might have made for purchasing the most expensive beach-side villa in recently, but he is not the only Indian eyeing the city for investment. Since allowed foreign investors full ownership in specific sectors in June 2021, a horde of Indian have moved or expanded into the desert city. The list even includes a kindergarten, an elementary and middle school, and a hotel that has sought 100 per cent ownership. Read more Morbi bridge collapse toll mounts to 132; two missing, search continues The in Morbi suspension bridge collapse rose to 132 on Monday, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said, adding rescue personnel are looking for two persons believed missing. The rescue operation is in its last stage in the Machchhu river. It will be over soon, the minister told reporters. As per the latest information, 132 people lost their lives in the tragedy and two are still missing, the minister said. Read more No plans to exit Kerala, will hire around 600 people, says Byju's Byjus has said it has no plans to exit Kerala and is setting up three centres in the state and hiring around 600 people. The edtech company, which is valued at $22 billion, is targeting to be profitable by March next year. With this, the total number of Byjus establishments across the state will be 14 and these are a mix of company offices and tuition centres. The number of employees in the state will increase from 3,000 to 3,600. Read more Survival of is questionable now: PowerMin to state govts The Union Ministry of Power has raised questions on the viability of state-owned power distribution (discoms) and their mounting loss-and-debt spiral. Even if were to have a tariff hike every year, they would still find it difficult to service their debt obligations, observed the ministry. This comes at a time when a new Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme for is underway and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, has suggested sweeping changes to the power distribution sector. Read more Time for Made-in-India passenger aircraft, says PM Narendra Modi Prime Minister on Sunday said he could foresee that India would soon be manufacturing big that would proudly bear the words Made in India. He was speaking at the foundation stone ceremony of the Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, . The Rs 22,000-crore project is being seen as a win for ahead of assembly elections. Read more Byju Raveendran, chief executive officer and founder of Byjus said that the giant has to part ways with 2500 employees to avoid role duplication across the companys businesses. The firm, which is valued at $22 billion, is targeting to be profitable by March next year. There is a huge price to pay for walking on this path to profitability, said Raveendran in an internal company letter addressed to the employees and reviewed by Business Standard. We have always taken pride in taking care of our employees and retaining them forever. So, it is with a heavy heart that we have had to take this difficult decision. Raveendran said some business decisions have to be taken to protect the health of the larger organization and pay heed to the constraints imposed by external macroeconomic conditions. I am truly sorry to those who will have to leave Byjus. You are not just a name to me. You are not a number. You are not just five percent of my company. You are five percent of me, said Raveendran. According to sources, Byjus is implementing an optimisation plan, where it is set to lay off nearly 2,500, or 5 per cent of its 50,000 employees. Byjus saw a loss of Rs 4,588 crore for the financial year ended March 31, 2021. The company has raised a total funding of $5.8 billion from investors such as BlackRock, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Sequoia, General Atlantic, and QIA. Over the past couple of weeks, you would have read or heard about our plans to rationalise our team size, said Raveendran. Some of you, I understand, might be confused about this or maybe hearing conflicting statements. Explaining the rationale behind the companys current strategic plan, Raveendran said the firm had scaled up quickly and massively across the world in the last four years and crossed 150 million learners globally. He said 2018 to 2021 were the companys hyper-growth years and it regularly broke records on every business metric. It expanded significantly both in its core business and by onboarding team members from the acquisitions. Then 2022 happened. This is the year when many adverse macroeconomic factors changed the business landscape. These have compelled around the world to focus on sustainability and capital-efficient growth. Byjus is no exception to this trend, said Raveendran. It is now time for us to grow sustainably. So, we decided to define our path to profitability and sustainable growth - and to walk on it in earnest. He said the firm is working hard towards achieving profitability at the group level in this financial year itself. However, Byjus rapid organic and inorganic growth have created some inefficiencies, redundancies, and duplication within the organization, that it needs to rationalize to realize this. I know that nothing can really compensate for your loss. And I completely understand if you are upset about this. Because it breaks my heart too much more than you think, said Raveendran. I hope you will believe me when I say 'I tried my best to save your position'. Please also know that this is not a reflection of your performance. And I promise that you will not walk out of this house alone. The rest of us will walk by your side and support your transition. Raveendran said the firm has made available the best possible exit package to the employees which have to part ways with the company. This includes extended medical insurance coverage for them and their family members and outplacement services led by some of the industrys finest recruitment specialists. It also includes a fast-track full-and-final settlement, and a special provision to allow them to look for jobs while on Byjus . I seek your forgiveness if this process is not as smooth as we had intended it to be. While we want to finish this process smoothly and efficiently, we dont want to rush through it, said Raveendran. So, we are informing all the affected team members individually with the dignity, empathy, and patience they deserve. I want to emphasize that the overall job cuts are not more than five percent of our total strength. He said the hands, hearts, and minds that built the worlds leading company will always be in demand. Bringing you back by putting our company on a sustainable growth path will now be the number 1 priority for me, said Raveendran. I have already instructed our HR leaders to make all the newly created relevant roles available to you on an ongoing basis. company Yotta Infrastructure will invest Rs 39,000 crore in over the next 5-7 years, a top official of the company said on Monday. The Hiranandani Group firm has committed under a memorandum of agreement signed with the UP government. The investments will go towards constructing the data center campus, procuring IT equipment and other hardware by Yotta and its customers, Yotta Infrastructure, Co-founder and Chairman, Darshan Hiranandani told reporters at the launch event of Yotta D1 . "We will see of Rs 39,000 crore in and around this campus. The first building has already been completed... We have started work for two other buildings which will be completed in 12-15 months. We will put up one building every 18 month," Hirandani said. The committed includes investment made for Yotta D1. "Each will cost Rs 6,500 crore. The committed investment is for six data centres. We have already started work for D2 and DE which shall be ready in 12-15 months," Yotta Infrastructure Co-Founder and CEO, Sunil Gupta said. The company has set-up hyperscale data center, Yotta D1, at its Greater Noida Data Center Park, with an investment of around Rs 1,500 crore. In addition, the foundation stone laying ceremony of the next two data center buildings Yotta D2 and D3, was also performed during the launch ceremony. The company will make an additional investment of Rs 5,000 crores in IT equipment in Yotta D1. Yotta D1 claims to have capacity to house 5,000 racks across seven server floors and offers fail-safe, 48-hour power backup on full load. Spread across 20 acres, the Yotta Greater Noida Data Center Park will offer a total capacity of 30,000 racks, 4 dedicated fiber paths and an IT power capacity of 160 megawatt. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Andaman and Nicobar Police for the third day on Monday grilled former chief secretary Jitendra Narain in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 21-year-old woman, officials said. Members of the BJP's women wing Mahila Morcha staged protests, holding black flags and placards, at the main and rear entrances of Police Lines, where Narain is being questioned, and raised slogans against the former chief secretary. The police, however, took Narain through the main entrance of the Police Lines before protesters gathered and is questioning him since 10 AM. Narain was grilled on two days Friday and Saturday while a homestay in Port Blair was raided on Sunday in connection with the probe. Sampa Banerjee, the BJP Mahila Morcha president of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said, "We are protesting such acts by senior bureaucrats in the islands. This is our fight to protect the dignity and respect of our local women." "If found guilty, we demand stern action against all those named in the FIR. We demand an impartial probe into the matter by the SIT," she said. The SIT, formed to probe the woman's allegation that she was raped by Narain and others after being lured to the chief secretary's residence with the promise of a government job, on Sunday conducted a search operation, along with a forensic team, at a homestay in Dollygunj locality of Port Blair to collect some evidence. The survivor had accompanied the SIT team. The room where she was taken by the homestay's owner was examined by the investigators. Apart from Narain, Labour Commissioner R L Rishi, a police inspector and the homestay's owner have been named in the police case lodged in connection with the gang rape. The team was seen coming out of the homestay with envelopes but refused to divulge any information regarding it. Narain is unlikely to leave Port Blair till November 4 as the airport on the island will remain shut from November 1 because of runway repair works. The former chief secretary is being kept at a private resort. He arrived here to face questioning following a Calcutta High Court order. The FIR was registered on October 1 when Narain was posted as the chairman and managing director of the Delhi Financial Corporation. The Centre suspended him on October 17. The woman claimed that as her father and stepmother did not take care of her financial needs, she needed a job and was introduced by some people to the labour commissioner as he was close to the then chief secretary. She alleged in the FIR that the chief secretary appointed "7,800 candidates" in various departments in the administration of the islands "on the basis of recommendation only" and without any "formal interview". The woman alleged that she was lured to the chief secretary's home with the promise of a government job, and then raped there on April 14 and May 1. A vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Prasenjit Biswas has granted interim protection from arrest to Narain till a date that will be fixed by the circuit bench in Port Blair on November 14, on its first date of sitting after the Durga Puja vacation. The court also noted that Narain, who was transferred to Delhi on July 21, has declared that he is ready and willing to cooperate with the investigation. (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 (BIS) on Monday said it has signed an agreement with the IIT Kanpur, IIT(ISM) Dhanbad and NIT Rourkela for establishment of ' Standardization Chair Professor' at these institutes. This is an initiative towards institutionalising its engagement with the eminent institutes of the country for securing active participation of academia in standards formulation and making teaching of Indian standards an integral part of the curriculum, an official statement said. This will promote excellence and leadership in teaching, research and development in the field of science and various engineering disciplines. Director General Pramod Kumar Tiwari said that the agreement would facilitate the research and development, teaching and training in the field of standardization and conformity assessment in the country in different areas. The association would also enhance the involvement of youngsters in standardisation, so as to make them future-ready professionals and instill a sense of quality consciousness. It is also anticipated that technology innovation and standards development shall be interwoven seamlessly to foster development of technology-oriented products and services, he said in a statement. Kantesh Balani, Dean of Resources and Alumni, IIT Kanpur; Rajiv Shekhar, Director, IIT(ISM), Dhanbad; and K Umamaheshwar Rao, Director, NIT Rourkela assured commitment towards this initiative and agreed to extend all the necessary support, the statement added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday announced 10 per cent water cut in the city from November 1 to 10, to carry out some urgent repair work at a weir in neighbouring Thane district. The civic body in an order said that the pneumatic gate system installed at Pise weir was in urgent need of repairs and the work will be carried out from November 1 to 10. A 10 per cent water cut will be imposed during the 10-day period in Metropolitan, Thane and Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation areas, the said, appealing to citizens to use water judiciously. (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 Centre has reportedly curtailed Chhattisgarhs allocation for the modernisation of its police force to combat Left-wing extremism (LWE). During a Chintan Shivir in Surajkund, the government brought the matter to the notice of the Centre. State Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu said that in 2013-14, the state had received Rs 50 crore for police modernisation from the Centre. The allocation has come down to Rs 20 crore right now, Sahu added. He said the government was providing modern weapons, security equipment, necessary training and vehicles to the police to curb the menace in the state. In the last three and a half years, continuous work has been done to eradicate LWE in . It includes reopening schools and hospitals in the Naxal-affected areas besides providing basic facilities like water and electricity in the villages, Sahu said. The state government has opened ration shops in every village and distributed forest rights deeds to farmers, mostly indigenous communities staying in forested pockets. But modernisation of the security forces was also equally important as part of the exercise, Sahu said. The Centre has floated the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme that is implemented as a sub-scheme of the Umbrella Scheme Modernisation of Police Forces. Under the SRE Scheme, the central government reimburses state governments of 10 LWE-affected states the expenditure incurred on training and operational needs of security forces. It also includes ex gratia payment to the family members of civilians and security forces killed and injured in LWE violence. The scheme also takes care of compensation to surrendered Maoists, community policing and security-related infrastructure for village defence committees. According to the official site, there is a substantial increase in annual outlay. There are new points such as compensation for security personnel incapacitated during anti-LWE operations and compensation for property damage that have been included in the scheme. The SRE Scheme aims at strengthening the capacity of LWE-affected states to fight the menace effectively. Under the scheme, Rs 306.95 crore has been released during the financial year 2021-22. The government in Chhattisgarh has been asking the to return to the mainstream of the society and drafted an attractive rehabilitation and surrender policy that requires monetary support. Under policy, a high-ranked rebel surrendering is eligible to get Rs 5 lakh while middle and lower cadre are entitled to Rs 2.5 lakh, besides a monthly stipend of Rs 6,000 for a maximum period of 36 months. Besides, there are additional incentives for recovered weapons and grants for study and house construction. Swayed by the scheme, 1,463 surrendered during the last three and a half years. The on Monday informed the that the Union government will convene a meeting on November 10 with the Government of Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), DMRC, and leading banks, to discuss how to pay the debt of Rs 4,500 crore to Anil Ambani-owned DAMEPL (Delhi Airport Express Private Limited). DAMEPL is a Reliance infrastructure arm. Justice V Kameswar Rao said the matter will be heard again on November 18. The meeting is expected to come out with some proposals and it is prayed that the may pass orders after the outcome of the meeting is placed before the court, counsel Tarun Johri submitted before the court. In the last hearing on October 10, told the that if were to raise loans to pay the arbitration award to DAMEPL, it would fall into a 'debt trap'. The Attorney General for India R Venkataramani, appearing for DMRC in the last hearing, informed the court that the initial plan to raise money through bank loans was given up and DMRC's equity partners (Centre and Delhi government) were approached to pay the money to Reliance infra owned DAMEPL. The court gave two weeks to work out the modalities for payment of the arbitration award to DAMEPL. DMRC told the court on Monday that the November 10 meeting would help them navigate the situation and they will come up with proposals to settle the debt. Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for DAMEPL, meanwhile, pointed out that the has failed to comply with the court orders once again. In the last six months, this is the fourth time the DMRC has asked for an extension to pay its debt. A source in the know of the matter told Business Standard that the meeting between the Centre, Delhi government, and DMRC on 10th November will be to attain consensus and discuss modalities of DMRCs repayment plan to the Reliance Infra subsidiary. The official added that the core objective of the meeting would be to finalise proposals on the bail-out plan for DMRC and the scope of funding between the central and state government, adding that it is almost certain that the funds would have to come from the two stakeholders. In September, the directed the DMRC to pay the money it owes to DAMEPL in four weeks in compliance with the 2017 arbitral award, in connection with the Delhi Airport Metro Express Line. The entire arbitral award of Rs 4,500 crore was to be paid to DAMEPL by 4 October. Failing this, the court said it would summon the DMRC MD. Earlier in March 2022, the Delhi High court, after hearing the execution plea of DAMEPL, passed an order on 10 March 2022, directing DMRC to pay the entire amount in two equal installments by 30 April and 31 May 2022. But DMRC asked for an extension to pay the amount. DAMEPL again approached the Delhi HC to enforce the order dated 10 March. The court then passed an order on 20 June directing DMRC to make the full payment by 5 August 2022. DMRC had again asked for an extension. DMRC owes close to Rs 7,100 crore out of which it has already paid 2,600 as of September 6. It now owes an outstanding amount of Rs 4,500 to DAMEPL. The four-day Chhath festival concluded in on Monday morning after the offering of 'Usha Arghya'. A sea of humanity thronged various water bodies across the state to pay obeisance to the rising sun. Amid playing of devotional songs and bursting of firecrackers, devotees marched towards rivers, rivulets, lakes and ponds where they performed the rituals. Apart from common people, politicians also congregated at different water bodies to offer 'Arghya' to the Sun God. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, along with his wife Kalpana and two sons, offered prayers at Ranchi's Hatnia pond on Sunday evening, while his predecessor Raghubar Das prayed at Suryadham in Jamshedpur. Former chief minister Babulal Marandi also offered prayers. "Chhath Puja is the worship of nature god. It is a great example of dedication, faith and cleanliness. I bow my head to this great tradition. I pray to Chhathi Maiya to bless everyone with happiness and good health," Soren said. This year, water level in various water bodies was higher as compared to previous years. The administrations of different districts had made elaborate safety arrangements for devotees such as erecting barricades at vulnerable ponds and rivers and marking danger zones. The Ranchi district administration had deployed teams of NDRF at Kanke Dam, Bada Talab, Button Talab and Dhuwa Dam to deal with any crisis situation. An official in the Ranchi administration said that the festival passed off peacefully in the state capital with no untoward incident being reported. Many devotees also performed the rituals in makeshift ponds on rooftops due to factors such as long distance to the water bodies, pollution and age. "We observed the rituals in an artificial water tank on the rooftop, mainly due to the distance of our home from the nearest water body," said Rajendra Mahot, a resident of Ranchi. Anil Singh, another devotee, said, "For the last three years, we have been performing the rituals in a small makeshift pond on rooftop due to increasing pollution level in ponds of Ranchi." In Palamu's Koel River, thousands of devotees observed the rituals in the last two days. Palamu Deputy Commissioner A Dodde said the festival passed off peacefully in the district. "In a bid to make the festival safe and secure, we had made several arrangements, including deployment of divers in different water bodies," 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.) The on Monday paid tributes to former prime minister on her death anniversary, with Rahul Gandhi saying he is carrying her love and values in his heart and will not allow the India for which she sacrificed her life to fall apart. president Mallikarjun Kharge , former party chief Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders offered floral tributes to at her Shakti Sthal memorial here. "My tributes to the first woman Prime Minister of India, ji, on her martyrdom day. Be it agriculture, economy or military power, Indira ji's contribution in making India a strong nation is incomparable," Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi. Kharge also offered floral tributes to Indira Gandhi at the AICC headquarters here. In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said, "Grandmother, I am carrying both your love and values in my heart. I will not allow the India for which you have sacrificed your life to fall apart." In a post from its official Twitter handle, the said that from liberation of Bangladesh to ushering in of the Green Revolution, Indira Gandhi led the nation through its highs and lows. "We salute her unyielding resilience & unwavering vision for the nation's development," the party said. Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister, was assassinated on this day in 1984 by two of her own security guards. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a multi-city protest on Monday, a large number of company secretaries (CS) and (CAs) came together to seek extension of the deadline for annual filing due to glitches in the (MCA) portal. According to the Companies Act, firms are supposed to submit Form AOC 4 for filing of the balance sheet within 30 days of holding the annual general meeting (AGM). This deadline was over on October 29. The professionals sat outside registrar offices in and Chandigarh, shouting We want justice. A group of professionals also visited Shastri Bhawan, where the office of the is located. A senior government official told Business Standard that there is no deadline for filing financial statements, and instead, there is a 30-day period, which starts after the AGM is held. Our portal was working every day. We have seen an increased number of filings in the last few days compared to earlier weeks, the senior official said. Since 2014, after the 2013 came into effect, there has been an extension of the deadline for holding the AGM or exemption of for late submission nearly every year. Last year, the last date for AGM was extended to November 30 and filing fee was exempted till February 2022. In 2020, due to the pandemic, all filing deadlines were increased till December 2020 without . Amita Desai, a Mumbai-based senior company secretary, who was not part of any protest, said that the portal has not been able to support the filings for the last 2-3 days. This has made compliance particularly difficult for small and medium companies. In my experience of 27 years, most companies call an AGM on the last day, and so, their deadline ends on October 29. We are getting system errors while filling the forms and it is a major challenge, she said. Desai said the government should consider increasing the filing deadline from 30 to 60 days from the day of AGM. What is particularly worrying for company secretaries is that if, in a rush, there is some error in the filing, then Section 447 of the that deals with fraud gets applied, Desai added. The had recently asked companies to file in advance and not delay it till the last moment. The needs to first acknowledge that there is a problem. Only then, a solution can be found, said Vishal Arora, Chandigarh-based company secretary. There are around 1.4 million companies, of which, 1-1.2 million are small or medium companies. The deadline for filing the AOC 4 form is also clashing with the last date for filing the MSME 1 form. This has added to the workload of the professionals. Company secretaries said that the system is showing errors such as being logged in even after log out. It is regenerating a new service registration number after every failed attempt, there are internal server errors and gateway timeout while uploading forms. Company secretary Divesh Goyal said in a tweet, We professionals never want extension from the MCA. We just want a working portal till the last minute of the due date. If the portal works till the last minute of the due date, then there will be no need for extension. MCA should look into it. Many other professionals said that it was not their fault that clients were providing financials in the last hour. The current glitches are occurring in MCA version 2 and not the latest version 3. Professionals have also raised issues with the new version with the government. Backend services of the portal are being managed by . The on Monday conducted searches at the houses of the news website 'The Wire' editors M.K. Venu, Jahnavi Sen and founder Siddharth Varadarajan, after an FIR was filed in connection with its fabricated story related to BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya. Police have reportedly seized electronic devices. Sources privy to the investigation said that soon they will serve summons to all the accused asking them to join the investigation. Police raids aome after an FIR was registered on Saturday against "The Wire" and its senior editors based on a complaint filed by Malviya, alleging that the portal forged documents with a view to malign and tarnish his reputation. The complaint has been filed against 'The Wire' founder Varadarajan, founding editor Sidharth Bhatia, editor Venu, deputy editor and executive news producer Jahnavi Sen, Foundation for Independent Journalism and other unknown persons. "I am filing the complaint for the offences of cheating, forgery for the purpose of cheating, forgery for the purpose of harming reputation, using forged document or electronic record as genuine, and defamation, among other provisions of IPC ('The Wire', Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia, MK Venu and Jahnavi Sen shall be collectively termed as 'Accused')," Malviya stated in his complaint. Last week on Thursday, Malviya had said that he will file a case against 'The Wire' for tarnish his image and reputation. "After consultation with my lawyers and seeking their advice, I have decided to file criminal and civil proceedings against 'The Wire'. Not only will I be setting the criminal process in motion, but I will also sue them in a civil court seeking damages as they forged documents with a view to malign and tarnish my reputation," Malviya had said in a statement. 'The Wire' had, in a series of reports, alleged that Malviya had certain privileges to take down posts from Meta-owned Instagram, a claim later denied by Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. "The posts in question were surfaced for review by automated systems, not humans. And the underlying documentation appears to be fabricated," Meta's director for policy communications, Andy Stone, had said in a tweet. --IANS ssh/d (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.) Rejecting JNU student Sharjeel Imam's plea, the high court here on Monday said that the trial court order refusing to stay its proceedings in a 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case against him involving allegations of sedition was fair. Imam had sought his release for the time being on account of the Supreme Court keeping in abeyance Section 124A (Sedition) of IPC until the issue of its constitutionality is examined. He had also challenged the trial court order refusing to stay the ongoing proceedings in the case. A bench headed by Justice Mukta Gupta disposed of Imam's appeal for stay and requested the lower court to conclude on a short date the examination of the witnesses on which there is no dispute between the parties. The court deferred till January Imam's plea seeking interim bail. He was arrested in January 2020 for allegedly making an inflammatory speech and then arrested in the riots case in August that year. The court clarified that Imam, who is facing proceedings for his alleged inflammatory speeches, would be at liberty to further cross-examine the witness related to the UAPA sanction in case the trial under 124A IPC is allowed to proceed later. Imam's counsel objected to the cross-examination at this stage, stating that offences under the UAPA and sedition have overlapping ingredients. The order of the trial court is fair enough as it says that as long as prejudice is not affected, let it (the trial) go on and the only issue is about the witness who gave the sanction, said the court. It noted that besides sedition, the joint trial in the case involved the offences under Section 13 (Punishment for Unlawful Activities) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) as well as sections 153A (promoting enmity), l53B (Imputations prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of IPC. The bench, also comprising Justice Anish Dayal, said that the trial court had noted that out of 43 prosecution witnesses, 18 had already been examined. Even though the trial with respect to sedition has been put in abeyance, adjudication in respect of other offences could proceed if the court concerned was of the opinion that there would be no prejudice to the accused and there was no total embargo on the continuation of trial, it said. The court also noted that the accused as well as the prosecution agreed that in view of the direction of the apex court, certain other witnesses cannot be examined at this stage. Although the counsel for the appellant prays that cross-examination be deferred We are of the concerned view that the cross-examination (pertaining to UAPA sanction) be also conducted, however, subject to the liberty to the appellant to further cross-examine him in case trial under section 124A IPC is to proceed pursuant to the decision of the Supreme Court, the court said. However, (certain other) witnesses .be not examined by the special court till the decision of the Supreme Court. With these observations, appeal (against rejection of stay on trial) is disposed of, the court said. Both the parties have agreed that some of the witnesses can be examined and the next date for the examination of said witnesses is November 29. "We request the trial court to examine the above-noted witnesses on which there is no dispute between the parties with an endeavour to conclude the examination of witness on the next date or any other short date as convenient, it added. Advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir, appearing for the accused, submitted that Imam has been in custody for nearly three years now. Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad appeared for the prosecution. On May 11, the Supreme Court stayed till further orders any registration of FIRs, probes, and the coercive measures for the offence of sedition across the country by the Centre and the states until an appropriate forum of the government re-examines the colonial-era penal law. As per the prosecution, Imam had allegedly made speeches at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 13, 2019, and at Aligarh Muslim University on December 16, 2019, where he threatened to cut off Assam and the rest of the Northeast from India. In his plea before the high court, Imam said that the trial court has failed to recognise that pursuant to the directions of the top court, the basis for dismissal of his earlier bail plea i.e. the charge of sedition was obviated and therefore relief must be granted to him. Earlier this year, the trial court had ordered for framing of charges against Imam under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity), l53B (Imputations prejudicial to national integration), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of IPC and Section 13 (Punishment for Unlawful Activities) of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Monday directed the Centre to come up with a better affidavit to ensure proper arrangements for Subramanian Swamy, observing that the latter has been granted 'Z' category and he is not just a "private person". On October 27, the former BJP Rajya Sabha MP moved the court alleging that the Centre has failed in providing adequate at his private accommodation. The Centre, in its response, apprised the bench of Justice Yashwant Varma that an affidavit has been filed regarding the compliance measures in the matter. It was informed in the court that the security setup was reviewed at Swamy's private residence and it will be implemented as he moves to his house. On September 14, the had directed Swamy to hand over the possession of his government bungalow to the estate officer within six weeks. Swamy's counsel argued that no security arrangement has been made at his private accommodation despite the government's assurance after he agreed to vacate thebungalow by October 26. During Monday's hearing, the Centre also argued the arrangements could not be made because personnel were engaged in management of security across the city during the festive season. "It is not possible for us to provide security to every private individual," the Centre's counsel said. However, the court pointed out that Swamy is not a "private person" but was granted Z category security by the government itself. Regarding the government's submission of rotation of the security guards at his private residence, the court asked to mention in the affidavit that how and where the guards will be placed. Accordingly, directing the Centre to file a better and comprehensive affidavit, the matter was posted for November 3 for further hearing. In September also, Swamy had Aapproached the high court seeking re-allotment of the accommodation citing "continuing security threats". His Rajya Sabha term came to an end this April. The Centre opposed his plea arguing that the accommodation was required to be given to other ministers and MPs and Swamy's plea was disposed of. --IANS jw/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four persons were arrested on Monday in connection with the collapse of the cable suspension on the Machchhu river in Morbi in in which 134 people were killed, police said. "We have arrested four persons so far, the investigation is going on," Rajkot Range IG Ashok Yadav told PTI. He refused to elaborate saying the police will soon brief the media. Police have registered an FIR on charges of culpable homicide against agencies given the task of maintenance and operation of the in Morbi city which collapsed on Sunday evening. The case was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide). The FIR, lodged by 'B' division police inspector Prakash Dekivadia, stated that the over the Machchhu river in Morbi town was not in use for nearly eight months as the local administration had roped in a "private agency" for its maintenance. (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.) Nine persons, including four employees of the Oreva group, were arrested by police on Monday and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the Morbi collapse case, a senior official said. The Oreva group had bagged the contract to maintain and operate the British-era that collapsed on Sunday evening, killing 134 people. "Of these nine, two work as managers, while two work as ticket booking clerks (all four employed by Oreva group) at the site. We will conduct a thorough inquiry and will not spare the guilty," said Range IG Ashok Kumar Yadav at a press conference. The other five accused include two repairing contractors hired by the Oreva group and three persons working at the bridge as security personnel, said Yadav. Earlier in the day, the senior IPS officer said the death toll from the bridge collapse has mounted to 134. Police have registered an FIR (first information report) on charges of culpable homicide against agencies given the task of maintenance and operation of the bridge. The case was registered in Morbi under Indian Penal Code Sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), police said. The FIR, lodged by 'B' division police inspector Prakash Dekivadia, stated the bridge over the Machchhu river was not in use for nearly eight months as the local administration had roped in a "private agency" for its maintenance. (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 Home Minister on Monday expressed his grief over the loss of lives when the pedestrian suspension Morbi bridge collapsed on the Machchu river collapsed and over 130 people were killed. "Several people lost their lives in yesterday's incident in . First of all, I express condolences to the families of all those who died in the unfortunate incident. May all those who died, rest in peace," said Shah. The Union Home Minister Shah's remarks came as he attended an event in the national capital where President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary today. The in the newly renovated suspension bridge collapse incident increased to 132, Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said today. The Home Minister further informed that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident. "An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP," Sanghavi said. Everyone worked all through the night. The Navy, NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force), Air Force and Army arrived at the spot quickly. More than 200 persons have worked the entire night for search and rescue operations," Sanghavi said. Teams including Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF, and Fire Brigade conducted a search operation throughout the night to find the Garkaw victims in Macchu river after the bridge collapsed, as per officials. After the incident, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister of State for Home Affairs Harshbhai Sanghvi, Minister Brijeshbhai Merja, and Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani reached the incident spot at midnight and personally observed the rescue operation and gave directions. According to the details from the district administration, after the mishap, the system was immediately activated and rescue operations started with the help of locals. Besides this, teams from other places also started arriving at the spot. Around 40 doctors from various health centres, Rajkot PDU Hospital and Surendranagar Civil Hospital started emergency treatment of the injured at the Morbi Civil Hospital. After the collapse of the bridge, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation boat and rescue materials including life jackets reached Morbi and started the rescue operation. Emergency ambulances from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh Metropolitan Municipality and Morbi Municipality were running throughout the night to bring the injured to the hospital immediately. Several private ambulances were also involved in the rescue operation. Army team from Surendranagar joined with its three ambulances and equipment, informed the officials. (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.) Feature: Japanese welcome 50th anniversary of China's giant pandas' arrival Xinhua) 09:32, October 31, 2022 Visitors watch a giant panda at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 28, 2022. To mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese giant pandas in Japan, Tokyo's Ueno Zoo has recently set up a "Giant Panda Post Office". (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) TOKYO, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- To mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese giant pandas in Japan, Tokyo's Ueno Zoo has recently set up a "Giant Panda Post Office". Early Friday morning, visitors came to the post office of the zoo to buy limited edition of giant panda stamps for the anniversary. By talking to the "true love fans" who were waiting eagerly in the long queue, one might just get a glimpse of how popular pandas are in Japan. "I have been to 23 countries and regions to see giant pandas." "I even dream of giant pandas." "Fifty years ago, I took a special leave from work to see the giant pandas." On Oct. 28, 1972, a pair of giant pandas, Kang Kang and his partner Lan Lan, arrived at Ueno Zoo as a gift from China to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, sparking an unprecedented panda craze in Japan. The annual number of visitors to the zoo, which stood at around 4 million before the giant pandas' arrival, soared to a record high of 9.2 million in 1973. In the queue waiting to buy the commemorative stamps, some people wore masks with giant panda pictures, some were carrying bags with giant panda patterns, some were covered in panda accessories, and some were holding giant panda dolls in their arms. Whether it was a gray-haired man or a babbling kid, they expressed love for giant pandas in their own way. Miho Nakagawa, known as the "giant panda reporter", was at the front of the line. She told Xinhua that she has been to 23 countries and regions in order to see giant pandas. In 2019, she published a monograph on giant pandas, telling the stories of giant pandas around the world. Today, Nakagawa has become a full-time reporter, taking various photos related to giant pandas every day and sharing them with the Japanese people on the Internet. Seventy-three-year-old Kikue Hisatsune told Xinhua about her visit to Ueno Zoo to see the pandas 50 years ago. "I asked for a special leave when I heard I could see giant pandas." Now, retired Hisatsune has become a giant panda volunteer at the zoo to help more visitors, especially children, to learn about pandas. Sanpei Hayashiya, a well-known Japanese rakugo comedian, also showed up at the zoo with his wife on the anniversary. Hayashiya has lived near the Ueno Zoo since he was a child, and he still remembered the first time he saw giant pandas. "I was five years old at that time, and I had to wait in a very long line to see the pandas," Hayashiya said, adding that now that he has become a father, he often comes here to see the pandas with his son. Tadao Futatsugi, honorary president of the Ueno Tourism Federation and a full-time giant panda ambassador, has a huge collection of giant panda dolls. "Giant pandas make Ueno full of energy," he said. Around Ueno Park where Ueno Zoo is located, there are panda-themed bakeries, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops everywhere. Katsuhiro Miyamoto, professor emeritus of Kansai University in Osaka prefecture, took Xiang Xiang, a giant panda born in 2017, for an example and estimated that the female had brought a 26.7 billion yen (181 million U.S. dollars) economic effect to Ueno Park and its surrounding stores. "Wow, that's so cute!" At 10:00 a.m., the Panda Forest at Ueno Zoo opened its gate. Excited voices echoed from the crowd. Camera shutters sounded non-stop as the giant pandas turned and twisted to the delight of the visitors. Toshimitsu Doi, former director of Ueno Zoo, told Xinhua that Ueno Zoo has made great efforts in the raising and breeding of giant pandas over the past 50 years, and China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has provided tremendous support. "When the pandas were to deliver cubs, we would always invite Chinese instructors to come guide us on the spot. They were very skilled and professional in every detail and taught us everything," Doi said. Many visitors expressed their deep affection for the pandas during the interview. "Giant pandas are like our own precious children. Watching them from birth to growth, their every move touches our hearts." "Giant pandas are ambassadors of peace and happiness. We will always love pandas," Futatsugi's words have spoken the mind of the Japanese people who love giant pandas. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Prime Minister on Tuesday will visit Gujarat's Morbi where at least 134 people were killed when a suspension bridge collapsed into the Machchhu river. The Chief Minister's Office announced that Modi would visit Morbi on Tuesday afternoon. Rescue operations were in full swing at Morbi, around 300 km from capital Gandhinagar, with teams of the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Indian Air Force, Army and Navy joining local personnel in the effort. Modi, who is on a visit to Gujarat, paid tributes to those who died in Sunday's bridge collapse. "I am in Kevadia, but my heart goes out to those who died in the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy," the prime minister said as he got emotional. Troupes from across the country had come to Kevadia to perform traditional dances, but the programme was cancelled due to the present circumstances, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Kerala fast track court on Monday sentenced a 25-year-old man to a cumulative total of 48 years of imprisonment for raping his minor niece in 2015 at his residence in Munnar in the high range district of Idukki. The Idukki Fast Track Court sentenced the man to varying quantum of punishment, the highest of which was 10 years, to a total of 48 years for the offences of rape, molestation and sexual assault under the Indian Penal Code and Protection Of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act and crimes under the Juvenile Justice Act. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 on the convict and directed the District Legal Services Authority to pay Rs 50,000 to the victim for her rehabilitation, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Shijo Mon Joseph, who appeared for the state in the matter, said. As the sentences have to be served concurrently and the highest of the jail terms was 10 years, the man would serve only 10 years behind bars, the SPP said. The offences were committed before enhancement of punishments and other amendments in the POCSO Act and therefore, none of the jail terms for the offences committed by the accused exceeded 10 years, the SPP said. The accused, brother of the victim's mother, was 18-years-old at the time of the offence in 2015 when he raped the then 12-year-old girl at his residence in Anachal area of Munnar in the district when no one was present at home, the SPP said. While the incident occurred in 2015, the girl revealed it only in 2021 during a counselling session, the prosecutor 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 government has enhanced the retirement age of employees of most of the state uniformly to 60, drawing sharp criticism from a left-wing youth organisation. The order was issued on Saturday based on the recommendations of an expert committee, which conducted a comprehensive study on the formulation of a common framework for pay/wage structure of in the state except State Electricity Board, State Road Transport Corporation and Kerala Water Authority. The expert committee had recommended that the retirement age of employees of all state shall be enhanced uniformly to 60 as in the case of central PSUs. However, this will not be applicable to those employees who have already retired in accordance with the prevailing rules. The state leadership of the All India Youth Federation (AIYF), the youth wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI), protested against the government's decision to enhance the retirement age to 60, terming it as a move against the unemployed youth. CPI is the second largest partner in the CPI(M)-led LDF in the state. Claiming that the government's decision was against the declared policy of the LDF, the AIYF urged the government to withdraw it and protect the rights of the youth in the state. Meanwhile, the expert committee has broadly classified the PSUs into six sectors based on the generic nature of work carried out by them. The six sectors include manufacturing and production, development and infrastructure, financial services, services/trading/consultancy, agriculture/plantations/livestock and traditional and welfare. According to the report adopted by the government, the authority for approving classification of all state PSUs will be the Public Enterprises Board (PEB) and each PSU should submit a proposal for classification to the PEB. (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.) At a special function held at capital's Patel Chowk, the President and others paid floral tributes at the statue of India's first Home Minister on his birthday, which is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Divas. Morbi bridge collapse death toll mounts to 130; more bodies recovered The death toll in Morbi suspension bridge collapse in rose to 130 on Monday with rescue personnel recovering more bodies from the Machchhu river, a police official said. The over a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday. At least 130 deaths have been reported so far," the official said defeats Bolsonaro to become Brazil's president again Brazil's electoral authority said Sunday that Luiz Incio of the leftist Worker's Party defeated incumbent to become the country's next president. With 98.8 per cent of the votes tallied in the runoff vote, da Silva had 50.8 per cent and Bolsonaro 49.2 per cent, and the election authority said da Silva's victory was a mathematical certainty. The on Monday demanded a probe headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge into the Morbi suspension bridge collapse in . The Opposition party also sought financial and medical assistance from the government to all those affected. Over 130 people have died in the bridge collapse. The more than a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed Sunday evening. president Mallikarjun Kharge paid homage to those killed in the tragedy, and said that may God give the strength to the families who have lost their loved ones to bear the loss. Speaking with reporters here, he said the reasons for the collapse of the bridge that reopened five days ago, ought to be known. "Why were so many people allowed. There should be an inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge," Kharge said. The bereaved families and those affected should be provided all assistance and given compensation by the government, he said. Those injured should be provided all assistance in medical treatment by the government, he added. "Our (Congress) leaders have reached there. Ashok Gehlot is also reaching. We will try to help out as much as possible. We don't want to indulge in any politics over it or blame anyone at this point of time. Blame can be established only when the report of the probe is out," he said. According to the latest information, 132 people lost their lives in the tragedy and two are still missing. Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British-era hanging bridge when it snapped, plunging them into the water below. Some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its big wires, an eyewitness said, adding that the bridge may have collapsed due to the huge crowd on it. (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.) Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Monday said the Eknath Shinde government must be dismissed as it had become numb to the pain of farmers affected by heavy rains. He claimed at least one farmer was ending his life every eight hours in the state due to these woes. Speaking to reporters after meeting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, he said crops like cotton, soybean, tur, corn had faced extensive damage, leaving cultivators deeply distressed. "The state government led by (chief minister) Eknath Shinde and (Deputy CM) Devendra Fadnavis must be dismissed as it is numb to the woes of farmers, who are facing acute financial problems," he said. "At present, on an average, one farmer is ending his life every eight hours. The state government has still not declared wet drought. Moreover, youth are angry that big projects are leaving the state," he alleged. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Monday chaired a high level meeting to review the situation in Gujarat's Morbi where more than 140 persons died on Sunday in a collapse. Official sources said that, at the meeting at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the Prime Minister was briefed on the rescue and relief operations that have been underway ever since the unfortunate accident took place. All aspects relating to the tragedy were discussed. The Prime Minister once again emphasised on ensuring that those affected get all possible assistance, they added. The high level meeting was also attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the Chief Secretary and the DGP along with other top officials including those from Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority. --IANS ans/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.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Monday paid tributes to 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, saying a country which had a great hero like Patel will never bow to terrorism, extremism, separatism and corruption. Adityanath was addressing a gathering before flagging off the 'Run for Unity' organised on Patel's birth anniversary, observed as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day since 2014. "A country which has a great hero like cannot kneel in front of terrorism, extremists, separatists and the corrupt," the chief minister said. "You must have seen that naxalism is coming to an end, Kashmir has come under the ambit of the Constitution of India and a new beginning has been made, and the north-eastern states, where extremism was at its peak earlier, are again taking steps for the unity of India," he said. In an apparent jibe at the Congress but without naming it, Adityanath said that after Independence, some governments tried to forget but now, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the entire nation is showing gratitude towards him. "Sardar Patel, with his understanding, organisational ability and unflinching loyalty to the motherland, made all the princely states part of present-day India in a peaceful manner while tying the country in the thread of unity," he said. "The architect of the vision of 'Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat', which is being realised under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," the chief minister added. "Modi-ji is making continuous efforts to fulfil the dreams of Sardar Patel," Adityanath said. In his address, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said Patel played the most important role in thwarting the ill-designs that aimed at dividing the country after Independence. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister on Monday said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stood out for his decisiveness during challenging times and this was the trademark of his leadership. Pradhan was addressing students who participated in a youth debate organised by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to mark the 147th birth anniversary of Patel, the country's first home minister. It was because of Sardar Patel's efforts that over 500 princely states were merged with India and this "was not less than climbing the Himalayas up and down five times", the Union education minister said. Hailing Patel's leadership, Pradhan said, he stood out for his "decisiveness during challenging times and that was the trademark of his leadership". Speaking on the occasion Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said Patel was the hero of public consciousness. "His important contributions in shaping modern India shall always be remembered and his role in the making of a strong constitution is commendable. His life is an inspiration for all of us to dedicate ourselves to the cause of the nation," he said. Before the competition began, leaders from several parties, including Union Minister Rajnath Singh and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Central Hall of Parliament House. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Monday asked the government to apprise it whether the report of a commission of inquiry headed by Justice D A Mehta (retd), which had probed two incidents of fire at hospitals in Rajkot and Ahmedabad in 2020, has been tabled in assembly and if not, by when it will be done. A bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli also asked the government to file an affidavit indicating steps taken in view of the findings of the Justice Mehta (retd) commission. The top court was hearing a suo motu matter on the proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and dignified handling of the dead in the hospitals in which it had taken cognizance of fire incidents during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At the outset, senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for some of the kin of victims of fire incidents said some kind of strict action is needed and court must take note of the incident, which had happened in Gujarat on Sunday. The bench told Dave there are so many aspects in this suo motu matter and aksed him to be specific on what is to be dealt with first. Dave said he is appearing for kin of victims of fire incidents, who have died in the hospitals. The bench said this matter is confined to Gujarat only to which Dave replied that the court has taken cognisance of the fire incidents in the state but similar directions are needed for pan-India. "There are no safety measures. No NOCs taken. Hospitals are being run in five-six storeys buildings in residential areas, where even fire tenders cannot approach. "This is culpable homicide. People are being killed. They are being suffocated in case of any fire tragedy", he said. Dave said there is no doubt that hospitals are needed but they should be in commercial and not residential areas. Counsel appearing for one of the intervenors pointed out that Gujarat government has recently come out with an ordinance to regularise the unauthorised constructions in the state. Dave said this court has last year stayed a similar notification in which the state government attempted to regularise the unauthorised construction and now they have come out with an ordinance. The bench said it cannot deal with the validity of the ordinance in the suo motu matter and it has to be challenged separately. The bench then asked for the counsel, appearing for Gujarat government, to which it was informed that no one is available. Advocate Rajat Nair, told the bench that though he is appearing for the Union of India, he can say that a one-man commission was appointed by the state government to inquire into the fire incidents and it has filed its report. The bench said that if the commission was appointed under Commission of Inquiry Act then the report has to be first tabled in the Assembly and asked whether that has been done. The top court ordered the counsel for Gujarat to apprise it whether the report of the commission has been tabled in the assembly and if not, when it will be done. It asked him file an affidavit indicating the state's plan of action pursuant to the findings of the commission and listed the matter after November 7. On August 27, last year the top court had asked the Gujarat government to table on the first day of its next assembly session the report of commission of inquiry headed by Justice D A Mehta (retd). During the hearing, the top court had asked the counsel appearing for Gujarat government, under what provisions a notification which extended the deadline by three months for hospitals to rectify the violations of building by-laws, was issued by the state and how such notification can be sustained. She had replied that under section 122 of Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, the notification was issued and added that the government has taken a "pragmatic" approach in view of likely third wave of the COVID-19. On July 19, last year, the top court had observed that hospitals have become like huge real estate industries instead of serving humanity in the face of COVID-19 tragedy. It directed that 'nursing homes' running from two to three-room flats in residential colonies which pay little attention to fire and building safety norms, should be closed. It had pulled up the state government for extending the deadline till July next year for hospitals to rectify the building by-laws violations, and said the "carte blanche" notification was in teeth of its order of December 18, 2020 and people will continue to die in fire incidents. On December 18, 2020, the top court had directed all states to constitute a committee in each district to conduct fire audit of COVID-19 hospitals at least once a month, inform the management of medical establishments about any deficiency and report to the government for taking follow up action. It had directed that all states and Union Territories should appoint one nodal officer for each COVID hospital, if not already appointed, who shall be made responsible for ensuring compliance of all fire safety measures. It had taken note that Gujarat government has appointed Justice D A Mehta-led commission to undertake enquiry with regard to fire in Shrey Hospital, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, in addition to enquiry into the incident of fire in Uday Shivanand Hospital, Rajkot. (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.) Sri Lankan President on Monday expressed grief over a bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi city and extended his condolences to the victims and their families. The more than a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed on Sunday evening. Over 130 people have died so far in the accident. In a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Wickremesinghe said he is "shocked and saddened" by the tragic bridge collapse incident in Morbi, according to a press release issued by the president's office. "The government and people of Sri Lanka join me in extending deepest condolences to you, the government and people of India especially the families of the citizens who lost their lives. May the injured have a speedy recovery and wish every success in the rescue and recovery operations underway," the president said. Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured. The government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. (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 Gujarat reels from one of the deadliest collapse incidents in India's recent history, claiming at least 134 lives, PTI recalls other such tragic episodes that have shocked the nation in the past several years. According to a 2020 study 'Analysis of failures in India from 1977 to 2017', published in international journal 'Structure and Infrastructure Engineering', as many as "2,130 bridges" -- excluding culverts and pedestrian -- have failed to provide intended service or collapsed during various phases of construction in the last four decades. 1. Darjeeling collapse (2011): Thirty-two people were killed and over 60 injured when an old wooden footbridge over a spring gave away, under the pressure of crowd, during a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) meeting at Bijanbari in Darjeeling district on October 22, 2011. The bridge, which had been weakened by the September 18 earthquake, collapsed when a large number of people gathered on it for the meeting. 2. Arunachal Pradesh footbridge collapse (2011): Just a week after the ill-fated Darjeeling incident, a footbridge over Kameng river in Arunachal Pradesh collapsed on October 29, 2011. It collapsed when 63 people were over the bridge to catch an insect locally known as tari'. The bridge was constructed in 1987 and commissioned in 1992. At lest 30 people, mostly children, were killed in the incident. 3. Vivekananda flyover collapse in Kolkata (2016): As many as 26 people were killed and over 60 were injured after an under construction 2.2 km-long Vivekananda flyover collapsed in a congested market area in North Kolkata. The Hyderabad-based company IVRCL, which was constructing the flyover, described the collapse as an "act of God", seeking to portray it as a natural calamity. 4. Majerhat flyover collapse in Kolkata (2018): In a similar incident on September 4, 2018, three people were killed and 24 were injured after a portion of South Kolkata's over 50-year-old Majerhat bridge caved in following heavy rainfall in the city. 5. Mumbai footover bridge collapse (2019): Six people were killed and over 30 people were injured when a footover bridge near Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station collapsed on March 14, 2019. The at least three-decade old bridge, connecting the bustling CSMT with the Azad Maidan police station, was audited just six months before the incident. It is maintained by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The natural disasters in India, according to the quoted study, have made the most devastating effect on the failure of the bridge infrastructure of an order of "80.3 per cent" -- based on a sample size of 2,010 . Beside natural disasters, the deterioration of material has been the reason for "10.1 per cent" of the failure of bridges, while overloading has contributed to "3.28 per cent" of bridge failures. "There are other noticeable causes of bridge failures such as blast by dissidents and with vehicles or ships," it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Monday deprecated the "regressive" and "invasive" practice of the 'two-finger test' on survivors and said it has no scientific basis and instead re-victimises women who may have been sexually assaulted, and is an affront to their dignity. The 'two-finger test' is conducted on victims of sexual assault and to determine whether they are habituated to sexual intercourse. The top court said it is "patriarchal" and "sexist" to suggest that a woman cannot be believed when she states that she was raped, merely for the reason that she is sexually active. It said any person who conducts the two-finger test or per vaginum examination (while examining a person alleged to have been subjected to a sexual assault) in contravention of the directions of this court shall be guilty of misconduct. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli made the remarks in a judgement on a plea of the Jharkhand government in which it challenged the acquittal of one Shailendra Kumar Rai alias Pandav Rai of and murder charges. The top court overturned the decision of the High Court and upheld the trial court order holding Rai guilty of rape and murder and awarded him life sentence. "We therefore set aside the High Court's decision dated January 27, 2018 and restore the Sessions Court's judgment dated October 10, 2006 convicting the respondent of offences punishable under Sections 302, 341, 376 and 448 of the IPC, as well as its order dated October 11, 2006 sentencing the respondent (Rai) to rigorous imprisonment for life for the offence punishable under Section 302 of the IPC and rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for the offence punishable under Section 376 of the IPC. "These sentences are to run concurrently. The respondent shall be taken into custody to serve the sentence immediately," the bench said. The bench noted that while examining the victim, the medical board of the Sadar hospital at Deoghar in Jharkhand conducted the two-finger test to determine whether she was habituated to sexual intercourse. "This court has time and again deprecated the use of this regressive and invasive test in cases alleging rape and sexual assault. This so-called test has no scientific basis and neither proves nor disproves allegations of rape. It instead re-victimizes and re-traumatizes women who may have been sexually assaulted, and is an affront to their dignity. The two-finger test or per vaginum test must not be conducted," it noted. The bench referred to its 2013 verdict in Lillu versus State of Haryana, where it was held that the test violates the right to privacy, integrity, and dignity of a woman. "Nothing could be further from the truth- a woman's sexual history is wholly immaterial while adjudicating whether the accused raped her. Further, the probative value of a woman's testimony does not depend upon her sexual history. It is patriarchal and sexist to suggest that a woman cannot be believed when she states that she was raped, merely for the reason that she is sexually active," the bench said in its parting remark of the verdict. The bench added that whether a woman is "habituated to sexual intercourse" or "habitual to sexual intercourse" is irrelevant for the purposes of determining whether the ingredients of Section 375 of the IPC (rape) are present in a particular case. The so-called test is based on the incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman cannot be raped, it said. The bench said the legislature explicitly recognised this fact when it enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 which inter alia amended the Evidence Act to insert Section 53A. "In terms of Section 53A of the Evidence Act, evidence of a victim's character or of her previous sexual experience with any person shall not be relevant to the issue of consent or the quality of consent, in prosecutions of sexual offences," the bench added. It said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had issued guidelines on March 19, 2014, for health providers in cases of sexual violence -- Medico-legal care for survivors/victims of sexual violence -- which proscribe the application of the two-finger test. It issued a slew of directions to the Centre and state governments to ensure that the guidelines formulated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are circulated to all government and private hospitals. "Conduct workshops for health providers to communicate the appropriate procedure to be adopted while examining survivors of sexual assault and rape; and review the curriculum in medical schools with a view to ensuring that the two-finger test or per vaginum examination is not prescribed as one of the procedures to be adopted while examining survivors of sexual assault and rape," the bench said. It directed that a copy of this judgment shall be shared with the secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and he shall transmit copies of this judgment to the principal secretary (Department of Public Health) of each state. "The Principal Secretaries in the Departments of Health of each state shall also be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the directions issued in this judgment. The Secretaries in the Departments of Home of each state shall in addition issue directions to the Directors General of Police in this regard. The Directors General of Police shall, in turn, communicate these directions to the Superintendents of Police," the bench 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.) Fishermen in will stage a statewide protest on November 11 against a recent incident in which a fisherman was injured after being shot by the Navy. On October 21, the ship on patrol in the Palk Bay near the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) fired shots at a fishing boat which had 10 people in board. K. Veeravel, the 35-year-old fisherman, sustained bullet injuries on his thigh and stomach, while nine others were also wounded. G. Devan, a fishermen leader of Myladuthurai, told IANS that the Central and state governments should provide proper compensation to all the 10 injured fishermen. Devan also demanded a government job for Veeraval as he was partly maimed due to the injuries. He added that the agitation is likely to have participation from all coastal districts of the state and communication has been sent to all. Tharangambai, Vanagiri, Chinnakottaimedu, and Pazhayar fisherfolk panchayaths are spearheading the agitation. --IANS aal/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 50 ultra-high net worth Indians have in the last 18 months invested between 350,000 and 600,000 euros in apartments in Portugals capital Lisbon and other places to obtain residency in the EU bloc nation. These individuals seek residency in order to get better healthcare, especially post Covid-19, a report by the Economic Times (ET) said. To obtain the "Golden Visa", which allows the residents to travel freely across Europe, the money is being sent out in tranches as per the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) limit of $250,000 per annum under the liberalised remittance scheme (LRS). "The motive is often for ultra HNIs [high net worth individuals] to have the option to relocate in a situation where they need to for health care, particularly, post-Covid. has got a good and education system, and hence its a good place to put in place a contingency plan. Post a threshold, such families can opt for residency or citizenship," Bijal Ajinkya, partner at Khaitan & Co. told the business daily. is not the only country being eyed by the rich in India. They are also investing in Greece and Montenegro, the report added. Apart from the investments, these individuals are also applying for "jumbo life and term" covers worth $20 million and above from foreign insurers. "The interest in jumbo covers has been there for at least ten years now. But people used to do it surreptitiously by transferring money to relatives who then purchased the policy on their behalf. A few were also pulled up under the Black Money Act when it later surfaced that they were owning undisclosed life policies issued by foreign insurers. But the regulator has become more liberal in the last two years. It's clearing applications (for the purchase of such policies). Maybe, there is a rise in demand post-Covid," a senior banker told ET. The people who are applying for Portuguese citizenship are, however, different from the ones that have fled the country for tax evasion and taken citizenship in countries like Dominica and Antigua, ET said. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister will on Monday deliver the annual Memorial Lecture on the occasion of National Unity Day, an official statement said. The memorial lecture is organised by All India Radio (AIR) to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first home minister who is considered the chief architect of integration of the erstwhile princely states with the Union of India. Eminent personalities such as C Rajagopalachari, Dr Zakir Hussain, Morarji Desai, A P J Abdul Kalam, Jayant Narlikar, M S Swaminathan, Arun Jaitley, Ajit Doval and S Jaishankar are among those who have delivered this prestigious memorial lecture in the past on wide-ranging subjects related to India and its socio-economic strides. The recording of Thakur's lecture will be broadcast across the entire AIR network on October 31, the birth anniversary of Patel which is celebrated as National Unity Day, the statement issued on Sunday said. Another programme, 'Sardar Patel- Rashtriya Ekta ke Shilpi', based on the profile of the Iron Man of India and excerpts from the previous editions of the memorial lecture will also be broadcast by Prasar Bharti on the National Unity Day, it 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.) has partnered the United Kingdom, France, and as major countries for the proposed global investor summit scheduled in February next year. The state is targeting to attract private investments to the tune of Rs 10 trillion during the three-day summit in Lucknow. The big-ticket event is expected to further the trillion-dollar economy agenda of the Yogi Adityanath government. We are making efforts to onboard other leading partner countries, including the US, Germany, Russia, Israel, Canada, the UAE, Netherlands, South Africa, Belgium, Brazil, and Australia, a senior state government official said. Mauritius, Denmark, Mexico, and Thailand are also on the state's radar. Meanwhile, the government is looking to unlock the potential of the non-resident Indians hailing from UP to derive a bigger pool of inward investments. UP continues to avail help of Indian embassies and missions in these countries by sharing the information of prospective companies there and are looking to invest in the state. The state will showcase different sectors for securing investment, including defence and aerospace, information technology, data centres, food processing, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. Moreover, the government is recasting industry-related policies to improve business environment in the state. To ensure a seamless process with foreign investors and companies, the government is nominating nodal officers. Nearly 10,000 and international delegates are expected to attend the summit. The state Cabinet members are scheduled to visit different countries as part of roadshows all over the world to further build a momentum for the summit. According to the tentative schedule, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, along with his deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and other senior ministers, will tour 21 cities in 19 countries to interact with the investors and big corporations. The CM is likely to visit the US (New York), Thailand (Bangkok), Russia (Moscow) and Mauritius (Port Louis). Other cities on the itinerary include Paris (France), London (UK), San Francisco (USA), Toronto (Canada), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Singapore, Stockholm (Sweden), Tel Aviv (Israel), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Munich (Germany), Sydney (Australia), Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE), Brussels (Belgium). The UP Investor Summit 2018 had garnered a total investment of nearly Rs 4.68 trillion across different sectors. World leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, on Monday extended their condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives in a tragic collapse in Gujarat's Morbi city. At least 134 people have died so far after the suspension collapsed into the Machchhu river in Morbi on Sunday evening. The more than a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed. In a message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was published on the Kremlin website, Putin said, Dear Ms President, dear Mr Prime Minister, please accept my heartfelt condolences over the tragic collapse in the state of Gujarat. Putin also conveyed his words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, and wished all those injured a speedy recovery, state-run TASS news agency reported. In his condolence message, Israeli Prime Minister Lapid said that the thoughts and prayers of all Israelis are with the people of India following yesterday's devastating bridge collapse in Gujarat. "I send my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and my wishes for a swift recovery to the wounded," he tweeted. In a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said he is "shocked and saddened" by the tragic bridge collapse incident, according to a press release issued by the president's office. "The government and people of Sri Lanka join me in extending deepest condolences to you, the government and people of India especially the families of the citizens who lost their lives. May the injured have a speedy recovery and wish every success in the rescue and recovery operations underway," the president said. Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said he is deeply saddened by the tragic incident. "We extend heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of India on the loss of precious lives. Our thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families," he tweeted. The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Saudi Arabia issued a statement on the Morbi tragedy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's sincere condolences to the friendly Republic of India, due to the unfortunate collapse of a suspension bridge in the western Indian state of Gujarat, which caused a number of casualties and injured others. "The Kingdom extends its deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the deceased, and to the friendly Indian people, and wishes the injured a speedy recovery, the statement said. Responding to a question on the bridge collapse incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian in a media briefing in Beijing said, We have taken note of what happened and mourn for the loss of lives and extend sympathies to the bereaved families and those who are injured in the accident." Underlining that Gujarat "has a special place in Polish-Indian relations", Polish foreign minister Zbigniew Rau in a tweet extended "deep and sincere condolences to the Nation of India for the tragedy". During World War II, Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, the king of Jamnagar in Gujarat, helped save 1,000 Polish Children by giving them food and shelter. "Even before we could comprehend the South Korea tragedy, news of the Gujarat bridge collapse hit us. People of Bhutan & I pray the situation is less dampening than what we hear. My heartfelt prayers to @narendramodi & India. Wishing strength and endurance to all. We grieve with you!" Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering tweeted. In South Korea, a stampede, the deadliest in the country's history, killed at least 153 people. It happened on Saturday night in a narrow downhill alley near Hamilton Hotel in the famous nightlife district in Seoul after tens of thousands of people visited the area for Halloween celebrations. Condoling the loss of lives in the bridge mishap, the US Embassy in India tweeted that it is deeply saddened by the news. "Our condolences go out to the victims and families of this terrible tragedy," it added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured. The Gujarat government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Police have registered a FIR on charges of culpable homicide against agencies given the task of maintenance and operation of the bridge. Four persons were arrested on Monday in connection with the collapse of the cable suspension bridge, police said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Youth on Monday paid tribute to the victims of the bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi town by organising a candle march from its office to the Jantar Mantar, where its workers paid homage to the dead. On this occasion, Indian Youth President Srinivas B.V. said that this accident is very sad and painful, and should not be politicised but more than 140 people died, "who is responsible for it? This is the most serious and important question today". He also said that this is the reality of model, which BJP is praising day and night, but the people of the state will not forgive the BJP government and the local administration for this negligence. Srinivas said that this accident has raised some questions - first, who is responsible for these deaths? second, why has no one been held accountable yet? And the third, with the local administration saying - 'The bridge was opened without permission', is it possible? "The BJP government will have to answer these questions." He alleged that the municipal officer said that he does not know when the bridge opened and the ticket for going to the bridge continued to be collected. "12,000 people also went to the bridge and the administration didn't even notice? This is the reality of the model, which has become just a corrupt and hollow model." He demanded that strict and strict action should be taken against those responsible for the Morbi accident so that the public can get justice. --IANS miz/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.) Policymakers have shown renewed interest in Indias attempt to increase its global presence by integrating with global value chains (GVCs). Various policy initiatives, from Make in to Make for the World, to the recent (FTA) with UAE and Australia point towards an increasing emphasis on global trade. This is also evidenced by recent trade figures, which document a 30.7 per cent growth in Indias merchandise exports, which stood at $40.19 billion in April 2022. Moreover, to boost post-pandemic recovery, the policymakers have set an ambitious target of $1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030. However, in order for such a challenging target to materialise, greater integration with GVCs is required. According to the Economic Survey (2019-20), the GVC exports could contribute a quarter of the increase in value-addition needed to achieve the $5 trillion goal. They could also generate four million jobs by 2025 and eight million jobs by 2030 under the Make in initiative. Moreover, in an industrial landscape dominated by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)s, these firms can play a key role in GVCs integration by being suppliers to multi-national corporations (MNCs). Hence, such developments are pivotal for Indias growth trajectory. However, swift and rapid integration with supply chains rests on various factors. The tariff structure is regarded as a crucial factor influencing GVC integration. In a GVC set-up, a firm engages in sourcing intermediate inputs from abroad and exporting its product to other countries. Given the increasing flow of cross-border goods trade, the tariff structure of a country can significantly impede or foster its global trade ambitions. In Indias case, despite three decades of attempts to remove trade barriers, its import tariff structure still is skewed. According to the WTO (World Trade Organisation)'s tariff profile, has the highest tariff in the Asia-Pacific region at 15 per cent. Such a high tariff rate can hinder the sourcing of intermediate products for an economy that is attempting to integrate with GVCs. This issue has far-reaching consequences for small and medium enterprises (SME)s dependent on intermediate inputs for their participation in global markets. Further, data from World Input-Output Tables highlight that during 2005-2015, Indias backward participation in GVC the extent of intermediate imports used for producing output by the sector for exports has increased by 18 per cent. In contrast, Indias forward integration the export of intermediate goods used as inputs for production in others countries export baskets declined 16 per cent. These figures clearly highlight that Indias GVC presence is driven by its sourcing of foreign intermediates. Therefore, higher tariffs on Imports could significantly hamper Indias participation in GVCs. In this regard, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and ORF America jointly conducted a firm level survey with the objective of building resilient GVC linkages in India. Thirty-three per cent of the survey respondents found high domestic tariffs a major obstacle for GVC integration. Moreover, this was more prominent for SMEs, with 55 per cent of respondents considering high domestic tariffs as a major challenge. Further, 44 per cent of the respondents found high tariff on inputs as a key factor impeding firms from achieving scale economies. This further translates into foreign firms decision to enter the domestic market, with 52 per cent of the firms attributing low tariffs on inputs as a key factor in shaping FDI decisions in India. In this regard, Apples move to India portrays the importance of ensuring liberal trade policies that can plug India deeper into GVCs. The report also documents that lowering of input tariffs was among the top three policy priorities suggested by the respondents. Therefore, to combat issues of tariffs, countries enter FTAs that levy preferential tariff on imported goods at concessional or nil rates. Even though India backed out of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive and Economic Partnership Agreement), it has tried fostering bilateral agreements with multiple countries. Currently, there are more trade negotiations underway with theUK, the European Union, Canada, Israel, and the Eurasian Economic Union. Our newly-found zeal for FTA is a step in right direction. However,the implementation of certain policies goes against the essence of such FTAs. For instance, the tariff concessions available under trade agreements rest upon the principles of origin, wherein a good is eligible for tariff concessions if it originates from the partner country. The rules of origin are important under such agreements to prevent trade deflection, i.e., to make sure that products from non-partner country do not claim the benefits of concessional tariff by shipping the product through the partner country. For example, Francis and Kallumal (2021) document that Vietnam was the biggest source of Imports for electronic industry in India. However, only 15 per cent of imports originated in Vietnam, and the majority came from South Korea. In this context, the Government of India has implemented the Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 which implement multiple procedural obligation on the importer to evaluate whether a particular item is eligible for preferential tariffs or not. In addition, other complexities associated with rule of origin include the presence of different FTAs with different partner countries, resulting in the spaghetti bowl effect that leads to confusion in trading rules and slows down trade between partner countries. At present, India has comprehensive trade agreements with over ten countries. Hence, any firm trying to establish its foothold in the global market will find it arduous to keep track of different rules under different agreements and track the origin of a product in its true essence. Moreover, the linkages from one trade agreement do not translate across different agreements due to rules of origin restriction. As a result, the rule of origin rules also lowers the available options for domestic firms. Consequently, firms may substitute higher-quality imported inputs with inefficient ones. This may affect the firms chances of integrating value chains set up for large multinationals as meeting quality requirements is an important aspect of GVC participation. In this regard, use of new technology such as blockchain can improve the implementations of RoO and reduce the dependence on large amount of paperwork. Given that the pace of GVC participation is driven by the underlying trade costs between partners, trade agreements become an extremely vital channel of fuelling growth of GVCs. However, the complexities and restrictiveness of rule of origins may end up distorting trade instead of fostering it, making the issue an important element for trade policy to consider moving forward. Ketan Reddy is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Indian Institute of Management, Raipur and a Visiting Research Fellow at Kings India Institute, Kings College, London. Subash S is an Associate Professor of Economics at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan is former Lead Adviser and Head, Trade and Commerce, NITI Aayog, Government of India The Centres for the first half (H1) of the current fiscal year (April-September of FY23) came in at Rs 6.20 trillion, or 37.3 per cent of the full-year Budget Estimate (BE) of Rs 16.6 trillion, according to the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) on Monday. This compares with a Budget balance of Rs 5.27 trillion, or 35 per cent of the full-year target for April-September of last year. The Centre is hopeful of keeping the at 6.4 per cent of nominal GDP in FY23. For H1, while capital outlay was strong compared to last year, net showed a drop as a percentage of full-year target. However, as the chart shows, capex as a percentage of BE has still not reached pre-pandemic levels, when the Centre was spending more than 50 per cent of its capex in H1. Net for H1FY23 was Rs 10.12 trillion or 52.3 per cent of FY23 BE compared with 59.6 trillion in H1FY22. Non- was 58.4 per cent versus 66 per cent, as the had paid a much higher surplus last year, while non-debt capital receipt was 43.1 per cent compared with 9.6 percent, on back of LICs IPO in the first half of FY23. Centres gross have shown healthy growth so far and are expected to surpass the full-year budgeted target despite the Customs and excise duty cuts. While the scenario is optimistic on the front, the non-tax revenue could see some shortfall primarily due to lower dividend transfer from the RBI in the current fiscal year. Overall, we expect the net revenue receipts to exceed the Budget target by Rs 2.2 trillion, said Rajani Sinha, chief economist with Care Ratings. There is a shortfall in non-tax revenue and the government may nudge the PSUs to pay more dividend this year. While non-debt capital receipts are higher with LIC disinvestment being through, it will be challenging to meet the target of Rs 65,000 crore this year, said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist with . As Business Standard had reported earlier, the Centre expects that the target of dividends from non-financial state-owned enterprises (PSUs) could be missed this year. Oil and gas companies contribute a major chunk of dividends. However, they may not be able to pay as much as previous years, or not at all, because of how crude oil prices have impacted them. Revenue in H1FY23 was Rs 14.81 trillion or 46.3 per cent of FY23 BE, compared with Rs 13.97 trillion, which was 47.7 per cent of last years BE. Capex outlay for April-September this year was Rs 3.43 trillion, which was 45.7 per cent of BE of Rs 7.5 trillion, compared with Rs 2.29 trillion, or 41.4 per cent. The positive takeaway is the capex. Here, there has been a sharp rise for Railways while road has been maintained, Sabnavis said, adding that there is likely to be a slippage on the revenue front due to higher food and fertiliser subsidy burden this year. Factoring the possibility of additional expenditure being partially offset by higher revenue realisations and no shortfall in the disinvestment proceeds we expect the to be marginally higher at 6.5 percent of the GDP in FY23, Sinha said. Production of eight infrastructure industries that comprise the recovered to grow at 7.9 per cent in September a three-month high owing to a favourable base and double-digit growth in output of fertilisers, cement, and electricity. The data released by the industry department showed output growth of coal (12 per cent), steel (6.7 per cent), electricity (11 per cent), and cement (12.1 per cent) accelerated compared to the preceding month. However, the output growth of refinery products (6.6 per cent) and fertilisers (11.8 per cent) decelerated. (-2.3 per cent) and natural gas (-1.7 per cent) production contracted for the fourth and third consecutive months, respectively. The cumulative growth of the in the first half of FY23 (April-September) was recorded at 9.6 per cent, significantly lower than the 16.9 per cent recorded in the same period last year. Trade Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his appreciation for the growth in the core industries in a Twitter post. A reason why India is being called a global bright spot is the strength of its core industries (as eight core industries registered a growth of 10 per cent in April-September 2022 over the corresponding period last year), Goyal tweeted. Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda, said the recovery in September was a result of higher capex by the Centre as both the steel and cement registered high growth while demand for the upcoming rabi-sowing season boosted fertiliser production. Leaving out the oil and natural gas industries, growth was impressive in the other six sectors. Based on growth of 7.9 per cent in September, we may expect growth in the region of 4-5 per cent in (the upcoming) Index of Industrial Production (IIP), he added. Aditi Nayar, chief economist at ICRA, shared a similar positive sentiment regarding the upcoming IIP. With the growth improving to 7.9 per cent in September and a surge in e-way bills prior to the festive season, we expect the IIP to revert to a modest 4-6 per cent rise in that month, from the unexpected contraction in August, she said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest World Economic Outlook report cut its forecast for Indias gross domestic product (GDP) growth for FY23 by 60 basis points (bps) to 6.8 per cent, warning of a long and tough economic winter. The outlook for India is for growth of 6.8 per cent in 2022, a 0.6 percentage point downgrade since the July forecast, reflecting a weaker-than-expected outturn in the second quarter (April-June) and more subdued external demand, the IMF said last month. The last month also revised its growth forecast for FY23 to 7 per cent from 7.2 per cent estimated earlier. The headwinds from extended geopolitical tension, tightening global financial conditions and possible decline in the external component of aggregate demand can pose downside risks to growth, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said last month in his last monetary policy statement. India will continue to be a lower cost economy for around two more decades, and it will be cheaper to design and manufacture products here for many years, Infosys' co-founder said on Monday. In the next three decades, India will reach where China is today by becoming a middle-income country with a per capita income of at least USD 6-7,000, Gopalakrishnan said while addressing the first convocation of Somaiya Vidyavihar University. "India will continue to be a lower cost economy for the next 10-20 years, whereas the countries above us in development are all higher income countries. It will be cheaper to ideate, to design, to develop and manufacture products in India for many years to come," he said. It can be noted that labour arbitrage, especially on the services front, has been very helpful to the country's growth. The IT sector which emerged out of it is now a USD 220 billion industry and supports millions of jobs. Gopalakrishnan further said the country will be "the best place to live, work and bring up a family over the next 30 years" and exhorted the students to make the best of the opportunity. He said in the next 30 years, India will become the second or third largest economy in the world with a GDP of USD 10-15 trillion. However, the country has to overcome problems and ensure that there is justice, equity and fairness, Gopalakrishnan said, adding that the entire world is afflicted with the same problems and India can be one of the leaders in addressing those. "We have the knowledge, access to technology, and resources. We need to work hard to create a better India and a better world," he added. The country will be home to a fifth of humanity and one of the largest market opportunities because of the 1.4 billion consumers it has, he said, adding that these factors are helping attract all the major companies of the world. He advised the graduating students to keep continuing with their education, and build a lifelong network of friends and colleagues. (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 central government has approved a Rs 500 crore project to make Ranjangaon in Pune, an manufacturing cluster, in a move that is being seen as an apparent bid to make up for Maharashtra losing back-to-back big-ticket projects to Gujarat. Announcing the project, Minister of State for and IT on Monday said the cluster will attract major investments from manufacturers, generate thousands of jobs and put the state in the league of locations that have emerged as vibrant production hubs in the country. The announcement came amid a political slugfest over mining giant Vedanta switching to Gujarat for its Rs 1.53 lakh crore chip factory and Maharashtra also losing out on the Rs 22,000-crore Tata-Airbus transport aircraft project. While former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray has criticised the Eknath Shinde-led government for letting go of these projects, the Maharashtra chief minister has stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have assured of big projects for the state. "To make Maharashtra into an electronics hub, we have approved an Electronics Manufacturing Cluster project in Ranjangaon, Pune. The total investment of the government on this EMC will be about Rs 500 crore," Chandrasekhar said at a briefing. The Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) is targeted to attract an investment of over Rs 2,000-3,000 crore, with the potential to create 5,000-6,000 jobs in the coming years. Ranjangaon will join the growing roster of locations such as Tamil Nadu, Noida and Karnataka that are making an aggressive pitch to emerge as a vibrant electronics hub. India is making an all-out effort to position itself as an electronics and tech manufacturing powerhouse and a global partner in supply chains, as the world looks at alternate production sites outside China. To a question whether the latest Ranjangaon announcement should be seen in the backdrop of opposition's barbs on projects slipping away from Maharashtra, the IT Minister asserted that massive long-term opportunities lie ahead in booming electronics manufacturing space, and said: "The pie is big enough for all states." "Today, there is a competitive situation. There is a competition within nations for attracting investments...within India, investors are examining whether they should go to Noida, Tirupati, or Maharashtra, so there is also competition at that level...that will happen. It is an advantage of our system that states are competing intensely for investments, that for the investor it is creating a positive environment," Chandrasekhar said, adding that India's techade opportunity should be viewed as a long-term opportunity. India has been wooing marquee investors and iconic brands in areas such as mobile phone manufacturing, as well as semiconductor and electronics production, and its vibrant market and enabling policies are turning out to be the sweet spot for many tech giants. To strengthen the infrastructure base and providing avenues for creating robust electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the country, IT Ministry introduced EMC 2.0 scheme on April 1, 2020. It was introduced with an objective to create robust infrastructure along with common facilities and amenities, including ready built factory sheds, plug-and-play infrastructure for attracting anchor unit as well as its supply chain to set up their manufacturing facility in the country. Overall, the scheme is targeted to attract new investment in the electronics sector and projected to generate about 10 lakh employment opportunities in coming years. Considering Maharashtra's strategic importance towards industrial activity and to unleash new opportunities for electronics sector in the state, IT Ministry accorded an approval to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), the state agency, on Monday for the development of EMC over an area of 297.11 acres at Ranjangaon Industrial area, Pune, Maharashtra. The EMC has strategic connectivity to road, railway and airport for seamless transportation of logistics to reduce lead time-to-market which will increase the production and will help to make the product economical. The state highways connecting Shirur to Satara passes through the EMC. The overall cost for development of the EMC is Rs 492.85 crore, out of which Rs 207.98 crore will be funded by the Government of India and remaining contribution of Rs 284.87 crore will be infused by MIDC. The anchor client IFB Refrigeration has already taken 40 acres of land parcel and started its construction with projected investment of Rs 450 crore, according to a background note of the ministry. Of 297.11 acres of land, 200 acres of land is reserved for industrial plot allotment of varied size along with plug-and-play facility and Ready Built Factory (RBF) sheds to electronics industry/allied manufacturers to create electronics supply chain ecosystem. All the plots will be equipped with infrastructure requirements like roads, drainage, power and water supply, truck parking, business trade and convention centre. Infrastructure work has commenced to ensure the completion within next 32 months. Chandrasekhar also announced that the Ministry of Electronics and IT plans to give a boost to Rs 1,000 crore Semicon India Future Design programme to support semiconductor design startups in the state and a roadshow will be held soon. He informed that C-DAC, Pune will be the nodal office for this purpose. "While 92 per cent of all mobile phones used by Indian customers were imported in 2014, now 97 per cent of all mobile phones used by Indian customers are domestically manufactured," 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.) Yotta has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of to invest Rs 39,000 crore. The investment will be used to construct a data centre campus in Greater Noida, and procure IT equipment and other in phases over 5-7 years. The MoU was signed at the launch of the first data centre. Yotta Infrastructure, a new-age digital transformation service provider, unveiled North India's first hyperscale data centre, Yotta D1, at its Greater Noida Data Centre Park. The data centre has been set up with an investment of around Rs 1,500 crore and made operational in a record time of 20 months. An additional investment of Rs 5,000 crore in IT equipment would be made after it gets fully operational, said the release. Yotta D1, part of the Yotta Greater Noida Data Centre Park, is strategically located near the key business hubs of Indias National Capital Region. The data centre, housed in ground plus seven floors, has a total area of 300,000 sq ft of space and offers an IT load capacity of 28.8 Mw. The centre is spread out on 20 acres. The Yotta Greater Noida Data Centre Park will offer a total capacity of 30,000 racks, four dedicated fibre paths and an IT power capacity of 160 Mw. "India is poised to create up to $1 trillion in economic value from the by 2025, and North India is already a preferred destination for Fortune 500 companies, said Darshan Hiranandani, co-founder & chairman, Yotta Infrastructure. Yotta is committed to playing a role in the mission by building world-class data centres and supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a $1-trillion by 2025, he added. Speaking on this occasion, Sunil Gupta, co-founder & CEO, Yotta Infrastructure, said: "Yotta D1 will cater to the full spectrum of digital transformation needs with an elaborate portfolio of solutions that include data centre co-location services, network and connectivity, peering, public and hybrid multi-cloud services, professionally managed IT services, IT security and smart cybersecurity, and a host of application modernisation and cloud-enabled services. He added that the data centre's competencies are further defined by its multi-layer security and seamless connectivity to leading service providers, cloud service providers, telcos, content distribution networks, and exchanges. The foundation stone of the next two data centre buildings, Yotta D2 & D3, was also laid on Monday. The has released the second list of seat allocation for undergraduate programmes and a total of 145 candidates on it have already accepted the college and programme allotted to them, an official said Monday. "We released the list around 1 am on Monday. Students can go to their dashboard to accept the seat they have been allotted," Registrar Vikas Gupta told PTI over the phone. "As many as 145 students have already accepted the seat allotted to them by 4 am," he said. Candidates have until November 1 to accept the allotted seats. As many as 59,100 candidates secured admission in DU's first round of seat allocations. Following the conclusion of the first round, the university displayed vacant seats for the second round. The candidates were given a two-day window to opt for an upgrade and reorder their preferences. Nearly 60 per cent of them opted for an upgrade to their higher 'programme+college combination' preference, a university official said earlier. More than 25 per cent of the 59,100 candidates have frozen their seats, he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras (IIT Madras) generated more than Rs 1,000 crore in funding and revenue in 2021-22, the first time it made such an amount in a financial year. It got Rs 1,081 crore in 2021-22: a 51 per cent increase from Rs 714 crore in 2020-21. This sum includes Rs 768 crore of funds from projects sanctioned by the state and central governments and Rs 313 crore in industry consultancy. The performance of the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research is very encouraging and perfectly aligned with the Strategic Plan of . This is a reflection of our increased interaction with funding agencies and industry, said V Kamakoti, director of . Major projects that drove funding in 2021-22 include through information and communication technology using direct-to-home (Rs 300.28 crore), centre of excellence for road safety (Rs 99.5 crore), speech technologies in Indian languages (Rs 50.6 crore) and collecting datasets and benchmarks for building Indian language technology (Rs 47 crore). Funding and revenue during the financial year 2019-20 was just Rs 570 crore. has been the digital hub for the country for quite some time with the NPTEL programme, and more recently, the online BSc. The recent Direct-to-Home initiative has brought in a new dimension. The high-calibre faculty from the institute have been pushing the boundaries for the applications of their research, which brings in more and more industry funding, said Manu Santhanam, dean, industrial consultancy and sponsored research, referring to the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning. In 2021-22, IIT Madras recorded the highest number of job offers received during campus placements in an academic year. A total of 1,199 job offers were received from 380 companies. In addition, 231 pre-placement offers (PPOs) were also received from students summer internships. This has led to a total of 1,430 job offers, significantly higher than the previous highest of 1,151 offers in the 2018-19 academic year. In 2021-22, the institute also retained its top spot among institutes in the country for the fourth consecutive year based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework rankings. The consistent performance in the NIRF rankings have also boosted the stature of IIT Madras as a top and research institution, and that is clearly the major force behind the excellent growth in R&D funding, Santhanam said. IIT Madras has clearly emerged a leader in the country in Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research with the large value projects mostly from the Computing and 5G sectors, which are expected to grow further. The total funding typically shows a growth rate year-on-year of around 5 to 8 percent, but the industry funding has seen a greater spurt in recent years, Santhanam said. "A key reason for the growth in industry-sponsored funding is the increased contribution in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for research. This is expected to grow significantly in the future. Also, ICSR is planning large-scale industry outreach activities in the near future that will help these numbers further, he said. Group AG hired about 20 banks to help with a $4 billion capital increase that will help fund the extensive restructuring unveiled last week and make the Saudi National Bank a new top . Investors including the Saudi lender have already committed to contribute about 1.76 billion francs ($1.76 billion), by buying shares at a 6% discount to the average price on Thursday and Friday, said in a statement Monday. Shareholders still need to approve the issuance of new stock next month. To help it raise the rest of the 4 billion francs needed, the announced an enlarged syndicate of banks that includes Wall Street names such as Group Inc., European lenders such as SA and Barclays Plc as well as firms in Asia. The announcement confirmed a Bloomberg report over the weekend. is tapping shareholders to help fund a restructuring that includes slashing the workforce by 17% and breaking up its investment banking unit. The unveiling of the strategy on Thursday triggered the biggest single-day decline on record, with the shares tumbling 19%, as investors weighed the dilutive impact of the capital increase, the high costs of the plan and the modest return predictions. The Saudi National Bank, which is expected to hold a 9.9% stake after the capital increase, agreed to buy shares for about 1.17 billion francs, according to the terms published by Credit Suisse. It had committed to invest as much as 1.5 billion francs before the stock slumped on Thursday. Chairman Ammar Al Khudairy ruled out providing additional equity for the moment. We like where we are at 9.9%, he said in an interview on Bloomberg TV. At this stage were not interested in moving from a tactical into a different category in terms of our relationship with Credit Suisse. Credit Suisses new Chief Financial Officer Dixit Joshi on Friday held a due diligence call for the capital increase -- dubbed as project Ghana -- with a group of bankers. On top of the lead banks that it had already announced last week -- Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Canada, AG and SA -- Credit Suisse invited a long list of lenders to help with the underwriting of newly issued shares. At about 20, the number of banks helping with the capital increase is high, given its relatively small size. Participating in rights issues of banks is widely seen as a lucrative mandate for investment banks as they seek to move up in league tables. For giving mandates to each other for strategic initiatives such as deals or rights issues is also a tool used to manage relationships. are intertwined and work together on a daily basis from interbank lending to cash management to bond issuance and custodial services. The risk to signing up to a capital raise is a crash in a companys share price. If the underwriter doesnt manage to sell off the shares, they will end up on its own books. Brazil's electoral authority said Sunday that Luiz Incio Lula da Silva of the leftist Worker's Party defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to become the country's next . With 98.8 per cent of the votes tallied in the runoff vote, da Silva had 50.8 per cent and Bolsonaro 49.2 per cent, and the election authority said da Silva's victory was a mathematical certainty. Da Silva the country's former from 2003-2010 has promised to restore the country's more prosperous past, yet faces faces headwinds in a polarised society. It is a stunning return to power for da Silva, 77, whose 2018 imprisonment over a corruption scandal sidelined him from that year's election, paving the way for then-candidate Bolsonaro's win and four years of far-right . His victory marks the first time since Brazil's 1985 return to democracy that the sitting has failed to win reelection. His inauguration is scheduled to take place on January 1. Thomas Traumann, an independent political analyst, compared the results to US President Joe Biden's 2020 victory, saying da Silva is inheriting an extremely divided nation. The huge challenge that Lula has will be to pacify the country, he said. People are not only polarised on political matters, but also have different values, identity and opinions. What's more, they don't care what the other side's values, identities and opinions are. Bolsonaro had been leading throughout the first half of the count and, as soon as da Silva overtook him, cars in the streets of downtown Sao Paulo began honking their horns. People in the streets of Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema neighbourhood could be heard shouting, It turned! Da Silva's headquarters in downtown Sao Paulo hotel only erupted once the final result was announced, underscoring the tension that was a hallmark of this race. Four years waiting for this, said Gabriela Souto, one of the few supporters allowed in due to heavy security. Outside Bolsonaro's home in Rio de Janeiro, ground-zero for his support base, a woman atop a truck delivered a prayer over a speaker, then sang excitedly, trying to generate some energy. But supporters decked out in the green and yellow of the flag barely responded. Many perked up when the national anthem played, singing along loudly with hands over their hearts. Most opinion polls before the election gave a lead to da Silva, universally known as Lula, though political analysts agreed the race grew increasingly tight in recent weeks. For months, it appeared that da Silva was headed for easy victory as he kindled nostalgia for his presidency, when Brazil's economy was booming and welfare helped tens of millions join the middle class. But while da Silva topped the October 2 first-round elections with 48 per cent of the vote, Bolsonaro was a strong second at 43 per cent, showing opinion polls significantly underestimated his popularity. Many Brazilians support Bolsonaro's defence of conservative social values and he shored up support in an election year with vast government spending. Bolsonaro's administration has been marked by incendiary speech, his testing of democratic institutions, his widely criticised handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in 15 years. But he has built a devoted base by defending conservative values and presenting himself as protection from leftist policies that he says infringe on personal liberties and produce economic turmoil. Da Silva is credited with building an extensive social welfare programme during his 2003-2010 tenure that helped lift tens of millions into the middle class as well as presiding over an economic boom. The man universally known as Lula left office with an approval rating above 80 per cent; then US President Barack Obama called him the most popular politician on Earth. But he is also remembered for his administration's involvement in vast corruption revealed by sprawling investigations. Da Silva's arrest in 2018 kept him out of that year's race against Bolsonaro, a fringe lawmaker at the time who was an outspoken fan of former US President Donald Trump. Da Silva was jailed for for 580 days for corruption and money laundering. His convictions were later annulled by Brazil's top court, which ruled the presiding judge had been biased and colluded with prosecutors. That enabled da Silva to run for the nation's highest office for the sixth time. For months, it appeared that he was headed for easy victory as he kindled nostalgia for his presidency, when the economy was booming and welfare helped tens of millions join the middle class. Da Silva has pledged to boost spending on the poor, reestablish relationships with foreign governments and take bold action to eliminate illegal clear-cutting in the Amazon rainforest. Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, compared the likely political climate to that experienced by former President Dilma Rousseff, da Silva's hand-picked successor after his second term. Lula's victory means is trying to overcome years of turbulence since the reelection of President Dilma Rousseff in 2014. That election never ended; the opposition asked for a recount, she governed under pressure and was impeached two years later, said Melo. (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.) (Reuters) - Twitter's new owner has denied a New York Times report about laying off employees at a date earlier than Nov. 1 to avoid stock grants due on the day. In a response to a user asking about the layoffs, Musk tweeted: "This is false." The New York Times reported on Saturday that Musk has ordered job cuts across the company, with some teams to be trimmed more than others and that layoffs would take place before Nov. 1 date, when employees were scheduled to receive stock grants as part of their compensation. Citing unidentified people familiar with the matter, the Times reported the cuts could begin as soon as Saturday. According to media reports on Saturday, Musk fired top executives in an effort to avoid hefty severance payouts, while lining up other layoffs as soon as Saturday. Musk fired Chief Executive Parag Agrawal, Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal and legal affairs and policy chief Vijaya Gadde on completion of a high-profile $44 billion buyout of the platform on Thursday, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. He had accused them of misleading him and Twitter investors over the number of fake accounts on the platform. According to research firm Equilar, the executives stood to receive separation payouts totaling some $122 million. Citing unidentified people familiar with the matter, The Information reported that terminated four top Twitter executives, including Agrawal and Segal "for cause," in an apparent effort to avoid severance pay and unvested stock awards. In a tweet on Saturday LightShed analyst Rich Greenfield said Musk fired top Twitter execs "for cause," preventing their unvested stock from vesting as part of a change of control. Twitter did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Reuters wasn't immediately able to contact the fired executives. Director of research at Equilar Courtney Yu told Reuters on Friday that the fired executives "should be getting these (severance) payments unless had cause for termination, with cause in these cases usually being that they broke the law or violated company policy." (Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat and Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard, Kenneth Maxwell and Daniel Wallis) (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.) Nearly 100 people have died in one of the most destructive storms to lash the this year with dozens more feared missing after villagers fled in the wrong direction and got buried in a boulder-laden mudslide. Almost two million were swamped by floods in several provinces, officials said on Monday. At least 53 of 98 people who died mostly in flooding and landslides were from Maguindanao province in a Muslim autonomous region, which was swamped by unusually heavy rains set off by Tropical Storm Nalgae. The storm blew out into the South China Sea on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction in a large swath of the archipelago. A large contingent of rescuers with bulldozers and backhoes resumed retrieval work in southern Kusiong village in hard-hit Maguindanao, where as many as 80 to 100 people, including entire families, are feared to have been buried by a boulder-laden mud slide or swept away by flash floods that started overnight on Thursday, said Naguib Sinarimbo, the interior minister for the Bangsamoro autonomous region run by former separatist guerrillas under a peace pact. The government's main disaster-response agency also reported 69 people were injured in the onslaught and at least 63 remain missing. More than 1.9 million people were lashed by the storm, including more than 975,000 villagers who fled to evacuation centres or homes of relatives. More than 4,100 houses and 16,260 hectares (40,180 acres) of rice and other crops were damaged by floodwaters at a time when the country was bracing for a looming food crisis because of global supply disruptions, officials said. Sinarimbo said the official tally of missing people did not include most of those feared missing in the huge mud slide that hit Kusiong because entire families may have been buried and no member was left to provide names and details to authorities. The catastrophe in Kusiong, populated mostly by the Teduray ethnic minority group, was particularly tragic because its more than 2,000 villagers have carried out disaster-preparedness drills every year for decades to brace for a tsunami because of a deadly history. But they were not as prepared for the dangers that could come from Mount Minandar, where their village lies at the foothills, Sinarimbo said. When the people heard the warning bells, they ran up and gathered in a church on a high ground, Sinarimbo told The Associated Press on Saturday, citing accounts by Kusiong villagers. The problem was, it was not a tsunami that inundated them but a big volume of water and mud that came down from the mountain, he said. In August 1976, an 8.1-magnitude earthquake and a tsunami in the Moro Gulf that struck around midnight left thousands of people dead and devastated coastal provinces in one of the deadliest natural disasters in Philippine history. Lying between the Moro Gulf and 446-metre (1,464-foot) Mount Minandar, Kusiong was among the hardest hit by the 1976 catastrophe. The village never forgot the tragedy. Elderly villagers who survived the tsunami and powerful earthquake passed on the nightmarish story to their children, warning them to be prepared. Every year, they hold drills to brace for a tsunami. Somebody was assigned to bang the alarm bells and they designated high grounds where people should run to, Sinarimbo said. Villagers were even taught the sound of an approaching big wave based on the recollection of the tsunami survivors. But there wasn't as much focus on the geo-hazards on the mountainside, he said. Bulldozers, backhoes and payloaders were brought to Kusiong on Saturday with more than 100 rescuers from the army, police and volunteers from other provinces, but they were unable to dig at a spot where survivors said the church lay underneath because the muddy mound was still dangerously soft, officials said. The stormy weather in a large swath of the country hindered transportation as millions of Filipinos planned to travel over a long weekend for visits to relatives' tombs and for family reunions on All Saints' Day in the largely Roman Catholic nation. Nearly 200 domestic and flights were cancelled, Manila's airport was briefly closed amid stormy weather and voyages in storm-whipped seas were prohibited by the coast guard, stranding thousands of passengers. Floodwaters swamped many provinces and cities, trapping some people on their roofs. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr expressed disappointment over the high casualty toll in a televised meeting Saturday with disaster-mitigation officials. We should have done better, Marcos Jr said. We were not able to anticipate that the volume of water will be that much so we were not able to warn the people and then to evacuate them out of the way of the incoming flash floods. About 20 typhoons and storms batter the Philippine archipelago each year. It is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region along most of the Pacific Ocean rim where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur, making the nation one of the world's most disaster-prone. (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.) won an endorsement from financial markets in his first days as prime minister, and even some favorable polling numbers from the British public. His first full week in power may be more challenging. The new premiers is set to face scrutiny as the delivers what could be its biggest interest-rate hike in more than 30 years, and the government looks to fill the multi-billion hole in the nations finances before a fiscal statement next month. Meanwhile, questions continue to swirl over security breaches by his Home Secretary Suella Braverman, calling into doubt Sunaks political judgment in reappointing her to the position. It all adds up to a difficult challenge for Sunak, who put economic competence and integrity at the heart of his pitch to voters. Despite the turmoil caused by his predecessor Liz Truss, polling for the Observer last weekend showed Sunak and his party have overturned Labours lead in terms of who voters trust most to manage the economy. Hes also eaten into the oppositions record advantage in surveys of voting intentions. But those bounces risk fading once Sunak is confronted with the economic reality of soaring borrowing costs and the risk of a prolonged recession. Those dangers could be laid bare by the BOE on Thursday, when it presents economic forecasts along with its latest rate decision. Economists and investors expect the UK central bank to raise its benchmark lending rate by three-quarters of a percentage point to 3% on Nov. 3 -- the highest since 2008 and the biggest single increase in 33 years. Households are already paying more for new mortgages, and businesses are complaining about the rising cost of credit. But instead of being in a position to offer long-term aid and policies to boost growth, Sunak is scrambling to cut spending and restore the countrys fiscal credibility in the wake of Trusss disastrous administration. The weekend newspapers gave a flavor of the choices Sunak and his Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt must make to find up to 50 billion of tax rises and spending cuts before Nov. 17s Autumn Statement. The Telegraph reported the government is considering freezing the foreign aid budget for another two years, backtracking on a 2020 plan to revert to pre-Covid levels of development spending, while the Sun said some Cabinet ministers are pushing for a tax on non-UK citizens who live overseas and own property in Britain. The Financial Times said Sunak is considering getting rid of an energy revenue cap plan proposed by his predecessor and instead expanding a windfall tax on producers, while the Times said he was cooling on plans for a similar levy on banks. Braverman Woes But, if the delay of the governments fiscal plan, which had been due tomorrow, means economic decisions can be slightly deferred for now, questions about the home secretary are becoming increasingly pressing. Sunak has come under fire for reappointing Braverman from both the opposition Labour Party and some Tory allies. Labour has called for the government to make public its review of the security breach and denounced the reappointment as a grubby deal that was payback for supporting Sunaks bid to replace Truss. Braverman stepped down on Oct. 19 after acknowledging sending sensitive information in an email from her personal account, and said she rapidly reported it as soon as she realized the breach. Sunak reappointed her six days after her resignation when he replaced Truss. The BBC reported that prior to acknowledging the breach, Braverman sent an email to the initial recipient of the information asking the person to delete and ignore the message. It also reported it may have been hours before she reported the security breach. Cabinet minister Michael Gove defended her reappointment on Sunday, saying the public and the media shouldnt rush to judgment. He said that making more details public could itself be a threat to national security, but that he was glad Sunak gave Braverman a second chance and that she was absolutely a politician of integrity. Braverman is also coming under pressure as tensions mount over a jump in the number of migrants crossing the English Channel from France, despite the governments pledge to crack down on arrivals. A Border Force migrant centre was attacked with fire bombs Sunday. No one was injured, though the attacker killed himself after throwing three fire bombs, Reuters reported. The home secretary said Sunday the incident was distressing and she was receiving regular updates. The attack came a day after almost 1,000 migrants are estimated to have successfully crossed the channel, the highest daily number for weeks. Nearly 40,000 have reached the UK so far this year. Asylum processing centres are overwhelmed, and David Neal, the chief inspector of borders and immigration, told MPs last week that he was left speechless after visiting the Manston centre in Kent where conditions were wretched. Gove also defended Braverman after a report that she had failed to act on the warnings about Manston, but acknowledged in an interview with Sky News that the situation at the centre is not what it should be. Braverman, is considered a hardliner on immigration and said earlier this month that was her dream to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing, a policy of Boris Johnsons erstwhile administration. dominated in oil supplies as the worlds fastest-growing major economy for fossil fuels in October, relegating the Kingdom to third place. Iraq was Indias top oil supplier, according to the data from Vortexa. Saudi Arabias decline in Indias oil market has coincided with Russias rise, and ironically occurred amid growing diplomatic ties between Riyadh and New Delhi. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud is visiting India this month to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Russian oil has become the mainstay of Indian refiners in only six months, something that took decades for West Asian suppliers, and the US, to achieve. The question now remains is for how long, as the US and Europe try to force the world to toe their line in imposing price caps on Russian oil from December. Russian crude supplies rose marginally in October, underscoring Indias push-back against US pressure to stop Russian purchases. Also, Indian refiners expanded their basket of Russian crude by adding 15 per cent East Siberia Pacific Ocean blends, 6 per cent of Arctic Oil, and 3 per cent of Novy Port to their overall Urals-dominated Russian supply mix. supplied 891,000 barrels per day in October, a 20.5 per cent share of Indias crude import market, compared with 876,000 barrels per day of crude in September, according to Vortexa, a London-based provider of commodity intelligence. shipments slumped to 706,000 barrels per day last month, compared with 807,000 barrels per day in September - a 16 per cent share. Saudi Arabias overall crude exports fell in October by 700,000 barrels per day, said Serena Huang, a Singapore-based analyst at Vortexa. That could have impacted Indian volumes, she added. Iraq was the biggest supplier of crude to India in October at 948,000 barrels per day, compared with 937,000 barrels a day in September, accounting for a 22 per cent share of Indias imports last month. India imported 910,000 barrels a day of Russian oil compared to 809,000 barrels a day in September and 732,000 barrels a day in August, kPler, the Paris-based commodity analytics firm, said. Iraq was the biggest supplier at 927,000 barrels a day last month compared to 806,000 barrels a day in September and 885,000 barrels a day in August, while was third at 621,000 barrels a day compared to 860,000 barrels a day in September and 776,000 barrels a day in August, kPler said. India paid 509 million for Russian oil purchases last month as of October 24, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. That compares with Chinas 3.2 billion, Turkiyes 931 million, and Germanys 854 million. supplied 1 million barrels per day to India in September at $112 a barrel, becoming the biggest supplier, according to India's Customs data. Saudi Arabia supplied 874,000 barrels per day at $133 per barrel. Iraq came third with 864,000 barrels per day of crude last month at an average rate of $107 a barrel. Indias crude basket averaged $91 per barrel. Total crude purchases by India averaged $121 per barrel last month. The Customs data differs from the data provided by agencies that track shipping movements. Indian refiners are also raising the imports of the Urals grade ahead of a price cap the US and Europe plan to impose on Russian oil from early December, informed an industry official. China, India, and Turkiye, the biggest buyers of Russian oil, are yet to agree on the proposal. It is unclear if the proposal will go ahead after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries+, including Russia, slashed output by 2 million barrels per day, sending crude rates into a tailspin. I think India will be able to continue to import Russian oil, and it will not be browbeaten by the Western alliance in its sovereign decisions to purchase oil from whatever source in its own national interest, said London-based oil industry consultant Tilak Doshi, who was previously with Saudi Aramco. Russia is among the worlds top three oil producers, and its oil cannot be easily replaced, added Doshi. Russias medium sour Urals, similar to some West Asian grades, such as the Arab medium, is suited to Indian refiners when available at a discount on a delivered basis, but the availability of the grade was an issue in the past since Europe and China consumed most of the Russian oil. saw its foreign population shrink by 1 per cent in 2021 from the previous year, marking a decline for a second year in a row, the Interior Ministry said on Monday. According to a report by the Ministry, the number of foreign residents had stood at 2.13 million as of November 1, 2021, compared with 2.14 million the same day a year earlier. The number includes foreign nationals residing in the country for more than 90 days, and naturalised Koreans and their children, Yonhap News Agency quoted the report as saying. It marked the second year in a row the country has reported a fall in its foreign population since relevant statistics were first compiled in 2006. Of them, the population of foreign workers without Korean nationality had decreased by 13.2 per cent on-year as of November last year, the report showed. "There is concern over a manpower shortage in rural areas, as the number of foreign workers shrank," said a Ministry official. The report showed the number of naturalised Koreans had come to 210,880 as of November last year, up 9.9. per cent from a year earlier. Gyeonggi province surrounding the capital Seoul was hosting the biggest number of foreign residents by region, with 714,497, or 33.5 per cent of the total foreign population. Seoul was hosting roughly 20 per cent, followed by Incheon, west of the capital city, with 6.3 per cent. The Ministry said the statistics have been compiled to help central and municipal government agencies formulate policies aimed at helping foreign residents better settle down in the country. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A statue of a Sikh soldier was unveiled on Sunday in the UK's Leicester city to honour who fought for Britain in conflicts around the world. The bronze figure on a granite plinth went on display in Victoria Park on Sunday, the BBC reported. The Sikh Troops War Memorial Committee said it would complement the existing war memorials already there. made up more than 20 per cent of the British Indian Army at the outbreak of World War I, the report added. The statue was created by artist Taranjit Singh and paid for with council funding and donations from Sikh congregations. "We are so proud to be unveiling this memorial to honour the sacrifice of all those brave men who travelled thousands of miles to fight for a country that wasn't their own," Ajmer Singh Basra, president of the committee, was quoted as saying by the report. He said the statue would serve as a reminder to who have made Leicester their home, the report added. Piara Singh Clair, from Leicester City Council, said: "For many decades, the Sikh community has significantly contributed towards the success of our city. "I am very pleased that the idea of a Sikh memorial statue - envisaged by the late councillor Culdipp Singh Bhatti MBE - will be unveiled in Victoria Park. "It will provide a fitting tribute alongside other memorials in the park." The unveiling took place at De Montfort Hall on Sunday and was attended by hundreds of people, including representatives from the armed forces. (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.) Rishi Sunak's decision to skip the upcoming Climate Summit in and the government preventing King Charles III from attending it has been criticised by many across the world who have accused the new of washing his hands of Britain's commitment to tackle the climate crisis. COP27 will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, in Egypt, from November 6 to November 18 -- finishing the day after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is due to set out the UK's tax and spending plans. Downing Street in a statement last week has said that Prime Minister Sunak is no longer expected to attend the COP27 climate summit in due to other pressing commitments, including preparations for the autumn statement. The UK will still be represented by other senior ministers, as well as by COP26 President Alok Sharma, at the climate summit, it said, adding that "the government is absolutely committed to supporting COP27 and leading action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Earlier in October, UK media had reported that noted environmentalist King Charles III would miss COP27 after then-Prime Minister Liz Truss advised him to drop his plans to attend. The Egyptian government, the host of the COP27 Summit, has voiced disappointment at Sunak's decision. Sunak's decision to snub the COP27 talks, and to keep King Charles from attending, has angered and upset countries around the world, risking the UK's standing on the world stage and raising concerns over his government's commitment to tackling the climate crisis, the Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday. "I can understand why the king was asked not to attend keeping him out of the fray. However, as the principal UK policymaker and the Cop26 president, the PM should have led the summit. It seems as if they are washing their hands of leadership, the report quoted Carlos Fuller, Belize's ambassador to the UN, as saying. Questioning Sunak's reason for not attending the summit, Mohamed Nasheed, speaker of the Maldives parliament and former president, said: [It's] very worrying that the UK thought there was anything more serious than climate change. You can count the pennies but might lose the pounds. Instead of attending COP27, Sunak will speak at a reception for business and environmental leaders to be hosted by the king at Buckingham Palace on Friday, two days before the climate talks begin. The COP26 talks in Glasgow last November, headed by then Boris Johnson and chaired by cabinet minister Sharma ended with a global consensus on limiting temperature rises to 1.5C for the first time, a major diplomatic achievement that was widely lauded. King Charles had attended the climate change conference as Prince of Wales. The Guardian report said Sunak's failure to attend the talks has raised concerns over the UK's stance on the climate crisis, with the government handing out new oil and gas licences and tax breaks for increasing fossil fuel production. Quoting an unnamed Commonwealth diplomat, the report said, One hopes [Sunak's stance] is not a backsliding of the positions the UK has taken in recent years on both areas. It is unusual for the head of state of an important COP not to attend the handover. The UK still holds the presidency of the UN negotiations, until the reins are handed over to the Egyptian government at the COP27 summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. This puts the British government in a key position in the long-running climate talks, and the prime minister would normally be expected to hold closed-door bilateral meetings with counterparts around the world, focusing on the climate but including other subjects, such as the Ukraine war and the global economic crisis, the report said. The annual UN climate summits are designed to help governments agree steps to limit global temperature rises. The UK hosted last year's summit, COP26 in Glasgow. The summit in is expected to focus on three main areas - reducing emissions, helping countries prepare for and deal with climate change, and securing technical support for developing countries for these activities, according to a BBC report. (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.) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has decided to alter his travel plans to focus his efforts on saving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said his spokesman. Russia on Saturday announced the suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative following an attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Xinhua news agency reported. The initial duration of the agreement is 120 days and expires on November 19. The parties had agreed that the deal could be extended automatically on the condition that no party objects. "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the ongoing situation regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He has decided to delay his departure for the Arab League (AL) summit in Algiers by a day to focus on the issue," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement on Sunday. Guterres continues to engage in intense contact to end the Russian suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The same engagement is also aimed at the renewal and full implementation of the initiative to facilitate exports of food and fertiliser from and the removal of the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertiliser, the statement added. The UN chief was initially scheduled to leave on Monday for the AL summit. --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.) More than 70 have been killed this year and a record number of media persons are incarcerated today while threats of imprisonment, violence and death against them keep growing, UN chief said on Monday and called on governments and the community to take the necessary steps to protect them. Guterres' remarks came ahead of the Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against on November 2. "A free press is vital to a functioning democracy, exposing wrongdoing, navigating the complex world and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals," the Secretary-General said. "Yet, more than 70 have been killed this year simply for fulfilling this role in society. Most of these crimes go unsolved. Meanwhile, a record number of journalists are incarcerated today, while threats of imprisonment, violence and death keep growing," he said. A surge in disinformation, online bullying and hate speech, particularly against women journalists, is contributing to the stifling of media workers around the world, he said. "Intimidation through the abuse of legal, financial and other means is undermining efforts to hold the powerful accountable. These trends threaten not only journalists, but society as a whole," he said. The United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists aims to create a safe and free environment for all media workers. "As we mark its tenth anniversary, I call on Governments and the community to take the necessary steps to protect our journalists. We must end a common culture of impunity and enable journalists to do their essential work," Guterres said. "On this International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, let us honour our media workers, and stand up for truth, justice and human rights for all," he added. In 2022, India was ranked 150th among 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, or RSF. In March 2022, airport authorities in Mumbai prevented Rana Ayyub, a prominent female Muslim journalist, from flying to London to address a journalism event. The Enforcement Directorate filed a charge sheet against her on October 12 under the anti-money laundering law, alleging that she utilised publicly raised funds of Rs 2.69 crore for herself and also contravened the foreign contribution law. Ayyub has denied the charges, saying it was yet another "desperate attempt" to target and intimidate her. Siddique Kappan, another Muslim journalist, has been in prison since October 2020. A case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate against him is still pending. He was arrested while he was on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, where a Dalit woman had died after allegedly being raped. Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, who was arrested by Delhi Police for his 'objectionable tweets', walked out of jail after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail and ordered his immediate release in six cases registered against him. (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.) Ousted prime minister on Monday announced that he will file a Rs 10 billion defamation suit against Pakistan's top election official for destroying his reputation by disqualifying him, as he asked "those in power" to stand with the nation on the fourth day of his long march to Islamabad. Khan, who has announced that his objective was to gain Haqeeqi Azadi (real freedom) through the march which in his words was possible if free and fair elections are held immediately, also took a jibe at PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and said the "fugitive is waiting for the environment of the country to be suitable for his return." Khan, 70, was earlier this month disqualified from membership of the current National Assembly by a five-member panel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) headed by its chief Sikandar Sultan Raja. "Sikandar Sultan, I will take you to court so that in the future, you do not destroy anyone's reputation on someone else's instructions, Khan told the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party workers at the start of the fourth day of his march at Kamonki. He alleged that the ECP's decisions against him in Toshakhana and prohibited funding cases were given on the instructions of the incumbent "imported government". "You (Sikandar) are friends of thieves and action will be taken," he said. According to Pakistan's law, any gift received from dignitaries of a foreign state must be put in the state depository or the Toshakhana. Khan had earlier announced that he would file a defamation case against Sultan. The former premier made the announcement while speaking to a private news channel. "I will file a defamation lawsuit against CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja in Toshakhana reference and foreign funding case, Khan said in an interview and reiterated his demand for free and fair elections in the country under the new ECP chief. The PTI chief also said he would back out himself if any allegations against him in the cases were to be proven true. "Whenever courts against me prove that I have done an illegal thing, I will not wait for the court's decision to be issued and will back out on my own," Khan said. He also targeted the powerful establishment, saying that a country's establishment never stands against the nation". "To those who let this group of robbers (an obvious reference to the country's rulers) impose on us, I am giving a message with due respect: For God's sake, listen to the nation's voice, Khan urged in his message to "those with power". Talking about his criticism of the Pakistan Army, Khan said he criticised them as a Pakistani who lives in and would die in Pakistan". Khan, who also won a national assembly seat in a by-election held on Sunday in Kurram district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, said: "See where the nation is standing". He said the country would be strengthened when its institutions were strengthened. "We are coming to Islamabad and it will take us 8-9 days to reach Islamabad, he told his supporters at Mor Eminabad. "Our convoys will leave from all over Pakistan for Islamabad. People are joining us from Sindh, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan," Khan said. Initially, the plan was to reach Islamabad on November 4 but the new plan shows that it may be delayed by a few days. Khan kept up his trademark vitriolic attack against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and alleged that his opponent "polished the boots of those who were powerful and oppressed those who were weak". "This boot polisher, Shehbaz Sharif, his corruption of Rs16 billion was caught by the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency). Another case of Rs 8bn was registered by the NAB (National Accountability Bureau). But the powerful sectors helped a criminal (charged with the corruption of Rs24bn) and prevented him from being punished, Khan alleged. Shehbaz's cases were slowed down, judges were pressured and the person who should've been in jail has been made prime minister, he added. He also alleged that "decisions were taken behind closed doors" to "impose thieves over Pakistan". "I have won eight elections. The nation has rejected the mafia and thieves, Khan said. He said that former premier Nawaz Sharif was waiting for a "favourable environment" and "understanding with the powerful sectors" to return to Pakistan. "But I must tell the facilitator and handlers of Nawaz. This is the Pakistani nation. We are not sheep," Khan said. "If you forcefully try to support thieves, the nation will turn against you." Earlier, Khan took to social media to say that he had witnessed a revolution taking over the country. "The sea of people along our March on the GT Road. For 6 months, I have been witnessing a revolution taking over the country. The only question is will it be a soft one through the ballot box or a destructive one through bloodshed? he tweeted. The protest march halted its travel with the announcement to resume its journey towards Islamabad on Tuesday morning from Gujranwala. Khan said that he would spend the entire day (Tuesday) in the city, considered as a stronghold of the Sharif family. He said that people of Pakistan have a chance to "break the chains of slavery". "But remember, the chains won't fall off themselves but have to be broken," he added. "We will reach Sukkur tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon where caravans from Hyderabad, Hala, Skarund, Moro, Qazi Ahmad, Nawabshah and other areas of Sindh will join us, Ali Zaidi, PTI leader from Sindh, earlier said. Meanwhile, the government has issued a notification to extend Islamabad's high security Red Zone. According to the ministry of interior, the protestors would not be allowed to enter the Red Zone. Khan has been demanding early elections and he is leading the long march towards Islamabad to force his demands. The term of the National Assembly will end in August 2023 and fresh elections should be held within 60 days. Khan, who was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, has talked about a 'threat letter' from the US and claimed that it was part of a foreign conspiracy to remove him as he was not acceptable for following an independent foreign policy. The US has bluntly rejected the allegations. (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.) Bharti Airtel, and are slated to announce their September quarter (Q2FY23) earnings on October 31, and November 3, respectively. While Airtel is projected to report low single digit growth in topline on a quarterly basis, Vodafone's earnings are expected to remain flat. So far this year, shares of have rallied 19.4 per cent, while those of have plunged 44.4 per cent. In comparison, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex has risen 3 per cent. Here's how analysts expect of the companies to play out: Bharti Airtel The provider is expected to add around 2 million overall subscribers this quarter, taking the tally to 329 million. ARPU (average revenue per user), meanwhile, is expected to rise up to 2.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to Rs 188. Revenue is seen rising in the range of 2 per cent to 4.5 per cent sequentially, between Rs 33,421.7 crore and Rs 34,285.3 crore. This would be up to 21 per cent YoY growth. Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation), too, is seen growing up to 4.5 per cent QoQ/25 per cent YoY to Rs 17,275 crore. That said, net profit estimates vary widely across brokerages with the lowest projection of Rs 2,134.8 crore (up 33 per cent QoQ), and the highest of Rs 3,119.3 crore (94 per cent QoQ). Net profit was Rs 1,134 crore in Q1FY23, and Rs 1,606.9 crore in Q2FY22. "Subscriber addition trend is likely to remain similar to last quarter's, with addition of 2 million. Data subscriber addition is likely to come in at 4.5 million. APRU is expected to grow by 1 per cent QoQ. Consequently, the India mobility segment is likely to grow at 1 per cent QoQ. On the non-mobility front, the Homes and Enterprise segments are likely to report steady growth of 5 per cent, and 3 per cent, respectively, while DTH would decline by another 0.4 per cent QoQ," said analysts at Emkay Global. Vodafone Idea Brokerages remain divided on the company's financial performance for the quarter as they expect flat-to-slight contraction in earnings. While Emkay Global expects revenue of to shrink 0.4 per cent QoQ, but grow 10 per cent YoY to Rs 10,372.8 crore. JM Financial expects a 1.5 per cent QoQ/12.4 per cent YoY rise in revenue to Rs 10,571.4 crore. Revenue was Rs 9,406.4 crore last year, and Rs 10,410 crore in Q1FY23. Projections for Ebitda, too, are spread widely from Rs 4,271.5 crore (down 1.3 per cent QoQ/up 10.6 per cent YoY) to Rs 4,770 crore (up 10.2 per cent QoQ/23.5 per cent YoY). Overall, net loss is seen anywhere between Rs 6,005 crore and Rs 7,460.6 crore. The loss was Rs 7,132.3 crore in Q2FY22, and Rs 7,297.1 crore in Q1FY23. Sounding an optimisitc note, JM Financial said Vi could see loss of 2.6 million overall subscribers in Q2FY23 (vs 3.4 million subscriber loss in Q1FY23). However, it is assumed that 1.5 million additions will be there for mobile broadband (MBB) subscribers. Hence, revenues are expected to increase by 1.5 per cent QoQ with ARPU rising to Rs 132 (from Rs 128 in Q1FY23). On the flipside, Emkay Global said that Vodafone Idea's ARPU growth could be 1 per cenr QoQ, with subscriber decline of another 4 million this quarter. Within this, data subscribers are expected to grow by 1.4 million sequentially. "Overall revenue growth is likely to decline by 0.4 per cent QoQ. Margins are also likely to decline by 40bps QoQ. VIL requires a fund-raise at the earliest to invest in its network and restrict further subscriber decline. A fund-raise is also essential for ensuring that it does not fall behind in the 5G race, with peers already in the lead," it said. Shares of edged 2 per cent up to hit a nine-month high of Rs 2,020.55 on the BSE in Mondays intra-day trade after the engineering & construction company said it won significant orders for its power transmission & distribution business. The company did not disclose the exact value of the orders. The significant value of the project is between Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 2,500 crore, as per . The stock was trading at its highest level since January 20, 2022. It is trading close to its record high level of Rs 2,078, which it had hit on January 18, 2022. Meanwhile, the board of directors of is scheduled to meet today to consider and approve the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 (Q2FY23). said in an exchange filing said that the power transmission & distribution business of the company has secured multiple EPC orders in the current quarter to build transmission lines and substations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The business will undertake engineering, design, procurement and construction of more than 400KM of 380kV overhead transmission lines and a new 230kV gas insulated substation with associated automation and protection systems, the company said. Including todays orders, L&T has won a total of six significant orders so far this month. On October 14, the company had said it secured repeat orders from the Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply & Kalpsar Department, Government of Gujarat, to execute pumping system and pipeline works from Tappar Dam to Nirona Dam (Northern Link). This is the single largest order secured by the business in Gujarat. In the global market, L&T Heavy Engineering secured a key order for the supply of Reactors for renewable diesel production from a prestigious client in Singapore. The company has also secured repeat orders from the Water Resources Department, Government of Odisha to execute Cluster XIX & Cluster XX Mega Lift Irrigation Projects. During the April-June quarter (Q2FY23), EPC order inflows announced by L&T were in the range of around Rs 7500-17500 crore (as on date, ex-services segment) across railway, hydrocarbon, power T&D, water treatment, heavy engineering, buildings & factories segments indicating decent order inflows for the quarter amid challenging environment. ICICI Securities expects a decent pick-up in execution on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. According to the brokerage, working capital and cash flow management will be key monitorables. For Q2FY23, the brokerage firm expects L&Ts adjusted standalone (including hydrocarbon) revenue to grow 10.2 per cent to Rs 23,206 crore. EBITDA is expected to grow 11.5 per cent to Rs 1,926 crore with margins expected to be at 8.3 per cent owing to better execution and adjusted PAT (ex-E&A) expected to grow 5.9 per cent to Rs 1,859 crore partly aided by lower interest expense and lower tax. The Sensex and Nifty indices are likely to firmly higher on Monday amid upbeat global cues. At 07:30 am, the SGX Nifty quoted at 17,998, indicating an opening gain of over 100 points on the Nifty index. That said, here are some out in trade today: Q2 earnings watch: Bharti Airtel, Castrol, Tata Steel, DataPatterns will be in focus ahead of quarterly earnings today. RIL: Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Ltd (RSBVL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has acquired an additional stake in skyTran Inc for Rs 123.4 crore. With this, the total stake now stands at 62.83 per cent. IOC: State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Saturday reported a net loss of Rs 272.35 crore for July-September - the second straight quarter of loss arising from selling petrol, diesel and cooking gas LPG at rates below cost. Read more The company on Friday posted a 37 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 466 crore in the September quarter compared to the year-ago period, on the back of higher revenues. Read here Tata Power: The firm posted a 94.3 per cent rise in its September quarter profit, with energy consumption remaining robust as economic activity gathered pace. Read more Vedanta: Metals and mining major on Friday reported a 60.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,808 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 (Q2), on the back of higher expenses. The company has also approved the growth expansion project for its subsidiary - Bharat Aluminium Company. Read here Dr Reddy's Laboratories: The drug maker's consolidated profit after tax (PAT) for the quarter ended September 30, 2022 was up by 12 per cent at Rs 1,112.80 crore as against Rs 992 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Read more NTPC: State-run power giant on Saturday reported an over 7 per cent dip in its consolidated net profit at Rs 3,417.67 crore for the September quarter, mainly due to higher expenses. Read here Sugar stocks: The government has extended restrictions for sugar exports by one year to October 2023. Maruti Suzuki India: The car maker has announced to recall 9,925 units of Wagon R, Celerio and Ignis manufactured between August 3 and September 1. Hero MotoCorp: The company has registered a sales growth of 20 per cent over the corresponding festive period of FY22. Nykaa:The company has revised the record date of its 5:1 bonus issue to Novemeber 11 from November 3 previously. Inox Wind: The company has raised Rs 75 crore through 750 non-convertible debentures with a face value of Rs 10 lakh each. The date of maturity for the said NCDs will be October 28, 2024. Himadri Speciality Chemical: The company has reported a 7 per cent sequential decline in consolidated profit at Rs 35.88 crore for the quarter ended September FY23. Revenue grew 1.2 per cent sequentially to Rs 1,059 crore for the quarter. Zydus Lifesciences: The company has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market Acetaminophen injection in the US. Acetaminophen injection is indicated to relieve mild to moderate pain and to reduce fever. Laurus Labs: The USFDA completed a PreApproval Inspection (PAI) at manufacturing facility at Unit-5, Parawada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The inspection was conducted from 24th October 2022 to 28th October 2022 & issued a Form 483 with one observation. The observation is procedural in nature. HFCL: The company has received purchase orders of around Rs.115 crore from Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited for supply of Optical Fiber Cables to one of the leading Private Telecom Operators of the Country. Steel Authority of India: The company signed an agreement with Airport Authority of India to facilitate commercial operations at Rourkela airport under RCS UDAN scheme. JSW Energy rallied 5.25% to Rs 334.55 after the company's consolidated net profit surged 37.3% to Rs 465.67 crore on 14.4% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 2,387.48 crore in Q2 FY23 over Q2 FY22. Consolidated profit before tax declined marginally to Rs 604.68 crore in Q2 FY23 as against Rs 606.56 crore posted in the same period last year. During the quarter, total revenue increased by 16% year on year (YoY) to Rs 2,596 crore from Rs 2,237 crore reported in Q2 FY22. The rise in total revenue was mainly driven by increase in fuel costs (which are pass through in nature). EBITDA for the quarter was higher by 2% YoY at Rs 1,098 crore as against Rs 1,080 crore reported in the corresponding period previous year. The increase is primarily attributable to the contribution from the 225 MW solar capacity addition at Vijayanagar and 45 MW uprating at Karcham Wangtoo, partially offset by lower short term sales YoY, the company said. Finance cost during the quarter rose 7% YoY to Rs 204 crore because of additional borrowings due to ongoing growth capex. Weighted average cost of debt increased by 7 bps quarter on quarter to 7.94%. The consolidated net worth and consolidated net debt as on 30 September 2022 were Rs 17,593 crore and Rs 7,874 crore respectively, resulting in a net debt to equity ratio of 0.45x and net debt/TTM EBITDA of 1.77x. Receivables days' declined to 66 days on 30 September 2022 from 81 days as on 30 September 2021. Liquidity continues to be strong with cash balances at Rs 3,327 crore as of 30 September 2022. The company said that it has one of the strongest balance sheets among its peers with a large headroom to pursue value accretive growth opportunities. Long Term sales during the quarter stood at 6,481 million units, lower by 1% YoY as lower thermal generation was partly offset by higher generation at solar operations at Vijayanagar. Short term sales during the quarter came at 194 million units versus 236 million units in Q2 FY22 due to weak merchant market demand. JSW Energy said it is pursuing a growth strategy to expand its installed capacity to 10 gigawatt (GW) by FY25 and 20 GW by FY30. With a locked-in capacity of 9.9 GW the company is expected to achieve its FY25 target well ahead of the articulated timelines. In its outlook, JSW Energy stated, "Over the medium term, the power sector outlook is healthy, as rapid urbanization and stabilization of various Govt. schemes are expected to boost overall power demand. The Government has further announced Performance Linked Incentive (tranche II) for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules manufacturing with an additional outlay of approximately 19,500 crores. Meanwhile, the company's board approved raising of long term funds upto Rs 2,500 crores through, issuance of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) by way of private placement and has authorised the finance committee to decide on all matters relating to the issuance of the debentures from time to time, including finalization and approval of the detailed terms of issue. JSW Energy is one of the leading private sector power producers in India and part of the $22 billion JSW Group. JSW Energy has presence across the value chains of the power sector with diversified assets in power generation, and transmission. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Laurus Labs announced that the US FDA has issued Form 483 with one observation after the pre-approval inspection of its Visakhapatnam facility. The announcement was made on Friday, post market hours. The drug maker said that its manufacturing facility at Parawada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh was inspected by United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) from 24 October 2022 to 28 October 2022. At the end of the inspection, the pharmaceutical company was issued a Form 483 with one observation by the US drug regulator. The observation is procedural in nature, the pharma company stated. The pharma major added that it will address the observation within stipulated timelines. Laurus Labs is a fully integrated pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, with a leadership position in generic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and a major focus on anti-retroviral, Hepatitis C, and oncology drugs. The pharmaceutical company posted a 15% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 233 crore on a 31% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 1,230 crore in Q2 FY23 over Q2 FY21. Shares of Laurus Labs rose 0.82% to Rs 448.30 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspected the drug maker's Nagpur Unit-2 injectable manufacturing facility from 17th to 29th October 2022. The inspection was a Pre-Approval Inspection of the injectable facility. The inspection closed with issuance of a Form-483 with five observations. "We are committed to addressing the observations at the earliest, and gaining approval for injectable manufacturing for the U.S," Lupin said in a statement. Mumbai-based Lupin develops and commercializes a wide range of branded and generic formulations, biotechnology products, and APIs in over 100 markets in the U.S., India, South Africa, and across the Asia Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), Europe, and Middle East regions. The drug maker reported a net loss of Rs 89.1 crore in Q1 FY23 as against a net profit of Rs 542.5 crore in Q1 FY22. Total revenue from operations declined 12.3% YoY to Rs 3,743.8 crore during the quarter. Shares of Lupin fell 0.95% to Rs 696.40 on Friday, 28 October 2022. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Receives five observations under Form 483 Lupin announced that the US FDA inspected company's Nagpur Unit-2 injectable manufacturing facility from 17 October 2022 to 29 October 2022. The inspection was a Pre-Approval Inspection of the injectable facility. The inspection closed with issuance of a Form-483 with five observations. The company said that it is committed to addressing the observations at the earliest, and gaining approval for injectable manufacturing for the U.S. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minda Corporation gained 2.72% to Rs 194.70 after the auto components maker said that it has collaborated with a Korea-based company, Daesung Eltec to bring the next generation advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) solutions to India. Daesung Eltec is one of the key players in the automotive electronics industry and specialises in In-Vehicle Infotainment, ADAS, Audio, AMP, Monitor among others. It also has its inhouse R&D centre and manufacturing facilities in Korea and China. Both the companies signed a technology licence and assistance agreement (TLA) on 28 October 2022, the company stated. Through the collaboration, the partners will offer advance driver assistance system (ADAS), around view monitoring system (AVM) including driver monitoring system (DMS), lane departure warning System (LDWS), front collision warning system (FCWS) for passenger vehicles & commercial vehicles and NeoDAS for off-road vehicles. Announcing the collaboration, Aakash Minda, executive director of Minda Corporation said, ADAS is a critical, futuristic technology with early signs of its adoption already visible in the Indian market. Current estimates from leading car manufacturers project that ADAS features relating to autonomous driving will become near ubiquitous in the next few years. With this TLA, Minda Corporation will be one of the early movers providing localised solutions in the domain. The association will help us strengthen our existing relationship with the leading OEMs by becoming a complete solution provider as well as expanding into new customer base. he added. Commenting on the TLA, Won Ghee Yang, CEO of Daesung Eltec said, The Indian automobile industry is steadily progressing towards an era where autonomous vehicles will become commonplace, making advanced driver assistance systems both relevant and necessary. We strongly believe that this association is a great step towards bringing together the strengths of both the companies. Spark Minda's strong Indian presence and Daesung technology will together transform the Indian Automobile industry to make the overall driving experience better and safer. As part of the association, Daesung Eltec will support Spark Minda with product design, development and validation and will also play a key role in process design, validation and manufacturing line set up for ADAS systems, the company said in the press release. Minda Corporation is an automotive component manufacturing company with a pan-India presence and international footprint. Minda Corporation is the flagship company of Spark Minda, which was part of the erstwhile Minda Group. The auto components maker reported a consolidated net proifit of Rs 52.49 crore in Q1 FY23 from Rs 7.11 crore posted in Q1 FY22. Net sales climbed 80.8% year on year to Rs 1,010.24 crore in Q1 FY23. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that Nagpur to Pune journey will be possible in eight hours. In a series of tweets he said considering the inconvenience to commuters currently traveling from Nagpur to Pune, the Nagpur-Mumbai Samridhi Mahamarg will be connected to the newly proposed Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) Access Control Green Expressway near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). He said this road will be constructed with a completely new alignment by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Gadkari said this will make it possible to travel from Pune to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) in two and half hours and from Nagpur to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) in five and half hours through Samruddhi Mahamarg. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NTPC: NTPC reported consolidated net profit of Rs 3417.67 crore in Q2FY23 from net profit of Rs 3690.95 crore reported in Q2FY22. Total income rose to Rs 44681.50 crore during Q2FY23 against Rs 33095.67 crore recorded in Q2FY22. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC): The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 910.21 crore in Q2FY23 from net profit of Rs 6,235.39 crore reported in Q2FY22. Total income rose to Rs 2,33,800.98 crore during Q2FY23 against Rs 1,72,646.31 crore recorded in Q2FY22. Vedanta: On consolidated basis, Vedanta's net profit declined 53.71% to Rs 2,690 crore despite of 20.6% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 36,237 crore in Q2 FY23 over Q2 FY22. The mining company said that the increase in revenue was supported by higher sales volume, strategic hedging gains and foreign exchange gains; partially offset by lower commodity prices. Tata Power Company: Tata Power Company's consolidated net profit surged 84.94% to Rs 935.18 crore in Q2 FY23 as against Rs 505.66 crore reported in Q2 FY22. Revenue from operations jumped 43.02% to Rs 14,030.72 crore in Q2 FY23 from Rs 9,810.22 crore recorded in the corresponding quarter previous year. The rise in the net profit was mainly driven by improved performance across all businesses. Maruti Suzuki India: Considering the safety of customers and out of abundant precaution, the company has decided to recall the suspected vehicles for inspection and replacement of the faulty part, free of cost. The company has announced to recall 9,925 units of Wagon R, Celerio and Ignis manufactured between 3rd August 2022 and 1st September 2022. Lupin: The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) inspected the drug maker's Nagpur Unit-2 injectable manufacturing facility from 17th to 29th October 2022. The inspection was a Pre-Approval Inspection of the injectable facility. The inspection closed with issuance of a Form-483 with five observations. Zydus Lifesciences: Zydus Lifesciences has received final approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market Acetaminophen Injection, 1,000 mg/100 mL (10 mg/mL) single-dose vials. Acetaminophen injection is indicated to relieve mild to moderate pain and to reduce fever. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Supreme Industries reported 54% drop in net profit to Rs 104.09 crore despite an 8% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 2,086.58 crore in Q2 FY23 over Q2 FY22. Raw material costs rose by 21% to Rs 1,602.14 crore in the second quarter as compared with Rs 1,320.72 crore in the same period last year. EBITDA declined by 53% to Rs 147.25 crore in Q2 FY23 from Rs 310.95 crore in Q2 FY22. EBITDA margin was 7% in Q2 FY23 as against 16% in Q2 FY22. Profit before tax in Q2 FY23 stood at Rs 127.23 crore, down by 57% from Rs 293.4 crore in Q2 FY22. The board of directors has declared interim dividend of Rs 6 per share for the financial year 2022-23. The record date for the same is 9 November 2022. The company has total cash surplus of Rs 493 crore as on 30 September 2022 as against cash surplus of Rs 518 crore as on 31 March 2022. M. P. Taparia, managing director, Supreme Industries, said: Plastics Pipe System business profit was severely affected due to continued fall in PVC resin prices in second quarter, which started with effect from April itself. The Company is supplying piping system from different Polymeric materials also, other than PVC, which overall resulted in positive outcome in this segment, in spite of severe fall in PVC prices. The company is fully geared to cater to increased demand of it's product with increased available capacity by Greenfield projects at three locations starting from July and shall be operational fully by December this year and also brown field expansion of capacities at other locations. The company expects to achieve 25% plus volume growth in this segment for the year compared to last year business. The company's capex plan for the year 2022-23 of about Rs 700 crore, including carry forward commitment of Rs 280 crore is progressing with a little delay from the envisaged schedule. Entire capex shall be funded from internal accruals. The prices of different Polymers particularly for polypropylene (PP), low denier polyethylene (LDPE) and poly vinyl chloride (PVC) have gone down between Rs 31 per kg to Rs 55 per kg since beginning of the year till now i.e. a reduction between 21% to 38%. Your company is large consumer of PVC Resin which has witnessed the highest fall since April 2022. This sharp reduction has resulted in inventory losses but would make products more affordable. Company expects business conditions to improve during second half of the year and remains optimistic in various business segments where it operates. Supreme Industries is India's leading processor of plastic. The company has a diverse product portfolio, comprising piping systems, cross laminated films and products, protective packaging products, industrial moulded components, moulded furniture, storage and material handling products, performance packaging films and composite, and liquefied petroleum gas cylinders. It has 25 facilities across India. The scrip jumped 6.17% to currently trade at Rs 2161.15 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putins praise for Indias independent foreign policy at the Valdai Club conference in Moscow late last week can be viewed as a pragmatic recognition of the realpolitik embedded in New Delhis geopolitical calculations. Ever since Russias special military operation in Ukraine that started on February 24, India has been forced to weigh the benefits of its strengthening alliance with the United States against the needs embedded in its ties with Russia that date back to the Soviet era. This has demanded an intricate balancing act by New Delhi, principally because Indias defence forces largely rely on Russia for hardware and spares, even as it is building closer defence and economic ties with the US through the Quad and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) to counter growing Chinese power in the region. The has announced that its activists will gherao Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence on Monday to protest against his "silence" over the high-profile Archana Nag blackmailing case and demanded a probe into the matter. The also hit out at the chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio, and sought a statement from him on the alleged involvement of ruling (BJD) leaders in the case. Nag, a 26-year-old woman, was arrested by police on October 6 on the charge of blackmailing people including politicians allegedly by trapping them in a sex racket. Her husband was also arrested later. "The chief minister is silent even as several BJD leaders are involved in the scandal linked to Archana Nag. The wants the CM to give a statement on the issue," state general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar told reporters here. She alleged that despite being aware of everything about the case, Patnaik who is also the BJD president, remained silent creating confusion among the people. Therefore, after several agitations, the saffron party has decided to gherao 'Naveen Niwas', the CM's residence, on Monday to mount pressure on him to take action in the episode and order a probe, Samantsinghar said. In a separate press conference, OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak said, "Patnaik's silence has deepened the mystery in the case in which many senior leaders are involved." He demanded a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the whole episode. Pattnayak claimed that the image of Odisha has been tarnished outside the state for which the BJD government and the ruling party are responsible. Rejecting the allegations, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty claimed that the national parties do not have any issue to highlight before the November 3 Dhamnagar by-election. "Truth will come out in Archana Nag case at the right time," he said. An internal estimation done by the police said that Nag and her husband Jagabandhu Chand have acquired properties worth Rs 30 crore in a span of only four years from 2018 to 2022. The couple allegedly owns a palatial house with imported interior decorations, luxury cars, four high-breed dogs and a white horse. Photographs of Archana and Jagabandhu along with many politicians of different parties have gone viral on social media. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Monday demanded a judicial inquiry into the Morbi suspension bridge collapse in Gujarat, alleging that prima facie it seems to be a case of "criminal negligence" and "gross misgovernance". The Opposition party also sought financial and medical assistance from the government to all those affected. At least 134 people have died in the bridge collapse. The more than a century-old bridge on the Machchhu river, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed on Sunday evening. president paid homage to those killed in the tragedy, and said that may God give the strength to the families who have lost their loved ones to bear the loss. Speaking with reporters here, he said the reasons for the collapse of the bridge that reopened five days ago, ought to be known. "Why were so many people allowed. There should be an inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge," Kharge said. The bereaved families and those affected should be provided all assistance and given compensation by the government, he said. Those injured should be provided all assistance in medical treatment by the government, the president said. "Our (Congress) leaders have reached there. Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan chief minister) is also reaching. We will try to help out as much as possible. We don't want to indulge in any over it or blame anyone at this point of time. Blame can be established only when the report of the probe is out," he said. In a statement, the party said Kharge was deeply saddened to learn that most of the dead were children, women and elderly people. After learning about the tragedy, he immediately took stock of the situation last night, spoke to senior leaders of the Pradesh Congress and urged them to ensure that party members and frontal organisations help in the rescue and relief work in every possible way, it said. Kharge expects the government of to provide immediate medical treatment to the injured and to search for all those still missing, besides providing appropriate financial assistance to the families of the bereaved and the injured, the party said. Kharge has also demanded a judicial inquiry to investigate the cause of this accident, "which prima facie seems to be a case of criminal negligence and gross misgovernance", it said. He also asserted that this is not the time for politicking, but said the responsibility of this tragic accident must be fixed and the guilty must be brought to book, only then can such incidents be prevented in the future. Kharge has assured the people of that the Congress party stands in solidarity with them, the statement said. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi also expressed grief over the incident. She offered her condolences to the families of the deceased in the tragic incident in Morbi, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi. In her condolence message, she said that the entire nation stands with the families of the victims in their hour of grief, according to Ramesh. She prayed for the departed souls and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Monday mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' without naming it, and said that the party has ignored on his birth anniversary. Citing Congress' advertisements in local newspapers in Gujarat on Monday, Modi said after laying the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 8,000 crore here, "Though today is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary, none of Congress' ads carries his photo or his name. was such a tall Congress leader and a minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet. You can't unite over Sardar Patel, and now you are out to connect India. Why is the Congress insulting Gujarat will never tolerate this insult." The Prime Minister added, "Life in Gujarat is full of struggle. Every decade we have faced droughts, the devastating earthquake had also tested us, but we, the courageous Gujaratis, could never be defeated by tough times. We have always confronted adverse situations with whatever resources we had at our disposal. Banaskantha district is an example of this." Recollecting his old days in north Gujarat, Modi said, "Don't you remember there were very few surface water sources here? North Gujarat was dependent on underground fluoride water, which had side-effects on our health. But since you gave me an opportunity to serve you, we worked on water harvesting by constructing check dams on rivers and deepening the traditional lakes, which helped the region meet its water needs." --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.) Chief Justice of India (CJI) U U Lalit on Monday said late jurist Soli Sorabjee was a true legal and constitutional philosopher as well as a social engineer. Speaking at the release of a book titled "Soli Sorabjee - A Great Maestro", the said he worked as a junior lawyer in Sorabji's chambers for about five-and-a-half years and every case that the renowned jurist argued set an example for his juniors. "All his cases bring goosebumps to me. These cases were milestones in my career. I have spent five-and-a-half years with this legendary man, who was a true legal and constitutional philosopher, a social engineer. Whenever an opportunity came by, he never lost it and utilised the most of it," the said. Justice D Y Chandrachud also spoke on the occasion and said Sorabjee brought a joyous zest of human experience to the solemnity of law. "It is said that the fields of mimicry, jazz music suffered a great loss when Sorabjee decided to join law," Justice Chandrachud said. Sorabji's voice was an important one in the constitutionalisation of Indian administrative law, he added. "It is a widely reported perception that judgments are a product of the craftsmanship of the judges who author them and they are the sole torch-bearers of creating a just constitutional order. "The role of lawyers in creating a just socio-political order is often focused on their contribution outside courts through their social and political movements. Due regard and appreciation is not given to lawyers, who build the jurisprudence through their submissions in the courts," Justice Chandrachud said. During his long and illustrious career, Sorabjee donned many roles and robes, Justice Chandrachud said, adding that he was an excellent jurist and a defender of human rights. "But the story would remain incomplete without a preview into Sorabjee's role as an extraordinary mentor who trained many of us at the bar and bench. We not only honed our legal craft at his chambers, but also learnt by example that our fidelity to the Constitution must not be compromised," he said. "Soli Sorabjee - A Great Maestro" has been written by lawyer V Sudhish Pai. Former chief justice of India M N Venkatachaliah, Attorney General R Venkataramani, former attorney general K K Venugopal and senior advocate Fali S Nariman also spoke on the occasion. Sorabjee had served as the attorney general from 1989 to 1990 and then, from 1998 to 2004. He died on April 30, 2021 at the age of 91. (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.) Launched in 1999, the original 8210 was a star of its time. This feature phone, with compact and lightweight design, made large and bulky phones look outdated. 23 years later, the Nokias official brand licensee has launched the phones rebooted version. Named the 8210 4G, this feature phone comes with just enough updates and features to make it usable today. The 8210 4G is a small screen device with a physical keypad for navigation. However, for a feature phone, its 2.8-inch screen estate of 240 x 320 resolution looks generous. Unlike the original model, the rebooted model has a colour screen. Powered by the Unisoc T107 processor, the phone works well for the limited tasks it can handle. It has a 48MB RAM and 128 MB internal storage, out of which only 30MB is available. It supports a microSD card for storage expansion-up to 32GB. The Nokia 8210 4G comes pre-installed with about 15 apps, including social media app Facebook, Opera internet browser, Snake game, and more. Though internet enabled, the phone does not have a dedicated store for apps download. Moreover, the internet experience even on 4G is abysmal. The phone should not be judged on its internet connectivity though. The 4G network makes it one of the few option in segment to support Reliance Jio, besides network from other Indian telecom operators. The Nokia 8210 4G has a 0.3-megapixel camera on the back, without flash. Though basic, the camera supports digital zoom, camera effects, photo timer, and more. Photos taken by the phones camera can be cropped, edited, and set as the phone's wallpaper. They can also be shared via messages and Bluetooth. The Nokia 8210 4G is powered by a removable 1,450 mAh battery, supported by a microUSB 2.0-based port for charging. The phone easily lasts for about three days on regular usage. It boasts power saving mode, which turns on automatically when the battery level reaches 15 per cent. In the power saving mode, the battery lasts for another day of use. The Nokia 8210 4G may seem old school to some, but it is a coming of age feature phone. It boasts 3.5mm audio jack, built-in MP3 player, and an FM radio. Besides, there is a slot for dual nano-SIMs with 4G support. The Nokia 8210 4G is a good feature phone, but not without caveats. It does not show the total number of contacts in the phone or SIM. Besides, there is no option to select contacts. The messages inbox is a mess; it shows multiple windows for conversations with the same number. Verdict At Rs 3,999, the Nokia 8210 4G is a feature phone with old and new features. It may seem a bit pricey, yet reigns supreme due to lack of options in the segment. That said, the Nokia 8210 4G makes a good choice if you are in the market looking to buy a 4G feature phone that is not a JioPhone. As evaluates its response to two recent penalties slapped by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), here is a look at the app economy. are bread and butter for mobile operating systems. India ranks second in the number of mobile downloads, with nearly 27 billion downloads in 2021, according to Deloitte. Accounting for 11.6 per cent of global app downloads, the Indian smartphone user spends more than 4 hours a day on . The revenue for is expected to reach $2.3 billion in the country by 2026. Googles Android operating system (OS) controls 95 per cent of this app ecosystem. The has said that Alphabet-owned abused its "dominant position" in the ecosystem. It slapped a fine of Rs 936.44 crore, as well as a cease-and-desist order on the tech giant on its policies for Play Store. Before that, the anti-trust regulator fined another Rs 1,338 crore for anticompetitive practices related to the Android OS. In its response, Google said that the Indian (app) developers have benefited from the technology, security, consumer protections, and unrivaled choice and flexibility that Android and Google Play provide. As expected, the CCIs order about Play Store and Google Play Billing System (GPBS) has supporters and those who think this will stifle innovation in the Indian app ecosystem. The order does not account for the long history of developments that have made Googles Android the dominant OS in the Indian markets. As opposed to its major competitors, the basic Android OS is available free of cost on smartphones across price segments. This has benefited the digital India ecosystem, said Gowree Gokhale, partner at Nishith Desai Associates. Gokhale said that given the OS itself is free, Google claims that it can avail a business model where some apps can be made available free of charge, while other apps which can be monetized are promoted to maintain a steady stream of investment. This in turn is required for sustaining a continuous ecosystem of innovation for both Google and the other app developers. Gokhale said that there seems to be no thorough investigation from the CCI, e.g. survey of end users and start-ups, quality of products offered by competitors versus the quality that Google offers. Moreover, the needs to consider the overall impact of Googles app services, including how the mass availability of the Android OS and the Play Store has helped make education and logistical services more readily available during the pandemic years. Section 19 of the Competition Act requires a holistic approach to be adopted. This seems missing in the order. The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) agrees with the CCIs orders. The organization, which has been pushing for legislation to rein in app gatekeepers like Google and Apple, believes that both firms have used their dominance to amass more market and revenue share from app developers. For instance, till a few months back Google allowed only its payment system for app developers and users for in-app purchases or any payments. The mandatory use came with a heavy commission, which has been reduced from 30 per cent to 15 per cent. The company is also testing third-party payment options, but in a measured way. With asking Google to discontinue its policies, app users may get to use third-party payment platforms like Paytm, PhonePay, or UPI. It many lead to market competition deciding commission fee--that can go as low as 3-4 per cent, said industry players. Barnik Chitran Maitra, managing partner at Arthur D. Little India & South Asia, called CCIs order a welcome move. Contrary to what tech majors like Google or Apple might claim, it will spur more innovation and incentivise players to build products. In an era when we are increasingly moving towards a decentralised ecosystem like the Web3, it doesnt make sense to have a market situation where one company owns 90 per cent of search, a majority of premium devices, or even the dominant operating system prevents across premium devices, he says. Maitra believes that the orders are a sign that Indian regulators are serious about monitoring the "monopolising practices of tech majors." While he agrees that the Android OS is indeed a low-cost operating system, much more financially accessible than its immediate competitors, he points out that Googles revenue from search as well as ad services more than makes up for its investments in its app store. App developers will welcome the scope of increasing the competition between app provider services, diversify their offerings and thus increase the array of options for the developers to choose from. App developers seem to be of a like mind. The co-founder of a US-based start-up that develops wearable health-monitoring devices and who did not wish to identify herself or the app, said: India is one of the biggest marketplaces in the world for any mobile technology, and a prime target for most upcoming tech developers. While getting onto the is easy, and ensures you have access to a massive pie share of this market, as new players in the app and wearables space we have also felt the need for more options and flexibility. The start-up leader welcomed the idea of third-party payment options, that the GPBS hinders the developers chance of balancing out payment options in such a way that premium services are not too costly for the users. "For new start-ups, such as ours, our premium offerings become an important source of returns. But we do want to keep the prices of these services at manageable levels. Even a 15 per cent cut by the GPBS, raises the consumer cost for these services, often to a discouraging range." With a similar case for Apple looming on the horizon, the CCI's mandate as well as the welcome it has received from app developers is a clear indication that app store services need to rapidly relax their payment and subscription policies while also diversifying their offerings. may soon roll out paid verification for its users. Elon Musk, who took over the platform last week, has asked employees to roll out by November 7 a $19.99 monthly subscription pack for Blue, a report by The Verge said on Monday. However, according to a latest tweet by Musk, the subscription rate may be fixed at $8. On a tweet by writer Stephen King objectioning to $20, Musk wrote, "We need to pay the bills somehow! cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8?" We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8? (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022 Currently, Twitter Blue can be availed at $4.99 per month and provides additional features like ad-free articles and a home screen icon that has a different colour. For a $19.99 subscription, or $8, as the case may be, Twitter may offer paid verification. This would be the first time when the users would be able to actually purchase the "Blue Tick". Musk, on Sunday, tweeted that the company is "revamping" the current verification process. On Sunday, Musk also reportedly told its employees that they must meet the deadline or "pack up and leave", The Verge reported. Musk, on his first day at the company on Thursday, fired the top management including chief executive officer (CEO) and Vijaya Gadde, the legal affairs and policy chief. Media reports have claimed that Musk may soon lay off as much as 50 per cent of the staff at Twitter. He may also soon introduce a mechanism to reduce the prevalence of bots on Twitter. Also, he is keen on making half of the company's overall revenue through subscriptions. Panchkula (Haryana) [India], October 31 (ANI/BusinessWire India): For more than two decades now, the Indian Pharmaceutical industry is excelling with its unique blend of the latest technology, low-cost manufacturing, and a skilled workforce. These attributes have contributed to India's mammoth growth in the domestic and global pharmaceutical market, making it an alluring sector for business investments like (https://www.pharmahopers.com/pharma/pharma-franchise-pcd) PCD Pharma Franchise, third-party pharma manufacturing, wholesale, and distributions. So after serving many clients in the pharmaceutical sector at PharmaHopers we are explaining the complete PCD Pharma business market growth. Explore the below-mentioned information now. The past few years have been landmark in terms of pharma market growth. In 2020, the Indian pharmaceutical sector was 3rd largest by volume and 14th by value globally. More than 3,000 pharmaceutical companies and 10,500 manufacturing units are present in the country. The industry is among the top 5 sectors contributing to reducing India's trade deficit with a trade surplus of ~USD 11 billion every year. According to Economic Survey 2020-21, the Indian pharma industry is expected to touch USD 130 Billion by the year 2030. PCD Pharma Business Market PCD Pharma / Pharma Franchise is one of the most lucrative businesses in the pharma industry as it requires low investment and thus, involves low risk. The growth of the PCD Pharma Franchise market directly depends on the demand for medicine in the domestic and international markets. India's improving economic conditions, lifestyle, accessibility to healthcare, and most of all rising population are some of the factors for this growth. PCD (propaganda cum distribution) is a type of pharmaceutical marketing which provide rights to market/sell and distribute pharmaceutical products. The company which offers PCD pharma franchise provides its products to its franchise partners along with the rights to use its brand name and trademark. It is a popular business practice in the pharmaceutical industry as it comes with several benefits for partners like monopoly rights and promotional support from the company. PCD pharma is a term used for marketing rights in the smaller area whereas; the pharma franchise covers larger areas and targets. PharmaHopers Explains Reasons for PCD Pharma Franchise Growth PharmaHopers (A Product of (https://www.webhopers.com) WebHopers is a leading B2B marketplace for pharmaceutical products and services connects buyers and sellers from PAN India through a business solution. It has more than 500+ (https://blog.pharmahopers.com/best-pharma-companies-in-india) pharma companies. Pharmahopers explain the reasons for PCD pharma franchise growth. "PCD (Propaganda-cum-distribution) business allows pharma professionals to work independently in their selected region which is rare when it comes to the other jobs in the pharma industry. It also provides the liberty to the investor to work as an independent marketer connected with different companies, not just one." It further explains the role of government and digitalization, "Government initiatives for the pharmaceutical industry have also contributed towards the growth of PCD Pharma Franchise business. After digital India, the Pharmaceutical industry has witnessed a huge boost as it has given companies the ability to know the customers' requirements, get good feedback, track online forums, and data analysis, this has resulted in ease of doing business." Here are some other factors which accelerated the growth: Cost efficiency - India produces high-quality and low-price drugs due to low manufacturing and R & D costs which is great for the growth of the industry. Policy Support - Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in June 2021, announced the outlay of Rs. 197,000 crores (USD 26,578.3 million) for the pharma industry. This was done to provide support over five years for the pharmaceutical PLI scheme in 13 key sectors such as active pharmaceutical ingredients, drug intermediaries, and key starting materials. Increasing Investment - FDI in the Indian pharmaceutical industry in the last 2 decades has reached USD 19.41 billion and is expected to grow further in coming years. Future of Pharma Landscape Though technology is shaping the future of the pharmaceutical industry, India has a long way to go. In the year 2030, India is expected to reach the size of USD 1-1.3 trillion. With the evolution of E-Pharmacy which is growing at 21.28 per cent every year the needs and requirements of the patient are easy to understand now for pharma companies. Every year more than 25 per cent of the rural population is getting active on the internet this opportunity should be utilized by pharmaceutical companies. Today India is known as 'The pharmacy of the world because of its prominent hold over generic medicine and vaccine but to main its position India needs to increase drug value. Through advanced technology, R & D, and data analysis India needs to focus on the manufacturing of high-value pharmaceutical medicine to be ahead of countries like China. Final Takeaway It concludes growth of the pharmaceutical industry over the years and how it will continue in the coming years. In explaining the reasons for the PCD pharma franchise business's growth, PharmaHopers considered PCD Pharma's unique business model as its strength. Along with this, it provides freedom and choice to investors. There is an increasing demand for high-quality and affordable medicine thus, the pharmaceutical industry is driven by growth and new opportunities. FAQs about PCD Pharma Franchise Here are some frequently asked questions about the PCD pharma franchise business: Promotional support offered by a company Company generally provides promotional tools kits which include items like: - MR bag with logo - Visiting card - Brouchers - Pen with company logo - Calendar - LBL - Paperweight - Keychains - Water bottles - Trail pack - Notepad etc Qualification to apply for PCD pharma franchise business Any professional who has experience in the pharmaceutical sector can apply for a PCD pharma franchise from any company. PCD Pharma Different from Pharma Franchise Both work in the same way and are the same things. PCD covers the less area while pharma franchise covers the larger marketing area. Requirements To start Pharma Franchise Business For starting a PCD Pharma Franchise business there are the following requirements: - GST Number - Pharma Drug License Know about Monopoly-based PCD Business The monopoly in the PCD pharma industry refers to when a company offers its products to the market by only an appointed Pharma Franchise Partner in a specified area. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) . Delhi CM has presented his plan to boost the Indian economy, and the plan can, at best, be called "different". He wrote to the government of India and asked for the images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha to be used alongside Mahatma Gandhi's on Indian . He argues that this can help bring economic prosperity to the country. But it has turned the spotlight on one important question. What visuals can be used on legal tenders in India? The question has become critical, given India's constitutional status as a secular democracy. But what images can be used on And who decides on the design of banknotes and coins? But before that, a brief look at the evolution of after independence. Evolution of currency notes in India The first bank note issued by independent India was the one rupee note in 1949. The new banknotes had a symbol of the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath in the watermark window in place of the portrait of King George. In 1969, Mahatma Gandhi first featured on Indian currency notes when a commemorative design series was issued in honour of the birth centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi. Later in 1996, a completely new 'Mahatma Gandhi Series' was introduced with a changed watermark, windowed security thread, latent image and intaglio features for the visually handicapped. There were also some notes with images of important sites and monuments in different series. Who decides on the design and form of currency notes Section 25 of the RBI Act says that the Central Government shall approve the design, form and material of bank notes after considering the recommendations made by the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India. This effectively means the RBI and the central government decide the changes in the design and form of bank notes. The process The RBI's currency management department formulates a design and sends it to the Central Board for approval. The Central Board of RBI then recommends the design to the central government, and if it deems fit, the government clears the changes to images or design of bank notes. There were reports earlier this year that the RBI might be considering using the images of Rabindranath Tagore and A P J Abdul Kalam, alongside Mahatma Gandhi, on the new series of currency notes. The Central bank then clarified that there are no plans to replace the face of Mahatma Gandhi with that of others. The images on the currency notes represent the country's cultural significance and ethos. In 2010, a panel constituted by the Centre decided that no other personality could better represent the ethos of India better than Mahatma Gandhi. HYDERABAD: What started out as a treasure hunt at the Hyderabad Adventure Club resort in Dharur, Vikarabad district, turned tragic when one of the participants, 35-year-old techie G.L.P. Saikumar, drowned in a 30-foot-deep well full of water. He is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter. On Saturday, approximately 150 people from various parts of the city went to the resort to participate in an event called 'Moonlight Camping,' which included a treasure hunt, hiking, trekking, camping, and games organised at the resort over the weekend. According to the police, the organisers had mobilised the participants through Instagram posts. The police stated that Saikumar, a resident of AS Rao Nagar, was among those who took part in the 'Moonlight Camping.' During the treasure hunt, everyone ran towards the well in search of a clue. During the process, Saikumar fell into the well and drowned before other participants could reach out to him. Vindhya, one of the participants and Saikumar's relative, told police that the incident occurred due to the organisers' negligence as there were no safety measures in place during the event. Police opened an investigation based on her complaint. According to the police, the resort is owned by one Karthik, and that there were no CCTV cameras installed at the well, as also throughout the resort. Dharur circle inspector Gangishetty Narender stated that action has been taken against the organisers for failure to take safety precautions while organising adventure activities. We are looking into the case from every angle, he said. People given headphones at a local pub after 10 PM. (Photo by arrangement) HYDERABAD: In a relief to the managements of pubs and similar establishments in the city, except pubs located in residential areas of Jubilee Hills, a division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday lifted the restrictions of not playing music after 10 pm. On September 12, a single judge had passed orders stating that pubs allowing music after 10 pm was a violation of Noise (Pollution) Regulation Act. The judge had directed the police to take stringent action against all violators. Pub-owners and the management association later filed appeals before a division bench objecting to the curbs that were imposed. While dealing those appeals, the bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy, observed that the single judge extending the orders to all the pubs was not valid. The plea before the single judge was that pubs, bars and restaurants in residential areas in and around Jubilee Hills were causing noise pollution till 2 am while patrons coming to the parking lot at that hour were causing hardship to the locals. When working hours and lifestyles are changing, one cannot stop such things. Moreover, Hyderabad is a city where youngsters come to work from across the country. So, in our opinion imposing restrictions on pubs is beyond the usual, Chief Justice Bhuyan observed. The bench said that it will hear the appeals along with the petitions before the single judge, by converting them into public interest litigations. The matter was adjourned to November 17. The past, present, and future of Quebec updated to 2022 (Part Four) By Mark Wegierski web posted October 31, 2022 With the Bloc Quebecois supporting the Conservative federal budget in 2007, it appeared that Quebec had become at least somewhat friendly towards the federal Conservative Party. The emergence of the ADQ (Action democratique du Quebec) in the provincial election of 2007, could have been seen as the rise of a centre-right Quebec party that could hopefully negotiate with the federal Conservative government a more autonomous status for Quebec, without having to go on the far more potentially disruptive statehood/sovereignty route. The ADQ at that time could have been seen as a party that consisted largely of non-separatist nationalists and that resented the increasingly anti-nationalist nationalism of the 2007 Parti Quebecois (especially such as that expressed by PQ leader Andre Boisclair in his constant weepy speeches about inclusiveness). Insofar as ever greater degrees of leftism and political correctness had overtaken the Parti Quebecois, to that extent it had become less and less attractive to its nationalist core base, especially in rural and suburban areas. Boisclair chose to hew to the most extreme forms of political correctness. In earlier years, the Quebecois nationalists had declared that the social question is the national question. Insofar as the bureaucratic structures of the Quebec provincial administration, Hydro-Quebec, and the Caisses depot (Quebec credit unions) manifestly served so-called old stock Quebecois, and attacked the status of the long-time anglais exploiters, Quebecois nationalism could clearly be seen as having discernible traditionalist elements. Now, however, when Montreal has been almost as demographically changed as Toronto, it is perceived that an extensive welfare-state is increasingly operating on behalf of the newcomers very few of whom have any interest in Quebecois nationalism. That may be one reason for an increasing interest in the free market in Quebec. While, in earlier decades, Quebecois nationalism was one of only a few nationalisms in the Western world that were highly valorized by the Left there has been a considerable shift from the 1990s onward. Overwrought accusations were made in the 1990s that Quebecois nationalism represented something like Catholic tribal racism. As successive waves of political correctness rolled over the Western world, the Parti Quebecois ever more intensively embraced extreme anticlericalism and multifarious minorities until it had by 2007 become it is possible to argue something which embodied what could be called an almost entirely anti-nationalist nationalism. This gave an opportunity to the ADQ to portray itself as at least somewhat less nationally self-hating than the PQ something which would naturally appeal to the more authentic Quebecois nationalists. While rejecting the drive for full statehood/sovereignty which it probably perceived as too chimerical -- it could be argued that the ADQ was working towards policies that would ensure the persistence of a far more socially and culturally substantive Quebec a Quebec that would retain at least some relation to the historic Quebec nation that has existed for four previous centuries. And such national preservation and thriving through time and space would appear to be one of the main goals of any more authentic nationalism. In 2007, it could have been argued that the ADQ, although non-separatist, was more substantively Quebec-nationalist than the Parti Quebecois. Clearly, the Parti Quebecois drew some lessons from its third-place finish in 2007, and re-fashioned itself in a direction that could appeal far more to its core nationalist base. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Photo: Farah Abdi Warsameh/Associated Press People observe a destroyed building and vehicles at the scene of a two car bombs attack in Mogadishu, Somalia, Saturday. UPDATE 2:10 p.m. At least 100 people were killed in two car bombings at a busy junction in the capital, Somalia's president said, and the toll could rise in the country's deadliest attack since a truck bombing at the same spot five years ago killed more than 500. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, at the site of Saturday's explosions in Mogadishu, told journalists that nearly 300 other people were wounded. We ask our international partners and Muslims around the world to send their medical doctors here since we can't send all the victims outside the country for treatment," he said. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, which often targets the capital and controls large parts of the country, claimed responsibility, saying its objective was to hit the education ministry. It claimed the ministry was an enemy base that receives support from non-Muslim countries and is committed to removing Somali children from the Islamic faith. Al-Shabab usually doesnt make claims of responsibility when large numbers of civilians are killed, which was the case in an October 2017 blast at the same site, but it has been angered by a high-profile new offensive by the government that aims to shut down its financial network. The group said it is committed to fighting until the country is ruled by Islamic law, and it asked civilians to stay away from government areas. It was not immediately clear how vehicles loaded with explosives again made it through a city thick with checkpoints and constantly on alert for attacks. Somalias president, elected this year, said the country remains at war with al-Shabab and we are winning. The attack in Mogadishu happened on a day when the president, prime minister and other senior officials were meeting to discuss expanded efforts to combat violent extremism and especially al-Shabab. The extremists have responded to the offensive by killing prominent clan leaders in an apparent effort to dissuade grassroots support. The attack has overwhelmed first responders in Somalia, which has one of the world's weakest health systems after decades of conflict. At hospitals and elsewhere, frantic relatives peeked under plastic sheeting and into body bags, looking for loved ones. ORIGINAL 7 a.m. Two car bombs exploded Saturday at a busy junction in Somalia's capital near key government offices, leaving scores of civilian casualties, police told state media. The attack came five years after a massive blast at the same location. The Somalia National News Agency cited national police spokesman Sadiq Dodishe on the toll. The attack in Mogadishu occurred on a day when the president, prime minister and other senior officials were meeting to discuss combating violent extremism, especially by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab group that often targets the capital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. An Associated Press journalist at the scene saw many bodies and said they appeared to be civilians traveling on public transport. He said the second blast occurred in front of a busy restaurant. Images from the scene showed crushed tuk-tuks and other vehicles. The director of the Aamin ambulance service told the AP they had collected many wounded or killed. One of the ambulances responding to the attack was destroyed by the second blast, Abdulkadir Adan added in a tweet. The attack occurred at Zobe junction, which was the scene of a huge al-Shabab truck bombing in 2017 that killed more than 500 people. Al-Shabab often targets high-profile locations. Saturday's blast occurred near the education ministry, which the extremists stormed in 2015, and the foreign ministry. Somalias government has been engaged in a high-profile new offensive against the extremist group that the United States has described as one of al-Qaidas deadliest organizations. Somalia's president has described it as total war" against the extremists, who control large parts of central and southern Somalia and have been the target of scores of U.S. airstrikes in recent years. The extremists have responded by killing prominent clan leaders in an apparent effort to dissuade support for that government offensive. Dandot Cement Co expects to complete BMR in 3QFY23 31 October 2022 Dandot Cement Co Ltd Company Secretary, Muhammad Kamran, recently released a progress report on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) of Balancing Modernisation of Replacements (BMR) of 504,000t of cement plant at Jehlum in Punjab, Pakistan. Cement production has remained suspended due to the closure of plant operations for BMR activity since September 2019. The total cost of BMR is PKR5.8bn (US$26.1m) and is likely to be completed by March 2023. The company is also planning to add a 5MW solar power plant. Following BMR, the company's total clinker production capacity would stand at 1600tpd, officially added. According to the progress report, most of the plant and machinery arrived at Karachi seaport, and partial payments have been made against the corresponding letters of credit. A transportation contract was finalised to transport heavy plant and machinery from Karachi port to DCCL factory premises. Steel structure drawings have been approved for construction and received from Tianjin Cement Industry Design and Research Institute Co Ltd (TCDRI). The contractor is now starting related activities to carry out fabrication work. The management has injected equity of PKR215m during the quarter (July-September 2022). While during BMR, an total amount of PKR1.232bn has been invested by the management of the company. A report of the company says that to meet the legal standards and to avoid any adverse action from the Environmental Department, Dandot Cement decided to upgrade the plant through BMR. For this purpose, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a renowned cement contractor from China for BMR. Published under Former Tennessee First Lady Leslee "Honey" Buhler Alexander has died at 77. The family said the wife of former Tennessee Governor and Senator Lamar Alexander died on Saturday at their home outside Maryville. The Alexanders were married for 53 years. Bob and Elizabeth Corker said, Our hearts go out to Lamar and his family with the loss of Honey. We cherish Honeys rich life of service and are grateful that Lamar and Honey have been able to be inseparable since leaving the Senate. Senator Marsha Blackburn said, Chuck and I are deeply saddened to hear of Honey Alexanders passing. She was a great champion for children and families, having led the Healthy Children Initiative as First Lady of Tennessee. We join all Tennesseans in praying for Senator Alexander and his family. Police located a suspicious vehicle behind Brainerd High school by the Brainerd Levee at 2:15 a.m. Police made contact with the vehicle, which was occupied by a man and a woman who were possibly engaged in relations when police made contact. Police identified both of them and checked to see if they were valid, which they were, and both were very compliant. Police asked the couple to relocate and they left the area. * * * A woman told police she parked her 2020 Jeep Renegade behind the apartments at 1487 Fagan St. around 6:15 the evening before. She said while it was there, someone pried the latch on the door, scattered everything around and stole a backpack belonging to her employer, a local hospital. She said there was a personal file in the backpack that has all of her information, including bank information, Social Security number, etc. Police recommended that she notify her bank, place a freeze on her credit record and read "identitytheft.gov." * * * A man told police that sometime during the night his Buick Encore was stolen. The Encore was sitting on the street just outside of his home on Juandale Trail. There is no suspect information. The driver side mirror is broken and the keys were not with the vehicle at the time it was taken. The vehicle was entered into NCIC . * * * A woman on Cogswell Street told police her Kia Soul was broken into during the early morning hours. She said the vehicle was unlocked and the suspect attempted to pop the steering column, but did not damage it in the process. The suspect stole $30 from the center console. A neighbor actually witnessed the black male suspect (young, skinny, medium-dreads) park a white Altima across the street. The neighbor said the man got out of the vehicle and walked towards the woman's home. When the man returned to the car, the neighbor asked him what he was doing. The man told him that he was the woman's cousin and then he got into the Altima and drove away. * * * Police responded to a call from a man at McKamey Animal Center, 4500 N. Access Road. As the officer pulled into the parking lot, he was flagged down by an employee. While speaking with the employee, a man began yelling from across the parking lot saying that he was the one who called and I needed to speak with him. The officer attempted to tell the man that he would speak with him in just a moment, however he continued to yell, prompting the officer to yell back telling the man to stop yelling at him while he attempted to gather information. The man got into his vehicle and began to drive away, calling the officer "a (expletive) racist pig." After leaving, the man called back in requesting an officer "with some sense." At this point two sergeants responded and took over the call. * * * While on scene of another call police noticed, through a blind-less window, a man sleeping on the floor of an empty unit at 2550 6th Ave. Police and the Housing Authority made contact with the man and checked him for warrants. He was clear of warrants. Housing Authority asked the man to leave the property. They were dealing with a more pressing matter at the time. The man left without further incident. * * * A woman on Pin Oak Drive told police she was attempting to have an issue fixed from when she tried to get money out at the ATM at Walmart. She said she did not receive any money so she called Walmart from a Google search and spoke to someone over the phone. She said that person on the phone took money from her husband's account while he was in Illinois for work. The woman was able to show police the page she went to that appeared to be a fake Walmart page. Police spoke with the husband over the phone. He said he was working with his bank to get the issue fixed and would not be back in town until the 1st of next month. He said he would contact police when he got home if he was unable to resolve the issue. * * * A woman told police that at an unknown day and time someone stole a Blue Star traffic analyzer off of the street on 13th Avenue. She said there were two analyzers there and only one was taken. * * * A man on Bay Pointe Drive told police his lawn care provider damaged his garage door. The man showed the officer where one of the workers drove a lawn tractor through his garage door and did significant damage. The man said he was already in contact with the owner and they agreed to pay to have it fixed. * * * A woman called police and said she got to the JCPenney store at Hamilton Place Mall around 11:30 a.m. the day before and left her vehicle parked in the parking lot there. She said she was there about two hours and then went to other places with the vehicle after that before she discovered damage to her vehicle around 4 p.m. The damage was on the passenger side front bumper and it consisted of a dent about a foot wide. The woman said she is not sure where or when it happened, but JCPenney was the first possible location. She said she has already gotten an estimate for $2,600 for repairs. * * * A woman on Larchmont Avenue told police that sometime between 2-4 a.m. that morning someone entered her unlocked Lexus 350RX and rummaged through it. She said that she leaves her vehicle unlocked and leaves nothing of value in it. * * * An employee at Family Dollar, 5000 Brainerd Road, told police she witnessed a black female, 5'6", 115 pounds, walk inside the store. She said the woman walked towards the back of the store near the curtain section. Next, the woman walked out of the store passing all points of store sales with what the employee said was a bulging bag. The employee said she believed the woman had three to four sets of curtains stowed away in her bag. The woman got inside a gray four-door vehicle and fled the scene The progressive thinkers in the city of Chattanooga who frequently have come up with the solution of how to handle the ever-growing homeless population in the Gig City may have inadvertently overlooked another opportunity to help the local taxpayers support another venue and palatial palace to assist public charities and organizations in being good neighbors to the old and new immigrants from other cities and countries. There also exists another physical facility between Broad and Market Streets on 8th Street that has been long vacant that may solve the problems of the homeless, the financial strain on the property owners and the taxpaying citizens. The Chattanooga Bank Building opened in 1927 and has had several prospective developers as a hotel, apartments and even condos. In 2012 a development group purchased the property and was looking to refurbish the 11-story structure as a hotel or apartment complex. That plan was not completed but in January 2022 a local television station and a veteran and experienced newsman for Gig Citys surviving major newspaper reported that it had been announced that Chattanoogas 95-year-old surviving monument of the past might once again be in line to become a boutique hotel by a national hotel chain in conjunction with the present owners from the Commonwealth of Virginia. So far, the renovation has not started but it is still a potential opportunity. The present successor to the new Vice President for Development at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) of the downtown non-profit development group, River City Company, has been quoted as saying that the former bank building is one of the most architecturally significant structures in the city center and all of downtown. (So was the Patten Hotel) That is correct but the skilled financial advisors in Chattanooga with all of their talent may have overlooked the obvious golden opportunity to provide housing for the next 1,500 (3,000 total?) proud travelers to the Scenic City in a more luxurious setting than sleeping on the sidewalk of East 10th Street. The successful purchase of the Airport Inn on Lee Highway as a haven for the homeless could be a beacon for Airport Inn No. 2 with certain advantages not present at No. 1: 1. There will be no need for parking (the main drawback to the existing property) because most of the prospective tenants do not have a vehicle and arrive in town by a variety of alternative modes of transportation. 2. A CARTA electric vehicle could stop on either Market or Broad Street and transport the tenants to the charitable facility on East 11th Street now identified as Chatt Foundation (Community Kitchen) for their three hots (no need for cots); and 3. Another bond issue like the citys announced share of the 2012 Consent Decree for the sewage repair bill (plus interest and undisclosed fees) could be added with the usual unanimous community support! The unfortunate minor dispute between the good Baptists at Silverdale Baptist Church and Silverdale Baptist Academy and the charitable progressives of the leadership of the Dynamo of Dixie office holders will hopefully resolve the minor conflict amicably in the spirit of Christian and governmental fellowship. The close proximity of Airport Inn No.1 to their school, church, and their childrens safety and health appears to have already led to lively discussions between the parties. (The fact that this idea may not have previously been fully discussed is in no way intended to be a criticism of any individual, entity, or government. We also are not involved in the disagreement between parents of students at said educational facility nearby Airport Inn No. 1 and the compassionate local municipality on behalf of the homeless population. Airport Inn No.2 is just a friendly alternative suggestion to assist the additional incoming taxpayers in the next step in the Scenic City plan to outgrow Atlanta and to retake its lead in the population statistics that existed prior to the War to Suppress the Rebellion.) Chattanooga Police said a man shot another man multiple times inside the Shallowford Road Post Office on Sunday night after an earlier dispute, then the shooter died in a crash into a building on Highway 153 a short time later. The victim was identified as Cody Ransom, 30, a Post Office manager, and the shooter as Brian Simmons, 27. At 10:26 p.m., Chattanooga Police responded to a person shot at the Post Office on Shallowford Road. Police were notified of a possible active shooter at the building at 6050 Shallowford Road. Arriving officers immediately entered the premises to locate the alleged suspect. While searching the facility, police located a single deceased victim and several employees who had sought cover. Police learned that an employee came to work and had a dispute with his supervisor. After a verbal exchange, the suspect shot the victim multiple times and fled the scene. The suspect then drove to 5241 Highway 153, where he crashed into the business at this location. Upon police arrival, he was found deceased. Police said, "T he Chattanooga Police Department worked with area law enforcement to resolve this incident as safely and efficiently as possible. We thank all those who responded." The Shallowford Road Post Office was closed Monday. The outside drop boxes can still be used. Officials recommended use of the Eastgate Post Office. The wreck was at the Apple Nail Bar. There were no skid marks detected. 5 Iranians killed in Seoul Halloween stampede: spokesman Xinhua) 09:35, October 31, 2022 TEHRAN, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least 5 Iranians died in the Halloween stampede in the South Korean capital Seoul, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Sunday. Five Iranian citizens have been among the victims of the incident so far, Kanaani said, adding that the Iranian embassy in Seoul has been following up on the situation of Iranians and more information on the status of possible injured or missing Iranians will be announced later. He expressed condolences to the victims' families and sent his sympathies to the people of South Korea over the stampede. At least 151 people were killed and 82 others injured in a stampede that occurred Saturday night at Itaewon, a district of Seoul, during Halloween gatherings. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) The Rainbow Jihad takes another school system By Greg Strange web posted October 31, 2022 Montgomery County, Maryland: Can anything good proceed from this accursed progressive principality or is it damned forever? The most populous county in the state, it leans far left, has for decades and routinely makes the news for some kind of outlandishness, if not outright malevolence. I remember once writing an article about something that occurred there 20 or 25 years ago. People were watching porn on the computers at the public libraries and when others complained, you know what was done about it? Was it to shut down the porn-watching on government computers in the public libraries, like any rational authority would have done? Of course not. Their solution was privacy screens for the porn watchers! See, that way the uptight prudes would no longer be able to see the action on the screen, so they would have nothing to complain about. Problem solved and the library licentiousness continued apace. Have things gotten any better in Montgomery County since then? If you ask the leftists who run the place, their answer would be, indubitably, yes, its gotten even more progressive. One things for sure. The county is absolutely busting with pride, so you can probably see where this is going. So, heres some recent news from the county. According to internal data from school counselor forms, there has been a 582% increase in the number of school students who identify as gender nonconforming, and in a mere two-year timespan. That is staggering, astonishing, mind-blowing and earth-shaking! And by the way, according to those forms that students filled out, most of the parents of the gender nonconforming are supportive of it, which is to say, they are unconscionable dupes complicit in the destruction of their own children. It therefore seems appropriate to officially proclaim Montgomery County a principality of darkness with Satan as its ruler. Wow! You go, MoCo! This county appears to be as demonically possessed as Linda Blair in The Exorcist and the 582% increase is the equivalent of her head doing a 360 on top of her shoulders while spewing projectile vomit. All it took was two years for the rainbow jihad to take down thousands of years of civilizational normalcy and stability. Actually, there were decades of laying the groundwork, but now its accelerating exponentially, achieving hyper-LGBTQ speed such that everything that once was, can now potentially be destroyed in a flash. So, as quickly as a rainbow can appear in the sky after a passing summer squall, the rainbow jihad can get its hooks on your kid in the Montgomery County school system and turn him into a gender nonconforming freak. After this 582% increase, the proportion of students in this hapless school district who are gender nonconforming now stands at 45 percent. That means that nearly half of the student body has been totally confused and senselessly deprived of normal human existence. The question for this county, and the rest of our country, is, what could have possibly caused this to happen? Was it because of a recently achieved state of enlightenment, during which otherwise know-nothing children suddenly realized in contrast to all other humans who lived before them that sex and gender can be chosen like cafeteria menu items? Or . . . Or was it the result of incessant, depraved, godless rainbow propaganda aimed at impressionable children in the Montgomery County school system? Bingo! But again, how is it possible that it has come to this? How could it be that the people charged with educating children would sexualize and pervert them and then call anyone a bigot for not going along with it? Well, in a nutshell, because of the fallen state of man, once you agree to be tolerant of sin and perversion in a spirit of live and let live, that sin and perversion will flourish, multiply and ultimately metastasize. Thats where we are now, drowning in depravity that would have been inconceivable to previous generations. And heres the kicker: every institution in the country supports and promotes this destructive demonic depravity. So how on earth do you begin to fight it? Of course, it has to be fought at the local level, one school system at a time if necessary. But that always results in a barrage of insults and accusations against the parents who are rightfully trying to protect their children from forced alphabet corruption. But at least in some instances there might be a way to use the crazed intersectionality of the left against it to your advantage. For instance, in the crazy quilt of competing privileged victim groups that constitutes intersectionality, you find a group that hates sexual depravity but is itself mostly immune from criticism. You then pit that group against the alphabet people and see who wins. Case in point: At a recent school board meeting in heavily Muslim-populated Dearborn, Michigan, an inevitable clash occurred. As many will know, Islam isnt down with the rainbow jihad and it makes no apologies for that. So, at that meeting Muslim parents made their feelings known in no uncertain terms in yet another school system that was busily going about its destructive project of sexualizing and perverting as many children as possible. Heres a few excerpts from just one of the objectionable books in question: This Book Is Gay: We all want to have sex with loads of people. The prostate gland feels amazing when massaged. Lets talk about dildos . . . Okay, enough already. Muslim parents, like any rational parents, dont want such pornography in their childrens schools. But oblivious to any reasonable request for the schools to maintain some semblance of decency by not having such books around, there was alphabet pushback at that meeting. As would be expected, they tried to milk their intersectional victim status and even pathetically compared the parents protest to what Hitler did. So, whos going to win here? Stay tuned . . . But its doubtful that our woke attorney general is going to declare Muslim parents domestic terrorists like he did those parents in Virginia. And its doubtful theres going to be any over-the-top, predawn raids of Muslim homes by jackbooted FBI goons. That's what they do to Christian, hymn-singing anti-abortion protestors, but not Muslims, not on your life. Is it possible that the followers of Allah, more than the followers of Christ, could be more efficient in this fight because of their intersectional unassailability? A few years ago, I would have said the Muslims win, hands down, but now Im not certain. The alphabet people and their perversities are now so exalted, and their arrogance so colossal, and their grip on the throat of our culture so unyielding, I just dont know. In districts with heavy Muslim populations, they may very well win out but still be unable to spearhead a national campaign against the alphabet infidels. Nonetheless, in such districts, Christians and any others who care about their children should team up with Muslim parents to fight this evil, using what is hopefully the Muslims intersectional status as cover. If it works, who knows where it might lead on a national scale? Its certainly worth a try. This is a spiritual battle and Montgomery County, along with much of America, is given over to the dark side. Everything is at stake; it is civilization vs. nihilism. If this generation of young people is lost to this soul-destroying evil that hates all normalcy, decency, stability, biological science and reality itself, were done. It will create nothing but twisted self-absorption and dysfunctionality. This generation wont know up from down and will be rendered incapable of transmitting values to the next that would ensure stability, prosperity or even rationality and common sense. It should be fought in any and all ways possible, including through otherwise unlikely alliances. Greg Strange can be reached at gpstrange30341@yahoo.com . (c) 2022 Greg Strange. Home Here are the new business licenses from the County Clerk's office: 321 TRANSPORTATION DYLAN D WOODRUFF 8345 INGRAM LN HIXSON TN 37343 A1A1 INVESTMENTS LLC ADRIENNE MCCLATCHEY 808 CHESTNUT STREET UNIT 82 CHATTANOOGA TN 37402 ABBY HUDSON LMT ABIGAIL G HUDSON 5512 RINGGOLD RD STE 104 CHATTANOOGA TN 37412 BKL&L CODY W EVANS 8605 BRENDA DR HARRISON TN 37341 CHAMPION MECHANICAL LLC NATHANAEL D STOCKWELL 46 CAMP CT DALLAS GA 30157 CLIMATE PROS LLC TODD W ERNEST 55 N BRANDON DR GLENDALE HEIGHTS IL 60139 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS COUNSELING SHAWN WINTON 8202 CICERO TRL CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 DESIGNER DECKS & EXTERIORS COEY FOX 548 GADD RD HIXSON TN 37343 EILEEN AND AMELIA EILEEN GODFREY 3831 WILCOX BLVD UNIT 86 CHATTANOOGA TN 37411 ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES LING WANG 1919 GUNBARREL RD STE 115 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 EXISTENTIAL PAINT JOHN SCHANLEY 411 CENTRAL DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 FLOWERS ON SATURN BRIAN D MERRYFIELD 1301 COWART ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37402 FOX MOVING AND STORAGE OF GREATER CHATTANOOGA LLC JEFF BURDICK 3475 8TH AVE #A CHATTANOOGA TN 37407 GARY A. CROWE GARY A CROWE 172 ATOMIC RDG CHATTANOOGA TN 37412GOOD VIBES CHRISTIAN KOFI MAWUKO 3517 13TH AVE APT A CHATTANOOGA TN 37407HAPPY BUILDERS INC STEVEN D PICKETT 609 MORNING GROVE DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421HIGHMARK RESIDENTIAL HIGHMARK RESIDENTIAL, LLC 1400 CHESTNUT ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37402INSTALLED BUILDING PRODUCTS, LLC PAMELA HENSON 495 S HIGH ST STE 50 COLUMBUS OH 43215INTERDICTION SOLUTIONS TONY D CROWDER 3095 ROUNDABOUT LN OOLTEWAH TN 37363JMHDETAILS JUSTIN M HOLLAND 10221 SNOW HILL RD OOLTEWAH TN 37363KIMORAS CLOSET JAMIE BROWN 7138 REVERE CIRCLE CHATTANOOGA TN 37421LITTLE CITY LAWN CARE LLC ISAIAH H HANSEN 5512 SAINT ELMO AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37409MARINE PARTS HOUSE DARIN J BURGESS 13555 BACK VALLEY RD UNIT J SALE CREEK TN 37373MARIS MALONE-CALDERON MARIS MALONE-CALDERON 3800 SAINT ELMO AVE STE 121 CHATTANOOGA TN 37409MARTIN BROWN CONSTRUCTION CO LONNIE HOOD 6293 BLUE SPRINGS RD CLEVELAND TN 37311MINI MALL US STORAGE PROPERTIES MASTER LP MINI MALL US STORAGE PROPERTIE 8117 OOLTEWAH-GEORGETOWN RD OOLTEWAH TN 37363MINI MALL US STORAGE PROPERTIES MASTER LP MINI MALL US STORAGE PROPERTIE 9322 LUMBER LN OOLTEWAH TN 37363MINI MALL US STORAGE PROPERTIES MASTER LP MINI MALL US STORAGE PROPERTIE 901 SEQUOYAH RD SODDY DAISY TN 37379NUMBER TEN ADAM JOHNSTON 1925 MYRTLE ST STE 101 CHATTANOOGA TN 37408PARKSIDE BUILDERS LLC BRIAN L CHASTAIN 9174 SYDNEY LN BRENTWOOD TN 37027R&N IRIE JAMAICAN CUISINE ROBERT OFFICER 3224 DAYTON BLVD CHATTANOOGA TN 37415RAISING THE 2ND FIREARMS JAMES B SMITH 615 ELINOR ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37405ROBERT HENDERSON FLOORING & HOME IMPROVEMENT ROBERT B HENDERSON 8906 DALTON LN SODDY DAISY TN 37379SAWYER ENTERPRISES DBA CLUB Z! IN-HOME TUTORING SERVICES VICTORIA B JONES 2642 LAUREL CREEK DR SIGNAL MOUNTAIN TN 37377SPECIALTY PLUMBING SERVICES BRANDON L SABALA 1639 MILLWOODE LN SODDY DAISY TN 37379SUNRAY QUILTWORKS DONNA G THOMPSON 3619 MAIDEN DR EAST RIDGE TN 37412SWEET SCOOP GRACE AE YIM 4767 HIGHWAY 58 STE 185 CHATTANOOGA TN 37416TELLUS TRANSPORT INC. MATTHEW S WILSON 10123 MEADOWSTONE DR APISON TN 37302THE DS FIRM DEJUAN S JORDAN 7100 RIVER RUN DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37416THIRD DAUGHTER STUDIO LILLIAN REDPATH 1500 DODDS AVE STE 103 CHATTANOOGA TN 37404TIDALWAVE HOLDINGS, LLC BRADLEY R SEWELL 2310 VANCE AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37404TNT CONCRETE, LLC BILL LONG 2001 SIMS ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37406TRENDING DESIGN LLC KELLY S MORELAND 9401 BERKSHIRE CIR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421TRUCKERS BEST CHEMICALS, INC. RALPH D STANLEY 916 GIVENS RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37421UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PROMO, LLC TRAVIS J GRAY 2516 ASHMORE AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37415VERTIKAL LLC ALEKSEI MARCHENKO 1014 ARIEL LN CHATTANOOGA TN 37405W.I.T. COURIER LLC ERIC T ROSS 1910 LONG ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37408WORKING WITH AUTISM JENNIFER SABIN 1232 PREMIER DR. 310 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 Chattanoogas newest resort-style assisted living and memory care community, Rockbridge Oaks, opens its doors to the area on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house celebration. Located at 6698 Palms Ct., off East Brainerd Road, Rockbridge Oaks grand opening will offer guests the opportunity to tour the innovative community showcasing its lifestyle amenities and furnished models. Dignitaries officiating the 4:30 p.m. ribbon cutting include Kristin Ward, CEO of Solvere Living, a national operator of senior living communities based in St. Petersburg, Fla., that manages communities in Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. The communitys celebration is open to the public from 4-6:30 p.m. Reservations are required by calling 558-2000 or online at RockbridgeOaks.com/rsvp. Rockbridge Oaks features an architectural design geared to creating a closer-knit community with personal, intimate experiences for residents. Uniquely, there are 62 apartments comprised of studios, one- and two-bedrooms arranged in a two-story building. Fostering security and support is integral to the communitys programming, said officials. The community incorporates Solvere Livings proprietary wellness philosophies Salus and Valeo. Salus (Latin for well-being) is a holistic approach that focuses on each residents potential to achieve his or her personal goals through engagement and connection. Valeo (Latin for to thrive) focuses specifically on wellness initiatives for those with memory impairments helping build relationships with others and grow connections through positive approaches to social interaction. Bridgeforth Capital, a private equity firm, developed the community. The Chattanooga-based Morgan Construction Company, Inc., is the general contractor and construction management company. The communitys lifestyle encourages each residents physical, social, intellectual and spiritual well-being. Anytime dining is offered with seasonal, chef-prepared entrees served in the communitys dining room. Additional indoor amenities include an event center, movie theater, art studio, library, beauty salon and spa, and business center. Theres also a private dining room for family gatherings. In addition to the extensive services provided to residents, unique to Rockbridge Oaks is an emphasis on outdoor green space. Large outdoor recreation areas are included in the community. The Maclellan Courtyard Oasis offers a pavilion, barbecue grill and areas for dining. Walking trails, lawn games and a community fire pit are also found within the communitys grounds. "Were very excited to introduce Rockbridge Oaks to Chattanooga, said Ms. Ward. Our wellness philosophies, Salus and Valeo, which we introduced in senior living communities over seven years ago, help older adults stay physically active and thrive in all dimensions of wellness. This holistic approach, coupled with the spectacular interior and exterior spaces found at Rockbridge Oaks, brings a new perspective to senior living. For more information or to plan a visit to Rockbridge Oaks, please call 558-2000 or visit www.RockbridgeOaks.com. For the last several years, Dari Owens has been a passionate and concerned citizen of Tennessee, Hamilton County and Red Bank. What I appreciate most about Dari, is not just her heart for people but her desire to put words into action. Dari is solutions oriented, she is someone who will bring change and not just talk about it. Dari is a woman of integrity. She will represent all citizens of Red Bank, listening to all sides before making a decision. She will take her time in pursuing truth and facts in making business decisions for our community, as she is a business owner and has had to navigate keeping a business open during COVID and a tough economic season. Not only is Dari a fulltime mom and full time business owner, she is involved in her local church and teaches US History and Citizenship to refugees with another local organization. She has a heart to serve and wants to support all people and provide a voice for those who seemingly dont have one. In regards to her vision for Red Bank, Dari is ready to get to work. She has promised to satisfy the land swap. She will keep our taxes low, which is a driving factor for those of us who want to stay in Red Bank. She will work proactively toward a solution for the middle school property, incorporating both a large park and commercial spaces to generate income, rather than raise our taxes. She will always work for the citizens of Red Bank, not trying to create a tourist destination in our little pocket of Hamilton County. She will hold regular public focus groups, inviting various groups with various perspectives, to be held outside of our regular commission meetings. And perhaps one of the most important things Dari would like to do, is to invest in our future generations by creating a student commission, to allow for young people to participate in civics at a local level. Dari is a dear friend and someone I stand behind to serve as my representative here in Red Bank. Anne Lowery Hamilton County Schools is increasing the number of school choice options for the 2023-'24 school year. For the 23-24 school year, HCS is offering choice seats at 80+ school options to students in grades kindergarten through 12th across Hamilton County. Choices include Early College/Career Programs, Future Ready Institutes, Magnet Schools, Charter Schools and Open Enrollment Schools. Continuing again for the second year, every school with open seats will be an Open Enrollment Choice School for the 2023-2024 school year. Increasing the number of choice schools and programs provides students with a diverse range of options outside of their neighborhood zoned school, officials said. Click here to review 2023-'24 school choice options and see available seats at each school and grade level. Officials said, "Every student has different interests, hopes and dreams and deserves access to opportunities that open doors to exciting pathways for their future. Hamilton County Schools is excited to provide educational opportunities in local communities and beyond neighborhood zoned schools to ignite the passion for learning in each child." Choose Hamilton: Choice Lottery applications will be open from Nov. 14-Jan. 31, 2023. The application and admissions timeline is uniform for all choice options to make the process easy for families. Schools with more applicants than space available will participate in a lottery to select students for available seats. Families are asked to complete a single application for all choice options, which is available in both English and Spanish. Applicants may apply to up to five schools or programs in the application and are not required to apply for more than one choice option. If you are already in a Choice School, you do not need to apply again unless you are making the jump from an elementary to a middle school or a middle school to a high school (K-12 & 6-12 buildings excluded). Applications to Battle Academy (kindergarten), CSAS (kindergarten), CSLA (kindergarten), Normal Park (kindergarten and sixth grade), and STEM School (ninth grade) will use a balanced lottery model based on the applicant's school board district. These schools will fill available seats based on the projected student percentage per school board district in Hamilton County. For these schools, your lottery results will reflect a seated or waitlist number for your school board list; you will be seated in the first available seat for your school board district. Over the next few months, Hamilton County Schools will provide several opportunities for families to learn more about school options. HCS will hold a Choose Hamilton: School Choice Fair at the Convention Center on Jan. 10, 2023, to provide families with the chance to interact with and ask questions of representatives from every HCS school. For more information about Choose Hamilton: School Choice, watch our informational video here. Margaret H. Venable, Ph.D., who has served as the fifth president of Dalton State College since January 2015, has announced she will retire in the summer of 2023. During her eight-year tenure as Dalton States first female president, Dr. Venable focused the college on providing "broad access to high-quality education that transforms lives." Dalton State is ranked #23 nationally by Business Insider for Best Return on Investment and nearly two-thirds of graduates last fall completed their degrees without student loans. President Venable has spent more than 30 years making the university system better, and nowhere can you see that more than at Dalton State College, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. When she came to campus, her goal was for it to become a first-choice destination. Over her time there, thats exactly what she has done. Dalton State is one of the top state colleges in the southeast and one of the most affordable in the nation. It has a profound impact across Northwest Georgia through its access mission and being a gateway to higher education and the regional workforce. Most importantly, students dont feel like a number, and that has everything to do with President Venables leadership. We recently had a chance to experience this when Dalton State hosted the Board of Regents, and her impact was clear in our friendly interactions with students, faculty and staff. We are grateful for her service and wish her the best. Dr. Venable led the college through the pandemic and, despite continued declines in undergraduate enrollment nationally and in Georgia, Dalton States enrollment stabilized this fall with approximately 4,500 students. Also, there has been a continued increase in the number of graduates, especially with bachelors degrees. Under Dr. Venables presidency in 2018, Dalton State received the designation of Georgias first Hispanic-Serving Institution, which allowed the college to receive and implement a $2.1 million federal Title V grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Although Dalton State does not have a grants office or full-time grant writing staff, the institution obtained several federal grants over the past five years totaling $10.5 million in funding for critical resources to support students. Dalton State completed its second capital campaign in the colleges history last year, raising nearly $19 million in gifts and pledges against a goal of $16.5 million. Nearly $6.5 million of the funds raised were for need-based financial assistance for students. The Dalton State main campus also transformed significantly under Dr. Venables leadership, officials said. Four campus buildings were renovated, including the Health Professions building; Pope Student Center; Gignilliat Hall, which also included an expansion to house the C. Lamar and Ann Wright School of Business; and Sequoya Hall. Additionally, the institutions first residence hall, Mashburn Hall, was constructed; renovation began on the Bandy Gym to create a student recreation and wellness center; and the design phase of renovating classrooms in Lorberbaum Hall started. Officials said Dalton State received multiple distinctions under Dr. Venables leadership, including national rankings for Contribution to Public Good and Top Public Regional Colleges in the South. Most recently, the college was ranked #10 by Academic Influence for Best Public College in Georgia. The institution completed the SACSCOC decennial reaffirmation of accreditation last week. The official vote for reaffirmation of accreditation is expected to take place in June of 2023. Dr. Venable served the community in multiple roles during her tenure as president, including the Greater Dalton Chamber Board, Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia Board and Hispanic Association for Colleges and Universities Executive Board. Of all the accomplishments Dalton State achieved during her presidency, I am most proud of our students and Dalton State alumni, along with the dedicated faculty and staff who serve alongside me, Dr. Venable said. Dr. Venable, who has 33 years of experience working in higher education, said she is transitioning to a new phase of her life and career. She hopes to continue working a few more years in the industry, possibly in consulting. Why Tom Petty Was Wary of Stevie Nicks When They Met While Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are often considered one of the most notable relationships in rock n roll, Nicks and Tom Petty had an influential friendship when it came to music. When the two first met, Nicks was a huge fan of Petty, but Petty was apprehensive about Nicks intentions. Stevie Nicks Tom Petty | Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images Stevie Nicks was a fan of Tom Petty Petty was primarily known for his work in the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers while Nicks was known as a member of Fleetwood Mac. According to Music Spotlight Magazine, Nicks wrote a tribute to Petty in Rolling Stone Magazine, explaining how she learned about him. In 1976, Id been in Fleetwood Mac for about a year when I heard Tom Pettys debut, Nicks wrote in 2004. I became a fan right then. I loved the way Toms Florida swamp-dog voice sounded in cahoots with Mike Campbells guitar and Benmont Tenchs keyboards. She continued, Tom had the same influences we had- the Byrds, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash-but he dropped in lots of serious old blues. I became such a fan that if I hadnt been in a band myself, l would have joined that one. RELATED: Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham Dont Fake Their Love for Each Other on Stage, but When You Go Back to Your Separate Dressing Rooms, Its Over Tom Petty was nervous about Stevie Nicks at first In an interview with American Songwriter, Petty shared that he was a little wary about Nicks when she first asked to work with him. Stevie came to me around 78. And she was this absolutely stoned-gone huge fan. And it was her mission in life that I should write her a song. And we were a little wary of Stevie, Petty admitted to American Songwriter. According to Petty, he associated Nicks with preconceived notions he had about Fleetwood Mac. We didnt quite know whether to like Stevie or not, because we kind of saw this big corporate rock band, Fleetwood Mac, which was wrong, they were actually artistic people, Petty said. RELATED: Stevie Nicks Said Her Affair With Mick Fleetwood Was Fantastic, Very Romantic, and Horrifying The two artists became good friends Speaking with American Songwriter, Petty admitted that he was suspicious about Nicks intentions. But in those days, nobody trusted that sort of thing and we just kept thinking, What does she want from us? Petty explained. However, Petty ended up being wrong about his initial wariness, and he went on to regard Nicks as a close friend. And then, of course, she turned into one of my great, great friends forever. But Stevie was really adamant about me writing her a song, Petty told American Songwriter. In 1981, Petty and Nicks released a duet with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers called Insider. Nicks and Petty remained friends until Pettys death in 2017. RELATED: The Chilling Advice Stevie Nicks Gave Amy Winehouse Before Her Death: You Will Die Most Likely This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. A Texas-based Christian ministry recently delivered its largest donation of Bibles to North Macedonia, where many lack access to the Word of God in their language. North Macedonia's government allowed the Eastern European Missions (EEM) to donate over 225,000 children's Bibles in the region in July after hearing about the organization's previous work, including the delivery of 650,000 Bibles to public schools in Croatia last year. "God's word is a seed that we've been planting, and we team and come together with a number of different organizations to help us do that," EEM President Bob Burckle told The Christian Post in an interview. "We go to major Bible translators like Bible League and then different Bible societies to get their translations. And then they take, and they format the books, put them into the printed word, and then we print, publish and distribute." Burckle noted that churches and individuals are responsible for most of the group's funding, adding that at least 1,082 U.S churches are currently supporting EEM's mission. After EEM delivered the Bibles, North Macedonia's Department of Religious Relations distributed the books to churches and individuals. Burckle and EEM's Vice President of European Operations, Bart Rybinski, also attended a ceremony celebrating the donation and sharing copies of the Bible with schoolchildren. Rybinski explained that the government's request was made due to a lack of positive influences in North Macedonia, which has a history of turmoil following the fall of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. The Republic of Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. "For many years, there was conflict with the Greek state about the name of their country," he said. "They had a conflict, too, recently this year with the Serbian Orthodox Church about being recognized as a national Orthodox Church in its own right. From the Bulgarian side, there's disagreements of culture and history." Rybinski added that the country's government and church leaders can now benefit from having the Bible in their native tongue, which was not previously available. "It's more than just the Bible," Rybinski said. "It's the Bible in their national language, and that's very meaningful to them." Burckle added that EEM will deliver another 225,000 bibles in 2023 at the request of North Macedonian leaders. "You've got to get [God's word] in your heart; you got to get it totally within your entire body and soul in order to fully appreciate and understand what God has done for us and what our future hope is for how to manage the difficulties of life, which we all have." EEM was launched in 1961 after a small group of missionaries began sneaking Bibles into the Soviet Union. Since its inception, the organization has distributed Bibles for free to countries in and surrounding Eastern Europe, especially in places that lack access to the Bible. Photo courtesy: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Kruraphoto Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven. After 18th-century literary icon Samuel Johnson had dinner at a friends house, his biographer, James Boswell, asked if the conversation had been any good. No, Sir, he said. We had talk enough, but no conversation; there was nothing discussed. Johnsons friend had offered one kind of hospitality at that dinner party, but not another kind: discussion. Conversation, whether remote or in person, is an exercise in hospitality, or welcoming the other. When we engage someone in conversation, we invite them into our thinking. Jesus set an example of this, from his first encounters with the disciples to his theological discussion with the woman of Samaria to his many confrontations with the religious leaders who opposed him. Conversation was a primary tool in Jesus and the apostles ministries. We live in a world where words abound but conversation is scarce. And its easy to think of a place where the ratio of words to conversation seems worst: social media, which 72 percent of Americans use, Pew Research Center says. One can only wonder what Johnson would have to say about the culture of discourse today, especially in the realm of social media. But more important is what the Bible says. With Jesus and the apostles word-based approach to evangelism and discipleship, it is unsurprising that Paul repeatedly warned Christians to demonstrate their faith not only by living well but also by good conversation (Col. 4:6; 1 Tim. 4:12). Paul not only engaged people directly in discussions about Christ but also wrote voluminously about the faith. Its through these writingswhich have some surprising similarities to todays social media contextthat Paul has discipled the generations of the church. One similarity, for example, is that Pauls letters are remote interactions between specific people that the rest of us can listen in on. They also tend to be about news items, highlights, and problems (although theres plenty of perspective on real and hoped-for relationships). And Pauls recipients had trolls in the background contradicting, misinforming, undermining, and discouraging Christians. Pauls handling of remote, semipublic communication should guide how we approach social media. How did Paul converse in such circumstances? The apostles method can be boiled down to the three simple rules he outlines in 1 Thessalonians 5:2122 as a response to prophecy: Test everything. Cling to what is good. Reject every kind of evil. Many times, our exchanges on social media are more about gut reactions than careful thought or reflection. They do not foster reflection or thoughtful deliberation. Social media is a realm more conducive to outbursts and slogans than extended discussion. It is a medium designed to provoke its users to scan and click. But Paul presents conversation as a proving ground where ideas should be tested. Through discussion and debate, he proved the gospels truth and exposed the fallacies of those who opposed it. His advice means that testing and disagreement sometimes go together. Disagreement and deliberation have been important features of the churchs conversational life since its inception (Luke 22:24; Acts 15:2; 1 Cor. 6:12). The churchs first internal crisis was sparked when the majority community, made up of believers from a Jewish background, overlooked the Hellenistic widows in the daily distribution of food (Acts 6:17). The solution came in part through deliberation, but not without drama. The problem surfaced as a complaint, and those who were aggrieved demanded the apostles address the need. Likewise, the churchs first major theological crisis, which also grew out of ethnic conflict, was resolved after much discussion (Acts 15:7). One striking feature of the corresponding Greek phrase (polys zetesis) in this verse is the variety of tones it may signify. It can imply debate, disputing, discussion, or argument. In other words, this watershed disagreement was probably resolved only after a lengthy and passionate conversation where differences of opinion were expressed. Article continues below These were serious debates where relationships were stretched; some people (like Peter in Galatians 2:1114) were reproved; and others (like Paul and Barnabus in Acts 15) parted angry. Such drastic measures are seldom justified. Instead of making public arguments the default, we must make a genuine effort to understand each other and to hold on to our relationships. It is clear from interactions on social media that we have not lost the capacity to disagree. Nor are disagreements always destructive. Disagreement can be a catalyst for positive change and even conflict resolution. Unfortunately, debates may also have the opposite effect. Rather than bringing us close together in Christ, they may drive us further apartor off course. I believe we have lost our stomach for the kind of deliberation or disagreement that can preserve and even strengthen our fellowship, the kind that helps us reconsider and improve our course. We post memes. We shout. We grumble. We accuse. We declaim. There is talk enough but no conversation. We no longer know how to discuss with one another so as to test the truth and also keep our friendships. Without an honest attempt to test the truth of someones assertion, we can end up worse than when we started. In their paper on whether discussion brings better results, Cass Sunstein and Reid Hastie write, Agreement from others tends to increase confidence, and for this reason like-minded people, having deliberated with one another, become more sure that they are right and thus more extreme. This ideological amplification is a danger to Christians as well. In his book Think Again, Adam Grant observes that people tend to adopt one of three roles when relating to those with whom they disagree: preacher, prosecutor, or politician. The risk, he writes, is that we become so wrapped up in preaching that were right, prosecuting others who are wrong, and politicking for support that we dont bother to rethink our views. And we can get so wrapped up in the responses of bystanders, when our disagreement is on social media, that our ability to reason degenerates even faster. Grant describes what he calls constructive conflict. Conflict thats about how to best get a job done (as opposed to relationship conflict, trying to change someone elses personality and preferences) can be constructive when it brings diversity of thought, preventing us from being caught in overconfidence cycles, Grant explains. In order for a conversation to flourish, there must be a willingness to tolerate others expression of ideas with which you strongly disagree. This kind of communication requires many factors, including the discipline of patience and a mutual spirit of goodwill. Stephen Miller observes in his book Conversation: A History of a Declining Art that wit and patience are essential ingredients of a successful conversation. One cannot be a good conversationalist if one lacks a sense of humor, he explains. Equally important is being a good listener. Not all debates are healthy. Some are damaging not only because of their subject matter but also because of what motivates them. Paul warned Timothy not to have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels (2 Tim. 2:23). Article continues below Many of our online debates are foolish and stupid. Their aim is not to persuade or facilitate understanding so much as to provoketo strain a relationship or hurt someone else. When someones post begins, I dont know who needs to hear this Im sorry, but or I dont know the details, but you can expect the ensuing post to not be worthwhile. Grant says that when we fight about someones personality or the way they do things (relationship conflict), it limits our ability to discern and change our position. When a clash gets personal and emotional, we become self-righteous preachers of our own views, spiteful prosecutors of the other side, or single-minded politicians who dismiss opinions that dont come from our side. Paul indicates we need to watch our tone. Certainly, there is a place for passion and even anger. But the way we speak the truth is important. The Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful, Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:24. In his book Numb, Charles Chaffin describes social media as a high-powered outrage machine. Moral outrage has a place. Paul expressed outrage, sometimes using language that might seem immoderate (Acts 23:3; Gal. 1:6; 5:12). Jesus showed anger at the hardheartedness of the religious leaders in the synagogue when he healed a man with a shriveled hand (Mark 3:5). Theologian B. B. Warfield explains in The Emotional Life of our Lord, Precisely what is ascribed to Jesus, then, in this passage is that indignation at wrong, perceived as such, wishing and intending punishment to the wrong-doer, which forms the core of what we call vindicatory justice. This raises an important question, especially for Christian conversation: To what degree should we entertain ideas that we find untrue or offensive? Is it even possible to have an honest conversation with someone when you know beforehand that you will never be able to accept their ideas? Outrage is not justified simply because we feel it. Just as there are limits to the degree to which I am willing to extend hospitality to others, I am also limited in the degree to which I can entertain some ideas. The fact that I invite someone into my house does not mean I want them to live there. The respect I grant to another in conversation does not mean I find their assertions believable. We are warned against aiding and abetting those whose teaching denies fundamental truths of the Christian faith (2 John 1:1011). There may be occasions where it is in my best interestand even in theirsnot to entertain such ideas at all (Rom. 16:17; 2 Tim. 3:5). Scripture warns believers to avoid godless chatter, foolish controversies, and false teachers (2 Tim. 2:16; Titus 3:9). The context in which the conversation occurs makes a difference. Within the church, we are to set boundaries against contradicting the essential truths of the Christian faith in conversation. One implication for social media is that we should be more guarded in to what and to whom we give our attention. We cannot control whose voices can be heard on social media and probably should not. Outside the church, they are welcome to make their case in the realm of public discourse. This freedom is essential to the peace of a society where diverse and mutually exclusive worldviews coexist. But it does not mean we have to grant them a forum to spread their views within the church. We exercise control over whose words we will attend to and how much attention we will give them. Article continues below Regardless, any outrage we feel must be tempered by discernment, grace, and love, or we will become trolls. Outrage is not justified simply because we feel it. We do not always have all the facts. Our perception may be skewed or even incorrect. Sometimes what we perceive to be vindicatory justice is only a sentimentalized counterfeit of justicethe rage of those who enjoy the luxury of being angry from a distance. With godly humility, we could treat disagreements as opportunities to negotiate, with an assumption that both parties share something of value. We might also see them as an education, a chance to learn about and understand another. Even when we know ourselves to be on the correct side of a disagreement and we believe the issue has importance, vitriol doesnt have a place. Paul points out in 2 Timothy 2:2526, Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. It is in hope of people coming to their senses that we gently instruct, rather than attack. Gentleness is to be our default tone. Our predilection for outrage ignores the combined evidence of science and personal experience, which shows that successful disagreement is built on a history of positive interactions. In the case of the Christian, its built on love. Research by John Gottman and Robert Levenson into differences in handling conflict between happy and unhappy couples shows that there is a magic ratio. Those who disagree successfully have five positive interactions for every negative one, even while they are arguing. There is more to exhortation and correction than catching people in their mistakes. Paul counseled those who wanted to help another believer caught in a sin to apply the remedy with gentleness and humility (Gal. 6:1). Although he confronted Peter publicly, apparently behind the scenes they were able to maintain a cordial enough relationship that Peter could refer to him as our dear brother (2 Pet. 3:15). Pauls lettershis remote, semipublic communicationreveal an ability to integrate truth and love. It might be better to say they demonstrate his ability to infuse the truth with love (Eph. 4:15). Image: Illustration by Mark Wang This is more than a matter of tone. The mark of love is not fair speech or even a nice manner but genuine concern for the other and time spent together in happy fellowship. Again, I think of hospitality. Hospitality recognizes the vulnerability and needs of the guest. Most cultures recognize that the burden of hospitality places certain obligations upon the one who grants it. What do we owe our guests? For one thing, we owe it to them to treat them with gentleness and civility, to consider their needs. Within the hospitality of conversation, this does not necessarily mean we must agree. But we have to treat others with respect by acknowledging that the ideas they express are valued by those who share them. If we reject their assertions, we must do so accurately and fairly. One of the weaknesses of online interactions is their depersonalized nature. We comment from a distance without actually seeing how our remarks affect others. Frequently, we are speaking in forums where most of those who read our remarks are unknown to us. This anonymity provides a shield that allows us to be harsher than we might otherwise have been. It gives the illusion that the person who is the subject of our remarks isnt vulnerable. When we are hospitable in conversation, even online, we take responsibility for the safety and well-being of the welcomed guest; when they are out of sight, we imagine them to be humans with human responses. Article continues below Truth, when it has not been infused with love, can be as damaging as false teaching. In A Little Exercise for Young Theologians, Helmut Thielicke tells the story of a student who got into an argument with his landlord over doctrine. The students aim was not to inform or even correct. His goal was merely to win. Instead of shining a light, he wielded the Bible like a weapon, intending to crush the man by the impression of an overpowering erudition to which he could never attain, and thus to reduce him to a feeling of helplessness. Thielicke wrote these words long before the era of the internet. Yet the pattern he depicts is all too familiar: Here truth is employed as a means to personal triumph and at the same time as a means to kill, which is in starkest possible contrast with love. We have many examples of this online. And we may be tempted to feel that its a holy role to play. But launching our digital arguments in one anothers direction from the safety of our ideological corners is not the way that Christians are to approach disagreement. We are to have real conversations. The apostle Paul shows the way: Speak the truth in love. Test everything. Cling to what is good. Reject every kind of evil. John Koessler is a writer, podcaster, and author of 15 books. His latest book, When God Is Silent, will be released by Kirkdale Press in August 2023. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Amid the recent chaos of Israels elections has been one overlooked constant: Arab lawmakers educated in Christian schools. Of the 13 Arab members in the Knesset (MKs), Israels 120-member parliament, five are graduates of church-owned institutions. Four of them are Muslim. Across the Jewish state, 30 Christian schools educate 25,000 students40 percent from Muslim families. This represents 5.5 percent of all Arab students, making the representation of their alumni in the Knesset much higher than in the general population. Arab Christians total 140,000, or about 1.5 percent of Israels 9 million population and 7 percent of Arab Palestinian citizens. Catholic schools predominate, comprising 75 percent of Christian institutions, alongside Greek Orthodox, Anglican, Church of Scotland, Baptist, and independent bodies. Better knownat least in Israelare leading graduates in other sectors of society. Fahed Hakim directs the Nazareth Hospital, Johny Srouji is a senior vice president at Apple, and Salim Joubran served as a justice at the Supreme Court of Israel. As Israel faces on November 1 its fifth election in three years, a handful of Christian school graduates populate the various electoral lists. Previous MKs served in three of the four now-disbanded Joint Lists of Arab political parties (excluding Islamists), and in two of the Jewish leftist groups, Labor and Meretz. In the last four elections, no Israeli politician has been able to form a sustainable government. This deadlock is the result of deep and uncompromising fragmentation in the political scene, strangely caused by a single politician: former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, nicknamed Bibi. Known internationally for his 15 years in office, his right-wing policies, and his eloquent speeches, Bibi has also been indicted on accusations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. According to Israeli law as interpreted by the High Court, a trial of a prime minister does not disqualify them from service, only a conviction. Many believe that if he returns to power, Netanyahu will use his position to manipulate the judiciary to avoid prosecution. Traditionally, the Israeli political scene is divided between right- and left-wing parties on the basis of a possible settlement with the Palestinians, and less according to economic policies. Netanyahus polarizing figure, however, has moved several right-wing parties from his own right-wing coalition into an opposing anti-Bibi camp. The amalgam includes left-wing socialist Zionists, right-wing liberals, and even an Islamic party, that struggled this year to maintain its coalition, collapsed in June, and ushered in another round of voting. Amid such a fragmented scene that adds to the complication of governing a country torn by an ongoing conflict, Christian schools have emphasized tolerance and unity. Emerging during the darkness of illiteracy during 18th- and 19th-century Ottoman rule in Palestine, Christian schools in Israel were founded by Western churches eager for service in the land of the Biblethe Holy Land. Hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the elderly were also among the European- and American-established institutions that became a beacon of hope and enlightenment for the local Christian community. Laying a foundation for modern education, this Christian advantage was maintained over the years. The demographics of minority status, however, dictated a moderate Christian ethos. Emphasis was placed on moral values, and less on sharing the gospel. Muslim students are not obliged in most schools to attend Mass, chapel, or Bible class, with diversity championed as a social ideal. Back in 2015, failure to receive the just allotment of Israeli government supportsimilar to charter schools in the USprompted a 26-day strike by the Christian school system. During this time, which ended with a one-year reprieve, several graduates spoke out in favor of their alma maters. Article continues below These are schools that have brought good for our society, said Ayman Odeh, a Muslim MK, Haifa school graduate, and head of the communist party-affiliated Hadash, which led the Joint List. When we speak about the West we talk mainly about colonialism, but there is a small enlightened aspect, like the Terra Santa school established 300 years ago in Nazareth and Acre. Zuhair Bahlol, a journalist and former MK with the Labor party, argued the case before a special Knesset assembly called to deal with the strike. These schools graduate the salt of the country, said the Muslim graduate of Terra Santas Acre campus, [and] export to the marketplace high-ranking people in their contribution to Israeli society. Similarly, Yousef Jabareen, a Muslim MK with the Hadash party, advocated for Christian schools before the Knesset education committee in September 2015. I will emphasize that we Arab Knesset members most of us are graduates of these schools, said the Nazareth-based St. Joseph Catholic school graduate. Maybe this fact alone says something about the quality of these schools, and [their training in] political, social, cultural, and academic leadership. Jabareen is a law professor at Haifa University. And he is not alone among alumni of Christian schools; the excellence of these schools has helped the Arab Christian community in Israel achieve the highest percentage of university students, according to a 2021 report by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. And of the politicians, Christian school alumni are known to be hard working. Ousama Saadi, a Muslim lawyer and graduate of the Christ Church-affiliated Galilee School in Eilabun, was named the most active MK in parliament by Shakuf, an Israeli organization that monitors the work of MKs. Ranked No. 6 is Aida Touma, a Christian MK with the Hadash party, a graduate of St. Joseph Catholic school in Nazareth. Other Christian school graduates in the Knesset include Sami Abu Shehadeh, head of the Balad Party, and Ghaida Zoubi from Meretz, a Jewish leftist liberal party. Mtanes Shehadeh, a Christian political scientist at the Mada al-Carmel think tank and a former MK and chairman of the Balad party, told CT that the culture of St. Joseph Catholic School in Nazareth had the largest role in forming my political awareness and national identity. And as operational director of Nazareth Baptist School, I can say thatregardless of their specific political views as Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel in the complex situation they live inthe politicians these Christian school have created are enlightened. In general, they hold dear to universal human rights positions in a hostile parliament, seeking a political resolution that will end the occupation of the West Bank as well as proposing laws to remedy inequalities between Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel. Unfortunately, their success has been minimal. Yet today, Christian schools are once again threatened by developments with the state. A reform of the Israeli primary school system in 2008 called New Horizon provided substantially more teaching hours, which naturally was accompanied by a 3040 percent wage increase. Christian schools, however, were not included in this adjustment. Last week, the government approved another major increase in the wages of New Horizon teachers, leaving Christian schools behind again and thus widening the recruitment and retention gap even more. This will jeopardize the quality of Christian schools, as staff will tend to move to the public school system due to the much higher wages. It will also hold Christian schools back in terms of offering enough teaching hours and programs relative to public schools. Article continues below Due to the current political climate and the ongoing conflict, Israeli government officials will not appreciate the political product of these Christian schools when their alumni hold views that are not mainstream. However, officials will surely appreciate the multitude of Christian school graduates who disproportionately fill key positions in the Israeli marketplace. During the pandemic, for example, great appreciation was given to the doctors in Israeli hospitals who were on the frontlines of the struggle against COVID-19. The percentage of Christian doctors is more than double their percentage in the general population. A similar trend occurs in the technology industry, as high numbers of graduates of Christian schools are contributing to the vibrant Israeli tech scene. My hope and prayer is that the Israeli government would appreciate our Christian schools contribution to society and work with them to avoid undermining their unique heritage. And in light of the high academic standards and the values of openness, acceptance, and diversity that the graduates of Christian schools received, their involvement in the Israeli and international marketplace comes smoothly. My school gave us an education in values, with tolerance for all regardless of religion or race, said Ghaida Zoubi, a Muslim MK with Meretz who graduated from St. Joseph Catholic School in Nazareth. Its mission was to give back to your society, on the basis that the community is larger than the individual. Botrus Mansour is operational director of Nazareth Baptist School. Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication. Generation Indoctrination: Inside the roots of the trans movement As the public become increasingly aware of what's happening to children in gender clinics, many are bewildered, asking: How did this happen so quickly? While many social changes have occurred quickly in recent years, given shifts in politics and biomedical ethics, the philosophical roots of gender ideology that the world is experiencing today have a long history that has evolved over time, according to Dr. Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory a professor at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. In the third installment of The Christian Posts investigative podcast series Generation Indoctrination: Inside the Transgender Battle, Favale explained that much of what is now seen within the gender dogma of today can be traced back to the early 20th century. Two revolutions, the conceptual and the contraceptual, have indelibly shaped how people have thought about what it means to be male and female, particularly with the introduction of reproductive technologies such as hormonal birth control. Regarding the conceptual revolution, Favale argues that the seeds of the gender revolution were sown in part by French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, who authored The Second Sex in 1949. When she was writing, she does not even use the term gender because that was a linguistic term, Favale told CP. But she introduces the idea that gender would soon come to name, Favale added, noting that this theme emerges most pointedly in de Beauvoir's famous line, One is not born, but rather, becomes a woman," distinguishing femaleness from womanhood. Second-wave radical feminists many of whom are among the most vocal opponents of transgender ideology and who often approvingly cite de Beauvoir respond by saying that the feminist writer was speaking of female socialization and the cultural and societal expectations imposed on women as a whole. Nowhere in her writing did she outright deny the material reality of biological sex, as trans activists do, feminists maintain. In addition to modern gender ideology, these same feminists strongly push back against other scourges that disproportionately harm women, such as pornography, prostitution and surrogacy, stances that coincide with small-o orthodox Christian ethics. When asked to respond to this contention, Favale concurred but reiterated that these ideas about gender have still evolved from this particular moment in history. Another major figure who is arguably the godfather of the transgender movement is John Money, a psychologist originally from New Zealand who was a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. He made considerable waves in the 1960s with his published papers. Money experimented on human subjects, particularly on Canadian twin boys Brian and David Reimer. Speaking of the experiments on the Reimer twins, Carla, a therapist from Loudoun County, Virginia, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, recounted how Money believed that babies were born gender neutral. He was the one who coined the phrase gender identity and believed that males could be raised as females, irrespective of their biology. In the case of the Reimer twins, one of the boys, David (who was originally named Bruce), endured a botched circumcision and was, at Moneys advice, raised as a girl. David Reimer ultimately learned the truth of what happened to him, but the mental torment of what he had lived through was so overwhelming that he killed himself in 2004. Davids brother, Brian, died of a drug overdose. In Carlas counseling practice, she now sees many young people who are distressed about their sex. The shift was sudden, and she felt unprepared to see the sharp increase. As she researched the problem further, she discovered a troubling trend among youth, not only were they spending inordinate amounts of time on their phones and social media, but they had been inculcated with the language of mental health conditions and therapy. This generation has a rush to label and/or diagnose. And were doing it to kids at younger and younger [ages]. More and more, its becoming the norm that we construe normal feelings and label it as an illness, an abnormality or a disorder, Carla said. People are calling kids as young as 11 pansexual, bi or probably gay before the child themself even knows, she added. Contemporary trans activism relies upon an especially radical notion of selfhood, the idea that the self is sovereign, according to Mary Rice Hasson, an attorney and scholar at The Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. In the United States, she said, society arrived at a critical juncture approximately seven years ago, when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in Obergefell v. Hodges. Once Obergefell came down in 2015, the deal that was struck between the transgender groups and the activists who were very much about queer theory was Alright, we were backing you, now youve got same-sex marriage, its our turn. The T was added to the LGB because, in some respects, they were kept under wraps, Hasson said. And that was one of the complaints of the transgender movement and the activists, that they felt like [they were] not embraced by the larger movement. They wanted to be front and center and have their agenda pushed forward. It was very much a tradeoff, very much a deal. Thus, to many, it seemed it flipped overnight from same-sex marriage fights to promoting trans ideology, but the gender identity activists had been preparing long before the landmark high court decision. Most alarming for Hasson is the way this ideology has infiltrated the public school system. The gender dogma is so pervasive and destructive that in 2018, she co-authored a book with Theresa Farnan urging parents to withdraw their children from public schools, Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child from Public School Before It's Too Late. Also weighing in on the dark philosophical history of gender ideology are doctors Quentin Van Meter and Andre Van Mol, both of whom were featured in episode two of "Generation Indoctrination" to discuss the emerging medical scandal manifesting in transgender clinics and hospitals nationwide. In the fourth episode, CP will talk with lawmakers and public policy experts on the front lines of these issues, addressing what can be done from a legal standpoint. Teacher fired after opposing school's trans affirmation policies cant seek judicial review: judge A High Court judge in the United Kingdom refused permission for a judicial review sought by a primary school teacher fired after voicing safeguarding concerns about her school's affirmation of an 8-year-old trans-identified student. Last Monday, Justice Judith Farbey at Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Center refused the appeal by an East Midlands teacher identified only as Hannah for legal reasons by the Christian Legal Centre, an Evangelical legal organization supporting her case. "This court will not engage with any of the advantages or disadvantages of any education policy," Farbey wrote in her decision, adding that she doesn't believe that the teacher has the standing to bring a judicial review. "The claimant in this case does not teach Child X," Farbey added. "She has in the past had a personal dispute with the school about how she could or should treat Child X but that has been resolved. By bringing these proceedings, she seeks to ventilate what she calls 'substantive safeguarding concerns' about Child X. In doing so, she does not claim to represent Child X. As a matter of law, she cannot represent Child Xs interests because she has not sought the courts permission to do so." Farbey also stated that "[The] public is divided on the issue of transgenderism in schools and there is no consensus on the approach." Hannah filed the request for a judicial review over the refusal of her school's governing body and local authority to address her transgender safeguarding concerns. In September 2021, the school implemented a gender-affirmation policy after a child, who was expected to join Hannah's class, expressed a desire to change her gender. She refused to call the student by a boy's name because it was "against her Christian beliefs," and she believed it would cause the child long-term harm. "Injustice has not been done against me but against all the children in our schools," said Hannah in a statement shared by CLC. "How else am I meant to raise the danger of the trans-affirming policies in our schools which are doing such damage?" The child's parents wanted no other children or parents in the school to know their biological sex. The school policy appeared to allow any child at the school, without medical evidence, to be affirmed in whichever gender they choose, CLC contends. The child was also reportedly supported in the gender transition by Mermaids, a charity that the Department for Education in England stopped recommending as a mental health and wellbeing resource for schools earlier this month. The school told Hannah that she had "no choice" but to affirm "Child X" through gender transition or face the consequences. The teacher was suspended and told she could not share her Christian beliefs in the school or her view, after detailed research, that a trans-affirming approach to gender confusion leads to long-term harm. Hannah was later fired for gross misconduct. She has also been reported to the Teacher Regulation Agency. CLC claims she may never be allowed to work as a teacher again. Farbey also took issue with how long it took for the teacher to file a legal claim. "The claimant took months to start proceedings in court against the school," the ruling states. "She did not even arguably bring proceedings promptly. I would therefore also have refused permission to apply for judicial review against the school on grounds of delay." The teacher plans to appeal the judge's refusal and may also appeal her dismissal by the school next month. According to CLC, if Hannah's repeal is rejected, "a full employment tribunal case will follow." "Teachers are being discouraged from questioning trans affirming policies when evidence shows that the actual result of the approach is to put the welfare of children at serious risk," Hannah said. "More must be done to protect vulnerable children across the country from long-term mental, emotional and irreversible physical damage inflicted upon them by this dangerous ideology." The Times reports that the U.K. Charity Commission is assessing complaints against Mermaids following a report by The Daily Telegraph that the group sends "chest binders" to girls as young as 13 without their parents' knowledge. Binders are often used by girls seeking to flatten their breasts to resemble a boy, and they can potentially cause breathing difficulties, damage healthy breast tissue and lead to cracked ribs. Last month, parents Nigel Rowe, 49, and his wife, Sally, 47, who pulled their children out of a church-run school due to its guidance on trans-identified students, were awarded over $23,900 in legal costs and a commitment from the British government to reform trans-affirming policies in schools. The victory for the parents, who raised concerns after two boys in their sons' classes at the age of 6 were allowed to identify as girls at the Isle of Wight school, came after a five-year legal battle. The parents urged the Church of England to change the guidance for its 4,700 primary schools, allowing students as young as 5 to self-identify as the opposite sex. In an open letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, they raised concerns regarding the implementation of guidance that allows school children to identify as their preferred gender identity. "Basic Christian teaching is that we are all created male or female and that the differences between the sexes are beautiful, designed and complementary, and should be respected in society," the Christian parents wrote. "We were also concerned for the harmful effects on the children who were allowed to socially transition, as well as the effects on all the other children in the school." At issue was a guidance titled "Valuing All God's Children," originally issued in May 2014 but later updated by the CofE in the summer of 2019. The guidance states: "Trans young people may require specific support in order to feel comfortable at school, for example, schools may need to make changes to toilet facilities or a trans young person might require support to change their name or the pronoun by which they are referred to by staff and classmates." Some pastors see Halloween as innocent fun, others view the holiday as demonic' As most Americans plan to celebrate Halloween on Monday night, many Christian parents will try to keep their children from being exposed to occultic ideas like witchcraft, demons and evil spirits. But other Christian families will embrace the time for candy, costumes and fun. Many pastors and churches urge members to avoid the annual observance altogether or suggest alternative activities like harvest festivals. However, others are less bothered by Halloween even though they acknowledge its pagan origin. In a series of interviews, The Christian Post asked pastors with children of their own about how their families approach Halloween. Most of the church leaders interviewed say they do not celebrate Halloween because it originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The celebration was traditionally held halfway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice and is seen as a period when the veil separating the world and the spirit realms is at its thinnest. But some are more open to allowing their children to participate in what they believe has become a watered-down, commercialized version of the holiday. In their perspective, the last day in October has adopted a new meaning over time by becoming more about costumes, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins than a celebration to ward off evil spirits. As polling shows that 78% of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, a recent survey from Lifeway Research of over 1,000 Protestant pastors finds that only 13% say they urge their congregations to avoid celebrating Halloween altogether, up from 8% in a 2016 survey. Seventy-one percent of pastors say they encourage their church members to invite friends or neighbors to church events on or near Halloween, such as a fall festival, trunk-or-treat or judgment house. About a third of pastors (34%) encourage their members to give out tracts to trick-or-treaters. Charles Washington, the pastor of Regeneration Temple in Raleigh, North Carolina, said he doesn't celebrate Halloween with his two children Nathan, 11, and Taylor, 8. My family believes its wrong after we conducted research to better understand the origins, said Washington, whose church belongs to the Church of God in Christ denomination. And as Christians, we are called to be the light of the world. And as we know, this is a day that is for the celebration of evil spirits. Even though Washington grew up in a Christian home, his family did not teach him about the origins of Halloween right away. He recalls celebrating the holiday as a child on one occasion. The following year, his family became aware of the celebrations origins and stopped celebrating. Some people celebrate it based on ignorance and not knowing the origins. Growing up, I didn't know the origins of Halloween. I just thought it was a date that we all dressed up, and I grew up in a Christian home, he said. But as I got older and I got wiser, I researched and I understood. This is not a day that Christians participate in. Over 2,500 years ago, the Celtic festival of Samhain was believed to have taken place at dusk on Oct. 31 annually. Celtic communities in Europe celebrated for about three days, starting on the 31st. They would light bonfires, wear costumes and spend the evening summoning the spirits of the dead. The Celts are believed to have called on the spirits to come and roam throughout the Earth. The costumes are believed to have been worn because they thought the disguises would keep the evil spirits from recognizing them. It's a pagan holiday that honors ancestors going back to the Celtic people who are known as the Celts, Washington said. They would honor this day. Witches would honor this day, honoring the dead. A lot of it was a festival that was created to appease the spirits of the dead. Children 'susceptible' to Satan Washington believes Halloween can never be separated from its origins, and Christian parents who celebrate Halloween in any way with their children are likely to make themselves and their children more susceptible to the negative impact of the devil and his plots, schemes and evil plans carried out through his demons on that night. This day is supposed to be a gateway between the dead and the living. And at this time, it is easier, or it is more possible, for dead spirits to interact with human beings. So with all that being said, according to our Christian belief, to celebrate Halloween is to drink the cup of the devil, Washington asserted, quoting 1 Corinthians 10:21, which warns that it is impossible to partake in the Lords cup and the cup of devils. During Halloween, Washington said, it is believed by witches and warlocks that the veil that separates the demonic realm from the earthly realm is thinner than usual, which can make the ability for those practicing witchcraft to have access to more of the demonic realm. Its important for Christian parents to be aware that Christians are in spiritual warfare all the time, according to Washington. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:12 about how we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness, Washington added. So, at all times, we are wrestling with this. But, if this day is dedicated to that, for witches and warlocks to be even stronger, and to call on those evil spirits, even more, you don't know what could happen. Washington said, anything that a Christian does that is idol worship, that is not godly, you are more susceptible to demonic spirits. The pastor warned that celebrating evil spirits could lead to something tragic. You never know what can happen with this type of celebration, he warned. The Lifeway survey found that African-American pastors (32%) were almost three times more likely than white pastors (11%) to say they encourage their congregations to avoid Halloween celebrations completely. About a quarter of Hispanic pastors (24%) agreed. Non-denominational (22%) and Pentecostal (20%) pastors were over twice as likely than Lutheran (9%), Methodist (7%) and Church of Christ (7%) pastors to say they urge their congregants to avoid Halloween. A candy acquisition John Reichart, one of the pastors at The Experience Vineyard Church in Rockville Centre, New York, believes Halloween can be separated from its origins because its a day that has adapted over time to become mostly innocent. Reichart told CP he recognizes there is a dark side to Halloween dating back to its origins and present day. But he believes it is possible for Christian parents to separate Halloween from demonic activity by teaching their children to avoid the holidays dark side. The pastor has three children in their late 20s and early 30s with whom he once celebrated Halloween. When our children were very young, before they were old enough to think about going out trick-or-treating, we were able to bring them to a church that hosted a harvest party where they could dress up and gather with other Christians for fun activities. They didnt call it a Halloween party, Reichart said. Though waves of immigrants brought many Celtic traditions to America, Reichart said there have been generations of adaptations of Halloween. Over the decades, he says, the holiday has become more of a candy acquisition. I am aware of the Celtic origins and the spirituality and fear aspects that were woven into it. I am familiar with the details there, particularly what the Roman Catholic Church started doing to essentially co-opt some of those harvest time festivals that the Celts were celebrating where they viewed there is a thin barrier between the living and the dead and that people in the community that was dead might appear and need to be appeased, Reichart stated. Reichart said Halloween should be a time for Christians to be keenly aware that the spiritual realm exists in both a heavenly way with the Holy Spirit and a demonic way with Satan and his demons. When his children were younger, Reichart allowed them to dress up and go trick-or-treating. But he prohibited any costumes viewed as gory or overtly gullish or occult and on the demonic side. Its a holiday that goes along with the residuals of some spiritual aspects. There is a layer here that remains created by the commercial costume thats available and through the frightening Hollywood movies that have been created. But at the kid level, they could dress up as crazy funny things where they are trying to look like some celebrity. But not in those gruesome ways. Reichart stated. In that way, we tried to protect our kids and educate them about this topic and the origins a bit. I dont minimize the reality of there being a rich spiritual world with the presence of the Holy Spirit and the presence of demons and Satan. But, I dont believe that going to a Halloween festivity is demonic and that if someone does, they will be unduly influenced by demonic spirits. The death of Christian pacifism In 2015 we foundedProvidence: A Journal of Christianity & American Foreign Policy partly to rebut neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism, which seemed so prevalent. But now that form of Christian pacifism has nearly disappeared. Wed like to claim credit! And we will claim some by having presented historic Christian teaching about just war and about Christian Realism. But larger forces were at work. Those larger forces were partly connected to the retirement of Stanley Hauerwas of Duke University, now age 82, who had made neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism popular and compelling for a subset of Protestant thinkers from the 1980s onward. He popularized the work of John Howard Yoder, the Mennonite thinker who died in 1997 and who wrote the very influential The Politics of Jesus in 1972. That book insisted that Christian nonviolence was the Gospels central message, as Jesus on the Cross was supremely a rejection of all violence. Hauerwas is a brilliant thinker and compelling teacher who won enthusiastic disciples with his rejection of all violence and empire, along with his self-professed contempt for the American project and liberalism. He was an early postliberal. His disciples were mostly young seminarians or graduate students, either young Baby Boomers or Generation X, who wanted some form of Christian orthodoxy without being conservative or evangelical. The Religious Right of the 1980s and 1990s was a useful foil to them as it evinced, in their eyes, that American Christianity was captive to cultural and political idolatry. George W. Bush and the post-9-11 wars bestirred neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism maybe to the apex of its influence. Conservative Christian support for Bush and for the Iraq War fulfilled Christian pacifisms worst fears and elevated it, in the minds of its votaries, to a nearly prophetic status. Opposing American Empire became a defining identity for neo-Anabaptist Christian Pacifism. But their zeal began to dissipate perhaps in the 2010s. Maybe it was mostly a generational shift. The Yoder-Hauerwas message did not resonate with the new generation. Hauerwas was stepping back from his teaching responsibilities and publishing less. And in 2013 renewed attention focused on Yoders vast, decades-long sexual exploitation of students and church members. His seminary employer and the Mennonite Church launched new investigations, exposing Yoders abuse of many scores of women. Some revelations had surfaced before Yoders death, for which he faced church discipline, but later reporting revealed the epic scale of his misconduct. More disturbingly, he privately constructed theological justifications for his abuse, further discrediting his perspective. His friend and chief disciple, Hauerwas, had known about the misconduct, which he did not condone, but which, in the eyes of some, he minimized for the purpose of salvaging Yoders work. In the era of Me Too, extolling or even citing Yoder became problematic for many. Yet no new major neo-Anabaptist thinkers have emerged on the scale of Yoder and Hauerwas. Exponents of their perspective are now mostly middle-aged activists, social media personalities, podcasters, and writers of middle-brow niche books. Its hard to find disciples who are under the age of 40. Oddly, the Trump alliance with the Religious Right did not resurrect neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism, maybe due to the lingering cloud from Yoders shattered reputation. Possibly national polarization also detracted from the appeal. The demographic most inclined to neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism largely abandoned claims to a third way and receded into the generic left. Even the current preoccupation with Christian Nationalism, the perfect foil for Yoderite Hauerwasians, has not provoked revival, which implies the movement is permanently deflated. Another factor deflating neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism is the receding of the American empire. With U.S. troops gone from Afghanistan and Iraq, although still present elsewhere, there is less preoccupation with America as the supposed anti-Gospel new Roman-style imperium. And the effects of this withdrawal have not been positive. The alternative to the American empire turns out to be chaos and greater repression. Finally, there is Russias bellicose attempt to revive its real empire by invading Ukraine, which has made all forms of pacifism more unappealing. Who would dispute Ukraines right to resist aggression and destruction by a tyrant like Putin? The neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifist perspective would insist that Ukrainians simply surrender and be a witness for peace by accepting their plight and perhaps resisting through civil disobedience. Few if any are trying to argue so. Putin and its flunkies, including the Russian Patriarch, embody the merger of the church with violent imperialism that neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism long claimed to oppose. Yet its remaining exponents have been fairly subdued. Their previous ferocity was largely reserved for America alone, not other transgressors. Theres one final factor in the decline of neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism, which is the decline of Dispensationalist Christian Zionism. In the minds of the former, the latter embodied Christian entanglement with empire by sacralizing modern Israel. Neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifism was already pseudo-Marcionite because of its discomfort with ancient biblical Israel, with its God-ordained nation-state, kings, armies, battles, and warrior-heroes. Dispensationalism, by making modern Israel the focus of the End Times, and politically insisting on American support for Israel, was another favorite foil. But Dispensationalism is receding in influence. And Israeli-Arab peace has made the region less of a focus, although the Iranian threat endures. Doubtless, there are other reasons for neo-Anabaptist Christian pacifisms retreat. Our Providence journal played a role amid wider cultural trends. That movements diminishment opens an opportunity for more serious political theology and Christian reflection on statecraft against the utopianisms, idealisms, and dogmatisms of left and right. How can we glean the wisdom of historic Christianity in current statecraft? That task always requires a careful and narrower path, choosing prudence over zealotry. Who will be the laborers? Originally published at Juicy Ecumenism. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil It is one thing to do evil and recognize it as evil. It is another thing to do evil and call it good. As the prophet Isaiah declared more than 2,500 years ago, Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20). This has happened many times over the centuries, and it is happening again in our day. Going back two decades, consider Dr. George Tiller, infamous for his late-term abortion practice but hailed as a hero by the pro-abortion movement. In their eyes, he was performing a compassionate service for hurting families, relieving them of the pain of bringing an unwanted child into the world. There are articles about Tiller with titles like, A Gentle, Compassionate Man: Remembering Dr. George Tiller, and, The Compassion of Dr. Tiller. The latter article states that, George Tiller is frequently described as controversial. But in the tight-knit world of abortion providers and among the women under his care, he was often called a saint. This puts quite a spin on the word saint! The fact that Tiller was inexcusably murdered in 2009 by a pro-life extremist cannot detract from his evil deeds, which included offering his clients package deals for the late-term abortion plus finger printing, baptism, and burial or cremation. Yes, Tiller had baptismal ceremonies performed for the babies whose lives he just ended. (This was not only widely known, but I also saw pictures of these baptisms and burials.) Tragically, as reported on Live Action, A former staff member of a late-term abortion facility [meaning, Dr. Tillers] has admitted there was nothing wrong with over 98% of the babies aborted at her facility. In the words of a passionate pro-life leader, Although he specialized in killing handicapped children, most of his tiny victims were late term, fully-formed, healthy, and viable outside the womb. He performed an average of roughly seven post-viable abortions per week and has admitted on tape to aborting babies a day before the mothers due date. This is the man hailed by some as a saint. Talk about misguided compassion. Talk about calling evil good. A pro-life colleague in Charlotte, North Carolina, told me about an abortion doctor in the city who tithed her earnings to her church. In her mind, she was doing Gods work. The flip side of this is that pro-life leaders who are doing Gods work by standing for the life of the unborn are branded as dangerous lawbreakers. What else are we to make of the FBIs recent arrests of pro-life workers? As reported by The Federalist on October 6, The FBI raided the home of yet another pro-life activist on Wednesday, as the federal agency ramps up its attacks on political opponents of the Biden regime. With guns drawn, agents swarmed and entered Chester (Chet) Gallaghers Tennessee home for his role in a peaceful pro-life event that took place over a year ago outside a Mt. Juliet, Tennessee abortion facility. Talk about turning our justice system upside down. Talk about calling right wrong and wrong right. The same thing is now happening with medical leaders who speak out against the transitioning of children (in other words, against the chemical castration and/or genital mutilation of minors). They are being threatened with prosecution by the office of the Attorney General for allegedly spreading misinformation that could lead to violence. As explained in a letter to A. G. Merrick Garland written by Tennessee A. G. Jonathan Sermetti, and signed by 12 other Attorneys General, We, the undersigned State Attorneys General, write to express our deep concern with the recent letter you received from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and the Childrens Hospital Association asking you to investigate and prosecute people who question the medical establishments current treatment of children struggling with gender dysphoria. You cannot and should not undertake such investigations or prosecutions. So, those raising grave concerns about the terribly misguided practice of transitioning children, which has rightly been branded medical malpractice and a massive human rights violation, could be prosecuted as criminals. As for those advocating such practices and performing them, they are the heroes who should be celebrated. Is this not what Isaiah described? In this same spirit, California governor Gavin Newsom has become the darling of the left as he becomes more and more radical by the day. As Mayor of San Francisco, he rose to national fame by illegally issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples. More recently, he sparked a storm of controversy by quoting the words of Jesus (that we should love our neighbor as ourselves) on billboards posted in pro-life states, inviting pregnant women to come to his state for their abortions. (See here for my response, where I picture a baby asking Gov. Newsom, Am I not your neighbor?) As if this was not enough, Newsom also signed a bill that would make California a sanctuary state for minors seeking sex-change surgery and treatments, even against their parents will. As reported on the Daily Wire, The bill also bans police from arresting or extraditing someone based on another states restrictions for providing gender health services to a child. The law also prohibits California officials from enforcing another states order that a child be removed from parents who allow the child to receive gender health services. Yet even if this is not enough for some. There are now lawmakers who want to have parents criminally prosecuted if they fail to affirm the perceived gender identity of their child (see here and here for examples). So, the caring parents, who want what is best for their child and recognize that medical intervention is not the best course of action for their confused and hurting minor, are the evil ones, to be prosecuted and even jailed by the government. Shall I quote Isaiah again? Ministry delivers 225K Bibles to North Macedonia, where many can't access Scripture in their language A Texas-based Christian ministry that once smuggled Bibles into the Soviet Union delivered the largest donation of children's Bibles to the Eastern European country of North Macedonia, where many children don't have access to Scripture in their own language. Founded in 1961, Eastern European Mission (EEM) prints and distributes free Bibles to Eastern Europe and surrounding nations, delivering them to youth camps, schools, refugee centers and other places in need of the Holy Scripture. The organization began when a small group of missionaries started sneaking Bibles into the Soviet Union and has continued providing access to Scripture in seemingly unreachable places. EEM recently delivered over 225,000 children's Bibles to North Macedonia after the nation's government, having heard about EEM's work, gave the group permission to deliver Bibles in the region. The group's Bibles for Kids fundraising campaign made the donation possible. The government heard that EEM delivered 650,000 bibles to public schools in Croatia last year, with the Bibles carried to the schools via nine semi-trailer trucks. Bart Rybinski, vice president of EEM's European Operations, said the ministry connected with North Macedonia's government due to the organization's previous work with the Bible Society of North Macedonia. EEM contacted the Bible society to obtain the rights to publish their texts, and the group had connections with the government and Orthodox churches in the region. EEM President Bob Burckle told The Christian Post that when the organization began, the team was lucky if they could deliver a few hundred to a couple of thousand Bibles a year. But within the last few years, the group has grown and delivered 1.5 million Bibles in over 20 languages to over 30 countries last year. "God's word is a seed that we've been planting, and we team and come together with a number of different organizations to help us do that," Burckle said in an interview. "We go to major Bible translators like Bible League and then different Bible societies to get their translations. And then they take and they format the books, put them into the printed word, and then we print, publish and distribute." Burckle said most of the group's funding comes from individuals and churches. At least 1,082 churches in the United States currently support the group's mission, he added. In July, EEM delivered the Bibles to North Macedonia's Department of Religious Relations, who then distributed the books to churches and individuals. Both Rybinski and Burckle attended a ceremony in Skopje to celebrate the donation and introduce copies of the books they're giving to schoolchildren. North Macedonia has experienced conflict with many of its neighbors after the fall of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Yugoslavia's collapse resulted in the Republic of Macedonia declaring its independence in 1991. "For many years, there was conflict with the Greek state about the name of their country," Rybinski said. "They had a conflict, too, recently this year with the Serbian Orthodox Church about being recognized as a national Orthodox Church in its own right. From the Bulgarian side, there's disagreements of culture and history." The lack of positive influences, Rybinski said, prompted the country's government and church leaders to see the benefit of kids having a Bible in their own language, as such a thing is not widely available there. "It's more than just the Bible," Rybinski said. "It's the Bible in their national language, and that's very meaningful to them." Burckle said that North Macedonia's leaders asked EEM to deliver another 225,000 bibles in 2023, a request the organization intends to grant. He pointed to a "spirit of unity" that binds people together, noting that everyone can agree that all people deserve access to God's word. The EEM president said his organization wants to ensure everyone has a Bible and hopes people will also engage with the Scripture. "You've got to get [God's word] in your heart; you got to get it totally within your entire body and soul in order to fully appreciate and understand what God has done for us and what our future hope is for how to manage the difficulties of life, which we all have." A 2,100-year-old burial containing an Aphrodite 'priestess' was discovered by Russian archaeologists on the Black Sea Coast. An Aphrodite Priestess' Grave Discovered The discovery of an Aphrodite priestess lying in a 2,100-year-old burial along the Black Sea coast in the northeastern sector. Russian archeologists have dug up a highly detailed silver medallion of Aphrodite, a Greek goddess. It was found lying in the 2,100-year-old grave of a young woman suspected to be a priestess, reported Live Science. On inspection, the artifact has only 10, not 12 or twelve, of the zodiac signs, which indicates religion in this era.By all signs, the archeologist thinks the grave is of a worshipper of the goddess of beauty and love, though it needs more proof. Other artifacts found in the burial are rings, silver earrings, and other items considered valuable in Aphrodite's worship. Nikolay Sudarev, an archaeologist with the Russian Academy of Sciences, who was part of the find, added that the woman with the medallion is a priestess. Instead, the person and the items were more linked to worshipping Aphrodite as a cult, as he proposed, per Research Gate. Warrior Grave Found Near 2,100-Year-Old Burial The burial site of an Aphrodite priestess from 2,100 years ago is just one of several noteworthy major discoveries this summer on the Taman Peninsula, east of the Crimean Peninsula and halfway between the Black Sea Coast and the Sea of Azov. Scientists also discovered the grave of a warrior entombed approximately in the fourth and sixth centuries A.D., roughly 500 years after the earlier grave; beside it was a large iron sword that suggests a Persian influence. Read Also: Justin Trudeau's Wife: 5 Things to Know About Sophie Gregoire Trudeau These discoveries establish the existence of the ancient Greek colony city of Phanagoria and illustrate how the city progressed in later centuries. Based on a statement issued by the Volume Delo Foundation, a non-profit established by Russian billionaire and industrialist Oleg Deripaska, which has endorsed research at the university since 2004. Deripaska was affected by sanctions imposed by the US, which he called unfounded after a court case in 2019. According to Ruben Bunyatyan, a spokesperson for the foundation, the researchers are also doing underwater excavations. The ancient city is about a third flooded. Seaside City on the Black Sea Based on the ancient Greek historian Hecataeus of Miletus, Phanagoria was established in the sixth century B.C when it was sacked around 540 B.C. by refugees from Teos, a Greek city on the shoreline of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) by Cyrus the Great, the Persian king. Sudarev states the cities were inhabited mainly by Greeks between the 6th and 2nd centuries B.C. and that the Greeks had mixed with barbarians over time to form a mixed people. The medallion found should have the embossed head, shoulders, and hands of the goddess he and archaeologist Mikhail Treister described in the following iconic images. Missing two Zodiac signs, Aquarius and Libra, from the other symbols is very odd. Based on the report by Haaretz, an Israeli paper that explained the added zodiac is the Aphrodite Urania in the heavens, but for the earth Aphrodite Pandemos, it stated. It might point to astrology and heavenly bodies that influenced activities on earth during ancient times. It is also the first example of the zodiac in the Greek world, originating in Ptolemaic Egypt. Whether it's an Aphrodite priestess in a 2,100-year-old-burial found on Black Sea Coast in Phanagoria is not sure because of a mixed population in intervening centuries. Related Article: 50,000-Year-Old DNA Belongs To Neanderthal Family Discovered in Siberia @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, longtime pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City, dies at 73 The Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, a prominent African American pastor at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church of New York City, who was known for his social activism, has died from cancer. He was 73. Abyssinian Baptist Church announced Butts' passing on its Facebook page Friday, explaining that the longtime pastor died peacefully earlier this morning. It is with profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved pastor, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, who peacefully transitioned in the early morning of October 28, 2022, the church stated. The Butts Family and entire Abyssinian Baptist Church membership solicit your prayers for us in our bereavement. Cornel West, a noted African American scholar and left-wing political activist, took to Twitter on Friday to offer his condolences, describing Butts as my deep friend of over 40 years. I am deeply saddened by the loss of my very dear brother the great Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts lll, West tweeted. My love and respect for him are forever! God bless his precious wife Patricia and his family! Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a statement in response to the news, calling Butts a man of God, an academic committed to shepherding the next generation of New York leaders, a humanitarian devoted to improving the lives of his fellow man, and also a friend. I will always value his counsel and his friendship to me, as well as my father, over the last 40 years and greatly mourn his passing, Cuomo added. My thoughts are with Mrs. Butts, his family, his congregation, and the many New Yorkers mourning him during this difficult time. Born in 1949 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and the son of a butcher and a welfare department supervisor, Butts graduated from the historic Morehouse College of Atlanta in 1972 and later graduated from Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan and Drew University of Madison, New Jersey. Butts held various ministerial positions at Abyssinian Baptist before becoming their church's pastor in 1989, serving in the position until his death. He became known for pushing for social improvements in New York City. This included his work in the 1980s when he founded the Abyssinian Development Corp. to "rebuild Harlem, brick by brick, block by block," NBC News affiliate WNBC reported Friday. In the early 1990s, the pastor made headlines for drawing attention to what he saw as the harms of rap music, particularly how women were depicted in the lyrics. "In 1993, he famously had a steamroller crush hundreds of rap CDs outside the church," WNBC added. The famous Harlem pastor also served as president of the State University of New York College of Old Westbury on Long Island from 1999-2020, having seen the school expand and gain accreditation under his watch. Other positions he held included president of the Council of Churches of the City of New York, chairman of the Harlem YMCA, the president of Africare NYC and being a member of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. He received several awards for his work, including the United Negro College Funds Shirley Chisholm Community Service Award, the Medal for Distinguished Service from Teachers College of Columbia University, and Man of the Year, courtesy of the Morehouse College Alumni Association. In 2007, the prominent religious website Beliefnet named him among the "most influential black spiritual leaders" in the United States at the time. His political activism and associations sometimes garnered controversy, such as in the 1980s when several members of the New York Philharmonic boycotted a concert at his church because he refused to distance himself from anti-Semitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. For his part, Butts said he had disagreements with Farrakhan on his views of Judaism, but he also found common ground with Farrakhan on social and economic issues. All Im saying to the Jewish community is, dont dictate to me, Butts said at the time, as quoted by the New York Times. I understand your anger. Im not a fool. I dont hate Jewish people. In fact, I quite respect what the Jewish people have done. But please dont make me a boy and tell me what to do. In early 2020, during the Democratic presidential primary season, Butts garnered controversy for throwing his public support to then-candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. At the time, Butts had been one of about 20 black pastors who had met with Bloomberg, with the former mayor apologizing for his past support of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy. We accept your apology at one level, but we want to let you know that well be looking for more concrete expressions of your apology in terms of the African American community, Butts explained after the meeting. Butts is survived by his wife, Patricia Reed Butts, three children, and six grandchildren. Saddleback hopes to stay in SBC amid female pastor controversy, lead pastor says Saddleback Church does not want to leave the Southern Baptist Convention over its support of female pastors, according to recently installed lead Pastor Andy Wood. The prominent California megachurch has received increased attention for its support of female pastors, which goes against the SBCs official stance against the ordination of women. In comments given to the Baptist Press, which serves as the official news service for the SBC, Wood explained that we are committed to stay in fellowship and unified with other SBC churches even when we disagree. Saddleback Church has a strong commitment to the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. We believe this approach is biblical and in alignment with the teachings of the New Testament as well, he said. Wood also told BP that his congregation believes that pastoring and teaching are functions and spiritual gifts to be exercised in the church by both men and women. The function of teaching and pastoring is not necessarily synonymous nor exclusive from the office of overseer, he added. Wood, who replaced pastor and bestselling author Rick Warren as leader of Saddleback, listed his wife Stacie as a teaching pastor on the churchs website. Additionally, earlier this month, Stacie preached a sermon at Saddleback, with her being identified as a Teaching Pastor. Wood told BP that while he did not consider him and his wife to be co-pastors, he did consider her to be one of our teaching pastors. In May 2021, Saddleback drew scrutiny from some within the SBC when the church ordained three women Liz Puffer, Cynthia Petty and Katie Edwards. The ordinations come even though the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the convention's official statement of beliefs, says that the "office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture." Owen Strachan, a theology professor at Grace Bible Theological Seminary, was among the critics, arguing on social media that the ordinations were an example of unbiblical developments at Saddleback. Now is the time to leave and find a sound congregation. Do not delay. There is no spirit of competition in what I write here; what Saddleback is doing grieves me, and I have no doubt grieves many in the congregation, posted Strachan on Facebook last year. Churches that affirm women pastors are opposing the Word of God, and opposing the Word of God means opposing God himself. Some wanted Saddleback, one of the convention's largest congregations, to be disfellowshipped as other churches have been kicked out of the SBC for ordaining women as pastors. The SBC Credentials Committee, which determines if member churches are abiding by the convention's standards, announced at the SBC's Annual Meeting in June that it would delay a decision about whether to disfellowship Saddleback. Committee Chair Linda Cooper said at the annual meeting that they were "not yet prepared to make a recommendation on Saddleback," recognizing there are "differing opinions regarding the intent of the office of pastor as stated in the Baptist Faith & Message 2000." Hundreds of Southern Baptist pastors call for SBC amendment to ban female pastors More than 700 Southern Baptist pastors are calling on the Southern Baptist Convention to prohibit women from serving as a pastor of any kind at SBC-affiliated churches. Pastor Mike Law of Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia, penned an open letter to the SBCs Executive Committee calling on the board to amend the conventions constitution to include verbiage requiring Southern Baptist churches to not affirm, appoint, or employ a woman as a pastor of any kind. Titled A Call To Keep Our Unity, Laws letter warns of what he described as a trend of SBC-affiliated churches hiring women in pastoral roles of various kinds. Personally, I felt the need to offer this amendment because five Southern Baptist churches, roughly within a five-mile radius of my own congregation, are employing women as pastors of various kinds, including women serving as Sr. Pastor, Law wrote. Many others have found that a number of Southern Baptist churches appoint, affirm, or employ women as pastors in their areas, too. While often using modified titles like co-pastor, worship pastor, or youth pastor, these roles, added Law, all trade on the office of pastor. The proposed motion would amend Article III, paragraph 1 of the SBC Constitution on Composition. Law noted the Baptist Faith & Message statement adopted in 2000 already affirms that while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. Prior to that, Law said the Convention through its Resolution On Ordination And The Role Of Women In Ministry already recognizes the Bible excludes women from pastoral leadership and pastoral functions. This matter has long been settled by Southern Baptists, he wrote. Citing a number of passages from Scripture that state only qualified men can hold the office of elder or overseer, terms Law described as synonymous with pastor, including 1 Timothy 3:17 and Titus 1:59, the letter also warns of dire consequences for the Convention if the issue is left unsettled. Abiding women in the pastoral office materially harms the work of the Convention because it cultivates disunity where we have long been united, wrote Law. It contaminates the soil of our Convention with distrust of and disobedience to the Scriptures, particularly 1 Timothy 2:12 and 3:1-7. Devaluing our doctrine will not lead to faithfulness or fruitfulness. Rather, if we learn anything from history, embracing empty doctrines will soon empty our Convention too. Consider the exodus among the liberal and mainline denominations. They abided with women as pastors for a time, then they embraced the practice thereby abandoning sound doctrine and so began their rapid decline. The next SBC Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for February 2023. It's unclear whether the issue will be taken up by the committee. While theres little data on the number of women serving in pastoral roles in Southern Baptist churches, fewer than one-tenth of 1% of SBC-affiliated churches in 2000 had a woman serving as senior pastor, according to a study from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Last year, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, drew scrutiny from many within the SBC when the church ordained three women Liz Puffer, Cynthia Petty and Katie Edwards. Since then, the prominent California megachurch has received increased attention for its support of female pastors. Recently installed lead Pastor Andy Wood, who replaced pastor and bestselling author Rick Warren as leader of Saddleback, listed his wife Stacie as a teaching pastor on the churchs website. Earlier in October, Stacie preached a sermon at Saddleback, with her being identified as a Teaching Pastor. Also earlier this month, trustees at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, unanimously approved a resolution encouraging the seminary's administration to continue theologically training both men and women, "but with men alone reserved for the office and function, and thereby title of pastor." "It is further resolved that this Board encourages The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary administration and faculty to continue its theological training with this stated conviction graduating both men and women for service to the church, but with men alone reserved for the office and function, and thereby title of pastor," the resolution states in part. Shortly after the SBC's Annual Meeting in June, Southern Baptist theologians published a statement clarifying the meaning of the word "pastor" amid controversy stemming from Saddleback Church ordaining female pastors last year. The document, titled, "A Statement Concerning the Baptist Faith & Message and the Word' Pastor,'" was released by a Southern Baptist seminary president, a former seminary president, and the former head of the denomination's public policy arm. The signatories are Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and Dr. Richard Land, who served as the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission from 1988-2013 and is the president emeritus of Southern Evangelical Seminary in North Carolina. The Confession Revision Committee assigned the three men to write a study guide for the new 2000 Baptist Faith & Message Confession. Aiming to bring clarity to a fractious debate within SBC life, the theologians said that when it comes to the word "pastor," Southern Baptists have always understood the term "pastor." In keeping with the spirit of Baptist Faith and Message 2000, "pastor" means "one who fulfills the pastoral office and carries out the pastor's functions." Only 13% of pastors advise Christians to avoid Halloween completely, survey finds The majority of Protestant pastors in the United States do not advise Christians to avoid Halloween entirely, and many instead encouraged churchgoers to use the holiday to build relationships with neighbors and share the Gospel, according to a new poll. A new survey of over 1,000 Protestant pastors in the U.S. released this month by Lifeway Research finds that 71% say they encourage church members to invite friends or neighbors to church events on or near Halloween, such as a fall festival, trunk-or-treat or judgment house. Nearly three in five pastors (58%) say they want church members to build relationships with neighbors who trick-or-treat, and about a third (34%) encourage church members to hand out Gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters. Just over one out of 10 pastors surveyed (13%) say they discourage their church members from participating in Halloween festivities, an increase from 8% of pastors who said the same in a 2016 survey. Across the board, Lifeway finds that pastors are more likely to try to influence congregants' engagement in Halloween in 2022 compared to 2016. According to Lifeway, the largest increase is among pastors who encourage church members to hand out Gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters, up from 26% in 2016. Compared to 2016, higher percentages of pastors also said they encouraged church members to invite friends to church events (67% to 71%) and build relationships with trick-or-treaters (52% to 58%). The Lifeway poll comes as a Numerator survey suggests that 78% of Americans say they will "definitely" or "probably" celebrate Halloween this year. "Few pastors simply ignore the fact that so many Americans participate in Halloween celebrations," Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell said in a statement. "Most pastors focus on the social nature of these celebrations, encouraging their congregations to engage with others outside their church." According to a Lifeway analysis, the increase in pastors trying to influence churchgoers' involvement in Halloween could indicate that churches are recovering from the impact of COVID and trying to utilize the holiday as an opportunity to "reconnect with their members and communities." "Whether it comes from a desire to reconnect with their community after the pandemic prevented much of this or from deepened convictions about the holiday itself, pastors appear more resolute in their convictions around Halloween," McConnell said. The survey also shows that younger pastors ages 18 to 44 and 45 to 54 are more likely to encourage their congregations to engage in Halloween by inviting friends and neighbors to church events or building relationships with neighbors who trick-or-treat. But older pastors 55 to 64 and older are more likely to encourage their churches to hand out Gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters. "The majority of even the smallest churches offer church events this time of year and encourage their members to invite people from the community," McConnell says. "In a society that is increasingly distant and divided, most pastors see opportunities within the interactions that take place around Halloween." Each year during the Halloween season, Christians debate whether they should celebrate, and if they should, then how. Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The celebration was traditionally held halfway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice. It was seen as a period when the veil separating the world and the spirit realms was at its thinnest. Many pastors warn that Christians shouldn't tempt Satanic influences by participating in Halloween. But some pastors contend that the watered-down version of Halloween celebrated today has become more about a "candy acquisition" that can be separated from demonic influences. The Lifeway survey found that non-denominational pastors (22%) and Pentecostal pastors (20%) were over twice as likely than Lutheran (9%), Methodist (7%) and Church of Christ (7%) pastors to say they urge their congregants to avoid Halloween entirely. African American pastors (32%) were almost three times more likely than white pastors (11%) to say they encourage their congregations to avoid Halloween celebrations altogether. Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of Hispanic pastors (24%) said they encourage churchgoers to avoid Halloween celebrations completely. White pastors (73%) were also more likely than African American pastors (56%) to say they encourage members to invite friends or neighbors to church events on or around Halloween. Annual Halloween display at London train station could come to an end after complaint An annual tradition of erecting an array of life-size Halloween decorations and figurines outside a train station in London to raise funds for charity could potentially come to an end after a complaint was made and police were called. For several years, a railway booking officer at Shortlands station for Southeastern train operating company in Bromley, south London, has made Halloween decorations for a display outside a local railroad station. But after receiving complaints that her displays are "un-Christian," the 63-year-old Denise Janes has announced she will not make any more displays in the future. Throughout the years, Janes has fundraised over $450,000 (400,000) for charity as part of her vibrant and elaborate displays, The Daily Mail reports. "I'm the unsung hero for Shortlands, I'm the unsung hero for Bromley, I'm a national customer service champion, everything I do is for the community," Janes said in a statement shared by media outlets. "I help the homeless, I've raised 400,000 for charity, and we're only a small station. I've said I'm standing down because of complaints. I'm not going to do the displays anymore." Janes' decorations differ each year and typically consist of various imaginative Halloween decor. She makes them all by hand and pays the costs out of her pocket. For Halloween this year, one decoration included a fake body being run over by a car driven by a skeleton. Part of the display was taped off and had a police blockade. Janes also requested that local British Transport Police officers have a car parked near the display to enhance the visuals for passersby by making it appear as though the police were investigating the scene. Janes decorated one corner of the booking hall with creepy figurines, including the Grim Reaper overlooking a coffin and a skeleton adorning a Southeastern work uniform. The 2022 display also consisted of decapitated heads, clowns and dolls. This year's displays aimed to raise funds for Demelza Hospice Care for Children in South London. Janes said a local woman had issued multiple complaints over the years about her displays. This year, the woman complained to the Southeastern railway and made a phone call to the police stating that the Halloween displays were offensive to the religious, according to The Telegraph. Janes says she is hurt by the complaints. A spokesperson for Southeastern told The Telegraph the company supports the displays and assured that the "customers and the wider community love them." Janes has been involved in various fundraisers in her community over the years. Halloween festivities and parties have taken place at the station booking hall for local children, where Janes would provide treats with a motorized skeleton that would pop out to grab children as they took the goodies. Janes' spearheaded a Halloween event in 2020 at the station, which incorporated a children's disco, sweets, cakes and a bouncy castle. For the event, she requested that passengers donate to charity. Although a complaint was allegedly lodged with police, a spokesman for the British Transport Police said, "it would be unlikely any complaint would be logged as an offense." Janes said her artwork takes time to create and decorate the station. "I'm very community engaged. I put a car out the front of the station. I put a body underneath. I put a skeleton driving the car. I cordoned it off with police tape, and then we have transport police. So I got them to park their van outside," Janes said. "I put it all out there, and she phoned up, and she called the police on us, and then she called the company." Halloween time isn't the only season that the same local woman has reported Janes' displays. "I did the Grinch at Christmas, and she said that the Grinch wasn't religious," Janes noted. 'Celebrity Evangelist' shares evidence of Gods existence with Halloween Director John Carpenter Pastor Dylan Novak, who goes by the name "Celebrity Evangelist" on social media, said he recently shared evidence of God's existence with horror film creator John Carpenter. Novak, who's a youth pastor at Henard's Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Rogersville, Tennessee, has also devoted his life to sharing the Gospel with celebrities. The minister shared on social media one of his most recent encounters with Carpenter, the director of the horror film Halloween, when he talked to him about Christianity. In 1998, Mr. Carpenter told BigO magazine, Im an atheist, but I have a great fascination with this issue over God and whether there is one or not. I come to (my belief) personally for my own reasons and my own decisions. But I respect anybody who believes anything, I dont have the ultimate answers about anything, Novak shared in a recent Facebook post. Since 2015, the evangelist has thought a lot about celebrities who are questioning faith and prayed that God would allow him to have an opportunity to witness to them about Christ. He realized that a good way to make a connection with famous celebrities would be to talk to them during autograph signings. Novak said he first met Carpenter in 2018 and gave him a Bible and a letter. Just a couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of getting to meet him again, Novak wrote. I brought up the interview from above, which he said was where he still stood spiritually. I told him the reason we came to meet him was to bring facts and evidence about the issue of God so that he had historical and scientific evidence to research. The evangelist gave the famous director Lee Strobel's books, The Case for a Creator, The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith, as resources. Novak also left tracts and a letter with Carpenter. Christian author and former investigative journalist Lee Strobel regularly interviews scholars and experts around the country and worldwide to help his readers trust the validity of the Bible. Novak asked his followers to please be praying that Mr. Carpenter accepts the truth of Jesus before it is eternally too late. The evangelist and his family regularly travel to celebrity signings use the opportunity to witness. According to Novak's website, the first celebrity he shared the Gospel with was Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor. He researched what he believed and "saw that he was agnostic, but would be open to listening if anyone took the time to share with him." I decided to write him a personal letter explaining the Gospel in case I didn't have much time to talk with him, Novak recounted. Long story short, God worked a miracle where I was able to meet James that day. We had a very nice conversation which ended with him telling me that he would treasure that gift and read everything I gave him. Novak's website adds, Sharing the Gospel with Hollywood is a forgotten mission field and a much needed one. Since this ministry began, God has opened the door for me to share the Gospel with over 700 celebrities, and several life changing decisions have been made! Christian leaders denounce attack by Muslim men hurling stones at churchgoers near Bethlehem Christian leaders have condemned an attack on a church near Bethlehem by a group of Muslim men, with calls being made for the Palestinian Authority to take swift action. A group of Muslims attacked an Orthodox church in Beit Sahur, a predominantly Christian neighborhood near Bethlehem, throwing stones and injuring several people. Christian Israeli rights activist and Knesset candidate Shadi khalloul posted a short video of the attack on Twitter, asking, Have you seen in your life a Christian in the Arab world attacking a mosque in Christian towns, and why not? Archbishop Atallah Hanna of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem released a statement denouncing the assault, describing the attack as an unprecedented phenomenon. What happened on Friday night in Beit Sahur distorts the image of our people and harms civil peace and the good relationship that binds us as the sons of the Palestinian people, Hanna stated, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post on Sunday. The church is not a place for settling accounts, fomenting sedition and undermining the unity of our people. What happened in Beit Sahur was horrific. Wadie Abunassar of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, took to his Facebook account to condemn last weeks attack, saying he was sad and angry to watch what happened. I demand the Palestinian Authority not to be tolerant of the aggressors, but to bring them to justice as soon as possible! Pray this morning for the Palestinian people to be free from the tyranny and occupation alike, said Abunassar, who added it was heartwarming to also see the solidarity of the majority of the citys people, with all its religious and family components supporting the church. According to Open Doors USA, a U.S.-based Christian persecution watchdog group, Palestinian Christians often find themselves at odds with both Israeli authorities and the Muslim-majority Palestinian Territories. Palestinian Christians face ethnic persecution from Israelis as a result of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Their ethnicity results in many restrictions from the Israeli side, stated Open Doors. Palestinian society is conservative, and conversion from Islam to Christianity or changing from one church denomination to another is unacceptable or socially undesirable because of the close links between family and religion. Laws in the West Bank generally protect religious freedom, whereas those in Gaza are restrictive. Round 2: Lila Rose debates Ben Crump on 'Dr. Phil Show,' rebukes 'mischaracterization' of pro-lifers Live Action Founder Lila Rose raised concerns about the harms of abortion on women's mental health in part two of a contentious debate over the issue on "The Dr. Phil Show." Rose, a lifelong pro-life advocate, refuted often repeated claims by abortion activists that the movement doesn't help pregnant women, despite the numerous pregnancy centers that offer support to mothers and their families before, during and after birth. Representing the pro-life argument on the show, which aired Wednesday, Rose was joined by Democratic state Sen. Katrina Jackson of Louisiana, vice president of legal affairs for The Right to Life League Susan Swift Arnall, and Democrats for Life Communications Director Jess Meeth. Those arguing in favor of abortion included attorney Ben Crump and National Organization for Women President Christian Nunes. Democrats have focused heavily on abortion ahead of the midterm elections as they try to maintain control in Congress. Whereas Republicans have focused on parental rights in education, the economy and crime. The two-part episode with host Dr. Phil McGraw was broadcast in September and on Oct. 26, two weeks ahead of the midterm elections and just months after the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization last summer. In the court's abortion ruling, the justices also overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Now, each state has the power to decide whether to set limits on abortion, like most nations, or allow abortion up to birth. At one point during last week's episode, a man in the audience said that, as a husband and father, he was opposed to what he deemed as "government-mandated pregnancy." Nunes agreed with his talking points, adding that states nor the federal government have the right to interfere with a persons autonomy, saying thats part of our human rights. Rose agreed that the government should not control a womans body but noted that once she becomes pregnant, an additional human life is involved. Whats the point of rule of law? Whats the point of law in a society? Rose asked. Its to protect the weak, right? The strong can care for themselves, but the weak are vulnerable. They need the support of the law and the law should protect the first human right, of course, which is life. The right to live, to not be killed in a violent abortion. The Live Action founder went on to say that abortion is violence and it traumatizes women, citing data from a 2002 study that suggested women were 150% more likely to attempt suicide in the year after she has an abortion. The study derived its conclusion by examining the records of 173,279 low-income California Medicaid recipients who underwent abortions. McGraw disagreed, claiming that there is no evidence for any post-abortion syndrome, adding that some data suggests women experience higher levels of stress before the abortion instead of after. According to a 2008 American Psychological Association study, which reviewed scientific literature published on abortion 10 years earlier, purports women who abort in the first trimester do not experience a higher risk of mental health problems than women who carry their pregnancy to term. The study also asserts that the state of a womans mental health before the abortion is the strongest predictor of how she will feel afterward. Other studies, however, indicate that having an abortion can increase a womans risk of experiencing mental health problems, including a 2011 quantitative analysis study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. The study found that post-abortive women experience an 81% increased risk of having subsequent mental health issues. Rose informed McGraw that her organization would soon publish a white paper that includes metadata from dozens of studies across the world to analyze the impact abortion has on womens mental health. The pro-life advocate also debated abortion with Crump, the attorney for Nancy Davis, a Louisiana woman whose child was diagnosed with a fetal anomaly. A hospital in her state had purportedly refused to perform an abortion, fearing it would violate Louisianas abortion law. Davis said she had to travel to New York to get an abortion at 16 weeks into her pregnancy. As part of his argument, Crump said he would respect pro-life people more if they focused their advocacy on people after birth instead of advocating for the pre-born. McGraw spoke up in Live Actions defense, saying that the organization is proactive about supporting children after birth and connecting them to resources. The Live Action founder thanked the talk show host, saying that the idea that pro-lifers dont help children after birth is a mischaracterization. The reality is, were out there offering solutions, offering options; financial care for women, job placement, adoption plan options, fostering kids, she said. Working with families, thats the pro-life solution. Seeing the value of the mother and the child, bringing the family together, supporting families; there are thousands of pregnancy centers. In the first episode that aired in September, Rose debated McGraw over when life begins. McGraw claimed that there is a lack of consensus within the scientific community about when life begins in response to Roses claim that 95% of scientists agree it starts at conception. The talk show host noted that some neuroscientists think it starts once brain waves become detectable. "But Dr. Phil, in an abortion, if it's not a human life, why do you have to kill it?" Rose asked. The pro-life leader also listened to Davis story of having an abortion due to her babys adverse diagnosis. As a mother who lost a child to a miscarriage, Rose sympathized, agreeing that news of their babys death is one of the worst things for a mother to hear. "Those were some of the darkest days of my life, and they were dark days because it was our child," she said. "We knew this was a baby, and I think that's the fundamental point here is that we're talking about a baby. We're talking about a human life. And the pro-life position is that all humans have human rights, and the first right is life to not be killed." The Live Action Founder said that in Davis case, the doctors should have offered her hospice or palliative care so that her child could die naturally "instead of at the abortionist's tools." Republicans seeking to block Pentagon from funding abortion travel via defense bill Republican lawmakers are drafting an amendment to a Department of Defense spending bill to block the Pentagon's new policy of funding abortion travel for its employees who must travel out of state to receive an abortion. On Oct. 20, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sent a memorandum to senior Pentagon leadership, announcing that the department will reimburse the travel expenses of service members traveling out-of-state to obtain an abortion. Austin claimed the new policy is necessary following the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, finding that the U.S. Constitution doesn't contain a right to abortion. After the court's ruling, which struck down the 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade, several states banned or severely restricted abortion. The memorandum received pushback from Republican lawmakers, with at least one drafting an amendment to the 2023 defense spending package to block the department's abortion travel policy. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, said in an Oct. 24 tweet that he couldn't believe the department is considering using tax dollars to "improperly" fund abortion travel. I cannot believe the DoD is even considering improperly using taxpayer $$ to fund abortion travel. Ive drafted an NDAA amendment to put a stop to this. With all of the challenges we face globally, DoD needs to make our national security their top priority. Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) October 24, 2022 "I've drafted a [National Defense Authorization Act] amendment to put a stop to this," Marshall, an OB-GYN, added. "With all of the challenges we face globally, DoD needs to make our national security their top priority. Sen. [Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer must allow for a robust amendment process when the Senate returns so we can vote to block this outrageous memorandum." Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., the ranking member of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, also insists that the new Department of Defense policy "must be blocked." "I am deeply disappointed that the Department of Defense has allowed President [Joe] Biden to blatantly misuse the United States military for political purposes," Rogers said in a statement. "Yesterday's memo from DoD, released nearly two weeks before the election, is a desperate campaign tactic that undermines the core mission of our military." Rogers demands "answers from the Department of Defense on how this memo came to be." "[T]axpayer dollars meant for deterring China and other adversaries should not be squandered on campaign politics," Rogers said. "DoD must be blocked from wasting any portion of their budget on this horrendous policy." While Rogers didn't explicitly identify the National Defense Authorization Act as the vehicle of choice to torpedo the new abortion travel policy, Marshall's tweet suggests Republicans concerned about the use of tax dollars to pay for abortion travel see an amendment to the spending package as the most effective way to do so. The nearly 3,900-page bill, which "[authorizes] appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy," has already been approved by the House in a bipartisan vote. However, the measure must still secure the approval of the evenly divided U.S. Senate before becoming law. The amendment to block the Department of Defense abortion policy hasn't been introduced. However, Politico reports that Republicans could push for a vote when lawmakers return following the Nov. 8 midterm elections. The NDAA passed the House on July 28, nearly three months before the Pentagon unveiled its abortion travel policy. Should the bill pass the Senate with or without Marshall's suggested amendment, the two chambers must reconcile the differences between their respective bills before the package can go to the president's desk for final approval. The Senate currently has 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote in favor of the Democrats. An amendment blocking the use of tax dollars to pay for abortion travel would require the support of all Senate Republicans and at least one Senate Democrat to become part of the bill. The Democrats maintain a narrow majority in the House, meaning that at least a small number of Democrats would have to support the NDAA if the Senate version includes an amendment blocking the Defense Department's abortion travel policy. Biden, who has made abortion access an issue of focus during his presidency, may elect not to sign the bill if it includes the amendment when it reaches his desk. The U.S. Congress will convene for a "lame duck" session following the midterms, with debate about the NDAA expected to occur at this time. A continuing resolution that funds the government at existing levels is set to expire on Dec. 16. Should Congress fail to reach an agreement regarding the NDAA or if Biden refuses to sign it, a partial government shutdown may commence unless Congress decides to pass another short-term continuing resolution funding the government at existing levels to avert a government shutdown. The department implemented the abortion travel policy less than three weeks before the midterm elections will determine which party controls Congress for the next two years. The FiveThirtyEight Deluxe Model, which predicts the outcome of elections based on "polls, fundraising, past voting patterns" and the opinions of political experts, gives Republicans an 81% chance of taking control of the House while giving Democrats a 51% chance of keeping control of the Senate. Republican majorities in one or both houses of Congress could give opponents of the abortion travel policy more leverage to block it in the form of amendments to a future version of the NDAA or other legislative initiatives. However, Biden would still have the final say on what legislation becomes law in a Republican-controlled Congress. Disagreements between pro-life lawmakers and the pro-abortion administration on the abortion travel policy and other abortion-related issues look likely to persist for the foreseeable future. WV Eases Birth Certificate Gender Switching, Saddleback Wants To Remain In SBC, Iranian UFC Fighter Shares Christ link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 07:06 07:06 West Virginia has agreed to amend its policies to allow trans-identified individuals to more easily change the gender marker on their birth certificates. Saddleback Church does not want to leave the Southern Baptist Convention over their recent support of female pastors, according to recently installed lead pastor Andy Wood. Years after resigning as leader of the now defunct Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, because God told him a trap has been set for him, Mark Driscoll, who now serves as founding senior pastor of Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, claimed on Sunday that Mars Hill leaders had planned to accuse him of adultery. Iranian UFC fighter Beneil Dariush took a moment during his recent victory speech to share the hope he has in Christ with the people of his country amid weeks of social unrest following the death of Mahsa Amini. The latest news from Canberra is a deal to improve the defense systems of Hobart-class destroyers of the Royal Navy along with its Seahawk helicopters in another deal. As revealed by sources, the cost of the destroyer upgrade is $155 million with BAE Systems. BAE Systems' Contract with Australia A six-year deal that the aerospace firm needs to accomplish a 'sovereign sustainment capability for the HMAS Hobart, Brisbane, and the Sydney, reported the Defense Post. All the guided missile destroyers will get major upgrades in their combat management system for a better defense for air or sea. Managing director Craig Lockhart added that the established team comprehensively understands the Hobart-Class Destroyer. It will bring a proven organization and collaborative strategy that concentrates on reliable expected delivery and ingenious solutions for maintaining the class alive in the future. This same improvement agreement will be essential to ensure ongoing trustworthiness and remain fit for purpose. Hobart-Class Destroyers Planned Upgrade These Royal Australian Navy guided missile destroyers offer air defense with an associated helicopter for monitoring and reaction to reinforce favorable warfare locations. Navantia destroyers are outfitted with long-range ship killer missiles and a naval gun capable of bombarding targets to assist land forces. These Royal Navy, Hobart-class destroyers have up-to-date sonar and co-sonar and communications systems, decoys, surface-launched torpedoes, and an array of effective close-in defensive weapons. Included are enhanced undersea and task group command capabilities. Read Also: Xi Jinping Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is China's President Plan Galileo The destroyers are the initial major in-service resources with a capability life cycle manager. It's a stage of the Future Maritime Sustainment Model, which Canberra puts under Plan Galileo. Plan Galileo employs a whole-of-life operations and maintenance strategy for naval ships, from design to decommissioning. The administration is preparing to unveil the plan's Horizon 3 - Sustainment 25 to three stated goals. It includes augmented and developed assistance to the navy, operations and maintenance efficiency, and sovereign sustainment capacity. Seahawk Helicopters Upgrades Royal Australian Navy has requested upgrading 12 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from Lockheed Martin's sister company Sikorsky, mentioned Naval Technology. The firm needs to give details about the modifications to Canberra's maritime choppers. This augmentation, nevertheless, is expected to boost the aircraft's ability to conduct anti-submarine warfare, which is its prime objective. Sikorsky Vice President Hamid Salim stated that the Romeo variant provides navies worldwide, with self-assurance due to its high operational availability throughout challenging seagoing environments, mentioned Breaking Defense. The tender will be finished in New York, and the first upgraded aircraft are anticipated to arrive in 2025. MH-60R Variant It is a specialized multi-mission naval helicopter optimized for anti-sub warfare, anti-surface, search and rescue, maritime gunfire support, and reconnaissance operations. Seahawk is considered the best maritime helo. It has an advanced combat system, Hellfire AGM, and Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedoes as armament. It is equipped with a Raytheon detection and tracking system, with FLIR and laser rangefinder, and includes a sonobuoy launcher and dipping radar for enemy subs. Australian Royal Navy plans to keep and upgrade its Hobart-class destroyers and Seahawk helicopters as components in its maritime strategy. Related Article: Chinese Navy Constructs Five More Destroyers To Become the Most Formidable Armada Surpassing US Navy @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Focus on 'Christian nationalism' is 'smokescreen,' real threat is 'neo-Marxism,' Christian scholars say As media attention on "Christian nationalism" looms large in American politics heading into the 2022 midterms, Christian scholars this week debated the definition of the term and whether the increased media focus is an attempt to intimidate Christians from sharing their values in the public square. The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University held a debate Thursday titled "Is Christian Nationalism a Threat to America?" Luige DelPuerto, the editor of Colorado Politics in The Denver Gazette, moderated a discussion between Centennial Institute Director Jeff Hunt, whose organization hosts a prominent annual conservative summit, and Scott Wasserman, the president of the left-leaning think tank Bell Policy Center. The debate comes as a new Pew Research poll released this week finds that 45% of Americans think the United States should be a "Christian nation," compared to 51% who don't believe the U.S. should be a "Christian nation." While Americans may be divided on whether America should be a Christian nation, they hold differing opinions about what that phrase means. While nearly a third of respondents (31%) stated that they don't know what Christian nationalism means, 34% of respondents and 48% of those who think the U.S. should be a Christian nation said Christian nationalism means the country is "guided by Christian beliefs/values." Nearly a third of respondents who don't think the U.S. should be a Christain nation believe the term means the country is run by "Christian-based laws/governance," and 21% said Christian nationalism is defined by negative attributes like "bigotry, authoritarianism, white supremacy." "I've got a lot of questions about what Christian nationalism is," Wasserman, who identifies as Jewish, said. "Over the past year or so, we have seen the emergence of politicians notably Marjorie Taylor Greene as well as Congresswoman Lauren Boebert speak very overtly about this concept of Christian nationalism. ... It seems to me there has been an emergence of Christain nationalism in this country." "It seems to me that for a long time, its advocates have not wanted to talk about it in the public realm. But I think that we are at a point in our country where we need to have a candid conversation about it," he added. "We can't have a democracy if we can't intellectually trade our thoughts and be honest about what we really believe." What is Christian nationalism? Hunt offered his take on the definition of Christian nationalism through the "lens" of the media, saying there isn't a "good definition" because different news outlets have different definitions. He criticized a recent Denver Post article that he said tried to define the term by providing a "collaboration of scary mischaracterization of conservative policies" and put an "umbrella over it and called it Christian nationalism." The article addressed remarks from Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., suggesting that the United States has a divine role in the world and calling on the nation to "glorify God." The article also featured commentary from several religious, political and social experts who disagreed with the freshman congresswoman's statement to The Denver Post, assuring that she was not a Christian nationalist. Citing the Sept. 14 article titled "Lauren Boebert is part of a dangerous religious movement that threatens democracy," Hunt noted that the publication stated that Boebert has pursued a "pattern of pushing for a religious takeover of America, spreading falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election and warning of an impending judgment day," which the article cites "political and social experts" to say "amounts to Christian nationalism." "At their core, Christian nationalists believe that America holds a unique and divinely ordained purpose," the article stated. "Christian nationalists also hold a strong sense of moral traditionalism, express comfort with authoritarian control and embrace strong ethno-racial boundaries." Hunt also stated that the article claims Christian nationalism is "infiltrating virtually every level of American government and its judiciary" and a "dog whistle for violence." "Then they say, this is not compatible with democracy, and they top it all off at the end of the article by connecting it with Vladimir Putin," Hunt said. "This is like if you were creating a scary movie right around the holiday season. ... It was just kind of crazy and outlandish." Hunt also criticized the book Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States by University of Oklahoma Professor Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. "Here is their definition: 'It's a fusion of Christianity with American civic life that includes assumptions of nativism, white supremacy, patriarchy and heteronormativity, along with the divine sanction of authoritarian control and militarism,'" Hunt recited. "So they basically create this big scary boogie man, slapped Christian nationalism on it, and then, in the case of the Denver Post, basically say every conservative out there is a Christian nationalist," Hunt said. "Seriously, they say that Ron DeSantis, Rick Scott, Kari Lake, all of them are Christian nationalists. It is just so over the top, and they try to attach it to every conservative out there that holds historically conservative positions that it's just kind of obscene." Hunt simply defined a Christian nationalist as one who wants a "Christian nation-state" or a Christian theocracy. "You have religious states all over the world. You have Islamic nation-states, you have Jewish nation-states, and you have Christian nation-states. England is a Christian nation-state. The queen was the head of the Church of England. So there are different levels of connection. A Christian nationalist, properly defined from my perspective, is someone that wants America to be a Christian nation-state." "I don't think anyone's explicitly calling for America to be a Christian nation-state," he continued. "I think what Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert are often responding to is this kind of characterization that if you hold conservative values, you are somehow a Christian nationalist. That is not the case." Hunt outlined some characteristics of a "Christian nation-state" as the "declaration of an official church" in the U.S. and the "repeal of Article VI protections" that ban religious tests for public office holders. He said there lack of appetite for making either of those major changes at this time. Wasserman defended The Denver Post, saying the outlet was just reacting to comments that political leaders in our country are now saying very overtly. "I really can't get over Congresswoman Boebert's statement that the Church is supposed to direct the government," Wasserman said. He read aloud from a document called National Conservatism: A Statement of Principles, a document drafted by thought leaders like Rod Dreher, Peter Thiel, Yoram Hazony and others. Wasserman said that it is becoming apparent that there is a "body of thought coming together" and found a section on religion to be "of interest." The document declares: "Where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private." "At the same time, Jews and other religious minorities are to be protected in the observance of their own traditions in the free governance of their communal institutions, and in all matters pertaining to the rearing and education of their children," the document added. "Adult individuals should be protected from religious and ideological coercion in their private lives and in their homes." Wasserman asked Hunt if he believes in the statement, "where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision." "Christians have been debating how the Church interacts with the state for a long time. I am going back to kind of Calvinist traditions. ... A lot of this language seems scary if you haven't been educated in the role that the Church has debated over these for a long time," Hunt responded. "We have had a history of people getting in control, one particular denomination and persecuting others. You can say America was founded because they wanted to get away from it." 'A reaction to neo-Marxism' Hunt believes that the actions that critics deride as Christian nationalism are "a reaction to neo-Marxism, which is seeking to remove any perspective of Christianity from the public square so that they can have total control of the policies that are being made." Hunt said Boebert's remarks also proclaimed that "the government should not control the Church." Reiterating his belief that there is no push to create a Christian nation-state, Hunt insisted that "what they're arguing for is the right and the ability to express their Christian principles in the public square in an effort to convince the systems that are set up, that already exist, to reflect their values." Wasserman rejected Hunt's analysis, labeling what Hunt identified as "neo-Marxism" as "separatist secularism" and an "evolution of thought" informed by "an awakening in this country to the legacy of racism" that amounts to "a critique of what the dominant culture has been." Wasserman said that even though he is Jewish, he believes religion is a "horrible formula for political governance." "I am also a historian. If I look back at the last few centuries, I see a lot of bloodshed, and I see a lot of bloodshed around ecumenical questions that I believe have no role in governance," he said. "I think this is a bedrock value in America and has taken different forms." "We have to be honest, too, as people who are secularly inclined in this nation that you can drive a Mack truck between the Establishment Clause and the Free Expression clause," Wasserman continued. "But nevertheless, this country has never had religion in the driver's seat. If we are turning the page and if there is indeed a Christian nationalist movement in this country, I would like to learn about it and understand what impact it is going to have on my family, my community, and my many friends and neighbors who do not identify as Christians." Hunt elaborated on his concerns about "neo-Marxism," identifying the prosecution of Christian baker Jack Phillips for refusing to bake a same-sex wedding cake and the hostility Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett faced over her religious views in what he called a "new secularism religious test" that public office holders find themselves subject to. He maintained that "neo-Marxism" is "placing people in categories" that are "competing against each other" in the form of "oppressors" and "the oppressed." "We put people in categories based upon their race. We put people in categories based upon their gender. We put people in categories based upon their sexualities. We put people in categories based upon their economics," Hunt said. "And now we've created a system where all these groups are fighting against each other, and if you are a white male Evangelical, you are part of the most oppressive category, and therefore, you must be shut down in every capacity that you can." Hunt attributed Boebert's comments as a reaction to the "pushout of religion from the public square because [of the view that] it is an oppressive regime that needs to be silenced." "There is not a threat of Christian nationalism in this country," Hunt concluded. "There is not an effort, either by the elected officials or major conservatives, to try to explicitly align this country through law with Christianity, to prevent other people of faith from being able to hold office." 1 2 Next Woman 'outraged' over use of her image in abortion ad promoted by Hillary Clinton, Gavin Newsom A third-generation pro-life activist said she's "outraged" that her image is being used to promote abortion in an ad shared by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Hillary Clinton. The ad, shared by Newsom and Clinton earlier this month, promotes Californias Proposition 1. The ballot measure would enshrine abortion into Californias constitution, if a majority of voters approve, following the U.S. Supreme Courts June 24 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which also overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The court's decision returned the power to decide laws pertaining to abortion back to the states. Macy Petty, the pro-life activist seen in the Prop 1 ad, publicly shared her reaction to seeing it in an Oct. 20 post on Twitter, writing: Hey Hillary, Im the girl crying in this video. I am pro-life and those are HAPPY tears because I just witnessed a MIRACLE! Hey Hillary, Im the girl crying in this video. I am pro-life and those are HAPPY tears because I just witnessed a MIRACLE! @HillaryClinton@GavinNewsom#prolifehttps://t.co/rlnEhdB6yg Macy Petty (@macypetty0416) October 20, 2022 The video shows scenes from the nation's capital and across the U.S. after the courts decision. Four seconds into the ad, which has already been viewed on Twitter nearly 170,000 times, shows Petty kneeling on the ground, sobbing outside the Supreme Court building with the word "SAD" imposed above her. The ad wrongly presumes that Petty was crying uncontrollably because the court had overturned Roe. In reality, she was overcome with joy at the court's decision. In an interview with The Christian Post, Petty explained that she first saw the video last week, and it reminded her of the gratitude she felt toward the Lord for bringing about the decision. Im part of a generation of pro-life activists, she said. My mom worked at a pregnancy center, and my grandma started one. So its in my blood. And I was just so grateful to be there to witness it because there are so many people who were in the fight before me who didnt get to witness it. The pro-life activist said she was outraged when she saw her image and how the emotions she felt that day were being twisted and misused in an attempt to convince people to vote for abortion. Petty also responded by writing a letter to Newsom, Clinton and the Prop 1 campaign, requesting they remove her from the video and apologize. She believes the campaign received the letter because her image has been removed from its most recent ad. However, the original video that featured her and was shared by the former secretary of state and Newsom is still available and being shared on social media. The pro-life activist said she has yet to receive an apology. In a follow-up tweet also shared on Oct. 20, the pro-life activist insisted that in the full video of her, before it was edited for the pro-abortion ad, she was clearly crying tears of joy over Roes reversal. Petty added that she was also standing with friends and holding a sign made by the pro-life group, Students for Life. She maintained that Newsom, Clinton and the creators of the Prop 1 campaign video portrayed her in an evil light and distorted [her] emotions as part of [their] political game. You selected the portion in which I fell to my knees in tears. At this moment, I witnessed a miracle, the pro-life activist added. I was overwhelmed. As I continued to witness history, I pondered how lucky I was to witness such an event. I thanked the Lord for this decision and for opening my eyes to the evil of abortion. This is what brought me to tears. Petty accused those responsible for the video of disrespecting her as a woman and an engaged member of society. She added that even though it was clear that she was pro-life, the people behind the campaign video edited the clip of her to make it appear as if she supported abortion. Could you not find an early 20 year old who was truly sad about the Dobbs decision? Petty asked. You must manipulate the film of an obvious opponent of your campaign? Perhaps this is the indicator that America is truly pro-life. The pro-life activist demanded that the people responsible for the ad remove the clip of her from all campaign videos and promotional materials and apologize for using her image against her wishes. In an interview with the pro-life California Family Council, Petty repeated her claims that the people behind the Prop 1 campaign were manipulating her emotions to advocate for the killing of children. Im pro-life. Yet theyre using my face to say, Look, 20-year-old girls have their rights stripped away and are so upset about it! Petty said. No. Dont include me in your we. Dont say that we are mad or we are sad and we want you to vote for this. We dont. Dont include me in that. The video promoting Prop 1 notes that many states have outlawed or banned abortion, urging Californians to vote this November to protect the right to reproductive freedom for generations. The video contends that Prop 1 protects personal medical decisions, including abortion and contraceptives in addition to preventing interference from politicians. No matter where a person lives or how much money they have, women not politicians should be able to make decisions about their own lives, Clinton wrote in a tweet sharing the video. That includes abortion care and miscarriage management. Clinton stressed that Californians should vote YES on Prop 1, claiming that their vote would protect fundamental rights. In a similar tweet, Newsom called on Californians to send a clear message to the entire nation by voting in favor of Prop 1 in November. California -- let's send a clear message to the entire nation this November. Vote YES on Prop 1. https://t.co/eOGWfa1ops Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 18, 2022 Public opinion polling indicates that a majority of California voters are likely to approve Prop 1. A poll of 1,216 likely California voters conducted by Rasmussen Reports on Oct. 12 showed 59% of Californians planned to vote in favor of the proposed constitutional amendment, while 33% planned to vote against it. A survey of 1,060 likely California voters conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California from Sept. 2-11 found that 69% of respondents supported Prop 1, while 25% opposed it. Last month, the state passed over a dozen bills dubbed historic by the corporate press as California furthered its efforts to become a reproductive freedom state. One bill in particular, AB 2223, removes the requirement for a state coroner to investigate deaths related to self-induced or criminal abortions. It also prevents charges or civil actions from being brought against those involved in the abortion based on statements made by the coroner in the fetal death certificate. Mary Rose Short, director of outreach for the pro-life advocacy group California Right to Life, told CP in a previous interview that the bill erases the idea of an illegal abortion. In September, California launched a $1 million website through a $200 million budget package intended to increase abortion access in the state. The website informs residents and non-residents about abortion facility locations and where to obtain abortion pills. It also informs underage girls that California law allows them to independently consent to their own abortion care without their parents' consent. The states website also informs illegal immigrants seeking an abortion that they can obtain Medicaid coverage for an abortion. Evangelists attacked with knives in Uganda after leading Muslims to Christ NAIROBI, Kenya Two evangelists in eastern Uganda were beaten and slashed with knives after leading several Muslims to Christ, sources said. Earlier this month Robert Okia, a 43-year-old father of six children, and Wilberforce Mutenga, a father of two, shared the gospel in predominantly Muslim Busakira village, in eastern Uganda, where eight Muslims put their faith in Christ, Mutenga said. They then continued their outreach in Ikule village, Mayuge District, where they were attacked on Oct. 7, he said. We were beaten because of taking the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the purely Muslim community of Ikule village, Mutenga, 38, told Morning Star News. We didnt know that Muslims in this place had heard about our successful mission in Busakira village. After visiting two homes in Ikule, at the second house Muslims surrounded them and began asking questions about Islam that they could not answer, he said. One shouted the Islamic slogan of Allah Akbar [God is greater] three times, and everyone began to get hold of sticks and started beating us badly, he said. Mutenga sustained a knife wound on his head and bruises on his legs, dislocating his right knee when one of the assailants knocked him down, an area source said. At this writing, he was receiving treatment at a private clinic in Kampala. Okia sustained a knife wound on his knee, rib and hand injuries, swelling on his mouth and face and body pain throughout, the source said. Okia was referred to a hospital in Jinja for more specialized treatment. After beating us, they carried and threw us near the swamp that separates Busakira and Kigandaalo, where a herdsman saw both of us bleeding and screaming for help, Mutenga told Morning Star News. The man rushed and called local authorities, who took us to a nearby clinic for treatment. The two were able to identify some of the attackers and reported the assault to local authorities; they plan to file a police report when they leave hospital treatment, he said. We need your prayers all the time, because when we recover, we have to continue with the message no matter the persecution which we have gone through, Mutenga said. The evangelists were sent to preach Christ by a church, undisclosed for security reasons, in Mayuge Town Council. The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented. Ugandas Constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country. This article was originally published by Morning Star News. Protestant pastor is first Christian clergy imprisoned on charges of sedition in Hong Kong A judge in Hong Kong sentenced a 59-year-old Protestant pastor to more than one year in prison for sedition, making him the first Christian clergy in the city to be convicted under the draconian national security law that mainland China imposed two years ago. You have lost your conscience, Pastor Garry Pang Moon-yuen reportedly told another judge during the hearing of activist Chow Hang-tung on Jan. 4, for which Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi at the West Kowloon Court on Thursday sentenced him to 10 months imprisonment for sedition and three months for seditious speech, UCA News reported. In a separate case, a housewife identified as Chiu Mei-ying was also found guilty of sedition and sentenced to jail for clapping and criticizing magistrate Amy Chan during Chow's sentencing trial for encouraging people to participate in a vigil commemorating Tiananmen Massacre. Pang and Chiu, who were attending the trial and applauded after Chow made an appeal for herself, were arrested in April for their comments and gestures during her trial and for the pastors videos and livestreams on his YouTube channel. In one of his videos, Pang criticized magistrate Chan for threatening to silence people when she asked attendees who clapped during that trial to leave. During sentencing, the judge said Pang had demeaned the magistrate and it was not a case of a slip of the tongue. The pastor issued a warning at his trial last month, saying, Whats going on in the court right now is not only a legal battle over sedition but also a battle to defend human rights and freedoms, a battle of safeguarding conscience. He added that peoples desire to change the legal system should not lead to a conviction for sedition, otherwise the citys rule of law would crumble. The U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern quoted a Catholic clergyman from Hong Kong as saying that, out of the fear of being charged under the security law, people in the city no longer share or like anything on Facebook that might offend the government. While Pangs case might have been widely discussed online before NSL, now there is little discussion about him, ICC said. The pastors sentencing came days after the Roman Catholic Church renewed a scrutinized agreement with the Peoples Republic of China over the appointment of bishops despite the communist governments continued restrictions on religious freedom. The provisional agreement was initially approved in 2018 and was previously renewed in 2020, with the latest renewal scheduled to expire in 2024. The Vatican is committed to continuing a respectful and constructive dialogue with the Chinese Party for a productive implementation of the Accord and further development of bilateral relations, with a view to fostering the mission of the Catholic Church and the good of the Chinese people, stated the Holy See Press Office. The trial of 90-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen, who was arrested for his role in a now-defunct humanitarian relief organization that helped people who participated in the large-scale 2019 pro-democracy protests, also resumed this week. The West Kowloon Magistrates Court has charged Cardinal Zen and five other pro-democracy activists for not registering the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund with the police between 2019 and 2021 despite its massive size and systematic mode of operation. The defense has to make its arguments before Principal Magistrate Ada Yim Shun-yee on Oct. 31, National Catholic Register said. Cardinal Zen, a former bishop of Hong Kong and critic of Chinas communist government, fled Shanghai for Hong Kong about seven decades ago after the communists took over China. In 1997, China had agreed to a one country, two systems arrangement to allow certain freedoms for Hong Kong when it received the city back from British control. Critics contend the security law undercuts the promised autonomy. South Koreas president declares weeklong national mourning after 153 killed at Halloween event South Koreas President Yoon Suk-Yeol declared a weeklong period of national mourning on early Sunday, hours after at least 153 people, mostly in their teens and 20s, were killed and more than 100 were injured in a crowd surge during Halloween festivities in a nightlife district in Seoul. Among those who died in Seouls Itaewon nightclub district Saturday night are at least 20 foreign nationals, including people from the United States, Norway, Australia, China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Iran, South Korea's Ministry of Interior and Safety said, adding that several people remain unidentified, according to Reuters. While the cause of the crush is not known, reports say tens of thousands of people flooded into the narrow streets of the Itaewon neighborhood for Halloween festivities which created panic among the crowd. When the crowd surge began in an alley near Hamilton Hotel, some people were bleeding from their noses and mouths and were being given CPR, but the others in their Halloween costumes continued to sing and dance in the area, not knowing the situation, The Associated Press reported, citing witnesses. A survivor, identified as Lee Chang-kyu, was quoted as saying he saw about six men pushing others before one or two began falling one by one at the start of the surge, NBC News said, citing a report in the Seoul-based Hankyoreh newspaper. The streets were so crowded with people and slow-moving vehicles that emergency workers and ambulances could not reach the alley, the newswire said. According to the Itaewon Fire Station, at least 21 people were confirmed to have suffered cardiac arrest in the surge, NBC News added. The bodies were being kept at 42 hospitals in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province. On Sunday, President Yoon ordered flags at government buildings and public offices to fly at half-staff and addressed the nation through a televised speech. He said the government would support the victims' families as its top priority. This is really devastating. The tragedy and disaster that need not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul amid Halloween (celebrations), Yoon was quoted as saying during the speech. I feel heavy hearted and cannot contain my sadness as a president responsible for the peoples lives and safety. However, South Koreas Minister of the Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, claimed the crowd surge was not a problem that could have been solved in advance. He said a considerable number of police and security forces were deployed to the Gwanhwanmun area, where various disturbances and demonstrations had been reported Saturday. In Itaewon, he added, the crowd had not been unusually large, so only a normal level of security forces had been deployed. Woman sentenced for beheading friend she met in church group A 38-year-old woman has been convicted in the beheading of a 67-year-old friend she had met at a church group, becoming the first woman to be sentenced to life in prison live on television in England. Jemma Mitchell, a former osteopath, assaulted Mee Keun Chong last June with a blunt object at the woman's home in northwest London before removing the victim's head. Chong was last seen alive in June 2021. Mitchell was found guilty during a hearing on Thursday and sentenced on Friday to life imprisonment with a minimum of 34 years before she becomes eligible for parole. The court was told how Mitchell met Chong, also known as Deborah, through a church group and were on friendly terms. Mitchell also served as a spiritual healer for Chong. According to the Metropolitan Police, Mitchell and her mother were in the process of renovating their home but needed funding to finish the job. Chong initially agreed to help fund the project, estimated at around $232,000, but changed her mind days before she went missing. The decision reportedly led to the friends falling out. On the morning of June 11, 2021, investigators say Mitchell went to Chong's home in Wembley, where it was believed Mitchell carried out the murder. Mitchell was seen on surveillance footage leaving with two large, wheeled suitcases that appeared to be heavy. Authorities say she got a cab back to her home and likely kept the body on the property for about two weeks before driving to the seaside town of Salcombe in Devon over 200 miles away on June 26 to dump Chong's remains. Police say Mitchell made a false report via email to a missing-persons charity and claimed that Chong went to spend time with her family for a year "somewhere close to the ocean." Chong's body was discovered on June 27, with her head removed. Because of decomposition, authorities say the body was not identifiable for several days. Examiners ruled out the possibility that Chong's head was removed by animal activity. Police say Mitchell, with a degree in osteopathy and experience in human dissection, most likely removed Chong's head. Investigators claim Mitchell also forged a copy of Chong's will, ensuring "95% of the estate was left in her name." "This was found at Mitchell's property following her arrest, along with various possessions belonging to Deborah," a statement from the Metropolitan Police reads. Mitchell, who received a first-class degree in human sciences from King's College London, had been unemployed for a long time and lived with her retired mother, The Times reports. According to the newspaper, Chong was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and told Mitchell's mother she could give money for building a new floor on their home if they allowed the house to be used for "Christian worship." After Chong changed her mind, prosecutors said Mitchell hit Chong in the head with a weapon, and two weeks later, she drove miles away to the seaside town and threw Chong's remains in the woods. "Deborah's death was a shock to us all," the victim's sister said in a statement to the court. "I find it difficult to comprehend. It saddened me to think she had to go through this horrifying ordeal and tragic death," she said. "For the first month after Deborah's death I didn't leave my room; I found it impossible to take myself out." Detective Jim Eastwood told the media that Mitchell refused to accept responsibility for the murder, which leaves many questions unanswered. "Why she kept her body for a fortnight? Why she decapitated her? Why she deposited her remains in Salcombe?" he asked. "What we do know is that these were evil acts carried out by an evil woman and the only motive clearly was one of financial gain." 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. Somalis are in grief after at least 100 people died and 300 others were injured in the wake of two car bombs in the nation's capital of Mogadishu on Saturday, an act of violence that al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for. The Pentagon describes the terrorist group as the "most kinetically active al-Qaeda network in the world." The group's latest attacks, which resulted in a tragic loss of life, targeted Somalia's education ministry. Somalia Car Bombings Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who took office in May, recently declared "total war" on the al-Shabaab group, saying on Saturday that the death toll of the latest bombings could rise. The official said that the people who have been massacred included mothers, their children, fathers, students, and businessmen. The two bombings are considered the deadliest attacks to hit Mogadishu since 2017 when a truck bomb at the same time resulted in the death of more than 500 people, as per Fox News. The United States military has been coordinating strikes with the Somalian government to fight back against the terrorist group this year. This includes an airstrike that was conducted earlier this month, resulting in the death of a top official, Abdullahi Nadir, who was in line to replace al-Shabaab's leader. Police captain Nur Farah said that the first explosion struck the education ministry and the second blast happened as ambulances arrived and people gathered to help the victims of the initial strike. According to Rappler, one law enforcement personnel who was guarding the ministry, who gave his name as Hassan, said that he saw at least 12 bodies and 20 others wounded. State news agency SONNA noted that the blasts had caused "scores of civilian casualties," which included independent journalist Mohamed Isse Kona. Read Also: India Bridge Collapse Videos Show Devastating Aftermath of Tragedy That Killed At Least 78 Terrorist Group A journalist who was near the blast site noted that the two explosions occurred within minutes of each other and resulted in smashed windows. There was blood from the victims that covered the tarmac right outside of the building. In a statement, Abdikadir Abdirahman of the Aamin Ambulance Service said that the second blast burnt their vehicle as they came to transport the casualties from the first explosion. He added that the blast resulted in a driver and a first aid worker being injured. The al-Shabaab terrorist group has been spending more than a decade fighting in Somalia against the government in an attempt to topple it and establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of sharia law. The attack also occurred on a day when the country's president, prime minister, and other senior officials were meeting to discuss expanded efforts to combat violent extremism. Hassan called out the group by name and described the attacks as "cruel and cowardly." Hassan Osman, a volunteer at the Medina hospital, noted that out of the at least 30 fatalities brought to the hospital, the majority were women. There and elsewhere, frantic relatives peeked under plastic sheeting and into body bags, searching for their loved ones who may have been involved in the incident, the Associated Press reported. Related Article: Iran's Revolutionary Guards Chief Warns Protesters: 'Do Not Come to the Streets Again'; Canada PM Trudeau Joins Demonstrations @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The House Select Committee that is responsible for investigating the events of the unprecedented Capitol riot acquired eight disputed emails that allegedly show plans to defraud courts and obstruct the congressional vote on the presidency. The emails were sent in late 2020 and reportedly showed former United States President Donald Trump and his lawyers' plans. The new court filing from Trump's then-attorney John Eastman disclosed that the House said it had accessed the emails on Friday. Jan.6 Investigation: Disputed Emails The investigation has been working to obtain the records for months and a federal judge cleared the way for the panel to get their hands on the conversations in recent weeks, calling them possible evidence of the planning of crimes on the former president's behalf. Eastman has repeatedly tried several last-ditch efforts to hold off the committee from acquiring the emails. The ones that the committee acquired include four communications between Trump attorneys that appear to indicate they knew details they submitted to courts to challenge the election were false while the other four reveal them discussing filing lawsuits as a way to hold off congressional certification of Joe Biden, as per CNN. One of the emails also described the concern that the lawyers had about submitting a declaration signed by the former president himself in a lawsuit challenging the election. It said that the election fraud allegations it presented to the court were true. The statement was sent to court despite lawyers knowing that the allegations written within were not sound. Now, Eastman is asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for an order telling the House to return or destroy the eight emails that the panel was given. The official's team told the court on Sunday that Eastman provided a link to a dropbox folder containing the remaining eight documents to the Select Committee in order to comply fully with the district court's production order. According to Politico, Eastman also asked the committee to refrain from reviewing the records while he worked on filing an appeal. But the panel declined and continued to download the documents as Eastman is requesting the appeals court to order the panel to return or destroy the documents. Read Also: Waukesha Christmas Parade Murder Suspect, Darrell Brooks, Found Guilty of First-Degree Intentional Homicide Post-Election Crime Plans Anthony Caso, Eastman's attorney, said that while a stay barring the production is no longer available, an order that directs the panel to return or destroy the documents is considered a viable remedy. However, such an order by a court against Congress would be an extraordinary step by one co-equal branch against another, and would most likely be impossible to enforce. Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich conducted a similar effort when he asked a judge to claw back financial records from the select committee after JP Morgan provided them in December. California-based federal Judge David Carter, who issued the latest order, said that the former president and his attorneys ultimately filed the complaint with the same inaccurate numbers without rectifying, clarifying, or otherwise changing them. The judge added that Trump signed the verification statement under oath that the numbers were "true and correct," The Hill reported. Related Article: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Husband Attacked with a Hammer; Suspect Arrested @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An LMIA is needed when hiring a temporary foreign worker in Canadahowever, there are 6 specialized applications that employers can avail, depending on the circumstances around the foreign workers hiring. Understanding and applying through specialized LMIA applications An LMIA is needed when hiring a temporary foreign worker in Canadahowever, there are 6 specialized applications that employers can avail, depending on the circumstances around the foreign workers hiring. Understanding and applying through specialized LMIA applications An LMIA is needed when hiring a temporary foreign worker in Canadahowever, there are 6 specialized applications that employers can avail, depending on the circumstances around the foreign workers hiring. Understanding and applying through specialized LMIA applications An LMIA is needed when hiring a temporary foreign worker in Canadahowever, there are 6 specialized applications that employers can avail, depending on the circumstances around the foreign workers hiring. Asheesh Moosapeta Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A As part of hiring a temporary foreign worker (TFW) in Canadaunder the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)companies must submit a request for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). This document is needed to hire a foreign worker and determine the impact of their hiring on the Canadian labour market; however, there are special applications for particular contexts in which employers want to hire a skilled foreign worker. Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm These specialized applications have their own set of eligibility criteria, processing times, allowances, and requirements. They are available for the following six circumstances: This special application is for employers who want to support their TFWs application for permanent residence (PR). Under this system, employers help sponsor their employee(s) (already residing legally in Canada, as a temporary resident) so, they might gain the necessary one year of full-time work experience and then be eligible to apply for PR through the Express Entry system of programs. Importantly, however, there is a separate system for Quebec, with its own considerations and programs (like the Quebec Experience Program). The GTS is a special program for immigration that is reserved for skilled foreign workers that have skills in technology or STEM fields. These workers have to have skills that are extremely in-demand or scarce in Canada, in order to be considered. These TFWs are also classified as high-wage (National Occupation Class (NOC) A, or B) with annual salaries of at least $80,000. Under the GTS, companies can also apply for longer employment durations (up to three years) and must submit a Labour Market Benefits Plan (LMIB), (in addition to an LMIA), demonstrating how the practices of the specific company applying will have an overall positive impact on the Canadian labour market. The GTS does also feature a multitude of benefits for the added paperwork, including: Faster processing times with a service standard of 10 business days (starting on the day after the application was submitted)this standard is expected to be met at least 80% of the time; Personalized high-touch assistance throughout the assessment process; Eligibility to have work permits for highly skilled workers to be processed within two weeksthis standard is expected to be met at least 80% of the time; and; The ability to add and/or change multiple names on a positive GTS LMIA, with processing standards within 15-20 business days of the application update. Quebec has its own separate program(s) to control economic immigration to its province; known as the Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP). LMIAs will therefore be submitted to Service Canada, and to the Quebec Immigration Ministry simultaneously. At the time of this writing, Quebec has prioritized certain occupations and suspended minimum advertising requirements for other roles. Academics are defined as any individual with at least one post-graduate degree who earns the majority of their income through teaching or conducting research as an employee of a university/university college in Canada. If the criteria is met, certain professions can even work in Canada without employers needing an LMIA (while certain others will not need a work permit either). Citizens of the United States, St. Pierre et Miquelon, and Greenland may apply for a work permit at the port of entry in Canada (if needed). Created for workers in Primary Agriculture fields (defined by a specific set of criteria), this program allows TFWs to work in Canada as agriculture workers in a farm, nursery or greenhouse. From January 12th, 2022, to June 30th, 2023, ESDC will suspend minimum advertising requirements, making it easier for companies to hire foreign workers in these fields. Note however that often these positions are for lower-wage positions and NOC categories, and so subsequent immigration for permanent residence (PR) may be impacted as a result. Under the TFWP, families can hire live-in caregivers for children under the age of 18, or for people with higher medical needs (persons 65 or older, or people with disabilities, chronic and/or terminal illnesses). The eligible occupations could include nurses, home support workers, live-in caregivers, and personal care attendants (among others). Workers under this program need to provide care on a full-time basis, work in the private household where the care is being provided, and meet the requirements set for by ESDC and Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. When New York-Presbyterian CIO Daniel Barchi arrives at work in the morning, he doesnt sit down at his desk. Thats because he doesnt have a desk or an office of his own. I guide a very, very large team of IT people, but I dont have one office where I go every day, he says. Instead, Barchi may spend the day working in the building that houses the companys back-office systems. Or he may spend the day in one of its hospitals, meeting with executives or doing a walkthrough. Every day is different, and thats the point, he says. You cant understand the needs of the clinicians unless you are meeting with them. Not every CIO can or should give up their own office, he adds. But his choice to do so reflects an inescapable fact: The technology can work, but unless it works well for users in their environment, its not meeting their needs. Thats a hard truth every CIO must face. And its not the only one. Here are some more hard truths that CIOs and other technology experts say all technology leaders must learn, if they want to be effective at their jobs. 1. The business is not your customer Phil Pettinato, CTO, Versapay Versapay When you use the word customer, do you mean an internal customer someone who works for the same company that you do and who uses the technology IT provides? Thats a mistake, many experts believe. The most significant thing CIOs get wrong about business-IT alignment is servicing other departments internal customers, instead of the true business customer needs, says Phil Pettinato, CTO of Versapay. The CIO should push to transform processes so the internal stakeholders can create better customer experiences for the primary customer. Because, of course, external customers are your companys customers, and that makes them your customers, too. Thinking of internal users as customers creates a division between business and IT that can undermine your efforts to create alignment. I dont believe theres IT and the business, says James Anderson, a vice president and analyst at Gartner. The business includes IT. And your product is not IT, its the services enabled by IT that are used for business outcomes. Another reason its important for IT leaders to stop thinking of the business as a customer is so they can focus on actual customers which is increasingly important in todays tech-driven world, he says. You should know and interact with and understand your companys customers. Thats how you keep them customers. 2. Like it or not, you are responsible for business outcomes Uzi Dvir, global CIO, WalkMe WalkMe This hard truth is one most IT leaders miss, according to Uzi Dvir, global CIO at digital adoption platform WalkMe. In his experience, Dvir says, fewer than 5% of CIOs spend any time talking about business outcomes or measuring the business outcomes created by the technology they deploy. The CIOs I speak with often only look at cost, Anderson says. And then theyre challenged with, Whats the ROI? Thats a question CIOs often cant answer, he says. Back when he was in a different CIO role years ago, he was rolling out some automation systems. The finance group would say, Whats the ROI on that? We would say, Weve got this infrastructure, this application, the training, and the rollout. There is no ROI. Todays CIOs cant afford to make that mistake. Its important to measure business outcomes, not just technology, says Damon Venger, CIO at CompuCom, a managed services provider based in Boca Raton, Fla. You implement a new piece of software. You completed the project, its live and has 10,000 users. You declare victory because its done. But if the business outcomes are not there, its not a success. And that means business and IT are in disagreement, he says. IT says success; business says failure. 3. Alignment isnt just about you its about your team, too Some CIOs treat IT-business alignment as their own responsibility. Thats a mistake, experts say. The leadership team below the CIO also needs to be customer facing. It needs to be able to help solve problems. It shouldnt just be going away and writing code, Pettinato says. To make it scalable, you need to take it beyond just one individual. Daniel Barchi, CIO, New York-Presbyterian New York-Presbyterian I clearly cant, myself, be involved in every organizational conversation, Barchi says. That is where trusting your team helps. There are many leaders on my team who are in these meetings day in and day out, solving problems in real time. In fact, he says, creating a team thats capable of doing this is the most important part of his job. As Ive grown as a leader, Ive recognized that my contribution is not my own technical skill and my ability to make decisions. Its my ability to create a team that can do all of that, Barchi says. I think CIOs do well when we know that our job is not to be involved in every technology decision its to create the environment where that can happen and create a team that can do that. 4. If you say no, a vendor will say yes Vendors, especially those selling cloud-based products, have made it a habit to call on business leaders in addition to or instead of IT leaders. And theyre making sales. The business gets their door knocked on by vendors who say, Hey, we can get you up and running on this solution tomorrow, Anderson says. And when they go to IT with the same need, IT says, Its going to take us two weeks to evaluate your proposal. James Anderson, vice president, Gartner Gartner Thats why IT leaders need to get better at quickly putting technologies in place that create business outcomes. The reason shadow IT exists is because necessity trumps efficiency every single time, he says. The business has a need, and a vendor helps them get a solution up and running. When the business brings in the IT department, IT says, We have our own process for this. Then the business is unhappy with IT because it seems like they cant stand up solutions as quickly as the vendors can, Anderson says. Of course, there may be good reasons why IT needs that extra time. Your team is considering security and governance, and integration with existing and planned systems things vendors may not worry about. How can IT departments compete with vendors on this unlevel playing field? The answer, Anderson says, is to discuss every new technologys pros and cons in three areas: cost, value, and risk. The business may not look at those issues the same way you do, he says. But those are the building blocks for a discussion on whether we should go with this vendor or internally. 5. The business may not want to move at the same speed that you do CIOs need to recognize where the business comfort level is, Barchi says. Do they want to be cutting edge, or are they comfortable being a late adopter of a technology or tool? Being a late adopter can be a safer approach, while being an early adopter can confer competitive advantage. The CIOs role is not to advocate for either, but to read the organization and understand how best to achieve its goals, he says This can be frustrating for technology leaders who often are impatient to deploy new technology that will bring new capabilities, he acknowledges. Advanced technology is exciting. But our role as CIOs is not to be excited about the technology. Its to be excited about our organizations, our missions, and the people we serve. Besides, he says, every new technology comes at a cost, not only in dollars but also in effort on the part of both IT and the business. We need to decide how much of our resources were willing to expend to make sure its going to work, he says. Even technology with a lot of benefit has a cost burden associated with implementation and refinement and making sure it meets the needs of the organization. Is the benefit of that advanced technology worth that cost and that lift? Or would it be better to optimize what the organization is doing with current technology and then adopt the advanced technology later when its better suited to move smoothly into the enterprise? Barchi says he weighs considerations like these all the time. Thats a tradeoff. Theres no right answer. 6. The business really does need to understand what you do Damon Venger, CIO, CompuCom CompuCom Experts stress that CIOs and their teams need to understand how the business operates, and be able to speak its language, to be effective. But, Venger says, the reverse is also true. Effective technology leaders need to be good at helping business leaders grasp the complexities of modern technology so that they can work with IT to make good technology decisions. I think its about being more transparent, he adds. I like to say, its like The Wizard of Oz. The business doesnt know whats going on behind the curtain. But if were transparent and we explain, This is how its working. This is what were delivering on, maybe, collectively, we can come up with a better way because maybe they want different results. You make adjustments together with the business so you can make sure your internal team is focused on whats going to help drive the business. Knowing how to have these conversations is a powerful skill for any CIO, he says. Being able to translate complex technology into terms that make sense for business results. Its not about speaking in laymans terms or dumbing anything down. The only way to do it is to understand the business, and as much as you can, get the business to understand IT. 7. Youre probably talking about the wrong things Most CIOs are, Anderson says. For example: uptime. Thats value-expected as opposed to value-added, he says. CIOs need to tell the business about both value-added and value-expected, but most dont distinguish between the two. If youre looking at two different ice cream shops, youre not thinking, Which one has the cold ice cream? Thats value-expected, he says. Seventy to 80 percent of the typical IT budget is spent on value-expected, keep-the-lights-on work such as creating the five nines of availability many CIOs take pride in, he adds. But if you want to talk about availability, you need to go the extra step to connect that metric to a specific business outcome, Anderson says. How is this suite of applications used? Its used to close loans. What impacts my paycheck is how many days it takes to close a loan. So if you talk about how availability helps with these metrics you care about, thats a game-changer in a conversation on the business value of IT. In general, Barchi says, IT leaders are doing things right to foster business-IT alignment and help drive business results. Weve grown to be responsive to the needs of our customers in every industry Ive seen. But, he says, some business leaders have been slow to understand how IT can and must fit into every initiative. In some of the industries Ive served, the first reaction I get from my peers is, Oh, you want to be embedded with us? Join our staff meeting every other Tuesday for the last five minutes, and well save any IT issues and discuss them then, he says. Thats not a great approach because theres some element of tech in almost every financial, customer experience, service, or operational conversation. So not just technology leaders, but also business leaders, need to recognize that technology underpins most of what we do now, and it needs to be part of every conversation. Its up to IT leaders to deliver that message, he adds. The hard truth is that, as CIOs, its on us to show the value of being part of every conversation mostly listening, and then coming up with solutions or helping to solve problems. Imagine booking a room at a small, charming, off-the-beaten-path hotel on the Hawaiian island of Kauai using a popular mobile travel app, only to discover that the room is haunted! Thats what happened to my friend Dana. As Dana told it, she went to bed at midnight after a long travel day. But that didnt go as planned. She struggled to sleep. Then, at 3 A.M., Dana claims she saw a pale, vaporous head of an older fellow floating above her bed, mouthing words she could not hear. (Believe me, Danas rather unique customer adventure is worth a blog all its own.) I havent had the chance to travel all that much lately, but when I get back to it, I sure hope I dont experience what Dana went through. In fact, Id want to know in advance things about where I am staying that may be a bit off center, like, is the place haunted? Wouldnt it be practical, then, if your favorite travel app can not only give a your hotel may be haunted notification, but also provide a bit of history behind the why without you having to hunt for some random Top Ten blog or Tik Tok video that may not even include your particular hotel? Does such a travel app exist? Nope, not at the moment. And yet, perhaps there IS a ghost of a chance that this kind of app will be materializing soon. When that happens, the reveal could be at the SAP Innovation Awards! Even now, an SAP customer or partner could be developing such a tool. If so, I cant wait for this app to be celebrated at a future Innovation Awards show. Honestly, think of how much fun that would be! In keeping with the Halloween spirit This is Halloween after all, so indulge me as I share stories about a couple of my hometown hotels with their own unique haunted histories information not found on any travel app that Im aware of. Room 33 In San Franciscos North Beach district, there exists a small, quaint hotel that was built amidst the ruins of the 1906 earthquake by Bank of America founder A.P. Giannini. Its one that I used to walk past every day when I worked in the area. Today, its a popular place to stay for budget-minded travelers who want to enjoy the neighborhoods Italian restaurants near Fishermans Wharf. But what is not commonly known is that this family-owned hotel once thrived as a busy brothel during the Citys wild Barbary Coast days. Its former madam, famous for her boisterous larger-than-life personality, still roams the halls of her former establishment, knocking on doors with Room 33 being her favorite haunt. But shes not alone. A sad little ghost girl has occasionally been seen in the hallways always reaching for the doorknob of one room in particular. Reason? Unknown. Room 207 If youre into classic art deco decor but demand all the comforts of a modern hotel, then theres a century-old hotel off Union Square that is right for you. But, be warned. Room 207 is where you might encounter one hotel guest who doesnt want to leave even though she has long since departed this mortal plain. Reports of doors mysteriously opening and closing, and small objects appearing or disappearing have been ongoing for years. It is thought that the disruptive spirit haunting the room is that of famous playwright Lillian Hellman, who had regular liaisons there in the 1920s with writer Dashiell Hammett, author of The Maltese Falcon. Perhaps the ghost of Miss Hellman is still searching for the elusive jewel-encrusted blackbird, much like Brigid OShaughnessy, the fictional femme fatale from the book written by her lover which, coincidentally, was set in San Francisco. Across the Fairmont Arguably, San Franciscos most famous ghost concerns one Flora Sommerton, a comely 18-year-old debutante who disappeared in 1876. Legend has it that she ran away to escape a pre-arranged marriage to a rich but much older gentleman. So she bailed from her grand engagement party, held at her home across the street from the historic Fairmont Hotel, and was never seen again. That is, until 50 years later. In 1926, the withered body of an old woman was discovered in a cheap hotel room in Butte, Montana reportedly wearing the same 19th century white ball gown and jewelry that Flora fled in. There were old, brittle newspaper clippings of Floras disappearance pinned to the walls of the small, dank flophouse room. It was her. Flora had finally been found. Her body was brought back to San Francisco where she was buried in the family plot. But Floras story does not end there. Today, as you approach the Fairmont Hotel on any given sunny afternoon, keep an eye out for what many people have seen throughout the years: the ghostly figure of fair, young Flora, parasol in hand, quickly walking down California Street, then vanishing as she rounds the corner to where her home once stood and always in that flowing, white, ballroom gown. There are many more stories to be had about haunted hotels and their spooky history here in the San Francisco Bay Area. And in your city, too, no doubt. But I will have to wait patiently for some future travel app to clue me in on which ones. Maybe I will get my wish at the upcoming 10th Anniversary SAP Innovation Awards 2023, spirits willing. Happy Halloween! New CEO for British Tinnitus Association Deanne Thomas has been appointed the next chief executive of the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) from 21 November. She takes over from David Stockdale, who left earlier this year after 12 years in the role. Thomas worked at the Sailors Childrens Society for over 16 years, initially working as head of finance before being promoted to chief executive. At the same time, she is a trustee for several organisations including Officers Association, Merchant Navy Welfare Board and the chairman for Beverley Minister Old Fund. On her appointment, Thomas said: Having led a family support charity for many years, I see how health conditions like this impact people, their family and life. The remarkable plans for a Tinnitus Biobank are something Im particularly passionate about. This will advance our understanding of what causes tinnitus and Im excited to talk to you more about this in my new role. Norwood appoints chief executive Norwood, the UKs largest Jewish charity supporting children, families and people with learning difficulties has appointed Naomi Dickson as its next chief executive. She will take over from Dr Beverley Jacobson, who held the post for four years, in mid-January. Dickson joins from Jewish Womens Aid where she was chief executive for eight years. In 2020, she was named one of the BBCs 100 Women. Norwood chair, Neville Kahn, said: I have long admired Naomi for her advocacy and tireless campaigning on womens rights. As an established community and charity leader, Ms Dickson brings with her strong leadership skills, communal knowledge and significant fundraising experience. Social Enterprise Scotland begins recruitment for a new chair Social Enterprise Scotland is looking to recruit a new chair who will take up the joint role of board director. The organisation was recently chosen by the Scottish Government to become the representative body for social enterprises. The chair will be expected to spend around three to four days a month on the business and chair four board meetings a year, represent the board at meetings, conferences and events. The role is compensated at 10,000 per year. Applications will close on 27 November, with interviews expected to take place on 5 December. Find out more on how to apply here. New chair for British Heart Foundation The British Heart Foundation chair Dr Doug Gurr has stepped down after seven years in post. Logitechs Wendy Becker is set to replace him. Becker has also worked at Oxford University Press, Sony and more. On Gurrs departure, chief executive Charmaine Griffiths said: Dougs leadership has been instrumental in overcoming some of the biggest challenges in our 61-year history, while his advocacy for making significant investments in cutting-edge areas of science has ensured we remain at the forefront of research to save and improve lives. Royal Statistical Society welcomes president Dr Andrew Garrett has been confirmed as the next president of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), an education charity. He succeeds Professor Sylvia Richardson, whos term closes at the end of this year. Garrett is executive vice president of scientific operations at the research organisation ICON plc. He is also vice president of Biostatistics, Medical Writing and Regulatory Affairs at Quintiles. Commenting on his appointment, Garrett said: I am honoured to have been chosen as the next President of the Royal Statistical Society and have the opportunity to build upon the excellent work done by Sylvia Richardson and her predecessors. Two new executive directors for Samaritans Lis Skeet has been appointed executive director of operations at Samaritans, while Tiger de Souza will join next April in the new role of executive director for people and culture. After almost five years at Help the Heroes as services director, Skeet will join Samaritans in December. She is a volunteer at Bath Samaritans and a trustee of Designability, a charity for disabled people. Souz will take up the role of executive director for people and culture next April. He will be leaving his role as people engagement director at the National Trust. He has experience at NSPCC, England Netball, RICS and more. Chief executive Julie Bentley said: These new appointments represent an exciting step forward on our journey towards building an even stronger Samaritans. Lis and Tiger are fantastic additions to our team, bringing skills and experience that will really help us deliver our ambitious five-year strategy and I am really looking forward to working with them in the months and years ahead. Royal Opera House appoints trustees The Royal Opera House has appointed five new trustees to its board. The recruitment process was conducted by the Board Nominations Committee, which was chaired by Lloyd Dorfman, chair of the Royal Opera House. The new trustees are: Vanessa Kingori chief business officer of Conde Nast Britain. Janis Susskind managing director of music publishers Boosey & Hawkes. Lisa Burger former executive director and joint chief executive of the National Theatre and former chair of Lyric Hammersmith. Michael Ward managing director of Harrods and chair of the Walpole Group. Alex Younger chief of the Secret Intelligence Services. Trustee reappointment at Royal Museums Greenwich The prime minister has reappointed Professor Julian Dowdeswell as a trustee of the exempt charity Royal Museums Greenwich for a second term of four years. Dowdeswell has been Professor of Physical Geography in Cambridge University since 2002. For almost 20 years he was director of the Scott Polar Research Institute. He is a glaciologist that has studied the effects of climate change on ice caps. Trustees of the museum are not remunerated. Dowdeswell has not declared any significant political activity. Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) gains a patron CPAG announced that Armando Iannucci, a famous writer, director and broadcaster has become one of the charitys patrons. The charity said Iannucci held a pivotal role in the success of its Radio 4 appeal which raised 35,000 for its work in schools. In a press release, CPAG wrote they were very grateful for his support. Iannucci said: "Now more than ever the issue of poverty in Britain is forefront in everyones minds. Im keen to do as much as I can to highlight what positive efforts can be done to address and hopefully alleviate childhood poverty and the stigma attached to it, so that everyone can grow up with the same opportunities to flourish in the UK." sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Nonprofits and political action committees (pacs) are using Metric Medias extended network of local news sites to provide a range of campaign services to conservative candidates in the run-up to the November midterm elections, new research by the Tow Center shows. The tactic of using partisan newspapers to launder advocacy is being taken up increasingly by both the left and the right, and while its not necessarily fake news, it does fracture the information ecosystem. However, tracing the astroturf activities of the extended Metric Media news network over the past year demonstrates that it is being used not just to place favorable stories, but to provide additional services that might influence the voting public. Overall, we found that this network acts as a convergence of special interests for free-market advocates, multiple political action committees, the fossil fuel industry, a politically motivated Catholic group, and a group propagating notions of election fraud. The network has received at least $1.6 million from three pacs so far this election cycle. While $1.6 million is an extremely small sum in an election where costs are projected to exceed $9 billion, our research demonstrates the extent of the services provided by this network to numerous conservative pacs tied to big conservative funders and groups. While its difficult to trace the minutiae of the scope and scale of each of the services, and to match them to individual transactions seen in public records, our investigation found websites targeting certain politicians or policies paid for by a pac hosted on the networks infrastructure, articles boosting candidates supported by the pacs published on the local news network, and an interactive Web application devoted to a single hot-button issue. Newspapers with mastheads belonging to this network have been mailed to citizens in at least three states. These newspapers promote the public positions of advocacy groups, pacs, and candidates associated with this network. The services provided include advertising (to the Defend Texas Liberty pac, largely funded by West Texas oil-and-gas billionaire Timothy Dunn); SMS messages, robocalls, and websites (to the Illinois-centric People Who Play by the Rules pac, largely funded by Republican mega-donor and shipping magnate Richard Uihlein and run by conservative activist Dan Proft); and consulting and production costs (to Restoration pac, also largely funded by Uihlein). Through public records, we also found that Dunn currently holds a managerial position in Pipeline Media, one of the corporate entities within this extended network. Dunns links to the extended Metric Media network have not previously been reported. The news sites can easily be mistaken for independent local outlets andas previous investigations by the Tow Center have shownare part of a larger network that received funding from multiple dark-money groups and pacs. The funding is not disclosed; neither are the networks collaborations with special-interest groups. The practice of publishing stories that boost the positions of special-interest groups interspersed between thousands of algorithmically generated stories and republished press releases across the networks twelve hundred sites continues. This filler content is referred to as pink-slime journalism, a term that references the meat byproduct added to ground beef. Digital investigations conducted by the Tow Center also found that Restoration pacs VoteRefa Web application that allows users to browse voter rolls in each state, as well as the number of ballots cast, under the guise of ensuring election integrityrelies on custom software from LocalLabs (one of the corporate entities in this network) and shares an analytics identifier (NewRelic) with other sites in this network. We found multiple sites sharing these traits attacking the incumbent governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, hosted on a server used by other websites on this network and paid for by the People Who Play by the Rules pac. These sites have names like pritzkermustgo [dot] com and toomuchjb [dot] com. In this report, with the help of public records and threat intelligence tools (including RiskIQ, FarSight DNSDB, and BuiltWith), the Tow Center examines the key players, funding, and interests influencing this network in the run-up to the midterms. This is the latest report in a research project established in 2019 to trace the use and provenance of local news sites created and operated for the purpose of exercising influence, be it electorally or to promote the interests of corporate clients or advocacy groups. While publishing news sites or newspapers to exert influence is not new, the increasingly involved campaign tools and tactics deployed through these networks create a challenge for independent local journalism and demonstrate how modern political campaigning makes it harder for readers to distinguish between political advertising and journalism. This extended network is operated by a conglomerate of corporate entitiesMetric Media, Newsinator (alias Franklin Archer), Local Government Information Services (LGIS), Pipeline Media (alias LocalityLabs or LocalLabs)each of which claims ownership of different subsets of the network. In the past year, the network added ten new domains under the Federal Newswire banner (DOJ Newswire, USDA Newswire, EPA Newswire, etc.) along with a handful of standalone sites. The Catholic Tribune networka group of seven sites that had been inactive since December 6, 2020resumed publishing in October 2021. A full list of the domains we associate with this network is published here, and a repository of the physical papers that we have found so far has been uploaded here. We intend to update these data sets regularly as and when new domains are identified or new editions of the newspapers flagged. If you have received any of these papers, have examples of similar papers operating in your area, or want access to more granular data, please get in touch here. Who Is Behind the Network? The two primary officers behind these entities are Brian Timpone (an Illinois-based conservative businessman with a history in low-cost automated and outsourced journalism) and Bradley Cameron (the founder and chief executive of a Texas-based management consultancy whose clientsincluding Acellus and Ashford Inc.have received favorable coverage across the local news network). Cameron and Timpone are also executives of Pipeline Advisors, a private equity investment company registered in Texas. Other officers of these corporate entities, past and present, have held executive roles in conservative pacs or conservative think tanks funded by Charles Koch and his network of allied donors. Over the past five decades, Koch has been instrumental in setting up and backing numerous think tanks that promote his vision of free-market economics, often at the cost of cutting public welfare spending. One of the groups backed by Koch and his donor allies to steer funds into conservative causes, Donors Trust, gave the Metric Media Foundation $1.27 million in 2020, which was just under half the annual revenue the Metric Media Foundation reported that year. Currently, Timothy Dunn is listed as a manager for Pipeline Media, according to Illinois state records. Dunn, the chief executive officer of CrownQuest, an oil-and-gas exploration and production venture in West Texas, has been involved in Texas politics since at least 2007, when he bankrolled the Tea Partyaligned group Empower Texans, which pushed for limited government and lower taxes. This election cycle, Dunn has been a major contributor to the Defend Texas Liberty pac, which has spent over $5 million since January to challenge GOP incumbents deemed insufficiently Republican. The pac spent $57,075 on advertising expenses with Pipeline Advisors. Dunn is also on the board of numerous conservative organizations, at least two of which are connected to this extended network of local news sites: the largely Koch-funded free-market think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation and Citizens for Self-Governance (which he helped launch). As the Tow Center reported last year, Metric Media and Citizens for Self-Governance have collaborated directly: the two organizations launched the news crowdsourcing tool Community Newsmaker, and the Metric Media local news network ran over a hundred stories promoting the interests of Citizens for Self-Governance, a national organization whose overriding mission is to combat federal overreach. Our analysis also found that the network has run just under a hundred stories this year across twenty-eight sites (twenty-five of which are Texas-centric) that directly or indirectly advocate the Texas Public Policy Foundations policies, including property tax relief in the state. These stories include headlines like TPPFs Ginn: Local property taxes are out of control in Texas, TPPF director on property taxes: Its not a stretch to say that property taxes are out of control in the Lone Star State, Texas Public Policy Foundations James Quintero: Texas property taxes out of control, taxpayers should defend their wallets, and Chief economist of TPPF: Laredo, all Texas residents face affordability crisis that can be helped with property tax relief. As first reported by Gizmodo, the network has also run multiple stories attacking renewable energya recurrent line for the Texas Public Policy Foundationwhich were then featured in Campaign Nucleuss newsletters. Campaign Nucleus is the political consultancy set up by former President Donald Trumps excampaign manager Brad Parscale. Dunn isnt the only executive with ties to think tanks that have wealthy conservative benefactors. John Tillman, an influential conservative activist based out of Illinois, holds executive positions in at least nine organizations that, through a dizzying series of transactions, move millions of dollars around interconnected non- and for-profit organizations. As we reported last year, Tillman is also currently listed as the secretary for LGIS, the Illinois-centric subset of the network comprising thirty-four local news websites and eleven physical newspapers, which was subject to an FEC lawsuit for disguising campaign materials as local community newspapers (the suit was dismissed in 2019). Timpone is listed as the president of LGIS, a position previously held by Proft. In the run-up to the midterms this November, newspapers from the LGIS outlets have started appearing on doorsteps in Illinois attacking Pritzker for his policies on crime, covid, and LGBTQ rights. Profts pac is financially backing Republican candidate Darren Bailey against Pritzker in the November election. Proft ran for office in 2010, currently hosts a show on the Salem Radio Network (which syndicates Christian political talk, conservative programming, and music), and his now-defunct pac Liberty Principles paid Newsinator (one of the organizations in the extended network) over $300,000 for advertising. This year he started a new pac, People Who Play by the Rules, whichat the time of writinghas received over $28 million from Uihlein, the shipping magnate and Republican mega-donor. The pac has paid Pipeline Media just over $225,000 for services that include websites, SMS messages, and robocalls. Neither Dunn nor Proft responded to our request for comment over email. Newspapers in the Mail While we were unable to trace the funding, residents of key electoral counties in Arizona, Kansas, and Illinois found copies of physical newspapers appearing at their doors that originated from this network. The publications, with titles that include the Grand Canyon Times, the Kansas Catholic Tribune, and Chicago City Wire, started appearing during primary season and have continued to appear ahead of the midterms, promoting candidates like Blake Masters and J.D. Vance, espousing conspiracies around election security, and hitting divisive topics like abortion, LGBT rights, immigration, and crime. Sample pages from newspapers that appeared on doorsteps in multiple states. Weve collected more papers here. Stories in the Grand Canyon Times, part of Metric Medias Arizona network, promoted Masters alongside claims of duplicate voter registrations while attacking Bidens policies around student loan relief and immigration. The two editions of the newspaper (dated July 18 and September 19) seen by the Tow Center ran pages paid for by the Saving Arizona pac (largely funded by Peter Thiel). Not all stories within the printed papers are available in the corresponding online editions; multiple stories have bylines from the Center Square (a conservative publication thats part of the Franklin News Foundation, whose chairman is John Tillman); the Franklin News Foundation is an associate of the State Policy Network of conservative think tanks largely backed by Koch and his allied donors). One of the stories, headlined One Million Migrants: Bidens Asylum Abuse, is from Steve Cortess Substack. Cortes was a campaign adviser to Donald Trump and a host on Newsmax. The stories on the Kansas Catholic Tribune, a part of Franklin Archers American Catholic Tribune network, on the other hand, focused almost exclusively on anti-abortion rhetoric in the run-up to the August vote on a state constitutional amendment that would have barred access to abortion services. The return address on these papers was CatholicVotes. CatholicVote launched a $9.7 million campaign to expose Joe Bidens anti-Catholic record and policies in September 2020, and has previously collaborated with the Metric Media network, as we reported last year. Based on the lack of articles on the Kansas Catholic Tribune website, it appears that it was produced simply to campaign ahead of the referendum. Like with the Grand Canyon Times, not all stories that appear in the physical copies are in the digital edition, though most of them appear on its sister site American Catholic Tribune. The story titled Summer of Rage: Tracking Attacks on Pregnancy Centers & Pro-Life Groups bears the byline of CatholicVote News Feed. We were unable to locate any transactions between the Metric Media entities and either CatholicVote or the Saving Arizona pac in federal or state records, but this may be attributed to the FEC requiring reporting for a very narrow category of ads. The PACs that pay Pipeline Media and Pipeline Advisors Even though we werent able to find transactions related to the physical mailers, we found other pacs that paid Pipeline Media and Pipeline Advisors for a host of different services: advertising, robocalls, SMS messages, and consulting. Brian Timpone, an officer at both Pipeline Media and Pipeline Advisors, did not respond to multiple requests for comment over email. Bradley Cameron, also an executive at both companies, responded through his lawyers who, in an email, said, Pipeline Advisors LLC has never received pac funding. It is a private equity investment company with no relation to Pipeline Media. Filings for both the Defend Texas Liberty pac and Restoration pac show that they have paid Pipeline Advisors LLC. Restoration pac has also paid Pipeline Media. We asked their lawyers to clarify these discrepancies, but did not receive a response. Defend Texas Liberty PAC In this election cycle, West Texas oil-and-gas magnate and Pipeline Media officer Timothy Dunn donated over $5 million to the Defend Texas Liberty pac, an organization that attacked GOP incumbents during the Texas primaries, with minimal success. The pacs website says it believes life starts at conception, there are only two genders, children should not be indoctrinated in public schools, the Second Amendment should never be infringed, property taxes must go down, the Texas Border must be secured, and we must stop giving illegal aliens taxpayer benefits. The pac paid Pipeline Advisors just over $57,000 in March 2022, a transaction that was labeled advertising expense. Not all the candidates the pac supported featured on the Metric Media sites, but Donald Huffines, the Republican primary challenger to Texas governor Greg Abbott, did. We found that over fifty stories featuring Huffines were published in January and February across sixteen of the Texas Metric Media sites. Broadly, the themes of these stories can be broken down into: Border security (The Texas border is out of control: Huffines condemns Abbotts handling of Texas National Guard, Huffines: The drugs pouring across our border are a threat to our very way of life, Huffines: I will never ask permission from the federal government to secure the Texas Border) covid policies including mask and vaccine mandates (Abbotts weakness is taking a toll on Texans well-being: Huffines criticizes Abbott for Texan school districts reinstating mask mandates, Huffines: Mask mandates are an attack on Texans God-given liberties, Huffines: Dr. Fauci is a fraud and a liar who should be in jail) Election fraud (Its time to fire Abbott: Texas gubernatorial candidate pledges to boost election security, Huffines reacts to Texas law limiting mail-in ballot applications: We know theres fraud in our elections, Our elections are not secureHuffines demands action, prosecution in response to audit) Abortions , prior to the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade (Gubernatorial candidate Huffines: As governor, I will abolish abortion in Texas, Huffines praises efforts by pro-life activists to cultivate a culture of life, Huffines: It is right for Texas to seek to take back public funds from abortionists) A host of other culture war topics including China, critical race theory, and LGBTQ rights (Huffines calls for prohibiting Chinese students at Texas universities, Huffines: Critical race theory is a disgusting Marxist ideology that is dedicated to pitting Texans against each other, Our children are in danger: Huffines denounces the availability of LGBTQ+ books in Texas schools) Huffines lost the primary, coming in third with 12 percent of the vote. Abbott, the incumbent, received over 66 percent to win the race. People Who Play by the Rules PAC Only a small fraction of the $28 million that Profts People Who Play by the Rules PAC received from Uihlein$226,668was spent on Pipeline Media to cover services like website, SMS messages, and robocalls. Most of that money$216,668was spent opposing GOP primary candidate Richard Irvin for governor through text messages and robocalls. Overall, of the $19.7 million the pac had spent at the time of writing, $7 million was spent on the primary race opposing Irvin, who came in third in the race that Bailey (the candidate the pac is backing) won. After the Illinois primaries, the pac started targeting Pritzker, the incumbent governor. Since July 13, it has spent over $12 million opposing Pritzker, of which $10,000 was disbursed to Pipeline Media for website. A handful of domains were registered in July 2022 with names like howmuchworse [dot] com, truthaboutjb [dot] com, toomuchjb [dot] com, and thetruthaboutjb [dot] com, all of which redirect to the same site with the disclaimer People Who Play By The Rules PAC. The site states Too Much JB Pritzker Leaves No Room for You. Other anti-Pritzker domains registered in mid-September include pritzkermustgo [dot] com (which features a new ad campaign by the pac) and pritzkerbook [dot] com (which presents users with a book about what every Illinoisan should know about the incumbent). The book, too, is paid for by the People Who Play by the Rules pac. All these domains share digital identifiers like IP addresses and analytics infrastructure with other sites in the extended local news network, including the Will County Gazette, Kane County Reporter, Chicago City Wire, and DuPage Policy Journal. (You can read more about our methodology for DNS investigations here.) Not only are these four sites part of LGIS, the Illinois-specific subset of the network, but as the Tow Center has reported, physical copies of these papers have shown up on the doorsteps of Illinois residents attacking Pritzker on various topics including criminal reform. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Pritzker has called out Proft for adopting scare tactics and using racist rhetoric due to a two-page spread on the physical papers featuring photographs of Black suspects who could be released on bail when the states no-cash bail policy comes into effect. Unlike the Arizonian Grand Canyon Times paper and Kansas Catholic Tribune, these Illinois papers dont have a disclaimerinstead, they contain a note from the publisher, LGIS, saying, Our goal is two-fold: 1) to provide news about state and local policy matters and politics to help you assess whether the policy decisions made by your elected officials are aligned with your values and to explain how those decisions impact your quality of life; and (2) to offer quality local content to help you stay abreast of whats happening in the community you call home. Restoration PAC People Who Play by the Rules isnt the only pac thats received millions from Uihlein this election cycle. Restoration pac, whose raison detre is to provide support to truly conservative candidates and to oppose Leftists and the woke agenda, received at least $13.7 million from the founder of Uline, the privately held shipping-supply company. Of this, $1.37 million went to Pipeline Advisors LLC ($1,336,109) and Pipeline Media ($30,463) for various types of consulting and production costs. As originally reported by ProPublica and Open Secrets, one of the big initiatives by the affiliated Restoration Action pac is the Voter Reference Foundation or VoteRef, which is an effort to put voter registration rolls from all fifty states online, thereby allowing people to search for discrepancies in an effort to find election fraudelection officials have said the methodology is flawed and the organizations actions may be illegal. VoteRef has dismissed these concerns. The voter rolls that are being made public as part of this initiative include the registration address, birthdate, party affiliation, registration date, and registration status of individuals, along with whether they voted in the past five elections. The networks role in this endeavor appears to be twofold: publishing stories about the initiative and broadcasting as and when voter rolls become available, and providing technical support for the public-facing Web application. Analysis by the Tow Center found that over fifty stories were published across the Metric Media news network about VoteRefs activities, with headlines like Transparency site and pending Georgia bill make ballots open to public inspection, Truax: Not going to be deterred in First Amendment voter rolls lawsuit against New Mexico officials, and Voter Reference Foundation executive director: Publishing voter registration data increases transparency which will help to restore public confidence. A handful of these were verbatim press releases issued by the Voter Reference Foundation. The Web application shares an analytics ID and analytics code with other publications in the extended Metric Media network, and explicitly states that it is a subsidiary of Restoration Action. According to a document obtained by ProPublica, Local Labs (an entity in this network) is also building functionality for the application. At the time of writing, the Web application allows users to browse voter rolls in thirty-two states, as well as explore the number of ballots cast in the 2020 election (versus how many registered voters cast ballots) on a state-by-state level. This then allows the database to flag net ballot discrepancies and total incorrect records. ProPublica, as part of its investigation, contacted election officialsa mix of Democrats and Republicansin twelve of the states where VoteRef has voter rolls, and in every case the officials said that the methodology used to identify the discrepancies was flawed, the data incomplete or the math wrong. Our analysis thus far has relied on disclosed disbursements filed in accordance with federal and state campaign finance requirements. Even so, its unlikely that our analysis is complete. Not only is FEC reporting only required for a narrow category of ads, but there is no way to tell if there are intermediary groups that help facilitate transactions between different parties. While trust in news is declining and partisan antipathy is on the rise, both the left and the right are attempting to use any and all tactics to get their desired electoral outcomes. Inevitably, this leads to the information ecosystem becoming more fragmented, facts being dismissed as false, and independent local news left with the challenging task of navigating the new reality of political campaigning. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Priyanjana Bengani is a Tow Computational Fellow at Columbia Journalism School's Tow Center for Digital Journalism. New Yorks highest court reversed a $4.5 million judgment against an insurer that denied a fire damage claim by the owner of a vacant commercial building because the owner had not installed an automatic sprinkler system required by the policy. The Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that both the New York Supreme Court and the Appellate Division erred when they decided that the exclusion was unenforceable because it was added to the policy by mutual mistake. The civil complaint against Seneca Insurance makes no mention of a mistake and in fact says that the owner of the building had complied with all terms of the policy, the unanimous opinion says. In light of our heavy presumption that a deliberately prepared and executed written instrument manifests the true intention of the parties, defendant had every reason to rely on the original complaint, which provided no indication that the written policy failed to reflect the parties intent, the opinion says. The decision may not put an end to the legal battle. The plaintiffs attorney on appeal, Dennis T. DAntonio, said since the jury never addressed the issues raised by the Court of Appeals, he intends to file a motion to set aside the jury verdict. The dispute stems from fire damage to a building in Queens owned by34-06 73 LLC. Mohammad Malik, the sole owner of the corporation, says he told his insurance broker to buy a policy that did not require any fire-suppression equipment. But Malik didnt read the policy. The contract included a Protective Safeguards Endorsement that required the property owner to maintain an automatic sprinkler system. The owner of the property owns hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate and it was left in the hands of the broker, DAntonio said. A fire caused extensive damage four months after the policy took effect. Malik filed a claim but Seneca denied it, citing the safeguards endorsement. During the trial, testimony from Senecas vice president of underwriting and documents introduced into evidence supported the plaintiffs contention that the protective safeguards endorsement was added to the policy by mutual mistake. DAntonio said Seneca did not issue any credits for the presence of fire-suppression equipment and charged premiums as if the building had none. Whats more, Maliks broker inspected the building and did not cancel the policy despite the missing sprinklers. In December 2019, a New York jury entered a verdict in plaintiffs favor in the amount of $4,541,957.73. The First Department of the Appellate Division affirmed in January 2021. The Court of Appeals, however, said that the judgment must be reversed because nothing in the civil complaint indicated that the endorsement was added by mistake. Defendant maintained that the complaint alleged only nonperformance and contained no indication that the contract failed to reflect the parties intent, the opinion says. The high court said by the time the case was tried, a statute of limitations prevented the plaintiff from pleading for reformation, meaning to change the terms of the policy to match what the plaintiff contended was the parties true intent. Section 203(f) requires plaintiffs in a breach of contract claim to give notice of the transactions, occurrences, or series of transactions or occurrences, the opinion says. DAntonio said he hopes to revive the lawsuit by filing a motion to set aside the jury verdict. He said the trial court never ruled on motions that Seneca was estopped from arguing that the protective safeguards endorsement was in force because of the brokers inspection and that it had waived that defense when it failed to enforce the insurance contract by requiring the owner to install fire sprinklers. The photo above is for illustrative purposes only. MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (AP) Survivors of storms that pounded several U.S. states say the nations disaster aid system is broken and that they want reforms to get money into victims hands faster, with less red tape. On the 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandys landfall at the Jersey Shore, devastating communities throughout the northeast, survivors gathered Saturday with others who went through hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Ida along with victim advocacy groups from New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Puerto Rico. Robert Lukasiewicz said Sandy sounded like a hundred freight trains as it roared past his Atlantic City, New Jersey, home on Oct. 29, 2012. Contractor fraud set his recovery efforts back and work by a second contractor stalled because of a lack of funds, Lukasiewicz said. After waiting two years for a government aid program, he said he finally found out he needed to have flood insurance first the price of which had by then soared to unaffordable levels. If all these things had been steps instead of missteps, I could have been home years ago, he said. Youve got different systems that are all butting heads and blaming the other side, when the homeowners and families that all of this was designed for are suffering. The survivors and their advocates listed five reforms they say are needed to help future storm victims avoid the type of delays, runarounds and financial desperation they experienced: getting money into peoples hands more quickly; ensuring that disaster recovery systems are applied equitably; making flood insurance work for storm victims instead of against them; including future storm resiliency into disaster recovery efforts; and ensuring that disaster recovery is systematic, not piecemeal. Specific recommendations call for a single point of application for the numerous local, state and federal assistance programs; imposing a smaller cap on annual flood insurance premium rate increases; giving storm victims direct payments and health insurance for a period after the storm; restructuring loan repayment or aid overpayment clawbacks to take into account a storm survivors ability to pay; and paying 100% of mitigation costs upfront for low-income storm victims instead of reimbursing them after they pay for the work. Joe Mangino, whose Jersey Shore home was damaged by Sandy, co-founded the New Jersey Organizing Project, which brought storm survivors together on Saturday. Surviving the actual storm was the easy part, he said. There was a disaster after the disaster. For Ute Schaefer of Houston, it was the snakes that flowed into her home with flood waters that trapped her inside for four days, banging on windows for help until a passing boat rescued her _ and dumped her on the shoulder of a highway. All the shelters were full, she said. I was on my own. She eventually sought help from two local nonprofits that were already out of money. She went to the county, which referred her to the city, which referred her back to the same nonprofits. I was grasping for anything, but there was nothing there, she said. Shanna Hebert, a single mother from Houma, Louisiana, is about to lose her house that was left unlivable by Hurricane Ida last year. Her one-year mortgage forbearance agreement is ending, and the company wants $17,000 by next week or it will foreclose. She said her insurance company declared bankruptcy, forcing her to buy a trailer with her own money. Millie Santiago fled Canovanas, Puerto Rico, for Florida after Hurricane Maria in 2017, only to encounter multiple impediments to emergency aid, including housing. They were asking two to three times the normal rent, up front, she said. A disaster should not be an opportunity for corporations and contractors to get rich off the suffering of survivors. Michael Moriarty, director of the mitigation division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency region that includes New Jersey, said the agency is constantly trying to become more responsive to storm victims. Thats been the Holy Grail, to get aid to people while their house was flooded, he said. Thats taxpayer money, so we have to be cautious, not just throwing it away, making sure it gets to the right place and is properly used. Were trying to get to a mechanism that allows for quicker relief. He said the idea for a single application point for storm aid is good, but cautioned that federal privacy laws restrict information sharing with state and local governments without first getting signed releases, which can take weeks. And a post-Ida aid program designed to be fast-tracked so applicants could learn within two weeks whether they had been approved took eight months to be reviewed by federal budget monitors, Moriarty said. It was within the first year but not within the goal of the first month, he said. I think that will get better and better. U.S. Rep Andy Kim, who spoke at Saturdays event with fellow Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., said what the storm survivors are asking for makes total sense. You have not gotten what you deserve over the last 10 years, he said. What good is a government if it does not stand with people in their time of greatest need? The stories we heard today on this stage should never have happened and should never happen again. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Turkey, the United Nations, and Ukraine push through with a Black Sea grain deal despite Russia's pullout from the agreement. The head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, urged Moscow to continue its pledge to participate in the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal. The USAID administrator wrote that the world cannot afford for Rssian President Vladimir Putin to continue to use food as a weapon of war. Black Sea Grain Deal Power noted that Russia's comments about the suspension of its participation in the agreement are regrettable. The life-saving deal between multiple countries, which was brokered in July, has allowed for the export of more than 9 million metric tons of grain and other food products. The supplies were sent to populations around the world amid the devastating global food crisis that is a result of multiple factors. Power touted the "tremendous success" of the agreement so far, arguing that it helped lower global food prices and provided relief to those who are most vulnerable to severe hunger, as per CNN. The USAID administrator added that the US and its allies and partners remained clear in their objective to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Power noted that any attempt to undermine the agreement is considered an attack on hungry families worldwide whose lives and livelihoods depend on the initiative. The situation comes after Moscow announced that it would suspend its participation in the Black Sea grain deal after it blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on Crimea on Saturday. On the other hand, Kyiv has accused Moscow of inventing "fictitious terrorist attacks" and using the deal as blackmail. According to Reuters, Turkey, the United Nations, and Ukraine will continue a transit plan in place for 16 ships on Monday. The two main brokers of the deal, Turkey and the UN, on Sunday, scrambled to save the deal. Read Also: India Bridge Collapse Videos Show Devastating Aftermath of Tragedy That Killed At Least 78 Turkey, UN, and Ukraine Push Through UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he was deeply concerned about Russia's decision to suspend participation. He delayed a foreign trip in an attempt to revive the agreement that was intended to ease a global food crisis, his spokesperson said. After Moscow's announcement, wheat prices on international commodities markets were expected to rise on Monday. This is because Russia and Ukraine are both among the world's largest wheat exporters, said analysts. No ships were allowed to move through the established maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday. However, the United Nations released a statement saying that it had agreed with Turkey and Ukraine for the new ships on Monday, 12 outbound and four inbound. Josep Borrell Fontelles, the European Union's top diplomat, urged Russia to reverse its decision to suspend participation with the Black Sea grain deal. In a Sunday tweet, the official said that Moscow's decision puts at risk the main export route of much-needed grain and fertilizers to address the global food crisis, partly created by the war between Russia and Ukraine. The United Nations office overseeing the implementation of the deal said that authorities had convened all the delegations on Sunday. Russia also confirmed that despite its participation in the deal being suspended, it would continue a dialogue with the UN and Turkey on "pressing issues," the New York Times reported. Related Article: Seoul Halloween Stampede Kills 149 People, Mostly Teenagers @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NORFOLK, Virginia (AP) The U.S. Coast Guard, a crew of scientists and others launched an air and sea mission to rescue 13 people, including a child, from a fishing vessel just moments before it sank in darkness early Friday in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia, authorities said. The 115-foot Tremont fishing vessel collided with the 1,000-foot Panamanian-flagged container vessel MSC Rita, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from shore, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The Tremont sent out a mayday call that it was taking on water and sinking with 13 people aboard that was received by watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Virginia, officials said. That call was also heard by Atlantis, a 274-foot (84-meter) ship operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts, at about 1:45 a.m., WHOI said in an email to The Associated Press. The captain of the Atlantis contacted the Coast Guard and motored eight miles (13 kilometers) west to the fishing vessel. The Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from its air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the Coast Guard said. It also dispatched a motor lifeboat crew from its station in Chincoteague, on Virginias Eastern Shore, and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Rollin Fritch to assist. The Tremonts 12 passengers boarded a life raft, while the captain stayed on his ship, according to WHOI. The Atlantis launched an inflatable boat that towed the life raft to another fishing vessel, the New Jersey-based Dyrsten, which took on the 12 passengers. The Coast Guard helicopter hoisted the captain to safety in a basket. Moments later, according to witnesses, the Tremont sank, WHOI said in its email. No one was injured in the collision or rescue, the Coast Guard said. The cause of the collision is being investigated. Safety of life at sea is the Coast Guards top priority, Capt. Jennifer Stockwell, commander of Sector Virginia, said in a statement. These are the life-saving missions for which we train each and every day, Stockwell said. While this mornings events were unfortunate, 13 people were rescued from an extremely perilous situation. The combined efforts of good Samaritans and Coast Guard response assets demonstrates a selfless commitment to others. The Atlantis happened to be nearby as it was on a three-week mission conducting research dives on seeps of methane gas from the ocean floor, WHOI said. And it was using Alvin, the institutions famed human-operated submersible, which is probably best known for exploring the wreck site of the Titanic ocean liner. About the photo: A Coast Guard Station Chincoteague 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew safely transfers 12 people ashore at the station on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 in Chincoteague, Va. Thirteen people were rescued from a sinking fishing vessel early Friday more than 60 miles (96 kilometers) off the coast of Virginia, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. (Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Lally/U.S. Coast Guard via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is waiting for the West to enter talks on behalf of Ukraine. The senior Russian diplomat stressed that the Kremlin is waiting for Zelenskyy's western handlers to negotiate soon. Russian FM Sergey Lavrov Presses the Need To Resolve Hostilities He spoke with a local station and TASS news agency and added that leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, are open to negotiating on the Ukrainian conflict. He added that they are always prepared to listen to propositions from Western partners to decrease pressure, reported Anadolu. It was emphasized that Russia's intention to engage in dialogue, on Ukraine, remained constant. The resumption of talks is predicated on Russia receiving practical proposals premised on equality and mutual respect and aimed at reaching concessions and stabilizing the best interests of all nations. Russian FM Sergey Lavrov indicated that Kyiv's delaying the negotiations with Moscow is going to be detrimental to the Ukraine regime if it intends to continue stalling talks for its own good. Another point is that the West is pulling the strings in the ongoing conflict with Kyiv, which is why no cease-fire has been declared. Ukraine Will Not Stop the Inevitable Result He slammed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's refusal to meet with the Kremlin while his people are suffering, adding that the US and its western backers control the regime. With complete impunity, the West is converting Ukrainians into cannon fodder. Adding that the Kievan leader has a degree may deter him from entering into talks. He's a comedian, and what's happening isn't conducive to comedies, citing ANews. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? Last Monday, remarks from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) found that civilians have suffered extensively. Moscow Claims the West Is Helping Kiev On Tuesday, Lavrov explained that the United States and NATO's logistical support for Kyiv bind them together in the conflict. At the 24th World Russian People's Council in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated unequivocally that Washington and NATO allies are arming Ukrainian neo-Nazis, cooperating with them, and recruiting them to travel to Kyiv, mentioned Yenisafak. Regardless of the justifications the Biden administration provides and its NATO allies, they are indirectly fighting Russian forces. The US and its allies destroyed Ukraine without compunction. He accused Western nations of manipulating Kyiv to contain Russia, a cunning plan to divide Russians and Ukrainians to cut the ties that bind and weaken Russia. It is unfortunate that now the Russian world and its groups abroad are under strain, with some Western democracies putting sanctions on Patriarch Kirill of Moscow as well as Russia as a whole. They expressed disdain at how the West is trying with all its power to stop Russia and a multipolar world that is banging down on their unipolarity. Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is ready to discuss the end of the Ukraine conflict, but the West delays ending it. Related Article: Vladimir Putin's Most Lethal Weapon, the 'Dead Hand' System, Assure Multiple Nukes Devastating the West @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Brazil's leftist presidential candidate Luis Inacio Lula da Silva won over his far-right rival Jair Bolsonaro as the country's political environment begins to shift. Lula da Silva narrowly won a tightly-contested presidential race, winning with only a slim margin of less than 2%. Bolsonaro clung to a narrow 0.5% lead with 50% of precincts reporting their votes. Brazil Presidential Election However, the general trend over the course of the evening was a slow and steady upswing for Lula da Silva as votes trickled in from the northeast. Shortly before 7:00 p.m, with 72% of precincts reporting in, the leftist candidate took his first lead of the night and continued to expand the gap between him and Bolsonaro. The presidential race was expected to be a difficult battle for Bolsonaro in the second round as Lula da Silva won the first by five points, going up 48% to the far-right's 43%. The leftist nearly won outright on Oct. 2 and Bolsonaro struggled once more after third place Simone Tebet and fourth place Ciro Gomes expressed their support of Lula da Silva in the second round, as per Fox News. In the wealthier south of Brazil, Bolsonaro turned in a strong showing, winning Sao Paulo and his native Rio de Janeiro by margins of more than 10% over Lula da Silva. However, it was not enough to compensate for the latter's massive turnout in the Northeast of the country, where the Workers Party has long enjoyed dominance. Lula da Silva won numerous states by margins of 30%, 40%, and even 50%, turning in particularly strong performances in vote-rich states of Bahia, Ceara, and his native Pernambuco. But Bolsonaro flipped the pivotal swing state of Minas Gerais and won by a narrow margin after being backed by the endorsement of Gov. Romeu Zema. According to the New York Times, Lula da Silva's victory completes his stunning political revival, going from the presidency to prison and back. Furthermore, the leftist official's win put an end to Bolsonaro's turbulent time as the region's most powerful leader. Read Also: Somalia Car Bombings Leave 100 Dead, 300 Wounded in Mogadishu; Terrorist Group Al-Shabaab Says They Did It Lula da Silva vs. Jair Bolsonaro Bolsonaro has, for years, attracted global attention for policies that accelerated the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and exacerbated the coronavirus pandemic that has killed almost 700,000 people in the region. He also became a major international figure of the far right for his brash attacks on the left, the media, and the country's democratic institutions. The far-right leader's recent efforts to undermine Brazil's election system also drew particular concern locally and internationally. It also drew worldwide attention to Sunday's vote as a crucial test for one of the world's largest democracies. The return of 76-year-old Lula da Silva to the political scene comes after a series of corruption allegations that resulted in his imprisonment for 580 days. Later, the sentences against him were annulled by Brazil's Supreme Court, which cleared his path to run for re-election. Describing his win as his political "resurrection," Lula da Silva said that the opposition tried to bury him alive yet here he is. He added that beginning on Jan. 1, 2023, he will govern the roughly 215 million Brazilians, and not only those that voted for him, CNN reported. Related Article: Iran's Revolutionary Guards Chief Warns Protesters: 'Do Not Come to the Streets Again'; Canada PM Trudeau Joins Demonstrations @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The State of the Rockies Project was recently awarded a two-year $800,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. With this two-year commitment by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the State of the Rockies Project will be able to expand its reach and work with many more students across campus who are interested in the social, environmental, and political challenges of living in the Rocky Mountain West, says Kat Miller-Stevens, director of the State of the Rockies Project and associate professor in the Economics and Business Department. Through collaborative student-faculty research and education, the State of the Rockies Project addresses socio-environmental challenges in states within the Rocky Mountain West, which include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a nonpartisan charitable foundation that works to promote a better world by advancing ideas and supporting institutions. Each year, the State of the Rockies Projects works with bi-partisan research companies to conduct the Conservation in the West Survey, which polls the opinions of voters in the Rocky Mountain West on different environmental issues facing the region, including issues of energy, water, wildfires, and wildlife. The project has conducted the survey for the past 12 years and has increased the number of states included from five states in 2011 to eight states in 2022. The $800,000 grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, which will be distributed over two years, will support the Conservation in the West polls, as well as several student-focused projects, which include a survey of public land visitors, teaching students about the poll and about conservation issues through Colorado College courses, and Anthropogenic, a student-led digital and print magazine. Additionally, the grant will support student-produced films and mini-series based on themes addressed in the 2023 Conservation in the West poll. Cyndy Hines The best part of my job at CC is finding ways for students to apply whats learned in a class setting to relevant and timely regional issues. Many of the opportunities we create for students are directly supported by our grant from the Hewlett Foundation. We are grateful for their confidence in the work we do at the College, says Cyndy Hines, project specialist for the State of the Rockies Project. Its incredible to have the continued support of the Hewlett Foundation. We really are so fortunate, says Cyndy Hines. I'm delighted that the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation awarded Colorado College a two-year grant to support our annual Conservation in the West Poll and to engage students in the poll. The foundations long-standing partnership with the college to increase the publics understanding of urgent issues affecting the Rocky Mountain region is commendable and we are thrilled that we are able to continue this work for two more years, says Laura Hines, director of corporate and foundation relations in the Advancement Office. This year, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation invited the State of the Rockies Project to submit a two-year grant proposal, which was accepted. For the previous 12 years the Foundation has awarded State of the Rockies one-year grants, and the two-year invitation and increased award both reflect the Foundations commitment to Colorado College and its students. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. A tiger mauled a farmer to death in Uttar Pradesh last Saturday. This month, six people were reported who was gored to death. Many of these big cats have figured out fatal attacks for many of the victims. Tiger Attacks Farmer in Northern India Previously, a 38-year-old woman was killed by a large cat in the district's Mohammadi range, reported Daiji World. Big cats that lived in the district during the month were among those killed by wild animals. According to the report, Veerpal is a resident of Bakarganj village in the Hyderabad police circle. He went to a sugarcane field close to the Aanvla jungles of the Mohammadi range to collect fodder for cows when the big cat mauled the farmer, noted NDTV. Farmers in the nearby fields scrambled to get to the attack scene, but the ferocious animal escaped into the fields. Veerpal was taken to the local community health center in Gola but soon passed away due to too many injuries. Sanjay Biswal went to the scene with field staff to take note of the scenario and guarantee maximum additional assistance to the deceased's family. The official said that combing teams had been deployed to drive the tiger back to the forest. Biswal asserted that big cat behavior, including tigers and leopards, had already been frequently disclosed from the location. Such a deadly attack made the locals more careful when going to the fields. The local chief advised villagers to stay indoors at night to avoid being attacked by wild carnivores that hunt at night. When possible, stay in large groups rather than singles. Read Also: Is Vladimir Putin Fighting Cancer? Rumors Spark Anew After Russia Video Goes Viral Senior Forest officials have instructed to catch or incapacitate the leopard, which was assumed to be old or weak, to capture its natural prey. Cages and cameras in large numbers have been set up, and images of the elusive leopard have been captured. Man-Eating Tiger Mauls Nine One report said that one woman and her seven-year-old boy were both attacked by a ferocious beast in the Tiger Reserve in Balua village, close to the Govardhana police station in Bagaha, citing Latestly. A bloodthirsty tiger attacked nine people viciously in the area of Bagaha of the West Champaran district of Bihar; got killed by organized villagers. A kill order was given to slay the vicious animal. This man-eating tiger is supposed to have eviscerated four people with a child during the last four days. Based on a forest officer, instructions to destroy a tiger have been issued in conformity with a process after it is ascertained that the big cat is used to residing in human settlements. Following the death of 9 people, reports regarding the woman and her seven-year-old son getting killed by a tiger in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Balua village. The deaths of the mother and son had spurred locals to form groups to go after the tiger in the sugar cane fields after the deadly attack. Present are the police and forestry officials at the camping site. Valmiki Tiger Reserve is the sole park in Bihar which is almost 900 sq km, and in 2018 had 40 tigers there. A wild tiger mauls a farmer to death which is only one of the deaths in India as these big cats stay close to human habitation. Relate Article: Russian Woman Makes Last Call to Mother While Eaten Alive by Wild Bear, Three Cubs Before Her Grisly Death @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. You must be logged in to participate in the Show Me the Errors contest. River Buri Ganga, lifeline of Dhaka, and the port at Gatboli But this was not the first time that I earned plaudits from a Bangladeshi in Bangladesh for simply being part of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). There is a small village Dawki on Indo-Bangladesh border in south-east Meghalaya where the Umngot river forms a lake on the Indian side before flowing across the border into Bangladesh. It is a picnic spot where the common people seemed to have sway over the paramilitary Border Guards right on the border, both in India and Bangladesh. I had been to the place in December 2017. A rather modest nylon rope, stretched across the river to mark the border, seemed to bear the audacity of dividing thousands of years of our shared history into India and Bangladesh. But the people were equally intent, quite spontaneously rather than by design, upon mitigating the audacity of the rope. Even as the hawkers on either side did brisk business by selling snacks to customers from either side, selfies were being clicked by picnickers from the two countries on either side of the rope, inside each others country. It is there that I met a group of Bangladeshi students and some lawyers practicing in Bangladesh Supreme Court. Mere mention of being a professor at JNU earned me generous plaudits instantly along with an invite for a selfie in Bangladesh. The rope was only a hapless witness to the will of the people. I would let the plaudits rest here. A rather modest nylon rope, stretched across the river to mark the border, seemed to bear the audacity of dividing thousands of years of our shared history into India and Bangladesh. But the people were equally intent, quite spontaneously rather than by design, upon mitigating the audacity of the rope. Even as the hawkers on either side did brisk business by selling snacks to customers from either side, selfies were being clicked by picnickers from the two countries on either side of the rope, inside each others country.It is there that I met a group of Bangladeshi students and some lawyers practicing in Bangladesh Supreme Court. Mere mention of being a professor at JNU earned me generous plaudits instantly along with an invite for a selfie in Bangladesh. The rope was only a hapless witness to the will of the people.I would let the plaudits rest here.Before my arrival in Bangladesh, Aakash had asked me to come prepared with a wish list of what I would like to photograph. People is all that I had in my mind. I told him that my interest was in the genre of photography where people would speak through my photographs, and so it was. We went almost exclusively to working class areas and among the workers during the workshop. They welcomed me with generous smiles and rarely declined a pose for the camera. Moreover, that I was from India elicited a measure of excitement and a lot of respect on their part something, I believe, we in India need to learn from. Here I have displayed some more impressions I have carried back with me. I just wish that these manage to nudge our opinions a little. *** Opposite old Dhaka, across the Buri Ganga river there is this shipyard where old ships are refurbished and some smaller ones are forged anew from metal retrieved from breaking down old ships. I do not know the scale of it, but like India, Bangladesh is also a recipient of old ships from across the world to be broken down. The breaking down happens in Chittagong and the retrieved metal is then shipped to Dhaka by trawler boats and smaller ships where these labourers offload it. From what I saw, I can assure you that doing so is no mean task. What I saw here were the feet that tirelessly bear the burden of this world, soiled even though they are; the hands that can hold up the sky, even though bonded into slavery of circumstances they are; burden off loaded to begin another round and the process goes on for at least eight hours a day; and a working woman, she steals a nap her mate keeps a strict vigil. I met Anara Begom at Karwan Bazaar wholesale vegetable market, Dhaka. Anaras husband was killed in Rawalpindi at the time of Bangladesh liberation war. She raised her children single handedly, and now that they are all married, she is left alone to fend for herself as her offspring can themselves manage only a hand to mouth existence. Anara Begom We found her tucked in a corner of Karwan Bazar sitting with an assortment of around a dozen pieces of vegetables on a mat waiting for a customer. All of her capital was worth no more than 10 to 15 takas, or so was her expectation. But who would buy this, one might wonder? As it was to be found, at Karwan Bazar there are layers within layers. We found her tucked in a corner of Karwan Bazar sitting with an assortment of around a dozen pieces of vegetables on a mat waiting for a customer. All of her capital was worth no more than 10 to 15 takas, or so was her expectation. But who would buy this, one might wonder? As it was to be found, at Karwan Bazar there are layers within layers. A headload worker There are big wholesale traders, who supply the big and small retailers. In the transaction some vegetables fall off the sacks, or those that have started rotting in parts are discarded. Such vegetables are collected by people like Anara, washed, their decayed portions removed, and then sold to other poor people like her, of which there isnt a dearth. Anara Begom thus manages to ward off the indignity of having to beg. Then, there was a worker ferrying a headload of goods in the Karwan Bazar wholesale vegetable market; a worker enjoying a refreshing bath after the days hard work at Gabtoli cattle market in Dhaka; and a man and his machine (as I stood angling for this shot, I was incidentally reminded of Ritwik Ghataks 1958 film Ajaantrik). There are big wholesale traders, who supply the big and small retailers. In the transaction some vegetables fall off the sacks, or those that have started rotting in parts are discarded. Such vegetables are collected by people like Anara, washed, their decayed portions removed, and then sold to other poor people like her, of which there isnt a dearth. Anara Begom thus manages to ward off the indignity of having to beg.Then, there was a worker ferrying a headload of goods in the Karwan Bazar wholesale vegetable market; a worker enjoying a refreshing bath after the days hard work at Gabtoli cattle market in Dhaka; and a man and his machine (as I stood angling for this shot, I was incidentally reminded of Ritwik Ghataks 1958 film Ajaantrik).Bangladesh is a land of mighty rivers. River Buri Ganga is the lifeline of Dhaka and the port at Gatboli is the busiest commercial port of the city handling major trade. Naturally then it is teeming with workers loading and unloading the ships. Maimoona, Rahimul, Khaleeda Each basket of coal they ferry carries around 40 kg of coal which is to be offloaded at the depot that is around 100 meters from the ship. Each round trip earns them 3 takas and the count of the trips is kept by plastic tokens handed to them after each trip. Just calculate how many trips they would be making to earn a daily wage between 500 to 800 takas. Its a sheer feat. Isnt it humbling that they still managed a smile to make a great photograph. One can motice the kohl in Khaleedas eyes. Then there was the proletarian Rambo, and a worker with flashy smile. You would have heard of descriptions like Colgate smile, Binaca smile and Cibaca smile. His smile was twice as glorious as all three of them put together. Also, there was genial Hercules, Bilal Hossein, tall and muscular with broad shoulders on which rests the weight of many responsibilities. Nothing would exemplify better the adage -- living by the sweat of the brow only to get browbeaten as these workers do. I captured lunch break at Gabtoli; Maimoona, who manages her tiny dhaba (food stall) to provide cheapest possible food for the laborers at Gabtoli; an angry young man (I wonder, who will channelize his anger?); Rahimul and Khaleeda who ferry coal from the ships.Each basket of coal they ferry carries around 40 kg of coal which is to be offloaded at the depot that is around 100 meters from the ship. Each round trip earns them 3 takas and the count of the trips is kept by plastic tokens handed to them after each trip. Just calculate how many trips they would be making to earn a daily wage between 500 to 800 takas. Its a sheer feat. Isnt it humbling that they still managed a smile to make a great photograph. One can motice the kohl in Khaleedas eyes.Then there was the proletarian Rambo, and a worker with flashy smile. You would have heard of descriptions like Colgate smile, Binaca smile and Cibaca smile. His smile was twice as glorious as all three of them put together. Also, there was genial Hercules, Bilal Hossein, tall and muscular with broad shoulders on which rests the weight of many responsibilities. As dusk cast its deep shadow over Gabtoli it was time to bid adieu. He said that he toils hard so that his children can get all the education they need. I intervened just in time to prevent him from wiping out the beads of sweat on his countenance. The results are what they are. After the photograph was taken, Aakash asked the tea shop owner on site to open two one liter bottles of seven up for Bilal and his compatriots to quench their thirst.As dusk cast its deep shadow over Gabtoli it was time to bid adieu. --- *MD, MPH, PhD, Assistant Professor, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi Earlier this month I was in Dhaka to attend a one on one photography workshop with an extremely talented Bangladeshi photographer GMB Aakash. As I was set to leave for Dhaka a student of mine remarked Comrade, tussi abroad challe ho (comrade, you are going abroad)? Nothing could have been more tragic for me than to feel like being abroad in Bangladesh. I told my student friend I would just like to feel like being at home in Dhaka; like an overdue homecoming.My affliction here does not owe to any reason endogenous to me; it simply is for the reason that we are the same people either across our western border or the eastern border, united by a shared history extending over thousands of years. The borders albeit are only 75 years old and it is my belief that if people across the sub-continent could have their way, the borders, as a barrier to free intermingling of the people, would be gone sooner than later.I need to admit here that Bangladesh did not disappoint me even in the least. Upon arrival as the immigration official at the airport saw my passport a smile crossed his face. Welcome to Bangladesh Sir. You are from JNU! Its a great university; at least the greatest in South Asia and you are in a great profession. This was no coincidence, for on my return another officer at the immigration said much the same thing. South Africa: African growth requires good governance - Lamola Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Ronald Lamola, says good governance is critical in ensuring the African continent begins to thrive in sectors such infrastructure development and innovation. The Minister was delivering the keynote address at the opening of the first ordinary session of the sixth parliament of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand. Lamola delivered the remarks on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa. He said with a population of about 1.4 billion and a median age of some 19 years old, the continent has untapped potential. We cannot continue to govern in the same way we have been governing in the past. Corruption and misgovernance should never define us. Instead Africa should be defined by digitisation, innovation, world class infrastructure and modernisation of the African continent. As our continent has always been a reservoir of innovation and dynamic leadership, we need a generation across the continent that will give rise to the ideas of the likes of Professor li Mazrui, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Jean Martine Cisse, Thomas Sankara, Nelson Mandela and Samora Machel, he said. Lamola emphasised that as an institution supporting the African Union, the PAP has a critical mandate to contribute to the strengthening of the culture of democracy, good governance and the rule of law in the continent. This includes through the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance which provides a framework for election monitoring on our continent. Some of our countries have held elections this year, still more are expected to hold them in 2023. We need to interrogate the responsibility of the PAP as an institution in supporting the AU. The High-Level Parliamentary dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance that [PAP is] scheduled to have during this session as well as the roundtable on advancing democratic governance will contribute towards that effort, he said. Turning to unifying the continent through integration, the Minister highlighted that a key area of work is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The [AfCFTA] is also one of the tools at our disposal to contribute to greater integration but it would require the finalisation of harmonisation of standards across the continent and the streamlining of our supply chains among others. Much depends on the progress that we make at the national level to adopt the relevant legislation that will allow the commencement of preferential trade for instance, on trade in goods, Lamola said. He said another key area is the engagement of Africans not only on the continent but also abroad. Another area that we can exploit to realise the aspirations of the African peoples is to work with the African Diaspora, who can help build the much needed skills for future careers in our continent as well as contribute to the transfer of technology which we sorely need. Citizen engagement is another area that could be strengthened and I would like to encourage you to consider standing platforms/mechanisms for youth engagement as well as civil society because of its research capacity the promotion of accountability, which is at the core of the work of Parliamentarians, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-10-31. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Lebanese president leaves office amid steep financial crisis Xinhua) 09:37, October 31, 2022 BEIRUT, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Sunday departed the presidential palace a day before the end of his term, leaving the country in a presidential vacuum amid a steep financial crisis. Hundreds of supporters gathered at Baabda Palace to bid farewell to Aoun by chanting slogans and carrying portraits of the president. Aoun departed the palace despite the failure of political parties to reach a consensus on the appointment of a new president for the republic. A caretaker cabinet currently governs Lebanon as Prime Minister Najib Mikati failed to form a government for the past six months. Lebanon needs a new president who can negotiate with parliament members on appointing a new prime minister to form a cabinet capable of implementing necessary reforms to save the country from its multiple crises. Lebanon has been suffering from a protracted financial crisis amid ongoing political uncertainties. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) Following the death of at least 153 people in a crowd stampede in Seoul on Sunday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol proclaimed a day of national mourning. A large throng of people rushed into a small passageway during Halloween celebrations, crushing individuals in the center of the mob. Mourning Period Starts Following South Kore's Halloween Stampede Per Fox News, after first responders reported pulling corpse after body out of the alleyway and finding few alive, mourners left flowers at the spot. Following the tragedy, Seoul's authorities have received more than 350 complaints of missing people. Ninety percent of the fatalities have, according to interior minister Lee Sang-min, been identified as of Sunday morning. At the Hannam-dong Community Center in Seoul, throngs of people came to find out what had become of loved ones who had been reported missing. After talking with officials, one person allegedly dropped to their knees and started crying. The majority of those slain in the tragedy were young individuals, many of them in their 20s and some even as young as teens. Every year, Halloween brings in a sizable throng to Seoul's bars, clubs, and eateries. According to officials, 82 more individuals were hurt in the rush, 19 of them had serious injuries. The country of South Korea entered a week of mourning after the Halloween crush, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo vowed a comprehensive inquiry. The area around the event, which was covered with rubbish, was blocked off by police, and surrounding shops and cafes were shut down, Reuters via MSN reported. Halloween celebrations that were scheduled around the nation at schools, kindergartens, and businesses were canceled. Government briefings and K-pop performances were also postponed. According to his office, President Yoon Suk-yeol paid his condolences to the victims on Monday by going to a memorial altar next to the Seoul city hall. Read Also: India Bridge Collapse Videos Show Devastating Aftermath of Tragedy That Killed At Least 78 Itaewon Crowd Crush The crush occurred just as Itaewon, the city's nightlife center for decades, was beginning to flourish following more than two years of COVID-19 restrictions, with hip restaurants and stores taking the place of sleazy joints. The tragedy is the worst in the nation since a ferry sinking in 2014 that killed 304 people, mostly high school students. South Korea was shocked by the sinking of the Sewol and the backlash against the government's reaction, which sparked a national debate about safety measures that will undoubtedly be rekindled in the aftermath of Saturday's crush. Several others are seen performing CPR on the dead lined the roadway in videos taken at the incident. An on-the-ground BBC correspondent reported seeing several ambulances, tens of thousands of people, and numerous dead draped in blue sheets. Ambulances had a difficult time navigating the masses of people. News of what had transpired was coming in bits and pieces, as is typical in a fast-moving catastrophe like this. Although the first reports stated that 50 people had died from cardiac arrests, which is a frequent cause of death in a crush, it was obvious from the somber pictures of body bags filling the streets that this was a significant occurrence. According to authorities, 150 persons were injured in addition to the 59 fatalities. After an hour, there were 120 dead and 100 injured. As the night went on, the figures continued to rise and soon reached 150. Yoon Suk-yeol convened an emergency meeting shortly after the disaster began to take place and declared that the reason of the crush will be investigated into. He said that he felt "responsible for people's lives and safety" and said, "My heart is heavy and I struggle to cope with my grief." Related Article: Seoul Halloween Stampede Kills 149 People, Mostly Teenagers @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Last week, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released voluntary cross-sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs). CISA was required to produce the CPGs under a national security memo on improving cybersecurity for critical infrastructure control systems issued by President Biden in July 2021. Working in coordination with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the interagency community, CISA developed baseline cybersecurity performance goals that are consistent across all critical infrastructure sectors. CISA says these goals are a prioritized subset of IT and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity practices that critical infrastructure owners and operators can implement to meaningfully reduce the likelihood and impact of known risks and adversary techniques. Stressing that the goals are voluntary and not comprehensive, CISA modeled the CPGs on the real-world threats and adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) observed by CISA and its government and industry partners but mostly leaned on NISTs Cybersecurity Framework (CSF). Despite wide praise for the CSF, CISA felt compelled to offer a simpler, more bite-sized, and abridged version of NISTs framework. It became clear that even with comprehensive guidance from sources like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, many organizations would benefit from help identifying and prioritizing the most important cybersecurity practices along with support in making a compelling argument to ensure adequate resources for driving down risk, CISA Director Jen Easterly says in the introduction to the CPGs. CISA, however, made clear that the NIST Framework is still the real deal. While the CPGs are mapped to corresponding subcategories in the NIST CSF, CISA still recommends that organizations use NIST CSF to design and mature a comprehensive cybersecurity program, CISA said. Each goal comprises the desired outcome, TTP/risk addressed, security practice, scope, recommended action, and CSF reference (the subcategory most closely relates to the security practice.) The goals are spelled out in a quick start guide, a short 28-page document. They are clustered around eight succinctly detailed topics, including: Account security Device security Data security Governance and training Vulnerability management Supply chain/third party Response and recovery Other CISAs goals are a good first step Reaction to CISAs release was generally positive. Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation, issued a statement saying the Cybersecurity Performance Goals for Critical Infrastructure (CPGs) will help simplify security decisions for owners and operators, and set clear expectations about the baseline security controls that should be in place for essential services and functions. Patrick Miller, president and CEO of Ampere Industrial Security and one of the industry leaders who advised CISA as it drafted the CPGs, tells CSO he thinks CISAs document is a really good first step. The CPGs will obviously need to change, not just because they'll be refined over time, but CISA will get more industry feedback as people actually walk through it. Tom Bossert, president of Trinity Cyber and former homeland security advisor to the two most recent Republican presidents, reviewed copies of the CPG document before its release, he tells CSO. I wish all compliance lists were this straightforward and well thought out. In order to get a better likelihood of the target audience adopting these guidelines, you want to make sure they're clear and understandable. And that's exactly what they are. These are way more approachable than the NIST Framework, which can be daunting and thick and sometimes the equivalent of giving a student War and Peace. Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation and executive director of Cybersolarium.org, tells CSO that the CPGs are really important for small- and medium-sized businesses. Big companies, what I would call the systemically important critical infrastructure structure, or what Jen Easterly might call the priority systemically important entities, are less likely to need the kind of easily digested advice contained in the CPGs, Montgomery says, because they have already studied the NIST Framework and are implementing more ambitious programs. This is about that big middle, and for that reason, I think there's value in this, he says. Room for improvement on cybersecurity goals CISA plans to work with critical infrastructure sectors to enhance the goals as it begins the development of sector-specific goals and to identify any additional cybersecurity practices not already included in its common baseline. Bossert said that based on his review, there dont seem to be any network security controls referenced. That's a place where I'm going to work with them to see if we can flush out the adoption of new capabilities. I would say there are other things they missed, Montgomery says, such as controls listed in NISTs 800 series of security publications or the ISA Secure set of security tools and documents. That might have been an advantage [for CISA] in more readily acknowledging the other tools that are available. Although supply chain is referenced in the goals, I think that over time theyre going to come back to it, Montgomery says, I suspect the next time we see this updated, we'll see a larger section on supply chain. How long will the cybersecurity goals stay voluntary? Although CISA stresses that the CPGs are strictly voluntary, some say the fact that the NIST CSF has now been incorporated into recommendations by CISA under a White House national security memorandum moves the desired cybersecurity outcomes closer to becoming regulatory requirements. Anytime the federal government issues something like this, it's going to be air quotes voluntary until you're voluntold, and then you'll just be told, Miller says. According to Miller, it would behoove organizations to embrace the CPGs to improve their cybersecurity postures and, perhaps, stave off regulation. I'm a big DHS fan, but if you don't respond in a meaningful way, there will likely be regulation to follow. We know, based on the memorandum, that if we don't participate, we could very realistically face additional regulations that will probably look a lot like these in the future. So, we could probably at least start going down this path and start showing some progress. I don't think anyone would be surprised to hear that this administration has been signaling an intention to regulate the industry on cybersecurity in maybe a significant way, Bossert says. People are trying to read tea leaves, and those who are trying to read tea leaves are going to read [the CPGs] as maybe this is the first step. And maybe the second step will be to turn these into compulsory regulatory requirements. For now, I don't read it that way. CISA goals might lead to industry cybersecurity best practices Whatever the case, the CPGs are establishing benchmarks that regulators, insurers, and executives can use as guidelines for assessing cybersecurity performance according to a more formal rubric. Having the Department of Homeland Security put this out gives it an extra level of attention that may capture the attention of boards and senior leadership, says Montgomery. The CPGs can go a long way if you're struggling to get budget or resources, Miller says. If DHS is asking, that gives you a little bit of extra push to gain funding from upper management for cybersecurity or get them to help in some other way. Because DHS has issued these, now it's in a practical sense, more likely that companies in the critical infrastructure sector are going to adopt these as best practices or as industry standards, Bossert says. I think it's not about the government right now telling them that they have to, but if all of the similarly situated companies in their sector adopt them, those become the baseline standard for negligence. Once common standards materialize inside any industry or industry segment, they tend to form a baseline of good practice and conduct that others meet and hopefully meet or exceed. Does your company have a travel policy that instructs and supports employees traveling internationally for business with direction regarding comportment and cooperation? This isnt a trick question. To have a travel program that provides employees with anticipated scenarios, and to provide them with unique devices for international travel, is a significant investment of resources both physical and monetary. The revelation that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) routinely downloads the content of devices of individuals who are entering the United States should attract the eyes and attention of every CISO. The fact that the CBP routinely captures device contents is not new; indeed, several lawsuits over the years have challenged the CBPs authority, which has always been upheld as lawful. Handling secondary interviews at the border When one digs in further, they find that these data capture events occur as part of a secondary inspection/interview by a CBP officer prior to the individual being allowed entry into the United States. That timing and place are important, as the CBP officer makes the determination if the individual standing before them is to be allowed to enter the US or rejected and asked to depart without officially entering the US. While physically in the airport and in the CBP zone, until you are passed through by the CBP officer, you are not technically in the United States. The immediate question all should be asking is, is it the same everywhere? The short answer is, yes. Every country has a secondary screening process in place. I have been placed into secondary screening in Australia and the UK as my travel pattern prior to arrival was odd (even for me). In my case, it was a five-minute discussion after they had emptied my bags onto the table and determined I was whom I said I was, doing what I said I was there to do, and my device (I had a cellphone and a thin client tablet, both powered up.) I was not asked to open either device, but had they asked, I would have acquiesced as the devices were travel devices that is, they were void of any data other than the connection to the VPN and secured cloud environment where the data I needed for my work resided. Border zones have unique rules CISOs need to be aware that international border zones be they at an airport, port, train station, or land crossing, are opportunities for intellectual property to be fleeced by governments with an eye or interest in the employee or the company. For example, in 2019, The New York Times did an expose on Chinas surveillance of tourist phones. In this case, the situation was far more draconian than an inspection and data dump at the airport. Rather, the authorities required the installation of a specific application that allowed for real-time surveillance of individuals. In a 2017 Kasperky report on border crossings, they shared statistics on electronic devices being inspected at various international points of entry. Though dated, the numbers provide perspective. In Frankfurt, the number of devices was seven percent, while in Paris 48% of individuals who were processed in secondary had their device information captured. The recent spotlight placed upon CBP came about when Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to CBP on September 15, 2022 which called into question the practice of searching US persons devices. In his letter, Wyden notes that CBP does not keep statistics on the number of basic vs. advanced searches, the number of times CBP downloads data into its central database, nor the number of times it searches this database for national security purposes. He continues that the CBP had briefed that the information stored was accessible to 2,700 DHS personnel to search and was available for 15 years. Preparing employees for cross-border travel How can companies prepare their employees for international travel, understanding that the rules that apply in the United States are not the rules that will apply in China, France, Russia, or any other country? The ACLU has published a know your rights primer which is most useful in helping companies formulate their policy and guidance to employees crossing international borders. For Americans, failure to answer questions asked of an individual may delay entry, but entry will not be denied. Similarly, failure to unlock a device may get the device confiscated and a receipt provided to the traveler. If you are a foreign national entering the US, the results of non-cooperation may result in your being denied entry into the U.S. Having a travel security program that includes devices configured and prepared for international travel is another dimension, which may reduce the risk that intellectual property is resident in CBP or any other countrys database which is populated from devices that had been subjected to a deep dive. CISOs should also ensure that their travel security program includes guidance from corporate legal and HR on comportment and processes during international border inspections to which employees may be subjected. In summation, anticipate that your employees will be subjected to secondary inspection from time to time and that they will be asked to open their devices to a border/immigration inspector and prepare accordingly. Ukrainian authorities reported Russian missile attacks all over the country after Moscow accused Kyiv of an attack on its Black Sea fleet and withdrew from a deal that enabled the transportation of food supplies. A Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain supplies earlier this year led to a global food crisis. Russia and Ukraine are two of the largest food exporters in the world. After Russia declared suspension of cooperation with grain shipments, Chicago wheat futures rose more than 5% on Monday. The crucial infrastructure of Ukraine has been damaged by yet another round of Russian missiles, according to Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine. "Don't justify these strikes by calling them a 'response'. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the determination to kill Ukrainians," the official said as per a report from Reuters. Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, remarked that missiles had struck energy infrastructure in the capital city of Kyiv and other cities, cutting off power and water to those areas. The official noted that Russia has no interest in pursuing "peace talks" and "global food security." "Putin's primary purpose is murder and destruction," he said, as reported by The Independent. Russia Maintains Attack on Civilian Infrastructure Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said vast sections of the city were left without access to utilities. He reported that local authorities were scrambling to repair a destroyed power plant that provides power to 350,000 units in the metropolis, per ABC News. Two days ago, Russia accused Ukraine of attacking its Black Sea Fleet of the Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine denies the strike, alleging Russia mismanaged its own weaponry, but Moscow halted its involvement in a pact, brokered by the UN, to grant Ukrainian grain ships safe passage amid the Russia Ukraine war. Read Also: Itaewon Halloween Stampede: South Korea Vows Thorough Investigation Into Tragic Crowd Crush That Killed Over 150 People, Injured Hundreds On Monday, the chief of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, commented on the attacks, saying that the soldiers of Vladimir Putin maintain the strikes on "civilian facilities." The top-ranking Ukrainian official said that they will make "generations of Russians" pay a "hefty price for their disgrace." Russia unleashed the largest airstrikes against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities this month, claiming that it was in retaliation for a strike on its bridge to Crimea. Ukraine has neither admitted nor denied it was behind the attack. Russia Accused of Weaponizing Food as Food Crisis Worsens Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia for "blackmailing the world with hunger" by withdrawing from the food export arrangement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. Moscow's cancellation of a contract that allowed Ukraine to ship grain over the Black Sea could deepen a famine crisis in Africa, specialists on Africa and humanitarian groups stated, per The New York Times. Russia's move on Saturday to halt the grain pact struck by the United Nations and Turkey to reduce global food prices and battle famine has been criticized by Western authorities, who have accused Vladimir Putin of "weaponizing" food. According to local experts and commodity market analysts, Russia's action could shoot up grain prices in the short term when markets reopen on Monday. This would be particularly detrimental to nations whose governments lack the resources to subsidize basic consumables. There are severe food shortages affecting tens of millions of people across Africa, and the majority of the world's 19 "hunger hot spots" are located in the continent. Food shortages worsened due to civil wars, weather extremes, and the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Related Article: Russia Threatens To Attack Satellites Crucial to Pentagon, Ukraine, Prompting Immediate Reply From US Government @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Theres no shortage of things to do as the spirits return this Halloween, but surely no mortal can resist telling a terrifying tale! Gather round, or stay alone, if you dare here are spooky literature recommendations, new and old, from UO faculty and local booksellers to startle your horror-loving heart. Novel: Fellstones by Ramsey Campbell Fellstones is a small British town, named for its landmarks on the village green. Its where Paul Dunstan grew up, where he now returns to visit his adoptive family, the Staveleys. But Paul has memories to uncover, the seven stones have a cosmic secret, and everything is ready to awaken. Released in September, Fellstones is the latest novel from English writer Ramsey Campbell. Campbell is a master of subtle, supernatural, psychological horror, according to Derek Hill, who works at Smith Family Bookstore. Hes probably one of the best living horror writers, Hill said. Novel: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia In 1950s Mexico, Noemi Taboada receives a letter with a plea for help from her cousin Catalina. Noemi travels to join Catalina and her mysterious English husband at their house, known as High Place, out in the countryside. In true gothic horror fashion, Noemi finds the house troubled by mad dreams and dark family secrets. Mexican Gothic, published in 2020, has been selling well recently at Smith Family Bookstore, especially among younger readers, according to Hill. Shes got wider appeal because of what shes focusing on, Hill said. Moreno-Garcia will be visiting Eugene Public Library for a free talk on Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. Poem: "The Mewlips" by J.R.R. Tolkien Tolkien, best known for The Lord of the Rings, also wrote collections of Hobbit poetry. He invents the creepy Mewlips in 1962s The Adventures of Tom Bombadil: They peep out slyly; through a crack Their feeling fingers creep, And when they've finished, in a sack Your bones they take to keep. The poem is enough to happily frighten a small child, according to Martha Bayless, UO professor of English and director of folklore. One thing I like about it is that the Mewlips don't come after you, Bayless wrote in an email. You go to find them and that turns out to be your final mistake! You're the author of your own demise! Short story collection: The October Country by Ray Bradbury Every October, Tsunami bookseller Steve Ellerhoff rereads The October Country, a collection of 19 short stories published in 1955. It includes tales of murder, ghosts, vampires and more all told with the unique artistry that made Bradbury one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Its great because he sort of sets up the whole month as an almost alternate dimension where anything spooky can happen, Ellerhoff said. Novel: Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice In the cold of rural Canada, an Anishinaabe community loses power and all contact with the rest of the world. Theyre on their own as they struggle to ration supplies and deal with an unexpected visitor in this post-apocalyptic thriller published in 2018. Moon of the Crusted Snow is not only a great read, but it inventively engage[s] with the horrors of environmental devastation and settler colonialism, Stacy Alaimo, UO professor of English and environmental studies, wrote in an email. Short story: The White People by Arthur Machen To illustrate a point about the nature of saints and sinners, Ambrose lends his friend Cotgrave one of his most prized possessions. Its a one-of-a-kind green book, the diary of a young girl who details her strange introduction to witchcraft and sin. Its an eerie time-warp full of ancient folklore, mysticism, magic, occultism, otherworldly journeys, Daniel Wojcik, UO professor of English and folklore, wrote in an email, and a dreamlike, stream of consciousness green book with subject matter that was controversial at the time. Novel: The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe After the death of her parents, the French aristocrat Emily St. Aubert is forced to move in with her aunt and her fiendish husband Montoni at his castle Udolpho in Italy. It has the classic heroine locked up in the castle, persecuted by the nasty Gothic villain, Elizabeth Bohls, UO professor and associate head of English, wrote in an email, but the scary scenes are more muted and suggestive. The Mysteries of Udolpho was part of the wave of interest in Gothic terror in late 18th-century Britain, according to Bohls. The novel is long though, Bohls warns, so you need to be a true devotee of the Gothic to venture. From the classics to contemporaries, there is something for everyone to read this Halloween. Australian Dollar, AUD/USD, Retail Sales, China PMI, Iron Ore, Technical Outlook Talking Points Asia-Pacific markets look to trade higher on Monday as yields fall Chinas manufacturing PMI data for October may dictate sentiment AUD/USD may target the 50-day SMA if Fib support holds steady Advertisement Mondays Asia-Pacific Outlook Asia-Pacific stocks outside of China advanced last week as bond buyers returned to the market, pushing yields lower. Japans Nikkei 225 rose 0.8%, and South Koreas KOSPI Index put in a 2.5% gain. Chinese stocks were heavily sold in the first week of trading after President Xi Jinping secured a third term. Investors were spooked by his consolidation of power, with moderate voices largely absent from his new inner circle. An increase in Covid cases across China prompted new lockdown measures across dozens of cities. Zhengzhou saw its iPhone-making factory enter a closed-loop system, which bars certain employees from leaving. Foxconn operates the factory that is currently producing the newest iPhone. Apple rose over 7% in US trading on Friday despite the news. Iron ore prices in Singapore fell below $80 for the first time since early 2020. A demand pullback is slamming prices as higher rates and Chinas ailing property sector curtail the need for metal. That doesnt bode well for the Australian Dollar given Australias large mining sector that relies heavily on the Chinese market. Australias September retail sales figure is due at 00:30 UTC. The Bloomberg consensus sees a 0.6% increase from the month prior. That will be the last data point before the Reserve Bank of Australia announces its policy decision on Tuesday. Cash rates futures are pricing a 100% chance for a 25-basis point rate hike and virtually no chance for a larger hike. Fridays Commitment of Traders report (COT) from the CFTC revealed an increase (+15.2k) in speculator short bets on Australian Dollar currency futures. Recommended by Thomas Westwater How to Trade AUD/USD Get My Guide Australian Dollar Technical Outlook The Australian Dollar pierced above the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement on Wednesday following failed intraday attempts on Monday and Tuesday. That Fib level came back into play on Friday as support. If prices hold above the level, focus would turn to the falling 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the 38.2% Fib. The MACD is showing positive momentum toward its midpoint, but AUD/USD remains vulnerable to further losses amid the broader downtrend. AUD/USD Daily Chart Chart created with TradingView The Quiz Discover what kind of forex trader you are Start Quiz --- Written by Thomas Westwater, Analyst for DailyFX.com To contact Thomas, use the comments section below or @FxWestwater on Twitter Samsung's One UI 5 software updates will make Galaxy S22 work more like the iPhone 14. It could happen as Samsung has already rolled out One UI 5 software updates for its Galaxy devices with a swathe of features that have eerie similarities with Apple's iOS 16. It can be said that Samsung Galaxy S22 comes out of the box. The flagship phone uses Google's Android operating system with One UI, a customized user interface. UI's previous versions were known as Samsung Experience and TouchWiz. The plot thickens with the announcement that the S22 series will get the One UI 5 update, the first in the range of Samsung smartphones. In fact, Samsung has already rolled out the new UI 5.0 for all Galaxy phones. And the Korean tech company has released the first batch of updates, which will eventually bring every Galaxy device closer to the iPhone in terms of specs and operations (via MySmartPrice). Eerie Similarities: Four Ways Smartly tweaking some features didn't do enough to deny that Samsung has copied some popular features from the iPhone, Inverse noted. Here are several ways why Galaxy devices will work like iPhones with One UI 5: 1. Stacks. One UI 5's final version will ship with a number of changes to widgets, enabling users to stack them. The software updates will also make Galaxy devices capable of offering suggestions for a particular app people have used frequently. These features bring to mind iOS 14, which Apple debuted in 2020. Samsung's smart suggestion is a tweak apart from iPhone's Siri. 2. Focus Modes. One UI 5 brings Modes that people can use to create a particular collection of settings, app limits, and notification filters. The users can toggle this collection of settings at any moment, or the user may opt for automatic mode. Any iPhone user can easily relate to this experience. 3. Lock Screen Customization. UI 5 allows users to have complete control in customizing the lock screen, clock style, and notification pop-ups on one screen. This is much like iOS 16, where customization works with just one long press on the screen. 4. Live Text. The software updates make it easy to copy and paste text from a photo. This feature is called "smart text extraction," which Google also implemented with Google Lens. Samsung's version, however, is a closer copy of Apple's Live Text in iOS 15. Read Also: iPhone Users Are Experiencing Battery Life Issues After Updating to iOS 16 Who 'Copied' Who? An article in Phone Arena said on multiple occasions that one phone maker appears to be getting a hint or two from another company in making its software update. Then, the question arises: Is it wrong? Stories of one phone maker copying some features of its rival are not uncommon in the industry. Still, accusations of thievery over intellectual property rights abound. According to the report, there were allegedly three occasions of 'copying:' 1. Samsung's curved displays became popular, and many users found them cool. Suddenly, Android phone makers jumped in on the design. It became an overnight fad to have curved displays but it faded out later. Even Samsung has also outgrown its own design, with its flagship phones like Galaxy S22 and its sister, GalaxyS22 Ultra, moving away from it. 2. The Cupertino company earned the distinction of being one of the first companies to stop embedding a headphone jack in its handheld devices. At a time when Apple killed the headphone jack, many Android phones followed suit to the dismay of users. Up to this day, Apple has retained the design in its newest iPad lineup. These Apple devices do not have a jack where a user can easily plug in wired gadgets. The disappearance of the 3.5 mm jack on its 10th gen iPads is not an accident, as per Gizbot. 3. In 2018, Xiaomi copied Apple's iPhone X design. Faced with backlash from almost all phone tech media outlets, the Chinese tech company led the shift of the company's approach when it came to phone hardware. It is unlikely Apple will howl over Samsung's cherry-picking of iOS features. The heavier consideration leans on the user's enriched experience with Samsung's UI 5 software updates. Related Articles:Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Features New Messaging Standard: How to Use Google Messages On an almost daily basis, victims of sexual harassment approach me from the RAF, the Royal Navy and the Army with horrifying stories, ranging from groping and pestering to allegations of rape. The sad fact is that the sexual misconduct on nuclear submarines, exposed by the Daily Mail at the weekend, is endemic across all three services of Britains armed forces. And today the paper reports of yet another whistleblower a sailor who claims she was raped and then viciously harassed by her fellow crew after she reported it. Most of the courageous people who complain about sexual harassment in the forces are female. And there is a common theme: when they reported their allegations, a cover-up ensued. In many cases of sexual assault and misconduct, the perpetrators are more senior, using their position to bully and harass juniors. The sad fact is that the sexual misconduct on nuclear submarines, exposed by the Daily Mail at the weekend, is endemic across all three services of Britains armed forces (file image) In many other cases, the senior officers dont want to know, because their own careers might suffer as a result. They look for the quickest solution, which usually means redeploying or even ousting the person making the complaint a system known in military slang as posting the problem on. It is nothing short of horrific. As co-founder of the Independent Defence Authority, which lobbies Parliament on behalf of service personnel and veterans, I am dealing with one ongoing case where a young female officer in the Red Arrows reported serious harassment. She has been threatened with being booted out. Because she has not dropped her complaint, her character is being smeared, her career attacked and her motivation for making the complaint questioned. This is typical of the tactics used by the military to smother allegations. The credibility of the complainant is undermined in a hideous pattern of obfuscation, denial, bullying and counter-charges. The victims are painted as bitter or unstable, and sidelined, sacked or court-martialled. It not only silences those who do complain, it deters others who might be thinking about it. The message is simple: keep your mouth shut. Those who speak out are set apart from others in their unit. Bullied, despised and isolated, many give up in despair and leave the forces. Some even have mental breakdowns. Suicides are tragically common over 70 former service personnel take their own lives each year and, though records are not kept on how many of them have made complaints, sexual harassment is one factor. I served in the Army for 26 years, having commanded at every level including that of a battalion. I was the senior military human resources officer within defence intelligence and I know first-hand that these problems have become particularly widespread in recent years while the services have not evolved to cope with this. The process of complaints in the military is designed to destroy people, not to help them. Too many people, from second lieutenants to generals, are concerned with protecting their own careers. They are active bystanders when complaints are made and, by walking past when they hear or witness inappropriate behaviour or banter, they effectively condone and enable it. And today the paper reports of yet another whistleblower a sailor who claims she was raped and then viciously harassed by her fellow crew after she reported it. Most of the courageous people who complain about sexual harassment in the forces are female (file image) Often, serious behaviour is not reported because victims fear their chain of command. Any complaint, sexual or not, has to be submitted to a senior officer. Thats how the system is set up. But there is virtually no professional training for any officers in complex human resource issues, such as sexual harassment or mental health. As a result, there is often no one in the chain of command who has the faintest idea how to proceed when they hear a complaint except to try to brush it under the carpet. Allegations that would be dealt with swiftly and efficiently in private business are left to fester for years in the forces. An RAF officer told me she was subjected to constant sexual innuendos and threats on WhatsApp, including demands to meet senior officers. Her abuse escalated so much that one night, her senior officer hammered on the door of her room, demanding to be allowed in when she was in bed. In such a frightening situation, it is almost impossible for people to carry out their duties. And let me be clear: this has a serious effect on Britains ability to defend itself, at a time when European peace faces the greatest danger since the Second World War. The sexual harassment crisis in our forces goes all the way to the top. The top brass are very good at making the right noises and insisting that all misconduct will be robustly dealt with. But the truth is that cases now coming to light have been brewing for years. We have to act to end this appalling scandal not only for those whose lives are made so wretched, but for the security of our nation. Philip Ingram MBE is a former senior intelligence and security officer, and co-founder of the Independent Defence Authority This is going to be another one of those columns that begins: Days like this it's difficult to know where to start. I've almost reached breaking point. As Tom Robinson sang back in 1978: I've given up reading the papers, I've given up watching TV. Which might be considered a bit of a disadvantage in someone who is paid to write a topical newspaper column. But we now live in a Looking Glass World, where like Lewis Carroll's Humpty Dumpty, words mean whatever the political class want them to mean. And by 'political class', I don't just mean the politicians, ghastly as most of them are. My definition includes the civil service; the sclerotic, self-serving standing bureaucracy; the entire 'justice system', from the useless police to the courts; and vast sections of my own trade in particular, the broadcast wing of the Boys In The Bubble. Witness how the pack is hunting down Home Secretary Sue Ellen Braverman. Having congratulated themselves on bringing down not one but two Conservative Prime Ministers, the self-appointed arbiters of truth and decency have alighted on a new quarry What passes for news and political commentary these days amounts to little more than onanistic, navel-gazing nonsense. None of it bears any relation to the real world. Television news specialises in confected outrage, while entirely overlooking real scandals. For instance, if you watch Sky or the BBC, you won't have heard a single mention of the shameful elevation to the Lords of the odious Tom Watson a malicious smear-monger who shouldn't be allowed within a country mile of high office. But then again, he's Labour. Which, as long as you're on the Left, means never having to say you're sorry for anything, however heinous, because it's accepted without question that fundamentally you're a 'good' person. Not so, if you have the misfortune to be a Tory. Witness how the pack is hunting down Home Secretary Sue Ellen Braverman. Having congratulated themselves on bringing down not one but two Conservative Prime Ministers, the self-appointed arbiters of truth and decency have alighted on a new quarry. What passes for news and political commentary these days amounts to little more than onanistic, navel-gazing nonsense. None of it bears any relation to the real world. Television news specialises in confected outrage, while entirely overlooking real scandals As Sue Ellen emerged from her front door yesterday, she was greeted by a shrieking harpy from one of the TV channels demanding to know: 'Are you a threat to national security, minister?' This was straight from the 'When are you going to resign?' songbook of Sky's resident heckler-in-chief Sam Coates. It was a cheap jibe designed to produce a soundbite which could be repeated on the hour, every hour. What it wasn't was proper journalism. From what I can gather, Sue Ellen's crime was to press the wrong button on her iPhone and send an unencrypted message or six to the wrong recipient. It happens. But we're not talking Philby and Maclean here. It was an honest error, no harm done. Trying to blow this up into a major national security breach is absurd. I'll tell you what's the real national security scandal the illegal, uninterrupted arrival of 40,000 foreign nationals in Kent this year alone, many of them military-age Albanian men who will quickly disappear into criminality and the black economy. Braverman's job is sort out this mess, to put an end to the madness. Yet prominent sections of the political class and the media are determined to prevent that happening by making her the villain of the piece. Take the outraged reporting of overcrowding at the Manston reception centre. Somehow that has been twisted to make it appear that it's all our fault, for not making the 'vulnerable' migrants more comfortable. The latest manufactured row is over Dishi Rishi declining to attend the COP 27 climate summit in Egypt. Why should he? Sunak's got enough on his plate at home, without jetting off to Cairo for another jolly-up, which will achieve precisely nothing Hang on, no one forced them to come here. And if the 1951 'refugee' charter had been applied to the letter, they would have had to settle in the first safe country they reached. But we are asked to accept absurdly that international law doesn't actually apply until they land in Britain in which case it is our duty to provide them with everything from hotel suites to legal aid. All attempts to remove those who have no right to be here are resisted vigorously, in defiance of the overwhelming wishes of the British people. Labour would let them all stay. So here's a question for them, one which you won't ever hear any right-on TV presenter ask. What if all 40,000 turned up together on a single day? Would we still be obliged to roll out the welcome mat? Or would we be entitled to treat it for what it really is an invasion and muster the forces to repel it? Far easier to blame 'racist' Tories for failing to meet our international obligations. Ah, yes. Those international obligations. The latest manufactured row is over Dishi Rishi declining to attend the COP 27 climate summit in Egypt. Why should he? Sunak's got enough on his plate at home, without jetting off to Cairo for another jolly-up, which will achieve precisely nothing. After an all-you-can-eat buffet of sheep's eyes and champagne, the assorted dignitaries will pay lip service to a meaningless accord to cut emissions before flying home by private jet to open a few more coal-fired power stations. America will carry on fracking, which is why, unlike us, it is self-sufficient in energy, and China and India will take no notice whatsoever. Yet here in Britain we will be told we have to 'lead the world' in setting an example, by impoverishing ourselves and freezing to death, just so the political class can feel good about themselves. Meanwhile, on the streets of London, law-abiding folk will continue to have their days ruined by middle-class toddlers with mental health issues gluing themselves to the Tarmac and spraying buildings with orange paint in the name of saving the planet. And how do the authorities respond to this daily anarchy in our capital city? They side with the headbangers. Yesterday the police warned members of the public not to confront Just Stop Oil nutters blocking their way. If there's one thing the police will crack down on it's ordinary folk 'taking the law into their own hands'. I've been at this game for more than 50 years, almost 35 as a columnist. Yet I have never known a time when the political class have been further removed from the rest of us who pay their wages. I'd like to end on a positive note. But some things just don't change. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, just a broken-down HS2 train after running out of public money. We are all going to Hell in a handcart. A veritable cornucopia of animal magic for Gary to get his teeth into today. In Gateshead, a runaway wallaby called Choppy has been captured and transferred to a local zoo. Tie me kangaroo down, bonny lad. In Llandudno, a special task force has been set up to tackle a herd of Kashmiri mountain goats which has been running riot in the town, sleeping in bus shelters and brawling in a car park presumably after chucking-out time. Meanwhile in Gloucestershire, where boar baiting is apparently a thing, police are looking for someone who set an illegal gin trap, which ensnared a local cat. It's a cat trap, and you've been caught! And in Sandbanks, one of Britain's most exclusive seaside residential areas, plans for a new 9 million leisure complex have been put on hold because of the presence of a group of rare nesting sand lizards. Bring on the Depressed River Mussel! A veritable cornucopia of animal magic for Gary to get his teeth into today. In Gateshead, a runaway wallaby called Choppy has been captured and transferred to a local zoo. Tie me kangaroo down, bonny lad When Suella Braverman (see elsewhere) ran for the Tory leadership, I couldn't resist calling her Sue Ellen, given this column's predilection for nicknames. I now discover her real name is Sue-Ellen, with a hyphen. Her parents were big Dallas fans. She changed it to Suella some years later. You couldn't make it up, even though I did. Posturing Pixie Balls-Cooper was full of faux outrage over the treatment of migrants who have arrived here illegally. So when will she honour her promise to take 'refugees' into one of her own homes? Don't hold your breath. Looks like we had a lucky escape when Fizzy Lizzie was forced to fall on her letter opener. Turns out the Russkies had been hacking her phone. They knew more about her than we did, even after an eight-week leadership contest. Thanks to Glen Owen and Dan Hodges, in The Mail on Sunday, we now learn that far from being PM material, she was more like a flaky schoolgirl, who went the full Violet Elizabeth Truss whenever she couldn't get her own way. She took against Chief Whip Wendy Morton, telling aides: 'I just hate her.' Another saucer of milk for the PM, please. It didn't take long for her to descend into paranoia, obsessively studying wind charts to assess the chances of radiation from a Russian nuke in Ukraine reaching Britain. You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. And just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you. But in Lizzie's case, they were... We in Britain are a generous people. For centuries, we have led the world in giving asylum to those fleeing torture and death at the hands of totalitarian regimes. I have often been at the forefront of defending our role as a safe haven for those in desperate need. But the British do not like being taken for a ride. Last week, we learned that, of the 12,000 Albanians who have illegally crossed the Channel into Britain so far this year accounting for nearly one third of all crossings some 10,000 were single, adult men. It has become a sadly predictable story. Young Albanians depart Frances northern coast and if they land on our shores, they join the 94 per cent of all migrants crossing the Channel who go on to make an asylum claim. Criminals Many of these asylum seekers are then distributed out to hotels and other residences in towns and villages across the country, such as at Thwaite Hall in my constituency of Haltemprice and Howden in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Just weeks after the Thwaite Hall centre became operational in June this year, some 30 Albanian men went missing over the course of a single day. I have often been at the forefront of defending our role as a safe haven for those in desperate need. But the British do not like being taken for a ride (file image) Locals reported seeing the men being loaded into cars, likely arranged by organised criminals. These asylum seekers are not monitored and cannot be traced by the Home Office. We have no idea where they are or what they are doing. So lets be clear: this is not asylum seeking finding refuge from war or other dangers it is a gross abuse of our system and our innate goodwill. The prevalence of Albanian organised crime is especially concerning for my constituents. Since 2020, Humberside Police has run six operations targeting groups linked to Albanians suspected of offences ranging from drug crime to fraud. Instead of fixing these problems, the Home Office has been hell-bent on commandeering yet another hotel for asylum seekers a few miles down the road: The Humber View. But last week it emerged that couples who had booked wedding receptions at this four-star establishment, set in 17 acres of landscaped grounds, had been told their bookings were cancelled. Thankfully, the hotels plan to accommodate asylum seekers has since been put on ice following a legal challenge. But similar plans are being made right across the country. The hotel bill for migrants is costing the taxpayer a truly unbelievable 6.8 million per day. With migrant reception centres such as Manston, in Kent, at breaking point, it was right of Home Secretary Suella Braverman to admit in Parliament yesterday that the asylum system is hopelessly lax and to firmly commit herself to achieving safe and secure borders. But housing asylum seekers in hotels alongside members of the public spot booking instead of block booking as Braverman has reportedly been considering, is not workable. Increasingly elaborate and expensive solutions for housing migrants are not the answer. Instead, we must work to deter dangerous, costly and illegal immigration through proper and lasting reform. Last week, we learned that, of the 12,000 Albanians who have illegally crossed the Channel into Britain so far this year accounting for nearly one third of all crossings some 10,000 were single, adult men (file image) One major problem is the extraordinary length of time it takes for a decision on an asylum claim to be made. Of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who have crossed the Channel since the start of 2018, 82 per cent are waiting even for an initial decision. This is disgraceful. Such delays only encourage even more to cross the Channel, knowing that it will take years for a verdict on their claim itself pending any appeals further adding to the backlog. The new Nationality and Borders Act has brought in some welcome changes: it is easier for officials to declare an asylum claim inadmissible, and claimants now find it harder to appeal if their case is clearly unfounded. And I welcome Bravermans asylum transformation programme to tackle the backlog with new measures such as reduced interview times for new arrivals. But this can only work when claims can be processed quickly across the board. We have spent 140 million on former Home Secretary Priti Patels flagship scheme in which a portion of migrants would be processed in Rwanda. Further spending is expected. Yet more people are crossing than ever. So what should we be doing? Id argue that we should be spending that kind of money on a scheme to fast-track Albanian claimants back home. Albanians are by far the most common nationality referred to the National Referral Mechanism for modern slavery. But that is not, in all likelihood, because so many of them are victims of slavery; the huge discrepancy with other nations suggests that the majority are merely attempting to game the system. Of course, human trafficking is an appalling crime. But tackling this hideous trade is possible only with a robust asylum system to help stop the flow of false claimants. Bogus Albania is a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights. Over the past five years, Britain and France have both been found in violation of the Convention more often than Albania. By that measure, it is more compliant safer than we are. We would not dream of giving asylum to people from safe and prosperous European nations like France. So why Albania? It has become a sadly predictable story. Young Albanians depart Frances northern coast and if they land on our shores, they join the 94 per cent of all migrants crossing the Channel who go on to make an asylum claim (file image) It is time we introduced a strong presumption against asylum seekers from Albania. We must also cooperate with the Albanian government to ensure the swift return of bogus asylum seekers. Those who fail to demonstrate exceptional circumstances on arrival should be sent back immediately. And we must cooperate with the French. Recent data show not only that officials across the Channel are failing to stop most of those who attempt the crossing, but that the situation is getting even worse. This is not the proper behaviour of an ally, let alone one to whom we have given many tens of millions of pounds to resolve the crisis. Technology exists to spot migrants before they leave the beach in France. We must now use it in the Channel, telling the French the moment a people smuggling gang sets out. Ideally, British border forces would patrol in France alongside local police. Exploit At the heart of this crisis is a simple and obvious truth that many are reluctant to acknowledge. It is this: many of those crossing the Channel are single Albanian men simply looking to exploit economic opportunities in the UK, and using bogus asylum claims to do so. We cannot continue to allow this. We must become tough. Brexit has given us a golden opportunity to shape rules and agreements that benefit our country. We should seize it. The Home Office needs to put sufficient resources into dealing with those arriving on our shores. We should then tell people in Albania that since they come from a safe country they will not be considered serious asylum seekers and will be sent back upon arrival. We should in due course undertake this practice with citizens of all safe countries. It may be that we will be challenged in court on the grounds of discrimination. If so, we should bring forward a one-page piece of legislation to make it legal. I am a strong believer in the right to asylum. But bogus asylum seekers from safe countries are undermining that right and, crucially, undermining its legitimacy in the eyes of the British public. The time has come to end this scandal. n David Davis is MP for Haltemprice and Howden and served as Shadow Home Secretary from 2003 to 2008. Helpful flight passengers jumped into action when a woman went into labor some 30 minutes into a journey from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic. Kendria Rhoden, 21 - who was given the green light by her doctors to fly at 32 weeks because her baby was not due until the end of October - was sitting next to her sister when her newborn decided to enter the world. At 36,000 feet in the air, Kendria's water broke, but thanks to fellow travelers and helpful aircraft crew, Skylen Kavon-Air Francis was born, weighing just 3lb 7oz. Despite an initial panic about the baby's nationality, the embassy confirmed Skylen is American, just like his mother from Hartford, Connecticut. Kendria Rhoden (pictured with her newborn), 21, was sat next to her sister when her newborn decided to enter the world At 36,000 feet in the air, Kendria's waters broke, but thanks to fellow travelers and helpful aircraft crew, Skylen Kavon-Air Francis was born, weighing just 3lb 7oz Kendria described the panic of giving birth at the back of the plane on an American Airlines flight, explaining it started with 'cramps' at first. 'These carried on and 34 minutes into the flight my waters broke,' the health worker added. 'The cabin crew were such a big help... 'I just remember everyone filming us when we were coming off the plane and they were all saying congratulations to me.' Her sister Kendalee Rhoden, 26, shared a clip of the incredible story on TikTok in September, and the video has since amassed more than a million views. Kendria on board the plane whilst in labor looking in to the cockpit. She described the panic of giving birth at the back of the plane on an American Airlines flight, explaining it started with 'cramps' at first Her sister Kendalee Rhoden, 26, shared a clip of the incredible story in September, and the video has since amassed more than a million views. Kendria pictured in Kendalee's TikTok She said Kendria had been 'twisted and turning' in her seat throughout the journey before announcing her waters had broken. 'I was shocked,' she admitted. 'I kept asking if she was sure until she stood up and the entire seat was drenched!' Kendalee said that she immediately alerted her family - who were also on the flight - and pressed the panic button as 'flight attendants rushed over to the scene'. Soon, an announcement was made to rest of the plane as the pilot 'pleaded' for anyone with medical experience to lend a helping hand. Praising the surprising 'miracle' delivery, Kendalee added it was a shock for everyone due to the newborn not being due for another month. Kendria pictured in labor on the plane Skylen, who was named in reference to his unbelievable birth story, had to spend four days in the neonatal intensive care unit following his premature arrival. Kendria pictured in hospital 'Thankfully there were four people who came to my sister's aid,' Kendalee said. 'She was taken to the back of the plane and after an extremely stressful 20 minutes, an announcement was made that we'd got a new passenger aboard, a beautiful baby boy named Skylen.' Praising the surprising 'miracle' delivery, Kendalee added it was a shock for everyone due to the newborn not being due for another month. Skylen, who was named in reference to his unbelievable birth story, had to spend four days in the neonatal intensive care unit following his premature arrival. Kendria was uncertain about what nationality her new son would be, so once he was released from NICU, they made a trip to the American embassy to clear the matter up. When it was confirmed he had the same nationality as his mother, Kendria explained it was a matter of getting Skylen (pictured) an emergency passport so he could get home Kendalee said that she immediately alerted her family - who were also on the flight - and pressed the panic button as 'flight attendants rushed over to the scene'. Skylen pictured with his father Kendalee took to her social media to share updates on the story, in one clip telling viewers that Kendria (pictured with her son) had been making jokes about having the baby on the car ride over to the airport When it was confirmed he had the same nationality as his mother, Kendria explained it was a matter of getting the newborn an emergency passport so he could get home. Kendalee took to her social media to share updates on the story, in one clip telling viewers that Kendria had been making jokes about having the baby on the car ride over to the airport. She also shared sweet snippets showing the baby, wrapped up in blanket, meeting the pilot of the plane he was born on. Commenters on the original TikTok were stunned by the news. 'Now that gives a new meaning to airborne,' one user wrote. 'It's beautiful but not gonna lie I would have been tight that my flight was delayed,' another penned. Elsewhere a poster joked: 'Not the baby being AirDropped.' Prince Harry will acknowledge his grandmother Queen Elizabeth IIs death in his upcoming memoir, according to PEOPLE. The Duke of Sussexs book, titled Spare, was largely penned before the death of Her Majesty on September 8. However, the magazine confirms that the prince, 38, will touch on her passing in his book, which will be released on January 10, 2023, after it was delayed following the Queens death. In his statement paying tribute to his grandmother shortly after her death, Harry praised her 'sound advice' and 'infectious smile' and called her a 'guiding compass' through her commitment to service and duty. Prince Harry will acknowledge his grandmother Queen Elizabeth IIs death in his upcoming memoir, according to PEOPLE. Pictured, Harry and the Queen in 2018 The Duke of Sussexs book, titled Spare (pictured), was largely penned before the death of Her Majesty on September 8 Released on September 12, 2022, his remarks also referred to his 'darling wife' Meghan Markle; said he was grateful that the Queen had hugged her 'beloved great-grandchildren'; and spoke of how he 'cherished' the times spent with the 96-year-old. He said: 'In celebrating the life of my grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen - and in mourning her loss - we are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty. 'She was globally admired and respected. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy. 'Let us echo the words she spoke after the passing of her husband, Prince Philip, words which can bring comfort to all of us now: 'Life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings.' 'Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings - from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. 'I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first meetings, we now honour my father in his new role as King Charles III. Royal commentators said the release of Prince Harry's book would be 'unhelpful' to King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort 'Thank you for your commitment to service. Thank you for your sound advice. Thank you for your infectious smile. 'We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace.' Harry and Meghan, 41, were in the UK for charity events when Queen Elizabeth died. The couple stayed in Britain to attend ceremonies honouring Her Majesty, including her state funeral and committal service on September 19. Publishers Penguin Random House say Harry's book is written with 'raw unflinching honesty' and is expected to contain explosive new material addressing Harry's childhood and his rift with 'The Firm' after meeting Meghan. Royal experts have since claimed US-based Harry may travel to the UK to promote his controversial memoir, which could see retaliation from the palace including stripping him and Meghan of their Sussex titles. Prince Harry pictured with Prince William, King Charles and the Princess Royal during the Queen's funeral in September Reports claimed Harry may fly to Britain in the New Year to explain his 'intent' in writing the book which is set to cast a shadow over the Royal Family's Christmas - the first since the Queen died. Senior royals are said to be bracing themselves' for the publication of the 416-page title on January 10. Biographer Tom Bower has warned the memoir's reception will be a make or break moment for the Sussexes. 'Put it this way, it's not going to make for a relaxing family Christmas,' a source told the Mail on Sunday. Prince William 'has barely spoken' to Harry since news broke of memoir title Prince William 'has barely spoken' to Prince Harry since news broke of his brother's memoir Spare, royal experts have said. The Royal Family are also apparently on 'tenterhooks' to read the memoir, which is to be released on January 10, and have lawyers ready. Prince William, 40, has barely spoken a word to his brother Harry, 38, since the news of the book broke. Billed as a work of 'raw, unflinching honesty', the controversial book will be called Spare a 'loaded' reference to his position as the younger brother of the heir to the throne. Royal author Angela Levin said she thought the palace were on 'tenterhooks' for the book's release. 'They have lawyers ready to read it but they won't see it until it's out. If it's too bland it won't be worth the millions they've already paid him,' she told The Sun Online. Details of the bombshell book were revealed and publisher Penguin Random House's description read: 'With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief. 'Spare takes readers immediately back to one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother's coffin as the world watched in sorrowand horror. 'As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling - and how their lives would play out from that point on.' Family members were not informed of the title of the book before the announcement yesterday, while the Spanish language version is even more pointed, having been given the subtitle En La Sombra, or 'in the shadow'. The publishers of the delayed memoir have made it clear that Harry will not shy away from sensitive subjects, such as the family's decision to encourage him and his elder brother Prince William to walk behind their mother Diana's coffin. He could also reveal which member of the monarchy he claims made a racist comment about the potential skin colour of his then unborn son Archie, or shine a light on his strained relationship with his father and troubled times with William. The brothers have had a troubled relationship since Harry moved to the US with his wife Meghan Markle. Advertisement It has now been claimed that Prince Harry had to submit his book more than once before it was accepted by publishers, sparking fears that it was 'sexed up' with revelations about the Royal Family. A source told The Sun: 'The book has been back and forth between Harry and [ghost writer] JR Moehringer and the publishers a few times. They wanted more than was in the first draft, and then Harry wanted to refine things after the Queen passed away. 'But there has been extra toing and froing that people don't know about. This is because the publishers wanted more areas covered and more detail on some things that were already included. 'There is a real concern that that means Harry has had to sex up the book and include revelations that even he might not even be that comfortable with.' It is now reportedly feared that Harry will expand upon a claim made to Oprah Winfrey that a family member questioned what the skin colour of his and Meghan's son Archie would be. Bower told The Sun: 'This book is really make or break. I imagine that King Charles has been warned that any retaliation won't be pretty. 'All that King Charles can really do is to withhold the titles for his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet. Ultimately, I suppose, he could take away Harry and Meghan's titles as well, but that's pretty drastic. 'I don't know what else he can do. If it is as bad as I think it is, then Harry and Meghan have gone fully rogue.' He added that the best thing the royal family could do in this scenario would be to 'break ties' with the pair. The title is presumed to refer to Harry being the 'spare' to Prince William's 'heir' but has been translated to sound more ominous in other languages. In Spain it will be called In The Shadow, in Sweden The Other, and in Denmark, The Reservist. Harry will narrate the audio version himself, but voice artist Emily Woo Zeller warned: 'To take words off a page and make them sound like dialogue is a skill. I don't know if Harry has that skill.' Another source close to Prince Harry told the Telegraph last night that the Duke of Sussex wrote his controversial memoir for himself, rather than being a 'takedown of his family'. It was described by those familiar with the manuscript as a 'beautiful read', that readers from all walks of life will identify with. The experience of addressing his past struggles is said to have been cathartic for Prince Harry. The source said: 'You can't always live your life trying to make your family or your siblings happy. You have to choose your own happiness.' It comes after it was reported on Friday night that Prince Harry will not return to the UK to spend the first Christmas since Queen Elizabeth II died with his family amid the controversy. Sources close to the couple told The Mirror relations between Harry and wife Meghan and the rest of the royal family are 'near rock bottom' and they could decline an invitation to spend the festive period with Harry's family. It had been hoped that relations would thaw somewhat after the Queen's death, but sources told The Mirror that the couple have 'no plans' to travel to the UK for Christmas. The rest of the royal family were reportedly surprised at the memoir's title. Another source told The Mirror the book could spell 'the end' for any reconciliation efforts between the Sussexes and the royals: 'This book could spell the end for any relationship Harry wants to have with his family, it's desperately sad.' An initial release date had been pencilled in for 'late 2022' to capitalise on the lucrative Christmas market, but the book will not be on the shelves until January 10 said to be as a mark of respect following the death of the Queen, and, it is rumoured, due to last-minute alterations requested by the duke. A spokesman for the King declined to comment on the book. But it is understood that the Royal Household has already been warned that the 416-page, 28 book is 'critical of everyone and everything' and they are 'dreading' it. The memoir has already topped Amazon charts in the UK and US, as well as reaching the second spot in Canada, despite publication still being several months away. The giant cruise ship Majestic Princess arrives at a port in Jeju Island with over 4,000 passengers in this picture taken May 15, 2019. Cruise ships were not granted permission to enter Korea in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Newsis By Lee Hae-rin Cruise tourism will return to Jeju Island next year after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as more than 30 ships from Japan are scheduled to visit the southern resort island. According to the Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO), it won a joint bid with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to receive 32 tour cruises departing from Japan next year. The JTO forecasts that the number of passengers will reach 55,000. The first ship set to arrive at a port in Jeju is a giant Princess Cruise ship with 3,400 passengers on March 19. It will make 14 more trips to the island over the course of the year. Starting May 5, an MSC Cruises ship with up to 4,000 passengers will arrive at the island and make a total of 11 more journeys to the island by the end of next year. Regent Seven Seas Cruises' six-star luxury cruise ship with 800 passengers onboard will dock in Jeju on March 21. Other cruise ships of Holland America, Swan Hellenic, and other cruises from Australia and Germany will visit the island too. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on Oct. 19 that it will allow foreign travelers to disembark from ships arriving on Jeju Island. Cruise tourism to Jeju Island peaked in 2016 with over 1.2 million passengers. However, the number dropped to 21,700 in 2018 due to Korea-China tensions escalated by the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system the year before. At the time, over 90 percent of arriving cruise ship tourists were from China. In February 2020, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) banned cruise ships from entering ports of Korea and foreign travelers from coming ashore in order to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. No cruise ships entered the country in 2020 and 2021. This May, in response to the economic difficulties within the tourism industry, the oceans ministry allowed cruises under the condition that no passengers disembark from docked ships. All passengers are required to wear masks indoors and provide personal health information via a Q-code system, and a digital platform will be used to pre-register their quarantine information before entry into Korea. Foreign travelers who are infected with the coronavirus or show associated symptoms will not be allowed to disembark from their vessel. Princess Leonor of Spain and her younger sister Sofia sent royal fans wild after linking arms and holding hands at the Princess of Asturias awards over the weekend. The Spanish royal family visited Oviedo, Asturias over the weekend to celebrate the Princess of Asturias accolade, which is now in its 33rd year. The award, which shares it's name with Leonor, is given to the town or village in Asturias 'that has stood out in a notable way in the defence and conservation of its natural, environmental setting, its historical and cultural heritage'. Leonor, 16 opted for a sparkling blue floral gown for the occasion, while her younger sister, 15, donned a navy sequin dress for the outing. During the awards ceremony, the sisters were tactile with one another, holding hands and smiling at one another as they walked together. Royal fans went wild for the moment online, with one writing: 'Sweet moments between sisters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia yesterday. Princess Leonor of Spain and her younger sister Sofia sent royal fans wild after linking arms and holding hands at the Princess of Asturias awards over the weekend Many royal fans were delighted by the videos, which were shared over the weekend, with one calling the pair 'such supportive sisters' 'They are the future of the Spanish Monarchy and have no doubt that Leonor will make a fine Queen one day and Sofia will be able to carve her own path while being the number one supporter of the monarch.' Another wrote: 'They seem to have such a special bond.' A third added: 'They are so sweet, and definitely a new (much needed) faces for the Spanish monarchy.' One commented: 'I love that they are holding hands. Such great supportive sisters.' Many social media users were blown away by the clips, suggesting King Felipe and Queen Letizia 'must be so proud' 'Such lovely girls. Their parents must be so proud,' another wrote. The Princess of Asturias Awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Princess of Asturias Foundation - previously the Prince of Asturias Foundation - to individuals, entities or organisations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities and public affairs. Each recipient present at the ceremony receives a diploma, a sculpture expressly created for the awards by Spanish sculptor Joan Miro, and a pin with the emblem of the Foundation. There is also a monetary prize of 50,000 euros for each category, this amount is shared if the category has more that one recipient. Entering into the venue, the pair appeared to link arms as they walked in behind their parents (left and right) At the event on Saturday night, the sisters appeared in high spirits, and could be seen giggling with their parents and sharing a few words with one another. Entering into the venue, the pair appeared to link arms as they walked in behind their parents. In one moment, Princess Leonor approached her sister, who was standing and chatting to a group of attendees, before slipping her hand into her younger sisters. Earlier in the day, Leonor joined her parents for a solo visit to Cadaveu in Valdes. At the event on Saturday night, the sisters appeared in high spirits, and could be seen giggling with their parents and sharing a few words with one another (pictured Leonor with her father King Felipe) The teenagers joined their parents King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain at the event on Saturday The heir to the throne Princess Leonor, who shares her name with the award ceremont, opted for a tropical themed dress with a black palm print Queen Letizia opted for smart casual for the outing, in a striped black and white T-shirt and black tailored trousers. She completed her look with black leather shoes. The Spanish royal, 50, wore her brunette locks loose for the occasion, and kept her make-up natural as she greeted locals and spoke with children in traditional dress. Her eldest daughter Princess Leonor was just as stylish as her mother in a bright pink jumper and off-white cargo trousers. She swept her blonde hair back into a ponytail. Leonor has been studying at UWC Atlantic College in Wales since September 2021, but returned home to Spain for half term. It comes as Leonor - who started her second year at the UWC Atlantic College at St Donat's Castle in Wales - is set to train with all three branches of Spain's military from September 2023. The family posed for photographs on a blue carpet outside the event on Saturday night before attending The daughter of Felipe and Letizia will follow in her father's footsteps and will train with the army, the navy and the Spanish air force before moving on to the rest of her university studies. Last month the Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that Leonor's military training would culminate with a stint on board the Juan Sebastian de Elcano, a training ship used by the Spanish Navy. It was also revealed that the young Princess would go on to study law at university once her training with the military is complete. Her choice of university has not been revealed yet, however, her educational trajectory is extremely similar to her father's, King Felipe VI. After graduating from high school at Lakefield College in Canada, Felipe returned to Spain and attended the General Military Academy of Zaragozo, and went on to study at the Naval Military School in Marin. He ended his training with a stint at the General Air Academy in San Javier. His also completed his military training with a stint on the ship Juan Sebastian Elcano aged 18 in 1987, and went on to study law at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Lorraine Kelly admitted she couldn't believe the cover for Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, was real and assumed it was a hoax when she first saw it. The presenter, 62, was discussing the Duke of Sussex's explosive upcoming book on her show today, which is set to be released on January 10, when she told royal commentator Russel Myers she thought the cover was a 'cruel' hoax, before she realised it was the real deal. Myers revealed he thought the cover and its controversial title Spare - in reference to Prince Harry being second to his older brother the Prince of Wales, 40, who is first in line for the throne - was 'a meme.' It comes as royal experts have claimed Harry could travel to the UK to promote the autobiography, which could see retaliation from the palace, including stripping him and his wife Meghan of their Sussex titles. Lorraine Kelly said she couldn't believe the cover for Prince Harry's autobiography, Spare, was real on today's show and that she thought it was 'somebody being cruel' The presenter, 62, was discussing the Duke of Sussex's explosive upcoming book, which is set to be released on January 10, pictured, when she told royal commentator Russel Myers she thought the cover was a 'cruel' hoax, before she realised it was the real deal Speaking of what she thought when she came across the controversial books cover, Lorraine said: 'I thought that was somebody being cruel. 'I saw it and felt 'that's a bit mean to do that" and then went: "oh my god that's the actual book". Talking about the term, Myers, who thought the book was a 'meme' said: 'he always thought it was a bit of a slur that he wasn't comfortable with it and yet here we are, it will be the title of his long awaited memoir.' Speaking of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the rumours they could lose their titles over the book, Myers added: 'Harry and Meghan seem to have a knack at marketing themselves as royals. Talking about the term, Myers, who thought the book was a 'meme,' said that Prince Harry always thought it was 'a bit of a slur' and yet used it as the title of his memoirs 'They still need to be involved with the royal family, but not. They want to be in an out. 'We saw them over the UK unfortunately for the Queen's funeral. Will we see them again? Your guess is as good as mine,' he said. Senior royals are said to be bracing themselves' for the publication of the 416-page title on January 10. Biographer Tom Bower has warned the memoir's reception will be a make-or-break moment for the Sussexes. 'Put it this way, it's not going to make for a relaxing family Christmas,' a source told the Mail on Sunday. Lorraine admitted she gasped when she realised that Spare was the actual name of Prince Harry's book It has now been claimed that Prince Harry had to submit his book more than once before it was accepted by publishers, sparking fears that it was 'sexed up' with revelations about the Royal Family. Prince William 'has barely spoken' to Harry since news broke of memoir title Prince William 'has barely spoken' to Prince Harry since news broke of his brother's memoir Spare, royal experts have said. The Royal Family are also apparently on 'tenterhooks' to read the memoir, which is to be released on January 10, and have lawyers ready. Prince William, 40, has barely spoken a word to his brother Harry, 38, since the news of the book broke. Billed as a work of 'raw, unflinching honesty', the controversial book will be called Spare a 'loaded' reference to his position as the younger brother of the heir to the throne. Royal author Angela Levin said she thought the palace were on 'tenterhooks' for the book's release. 'They have lawyers ready to read it but they won't see it until it's out. If it's too bland it won't be worth the millions they've already paid him,' she told The Sun Online. Details of the bombshell book were revealed and publisher Penguin Random House's description read: 'With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief. 'Spare takes readers immediately back to one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother's coffin as the world watched in sorrowand horror. 'As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling - and how their lives would play out from that point on.' Family members were not informed of the title of the book before the announcement yesterday, while the Spanish language version is even more pointed, having been given the subtitle En La Sombra, or 'in the shadow'. The publishers of the delayed memoir have made it clear that Harry will not shy away from sensitive subjects, such as the family's decision to encourage him and his elder brother Prince William to walk behind their mother Diana's coffin. He could also reveal which member of the monarchy he claims made a racist comment about the potential skin colour of his then unborn son Archie, or shine a light on his strained relationship with his father and troubled times with William. The brothers have had a troubled relationship since Harry moved to the US with his wife Meghan Markle. Advertisement A source told The Sun: 'The book has been back and forth between Harry and [ghost writer] JR Moehringer and the publishers a few times. They wanted more than was in the first draft, and then Harry wanted to refine things after the Queen passed away. 'But there has been extra to-ing and fro-ing that people don't know about. This is because the publishers wanted more areas covered and more detail on some things that were already included. 'There is a real concern that that means Harry has had to sex up the book and include revelations that even he might not even be that comfortable with.' It is now reportedly feared that Harry will expand upon a claim made to Oprah Winfrey that a family member questioned what the skin colour of his and Meghan's son Archie would be. Publishers Penguin Random House say the book is written with 'raw unflinching honesty' and is expected to contain explosive new material addressing Harry's childhood and his rift with 'The Firm' after meeting Meghan. A source added: 'The book is much worse than people think.' Bower told The Sun: 'This book is really make or break. I imagine that King Charles has been warned that any retaliation won't be pretty. 'All that King Charles can really do is to withhold the titles for his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet. Ultimately, I suppose, he could take away Harry and Meghan's titles as well, but that's pretty drastic. 'I don't know what else he can do. If it is as bad as I think it is, then Harry and Meghan have gone fully rogue.' He added that the best thing the royal family could do in this scenario would be to 'break ties' with the pair. The title is presumed to refer to Harry being the 'spare' to Prince William's 'heir' but has been translated to sound more ominous in other languages. In Spain it will be called In The Shadow, in Sweden The Other, and in Denmark, The Reservist. Harry will narrate the audio version himself, but voice artist Emily Woo Zeller warned: 'To take words off a page and make them sound like dialogue is a skill. I don't know if Harry has that skill.' Another source close to Prince Harry told the Telegraph last night that the Duke of Sussex wrote his controversial memoir for himself, rather than being a 'takedown of his family'. It was described by those familiar with the manuscript as a 'beautiful read', that readers from all walks of life will identify with. The experience of addressing his past struggles is said to have been cathartic for Prince Harry. The source said: 'You can't always live your life trying to make your family or your siblings happy. 'You have to choose your own happiness.' It comes after it was reported on Friday night that Prince Harry will not return to the UK to spend the first Christmas since Queen Elizabeth II died with his family amid the controversy. Sources close to the couple told The Mirror relations between Harry and wife Meghan and the rest of the royal family are 'near rock bottom' and they could decline an invitation to spend the festive period with Harry's family. It had been hoped that relations would thaw somewhat after the Queen's death, but sources told The Mirror that the couple have 'no plans' to travel to the UK for Christmas. The rest of the royal family were reportedly surprised at the memoir's title. Another source told The Mirror the book could spell 'the end' for any reconciliation efforts between the Sussexes and the royals: 'This book could spell the end for any relationship Harry wants to have with his family, it's desperately sad.' An initial release date had been pencilled in for 'late 2022' to capitalise on the lucrative Christmas market, but the book will not be on the shelves until January 10 said to be as a mark of respect following the death of the Queen, and, it is rumoured, due to last-minute alterations requested by the duke. A spokesman for the King declined to comment on the book. But it is understood that the Royal Household has already been warned that the 416-page, 28 book is 'critical of everyone and everything' and they are 'dreading' it. The memoir has already topped Amazon charts in the UK and US, as well as reaching the second spot in Canada, despite publication still being several months away. A top solicitor gave up being a partner in a law firm to become a professional healer. Tiffany Stephens, 54, who lives in Glasgow but is originally from Canterbury, Kent, juggled both occupations for a while but decided to prioritise her true calling as a cross-cultural shaman. She worked as a solicitor in a North London firm for nearly 20 years, and specialised in conveyancing, but also did criminal law and matriominal law. Tiffany Stephens, 54, who lives in Glasgow, gave up being a partner in a law firm to become a professional healer But her decision to pack it in was prompted after another lawyer took their own life. In 2007 Tiffany became a professional healer, practicing methods pioneered by ancient civilisation the Toltecs of Mexico. Mother-of-one Tiffany describes her vocations as Light Bringer, Soul Healer, Truth Seeker and Way Shower- but is still a signed up to the Global Alliance of Integrative Law. She trained in Quantum Touch Energy Healing - a form of therapy which is supposed to channel the energy of the universe - as well as Alchemical Healing and she also works as a celebrant. She worked as a solicitor in a North London firm for nearly 20 years, and specialised in conveyancing but also did criminal law and matriominal law (pictured in 1996) Tiffany beamed at her graduation in 1998 and she went onto work in a top law firm for over 20 years More conventional jobs she has done included managing a nutrition centre, and she worked with several local authorities on health related exercise which gave her a grounding in health and medical conditions. Unlike shamans in the Amazon and Peru, Tiffany does not practice 'plant medicine'. But she says altered states of consciousness can be achieved with drumming, and that humans have got out their heads through repetitive beats since the dawn of time. Clients include retired GPs and people with 'normal' jobs including other lawyers, and Tiffany does not consider her calling to be 'New Age' or hippie. Tiffany said: 'It's a drastic career change and I definitely don't regret it. In 2007 Tiffany became a professional healer, practicing methods pioneered by ancient civilisation the Toltecs of Mexico 'I often congratulate myself for making that change. 'There are days when I go "I could be working in an office for eight hours", it was the stress that made me leave. I felt that I could be doing something more exciting. 'Law has one of the highest suicide rates of any job, and I could see why - I knew a lawyer who committed suicide. 'That was another reason for saying "I can't do this any more". I left Law because my soul was screaming ''get me out of here''.' Her interest in the esoteric began as a teenager - but when she began her profession she completely lost interest. Tiffany said: 'When I was 19 I bought a book on how to be a medium, but then I went into being a lawyer shortly after that. 'I totally lost touch with that world. I can remember saying, ''I don't believe in anything I can't see or touch''. 'When I had my daughter it seemed better to have a desk job rather than going to police cells in the middle of the night. Tiffany was pictured in 1998 at her graduation to be a lawyer with her mum Krissie before she decided on a career change She trained in Quantum Touch Energy Healing - a form of therapy which is supposed to channel the energy of the universe - as well as Alchemical Healing and she also works as a celebrant 'When I was about to leave Law I started getting into crystals and that opened the door back to me. 'I trained in cross-cultural shamanism, originally it came from Siberia, and settled across Central and South America.' Through her shamanic practises, Tiffany helps clients to release emotional blocks which are hindering them. Unlike traditional forms of therapy and counselling, she does not ask participants to rehash their experiences. She helps people to identify their 'guides', which can even be their pets - and to begin 'soul retrieval'. She said: 'My clients are normal every day people. A lot of them are in caring professions. 'You take away the emotional force of a situation and it doesn't have an impact any more. Unlike shamans in the Amazon and Peru, Tiffany does not practice 'plant medicine' but she says altered states of consciousness can be achieved with drumming Unlike traditional forms of therapy and counselling, she does not ask participants to rehash their experiences 'Some people want a magic wand but you've still got to get to the root of the problem.' Tiffany believes there are five 'bodies' - the physical, spiritual, emotional, etheric, and mental. She said people who try to ignore obstacles in their emotional lives will often end up with physical problems as a result. Tiffany said: 'We are taught that we are a physical body, but we aren't. We have a soul and spirit which drives the vehicle. 'Every experience that we have in life, if we don't deal with how we feel about it, it goes into our backpack of baggage. 'It becomes a filter in our energy system. If we don't clear it often enough, it impacts on everything. 'When you don't clear that you become physically sick - people with anger often have liver problems. 'We all have guides we can work with, they might be people or animals. The shamanic journey helps us to work out what that is.' Shamans exist in many different cultures, including ancient Norse, Mexico - where they are the only people legally able to administer psychedelic cactus Peyote - Brazil, Peru, and Europe. Tiffany said: 'I don't do law anymore, I do the odd favour for friends but I don't really use it. 'I thought maybe there was a way to combine my time by providing my services to lawyers. 'Helping people with personal empowerment and wholeness are the key components of my work.' Advertisement Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked characteristically stylish today as she attended an official dinner by the President of the Greek Republic, in Athens. The 51-year-old Dutch royal, has joined her husband King Willem-Alexander on a three day state visit to Greece. She looked regal as she stepped out in a 1,897 Costarellos plum-coloured lace-trimmed maxi dress. Made from purple velvet, Queen Maxima's dress featured a delicate scalloped neckline and A-line silhouette striped with Guipure lace trims. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked elegantly regal as she attended an official dinner hosted by the President of the Republic of Greece in Athens Queen Maxima is joining her husband, King Willem-Alexander on a three day state visit to Greece King Willem-Alexander, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Queen Maxima prior to the state banquet in the presidential palace in Athens King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and her partner Pavlos Kotsonis during state banquet at the Presidential Palace in Athens Sweeping statement: Queen Maxima looked elegant in a floor-length gown for the formal dinner at the Presidential Palace A view of the lavish reception room at the presidential palace where the state dinner was held in honour of the visiting royals King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands attend the official dinner hosted by the President of the Republic at the Presidential Palace The stylish Queen paired her gown, which is available on mythersea.com, with diamond bracelets and stunning jewelled stud earrings. She swept her golden tresses into a loose up-do, which she set alight with a shimmering white gold tiara, encrusted with matching diamonds and red stones. The official dinner was hosted by Greece's President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Palace in Athens. The dinner marked the end of the Dutch royals first day of their three day state visit. The 51-year-old donned a Costarellos plum-coloured lace-trimmed maxi dress. Made from purple velvet, Queen Maxiam's dress featured a delicate scalloped neckline and A-line silhouette striped with Guipure lace trims President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands clinking glasses during the official dinner at the Presidential Palace President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou looked elegant in a deep blue dress, echoing the colour of her country's flag, which she teamed with purple shoes The stylish Queen paired her 1,897 dress, which is available on mythersea.com, with diamond bracelets and stunning jewelled stud earrings and swept her golden tresses into a loose up-do Earlier on in the day Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander joined President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Palace before laying a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Solider in Syntagma Square. Queen Maxima donned a brown and cream midi dress as she and her husband were received by Greek president. As the trio appeared in public ahead of the meeting, Queen Maxima coordinated with Katerina Sakellaropoulou, with both women sporting cream outfits. King Willem Alexander gave a speech while his wife Queen Maxima (right) looked on proudly Round of applause: King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima received a warm welcome at an official dinner on the first night of their trip to Greece Cheers to the visit: King Willem Alexander and President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou toasting during an official dinner Queen Maxima of the Netherlands kicked off the three-day Greek tour in style today (pictured) donning a cream and brown midi dress for her first engagement in Athens The Queen (left) alongside her husband King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (centre) were welcomed to the country by Greek president Katerina Sakellaropoulou (right) The Dutch royal paired her long sleeved, two-tone midi dress with a pale cream hat boasting a lace face veil and pointed cream and perspex heeled pumps. She carried a small clutch bag under her arm. Her carefully coordinated jewellery included drop pearl and diamond earrings, a pearl ring, and a statement pearl and diamond brooch. Maxima wore her blonde locks loose and styled into tumbling waves underneath her hat. She finished the look with a trademark makeup look, pairing smokey brown eye shadow with a soft pink lip, and dewy base. King Willem-Alexander, and Queen Maxima, pose for a photograph in front of the temple of the Parthenon, during their visit at the Acropolis hill, in Athens During there visit to Greece, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima visited the Parthenon in Athens, they are pictured here outside of the ruins As part of a three-day official visit to Greece the royals visited the archaeological site of the Acropolis. They are standing here in front of Karyatides and Erechthion Dutch King Willem-Alexander, center, and Queen Maxima, are accompanied by Greek Culture minister Lina Mendoni, right, as they stand in front of the Caryatids during their visit at the Acropolis hill, in Athens The King and Queen were shown around the ancient site by the Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni (second right) Queen Maxima wore a spare of dark stylish sunglasses as she walked around the ancient ruins in Athens King Willem-Alexander walked hand-in-hand with Queen Maxima as they visited the Acropolis and walked in front of the Parthenon The royals posed for photos in front of the Parthenon temple during their visit to Acropolis Hill in Athens The royal couple reviewed the presidential guard during the official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Athens (pictured L-R: Queen Maxima, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, King Willem-Alexander) The royal couple will stay in the country for three-days, with their tour kicking off today, and coming to an end on Wednesday Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander (pictured) will undertake engagements in Athens today and tomorrow, and will visit Thessaloniki on Wednesday The couple started their visit by laying a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square Katerina Sakellaropoulou looked both chic and businesslike in a two-piece cream suit, paired with a pale blue top, perhaps in homage to her country's colours, and heeled suede pumps. Meanwhile, the king was smart in a navy two-piece suit, which he paired with a crisp white shirt, and pale blue tie. The couple then met the Greek Ombudsman and the Dutch Ombudsman, two organisations which work together to protect the fundamental rights of citizens and migrants, at the Netherlands Institute in Athens. As one of their first engagements, Queen Maxima (left) and King Willem-Alexander (right) visited the Greek Presidential Mansion King Willem-Alexander (left) was snapped shaking hands with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou (right) during the appointment During the meeting at the Greek Presidential Mansion (pictured), the royal couple (left) also met Katerina Sakellaropoulou's partner Pavlos Kotsonis (right) Beaming: the royal couple smiled for photographers during their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Athens earlier today Their plans for the afternoon include a visit to the Acropolis, where they will take a walking tour of the Erechtheion and the Parthenon. To conclude the first day of the royal tour, Maxima and Willem-Alexander will attend a state banquet at the Presidential Palace hosted by President Sakellaropoulou. Their appointments on Tuesday will also take place in Athens, with the Dutch royals concluding their three-day tour on Wednesday, with a list of engagements in Thessaloniki. After their first appointment, Queen Maxima (left) and King Willem-Alexander (right) met with the Greek Ombudsman and Dutch Ombudsman at the Netherlands Institute (pictured) The royal appeared to be enjoying herself at the meeting, smiling as she spoke with the Greek Ombudsman and Dutch Ombudsman Following their meetings today, Maxima and Willem-Alexander will attend a state banquet at the Presidential Palace hosted by President Sakellaropoulou The Greek tour caps a busy month for Queen Maxima, who completed a number of engagements throughout October, including a recent trip to Tanzania where she visited children and babies at Charlotte Hospital in Kilimanjaro. Maxima met people who were part of the PharmAccess MomCare program, a non-profit that works to provide inclusive healthcare in Africa. The program works to give pregnant women free prenatal information until they give birth. She made the short visit in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development. A new clip of the much-anticipated series 5 of The Crown was shared this morning featuring the three versions of Queen Elizabeth from throughout the series. In a sneak peek shared this morning on Twitter, viewers saw Imelda Staunton playing a pensive Queen Elizabeth sitting in Balmoral as she reflects on her reign on the occasion of her Ruby Jubilee in 1992. The latest series of The Crown covers the period from 1991 to 1997, when the late Monarch was in her late 60s, and where she marked 40 years on the throne. The clip also showed Claire Foy, who played the monarch in her early years in series one and two of the Netflix drama, and Olivia Coleman, who took on the role for series three and four, as they make flashback cameos. This comes as Netflix added a disclaimer to its marketing for the series after being slammed for going ahead after the death of Queen Elizabeth on September 8. In a sneak peek of the series shared this morning today, viewers saw Imelda Staunton playing a pensive Queen Elizabeth sitting in Balmoral as she reflects on her reign on the occasion of her Ruby Jubilee in 1992 The clip also showed Claire Foy, who played the Monarch in her early years in series one and two of the Netflix drama, in a parallel between the Queens of different ages who appeared on the show In the ominous clip shared today, Imelda Staunton can be heard giving a speech in which she said: 'The anniversary of any occasion is the time to reflect.' The Crown's theme song plays on as the clip then shows Claire Foy as a young Queen trying on her Crown around the time of the 1953 Coronation. The camera then transitions from Clare Foy in a diamond encrusted gown to Olivia Coleman wearing the same outfit and looking regal as ever. Coleman's version of the Queen is then seen walking down the corridors of Buckingham palace looking sombre. Olivia Coleman, who took on the role for series three and four, also makes a cameo in the Queen-centric trailer The parallel between the three versions of the Queen continues, as the clip shows Claire Foy's Queen at her father King George VI's funeral, Olivia Coleman's Queen at Winston Churchill's funeral, and Imelda Staunton's Monarch picking up ashes from the Fire of Windsor Castle of 1992. The clip also shows how the late Monarch's popularity grew through the years. One moment shows Claire Foy's version of the Sovereign dressed in a glittering gown exiting a car under rapturous applause. The image is then mirrored with Imelda's version of the Monarch exiting a car four decades later and being met with the same unwavering enthusiasm. The trailer also showed a flashback of Claire Foy as the young Queen Elizabeth trying on the Crown The minute-long clip drew parallels between the different versions of the Queen audiences followed on the show. Claire Foy, left, and Olivia Coleman, right Imelda Staunton could he beard saying 'constancy, stability, duty' in the last seconds of the gripping trailer The trailer also referenced momentous moments Queen faced, including the funeral of King George VI, left, and the funeral of Winston Churchill, right The parallels continue throughout the clip to show how the late Monarch grew confident into her role, until Imelda can be heard saying: 'Constancy, stability, duty. The Crown's official Twitter account shared the clip with the caption: 'The essence of The Crown. Imelda Staunton leads in the new season, arriving 9th November.' Meanwhile, Netflix UK & Ireland's account tweeted: 'Claire Foy and Olivia Colman pass the torch to Imelda Staunton.' Fans of the show were very excited for the new series, and shared their enthusiasm online. 'It will be amazing,' one said, while another wrote: 'so excited.' The upcoming series of the Crown will not be released for another 10 days, but it is generating some serious buzz. The series 5 Monarch is seen sitting down in her study at Balmoral Castle to write an address in the trailer The clip also shows how the Queen's popularity has remained strong throughout her reign, pictured The trailer hits that there will be a ballroom scene taking place in Scotland in the upcoming series Fans of the show shared their excitment after the new trailer was released online ahead of the show Netflix has been criticised by many for going ahead with the release of the new series after the death of the Queen on September 8. It was revealed last week that the streaming giant added a disclaimer to its marketing for The Crown after a backlash over its blurring of fact and fiction. In an apparent climbdown by the streaming giant, the trailer for the upcoming series of its hit drama was accompanied by the description: 'Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatisation tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign.' No trailers for previous series of The Crown on Netflix's YouTube channel have carried such a disclaimer. The Crown's official's Twitter account also appears to have been updated in the past month to add the message reminding people it is 'fictional'. Netflix has faced a fierce backlash over the latest series, which is set to air on November 9. However, it had, until now, repeatedly resisted calls for it to carry a disclaimer. Actress Dame Judi Dench accused the show of being 'cruelly unjust' and backed calls for a disclaimer. And former prime minister Sir John Major dismissed scenes showing him discussing the Queen's potential abdication with Prince Charles as 'a barrel-load of malicious nonsense'. Dame Judi, 87, who has played Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, said the series risked damaging the monarchy. The Oscar-winning actress blamed it for 'crude sensationalism' and blurring fact and fiction. A Netflix spokesman said at the time: 'The Crown has always been presented as a drama based on historical events. 'Series five is a fictional dramatisation, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the Royal Family one that has already been scrutinised and well documented by journalists, biographers and historians.' The Crown has been a huge hit for Netflix. Each episode now costs around 11.5million. She may be the heiress with a billionaire father, but Rishi Sunak's wife ditched the designer labels over the weekend to show off her love of high street brands. Akshata Murthy, the daughter of Indian IT mogul Narayana Murthy, was snapped overseeing movers unpacking the family's furniture into No10 on Saturday. Ms Murthy, who is more often seen dressed up in designer labels, opted for a casual look for the occasion - pairing grey leggings, a light grey jumper and a 50 black fluffy H&M gilet with her 42 White Company faux fur sliders. She was pictured overseeing workers from Bishops Move unloading what seemed to be an upright piano, a double mattress and a barbecue, as well as smaller boxes of possessions. The Sunak family has chosen to return to the No10 flat - where they lived while Mr Sunak was Chancellor of the Exchequer - instead of moving into the more spacious flat in No11 as has been the custom for prime ministers since 1997, when Sir Tony Blair swept to power. Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murthy opted for a casual look to move over the weekend - pairing grey leggings, a light grey jumper and a 50 black fluffy H&M gilet with her 42 White Company faux fur sliders Akshata's off-duty mum style included a pair of new White Company slippers. Described online as 'stylish and versatile', the brand say they can be worn as 'nightwear as loungewear and daywear' and suitable for 'milder weather'. Ms Murthy, who owns a 430million stake in her Indian tech billionaire father's IT business, has raised eyebrows with her high-end wardrobe. In December 2020, the IT heiress wore a box-fresh pair of 445 Gucci trainers, a REDValentino shearling and leather coat costing 1,630 and a leather skirt worth more then 1,000, for a date night with her husband in upmarket Mayfair. She was pictured overseeing workers from Bishops Move unloading what seemed to be an upright piano, a double mattress and a barbecue, as well as smaller boxes of possessions Murthy's Millions: Akshata's family business portfolio Combined shareholding in tech firm Infosys worth 1.7billion Joint venture with Amazon, Cloudtail, in India worth 900m-a-year Shareholding in UK firm which runs Jamie's Italian restaurants and burger chain Wendy's in India Also holds shares in Koru Kids and is director of Digme Fitness Murthy is a shareholder or director in five other UK companies, including Mayfair outfitter which makes Eton College pupils' tailcoats costing 2,500 each Akshata is also listed as a director of the UK arm of software company, Soroco, co-founded by her brother Investment firm Catamaran Ventures owned by father N. R. Narayana Murthy Ms Murthy runs fashion label Akshata Designs Advertisement Mr Sunak and Ms Murthy have built up a joint fortune of 730million, the Sunday Times Rich List revealed in May, making him the first frontline politician to feature in the annual wealth rankings since its inception in 1989. Mr Sunak made big money in the City of London before entering politics. But the bulk of the cash is from his wife's stake in IT giant Infosys, set up by her father N. R. Narayana Murthy, one of the richest men in India who has been described as the father of the Indian IT sector and 'one of the 12 greatest businessmen of all time'. Ms Murthy has enjoyed around 54million in dividends over the past seven and a half years alone. There was a furore after it emerged Ms Murthy had non-dom status, which typically applies to someone who was born overseas and spends much of their time in the UK but still considers another country to be their permanent residence or 'domicile'. It has been estimated Ms Murthy's non-dom status could have saved her 20million in taxes on dividends. She later agreed to pay UK taxes on her worldwide income. Her family are also have a joint venture with Amazon worth 900million a year and shares in the firm running Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Italian and burger chain Wendy's in India. Before becoming Chancellor, Sunak was better known in India than he was in Britain, after he became a household name when he married Akshata. The furore came after was revealed that Ms Murthy had non-dom status, which typically applies to someone who was born overseas and spends much of their time in the UK but still considers another country to be their permanent residence or 'domicile'. Rishi Sunak alongside his billionaire heiress wife Akshata Murty - by far the wealthiest occupants of Downing Street in history Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata (pictured at a campaigning event in Grantham in July) have two children, Krishna, 11, and Anoushka, nine Speculation was rife over whether the family would revert to previous living arrangements, with Mr Sunak splitting his time between Downing Street and his house in west London. In April Mr Sunak, his wife Akshata Murty, their daughters Krishna and Anoushka and family labrador Nova moved out to be closer to the children's 22,000-a-year private school. Coming around the same time that news emerged that Mr Sunak's wife, Akshata Murty, had claimed 'non-dom' tax status, reportedly saving her millions, there was speculation the move was linked to a wish to avoid media attention, although Mr Sunak denied that at the time. But earlier this week, Mr Sunak's press secretary told reporters: 'They will be moving into the No 10 flat, where they used to live.' Asked whether the family plans to redecorate the flat, his press secretary said: 'Not that I'm aware of.' It means that they will not live in the flat above No11, which was renovated by Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie for an estimated 200,000 in the so-called 'wallpapergate' scandal which notoriously involved gold wallpaper that cost thousands of pounds. However, Mr Sunak is still keeping the London townhouse, and if he wants to get away from Downing Street, he will be able to spend weekends at the Prime Minister's official country estate, Chequers, with his family, as well as spending time at their London properties and their constituency home in North Yorkshire. A devastated mum says she's living with 'unbearable guilt' after her nine-month-old puppy died when he was crushed by a reclining sofa that she bought just days earlier. Claire Hilton, 53, and daughter Kerry McDermott, 30, were tidying their living room on Thursday morning when Kerry tried to put the leg rest of the new electric sofa back down to its original position. The pair heard French Bulldog Kobe yelp out in pain and it was only then they realised he'd crept underneath the sofa. Mum-of-two Claire said she desperately tried to release Kobe by reclining the sofa but his neck was tangled in the bars and he was struggling to breathe. While Claire continued trying to free him, Kerry rushed next door for help and her neighbours tried to release Kobe with an angle grinder but the frame was too thick so she was forced to call the fire brigade. Kerry McDermott, 30, (pictured with Kobe the puppy) was tidying the living room on Thursday morning when she tried to put the leg rest of the new electric sofa back down to its original position School lunchtime assistant Kerry paid 300 for the sofa she picked up with her mother on October 22. Pictured: Two-year-old French Bulldog Pepper on the sofa The adorable puppy tragically died in its Dorset home after it became trapped by the reclining sofa By the time firefighters arrived ten minutes later Kobe had fallen unconscious. When they managed to cut him loose, the tiny pooch was given CPR and an oxygen mask but tragically it was too late. Claire says she now lives with 'unbearable guilt' as they'd only picked up the second hand Fabb Furniture sofa five days earlier. Her three grandchildren Isla, ten, Evie, seven, and Amelia, five, have also been left heartbroken by the tragedy. The financial analyst is now urging people to be careful around reclining sofas, especially those with children and pets, so no one else goes through what they have. Although they called the fire brigade, who arrived in ten minutes, firefighters were unable to save the poor pup Kobe became stuck in the sofa with his head stuck under one of the mechanical bars that tightened as the sofa reclined Claire, from Poole, Dorset, said: 'I heard Kerry playing with the dogs in the kitchen, they followed her to the living room and he just went under there without us noticing. 'She wasn't sat on the sofa, she was just tidying up the room and putting the recliner back. 'We heard him yelp so we tried to open it. 'We thought we'd put it back up and he'd be alright but he was stuck in the mechanics and he was panicking. 'His head was stuck under one of the bars and it was tightening. 'Every time we moved it, it got tighter. It was strangling him. We both tried to get him out but we just couldn't. Claire Hilton, 53, (pictured) said her grandchildren have been left heartbroken and she has had to explain to five-year-old Amelia that Kobe has 'gone to a better place' 'We ran next door and got a grinder to grind the bar away because it's quite thick. 'Kerry called the fire brigade and they got there within ten minutes, he'd gone all quiet. 'They got him out and tried to resuscitate him but he'd gone and it was terrible, it all happened so quickly. 'The grandkids were coming down for the morning but we told them not to. 'We're devastated. We only had the sofa for five days, we wish we'd never got it but it never occurred to us that something like this could happen. 'We felt absolutely helpless and the guilt is unbearable.' School lunchtime assistant Kerry, who also has a two-year-old French Bulldog called Pepper, paid 300 for the sofa they picked up on October 22. Claire claims it didn't come with a care guide because they bought it second hand from a seller on social media. She said her grandchildren have been left heartbroken and she has had to explain to five-year-old Amelia that Kobe has 'gone to a better place'. Pepper is missing her little brother and lays on the sofa where the pup passed away. Claire said: 'The kids are devastated, the eldest is absolutely heartbroken, Evie was a bit upset and Amelia doesn't understand. 'She kept asking questions and we just told her 'he's in a nice place now'. 'After he passed away, we put him in a quilt and laid him on the floor and Pepper was going over to him. It's best for her to see because dogs know. 'She lays on the sofa where Kobe died. Claire said she wanted to make people aware that similar sofas are dangerous for small children and pets 'We're just devastated. He was full of life, he got himself into mischief and he just wanted to play all the time.' Heartbroken Claire said the sofa will be going to the tip and she is now speaking out to warn other pet owners about the potential dangers of reclining chairs. Claire said: 'We didn't realise how dangerous these sofas are with all the mechanics underneath. 'I want to make people aware of how easily they can get underneath without you realising, because a lot of people have these recliners. 'It's dangerous for little children or cats [if they climb underneath]. The bars underneath are very thick and the mechanism is strong, it can just crush you. We wish we hadn't bought it now. 'After what's happened, I definitely wouldn't buy a reclining sofa. 'We'll be getting a new sofa. We've unplugged it so it can't be reclined but it's broken because the fire brigade had to cut it. 'We're still processing what's happened so we haven't even looked yet.' The family has unplugged the reclining sofa but in any case it was broken when the fire brigade cut through the mechanical bar Fabb Furniture boss Matt Hesketh said: 'We take great care to ensure that with every sale we make our customers are given a Fabb Care Guide which clearly states under the heading Recliner Dos and Don'ts that 'Unless supervised by a responsible adult, children must not be allowed to operate motion furniture'. 'The guide also warns 'when opening and closing reclining furniture ensure children and animals are kept at a safe distance'. 'This Care Guide information is also freely available on our website. 'The recliner in question was sold [on social media], therefore, not being a customer of ours, Claire Hilton is unlikely to have received the necessary information required with this purchase. 'The general public should be wary of buying furniture with moving mechanisms second hand as they are often sold with no guarantees that they are working correctly and no guidelines to safe operation. 'The recliner mechanism in question is commonly used in many furniture ranges and supplied by the majority of large furniture retailers. 'Whilst we cannot change the very sad outcome of this incident, Fabb Furniture will continue to uphold its responsibility to highlight to its customers how to safely operate reclining furniture. 'Our deepest sympathies go out to the family following this tragic incident.' Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service have been contacted for comment. In November, she will celebrate one year of her website, and being on social media; she advises others to be consistent if they begin dumpster diving In one dive at an Apple store dumpster, the savvy mom found 60 watch bands, which she believes are worth up to $6,000 Megan claims to have found $6,000 worth of goods during one dive and has even started her own website to sell the items she finds in the trash Megan Godinez, 31, a stay-at-home mom from Dallas, Texas, has revealed she's made over $15,000 through her hobby, which sees her digging through trash A dumpster diving stay-at-home mother has revealed she's made over $15,000 by selling items that she finds while digging through the trash. Megan Godinez, 31, a mother-of-four from Dallas, Texas, has made a fortune through dumpster diving - a hobby she picked up to occupy her time. Megan lives with her husband, Andrew and their four children, Donovan, 11, Julianna, nine, Isla, five and Elias, three and because she spent so much time at home she began looking for a side gig to fill her days. The mom-of-four came across dumpster diving four years ago - however after discovering how lucrative a business it could be, she turned it into her full-time job two years ago, launching her website last year. Megan Godinez, 31, a stay-at-home mom from Dallas, Texas, has revealed she's made over $5,000 through her quirk hobby that sees her digging through trash The stay-at-home mom-of-four managed to get her hands on almost everything through dumpster driving - a hobby she picked up to occupy her time Megan claims to have found $6,000 worth of goods during one dive and over the past two year and has even started her own website to sell the items she found Megan's best dumpster finds: 60 Apple watch bands: $6,000 Shark Vacmop wifi robot vacuum: $380 Ninja foodi 10 in1 pro air fry oven: $250.50 Horizon T202 Treadmill: $799 Garmin forerunner 645 music watch: $351 Xebec triscreen: $459.6 Hugo Boss leather sneakers: $190.27 Nordic Track cycle: $1,502 Advertisement Megan claims to have found $6,000 worth of goods during one dive, adding to her impressive haul of goods that she has amassed over the past two years. She's even created her very own website where she sells her loot earning $15,000 so far. Since then, she's uploaded clips of her 'dives' on TikTok, where she boasts 371,000 followers, with one video racking up 17.7 million views and 2.6 million likes. 'It started as a hobby that turned into a full blown job and it feels good to save so much from landfill, as well as donate back to people who can use it,' Megan said. 'I am able to keep up with the time I put into it by selling items on my website and at local garage sales, where it's become a whole community. 'As a stay-at-home mom, it can get kind of lonely, so I went through multiple hobbies until I came across dumpster diving. 'When I came across an Apple store dumpster, it was just another night out and we checked a new one in the area we were diving in. 'We saw the boxes, so we started digging deeper and pulled up a bag that was really heavy and to my surprise, 60 watch bands were in there.' Megan lives with her husband, Andrew and their four children, Donovan, 11, Julianna, nine, Isla, five and Elias, three and began looking for a hobby to occupy her days In one dive at an Apple store dumpster, the savvy mom found 60 watch bands, making around $6,000 within seconds She's even created her very own website where she sells her loot earning $15,000 so far Since then, she's uploaded clips of her 'dives' on TikTok, where she boasts 371,000 followers, with one video racking up 17.7 million views and 2.6 million likes Megan believes these retail at anywhere between $50-$99 and in total, she claims to have earned $6,000 within seconds. In the clip, she reveals multiple bags and boxes, which contain different Apple watch straps from Nike, patterned and colored ones. As she likes to educate her viewers, she informs them that they're all labelled as 'demo' types, so therefore, are unable to be sold. However, this doesn't affect the quality of them and they can be used accordingly. She said: 'I've never scored at Apple before, so this was a first. 'I had been diving on and off for about four years, with the last two years being more serious.' 'It started as a hobby that turned into a full blown job and it feels good to save so much from landfill, as well as donate back to people who can use it,' Megan said 'I had been diving on and off for about four years, with the last two years being more serious,' Megan added In November, she will celebrate one year of her website, and being on social media; she advises others to be consistent if they begin dumpster diving Megan added: 'There aren't really any tricks, but if you aren't consistent, then you probably won't get too lucky' Megan's favorite finds include a Smeg Coffee Machine worth $266, Shark vacuum cleaners worth $379, a Wii U worth $299 and an Xbox One worth $479, which she gifted to her son, Donovan, 11, who loves gaming. In November, she will celebrate the birthday of her website, and her presence on social media. Her top tip? Be consistent. Megan added: 'There aren't really any tricks, but if you aren't consistent, then you probably won't get too lucky. 'You have to be consistent if you want those good scores. 'The first time I went diving it was just to try and find anything good or worth value. 'Now, I have so many goals I want to accomplish with this and to me, the sky is the limit.' Users flocked to the comments to share their reactions, with many asking if they can tag along on her next trip Users flocked to the comments to share their reactions, with many asking if they can tag along on her next trip. One person commented: 'Why can't I have friends that wanna do this?' Someone else said: 'Girl can I go with you' Another fan commented: 'Better sell them think big' 'Now you're gonna sell them for $200 each lol,' said one user. Another person commented: 'I love the constant reminder that you're at the Apple store.' Wyllow-Raine Swinburn only few days old when died in Oxford on September 27 The grandmother of a baby who died after paramedic took half an hour to answer an emergency call made a heartfelt plea on GMB today. Paramedics took more than half an hour to reach dying Wyllow-Raine Swinburn in Oxford on September 27 - 23 minutes longer than expected for a category one emergency. The desperate family of the baby, who was only three-days-old, spent more than eight minutes on a 999 call after their new born collapsed, having left the hospital just hours earlier. Speaking on the show today, Wyllow-Raine's grandmother Anna-Marie Fisher said she believed her granddaughter would still be alive today had the paramedics been able to arrive sooner. Paramedics took more than half an hour to reach dying Wyllow-Raine Swinburn in Oxford on September 27 - 23 minutes longer than expected for a category one emergency. Wyllow-Raine's grandmother Anna-Marie Fisher said she believed her granddaughter would still be alive today had the paramedics been able to arrive sooner The desperate family of the baby, who was only three-days-old, pictured, spent more than eight minutes on a 999 call after their new born collapsed, having left the hospital just hours earlier. However, the heartbroken grandparents said she was not blaming the paramedics themselves, but called for better management of the NHS resources and said that what happened to Wyllow-Raine 'couldn't happen again.' 'It is far too long for even it to be answered,' the grandmother said. 'I don't blame the paramedics themselves. It has to come from funding, it has to come from management,' she went on. 'My son was also doing CPR on Wyllow-Raine while we were running up and down looking for the ambulance,' she added. Amelia Pill pictured with her daughter in hospital. The tragic incident took place hours after the family got home It took 8 minutes for responders to connect the 999 call, and a further half hour for the ambulance to arrive after the baby was found irresponsive by her mother 'This can't happen again. I can't bring Wyllow-Raine back, but hopefully we can prevent this from happening again. 'With all the cuts and things the NHS are putting through, what is going to be put in place for it not to happen again?' she asked. 'It can't happen again, to any family,' she concluded. Speaking on the show's set, Dr Hilary, who was present during Anna-Marie's call, said: 'This is a tragic and extremely sad event and I can guarantee you that the paramedics and first responders who finally got there would have been devastated themselves that they weren't able to get there quicker. 'The first ambulance was 24 miles away, the second vehicle arrive shortly after but that was 8 miles away,' he added. Ed Balls and Susanna Reid, who were presenting Good Morning Britain today, were deeply touched by the story Dr Hilary said the paramedics who eventually reached Wyllow-Raine's home must have been devastated not to have arrived quicker 'And this is the problem, there just aren't enough resources in the system to be able to satisfy the need. The specialist added that many workers are leaving the ambulance service due their conditions. 'The incidents of category one calls has increased by 36 per cent in the last year,' he explained. 'So the demand has increased dramatically but we don't have ay increase in resources. 'What we do have are people leaving the paramedic service because the conditions are so awful, morale is so low. We're actually not retaining staff, we are losing them. We've got to address this urgently,' he added. Wyllow-Raine Swinburn's mother Amelia Pill, 29, also said she believed emergency services could have saved her child if they had arrived sooner. Meanwhile South Central Ambulance Service insisted they have contacted her local MP and launched an investigation. Ms Fisher told the Times: 'I'm angry and I want answers. I am not going to go away. I don't blame the paramedics. This is a system failure. The blame lies with the government.' Thousands of people have been hit by long ambulance waits and overcrowded A&E departments. NHS waiting lists have spiralled to record highs amid stark warnings that the 'horrifying' situation will only get worse this winter. Official stats show 6.8million patients in England were in the queue for routine hospital treatment in July the equivalent of one in eight people. The backlog includes nearly 380,000 who have faced year-long delays, often while in serious pain. The news comes after NHS services drew up plans to downgrade certain 999 calls to cope with rising demand. Over the summer West Midlands residents had to wait for an average of just three seconds for a response while those in the South West are typically waiting one minute 20 seconds. But one in every 100 callers in Yorkshire was made to wait nine minutes 28 seconds to speak to somebody in April, according to the latest NHS England data. South Central and South Western ambulance trusts also made one in 100 people wait more than seven minutes that month. An ambulance is supposed to arrive at the most urgent life-threatening emergencies within seven minutes. The average response time for the most serious calls has soared to more than nine minutes, according to new data. Wyllow-Raine was born on September 27 in Oxford and was discharged two days later. Her mother found her unresponsive the next day and immediately started CPR on her and told a family member to call 999. Ms Fisher said it 'took a while' for someone to answer the phone, but when they did answer a member of staff said paramedics were on their way. Her daughter Amelia was hysterical and started shouting 'why isn't anyone coming'. Paramedics turned up half an hour later and gave the child a shot of adrenaline but she did not recover. She added: 'Where was the help? There was no major incident going on in Oxfordshire at four o'clock on that Friday morning. 'We live two minutes away from Didcot ambulance station and there is an air ambulance station 10 minutes down the road,' Fisher said. 'This should never happen, not to a baby, not to an adult.' A spokeswoman for South Central Ambulance Service said it received the 999 call at 4.38am. 'Extreme pressure' meant it took eight minutes to be answered, she said. The first crew was dispatched eight minutes after the initial call from 24 miles away. A second and third response were dispatched in what the service said was 'extremely challenging conditions' with high demand and poor, foggy weather. 'Our teams do their very best . . . but sadly there are some occasions when despite their best efforts we are unable to reach those patients as quickly as we would like. We are extremely sorry this occurred in this instance. We started an immediate investigation which is progressing,' the spokeswoman told The Times. An author who spent a year researching luxury hotels has revealed the covert sex work that is allowed to go on within its rooms - with staff often taking a cut of the profits. Imogen Edwards-Jones, who wrote the Hotel Babylon books, claimed the storyline in series two of The White Lotus (which premiered on HBO in the US last night and will be shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic at 9pm this evening) which features a prostitute soliciting clients from a luxury hotel in Sicily is close to what she witnessed during her research. Writing in The Times, she said the storyline 'rings true' to what she experienced, as she claimed some concierges she met even helped travelling male clients meet up with sex workers who came to the hotels - with an astonishing nine out of 10 men travelling alone enquiring about sex services. Jennifer Coolidge (pictured with actor Jon Gries) returns as Tanya McQuoid in the new series of The White Lotus, which premieres on Sky Atlantic at 9pm this evening. Ahead of the series two storyline, which sees sex workers prowling the hotel for clients, author Imogen Edwards-Jones claims it 'rings true' of her year spent researching luxury resorts for the Hotel Babylon series Simona Tabasco (pictured in The White Lotus series two) plays Lucia, who patrols the luxury Sicilian resort looking for male clients She claimed that, in some hotels, guests were able to book prostitutes purely by calling down to reception and asking for 'extra pillows'. From her experience studying the luxury establishments, Imogen claimed many hotel bars and restaurants allowed prostitutes to hang around and look for work, with plenty of women coming to know the hotels 'like the back of their hand'. While the sex workers were often a common yet niggling problem for management and concierges at hotels, she added that, sometimes, the bigger issue was how the hotel staff would 'make money out of them'. She claimed: 'Nothing annoys a hotel more than a deal going down on their premises without them making a cut.' Imogen Edwards-Jones, who wrote the Hotel Babylon books, revealed some of the unusual goings-on at luxury resorts ahead of the new series of The White Lotus During her time researching, Imogen even claimed a visiting guest who had booked an 'extra pillow' for the evening died during his escapade due to 'enthusiasm'. In the new series of The White Lotus, the manager of the stunning seafront hotel (filmed at San Domenica Palace, a Four Seasons resort in Sicily), the hotel manager is portrayed frequently trying to see off the sex workers who hang around in reception. However according to Imogen, the savviest hotel workers, including the concierges, tend to have a little black book of prostitutes who he can recommend to guests - for a fee, of course. She recalled one particular concierge who had three sex workers, nicknamed Mercedes, Jaguar and Porsche, who paid him to stay on his books and continue to solicit business from the hotel. It can be lucrative work, Imogen noted one issue with the business model, in that from her experience, the sex workers sometimes racked up huge hotel bills on room service and lavish gifts for themselves after their work was done - often charging everything to their client's room, which caused more than a few issues. Other sordid stories hotel workers revealed included wealthy businessmen urinating in minibar spirit bottles to avoid the charge of having used them and a female guest who ordered room service only to attempt to seduce the waiter. A particularly harrowing account saw hotel staff stop a group of people from trying to take a live sheep up to the roof so they could barbecue it. The new series of The White Lotus has changed location from its pilot series in Hawaii, and will be based in Europe. The cast has also almost entirely changed, with just Jennifer Coolidge remaining in her role of Tanya McQuoid. As the series focuses on the lives of the super-rich who frequent the hotel, its manager Valentina, played by Sabrina Impacciatore, battles with Lucia (Simona Tabasco) and Mia (Beatrice Granno), who prowl the premises looking for clients In this undated provided photo, travelers line up for boarding procedures at a terminal in Gimpo International Airport, as Gimpo-Haneda flights resumed on June 29. Courtesy of Korea Airports Corp. By Lee Hae-rin Flights connecting Gimpo International Airport to Osaka, Japan, and Taipei, Taiwan, will resume on Sunday, after a hiatus of two years and seven months caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korea Airports Corp. (KAC) said, Saturday. The only international routes that remain halted from the country's second-largest airport are the ones to Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai. According to the KAC, the Gimpo-Osaka route will have 28 weekly flights, while the Gimpo-Taipei route will be served with six trips a week, on Sunday, Monday and Thursday. By the end of the year, low-cost carriers EVA Air and T'way Air will each add eight more trips per week to the Gimpo-Taipei route. "The flights to Japan and Taiwan (from Korea) are key routes that took about 44 percent of the total international passengers before the pandemic and the resumption," KAC President and CEO Yoon Hyeong-jung said in a statement, explaining that the resumption will help put international air travel in the country back on track. Before the pandemic, Gimpo-Osaka and Gimpo-Taipei were popular air routes with 84 and 74 weekly flights respectively, carrying over 240,000 passengers combined every year. The booking rate of the first trip from Gimpo to Osaka on Sunday is at 98.4 percent as of Friday, the KAC said. In November, flights between Gimpo and Haneda, Japan, which resumed earlier in June, will see an increase in the number of flights from 56 to 112 per week. More air routes will be available from Korea to Japan and Taiwan at regional airports, the KAC said. The organization's upcoming air routes include Gimhae-Taipei, Daegu-Osaka and Yangyang-Tokyo. Also, five international airports Gimpo, Gimhae, Jeju, Daegu and Yangyang will operate more international flights. Gimhae will have 23 international routes with 508 weekly flights, including Tokyo, Taipei and Singapore, while Daegu's airport will run nine routes with 34 weekly flights to destinations including Tokyo, Osaka and Bangkok. In December, the five international airports will operate 1,056 international flights a week. The figure triples today's 362 and marks a 43 percent recovery to pre-pandemic levels. The KAC operates 14 international and domestic airports nationwide, except for Incheon International Airport, and provides integrated aviation services. Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella dressed up as a vampire and a pumpkin Princess Charlene of Monaco showed her family goes all-out for Halloween after sharing an adorable photo of Princess Gabriella and Princes Jacques all dressed up. Charlene, 44, wished her Instagram followers a happy Halloween as she shared the photo of the seven-year-old twins dressed as a vampire and a pumpkin. In the background, pumpkin-themed balloons suggested the siblings were attending a Halloween party. The children got into their roles, with Jacques narrowing his eyes and flashing his best spooky glare at the camera, while his sister contorted her hands into 'claws' while pulling her scariest face - which still looked adorable. Princess Charlene posted a photo of the seven-year-old twins she shares with Prince Albert, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, dressed up as a vampire and a pumpkin for Halloween Princess Charlene recently appeared in France as she attended Paris Fashion Week, months after returning to public life following her illness South African-born Princess Charlene has been full of praise for her children on Instagram, recently sharing a sweet school photo of the twins in their uniforms. She shared the photo with the caption: 'Growing so fast' with two heart emojis. Gabriella and Jacques are the children of Charlene, 44, and her husband, Prince Albert of Monaco, 64 - and last month they were spotted donning their red school uniforms for their first day of term at Francois dAssise-Nicolas Barre after the summer holidays as their parents took them to the private school. Royal fans were heartened to see the dedicated mother back in action following a spell in hospital in her native South Africa, where she was recovering from complications from a 'severe ear, nose and throat infection' she contracted in May 2021. Princess Charlene of Monaco delighted royal fans earlier this month by sharing the twins' school photo In her absence, Prince Albert did the first day of the school run alone that year, while Charlene was on the mend. Since her return to public life earlier this year, Princess Charlene appears to be back to normal and is taking on several royal duties. In September she travelled to London with her husband where the royal couple attended the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey. More recently, Charlene visited an animal shelter in a village between Monaco and the French Alps on Friday - which she and Prince Albert had opened a month earlier. She was pictured stroking a rescue dog at the Society of the Protection of Animals (SPA) shelter in Peille. Charlene has been president of the animal welfare charity since last month. The Princess - who was announced as SPA's new president earlier this year - opened the premises with her husband Prince Albert II last month. In the caption, the mother encouraged her 450,000 followers to support their local animal charities. She wrote: 'Went to visit the Monaco SPA. Please support a local SPA or animal shelter near you. 'Thank you. Merci. With all my love.' Since re-engaging with royal duties the Princess has put to bed rumours of a possible divorce or permanent move to Switzerland. Princess Charlene says she is 'focusing all her energy' on her children Gabriella and Albert, both seven, since returning to Monaco. Pictured on September 3, 2022 In an interview in Monaco-Matin newspaper, she said: 'I am very happy to be back in Monaco and with my family.' She told the newspaper that she was determined to overcome her problems. 'My state of health is still fragile and I don't want to go too fast,' she said. 'The path has been long, difficult and very painful.' Referring to the twins, Charlene said: 'When I returned to the Principality, I focused all my energy on my children, my husband and my health because they are my priority.' Princess Charlene returned to public duties in May, making the occasional public appearance with her husband Prince Albert and her children Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella by her side. But in recent weeks she appears to have been out and about a little bit more, giving royal fans a glimpse into family life using her Instagram account. The Earl of Wessex has been granted a new role after being announced patron of Reading Repertory theatre. Prince Edward, 58, who has a keen interest in the arts, marked his new role on Monday by visiting the Berkshire theatre, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. It is also one year since the opening of the theatre's 163-seat theatre and cultural hub. Speaking about his new patronage the Earl, who is thirteenth in line to the throne, said: 'Reading Rep is rapidly becoming an essential part of the arts scene in Reading for three really good reasons.' The Earl of Wessex has been named royal patron for Reading Repertory Theatre. Prince Edward, 58, has been an active force in the UK's performing arts scene since the 1990s Referring to its work with young people, Prince Edward added: 'It is creating pathways to the performing arts for young people, regardless of background; it is introducing new audiences to the performing arts through its outreach and access activities; and it is a space providing an alternative venue for creative and production talents to hone their skills. 'I look forward to helping with reinforcing this theatre's inspiring work in the local community and to supporting its future endeavours.' During his visit, Edward attended Reading Rep's corporate partnership scheme launch. The event provided opportunity for business across Reading and the Thames Valley to connect and network. The Earl is patron of a range of organisations working in the performing arts sector including the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, Northern Ballet and The Orpheus Centre Trust. Reading Rep: 10, the theatre's 10th anniversary season, features a mixture of bold new work, reimagined classics and family favourites. This is an important year for Reading Repertory Theatre, as it celebrates its 10th anniversary and the first anniversary of its 163-seat theatre and cultural hub Paul Stacey, founding artistic director of Reading Rep, said about their new royal patron: 'His Royal Highness has shown incredible support for arts and culture and his recognition and support of Reading Rep and the work we do both on stage and in the community is humbling. 'We are excited to work with HRH in forwarding our shared goals and aspirations for art and culture in Reading.' The Earl of Wessex was previously a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company, working behind the scenes, handling paperwork on musicals such as Cats and Starlight Express. He also organised a televised royal version of It's A Knockout in 1987 and persuaded the Princess Royal and Duke and Duchess of York to dress up in medieval costumes and perform slapstick feats for the TV game show. The Earl of Wessex said that he is looking forward to supporting the theatre with its work in the local community as it works to inspire young people in performing arts Prince Edward also set up a production firm, The Theatre Division, staging plays before its collapse in 1991. The Prince two years later created the film company Ardent Productions; putting his own money into the project. He eventually stepped down from commercial work in 2002 following controversy over the Wessexes' dual roles, and Ardent was voluntarily dissolved in 2009 with assets of just 40. Earlier this month Prince Edward announced that he had promised his late father, Prince Philip that he would support young people across the world. In a video shared on the Royal Family's official Instagram page, Prince Edward, 58, was seen speaking during a visit to Romania for The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Forum. The Earl of Wessex was previously a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company, working behind the scenes, handling paperwork on musicals such as Cats and Starlight Express He said: 'Our promise to Prince Philip should be that where there are young people with difficulties to face growing up in this modern and complicated world, then The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award will always be there for them.' Prince Edward has long had an affinity with the scheme and many years ago it was announced that his mother and Prince Philip wanted him to take on the Duke of Edinburgh title. The dukedom was expected to be passed to Edward after Buckingham Palace announced in 1999 that he would succeed his father 'in due course' with both his parents' blessing. His patronage with Reading Rep, is just another example of the Prince's commitment to offering creative and supportive outlets to young people. Advertisement Ivanka Trump celebrated her 41st birthday in the Czech Republic on Saturday, having jetted into Europe to receive a posthumous award honoring her late mother Ivana - but despite her busy weekend of travel and celebration, the former First Daughter kicked off the working week nice and early on Monday when she was seen running some errands in Miami. The 41-year-old mother-of-three put on a very casual display for her Halloween outing - taking full advantage of the warm Florida weather in a pair of white cut-off denim shorts and a simple white T-shirt, pairing her outfit with a pair of black flip flops. She completed her look with a pair of sunglasses, which she had tucked into the neckline of her tee, and she was seen toting her Apple laptop and iPhone in one hand, while carrying an insulated coffee cup in the other as she made her way into her large black SUV outside her family's luxury condo building. The look was a far cry from the very glamorous ensemble Ivanka was seen sporting on Friday night, when she attended a ceremony in the Czech Republic that was held to honor her late mother Ivana's 'dedication to the country'. Ivanka - who was joined at the event by her husband Jared Kushner, 41, and her older brother Don Jr - put on a dazzling display in a one-shoulder black dress that featured stunning silver beaded embellishments. Her blonde locks were styled in loose waves and she ramped up the glamour with a bold red lip color. But by Monday morning it was back to business as usual for the former White House advisor, who was seen strolling out of luxury condo building Arte Surfside - accompanied by her doorman, who was dressed up as a sheriff in honor of Halloween. Ivanka Trump wasted no time getting back into the swing of Miami life, having jetted back to Florida from the Czech Republic over the weekend - which also marked her 41st birthday The mother-of-three put on a casual display in a pair of white cut-off denim shorts and a simple white T-shirt She completed her look with a pair of sunglasses, which she had tucked into the neckline of her tee, and she was seen toting her Apple laptop and iPhone in one hand, while carrying an insulated coffee cup in the other The look was a far cry from the very glamorous ensemble Ivanka was seen sporting on Friday night, when she attended a ceremony in the Czech Republic that was held to honor her late mother Ivana's 'dedication to the country' Ivanka clambered into the driver's seat of her SUV, before driving off - returning a short while later with her blonde hair pulled back in a braid and her sunglasses perched on her face. She was seen greeting the staff at her home with a wide smile, before making her way back inside. The mother-of-three's outing comes just a few days after she jetting into the Czech Republic to collect an award from the country's president on behalf of her late mother Ivana, who passed away in July at the age of 73. Ivanka, her brother Don Jr, and her husband Jared all attended the ceremony at Prague Castle - where they were greeted by President Milos Zeman, 78, who was seated in a wheelchair. After Ivana's death, Zeman told her children: 'Your mother was not only an excellent athlete and a capable manager, but I also remember her as a kind and warm-hearted person. In addition, she remained a proud Czech who never forgot her homeland.' As well as attending the ceremony, Ivanka found time to enjoy a bit of birthday sightseeing with her husband - sharing several images of her travels on Instagram on Sunday. 'Thank you Prague,' Ivanka wrote in the caption of her post - which featured a sweet image of Ivanka and Jared cuddled up next to one another while enjoying an event boat ride, as well as photos of the former First Daughter posing up in front of several landmarks while dressed casually in a black hoodie, jeans, white sneakers, and a long dark trench coat. Ivanka also paid tribute to Czech President Zeman, thanking him for 'honoring her [mother's] life'. Ivanka was accompanied out of her condo building by her doorman - who had embraced the Halloween spirit by dressing up as a sheriff Ivanka went without a Halloween costume - however she may be preparing to go trick or treating with her three children later on in the day The former First Daughter wore her blonde locks in a loose style that hung down around her shoulders She kept her accessories simple, sporting just a single bracelet - a red string on her right wrist Ivanka also opted to go without a bag, instead carrying her laptop and her phone in one hand 'Last night at Prague Castle, my brother Don and I had the honor to accept the posthumous first grade Medal of Merit on behalf of our mother, Ivana, from President Milos Zeman,' Ivanka wrote. 'Born and raised in what was then Czechoslovakia, my mother grew up in Zlin, skied on the National Team and attended Charles University in Prague. Through her life she maintained a deep love and connection to the Czech Republic. 'I know that mom would have been extremely honored by the recognition, as were we to be here in Prague to receive it on her behalf. 'Thank you President Zeman for honoring her life and contributions yesterday.' Ivana was born in the Czech Republic in the Moravian city of Zlin, which was known as Gottwaldov during the communist years. She was born in Zlin in 1949, at the beginning of Joseph Stalin's communist influence over the country, to electrical engineer Milos Zelnicek and telephone operator Marie Zelnickova. Ivana started a modeling career in her home country before eventually moving to Canada and then to the United States. Lara Trump, wife to Don Jr., told Fox News at the time of her passing that Ivana was only able to escape the communist country due to being a 'world-class skier.' She would eventually met her ex-husband Donald Trump, 76, and have three children with him: Don. Jr, Ivanka, and Eric, 38. The pair married in 1977 and divorced in 1992. Not long after she was seen leaving the building, Ivanka returned home - where she was seen clambering out of the driver's seat of her large SUV The mom-of-three had pulled her hair back in a braid and was sporting the sunglasses that had been dangling from her T-shirt earlier in the day Taking full advantage of the warm Miami weather, Ivanka showed off her toned legs in her shorts She was seen greeting staff at her condo building as she made her way inside She got a warm welcome from one staff member, who held open the door for her Independent Czechoslovak State Day is celebrated every year on October 28 to commemorate Czechoslovakia becoming a country after the first world war. Czechoslovakia would eventually split into two countries - the Czech Republic and Slovakia - in December 1992. A month after Ivana's passing, the medical examiner ruled she died as a result of a fall. She was said to have taken a tumble inside her $2.5million Upper East Side townhouse in Manhattan, where she was found at the base the staircase by a housekeeper. The examiner said she died of blunt impact injuries to the torso as a result of the fall and it was ruled an accident. At her funeral, the family displayed a few of her magazine covers, including her May 1992 Vanity Fair cover, which features her sitting on a yellow couch with the headline 'Ivana Be a Star.' The original cover featured Hillary Clinton's name on the cover, with the headline 'Will she get to the White House with Bill or without him?' But the version on display at Ivana's memorial on Lexington Avenue appeared without the headline, which was issued during Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. The photos also showed that the other two headlines on the cover of the Vanity Fair magazine remained on the version displayed at her funeral. They were regarding conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh and the other about Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines. It is unclear exactly why the headline was removed from the cover at the funeral. Donald and both Clintons used to be friends, with Bill and Hillary both attending his wedding to Melania in 2005. But the relationship soured when Trump ran against Hillary during the 2016 presidential election, and spread conspiracy theories about the couple. Her appearance in Miami on Monday comes just a few days after Ivanka and her brother Don Jr accepted a posthumous award for their late mother Ivana, who died in July at the age of 73 Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner jetted into the Czech Republic to accept the award - and found some time to do some sightseeing in Prague while they were there Donald Trump's daughter shared several images from her travels on Instagram Ivanka posed up up in front of several landmarks while dressed casually in a black hoodie, jeans, white sneakers, and a long dark trench coat All of Ivana's children spoke at the two-hour Mass service on Wednesday in front of 100 mourners, including Donald, his wife Melania and their 16-year-old son Barron. Ivanka told the crowd: 'Growing up, my mother didn't tell me a woman could do anything she wanted to she showed me. 'She was a trailblazer to men and women alike. My mother once told me there was nothing she couldn't do in heels. She taught us how to spear fish and then cook what we caught. My mom expanded our minds.' Don Jr. spoke next and delighted the congregation with fond memories and jokes. Before he returned to his seat, he said: 'I love you, mom.' Eric Trump, the youngest, spoke next: 'She had brains; she had beauty. She was the embodiment of the American dream 'She was a force of nature, could beat any man down the slopes, any woman on the runway. She ruled the three of us [kids] with an iron fist but also a heart of gold.' A mound of red roses lay before the altar, surrounded by 73 burning candles which symbolized each year of Ivana's life. After the service, Ivana's body was carried out of the building in a golden casket, past her family and dozens of VIP guests. In August, Ivana youngest supervised as removal men who took away her prized items. Among the many items that met their end was Ivana's old Vogue magazines. He also revealed his signature three dishes and how to make them at home The 42-year-old told FEMAIL Her Majesty 'loved seafood and lamb' Paul Smart, from Adelaide, has been in the industry for 25 years An Australian chef has recalled the day he cooked for Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 An Australian chef has recalled the moment he cooked for the late Queen Elizabeth II for her 80th birthday gala in 2006. Paul Smart, from Adelaide, told FEMAIL he was completely 'star struck' by the fantastic opportunity during his two-year stint in London. 'The Queen wanted something very simple done well and of high quality,' he said, adding: 'We cooked for about 300 people for a sit-down dinner; it was quite intense.' The 42-year-old has been in the industry for 25 years and now calls Queensland home as he prepares for a four-day culinary event in November. Executive chef Paul Smart (pictured) recalled when he cooked for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for her birthday gala Paul was part of a huge team of around 100 chefs from around the world and he was in charge of fish and meat. 'The Queen loved her seafood and lamb, so we cooked fish for entree and lamb for main course,' he said Beforehand Paul travelled from Adelaide to England on a work visa and managed to secure a job at The Ritz London where he started as a demi-chef then was promoted to a Chef de partie in the meat section of the kitchen. During that time he cooked for huge names including Jamie Oliver and Bill Clinton, but his 'major highlight' was cooking for the Queen. 'Everyone was there - Prince Edward, Prince Phillip, even the future king at the time!' he said. Paul was part of a huge team of around 100 chefs from around the world and he was in charge of fish and meat. 'The Queen loved her seafood and lamb, so we cooked fish for entree and lamb for main course,' he said. Not only did he have the pressure of cooking for Her Majesty sitting on his shoulders, he also needed to know French to cook in the kitchen. What was served at Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday? Entree - langoustine and delicious dover sole - prawns and a type of fish Mains - lamb Advertisement For entree Her Majesty was served a light langoustine dish, which Paul described as a type of 'fancy, sweet prawn' with a hard shell. 'Being in London, we had the best produce you could get. We had orders of seafood flown in from France morning and afternoon - it was crazy,' he said. A delicious dover sole, a type of flounder fish, was also served for entree then lamb for mains. Paul couldn't recall what was served for dessert but says The Ritz had a 'fantastic' team of pastry chefs. While he only caught a glimpse of Her Majesty, he did see King Charles walk into the kitchen and shake hands with the head chef. Paul said his time spent in London was one of the highlights of his life and career. Paul, 42, has been in the industry for 25 years and now calls Queensland home as he prepares for a four-day culinary event in November From November 7-10 the JW Marriot Gold Coast Resort & Spa will host a 'Culinary Stars Showcase' featuring a degustation dining, traditional high tea and cooking class. Paul invited six local chefs from around South East Queensland to take part in the event How to make pumpkin gnocchi at home: GNOCCHI Ingredients 250g potatoes 1 egg yolk 30g parmesan cheese 20g salt 100g flour Chopped herbs Rock salt for cooking PUMPKIN GARNISH Ingredients 250g butternut pumpkin 15g sea salt 80ml olive oil Method for the gnocchi: 1. Bake potatoes in tray covered with rock salt at 180 degrees for 55 minutes 2. Cut potatoes in half and push through drum sieve onto a cool bench, leave to chill. 3. Place egg yolk, herbs, parmesan, salt and flour over the top, knead together and roll out into gnocchi shape. 4. Place onto a floured or baking paper lined tray. Freeze or cook direct into boiling water. 5. Once the gnocchi floats, refresh into ice water, drain well and keep aside. 6. Pan sear with butter and sage until golden brown Method for the pumpkin garnish: 1. Peel pumpkin and cut into 2cm thick pieces. 2. Roll in olive oil and roast until soft, keep half for whole pieces. 3. Place the other half of the roasted pumpkin in a food processor. 4. Puree until smooth and pass through chinos Finish the dish with fine grated parmesan cheese Advertisement When asked if he prefers cooking for the Queen or in Queensland, Paul answered with a laugh. 'You only get to cook for the Queen once, and now I'll never be able to again, so I'm glad I've had that chance. But for now I'm very happy in Queensland showcasing what's on offer here,' he said. Paul also revealed how to make his signature dishes at home - including Moreton Bay bug dumplings, pumpkin gnocchi and bao buns. 'Moreton Bay bugs are an ingredient you can get nearly any fish shop in the northern east coast,' he said. How to make Moreton Bay bug dumplings at home: Sauce ingredients 100g bug, crab and prawn shells 50g tomato paste 50g carrot, onion and celery 250ml chicken stock 1/4 bunch tarragon 1 shot brandy Filling ingredients 150mg bug meat 150g prawn meat 1 egg white 300ml cream 12 kaffir lime leaves 7g sea salt 12 wonton wrapper Bhilli Bay bug ingredients 12 premium bay bugs 100ml coconut milk 100ml lime juice 100ml chilli paste 100ml fish sauce Method for the sauce 1. Make the bisque sauce by adding bug & crab shells to a hot large pan. 2. Deglaze with brandy & flambee, add white wine & reduce. 3. Add stock & simmer for 90 minutes until sauce is rounded & full flavor. 4. Strain through Chinois & reduce until thick. Method for the filling 1. Add bug meat & prawns to a food processor. Puree with egg white. 2. Fold cream into the bug filling and season to taste. 3. Add chopped kaffir lime leaves. 4. Wrap dumplings using wonton wrapper sheets Method for the bugs 1. Sautee bug meat with chili paste, coconut milk and fish sauce and lime juice. FINAL TOUCH: Steam bug dumplings, place in bowl, heat sauce and lightly foam, place chilli bugs Advertisement From November 7-10 the JW Marriot Gold Coast Resort & Spa will host a 'Culinary Stars Showcase' featuring a degustation dining, traditional high tea and cooking class. Paul invited six local chefs from around South East Queensland to take part in the event. 'Our aim is to take guests on a journey through where each chef has been and what they've seen, looking at our rich Queensland produce to develop the menu,' he said. 'I have either worked or crossed paths in the industry over the past 20 years with this talented group of chefs and it's exciting to come together with a common purpose - wanting diners to walk away eager to explore the variety and beauty food available here on the coast.' If you're interested in booking a spot, click here. Elias is the 'biggest' and 'chunkiest' triplet with 'proportionate face' Leo has a narrower face and a prominent skin tag on his left pinkie finger She said Oliver is the smallest with a petite face, a hoarse cry and a red left eye Meg Korzon is in tune to the two-year-old trio's subtle physical differences A mum-of-four has revealed how she tells her identical triplet boys apart A mum of identical triplet baby boys has revealed how she manages to tell them apart. Meg Korzon, from the US, said people ask her all the time how she knows which triplet is which and the answer is surprisingly simple - her sharp mum's eye means she just need to look at them. In a viral TikTok clip, Meg explains how the two-year-old boys, Leo, Oliver and Elias, are dissimilar in both their looks and personalities - but not everyone was convinced. Scroll down for video Mum-of-four Meg Korzon, from the United States, has shared how she manages to tell her triplet toddlers, Oliver, Elias and Leo apart - but not every one is convinced The mum-of-four starts with Oliver who is the 'smallest triplet' with a more 'petite-looking face'. 'He gets the most frustrated. He is the most independent baby from the others, he's most likely to be going and doing his own thing,' Meg said. She added he has a clogged tear duct which makes his left eye red and watery and he has a 'hoarse cry'. Leo is the 'middle-sized triplet' with a prominent skin tag on his left pinkie finger who furrows his brows a lot according to Meg. The mum-of-four starts with Oliver who is the 'smallest triplet' with a more 'petite-looking face' 'I also think he has the most narrow face which means his eyes appear larger in my opinion. He also does a lot of rolling of the tongue, the other guys don't do that,' she explained. 'He is very sweet, very loving, probably the most sensitive of the triplets and he brings me gifts a lot.' The final triplet, Elias, Meg said is the 'biggest' and 'chunkiest' of the three boys and scrunches his face up a lot. Leo is the 'middle-sized triplet' with a prominent skin tag on his left pinkie finger and furrows his brows a lot according to Meg 'His face looks the most round and proportional so Oliver's got a petite face, Leo's is longer and narrower with big eyes and then I feel like he's just proportionate and round. He's got chubbier cheeks,' the mum, who also has a three-year-old daughter, said. 'I tell him not to do something and then he does it anyway for a reaction and he's very curious about my reactions to things.' Meg's video racked up 2.3million views however many in the comments were not convinced of her methods while others were impressed. The final triplet Elias Meg said is the 'biggest' and 'chunkiest' of the three boys and scrunches his face up a lot 'You cannot tell me that this isn't the same baby through the whole video!' one viewer rote. 'That's Oliver in three different moods,' a second agreed but a third said: 'Bottom line: a mum just knows her babies.' One person asked how Meg would know if the triplets ever got 'confused in the hospital' or in their first few weeks but she insists that she is 'absolutely certain' they were 'never mixed up'. She said not only did the hospital have a foolproof system for not mixing them up, they have different sized skin tags on pinkie finger to easily tell them apart. An American expat has shared a list of words and phrases that she says are pronounced differently in Australia. Sophia, who goes by @sophiainsydney now that she has moved from Los Angeles, shared a video on TikTok talking about subtle differences in Australian dialect. 'You guys say "dash hound" for the dog - but we say dakh-schund,' she explained about a dachshund. Scroll down for video Sophia, who goes by @sophiainsydney now that she has moved from Los Angeles, shared a video on TikTok talking about subtle differences in Australian dialect 'Australians also say reschedule,' she said when an emphasis on the 'sh' sound, 'but Americans say re-schedule like two words.' She also added that everyone in the States refers to making plans by 'putting it in the planner' while Australians prefer to use the word 'diary' instead. The last thing she noticed in her video was the 'super king bed' as compared to a 'California king.' 'Rihanna has an iconic song about it as well,' she joked. Many of her followers were taken aback by her Americanisms. 'The American pronunciation for dachshund is really throwing me,' said one woman. 'Definitely interesting,' added another. An American expat has shared a list of words and phrases that are said completely differently in Australia Sophia has also shared other Aussie eccentricities she learned from her boyfriend. 'I learned that when I say spatula I actually want what he calls an "egg flipper." He also text me saying RON which meant "later on,"' she explained. The final turn of phrase he said differently was 'power point', a word she replaces with 'outlet' in the US. Common words Australians and Americans say differently: A GUIDE AUSTRALIA Egg flipper Powerpoint 'Ron Footpath Petrol station Super king bed Autumn Biro Blackboard Bushfire Curtains Diary Dobber AMERICA Spatula Outlet Later on Sidewalk Gas station California king bed Fall Ballpoint Chalkboard Wildfire Drapes Planner Snitch Advertisement But not all of her fans were convinced that 'RON' was used Down Under, with many saying they'd never heard it before. Previously Sophia shared the 'slang phrases' she refuses to use despite living in Sydney for the past two years because they differ from the phases she's used to. 'I don't use foyer for a lobby. For car park I still say parking or parking lot. Tea towels are just towels. Petrol is gas and everything is a tissue out here, when I say napkin,' she explained. Previously Sophia shared the 'slang phrases' she refuses to use despite living in Sydney for the past two years because they differ from the phases she's used to Plenty of her Australian followers were confused by the wording, saying they also use the word lobby and napkin. 'Literally the whole world apart from North Americans use the word petrol instead of gas,' one fan said. 'It's amazing how varied the English language is in the US, England and Australia,' said another. Parents are venting their frustration after discovering that Australia Zoo's newest accommodation has a strict four-person limit on each of the eight cabins on offer. The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, named after Steve Irwin, promised to give its patrons an experience on the 'wild side of luxury' with free daily breakfast for each guest, exclusive use of the lodge's swimming pool - and best of all - unlimited access to the zoo itself. At prices for one night starting at $849 it's certainly an expensive trip but its marketing as the ultimate family destination lured a number of Aussies to take the plunge. 'The Crocodile Hunter Lodge offers unique, family-friendly rustic cabins, helping you reconnect with the natural world,' the website said. The Crocodile Hunter Lodge , named after Steve Irwin, promised to give its patrons an experience on the 'wild side of luxury' (Pictured: The Irwins) At prices for one night starting at $849 it's certainly an expensive trip but its marketing as the ultimate family destination lured a number of Aussies to take the plunge 'With spacious decks overlooking the vast bushland and wonderful wildlife, it will be a special overnight experience to cherish with your loved ones.' But after eagerly trying to access the lodge's website in June it became apparent that it's only made for small families up to four people. Permitted patrons include two adults and two children (aged between three and 16) or one adult and three children, ruling out any slightly larger groupings of five. Plenty of parents have shared their dismay on Australia Zoo's Facebook page, calling for the Irwin family to make it larger. Plenty of parents have shared their dismay on Australia Zoo's Facebook page, calling for the Irwin family to make it larger A spokeswoman for the zoo said three bedroom cabins would be added to the mix in 2023 to compensate for the smaller bookings at present, Kidspot reported 'We like to go away and stay at places when we get time and thought what an awesome experience this would be when we visit the zoo once a year and have done for the last seven years, also being big fans of the Irwins,' one mum shared. 'I've got four kids and I couldn't book. I even tried booking two places but couldn't.' 'Would love to stay here, but only two kids allowed!' said another. 'I didn't even get to the price as I have three children to accommodate,' a third mum said. 'It rules out a lot of families I'm sure. Very disappointing' 'I didn't even get to the price as I have three children to accommodate,' a third mum said. 'It rules out a lot of families I'm sure. Very disappointing.' Another added: 'It's so expensive the ordinary person can't afford it and you only welcome the perfect nuclear family? Good luck with that then. I get SO fed up of places not catering to big families.' A spokeswoman for the zoo said three bedroom cabins would be added to the mix in 2023 to compensate for the smaller bookings at present, Kidspot reported. Experts blasted the update as 'absurd' and a 'clearly political move' But now it has emerged term has also been grabbed from flu shots infomation The terms 'women' and 'woman' have been quietly scrubbed from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on flu vaccines during pregnancy. DailyMail.com found all gender-specific terms also including 'she', 'her' and 'mother' were wiped from the CDC webpage when it was updated last August. They have been replaced by the gender-neutral terms 'pregnant people', 'their' or erased entirely. The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) said there was 'no logical scientific reason', claiming it was 'clearly a political move'. It is the latest example of CDC medical advice being de-sexed in an attempt to be more inclusive to trans people. DailyMail.com revealed last month women had also been omitted from monkeypox guidance. But experts warn using neutral terms in gender-specific health advice muddles messaging especially for those who are vulnerable or whose first language isn't English. Flu vaccines are particularly important for pregnant women, who are at a much higher risk of severe disease. DailyMail.com has approached the CDC for comment. It comes as the US is in the midst of its worst flu outbreak in 13 years thanks to an unusually early and aggressive outbreak, data shows. There have already been nearly 900,000 cases, 7,000 hospitalizations and 360 deaths, with experts warning restrictions during the Covid pandemic have left Americans with weaker immunity against flu. The above shows the guidance on the CDC's page on flu vaccination for pregnant women, up until August 30 last year. It uses the phrase pregnant women, pregnant woman, she, her and mother. (Only 'pregnant women' has been highlighted above) And above is the page shown after it was updated last year. It has scrubbed all mention of the terms pregnant woman or pregnant women, replacing them with 'pregnant people'. Mentions of she, her and mother have also been removed This graph shows the number of flu cases diagnosed since the summer. The US is currently in the midst of its worst flu outbreak in 13 years, with the virus hitting the nation six weeks early Pregnancy is the term used to describe when a fetus is developing inside a woman's uterus. Trans men who were born female can sometimes get pregnant if they chose to keep their womb and reproductive organs. Being pregnant can weaken the immune system, leaving women more likely to be admitted to hospital if they catch the flu. IS THE CDC GOING WOKE? The agency has come under fire several times in recent months for using gender-neutral language. Aug 11, 2021: CDC director Rochelle Walensky says all 'pregnant people or people who are thinking about becoming pregnant' should get the Covid vaccine. She also urged those who were breastfeeding to come forward. July 1, 2022: The agency warned 'people who are pregnant or recently pregnant' are at a greater risk of severe Covid infection than 'non-pregnant people'. Autumn 2022: The agency's guidance for the annual flu shot encourages 'pregnant people (and people up to two weeks postpartum)' to get their shot. September, 2022: Reports emerge that the CDC has dropped the word 'women' from its monkeypox guidance. The agency is accused of attempting to erase 'half of the human race' with the alteration. October, 2022: It's revealed that the agency has updated guidance on getting the flu shot in pregnancy to remove the words 'woman' or 'women'. They were replaced with 'people'. Advertisement The infection has also been linked to premature births and defects, making a flu vaccine essential for expectant mothers. Pregnant women are seven times more likely to be hospitalized if they catch the flu, according to a 2019 study. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says pregnant women are also more at an 'increased' risk of death if they catch the flu. Hormone changes during pregnancy lower the activity of the thymus a small gland in the chest responsible for making T-cells during the first trimester, raising the risk of infection. The CDC page used to include 56 mentions of gender-neutral terms. The introductory paragraph used to say the flu is 'more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than women of reproductive age who are not pregnant. But the new description, updated around August 30, 2021, reads: 'Influenza is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant people than in people of reproductive age who are not pregnant.' Dr Jane Orient, executive director of the right-leaning AAPS told DailyMail.com that the update was 'absurd'. 'There is no logical scientific reason to say this, it is clearly a political move,' she said. 'If you don't have a uterus and you don't have ovaries then you can't be pregnant'. She warned that not giving a patient's biological gender raised the risk of them receiving inappropriate care. 'There is a medical risk in misrepresenting in a physiological situation,' she said. 'A person who claims to be a man but has female organs needs to have those parts of their body treated appropriately. 'Just as a women [claiming] to be a man does not have a prostate, a man pretending to be a woman does have a prostate. 'If he goes to the gynecological service, he is not dealing with a physician trained in how to deal with male problems.' Dr Orient said that the CDC likely shifted its guidance to include women who were now identifying as men. But she warned these individuals would still need to end up on maternity wards because they are 'nevertheless a woman' in the biological women. Dr Melissa Bartick, a medical expert at Harvard University, told DailyMail.com it was possible people who are not native English speakers may struggle with the updated guidance. 'The messaging should be tested to make sure it's understood by all populations,' she said. Supporters of updating guidance so it is not gendered say this ensures it includes 'everyone'. The advocate and co-founder of Australia-based Transgender Victoria, Sally Goldner, previoulsy said: 'It's important that we represent everyone. 'The "standard cis-gender woman" will still be able to get the messages, but then we can add in the messages we need for other groups,' she said. Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, was accused of 'erasing women' and using 'left-wing' language last year after she said 'pregnant people' should get the Covid vaccine. Writing on Twitter, she said: 'Covid vaccines are safe for pregnant people at all stages of pregnancy and their babies.' But this was quick to face backlash from politicians over her choice of language. Illinois Congresswoman Mary Miller said she had used left-wing language in official guidance harming the public's 'faith and trust' in the CDC. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn accused the top US medic of 'erasing women'. 'I've never seen a man tough enough to survive pregnancy and childbirth,' she told Fox News. 'The recent movement to erase women is disturbing, and has made its way into our bureaucracy.' US is suffering 'worst flu outbreak in 13 YEARS' with nearly 1million cases and 7,000 hospitalizations already, CDC report warns By Connor Boyd, Health Editor for DailyMail.com The US is in the midst of its worst flu outbreak in 13 years thanks to an unusually early and aggressive outbreak, a federal report warned Friday. There have already been nearly 900,000 cases, 7,000 hospitalizations and 360 influenza deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. The outbreak has arrived about six weeks early and is more severe than usual with the virus typically arriving in late October and peaking in December or January. Experts say restrictions brought in to fight the Covid pandemic - like masks and lockdowns - have left Americans with weak immunity against influenza. The CDC said the burden of flu is the highest it's been since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, based on lab-confirmed cases, doctor visits, hospitalizations and deaths. The South is being hit hardest by the outbreak but the wave is starting to move up the Atlantic coast. It comes amid growing fears of a 'tripledemic' with cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) a virus that can be deadly in babies rising and Covid also expected to make a comeback this winter. The South is being hit hardest by the outbreak but the wave is starting to move up the Atlantic coast Flu and RSV coinfection creates entirely new untreatable hybrid, study finds The flu and a seasonal common cold virus can fuse together and create an entirely new pathogen, scientists have shown for the first time. Influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - which is wreaking havoc on US hospitals - were found to combine and create not one but two new hybrid viruses. The experiments were done in human lung cells in a laboratory, but there is nothing to suggest the same process won't occur in a person infected with both illnesses. An entirely new virus would be unrecognizable to the immune system, increasing the risk of someone falling severely unwell. That could pose a threat, given that up to 30 percent of all respiratory diseases are the result of a dual infection, according to some estimates. The researchers from the University of Glasgow demonstrated what happens when human cells are infected by these two pathogens at the same time, a phenomenon called co-infection. Advertisement Professor William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University , told the Washington Post: 'The data are ominous. 'Not only is flu early, it also looks very severe. This is not just a preview of coming attractions. Were already starting to see this movie. I would call it a scary movie.' Adding to concerns is the fact flu vaccination rates are lower than usual - which some have attributed to vaccine fatigue after repeated Covid shot rollouts. Roughly 128 million doses have been distributed so far, compared to 139 million at the same time and 154 million in 2020, according to the CDC. It comes after a flu outbreak at a Virginia high earlier this month forced more than 1,000 pupils - half of attendees - off sick at once. Meanwhile, a boy in Ohio has been hospitalized after catching three common viruses at once - in another sign of how immunity has been eroded after the pandemic. Wilder Jackson, 2, of Middletown, Ohio - just 30 miles north of Cincinnati, was simultaneously battling rhinovirus, enterovirus and adenovirus. He first test positive for the flu after his family returned home from an early-September trip to Walt Disney World. He initially seemed to have recovered. The young boy would later begin to suffer repeated fevers, reaching up to 105 degrees. Doctors were puzzled as he was suffering no other symptoms. After a confusing six weeks, Wilder was diagnosed with all three viruses simultaneously at Dayton Children's Hospital. None of these viruses are considered to be especially dangerous to young children, but together they formed a severe combo. Experts have also warned that these seemingly-mild infections will be more severe this year after two years of lockdowns and pandemic-related restrictions left immune systems untrained to deal with them. Children's hospitals around the country have reportedly struggled to deal with a recent surge of infections, with some being filled to the brim with young patients. Ketamine is being prescribed to Americans with little oversight by healthcare startups, it has emerged. A medical loophole means medics can prescribe the hallucinogen 'off-label' to people with severe depression, suicidal thoughts and PTSD. But there are concerns that new companies are dishing out the drug too leniently with little evidence about the long-term impacts. Around a dozen health and wellbeing companies are mailing out the drug for around $400 a month to patients after only a questionnaire and online consultation. Ketamine dubbed 'Special K' or 'Ket' and popular in rave culture has been approved for use as an anesthetic in hospitals for decades. Recent studies indicate it may have antidepressant properties. But doctors warn it is a powerful psychedelic that could lead to accidents and injuries if someone takes too much or abuses their prescription. There are also concerns about the long-term effects on the brain. Companies have now started to prescribe ketamine off-label to those with severe depression (file photo) Shown above is the website of one of the companies that prescribes ketamin. It gives out the drug after a questionnaire and video consultation with patients WHAT IS KETAMINE? Ketamine is a powerful general anaesthetic that is used to stop humans and animals experiencing pain during operations. It started being used as a party drug in the late 2000s, with people taking it before raves for a more intense experience. In recent years it has emerged as a possible therapeutic for depression and PTSD. What are the side effects? Ketamine causes a loss of feeling and paralysis of the muscles. It can also lead to people experiencing a distortion of reality, which many call entering the 'k-hole'. This is when people believe they have spoken to God or a higher power, which can lead to addiction as they crave that experience. Ketamine may also cause people to feel incapable of moving, experience hallucinations or lead to panic attacks, confusion and memory loss. Regular users can seriously damage their bladders, which may need to be surgically removed. Other risks include a raised heart rate and blood pressure. Paralysis of the muscles can leave people vulnerable to hurting themselves, while not feeling pain properly can cause them to underestimate any damage. Many claim ketamine withdrawal is worse than any other drug, with some feeling so depressed they contemplate suicide. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the Samaritans here. How is it taken and what is the law around it? For medical use ketamine is liquid but the 'street' drug is normally a grainy, white powder, with one gram costing around 20. As a class B drug in the UK, possession of ketamine can result in people facing up to five years in jail, while supplying it could mean up to 14 years in prison. Both cases may result in people facing an unlimited fine. Source: Talk to Frank Advertisement The Wall Street Journal reported this weekend that Mindbloom, Nue Life Health and Wonderland are among around a dozen companies prescribing ketamine to patients online - as tablets or lozenges. This is possible thanks to relaxed restrictions on the prescription of controlled substances during the pandemic - a measure brought in to keep people away from hospitals and doctor's surgeries during Covid. To get an online prescription, patients must first fill in a questionnaire to find out whether they are eligible. Companies then carry out a virtual consultation before mailing the drug to them. The companies say they instruct people to take the medication with someone nearby and to lie down to avoid an accident. But Dr Michael Champeau, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, told the WSJ: 'Giving any drug like that has the potential to cause general anesthesia at home in a completely unmonitored environment.' The medic also warned that taking the drug without supervision raised the risk of patients falling and hurting themselves, or taking more than prescribed. Dr Ari Aal, a psychiatrist in Boulder, Colorado, also raised concerns about the dosages being prescribed online. 'That's way too much of a dose to be doing at home and probably at all,' he said, 'and way too much without a practitioner watching you'. All three companies said they do not prescribe ketamine to people who have depression that is too severe, or a history of substance abuse disorder, psychosis or high blood pressure. Nue Life and Mindbloom said in some cases they contact the patient's physician and may ask for medical records. Wondermed said it does allow patients to choose to have their doctors work with the company during treatment. In some cases, long-term depression leads to a reduction in the number of connections called synapses in the brain. But research shows that ketamine can spark the re-growth of these connections, which experts say may help to ease depression. Normally, brain cells use the neurotransmitter glutamate to communicate between each other. But in depression cells become less sensitive to it, one hypothesis suggests, prompting symptoms of the illness. Scientists say ketamine can reverse this, by raising how sensitive the brain is to the neurotransmitter to ease depression. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved a nasal spray using ketamine sold under brand name Spravato to treat depression. But users are required to stay in clinics for up to two hours after taking it so doctors can ensure there are no ill-effects. There are no such restrictions for those using ketamine off-label. EXCLUSIVE: Inside one of NYC's trendy 'ketamine clinics' where Wall St hotshots looking for a 'brain break' are given psychedelic via an IV drip for up to $2,000 a pop thanks to a medical loophole By Cassidy Morrison, Senior Health Reporter for DailyMail.com Stepping inside the Jeff Ditzell Psychiatry clinic in the financial district of Manhattan, it feels more like a luxury spa than a medical facility. But customers come here for something far more powerful than a deep tissue massage or hot yoga session they come for the ketamine. A medical loophole means facilities like this one can offer the hallucinogen, which was first developed as a horse tranquilizer and has become popular among ravers, for people with depression. Far from the party atmosphere that typically surrounds ketamine, the person receiving the infusion at Dr Ditzell's clinic is taken into a dimly-lit room where they are surrounded by plants and colorful abstract art. They are put in a leather reclining chair whose back is enveloped in a white pod reminiscent of an Elon Musk SpaceX invention. It puts the patient in partial darkness to induce relaxation while they get hooked up to an IV for a roughly 40-minute infusion. Patients spend the next hour outfitted with a sleeping mask and headphones playing theta brain waves, which are at the dominant frequency in healing, high creative states, and remembering emotional experiences. Dr Jeff Ditzell told DailyMail.com: Essentially, the music and the aromatherapy that we have going as well as the calm setting, warm lights and all that, the comfortable space that's dedicated to the ketamine infusion is really key in getting a good response.' His clinic, which is just a stone's throw away from Wall Street, has attracted bankers with deep pockets looking to escape from the madness of the trading floor. Ket clinics have been appearing across New York at a rapid rate and they are now staring to crop up in other major US cities like Houston, Miami, Los Angeles and Seattle. There are estimated to be over 100 nationwide now compared to just a handful a decade ago. It comes after several recent studies indicated a low dose of the drug may help treat depression and PTSD. Patients undergoing ketamine treatments recline in a leather lounge chair that resembles a SpaceX device designed by Elon Musk, a feature meant to cocoon the user and foster introspection. Ditzell is committed to providing clients with a good trip, he told DailyMail.com. The office is festooned with abstract art, ambient lights, and potted plants Ketamine infusions are for people with debilitating depression who have tried several other courses of treatment including antidepressant medications with little or no relief. Before it was known as a party drug that could produce out-of-body experiences, ketamine was used as an anesthetic in surgical procedures. Since then, it has been prescribed 'off-label' for treatment-resistant depression Ditzell's office, which is just a stone's throw away from Wall Street, has attracted bankers with deep pockets looking to escape from the madness of the trading floor. But not just anyone can receive a ketamine treatment, Ditzell says. There is a lengthy screening process that considers the person's psychiatric history before determining if they qualify In a treatment room at Ditzell's clinic, patients spend an hour outfitted with a sleeping mask while listening to theta brain waves, which are at the dominant frequency in healing, high creative states, and remembering emotional experiences. Patients report feeling 'stoned' with many saying they've had out of body experiences People undergoing ketamine infusions report sedating or relaxing effects. Some gain a heightened sensory awareness while many report feeling outside of their bodies. 'I wouldn't quite call it psychedelic,' said David Hogberg, 52, a journalist who underwent five treatments in Washington, DC. 'But you're definitely you are, for lack of a better word, stoned.' Ketamine is a schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act in the same category as codeine and anabolic steroids. The consequences of possessing recreational ketamine vary by state but fines can range from the hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, with jail time of up to 20 years. But it is approved in the US and UK as a surgical anesthetic and can be prescribed 'off-label' for depression in private clinics. This loophole guarantees that providers who administer ketamine treatments for treatment-resistant depression are on the right side of the law. But experts Dailymail.com spoke to were split over the growing practice. Some argue that administering the infusions is reckless and seeks to oversimplify the recovery process, which typically takes years of hard work in cognitive therapy and adherence to an effective medication regimen. Ketamine infusions are for people with debilitating depression who have tried several other courses of treatment including antidepressant medications with little or no relief. 'Complex mental health is not a situation where there is a quick fix,' said Dr Zak Waqar-Uddin, a general practitioner in the UK. He went on: 'It relies on sympathetic trained experts including psychiatrists and psychologists, who use medications and counselling techniques that even when successfully applied, take months if not years for their results to show.' On the other side of the debate, Dr Michel Thase, a psychiatry professor at University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine told this website: 'The way we administer it is in no way shape or form the way people use it as as a party drug.' 'And the doses that are used to treat depression are one quarter of the doses used as an anesthetic.' Prescribing medications off label is a common practice for numerous treatments. The drug topiramate, for instance, is federally approved to treat epilepsy and prevent seizures. But topiramate is commonly used to treat myriad other issues including alcohol and nicotine dependence, bulimia nervosa, borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome. During the Covid pandemic the controversial Donald Trump-backed malaria drug hydroxychloroquine was allowed to be used 'off-label' to treat the virus after showing some early promise in the lab. But larger studies discovered it was not able to treat Covid and may have caused nasty side effects. At Dr Ditzell's clinic, clients undergo a consultation and screening process before they can be prescribed the infusions. The practice is meant to weed out people who are just looking for a trip. But the screening process for prospective ketamine clients is not uniform across the US. And the infusions are not cheap and can cost anywhere from $400 to $2,000 a pop, which raises ethical issues. Defending his clinic, Dr Ditzell said: 'A ketamine clinic is never the first stop for a person looking to treat their depression. Its more like a last resort. You start looking at what [treatment is] left? Transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, deep brain stimulation. Were talking about some serious stuff.' Before it was known as a party drug that could produce out-of-body experiences, ketamine was used as an anesthetic in surgical procedures. David Hogberg, 52, and his son at National's Park in Washington, DC. Hogberg underwent a series of five ketamine infusions. He reported feeling exceptionally well for a short period of time before his depression symptoms came rushing back. While he said the treatments were not the cure he was hoping for, he did not dissuade other people from trying them. Credit Field Trip Health. Ketamine infusion clinics have cropped up nationwide. They have the same ingredients as Ditzell's clinic: comfortable chairs, meditative lighting, plants and other earthy accoutrements, and supervision from a medical professional. Credit Point Ketamine Malibu. There went from being a smattering of clinics in select major cities to a booming wellness industry trend that has reached all corners of the US. There are estimated to be over 100 nationwide now compared to just a handful a decade ago. It comes after several recent studies indicated a low dose of the drug may help treat depression and PTSD. A patient at the Ketamine Clinic of Seattle. Depression is believed to be linked to a loss of synaptic connections between nerve cells, but ketamine has been shown to bolster frayed neural connections caused by chronic stress that contribute to severe emotional distress, depression, and mood disorders. Credit Field Trip Ketamine Clinic in Houston. There is a growing body of evidence pointing to low-dose IV ketamine's fast-acting antidepressant effects, but opponents argue that the new craze is a quick fix for severe depression. But clinical research into ketamine as a treatment for mood disorders is scarce and there remain concerns about long-term effects of repeated infusions of ketamine. It was introduced in the 1960s and is still used today to induce sedation before operations. In the intervening years, ketamine, nicknamed in certain circles special K was embraced by the rave-going community as a popular party drug for its hallucinatory and psychoactive effects. In the last few years, several studies have highlighted ketamine, sometimes known as 'ket', 'K' or 'special K', as a potential antidepressant, along with other psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin and MDMA. A group of psychiatrists in India, for example, reported in 2019 that a group of 25 males using a low-dose infusion saw significant improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms immediately one hour after single dose. The positive effect was sustained with six doses over two weeks with an overall decrease in illness severity after two weeks. Depression is believed to be linked to a loss of synaptic connections between nerve cells, but ketamine has been shown to have nerve healing properties. It is believed to bolster frayed neural connections caused by chronic stress that contribute to severe emotional distress, depression, and mood disorders. But clinical research into ketamine as a treatment for mood disorders is scarce and there remain concerns about long-term effects of repeated infusions of ketamine. Most of the data supporting the use of ketamine as a treatment for depression and mood disorders are based on trials that followed up on patients after just one treatment. Patients are typically encouraged to complete five or six. A handful of studies have determined the relative safety of undergoing a series of treatments, but data to back up their efficacy and safety long term are lacking Ketamines therapeutic effects stem from its ability to change the levels of a neurotransmitter called glutamate, which is crucial in certain concentrations to a fully functioning brain. Overactivation of glutamate receptors may lead to long-term depression, and ketamine works by blocking those receptors. The result is a greater production and synaptic release of glutamate, which can result in new connections between neurons in areas of the brain that regulate mood and behavior. The drug, when administered in low doses and monitored by healthcare providers, can provide instant antidepressant effects. Dr Ditzell claims between six and eight out of 10 of his patients see 'immediate' improvements to their mood after the therapy. Ketamine works differently than the antidepressants that have been on the market for decades, such as Prozac and Zoloft, which are prescribed for a wide range of mental health conditions including depression, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and PTSD. In order to qualify for the treatments, the would-be client has to prove they have already tried other treatments for their clinical depression without success. Many clinics require a detailed list of prescription medications the person as tried as well as coordination with other mental health providers. But the screening process for ketamine treatments across clinics is not uniform and some experts worry that anyone with money could get them. David Hogberg completed five treatments starting in the spring of 2021. While he benefited from the treatments at first, the positive effects were not permanent. 'After the fifth treatment, suddenly, boom, all my depression and anxiety was gone,' he said. 'And I am not even sure that lasted a week before my symptoms came back.' He added, 'I checked the research that afternoon and apparently it works for about 75% of patients. So that means for one in four it's not going to work. That's high, so I have no reason to think that I wasn't one of those one in four.' When all was said and done, David paid about $1,500 for the series of treatments. 'For anyone thinking about it, I wouldn't tell them not to do it because you may be one of those three out of the four, but I would say don't go into it with high expectations and have a backup plan which unfortunately I didn't have.' The Government is said to be considering introducing penalty points for those caught not wearing their seatbelt in a car after it was revealed that almost a third of people killed in vehicles last year were not buckled up. Latest road casualty figures show that in cases where a vehicle occupant died in accidents in 2021, 30 per cent had failed to wear their seatbelt - the highest proportion on record. Currently, a driver or passengers found not wearing one correctly can be hit with an on-the-spot fixed penalty notice of 100. However, MPs said they are now considering the 'potential merits of introducing penalty points' for this type of offence. Government considering tougher penalities for those who don't buckle up: MPs said they are looking into the 'potential merits of introducing penalty points' after official figures revealed an alarming rise in road deaths linked to people not wearing a seatbelt last year Katherine Fletcher, Conservative MP for South Ribble and former parliamentary under-secretary of state for the Department for Transport, responded to a question in the Commons on 27 October regarding increasing punishments for those who don't buckle up on the back of its alarming road casualty report a month earlier. 'The Department for Transport knows that in 2021, in 30 per cent of all car occupant fatalities recorded, seat belts were not worn,' she said. 'This is unacceptably high, and we have been considering options to tackle this including the potential merits of introducing penalty points.' Ms Fletcher stepped down from her DfT role the same day as part of a reshuffle of junior ministers. She went on to say that changing rules to allow for drivers and passengers to receive points 'might form part of the Department for Transports planned call for evidence on motoring offences'. The plans come more than 40 years after wearing a seatbelt first became a legal requirement on Britains roads. Under current rules, both drivers and passenger over the age of 14 caught by police not wearing a seatbelt should be issued a 100 fine. However, this fine will be wavered if an offender takes a 53 awareness course instead. Motorists transporting children under 14 years of age are deemed responsible for them too, which could result in an additional fine for each child passenger without a belt. However, not wearing a seatbelt is currently not an endorsable offence, so you wont be given penalty points on your licence. With pressure mounting on ministers to cut the number of deaths on Britain's roads, a change to these rules could receive plenty of backing. Rise in road deaths: There were 5.2 fatalities per billion vehicle miles in 2021, which is higher than the 4.9 deaths recorded per billion miles in 2019 (as shown in the bottom right chart) Under existing rules, both drivers and passenger over the age of 14 caught by police not wearing a seatbelt are issued with a 100 fixed penalty notice or need to sit a 53 safety awareness course The DfT published its estimated road casualty report for 2021 in September with 1,558 people killed last year and showed that the number of fatalities per billion miles driven was higher last year than pre-pandemic levels. However, one of the most alarming factors in the report was a resurgence in drivers and passengers failing to take legal safety precautions when inside a moving vehicle, with not wearing a seatbelt contributing to three in ten deaths in cars. This is the highest proportion on record for road deaths linked to not being correctly restrained and is four percentage points higher than the average over the previous five years. For deaths that occurred on roads at night, the proportion linked to not wearing a seatbelt were even higher at a 'dreadful' 47 per cent, additional analysis highlighted. RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: 'Its irrefutable that seatbelts save lives, yet the sad reality is that in 30 per cent of fatal collisions a seatbelt was not being worn. 'These stark figures underline just how important it is to buckle up in both the front and the rear of the car. Its irrefutable that seatbelts save lives, yet the sad reality is that in 30% of fatal collisions a seatbelt was not being worn Simon Williams, RAC road safety spokesman 'Putting points on the licences of offenders would be a welcome move, but this must be accompanied by better enforcement.' Increased enforcement could be achieved using the latest camera technology currently being tested by Warwickshire Police in conjunction with National Highway. A specially-adapted van is being trialed by officers to record passing vehicles using cameras mounted to a large metal structure that extends from its roof. This allows surveillance technology to monitor road users from an elevated position to see what is going on inside vehicles, providing a viewpoint similar to cameras installed on motorway gantries and fixed speed cameras at the roadside. Footage captured by the Big Brother van is then analysed by artificial intelligence and humans to determine if motorists were using a handheld phone or whether anyone was not wearing a seatbelt. In its first 64 hours in action, it identified examples of unsafe driving once every six minutes, including 512 people without a seatbelt while travelling on the M40 and A46. On the hunt: The 'Big Brother' van, which has been in use since 11 July, is being used to detect motoring offences such as holding a mobile phone at the wheel or not wearing a seatbelt. In 64 hours of use, it has already caught over 500 people not wearing a seatbelt The RAC has previously backed the introduction of this technology and again called for it to be used widely across the country to punish those who fail to belt up. 'While up until this point offenders had to be caught not wearing a seatbelt by a police officer, there is now camera technology on trial in the UK that can be make the process far simpler and more effective,' Mr Williams added. 'If this technology were to be rolled out alongside introducing points on licences lives would undoubtedly be saved.' The DfT's road casualty data shows that those most likely to be killed while not wearing a seatbelt are younger car occupants aged 17-to-29 years at 40 per cent. Analysis by the AA also found that there was a higher proportion of men killed in cars (34 per cent) than women (20 per cent) who were not belted up when the collision took place. Head of road policy, Jack Cousens, described it as a 'dreadful jump' in people failing to secure themselves in vehicles correctly. 'Release from pandemic lockdowns may have fuelled some of the surge, but the rate of death while not wearing a seatbelt was surging even before Covid. 'There may need to be a road safety campaign to raise the danger once again. Clearly, the message is being forgotten.' Increasing punishments for not belting up appropriately would follow tougher penalties imposed on those caught on the phone at the wheel in recent years. In 2017, the Government doubled penalties for drivers found to be operating a handheld device, rising from three points and a 100 fine to six points and 200. And earlier this year it closed all legal loopholes regarding what constitutes as 'handling' a phone so that motorists can no longer touch a device while in control of a vehicle. Medical workers transfer a COVID-19 patient to an emergency room at a hospital in Seoul, March 17. Yonhap By Lee Hae-rin There is a 50 percent chance that humanity will face another pandemic within 20 years, according to Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis that has devastated the world may be beginning to ease. However, humanity still lives close to wildlife that could host pathogens of future pandemics helped along by climate change, population growth and deforestation. The coronavirus was not the first viral outbreak seen in recent years. The country was hit by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015, as well as by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and 2003. COVID-19, however, was exceptional in scale and duration worldwide, due to its particular fatality and infection rate along with the continuous emergence of new variants, medical experts said. As of Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 625.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, including over 6.5 million deaths since the pandemic started over two years ago. Korea saw over 17.2 million confirmed cases since January 2020 and nearly 30,000 deaths. However, the past two years of the pandemic are "just a taste of things to come," Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said during a keynote speech at the Global Bio Summit in Seoul, Tuesday. "The possibility of another pandemic with the same kind of impact is increasing by 2 percent each year," he said. To better cope with future pandemics, experts highlighted the following four points. Jobseekers take a test administered by the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology at the Daegu Exhibition & Convention Center, May 10, 2020. The institute kept a substantial distance between the 1,100 test takers to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Yonhap Costs of health restrictions To better cope with future pandemics, the social impact of the government's quarantine policies on people's livelihoods should be assessed, according to Jung Jae-hun, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine. In March 2020, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) first introduced the term "social distancing" as part of a campaign to prevent the spread of the disease. As the infection rate grew in June of that year, the government body announced multi-tier regulations for different ranges of daily new cases and accordingly restricted group sizes and business operation hours thus controlling indoor and outdoor gatherings. Until the restriction was abolished at the end of this April, the social distancing measures were toughened through countless revisions to deal with the sometimes unpredictable developments of the pandemic and turned people's conventional lifestyles upside down. It also reduced economic activities and devastated over 5.11 million small and medium-sized businesses across the country, which suffered immense economic losses amounting to 54 trillion won ($38 million), according to the presidential transition committee in April. "The collision of personal freedom, community safety and individual rights was one of the greatest challenges the country faced during the coronavirus pandemic," Jung told The Korea Times during a recent phone interview. The pandemic created room for debate on which conditions the government's administrative order on social distancing regulations, vaccinations and mask mandates can be justified at the cost of social consequences and how to compensate economic losses and social damage on the most vulnerable, he said. In response, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced last month that it would grant a total of 890 billion won ($621 million) in relief to about 650,000 small and medium-sized businesses that experienced losses due to the government's quarantine measures when the infection rate peaked. Officials at Songpa District Office in Seoul look at a screen showing 100,285 daily COVID-19 cases reported on March 13, the highest figure in over three months. Joint Press Corps Epidemic governance Experts agree that Korea dealt relatively quickly and systematically based on lessons learned from MERS in 2015, including conducting epidemiological investigations to actively engage in risk communication with the public through daily briefings. However, the government's epidemic management system still needs improvement. Chung Ki-seok, the incumbent head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's (KDCA) COVID-19 Special Response Team, said that more medical specialists are needed in the field and decision-making positions in local governments to effectively control future pandemics. Chung, also a professor of pulmonary and allergy medicine at Hallym University, explained that disease control should be based on decisions made by medical specialists, although it may sometimes require political interventions when necessary. Also, the shortage of staff to trace and treat the epidemic, especially in the outer-Seoul regions, hindered the country from preventing the spread more effectively at the peak of previous waves. Chung called for a centralized system where the KDCA, consisting of over 400 scientists and medical professionals, works directly with local governments on the country's future countermeasures to infectious diseases with its own comprehensive information delivery system expected to be established within two years to effectively manage pandemic data. The central government should pass on accumulated know-how and support the agency, the senior health official said. In this photo taken in Dec. 20, 2021, medical staff care for a patient in a negative pressure room at Osong Bestian Hospital in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. / Yonhap More specialized medical facilities needed Experts also called for more specialized infrastructure such as medical clinics designated to study and treat new infectious diseases. Chun Eun-mi, a pulmonologist at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, stated that the country needs state-run hospitals equipped with intensive care units for critically ill patients with infectious diseases, which could help manage the next pandemic immediately at its outbreak. The initial high death tolls of the Delta variant, for example, were largely due to a lack of wards and emergency rooms, she said. Chung and Jung agreed that the country needs to upgrade its medical infrastructure to be better prepared for future pandemics. Setting up special clinics for infectious diseases has been on the government's national agenda since the MERS pandemic with little progress, the experts unanimously pointed out. In response to growing concerns, the KDCA announced again this year it would expand public medical infrastructure by establishing special clinics for infectious diseases in five regions, including Incheon, the Jeolla provinces and the Gyeongsang provinces. However, the construction for some of these sites has barely begun. Korea could have prevented many deaths from COVID-19 during the initial phase of the pandemic if there had been special clinics in each region, Chung said. "Nobody knows how soon the next pandemic could strike us," the expert said, emphasizing the need for progress. Jerome Kim, director general of the International Vaccine Institute / Courtesy of International Vaccine Institute The failure of Britishvolt, with its vaunting ambition to create a 3.8billion giga- factory in the North East, offers a salutary lesson. UK dreams of becoming a green energy champion are built on fragile foundations. It is not just Britain's ambitions to build power packs for the motor industry that are under threat. Liam Condon, chief executive of Johnson Matthey, warns that Britain is also in danger of losing its leading position in the race to develop hydrogen. Britishvolt has been left on the brink of collapse after failing to attract enough funding for a multi-billion pound battery plant in Northumberland Indeed, the best hope Britain has in hydrogen is the drive by big oil, notably BP, to pioneer in this area. Unlike Britishvolt, the oil major doesn't have to scramble around in the weeds for backing. All of this places Labour's big idea for a Great British Energy Company, the centrepiece of Keir Starmer's speech at his party's conference in September, in perspective. Labour is right to bemoan the fact that so many energy firms have fallen into overseas hands. It means vital decisions about our power are taken in Paris, Berlin and Madrid. International investors normally make hard-headed decisions on where to invest on the basis of rates of return. But energy is so political, especially given the war in Ukraine, that national interest overcomes all else. Britain's only new nuclear project at Hinkley in Somerset could not be funded in the UK and is entirely dependent on the engineering and financial support from now fully state-owned EDF. The French firm will also be critical if a facility at Sizewell C in Suffolk is to go ahead. The idea that the Great British Energy Company is going to transform Britain by investing in renewables is fantastical thinking. Picking green winners can be possible. The Green Investment Bank, set up by the coalition government, had several projects but was an easy target for privatisation when the Government was looking for sources of funding. Labour's company will be backed by 8billion of state funding. Where that will come from is not clear since windfall taxes, even if they had much bigger yields, have already been spent several times over. There are questions as to who will run the Great British Energy Company and whether it will be able to attract resources in a Labour government with its focus on the NHS, schools and welfare. Governments of the Left, even when gifted wonderful natural energy resources, don't have a great record in running energy, as the Venezuela experience shows. Starmer should switch on to the real world experiences of Britishvolt and hydrogen before peddling dreams. Battle royal The fast-revolving door at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) makes it impossible to discern any consistency in what it does. Those who hoped that the National Security and Investment Act would finally mean the UK's tendency to sell its crown jewels might finally be halted will be disappointed. The latest deal to be waived through is Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's plan to raise his stake in Royal Mail to 25 per cent. One suspects Kretinsky's interest is in the fast-growth parcel delivery offshoot Global Logistics Services (GLS) rather than last-mile deliveries, the disruptive CWU union or Royal Mail's bizarre plan to effectively date stamp the post. Whether there is any possibility of doing the splits, and Royal Mail being viable commercially as a standalone, is debateable. What we do know is that the Government doesn't seem to mind if our vital communications companies, BT and Royal Mail, end up under the thumb of overseas billionaires who cannot possibly have much interest in customer service or building out broadband for hard-to-reach neighbourhoods. Britain may need inward investment to help address a capital account deficit on the balance of payments. Selling vital and historic public assets is not the answer. Wrong platform And while on the subject of infrastructure, Michael Gove's suggestion that maybe it is time to revisit HS2 should not be countenanced. The project may be running over its 40.3billion budget, but axing game-changing transport connecting London to Birmingham and Manchester should not be an option. Infrastructure, from the Elizabeth Line to Hinkley and the Thames Tideway, offers a key to driving productivity and creating a positive legacy for the next generation. Natural resources investor MetalNRG has begun enforcement proceedings against two associated firms, alleging they failed to pay them the money they were owed. The London-based company initially launched legal action against BritEnergy, and its chief executive, Pierpaolo Rocco, back in January regarding its holding in the BritNRG joint venture. MetalNRG had intended to boost its stake in the venture, which buys up oil and gas assets across the UK, to 50 per cent last year, and made a series of payments worth just over 1million to BritEnergy. MetalNRG initially launched legal action against BritEnergy Holdings LLP and its chief executive, Pierpaolo Rocco, back in January over a matter regarding its holding in the BritNRG joint venture But following the discovery that Mr Rocco had failed to declare a significant stake he owned in BritEnergy, the business revoked the deal given its lack of investor approval and sought legal redress. Near the end of September, a summary judgement came down in the firm's favour that required the joint venture and LLP to reimburse MetalNRG, plus interest and costs, and rejected their leave to appeal and stay of execution. The two parties then had until 4pm on 26 October to pay 1.2million to MetalNRG but only handed over around 250,000 before that deadline passed. Another sum totalling more than 306,000 has been subsequently paid. MetalNRG told investors on Monday that BritEnergy and BritNRG had written to its solicitors 'purporting to have paid the balance that they consider due to the company pending an appeal of part of the judgement'. It added that the group was 'seemingly awarding themselves a unilateral stay of execution despite such a stay being applied for at the hearing and refused by the Court, and a further stay application pending before the Court of Appeal.' It added: 'Clearly such action in is direct contravention of the order made by the High Court and the company has accordingly commenced enforcement proceedings against the Defendants by the issue and service of statutory demands for the balance due.' MetalNRG shares were 6.9 per cent lower at 0.07p during the late afternoon on Monday, meaning their value has tumbled by around 71 per cent since the start of the year. Based in London, the business holds five principal investments, ranging from a uranium deposit in Kyrgyzstan to a gold mining project in Lake Victoria, Tanzania, and the Gold Ridge project in Arizona, USA. In its most recent financial results covering the first six months of 2022, the group posted a loss of 1million, of which around 630,000 was related to legal and professional fees spent on the BritNRG case. That period also saw the company forge a new partnership agreement with EQTEC, a clean technology provider, with an aim to recommission a 1MW biomass-to-energy plant in Italy. When operational, this plant will convert straw and forestry wood waste originating from local forests and farms into green electricity and heat. Airline stocks soared on the back of talk that the owner of British Airways was looking at buying rivals. After returning to profit over the summer, IAG is understood to be on the hunt for takeover targets. The group owns BA as well as Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus, and agreed to buy Air Europa for around 850m in late 2019 but the Covid pandemic derailed the deal. British Airways owner IAG is understood to be on the hunt for takeover targets IAG wants to revive the takeover and speculation is mounting that it could even target other struggling rivals such as Easyjet or Portuguese flag carrier TAP. Luis Gallego, IAG's boss, last week said: 'We will only do what makes sense but we see there are opportunities to be stronger. We are a group that wants to consolidate the industry.' Liberum analyst Gerald Khoo said if a deal were to ever emerge between IAG and Easyjet it would be 'challenging' to get past the competition authorities. Shares across the industry rose as IAG gained 5.5 per cent, or 6.28p, to 121.56p, Easyjet surged 6.1 per cent, or 19.9p, to 348.4p and Wizz Air rose 6.5 per cent, or 104p, to 1715p. The FTSE 100 edged up 0.7 per cent, or 46.86 points, to 7094.53 and the FTSE 250 inched lower by 0.2 per cent, or 26.74 points, to 17889.93. Centrica surged 4.7 per cent, or 3.46p, to 76.62p following a series of upbeat broker ratings after the British Gas owner last week announced the reopening of its Rough storage facility. Barclays raised the stock's target price to 144p from 121p, while Jefferies upgraded to 'buy' from 'hold' and Citi said it preferred companies such as Centrica which have 'little debt and robust balance sheets'. Blue-chip banking stocks also enjoyed favour with the City. Natwest shot up 4.4 per cent, or 9.9p, to 234.8p after Credit Suisse raised its target price to 370p from 350p. UBS maintained its 'buy' rating and target prices for Lloyds (up 1.8 per cent, or 0.75p, to 42.02p) and Standard Chartered (up 0.1 per cent, or 0.6p, to 520.2). Meanwhile, consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser rose 1.8 per cent, or 102p, to 5780p after Jefferies raised the Dettol and Nurofen maker's rating and target price. Abrdn was up 4.2 per cent, or 2.75p, to 159p after it kick-started the second phase of its 300million share buyback programme. Stock watch: Argo Blockchain on the brink Argo Blockchain warned last night it could collapse without extra funds. The London bitcoin miner signed an agreement with an investor last month to raise around 24m through issuing new shares. But the group said it does not believe the deal can be completed and is now looking for other ways to raise funds, including the sale of around 4.8million of Bitcoin machines. Argo Blockchain shares, which soared last year, tumbled 50.2 per cent, or 7.83p, to 7.77p. Bodycote swung into reverse even though it poached the deputy finance boss of Rolls-Royce (up 1.5 per cent, or 1.16p, to 78.15p). The heat treatment specialist said Ben Fidler will become chief financial officer next May. Shares fell 2.4 per cent, or 12.44p, to 495.6p. A company that makes the paper used to create Remembrance poppies for the Royal British Legion each year issued a profit warning amid the rising cost of energy and raw materials. James Cropper, which also produces packaging for luxury brands such as Mulberry (flat at 210p), Burberry (down 0.1 per cent, or 2p, to 1815p) and Selfridges, reduced its profit forecast for 2023 to 2million less than half the 5.4million expected by analysts. The group's energy bill soared 148 per cent compared with a year earlier, while the cost of its raw materials shot up 20 per cent. Shares plunged 14.6 per cent, or 145p, to 850p. Investors in Lok'n'Store cheered after the storage provider delivered record revenue and profits. Revenue for the year to July shot up 22.9 per cent to 26.9million while profit soared 37.5 per cent to 16.4million. Looking ahead, the group said the opening of four new stores within the next year and price increases will add further revenue and profit growth. Shares surged 15 per cent, or 125p, to 960p. Software and data company 4Global sealed a 4million contract over five years with a 'major sporting infrastructure project' for a city in the Middle East. Shares soared 19.1 per cent, or 11p, to 68.5p. Wheat prices rose as much as 8 per cent yesterday after Russia pulled out of a deal allowing grain shipments from Ukraine to reach global markets. Both countries are key global suppliers of wheat, barley and sunflower oil with countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia particularly reliant on them. The market was disrupted by Russias invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. Ships carrying grain still sailed from Ukrainian ports yesterday, suggesting Russia had stopped short of re-imposing a blockade But a UN-brokered agreement over the summer allowed safe passage for ships carrying grain from Black Sea ports, with more than 9m tons of supplies transported. But the Kremlin suspended its participation in the deal over the weekend in response to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet. Ships carrying grain still sailed from Ukrainian ports yesterday, suggesting Russia had stopped short of re-imposing a blockade. But shipments could be interrupted again if the collapse of the deal means insurers stop underwriting them. Ruthless Albanian gangsters are using ultra-violent social media videos to help fight a 'secret suburban war' for control of the lucrative UK cannabis businesses. Horrific TikTok footage unearthed by the Mail show gang bosses using kidnappings, false imprisonment and brutal beatings to stamp their authority on the network of drug factories hidden in residential homes across the country. The videos, some with over 10,000 views, feature badly bruised victims whimpering in pain or pleading for help to act as a stark warning about what happens to those who try to cross them. Criminologists said the gangs were running the carefully orchestrated bloody social media blitz to advertise their strength over rival criminal networks and try to lure new recruits. An undercover investigation by the Mail also revealed how people traffickers offered illegal migrants the chance to work in cannabis houses in the UK to pay off their debt on arrival. It comes after the Border Force union warned the Home Secretary that the surge in criminal migrants poses a 'significant risk' to national security, with traditional asylum seekers replaced by 'young fit males' with suspected links to organised crime. Horrific TikTok footage unearthed by the Mail show gang bosses using kidnappings, false imprisonment and brutal beatings to stamp their authority on the network of drug factories hidden in residential homes across the country Another video shows a masked gang armed with machetes, knives and hammers smashing through the front door of a cannabis house which it says is in London (pictured) Trafficker tells migrants to fund their 10,000 passage to the UK by working in his cannabis factory or as prostitutes in his brothel An Albanian people smuggler encourages illegal migrants to fund their passage by working in his UK cannabis factory or delivering drugs after arrival. Women can also work as prostitutes in his brothel, he said. The trafficker, who advertises on a TikTok page with over 2,000 followers, proposed the indentured servitude to an undercover reporter posing as a customer who wanted to get to the UK. He said the cost of smuggling her into the country on a lorry was 10,000, but there were other ways to pay if she did not have all the cash up front. Giving his name as Maringlen which is believed to be an alias he told a female reporter who contacted him: 'I take people from Albania to England. 'If you do not have the money you will work one month for me until you pay it off. 'If you like the job you can stay on, if not you can change.' He said he had 'several jobs' available including cannabis houses. 'I have girls, I have car washes and lap dancing clubs,' he said. He asked for the woman to send a picture of herself in a bikini and told her: 'With that body youll get customers.' After checking if she had a driving licence, he also said she could work transporting drugs. The trafficker, who said he moved to the UK aged 16, said he had previously smuggled numerous people into Britain, including on occasion putting 'three girls on the back seat of a lorry'. His TikTok page is filled with adverts for Albanians wanting to come the UK by lorry, offering 'super prices'. It also includes pictures of masked men in cannabis houses. TikTok banned the trafficking sites after being alerted by the Daily Mail. Another recent investigation found Albanian men who began working in a cannabis house in London days after illegally entering the UK on a small boat to clear debts of 5,000 to people smugglers. They told Albanian TV reporter Ervin Koci their job was 'dangerous', with the threat of police raids or attacks by rival crime gangs, and the risk of having acid hurled in their eyes or killed but they had no chance to leave until they had repaid what they owed. A spokesman for TikTok said: This content has no place on TikTok. We do not allow content that depicts or promotes people smuggling. We work closely with UK law enforcement and industry partners to find and remove content of this nature, and participate in the joint action plan with the National Crime Agency to help combat organised immigration crime online. Advertisement Albanians accounted for around 60 per cent of Channel migrants over the summer, with up to 7,000 thought to have reached the UK so far this year, many of whom are feared to have been sucked into the brutal criminal underworld. Albania had the highest number of foreign nationals in English and Welsh jails last year, with 1,528 inmates, close to double the next highest country. One TikTok video captioned 'evil comes from us' with over 11,000 views shows an Albanian interrogating a captive with black swollen eyes to force him to confess he broke into their cannabis factory and name the man who sent him. A second man in the same video is filmed being threatened with further beatings by a man off camera if he refuses to speak and made to open his mouth to show how his teeth have already been broken. He describes how they were targeting a cannabis house on a residential street in Slough, Berkshire. Another recently deleted video showed a bloodied man whimpering as he is brutally beaten, with one of the attackers heard shouting in Albanian: 'Torture him until he names the rest of his gang.' There is also a shout of: 'Kill him. Do not let him go'. The footage, which had nearly 10,000 views before being removed, was captioned: 'The thief of the cannabis house in England was caught by the Albanians.' A third video shows five Albanians armed with knives, machetes and axes dance and rap in footage captioned: 'Ready to break into cannabis houses.' One of them waves an axe at the camera and raps in heavily accented English: 'Remember this, every time I see the kid, gunna regret what he did.' Another video shows a masked gang armed with machetes, knives and hammers smashing through the front door of a cannabis house which it says is in London. A separate video shows two men breaking into a cannabis house. One in a black balaclava carrying a machete hammers on a locked door while the Albanian inside frantically calls for help. Ervin Karamuco, a professor of criminology at Tirana University, said Albanian organised crime gangs' drug operations were now rivalling the original Italian mafia gangs. He said: 'These posts are not just to intimidate but also to advertise themselves as the strongest crime groups to encourage new recruits. 'It's a kind of competition. They are fighting for control of areas and saying "we are much stronger than the rival gang, so join us". 'These groups already control large areas of suburban London and other parts of the country. 'They are very violent. They have nothing to lose. They just want to take control and get rich.' The gangs also try to tempt new members by using social media to flaunt their luxury lives and show off their expensive cars and accessories, he said. 'At the beginning these groups were just using guns, now they are using technology. 'They are becoming cleverer and more sophisticated with very smart guys who know the best way to exploit social media. It's very organised. 'They also use social media to traffic new gang members into the UK.' The shocking videos emerged amid a spate of grim cases highlighting the scale and brutality of the suburban war fought between rival Albanian and sometimes British gangs in towns and cities ranging from Tunbridge Wells to Taunton. One video shows five Albanians armed with knives, machetes and axes dance and rap in footage captioned: 'Ready to break into cannabis houses' (pictured) Three Albanians, Redjon Murati, 28, Glen Xhaferri, 26, and Anis Plauku, 29, (pictured left to right) were jailed last month after police discovered they had almost 300,000 in cannabis and cash after armed masked men stormed their home in Bradford and attacked them Police last month busted an Albanian gang after they allegedly kidnapped a 30-year-old man for four days and held him to ransom for 400,000. The man was said to have been beaten and tortured during the kidnap in east London after debts hadn't been paid. The National Crime Agency conducted raids last week to rescue him, with five men and a woman charged for offences including kidnap, false imprisonment and threat to kill. Two burglars who stabbed an Albanian to death during a botched attempt to snatch nearly 100,000 of cannabis plants were jailed for life this month. Renato Geci, 21, was murdered with a kitchen knife and his brother Vilson Geci, 29, attacked with a screwdriver and had acid sprayed in his face after Shaddai Smith, 32, and Jason Sebran, 38 stormed the 'sophisticated' drugs factory in a residential west London street where 200 cannabis plants were kept last March. Six Albanians were jailed this week for running a 'sophisticated' cannabis farm cultivating drugs worth over 300,000 in a vacant shop in Market Street in Rhyl, North Wales Another video posted to TikTok shows a masked man breaking into a cannabis factory Three Albanians were jailed last month after police discovered they had almost 300,000 in cannabis and cash after armed masked men stormed their home in Bradford and attacked them. After interviewing battered and bruised Glen Xhaferri, 26, Redjon Murati, 28, and Anis Plauku, 29, in hospital, police found their abandoned Audi A5 near the hospital with 84,000 in a black bags on the back seats. A late search of their Bradford bungalow uncovered 16 bags of cannabis with a street value of over 150,000 and another 35,000 in cash as well as anti spyware. Former soldier Plauku, who suffered a fractured skull in the attack, and engineering graduate Xhaferri who had cuts to the head and nose, were each jailed for three years. Painter and decorator Murati who sustained a deep wound to his wrist, was jailed for 27 months. Police in Liverpool this week arrested a 28-year-old Albanian on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis after 400 plants were discovered at a terraced house in the city. TikTok removed the videos and banned several of the accounts after being alerted by the Daily Mail. A spokesman for the social media giant said: 'TikTok's Community Guidelines make clear that we prohibit violent content on the platform. 'We do not allow people to use our platform to threaten, incite or depict violence and any content found to be in violation of these policies will be removed.' Advertisement It was the night that the BBC sent thousands of viewers into a panicked frenzy. On the night of Halloween in 1992, millions tuned in to see what many thought was a live documentary about the paranormal. Presented by chat show national treasure Michael Parkinson, along with Craig Charles, Sarah Greene and her husband Mike Smith, Ghostwatch centred on single mother Pam Early and her two daughters as they were tormented by a poltergeist. Presenting 'live' from a studio, Parkinson liaised with Greene, who was based in the Earlys' home in Northolt, north-west London, as Charles spoke to 'neighbours' outside about the affected house's violent history. The cameras that had been set up in the home then quickly picked up what appeared to be real evidence of the activity of poltergeist 'Mr Pipes', including the moment when Mrs Early's daughters Suzanne and Kim screamed in terror as objects flew around their bedroom and their lamp bulb smashed. The previously dismissive presenters, including the ordinarily unflappable Parkinson gave the impression to viewers that they too were convinced by what appeared to be happening. In reality, the show had been planned months in advance and had been filmed in July of 1992 - but that did not stop many viewers going into a panic as the supernatural suddenly seemed very real. Both the BBC and the police received a flurry of calls, with the broadcaster getting so many - the show had a phone-in element - that its lines became jammed. The BBC was ultimately also bombarded with complaints. As many as three women are said to have gone into premature labour as a result of the stress invoked by what they saw. Two ten-year-old boys even needed therapy after being so terrified by the programme, which was also blamed for the death of a mentally handicapped teenager. Now, a new BBC radio documentary has re-explored the drama. The programme hears from Ghostwatch's director Lesley Manning and its writer Stephen Volk, who both insisted they had not 'anticipated' the backlash. Mr Volk described how people who phoned the BBC to complain were 'quite outraged' and described how 'three different women went in Labour', whilst one priest said the corporation had 'raised demonic forces'. It was the night that the BBC sent thousands of viewers into a panicked frenzy. On the night of Halloween in 1992, millions tuned in to see what many thought was a live documentary about the paranormal. Ghostwatch was presented by chat show national treasure Michael Parkinson (above), along with Craig Charles and Sarah Greene Ghostwatch centred on single mother Pam Early and her two daughters as they were tormented by a poltergeist nicknamed 'Pipes' The makers of Ghostwatch always insisted that the show was a drama, rather than something that was intended to deceive viewers. It been billed as such in the run-up to it being shown to viewers. The 90-minute show aired at 9.25pm on Halloween, which that year was a Saturday. It meant that, although it was past the 9pm watershed, thousands of children who would have been in bed on a school night were allowed to watch with their parents. The set-up of the show saw Parkinson presenting from a studio that was made to look like a spooky living room. The mantlepiece of a fireplace was decked out with skulls, whilst a portrait of a ghostly figure was hanging on the wall. Throughout the episode, Parkinson liaised with alleged parapsychologist Dr Lin Pascoe, who was in fact a professional actress called Gillian Bevan. Mike Smith, Greene's husband, oversaw phone calls from members of the public who shared their own ghost stories. Callers used the BBC's standard number for phone-ins at the time - 081 811 8181. The idea was that it would be stressed to viewers that the programme was fictional when they called in, but with only five operators handling calls, many of those who phoned in heard an engaged tone. This convinced many that the show was real, and there was no social media to instantly check whether it actually was. The Early daughters Suzanne and Kim were said to be being haunted by a terrifying poltergeist whom they nicknamed after their mother insisted that the sounds they were hearing were 'just the pipes'. Over the course of the show, it was revealed that Pipes was the disturbed spirit of a child abuser called Raymond Tunstall. His menacing figure was subtly placed at various points in the show, including in the studio. The girls had scratch marks on their faces, strange noises were heard and objects moved by themselves. The scenes in Suzanne and Kim's bedroom, which saw them scream in terror as they were 'attacked' by the poltergeist, echoed back to the infamous images from the case of the Enfield poltergeist. The scenes in daughters Suzanne and Kim's bedroom, which saw them scream in terror as they were 'attacked' by the poltergeist, echoed back to the infamous images from the case of the Enfield poltergeist The girls were seen lying in their beds before strange sounds were heard and poltergeist 'Pipes' apparently began touching them The Enfield case centred around sisters Janet and Margaret Hodgson and the alleged activity of the spirit of a previous occupant of the home they shared with their mother. Images taken in the girls' bedroom had shown Janet appearing to levitate as she was allegedly possessed by the poltergeist. MailOnline readers share their memories of Ghostwatch Debbie Eldridge, from Maidstone, Kent: 'I remember this programme every Halloween night; I was 24 back in 1992 with two children. 'I've never been so scared while watching a tv programme I remember clutching my children wondering what to do and felt terrified for the poor family.' Sarah Buglass wrote: 'Yes I remember the tv show as if it were yesterday! I was only 12 and was at home with my mum and dad and we were all glued to it but also terrified! I remember I was so scared I made my dad walk up the stairs with me to go to the toilet during the show!' Anonymous, from Wiltshire: 'I remember this on TV, I was 15 at the time. I remember being so terrified I had to sleep with the light on for weeks. I'm now 46 and I've never seen a horror film. I know horror films aren't real (obviously) but I just can't face them because of that feeling I had back then and there's really not a lot that shocks me these days.' Anonymous: 'I don't mind admitting I absolutely s**t myself watching this when I was a kid.' Anonymous, Surrey: 'I don't mind admitting I absolutely (s)hit myself watching this when I was a kid.' Reader from Birmingham: 'I remember this as a 12 year old! Great Halloween memory; Sarah Greene getting dragged under the stairs and it ending with Michael Parkinson being possessed! I absolutely cacked myself, still watch it now on DVD for nostalgia' Reader from Nottingham: 'Wow this has just flashed back my memories! I was 7 years old and remember this show scared the life out of me. I couldn't sleep for ages after. I always wondered what it was on the tv and now I know I want to watch it again as it's probably terrible acting and I can laugh at it now!' Advertisement Ghostwatch's director, Lesley Manning, admitted on BBC Radio 3 programme Free Thinking last week that the show was inspired by the Enfield case. 'Especially around when the poltergeist was active. There definitely was inspiration to look at those pictures, that is for sure,' she said. Explaining the premise of Ghostwatch, Mr Volk said: 'The wraparound story around that is that the full force of the technical, scientific know-how of the BBC for one night only is descending on this house to apply scientific rigour to the one unassailable question that humanity has always had: do we live after death? 'And how are they going to do it? They are going to apply all the rigour of an outside broadcast to bring you live a ghost hunt.' He added: 'For me it setting up a sense of anticipation and hubris. There is these really smug presenters, the BBC itself is incredibly smug. Parkinson is smug. Nobody thinks anything is going to kick off. 'The scientists are quite cynical in a sense. So it was all to give the audience a sense that the scientists are tackling the unknown but they don't know what they are going to get. It was quite a game to play in a sense.' At the end of Ghostwatch, Greene was seen being pulled into the cupboard under the stairs by pipes, as the lights in the studio blew out and seemingly panicked staff fled. Smith could be heard asking after his wife, whilst Parkinson began to sing a nursery rhyme as he became possessed by the voice of Pipes. Around 30,000 complaints are said to have been made to the BBC. Explaining when the BBC team realised that viewers were angered by the show, Volk said: 'We started to get stories filtered back from the log at the BBC people had phoned in and were quite outraged. Heads must roll at the BBC and everything like that. 'I think three different women went into Labour that night through shock. I think one priest complained. He thought it wasn't true but he thought nevertheless, the BBC had raised demonic forces.' He added: 'Some people were scared but they were also outraged because they trust the BBC. The nub of their ire was about the fact that it was Aunty. Ms Manning admitted that viewers may have been duped because she was 'so pure' with the use of language that is commonly heard on live television. 'But it was not what I anticipated. I researched the language of live TV. I researched how I wanted to tell this. And to be rue to the script. All my journey was to make this as powerful a piece of drama as I could,' she said. Things took a tragic turn when teenager Martin Denham, who had learning difficulties, took his own life after watching the show. His parents said he had been 'hypnotised and obsessed' by it. A complaint about the BBC regarding the boy's death was not upheld by the forerunner of what is now TV regulator Ofcom. Two years after Ghostwatch aired, the Daily Mail reported on the case of two boys who had needed therapy after watching it. The Daily Mail's news report of the terror invoked by Ghostwatch likened it to Orson Welles's 1938 radio adaptation of War of the Worlds, which convinced thousands of Americans that aliens were actually invading Husband and wife presenters Sarah Greene and Mike Smith are seen posing for a promotional shot with Michael Parkinson (centre) for Ghostwatch Greene was seen playing herself as she visited the home of Pam Early, who was being troubled by a poltergeist along with her two daughters Craig Charles also featured as one of the 'presenters'. He spoke with neighbours outside the property, and later went inside the home The set-up of the show saw Parkinson presenting from a studio that was made to look like a spooky living room. The mantlepiece of a fireplace was decked out with skulls, whilst a portrait of a ghostly figure was hanging on the wall. Above: Throughout the episode, Parkinson liaised with alleged parapsychologist Dr Lin Pascoe, who was in fact a professional actress called Gillian Bevan Psychiatrists said the boys suffered nightmares, memory loss and panic attacks and ended up with post traumatic stress disorder - which is more commonly associated with victims of war or crime. According to a write-up in the British Medical Journal, the boys had 'problems settling down to sleep, waking at night, nightmares, fear of the dark and sleeping alone, difficulties in concentrating, impaired memory, persistent intrusive thoughts, raised anxiety, panic attacks, depressed mood and irritability.' Four months after the show had been broadcast, the boys were still affected, prompting their parents to seek medical help. One of the boys spent time in hospital and needed treatment for eight weeks. The terror invoked by the programme echoes the furore that Orson Welles' 1938 radio play based on HG Wells's War of the Worlds caused. The dramatisation of the famous novel convinced many Americans that they were actually being invaded by aliens. Parkinson said afterwards: 'It just shows what a capacity television has for delusion. I have no concerns whatsoever about the show. 'It was designed to frighten people, not to make them sit back in their armchairs and laugh. 'You always get a certain percentage who believe everything on television is real. 'The great majority who watched that programme would have realised that it was a drama. But if it does for my career what it did for Orson Welles's career, I shall be delighted.' King Charles III will host a Buckingham Palace reception ahead of the Cop27 conference he will miss. The monarch's reception on Friday, on the eve of the UN conference in Egypt, will 'bring together over 200 international business leaders, decision makers and NGOs to mark the end of the United Kingdom's presidency of Cop26 and look ahead to the Cop27 summit in Egypt,' the Palace said. Guests will include US climate envoy John Kerry and Mr Sunak will 'say a few words'. Charles is a long-time champion of environmental causes and spoke at last year's Cop26 event in Glasgow. But Downing Street on Friday said Liz Truss's Government had agreed with the monarch that it was not the 'right occasion' for him to go to Egypt. It comes as Michael Gove urged people to judge the Government 'by our actions' on the environment, as Rishi Sunak's shunning of Cop27 was criticised as 'disgraceful'. King Charles III will host a Buckingham Palace reception ahead of the Cop27 conference he will miss The Prime Minister last week insisted he must focus on the 'depressing domestic challenges' rather than go to the United Nations conference in Egypt next month, drawing widespread criticism, including from within the Tory ranks. But on Sunday, allies of Mr Sunak indicated he was considering attending after all, the Financial Times reported. Downing Street was contacted for comment. Cabinet minister Mr Gove defended the Government's record on the environment after its climate tsar Alok Sharma suggested the Prime Minister's snubbing of the conference could signal the UK is deprioritising green issues. 'I know that across Government we want to field the strongest possible team at Cop but there are strong pressures on the Prime Minister's diary,' Mr Gove told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme. 'Even more important than who goes is what we do,' he told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, saying the UK is the 'fastest' decarbonising economy in the G7 and is moving towards electric vehicles and renewable energy. 'Judge us by our actions,' he said. Michael Gove gave interviews on Sunday (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said Mr Sunak should be rethinking his decision not to attend the Sharm El-Sheikh summit. She told Ms Kuenssberg: 'It is absolutely so wrong that Rishi Sunak is not going because the UK is still the holder of the Cop presidency. Symbols matter.' Asked about reports that Boris Johnson could attend Cop27, she said: 'If it embarrasses Rishi Sunak to reverse his disgraceful decision and actually get there himself, all and good.' Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne added his voice to the backlash, saying Mr Sunak had 'mishandled' the situation. Touting the Tories' environmental record, he told Channel 4's The Andrew Neil Show: 'Why trash that because you don't want to get on a plane to Egypt?' Mr Sharma, the outgoing Cop26 president who was recently demoted from Cabinet, told the Sunday Times he was 'pretty disappointed that the Prime Minister is not going', saying attendance would send a signal about the UK's 'renewed commitment on this issue'. New York is settling lawsuits filed on behalf of two of the three men convicted of assassinating renowned civil rights leader Malcolm X, after their exoneration last year. The judgment will see 83-year-old Muhammad Aziz and the family of the late Khalil Islam, who died in 2018, awarded a collective $36million, after the pair both spent decades in prison for their supposed part in the 1965 killing. Following a nearly two-year investigation by their lawyers and the Manhattan DA, both men were exonerated in November - after a series of doubts by historians and legal experts over inconsistencies in the case saw their conviction overturned. To make good on the monumental slight, New York officials have now agreed to pay $26 million for the wrongful convictions, with the state set to fork over an additional $10 million. The decision to make good on the wrongful convictions comes after a 22-month investigation into allegations that prosecutors, the FBI, and New York Police withheld crucial evidence in the case that would have acquitted the pair. Both men maintained their innocence for the entirety of their incarcerations - which amounted to a combined 42 years. Islam attested that he had no role in the assassination at Harlem's Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights until his dying day, an assertion shared by a now elderly Aziz. The third man arrested for the killing, Thomas Hagan - the only of the three to confess to the crime - long insisted Aziz and Islam were not guilty: a sentiment he maintained when he took the stand in 1966 to plead guilty to his part in the killing. David Shanies, an attorney representing both the exonerated men, confirmed the bombshell settlements Sunday in an emailed statement. THEN: Muhammad Aziz, pictured at left being escorted by detectives after his arrest in New York in 1965, and alleged accomplice Khalil Islam, who died in 2009. The city of New York is settling lawsuits filed on behalf of the two men after they were found to be falsely convicted of assassinating the renowned civil rights leader in Manhattan in 1965 Malcolm X was gunned down as he began a speech in Harlem's Audubon Ballroom on Harlem's Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965 The judgment will see 83-year-old Aziz and the family of the late Khalil Islam (pictured in 2009), who died in 2018, awarded a collective $36million, after the pair both spent 42 years in prison following what historians and legal experts determined was an erroneous conviction 'Muhammad Aziz, Khalil Islam, and their families suffered because of these unjust convictions for more than 50 years,' said Shanies said in an email. 'The City recognized the grave injustices done here, and I commend the sincerity and speed with which the Comptrollers Office and the Corporation Counsel moved to resolve the lawsuits.' Shanies said the settlements send a message that 'police and prosecutorial misconduct cause tremendous damage, and we must remain vigilant to identify and correct injustices.' Last year, a Manhattan judge dismissed the convictions of Aziz, now 84, and Islam, who died in 2009, after prosecutors said new evidence of witness intimidation and suppression of exculpatory evidence had undermined the case against the men. Then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. apologized for law enforcements 'serious, unacceptable violations of law and the public trust.' The New York City Law Department, through a spokesperson, said Sunday it 'stands by' Vance's opinion that the men were wrongfully convicted and the financial agreement 'brings some measure of justice to individuals who spent decades in prison and bore the stigma of being falsely accused of murdering an iconic figure.' Shanies said over the next few weeks the settlement documents will be signed and the New York court that handles probate matters will have to approve the settlement for Islam's estate. The total $36 million will be divided equally between Aziz and the estate of Islam. Aziz and Islam, who maintained their innocence from the start in the 1965 killing at Upper Manhattans Audubon Ballroom, were paroled in the 1980s. Malcolm X gained national prominence as the voice of the Nation of Islam, exhorting Black people to claim their civil rights 'by any means necessary.' His autobiography, written with Alex Haley, remains a classic work of modern American literature. Near the end of Malcolm Xs life, he split with the Black Muslim organization and, after a trip to Mecca, started speaking about the potential for racial unity. It earned him the ire of some in the Nation of Islam, who saw him as a traitor. He was shot to death while beginning a speech Feb. 21, 1965. He was 39. The third man arrested for the killing, Thomas Hagan, now 80 and out of jail, was the only one of the three to confess to the crime, and long insisted that Aziz and Islam were not guilty - first attesting to that sentiment when he took the stand for a second time during the 1966 trial Aziz and Islam, then known as Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson, and a third man were convicted of murder in March 1966. They were sentenced to life in prison. The third man, Mujahid Abdul Halim - also known as Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan - admitted to shooting Malcolm X but said neither Aziz nor Islam was involved. The two offered alibis, and no physical evidence linked them to the crime. The case hinged on eyewitnesses, although there were inconsistencies in their testimony. Attorneys for Aziz and Islam said in complaints that both Aziz and Islam were at their homes in the Bronx when Malcolm X was killed. They said Aziz spent 20 years in prison and more than 55 years living with the hardship and indignity attendant to being unjustly branded as a convicted murderer of one of the most important civil rights leaders in history. Islam spent 22 years in prison and died still hoping to clear his name. Hagan, meanwhile, now 81 and once a member of the Nation of Islam along with the exonerated pair, told investigators Malcolm X was targeted because of his 1964 split with the leadership of the political organization, for which he had once served as lead spokesman - and that Aziz and Islam played no part in the conspiracy. Hagan was freed from a prison in April of 2010 at the age of 69, after serving 45 years of his life sentence. Malcolm X speaks to reporters in Washington on May 16, 1963. New York is settling lawsuits filed on behalf of two men who were exonerated in 2021 for the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X, agreeing to pay $36million for the wrongful convictions which led to both men spending decades behind bars, according to attorneys for the men Sunday A divisive figure during the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Malcom X was renowned for his fierce, repeated attempts to empower the African-American community, through firebrand speeches and strong statements urging black men and women across the globe to unite against what he called white oppression. A minister and leading figure for the Nation of Islam during the first half of the decade, he was considered a great orator and a fierce advocate of black nationalism - but his decision to leave the Nation in 1964 jilted many who had previously rallied behind the impassioned activist. With that said, the influential figure also had enemies on the other end of the racial and political spectrum, due to a long track record of contentious comments slamming the US government, religion, law enforcement, and white people in general. Speculation about the assassination and whether it was conceived or aided by the Nation - or law enforcement agencies - have persisted for decades after the shooting, with Malcolm X receiving a slew of threats the year prior to his assassination, after he publicly renounced the organization that he served for a dozen years after a trip to Africa. Historians and legal experts have long raised questions concerning the convictions, with many citing that the three Black Muslim men had been hastily arrested and tried on tenuous evidence. However, interest in the case skyrocketed early last year, after Netflix released of a six-part documentary chronicling the assassination, its buildup, and aftermath, titled, 'Who Killed Malcolm X?' The six-part miniseries, released in February 2020, compiled and conveyed a slew of evidence in the case attesting the two men's innocence - and others' guilt, and garnered a huge response from millions of viewers. What's more, the series' release and thought-provoking content spurred Vance to take up the already closed case, announcing his plans to reopen a probe that month. In an interview with the Times, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. apologized on behalf of those involved in convicting the two Black Muslim men and said key missteps occurred in the 1966 trial, leading to the pair being found guilty The public's fascination with the case's questionable convictions was further compounded earlier this year, in February, after the civil rights leader's family released a letter penned by late African-American cop Ray Wood, who stationed in the Harlem ballroom during the assassination. Wood died in 2011, and confessed that he, the NYPD, and the federal government arranged for Malcolm X not to be adequately protected during his speech. He also confessed to helping frame Islam, in particular. Vance's reopening of the case, however, started well before the surge of renewed interest in the 55-year-old initial investigation, nearly two years ago. The Manhattan DA oversaw the lengthy probe alongside the Innocence Project - nonprofit legal organization that is committed to exonerating individuals who have been wrongly convicted - and civil rights lawyer David Shanies, with the team reportedly uncovering enough evidence to exonerate the two men. According to Vance, the reinvestigation process managed to stand up an alibi given to police by Aziz after his 1965 arrest. What's more, the group's findings reportedly also implicated other suspects aside from Aziz and Islam, and further revealed that prosecutors hid the fact that undercover police were discreetly stationed throughout the Harlem concert hall when Malcolm X was shot multiple times by three men, one toting a shotgun and the other two brandishing pistols, as the activist was starting to speak - bolstering Wood's deathbed claim. The civil rights activist, one of the most influential black men in the modern era, was shot at least 15 times in front of his pregnant wife and three of his daughters during the chaos - with a blast from the shotgun proving to be the fatal blow. After the assassination, Hagan, then known by name bestowed upon him by The Nation of Islam, Mujahid Abdul Halim, was the first to be apprehended, taken down by cops in the ballroom after being shot in the thigh. Aziz, then known as Norman 3X Butler, was cuffed five days later, and Islam, then known as Thomas 15X Johnson, five days after that. Within a week, the three men, all members of the Nation, had been charged with first-degree murder. At the subsequent trial in 1966, prosecutors labeled Islam, once Malcolm X's personal chauffeur, as the gunman who fired the fatal shotgun blast. Aziz and Hagan were said to have been the pair providing cover fire with the pistols. Ten eyewitnesses said they had seen Islam or Aziz - with multiple fingering both. However, the witness statements were found to contradict one another, and no physical evidence tied Aziz or Islam to the murder or the scene of the crime. What's more, both men provided air-tight alibis, which were attested by testimony from their spouses and friends. And, as mentioned, Hagan repeatedly told investigators and jurists that the pair had nothing to do with the murder. What's more, one defense witness present at the ballroom during Malcolm X's assassination, Ernest Greene, testified that he had seen the man with the shotgun, and offered the court a description vastly different from Islam, the one labeled by prosecutors to have used the high-powered weapon. Greene described the shooter as dark-skinned, stocky, and sporting a 'deep' beard - a stark contrast from Islam, who was light-skinned, lean, and clean-shaven - sans a small moustache. However, Greene's description did match someone who knew the civil rights leader, and someone jurors were not made aware of during the case's proceedings: William Bradley, a known enforcer for the Nation of Islam - a man that Hagan told police was part of the assassination plot. Greene was less than six feet tall, had a hefty build and was dark-skinned. Malcolm X was targeted because of his 1964 split with the leadership of the political organization, the only suspect to confess to taking part in his assassination, said Furthermore, a description of Bradley was in FBI files at the time of the case, as authorities were already aware that the Nation was targeting Malcolm X, due to a firebomb attack on his home in Queens - while the civil rights leader was asleep inside along with his wife and children - the week before the assassination. Previously a machine-gunner in the Marine Corps, Greene also boasted rich criminal history which included a charge for possessing an illegal weapon. During their investigation, Vance's team, in conjunction with Islam's and Aziz's lawyers, examined evidence that had long been laid out and pored over publicly, including the FBI file on Bradley - who died in 2018. The bureau's information on Bradley contained a report stating that no one communicated to officials in New York that Bradley had been a suspect, and also included an informant's secondhand account that the ex-Marine gunner was the shotgun assassin. Vance's team also interviewed a new witness in the case during the exhaustive probe, and reviewed a treasure trove of records - including public statements, court transcripts, prosecutors' files; and reports penned during the initial investigation, grand jury proceedings, the trial and post-conviction appeals. And while all three of the suspected assassins were members of the Nation of Islam, prosecutors failed to find any evidence that connected Hagan, who attended a Nation-owned mosque in Newark and told investigators that his co-conspirators were also from New Jersey, and Aziz and Islam, who resided in Manhattan and attended a Nation-run mosque in Harlem. Additionally, several witnesses for the defense at the time stated that both Aziz and Islam were home and accounted for when the civil rights leader was set to make his speech. However, a key piece to unraveling the 56-year mystery came in the form of a new witness, a man formerly employed by the Nation of Islam who only came forward after a screening of the Netflix documentary last year, offering an account that seemed to stand up Aziz's alibi, that he had been home nursing an injury. The witness, identified only as J.M. in the DA's probe, told Vance's team that he was handling the phone at the Nation's Harlem mosque the day Malcolm X was killed when Aziz called and asked for the mosque's captain. Aziz allegedly hung up while J.M. went looking for the captain, with then J.M. calling Aziz back at home - with Aziz picking up. But one of the most significant chinks in the government's case, the review discerned, was Hagan's ignored confessions that his co-defendants were innocent. Nonetheless, on March 11, 1966, all three defendants were found guilty and subsequently sentenced to life in prison. Aziz was released on parole in 1985, while Islam was released two years later, in 1987. He died in 2009. The civil rights leader, then 39, had been targeted by the Nation the week before his assassination, in an attack that saw members of the political organization firebomb his Queens home. Moreover, n the year leading up to the assassination, he received a slew of death threats In prison, both men changed their names and converted to a more mainstream, less radicalized form of Islam, with Islam deciding to reject the teachings of the Nation altogether. Aziz, on the other hand, was able to obtain both a bachelor's and master's degree in religious studies while incarcerated, and worked as chief of security for a Harlem mosque upon his release. He has since retired and currently lives in New York. Malcolm X's family releases late cop's 'deathbed' letter that claims FBI and police conspired in the civil rights leader's 1965 assassination Exactly 56 years since Malcolm X was assassinated in New York City, lawyers and family members of the late civil rights leader have released a letter they claim shows the NYPD and FBI conspired in his murder. The note, said to be a deathbed confession made by Ray Wood, a former undercover NYPD officer, was unveiled in a press conference by civil rights attorney Ben Crump on Saturday. Wood claims in his letter that the FBI and the NYPD conspired to kill Malcolm X, who was gunned down on February 21, 1965 inside Harlem's Audubon Ballroom during a rally. He alleged that he was pressured by his NYPD supervisors to lure two members of Malcolm X's security detail into committing crimes that resulted in their arrest just days before the shooting. Those arrests kept the two men from managing door security at the ballroom on the night Malcolm was killed, according to the letter. 'My job was to infiltrate civil rights organizations throughout New York City, to find evidence of criminal activity, so the FBI could discredit and arrest its leaders,' Wood stated in the letter. 'Under the direction of my handlers I was told to encourage leaders and members of civil rights groups to commit felonious acts.' Exactly 56 years since Malcolm X (right) was assassinated in New York City, lawyers and family members of the late civil rights leader have released a letter they claim shows the NYPD and FBI conspired in his murder. (Pictured left is Reggie Wood, Ray Wood's cousin) During Saturday's conference Wood's cousin, Reggie Wood, said he confessed to his involvement in 2011 when he believed a worsening cancer would take his life. He ultimately went into remission and lived until November 2020 In his later, dated January 25, 2011, the former officer claimed his actions were done under duress and fear of retaliation. 'After witnessing repeated brutality at the hands of my colleagues (police), I tried to resign. Instead, I was threatened with arrest by pinning marijuana and alcohol trafficking charges on me if I did not follow through with the assignments.' On February 16, 1965 Wood claims he coerced members of Malcolm X's security detail into plan a bombing at the Statue of Liberty. The plan was then foiled by police and the two men were 'arrested just days before the assassination of Malcolm. At the time I was not aware that Malcolm X was the target,' Wood wrote. Wood signed the letter and instructed his cousin to hold the information until after his passing. 'It is my hope that this information is received with the understanding that I have carried these secrets with a heavy heart and remorsefully regret my participation in this matter.' During Saturday's conference Wood's cousin, Reggie Wood, said he confessed to his involvement in 2011 when he believed a worsening cancer would take his life. He ultimately went into remission and lived until November 2020. 'For 10 years, I have carried this confession secretly in fear of what could happen to my family and myself if the government found out what I knew,' Reggie Wood said. Now Malcolm X's three daughters - Qubiliah, Ilyasah, and Gamilah Shabazz - joined civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanding for the murder investigation to be re-opened in light of the 'new evidence' shared Saturday. 'Any evidence that provides greater insight into the truth behind that terrible tragedy should be thoroughly investigated,' said Ilyasah Shabazz. Malcolm X was shot seconds after stepping to a lectern to speak inside the Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965 Two policemen carry stretcher bearing Malcom X after he was downed by an assassin's bullets at a rally An autopsy later revealed that he had suffered a total of 21 gunshot wounds to his chest, arms and legs In his later, dated January 25, 2011, the former officer claimed his actions were done under duress and fear of retaliations Attorney Ray Hamlin added: 'So, what we're trying to do is talk about restorative justice is as lawyers - try to pursue relentless justice. 'On behalf of the legacy of Malcolm X, Dr. Betty Shabazz, on behalf of his family his lineage who is here.' Three Nation of Islam members, Mujahid Abdul Halim (also known as Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan), Muhammad Abdul Aziz (also known as Norman 3X Butler) and Khalil Islam (also known as Thomas 15X Johnson), were convicted of Malcolm X's murder in 1966 and sentenced to life in prison. While Halim admitted to taking part in the assassination, he insisted that Aziz and Islam were not involved. And the two maintained their innocence throughout the years. Islam died in 2009 and Halim and Aziz have since been paroled. Last year the Manhattan DA began a review of their Islam and Aziz's convictions after meeting with representatives of the Innocence Project. Now, with the new evidence, the DA's office says 'the review of this matter is active and ongoing.' The NYPD said in a separate statement it has 'provided all available records relevant to that case to the District Attorney' and 'remains committed to assist with that review in any way.' The FBI declined to comment on the matter. Three Nation of Islam members (left to right), Mujahid Abdul Halim (also known as Talmadge Hayer and Thomas Hagan), Muhammad Abdul Aziz (also known as Norman 3X Butler) and Khalil Islam (also known as Thomas 15X Johnson), were convicted of Malcolm X's murder in 1966 and sentenced to life in prison 'For 10 years, I have carried this confession secretly in fear of what could happen to my family and myself if the government found out what I knew,' Reggie Wood said Malcolm X was a powerful orator who rose to prominence as the national spokesman of the Nation of Islam, an African-American Muslim group that espoused Black separatism. He spent more than a decade with the group before becoming disillusioned and publicly breaking with it in 1964. He moderated some of his earlier views on the benefits of racial separation. Malcolm X was shot seconds after stepping to a lectern to speak inside the Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965. Seconds before, a man had stood up and yelled, 'N***** get your hand out of my pocket!' As Malcolm X and his entourage attempted to quell the disturbance, a man rushed forward towards the stage and shot him once in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun, and two other men then opened fire with semi-automatic handguns. The civil rights activist was rushed to Columbia Presbyterian where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, at 3:30pm. An autopsy later revealed that he had suffered a total of 21 gunshot wounds to his chest, arms and legs. Thomas Hagan, 22, struggles with police who take him from the scene outside the ballroom where Malcolm X was shot and killed 'Any evidence that provides greater insight into the truth behind that terrible tragedy should be thoroughly investigated,' said Ilyasah Shabazz Days earlier, Malcolm X had ominously told a reporter that he believed members of the Nation of Islam were seeking to kill him. He was being surveilled by the FBI at the time. His home in Queens was firebombed the week before his death. Almost immediately after his death, conspiracies of police involvement in the assassination began to circulate. Many of the theories centered on the ease in which the assassins were able to enter the ballroom, and the police's perceived failure to preserve the crime scene. One of the officers involved, Tony Bouza, would later write in his 2011 book 'Manny Marable's Malcolm X' that the 'investigation was botched.' Advertisement The United States will deploy nuclear-capable bombers to a Northern Territory hangar in a move a war games expert says would be a warning to China over Taiwan but put a 'bullseye' on Australia. Plans have been drawn up for six of the strategic B-52 'stratofortress' bombers to be stationed at RAAF Base Tindal in Katherine from 2026. The American plans include a US$100million parking area for the giant aircraft, which can be armed to deliver long-range strikes of nuclear and conventional weapons, a 'squadron operations facility' and an ammunition bunker. The move is seen as both a 'warning' to China and a preparation for a war that a leading US expert on China said would be the 'worst war in modern history'. American war games expert Bec Wasser said moving B-52s to Australian soil was a 'warning' to Beijing. Her employer, Centre for a New American Security, ran through scenarios to examine how a potential conflict could unfold. Ms Wasser said the scenarios which saw the US basing its nuclear planes at Tindal 'did very much put a bullseye on Australia'. The United States is set to deploy at least six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Northern Territory Plans have been drawn up for six of the strategic B-52 'stratofortress' bombers to be stationed at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory from 2026 The American plans include a US$100million parking area for the giant aircraft, a 'squadron operations facility' and an ammunition bunker at RAAF Base Tindal, 320km south-east of Darwin (pictured, RAAF Base Tindal) Australia directly joining an American fight against China did the same thing. Ms Wasser said in war game exercises, Chinese attacks on Australia 'were not successful' because of the distances involved and because Beijing used its longest-range missiles earlier in the conflict. But she said that could change if China develops 'more advanced missile capability'. An anti-nuclear activist also said the move would signal to Beijing that Australia was willing to be 'the tip of the spear' in a US response to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the ABC reported. American war games expert Bec Wasser of the Centre for a New American Security said moving B-52s to Australian soil is a 'warning' to Beijing One estimate of when that invasion could happen was revised back from 2027 to 2025 - a little over two years away. The US Airforce has an estimated 76 B-52 bombers in service. They were built to carry nuclear weapons for deterrence missions during the Cold War. The B-52 has a combat range of around 14,080 km without aerial refueling. They have been used most recently for airstrikes against the Taliban. Richard Tanter, a Melbourne University researcher who lectures on nuclear disarmament, claimed putting B52s in Darwin would be an obvious 'commitment' to America's plans for war with China. 'It's a sign to the Chinese that we are willing to be the tip of the spear.' He believes it is 'more significant' than the stationing of US marines in Darwin. One in 10 Australians believe China will attack their country, which is double the number of Taiwanese people who fear a similar offensive War game scenarios which saw the US air force based at Tindal 'did very much put a bullseye on Australia', a US expert said One in 10 Australians believe China will attack their country, which is double the number of Taiwanese people who fear a similar offensive, according to the Australia Institute. Oriana Skylar Mastro, a China expert at Stanford University said Beijing was becoming confident it could succeed in invading Taiwan and estimated it could try between 2025 and 2027. 'For 15 years I would ask the Chinese military if they could do this, and the answer was "no". So the fact that for the first time at the end of 2020 they're starting to say "yes", I think that's a significant message we should pay attention to,' she said. Recently she said a war between the US and China would be the 'worst war in modern history' with 'thousands and thousands' killed every day of the conflict. In 2020, a $1.1billion upgrade to RAAF Base Tindal was announced, funded by the bilateral US Force Posture Initiatives (US FPI). This year the US Department of Defence set aside $22.5million for facilities at Tindal. 'The [squadron operations] facility is required to support strategic operations and to run multiple 15-day training exercises during the Northern Territory dry season for deployed B-52 squadrons,' US documents said. The US also plans to build jet fuel storage tanks and an ammunition bunker at RAAF Base Tindal. There are also predictions the US military will follow through on its investments at Tindal by basing navy, air force and army, as well as the marines, in Australia. Ashley Townshend from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the B-52s were just the beginning of increased US activity in Australia. Mr Tanter also claimed a joint US and Australian spy base near Alice Springs has also been upgraded, with a more than 33 per cent growth in the number of giant antennas focused on China. The clinic informed Ms Ashton 43 children were conceived from the same donor Donor 188 was a 'typical Aussie sporty bloke' who had blonde hair and blue eyes A mum-of-five who used donor sperm to have her children is worried about 'accidental incest' after discovering her kids have at least 43 half-siblings. Shannon Ashton and her partner first visited the Queensland Fertility Group in 2002 for specialist help after discovering she had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The same-sex couple decided to use an anonymous sperm donor, registered with the Queensland clinic, to try and have a baby. A year later were blessed with a boy named Zac. The couple decided on Donor 188, described as a 'typical Aussie, sporty bloke' on the database, and used his sperm again to conceive their next four children, most recently welcoming a girl in 2018. Shannon Ashton (pictured) and her partner discovered their five children had 43 half-siblings after another couple revealed they used the same sperm donor It didn't take long for Ms Ashton to discover her children weren't the only Donor 188 offspring living in Australia. In 2004, when Zac was one-year-old, she enrolled the toddler in a friend's daycare. 'Initially there were two slightly older little boys at Karens Family Daycare,' Ms Ashton wrote on her My Rainbow Tribe blog. 'Karen was thrilled to share that some friends of hers another same-sex female couple had enrolled their little girl into her care. This little girl was about six months younger than Master Z (Zac) and was absolutely adorable.' Ms Ashton and her partner became friends with the younger girl's parents and on one otherwise uneventful day, the two pairs of parents unintentionally realised their children were half-siblings after learning they had used the same donor sperm. Donor 188, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed surfer, who enjoyed watching 'any sport', was interested in 'science and math' and did not have any artistic or craft interests. 'It turned out, Karen knew some of the features of this other couples donor,' Ms Ashton said. 'I rattled off a couple of things, and the look on her face just made me think, "What? What?". It turned out that within this daycare we had both used Donor 188 and in fact our kids were half-siblings.' After the initial shock wore off, Ms Ashton emailed the clinic asking for information on the number of children conceived from Donor 188. Ms Ashton described Donor 188 as the 'typical Aussie, sporty bloke'. His profile said he had blonde hair, blue eyes, loved surfing and was interested in science and math (pictured, donor 188's vial) Ms Ashton said the clinic replied with a list of 43 other children, categorised only by year and gender. 'We emailed the clinic and it was such a shock when we got it back to find out that there were 43 others. Never, had I anticipated a number like that,' Ms Ashton said. Ms Ashton was hit with another surprise when her oldest son did an ancestry DNA test and matched with another donor sibling who was not on the Queensland clinic's list. Ms Ashton said the term 'accidental incest' - sexual activity or marriage between persons who are unaware of a family relationship - makes her 'sick to the pit of her stomach'. 'How many more kids aren't on our list?,' Ms Ashton said. 'I had blindly trusted that the clinic would have thought out these things and that there would be strict limits put in place. 'Theres no overwriting legislation. Theres nothing governing what goes on, and I didnt know that. I had no idea.' Ms Ashton's donor was 18 years old when he and a group of friends went to the clinic and provided sperm samples. She added it was hard to believe the young man understood the full implications of sperm donation. Ms Ashton's (right) concern is that there could be a number of children not registered as conceived by donor 188 after her son Zac (left) did an ancestry DNA test and matched with another donor sibling who was not on the list the clinic provided Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, South Australia and Northern Territory, follow the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee's advice that a maximum of ten donor families per sperm donor is acceptable. While in NSW, a sperm donor is limited to five women, in Victoria, 10 women, and in Western Australia to five families. Queensland Fertility Group (QFG) told Daily Mail Australia that they have a 'dedicated team' that manages donor information. 'QFG has a dedicated professional donor team that links into a national framework under Virtus Health,' QFG said. 'This donor team manages and coordinates the complex information exchange between donors, recipients, and donorconceived individuals, in a framework that protects sensitive health information of all individuals. 'Our donor program supports and facilitates linkages between donors and donorconceived persons through a voluntary linkage program, counselling and support networks.' Ms Ashton's donor had made his donations prior to changes in law, which made it compulsory for donors to be identifiable for conceived children over the age of 18. Her story will air on Tuesday night's episode of SBS's 'Inconceivable: The Secret Business of Breeding Humans'. The one-hour documentary, based on journalist Sarah Dingle's search for her biological father, reveals the 'deeply unethical and pathologically secretive business' of the fertility industry in Australia. Works of Korean and Swiss photographers are displayed throughout the Embassy of Switzerland in central Seoul for an exhibition titled "Spaceless" through Nov. 6. Courtesy of Swiss Embassy By Kwon Mee-yoo The Embassy of Switzerland in Seoul, also known as "Swiss Hanok," is one of the architectural gems among foreign missions in Seoul, combining elements of traditional Korean and modern Western architecture. After the success of "Breathing Walls," an exhibition that attracted some 7,000 visitors last year, the embassy grounds are open to the public for its second photo exhibition, "Spaceless," through Nov. 6. Swiss Ambassador to Korea Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli said she is delighted to open the embassy to the public one again to showcase works of up-and-coming Korean and Swiss artists. "The Swiss Embassy premises has transformed into a beautiful exhibition space featuring original works of artists from both countries who offer different perspectives on urban and digital transformations," the ambassador said. Chung-Ang University art professor Chun Kyung-woo curated works by eight photographers four from Korea and four from Switzerland for this exhibit. Chun, who organized last year's photo exhibit, brought artists who are alumni of Seoul's Chung-Ang University's photography department and Switzerland's University of Art and Design Lausanne (ECAL), bringing diverse perspectives on urbanism and architecture. Works on display showcase artistic experiments of the photographers ranging from drone photography to objects created using 3D printing. Works of Korean and Swiss photographers are displayed outside the Embassy of Switzerland in central Seoul for "Spaceless," a photographic exhibition, through Nov. 6. Courtesy of Swiss Embassy The boss of 20 miners who won the $53million first division prize in Australia's biggest ever jackpot has warned his staff he'll chase them down if they don't return. A lotto syndicate from the West Australian mining town of Kalgoorlie claimed the massive prize last Thursday - the second time a local syndicate has won a mega-prize in the past year. The group of 20 night-shift goldminers won a collective $53million in last week's Powerball - meaning each worker became $2.6million richer. Their boss, Chris Wood, said he didn't believe the miners when they told him about their win and said it was 'impossible'. A group of 20 night-shift goldminers from the Kalgoorlie-Boulder mines (above) won $2.6million each in last Thursday's Powerball 'They called me up to tell me they won the lotto and I did not believe them,' he told the ABC. Mr Wood said the group are 'great workers' and make up his best shift. 'I'm ecstatic. I'm very happy for each of them. I expect I might lose them though,' he said. 'I told them I will run after them and steal their ticket if they don't come back.' Winning goldminer 'Peter' said the group had never entered the lottery together before Thursday's win. 'It was just a one off because it was a big draw,' Peter told Perth radio station 6PR on the weekend. 'We just couldn't believe it. We all put $100 in, spur of the moment sort of thing.' At least one of Mr Wood's miners is looking to stay at work despite her massive win. Last Thursday Powerball was worth a record-breaking $160million with two lucky people and a lotto syndicate taking division one wins (pictured, queues in Sydney to buy a ticket) One of Mr Wood's miners said she'll stay 'loading trucks' despite her $2.6million Powerball win on Thursday (pictured, one of the winning miners) The ecstatic miner filmed her reaction to the win but was sure she would continue with her normal life. 'You know how they say, one Powerball and I'm out of here? Well, it ain't true. I've known since the start of my shift and I'm still loading trucks,' she said. 'So yeah, there's 18 at my work who are now millionaires.' Each member in the winning group put $100 towards last week's Powerball which saw a record $160million up for grabs. Plant operator Peter said the win 'changed everybody's life'. 'We just couldn't believe it, we all put $100 in, spur of the moment sort of thing,' he told Perth radio 6PR. It comes just eight months after another Kalgoorlie group called 'Goldfields, let's pay out mortgages' saw 250 people claim $63million. Group member and local business owner Kylie Owens said the win felt 'amazing' but also agreed she wouldn't be leaving her job. The group took home a $53million first division prize from the $160million Powerball (above) last Thursday A blue-collar worker from Melbourne and a dad from western Sydney also took home first division prizes worth $53million from the draw. The grateful dad confirmed his win with The Lott officials on Friday morning. 'I told my family, 'I think I might have won division one' but no one believed me,' he said. 'Tell you what, they believe me now! My family's life just changed in a second. 'To think I almost missed out on getting an entry, I had to rush out and grab one yesterday before the draw closed! 'This means so much to me. I'll finally be able to buy a home for my family, my kids can have whatever they want for Christmas, and we're secure and set up for life. 'I still can't believe this is my life! Thank you, thank you, thank you!' A little girl has nearly lost her eyelid after she ran into a metal clothes hook at Kmart with the discount store ordered to pay her nearly $60,000 in damages. Cecilia Chen was six when she went shopping with her grandmother at Chatswood Chase shopping centre on Sydney's Lower North Shore on January 8, 2020. The youngster spotted a pink t-shirt she wanted but as she jumped up to reach it, she lost her balance and smashed her right eye into a metal clothes hook on the rack below. She was rushed to Westmead Children's Hospital with blood gushing out of her face where she underwent a four-hour operation to restore her eyelid. On Friday, NSW District Court Judge Robert Montgomery ordered Kmart to $59,929.36 to cover the family's medical expenses and its court costs. A little girl nearly lost her eyelid after running into a metal hook at Kmart with the discount store ordered to pay her nearly $60,000 in damages Cecilia Chen was six when she went shopping with her grandmother at Chatswood Chase shopping centre on Sydney's Lower North Shore on January 8, 2020 Kmart already admitted it breached duty of care with the case being heard on Friday for assessment of costs only. The court was told Cecilia has been left with a 'hairline' scar and that her parents continued to be concerned about the lifelong emotional toll. Ms Huang said her daughter cried before going to sleep 'every night' and that she needed to sleep in her parent's bed. She revealed Cecilia protested about going back to class at the exclusive Kincoppal Rose Bay school, even when teachers told the family they had 'prepared' other students about her injury. 'They need to do some preparation then I will encourage Cecilia to go to school,' Ms Huang said. 'Cecilia was very afraid and scared of facing her school teachers and classmates because she thinks she looks horrible, and she-probably she cannot be prepared very strong to face some questions or sort of.' Ms Huang told the court the scar on her daughter's eyelid was sometimes 'very obvious' and it was clear Cecilia's right eye drooped slightly lower than the left. Reconstructive surgeon Dr McGlynn submitted a medical report detailing the horrific extent of the injury. 'A full thickness transverse tear of the right upper eyelid, detaching it save for a narrow lateral attachment, and a division of the upper eyelid tear duct,' it read. The court heard the cut led to lots of bleeding and yellow discharge seeping from the wound. The youngster spotted a pink t-shirt, jumped up to reach it, lost her balance and smashed her right eye into a metal clothes hook on the rack below, before she was taken to hospital where she underwent a four-hour operation to restore her eyelid '(She) was very afraid and scared of facing her school teachers and classmates because she thinks she looks horrible,' the girl's mother Jill Huang told the court Cecilia required an operation on the day of the accident before having to return six months later for another one. Lawyers for Kmart questioned whether the girl was still suffering from the trauma of the injury or from a pre-existing stomach condition. The discount store did admit it breached its duty of care following the incident. Judge Robert Montgomery said the injury would have a lifelong toll on the girl. 'Is she to be a model or beautician or an academic or follow a profession scarring to her right eye is likely to be to some degree a disadvantage to her,' he said. 'In my opinion, quite apart from the pain and inconvenience, the plaintiff's demeanour and zest for life have been severely impacted by the defendant's negligence.' Ms Huang previously recalled the terrifying incident to Daily Mail Australia shortly after it had happened. 'Cecilia wanted to buy a pink t-shirt and her grandma was helping her find the sizes,' she said. The mother said her daughter cried before going to sleep 'every night' and that she needed to sleep in her parent's bed 'Cecilia saw a pink one on the high racks and tried to help and grab it - but it was too high for her and she lost her balance, landing on the low rack hook. 'Everything happened so suddenly. Grandma could do nothing to prevent it.' Ms Huang, who described Cecilia as 'lovely and happy', said her daughter had plastic surgery to repair her eyelid muscle and lacrimal gland. 'Luckily her eye ball was not damaged, but it will take a long time for Cecilia's sight to return to normal,' she said. 'Her right eye lid will be lower and smaller and never look the same. She is very sad and scared.' The population has grown substantially due to the suppression of invasive ants More then 65million crabs will trek 20km from the forests to the ocean to breed Millions of red crabs have begun their annual migration across Christmas Island A sea of red has washed over picturesque Christmas Island - as tens of millions of red crabs march from the rainforests to the coast to breed. More than 65million red crabs are beginning to make the yearly trek across the island, north-west of Western Australia - in what is expected to be the biggest annual migration in years. Heavy rainfall on Saturday preceded the beginning of the move, where the crustaceans can scamper as far as 20km to the ocean. Millions of red crabs have begun their annual trek across Christmas Island from the rainforests to the sea It's estimated that about 65million crabs will migrate towards the coast this year to breed Christmas Island's native species manager Derek Ball said there is already millions of crabs on the move. 'It's only been a few days, but it certainly looks like this is going to be a huge migration,' he told the ABC. 'We do have a very large number of crabs coming down so we're keeping a very close eye on that over the next few weeks.' Mr Ball added that there were far greater numbers of crabs compared to previous years, estimating that the population had doubled in size from 'five or six years ago'. He attributed this to the 'suppression' of yellow crazy ants on the island. The ants routinely kill red crabs by spraying them with acid, before eating them. The ants were accidentally introduced to the island in the early 1990s and are destructive to the environment. Heavy rainfall on Saturday sparked the beginning of the mass movement as the red crabs move 20km towards the sea Christmas Island's native species manager Derek Ball said there were far greater numbers migrating this year compared to previous years The annual red crab migration usually begins in October or November with the first rainfall of the wet season. Male crabs will leave their homes and lead the way towards the beach, picking up females along the way. The mass migration often causes traffic jams on the island, with cars usually diverted as the creatures swarm the roads. Some locals will use rakes to sweep the crustaceans off the roads and pathways. The red crab population has been thriving due to the suppression of crazy ants on the island which routinely kill the crustaceans The exact timing and speed of the migration is determined by the phase of the moon. Crabs will always breed before dawn on a receding high-tide during the last quarter of the moon, according to Parks Australia. If the rainfall is close to the spawning date, the crabs will either rush to the ocean or remain in their burrows and migrate the following month. But if the the rain comes early, they will move at a more leisurely pace and take breaks to eat and drink. The annual migration begins around October or November after the first rainfall of the wet season The vast majority of Red Crab larvae will be feasted on by fish, manta rays and the giant whale sharks that inhabit the surrounding waters After breeding, the male crabs will have a dip in the ocean for moisture before heading back towards the jungle. Female crabs will stay in their burrows and release a staggering 100,000 eggs into the Indian Ocean over five or six consecutive nights during the migration period. They will wait in their burrows for around two weeks as the eggs develop. One month later, the baby red crabs will return to shore to make the journey home into the tropical forest of the island. However, the vast majority of the larvae will be feasted on by fish, manta rays and the giant whale sharks that wait in the surrounding waters for the annual feast. She had sent a confidential document to the wrong person from personal email The Home Secretary was fired by Liz Truss but was reappointed under Sunak He made the comments on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Suella Braverman is under attack because she is driving change in the Home Office, her Cabinet colleague Michael Gove suggested yesterday. The Levelling Up Secretary insisted the under-fire Home Secretary is a first-rate, front-rank politician and is only taking flak because she is over the target. His comments on the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg came as it emerged that Mrs Braverman took hours to respond to an email warning her she had sent a confidential document to the wrong person. The Home Secretary was fired by Liz Truss after sharing a highly sensitive message to Tory MP Sir John Hayes from her personal email and accidentally copying in an aide to another MP. Suella Braverman is under attack because she is driving change in the Home Office, her Cabinet colleague Michael Gove suggested yesterday Her actions constituted two breaches of the ministerial code and raised security concerns. Mrs Braverman said she rapidly reported the mistake, and she was reappointed to Rishi Sunaks Cabinet when he became Prime Minister last week. But an email seen by the BBC has thrown doubt over her claims about the speed with which she acted. Mrs Braverman was sent a message at around 8.30am on October 19 informing her she had sent an email in error an hour earlier, the broadcaster said. The Levelling Up Secretary insisted the under-fire Home Secretary is a first-rate, front-rank politician and is only taking flak because she is over the target Shortly after 10am she responded, telling the recipient to delete and ignore the message. But it was not until around 12pm that the Home Secretary instructed her officials to tell the Cabinet Secretary what had happened, according to a source close to Mrs Braverman. Confronted yesterday with the ministers email telling the erroneous recipient to ignore the earlier message, Mr Gove insisted her request was standard practice. And he suggested Mrs Braverman is facing opposition because she is brave and making changes, telling the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: You only take flak if youre over the target. The former journalist also appeared to blame the media for the furore around the matter, saying: It becomes a distraction if people are asking these questions. Labour is demanding the Government publish its assessments of Ms Bravermans sharing of a sensitive document with a Tory backbencher from a personal email without permission. His comments on the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg came as it emerged that Mrs Braverman took hours to respond to an email warning her she had sent a confidential document to the wrong person But Mr Gove indicated that will not happen. When we publish everything, we also potentially publish information that can compromise the effective operation, not just of government, but of national security itself, he told the BBC. I also, critically, want to ensure that what we dont do is, on the basis of the imperfect information that is in the public domain, rush to judgment in a way that would seem to me to be inappropriate. Asked whether Mrs Braverman is a politician of integrity, Mr Gove said: Absolutely. I am satisfied, more than satisfied, that in resigning, accepting responsibility, apologising, and then in being assured by the Cabinet Secretary and the Prime Minister that Suella coming back into office was the right thing, that Suella is now in a position to do the work that she is dedicated to doing. Mr Gove said his Cabinet colleague deserves a second chance. But Labours shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky Newss Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: You cant have a Home Secretary who is not trusted by the security service, who is not trusted with important Government information. The Prime Minister could perform a U-turn and attend the Cop27 climate summit following criticism of his decision to snub it, sources said last night. Allies of Rishi Sunak said his priority was first and foremost domestic issues, but he may also go to the meeting in Egypt. A source told the Financial Times that whether he goes depends on progress tackling the economic crisis and Autumn Statement on November 17. News of a possible change of heart came after Britains climate tsar said yesterday that Mr Sunak could undermine Britains role as a world leader on green issues if he snubbed the summit from November 6 to 18. Allies of Rishi Sunak said his priority was first and foremost domestic issues, but he may also go to the meeting in Egypt Alok Sharma said he was disappointed that Mr Sunak was not intending to go. Ex-prime minister Boris Johnson is considering attending the meeting of world leaders, causing alarm in No 10 that it will be seen as criticism of Mr Sunak. The PM had said he wanted to focus on Britains depressing domestic challenges. But it raised concerns that the UK would not be properly represented at the summit. Ex-PM Liz Truss had been planning to go. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, Business Secretary Grant Shapps and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey will attend with Mr Sharma. Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that the King who was advised not to attend Cop27 will host a reception for global business leaders beforehand at Buckingham Palace. An unseasonable cold front which started from Antarctic winds will bring snow to three states, widespread rain storms to four and the coldest Melbourne Cup day in 27 years. Melbourne's warm weather over recent days will come to a grinding halt on Tuesday, with the temperature plummeting and the Bureau of Meteorology advising punters heading to Flemington for the Melbourne Cup to dress warm and bring an umbrella. The chilly late spring weather could see snow falls in Tasmania, Victoria and NSW from Tuesday, just below 1,000 metres. Places such as Mount Buller, Falls Creek, Thredbo and Katoomba are most likely to get snow, with motorists advised to take extra care on roads in these areas. Widespread rain and storms will hit south-eastern Queensland, eastern NSW and Victoria and Tasmania, bringing more flooding to some areas already badly affected. Ducking for cover: This young woman needed an umbrella to keep her outfit dry at Flemington on Saturday, in a taste of what will be coming on Tuesday for the Melbourne Cup East coast Australians have suffered through almost three years of soggy and chilly La Nina weather since the summer 2019-2020 bushfires ended. Racing fans had been hoping the summer-type weather of the past few days would continue - but the Bureau of Meteorology told Daily Mail Australia that this would not be the case. 'On Melbourne Cup day it will be a maximum of 14 degrees (in Melbourne), which will make it the coldest Cup day since 1995,' BoM meteorologist Jonathan How said. The low in Melbourne on Tuesday will be a very chilly 9 degrees. Mr How said: 'We are expecting showers on and off through the day and they could be heavy, with small hail and thunder as well, including right around race time. 'It will be quite cold as well, with a wind chill, so we are certainly advising people to bring warm clothing to Flemington.' The icy and wet blast that may dampen enthusiasm in Melbourne on Tuesday is already having an impact, with a cold front moving in from the west and temperatures six to 16 degrees below average. Guests are pictured braving the rain at the 2018 Melbourne Cup Carnival, with something very similar, but colder, expected for the 2022 event on Tuesday 'On Monday we will see rain and storms in much of southern Queensland, most of NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania,' Mr How said. The rain is forecast to continue into Tuesday for eastern NSW and eastern Queensland. For most people it would be another wet couple of days, but for the flood-ravaged parts of NSW such as Moree, Narabri, Dubbo and down the western slopes, it is likely to cause renewed flooding. 'We are looking at the possibility of renewed minor to major flooding for some of those rivers in NSW,' Mr How said. 'Some of those rivers already have flood warnings, so it could just prolong those peaks and cause some flash flooding and thunderstorms as well. There could be unseasonable snow in NSW and Victoria in the coming days. Pictured are visitors walking up closed roads to see the snow at Mount Macedon, a small town 64 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, on July 13, 2016 The weather forecast for Tuesday shows a lot of rain and cold temperatures across southern and eastern Australia The areas of Victoria that were hit by floods in recent weeks could also face further flooding in the coming days due to heavy rains. Residents of Echuca and Echuca Village in Victoria's north were still being encouraged to evacuate over the weekend due to the flood threat from the Murray River. The Murray peaked last Wednesday, reaching its highest point for more than 100 years, and is forecast to remain above major flood level until Wednesday. Residents in nearby Kerang, Barmah and Lower Moira were advised it was not yet safe to return to their homes after flooding. Pictured is the Weatherzone forecast for Australia's capital cities on Monday, October 31 Mr How said that although parts of Australia does 'tend to get cold snaps that can happen in the first half of November ... what we are seeing (in the coming days) is quite unusually cold'. 'We could see snow up to, potentially, the central tablelands of NSW in places such as Oberon, and some of the hills around Bathurst could see some flurries on Tuesday night and Wednesday,' he said. The coast of NSW will escape the worst of the weather, though. 'Most of the rain is expected west of the Great Divide. So Sydney won't see too much, it's mostly inland areas,' said Mr How. 'But still, we'll see some showers in Sydney on Monday and Tuesday, along with slightly cooler conditions.' Say cheese: Racegoers were in high spirits as they enjoyed the Sydney sunshine on Golden Eagle Day Off and racing: The sun was shining early on Saturday as Derby Day crowds flocked to Flemington The last time racegoers experienced a hot Melbourne Cup day was in 2014 when the temperature got just above 29 degrees. In 2020, the temperature on Cup day was 30 degrees, but there were no crowds at Flemington due to Covid-19 restrictions. A New Zealander has lifted the lid on the prison-like living conditions in detention centres as he waited to be deported from Australia and back to his country. Kiwi Brad Sinoti moved to Brisbane in 2011 but admitted he spiralled into drug addiction before becoming a dealer to fund his illegal habit. Any foreigner who is sentenced to a minimum of 12 months jail in Australia are immediately deported after serving their time. Australia's immigration minister also has overarching powers under section 501 of the Migration Act, where anyone can be deported on the basis of 'bad character', regardless of their jail sentence. Sinoti was one of the thousands of Kiwis to be kicked out of Australia each year, filming his time in detention centres while awaiting deportation. Taking to TikTok, Sinoti posted videos of his time at several detention centres including the off-shore Christmas Island and Yongah Hill in Western Australia. In a video posted on Sunday, Sinoti filmed the moment he returned home, showing the heavy police presence waiting for him as he walked off the plane in New Zealand. The footage comes as New Zealand continues to pressure Australia to change its '501' deportation laws that allow people to be deported on 'bad character' grounds. New Zealander Brad Sinoti lifted the lid on the prison-like living conditions in detention centres as he waited to be deported from Australia and back to his country Sinoti has been documenting his experiences on social media with videos showing the dire living conditions In one video, Sinoti gave a tour of the detention centre he was staying at while at Christmas Island in 2020. 'Similar to what prison looks like but,' the title read. The video showed the basic common area that acted as a dining room, kitchen and laundry all in one. Steel tables and chairs were set up in the middle while a steel cage wall barricaded the room. On one side were the rooms with enough space for three beds, a small television and an ensuite. 'These are the basic rooms on Christmas Island. Pretty small but a little bit bigger than prison,' Sinoti said. He later filmed the moment he arrived back in New Zealand after authorities put him on a plane back to his home country. Sinoti's fellow deportees bid him farewell on the plane before he walked off to where at least 13 police officers were waiting for him. 'Here we are greeted by New Zealand Police,' he said. Sinoti steps off the plane where at least 13 police officers are waiting for him On one side are the rooms with enough space for three beds, small television and ensuite Under section 501 of the Migration Act, the Australian immigration minister can deport people on the basis of 'bad character', most of whom are from New Zealand. It has resulted in hundreds of criminals being shipped to New Zealand even if they have no ties to the country other than their Kiwi passport. About 2,000 New Zealanders were deported between 2014 and 2020. Most had lived in Australia since they were children. Criminals deported from Australia committed 8,000 offences since 2015 including 57 sex crimes and 861 drug and antisocial behaviour crimes. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in June the policy 'unquestionably' increased gang violence in New Zealand. She is pushing to change laws so criminals who are 'essentially Australian' are not deported back to New Zealand. Sinoti later filmed the moment he arrived back in New Zealand after authorities put him on a plane back to his home country 'New Zealand is not asking for Australia to remove their deportation policy. We never have,' she said during a June press conference. 'New Zealand, of course, deports individuals who have been in New Zealand for a short time and who have acted outside our expectations for anyone who chooses or wishes to stay as a resident. 'But there are those who are being deported from Australia who, for all intents and purposes, are Australian.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared Australia's law allowing criminals' visas to be cancelled will be kept but said exceptions could potentially be made for some Kiwis. 'Section 501 should be maintained but there are also concerns that have been raised that need to be taken into consideration as friends,' he said. 'We deal with each other in a mature way which deals as well with common sense.' According to the Hidalgo Sheriff's Office in southern Texas, a woman shot and wounded a would-be home invader on October 25 A mother who was home with her children when a burglar broke shot at the man, wounding him and forcing him to flee. The woman was holed up in a bedroom in her home with her children when she took aim at the would-be intruder, according to law enforcement in Texas. In a statement, the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office said that the mother warned the intruder that she was armed and that she had dialed 911. The incident occurred on October 25 in Edinburg, Texas, around 9 p.m. close to the southern border. The town is part of the Rio Grande Valley region. The press release said that the suspect, later named as 36-year-old Carlos Garcia, 'Refused to leave and continued to try and get into the bedroom.' He had entered the house through the garage. The mother pulled the trigger once through the door, causing Garcia to flee, police said. He was hit once in the left arm. Carlos Garcia was taken to a local hospital for treatment before he was charged with 'burglary of habitation with intent.' His bond has been set at $750,000 Shortly after authorities got to the home, they located Garcia in a field around 100 yards from the house. Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra told KRGV: 'You have the right to defend yourself in your own home against an intruder. I imagine she was in fear of her life so she did what she had to do, and we support her.' He went on: 'You don't have to give notice, if someone's breaking into your home you have the right to protect yourself and use deadly force, and you're not going to have any problem with the sheriff of Hidalgo County.' Homeowners in the Lone Star State have the right to use deadly force under a Texas law known as the Castle Doctrine. The law is similar to 'stand your ground' measures across the U.S. that state a person has no duty to retreat from an intruder. Followers of the sheriff's office's Facebook page praised the mom's actions. One person wrote: 'Great job protecting your kids. Glad to hear all is well. Your children will remember this and be proud of your courage to protect them and your home.' Another wrote: 'Great job by the homeowner in protecting her family. I'm only sorry she didn't finish him.' Homeowners in the Lone Star State have the right to use deadly force under a Texas law known as the Castle Doctrine The Hidalgo County Sheriff said: 'You don't have to give notice, if someone's breaking into your home you have the right to protect yourself and use deadly force, and you're not going to have any problem with the sheriff of Hidalgo County' While another had a message for Texas Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Beto O'Rourke saying: 'So you going to try and convince this woman to do the buy back program and try to tell her that she shouldnt own the very gun that protected not only herself but her kids? In 2019, O'Rourke proposed confiscating assault-type weapons, not all guns, in a mandatory buyback program. During a presidential debate in the same year, the former congressman said: 'Hell, yes, were going to take your AR-15, your AK-47, and were not going to allow it to be used against your fellow Americans anymore.' Most recent polling shows incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott holding a comfortable 10-point lead over O'Rourke. Garcia was taken to a local hospital for treatment before he was charged with 'burglary of habitation with intent.' He is being held at the Hidalgo Adult Detention Center. His bond has been set at $750,000. Anybody with any further information on the shooting is asked to call the Hidalgo County Sheriffs Office at 956-383-8114. Festive family gatherings are on this year as the UK is set to enjoy a relatively Covid-free Christmas, according to experts. Modelling carried out by University College London indicates infections will continue to decline until January, with another wave possible in the new year. But Professor Karl Friston told The Sunday Telegraph the morbidity and mortality of a large post-Christmas wave should be substantially less than previous years. Professor Friston said: It looks as if the current peak has passed. Modelling carried out by University College London indicates infections will continue to decline until January, with another wave possible in the new year The long-term forecast suggests a subsequent peak after Christmas. This appears to be largely driven by seasonal fluctuations in transmission risk and a slower underlying increase, due to the emergence of new variants. One should perhaps also note that virulence has declined substantially, particularly in the face of vaccination. This means the morbidity and mortality of a large post-Christmas wave should be substantially less than previous years. The total number of people in private households in the UK testing positive for coronavirus stood at 2.05million in the week to October 17, broadly unchanged on 2.01million in the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total number of people in private households in the UK testing positive for coronavirus stood at 2.05million in the week to October 17 This is some way below the peak of nearly four million reached in early July, during the wave caused by the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants of the virus. More recent figures also show the number of people in hospital in England with Covid-19 has started to fall. A total of 9,131 patients testing positive for coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on October 26, down 12 per cent from 10,387 a week earlier. Patient numbers had been rising since mid-September, but this trend looks to have come to a halt, with the total now having fallen for nine days in a row. Dr Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at the UK Health and Security Agency, said the fall in hospital numbers is a testament to the continued success of the autumn booster programme. An Australian passenger on a Jetstar flight to Thailand has been left humiliated after she was forced to crawl off the plane, claiming staff wouldn't get her a wheelchair unless she paid extra. Natalie Curtis, from Queensland, said she was offered a special wheelchair that fits in plane aisles when boarding her flight from Singapore to Bangkok. But when Ms Curtis landed in Bangkok and required the same service, she claims she was told she would need to pay if she wanted to be wheeled off the plane. Ms Curtis was with her friend Natasha Elford, who said she was unable to carry her as she had an injured knee, with footage showing her having to crawl her way off the plane. 'I didn't really comprehend it (being charged for the wheelchair) and I was like, 'No, I'm not paying to be able to get off this plane',' Ms Curtis told Sunrise on Monday. 'It was extremely humiliating.' Ms Curtis has been in a wheelchair since high school and said she had 'never felt so degraded in her life'. Ms Curtis was forced to crawl down the aisle to the plane's exit after a 'language barrier' resulted in her not being offered a complimentary wheelchair (pictured) She vented online after calling Jetstar and being told someone would call her back in a week Ms Elford said she was shocked by the ordeal and felt mortified for her friend. 'I couldn't physically lift her so I felt really hopeless and I couldn't believe this was really happening.' Ms Elford said. The pair said they tried to find out if a complimentary wheelchair could be fast-tracked to them but claimed the flight staff 'stood around and watched and didn't really do anything'. The airline offered Ms Curtis a full refund, additional compensation and apologised for her experience. 'We unreservedly apologise to Ms Curtis for her recent experience while travelling with us,' they said. 'We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable travel experience for all our customers, including those requiring specific assistance.' Ms Curtis (pictured) from Queensland has been in a wheelchair since high school and said she had never been more embarrassed than the experience with Jetstar The airline also said it was not their policy to charge for using a wheelchair to board or disembark from their planes. Jetstar was investigating the incident as a 'matter of urgency' and said initial inquiries indicated her special requirement for a wheelchair upon landing was not requested in their system. The airline said the standard complimentary wheelchair was being arranged 'ad-hoc' on landing but there was a significant delay. Ms Curtis and Ms Elford are speaking up to ensure their experience does not happen to anyone else. A police investigator gathers personal belongings of victims of a deadly crowd accident in an alley in Seoul's Itaewon, early Oct. 30, a little over two hours after the accident occurred. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar By Jon Dunbar When I first heard what was going on in Itaewon on Saturday night, I didn't know what to believe. Someone showed me a video of emergency workers performing CPR on a row of nearly naked young women lying in the street, while the party seemed to be continuing in the background, and I didn't think it could be real. I was at a Halloween event in nearby Haebangchon at the time, which also had surprisingly huge crowds that night, but nowhere near as unmanageable as Itaewon. People around me were speculating wildly based on breaking news articles, which also had conflicting information about the seriousness of the incident. Were there deaths? Why were victims initially only reported as suffering cardiac arrest? The prevailing narrative was that there was a stampede toward or inside one bar where a celebrity had been rumored to be making an appearance. One friend read somewhere that someone had released aerosolized fentanyl in an enclosed space. I even heard speculation maybe it was some kind of attack. Everyone wanted to know: who was to blame? There were also concerns that, since Itaewon is an area known for its foreignness, as is Halloween itself, the fallout might hit foreign communities the hardest. So I removed my Halloween mask, put on my Korea Times lanyard and went to see for myself. Due to heavy crowds and traffic control, I went up past the Hyatt and descended toward the area of the incident, and before I knew it, I was among the masses. The roads toward Itaewon Station were heavily controlled by police to make way for emergency vehicles, and the sidewalks surged with Halloween revelers. The closer I came to the Hamilton Hotel, the more I saw people looking concerned, checking their phones or trying to, as phone service was unreliable in the area. It was around 12:30 a.m. when I arrived, two hours after the incident, and what exactly had happened was not evident. There were no bodies in the street, at least. I ducked inside the Hamilton Hotel, and ended taking a side exit to the alley on its western side. Little did I know, I was behind the police line, overlooking the exact site of the tragic accident. Personal belongings of victims lined the edges of the alley, as investigators sorted through the hundreds of shoes, clothes, costumes and bags left behind. Uphill, investigators were gathering recovered phones in a pile, some of which were ringing. Standing right behind the police tape, a young foreign woman was watching anxiously. I approached her for comment, thinking maybe she had seen what had happened. It turned out that she'd been part of it. She'd come with friends, all foreign teachers visiting from out of town, and the incident began not five minutes after they arrived. As the crowd surged, she was separated from her friends and buried underneath others. She told me she thought she was going to die as she blacked out, but she regained consciousness sometime later. She ended up stuck in the alley behind the police tape, having lost her phone, her ID, her purse, her money, everything she needed to find her friends and get to safety. But police weren't letting her retrieve her items, even though she could see some of them being sorted. Without her things, she had nowhere else to go. We had no idea at the time that we were witnessing police and other emergency forces pushed to unprecedented new extremes. They were unhelpful at first, when asked if she could retrieve her items and if there was some place where she could take shelter with other survivors. Eventually, one police investigator told us with compassion in her voice that they wanted to help, but all items were being collected for evidence and would be returned after a few days. So, we wandered away and managed to find her friends, who shared a teary group hug together and then brought her back to their hostel quite a trek as the subways had ended and there were no taxis available. At the time, I thought her story was unique and needed to be told. But since then, countless other survivors and witnesses as well as people who weren't there but have had valid comments have spoken up. Since that night, we've all been watching the death toll rise, and the nationalities of victims broaden as victims are identified. One statistic that rose was the number of "missing" person enquiries 4,400 as of Sunday as people try frantically to contact their loved ones and friends they know were in Itaewon that night. It's likely some were caught in the crush but escaped without major injury and simply left the scene. Maybe some of them lost their belongings, leaving them without means of contact or unable to get home. Hopefully they are all safe and have been in contact with those looking for them. A tent is set up to provide on-site mental health counseling in the Korean language, next to the Itaewon disaster memorial in Seoul Plaza, Monday. / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar She recently told Daily Mail Australia she was 'happy' with photos resurfacing each year Ms Tsivoglou said she went viral overnight and received many 'love confessions' One of Australia's all-time favourite racegoers - 'Fairy Floss Girl' - is no longer a wild-child, having settled down and raising a little boy. Karly Tsivoglou, 19, set the internet alight when she was snapped by Daily Mail Australia scoffing fairy floss, without using her hands, at Melbourne's Ladies Day in 2016. The photos went viral across the country - with KIIS FM Kyle Sandilands gushing that she was 'hotter' than Selena Gomez. Along with 'Fairy Floss Girl', several other racegoers have stopped the nation with their antics, including 'Wheelie Bin Girl' and the 'Cop Pusher' in 2015. When asked how she feels about her famous photos reemerging every year on Melbourne Cup, Ms Tsivoglou told Daily Mail Australia recently: 'I'm happy with that'. 'Fairy Floss Girl' Karly Tsivoglou (above) was snapped chowing down on fairy floss while at the Melbourne Ladies Day by Daily Mail Australia in 2016 Ms Tsivoglou (pictured with her son, Apollo) was launched to internet stardom after her fairy floss pics in 2016 but is now focused on her family life Ms Tsivoglou said she and her friend Alice Woodfall 'had a few glasses of champagne, put a few bets on and just enjoyed the sun' at the races and had no idea about her internet stardom until the next morning. 'I woke up this morning with so many messages and screenshots of the photos! I was honestly shocked!' she said at the time. 'My social media accounts have been going crazy all morning!' Ms Tsivoglou said she'd received her share of compliments at the races but was shocked by the number of people 'professing their love' once her photos went viral. 'A few people claimed they were in love with me,' she said. 'But both Alice and I were getting a lot of positive compliments throughout the day.' Ms Tsivoglou said she and her friend Alice Woodfall (pictured together at Ladies Day) had received their share of compliments at the races but was shocked by people 'professing their love' once she viral Ms Tsivoglou (above) became known as 'Fairy Floss Girl' after she was snapped snacking at Ladies Day in 2016 From then on, Ms Tsivoglou regularly shared photos of nights out and poolside holidays to her social media. However, her online presence has taken a turn in the last few years with the new-mum focusing on her little boy. Pictures show the mother-son duo enjoying arts and crafts, days at the beach and bath-time. However, she Ms Tsivoglou still does manage to get in the occasional glamorous snap. Almost every year at Melbourne Cup time Sandilands brings up Ms Tsivoglou's memorable pictures. Ms Tsivoglou (above) still manages to sneak in glamorous photos online among her family snaps The former social media star's snaps have taken a drastic turn in the last few years with glamorous photos swapped for snaps of her time with her son, Apollo (above) Ms Tsivoglou (above) said she had no idea about her internet fame until the morning after the races 'She looks amazing, she's got cotton candy hanging out of her mouth... it's all happening,' he frothed at the time. 'She's kinda like a Selena Gomez looking girl,' Jackie O said. 'But hotter,' Kyle added. The Sydney radio host brought up the 'Fairy Floss Girl' again in a November, 2020, segment about the Melbourne Cup's most iconic moments. 'God, I can't remember,' his co-host 'Jackie O' told him. 'Why was that so memorable?' Kyle defensively shot back: 'Because she was a beautiful brown girl. She was just gorgeous. She was hoeing into that big fairy floss stick.' 'Wheelie Bin Girl' (above) also made headlines in 2016 for climbing on top of a wheelie bin at the Melbourne Cup She was later seen falling over and resting in bushes (above), events she blames on free champagne available at the event After producers brought up Ms Tsivoglou's photos, Jackie admitted: 'Oh, I remember her. Every guy fell in love with that girl at the time, didn't they?' Other memorable races attendees included 'Wheelie Bin Girl' - who made headlines after riding a Sulo bin like a horse at the 2016 cup - and Sarah Finn, who infamously pushed a police officer into a bush. That woman, Jade Jillings, later came forward and said she was just 'having a laugh' and blamed free champagne available at the event. 'It's really hard and embarrassing,' the 23-year-old told Daily Mail Australia at the time. Ms Jillings is now believed to work in the racing industry. Sarah Finn became famous in 2015 after she was promptly arrested (above) for pushing a policeman into bushes at the 2015 Melbourne Cup Ms Finn said she was 'somewhat tipsy' when she pushed a police officer into the bushes (above) at the 2015 Melbourne Cup Ms Finn appeared was convicted a year later while wearing a blue dress similar to her Melbourne Cup outfit (pictured, Ms Finn outside the court) A year earlier at the 2015 Melbourne Cup event a 23-year-old Sarah Finn grabbed the country's attention for dramatically pushing a policeman into a bush. Ms Finn was filmed running towards the officer and shoving him into a the bushes outside the event before two other officers swooped in and arrested her. She was fined and convicted for the assault a year later while wearing a blue dress eerily similar to her infamous Melbourne Cup outfit. Diuring proceedings Ms Finn told the court she hadn't had much to drink at the event but was 'somewhat tipsy' and had asked media personnel what she needed to do to 'get on the news'. Ms FInn was fined $800 by a court and hasn't been heard from publicly since. There is rich irony in the fact that Home Secretary Suella Braverman stands accused by the Whitehall Blob and others of being a serial leaker of sensitive information. For if the broadcast media and Sunday papers are to be believed, Home Office officials, advisers, researchers and sundry other foes have been queuing up to leak confidential material about her. And what a vicious lot they are. Less than a week since she was restored to the job by Rishi Sunak, these malign voices most of them courageously anonymous of course are trying to get her out. So what's the charge sheet? Yes, she used her personal email to share a Government policy document with a fellow MP. She also sent it in error to a researcher for another Conservative colleague. These were regrettable and silly mistakes which clearly should not have happened and because of which she resigned, before being reappointed by the new PM. DAILY MAIL COMMENT: There is rich irony in the fact that Home Secretary Suella Braverman stands accused by the Whitehall Blob and others of being a serial leaker of sensitive information She is further alleged to have had 'secretive' meetings with an 'anti-woke' fellow Tory MP about immigration policy (the horror!), not heeded legal warnings that migrants should be rehoused from the overcrowded Manston processing centre, and being slow to authorise alternative rented accommodation. Even if this is true, the speed with which illegal migrants are crossing the Channel (almost 40,000 this year alone) and chronic lack of available housing are surely strong mitigating factors. The problem is exacerbated by the interminable length of time it takes to rule on an asylum claim, thanks to the endless appeals lodged by migration lawyers. A barrister herself, Mrs Braverman is well aware that the system must be streamlined. This campaign of vilification is reminiscent of the vitriol directed at her predecessor Priti Patel. Both are women, both are of ethnic minority heritage and both have radical ideas on curbing migration. As her Cabinet colleague Michael Gove said yesterday, Mrs Braverman is under attack because she wants to drive through change at the Home Office, against resistance from many of her officials. We don't yet know how good a Home Secretary she will make. Solving the Channel crisis is a truly daunting task. But she should be judged on her actions, not this flurry of malicious leaks. And instead of badmouthing her to the media, her officials might think about trying to help her. Isn't that what they're paid for? Shaming of the Navy Following the Mail's revelations of appalling bullying and sexual harassment aboard Britain's nuclear submarines, we report today on an alleged rape of a female rating by a fellow crew member. Such an allegation would be horrific and deeply shocking in any walk of life. On the front line of our national defence it also constitutes a major security concern. The First Sea Lord has rightly launched a full investigation. It must be thorough and uncompromising in its determination to clean out this toxic culture. It is utterly shaming and smears the good name of the thousands of men and women in the Royal Navy who carry out their duties with exemplary skill and dedication. Fighting the cyberwar Two lessons must be learned from the apparent hacking by the Kremlin of Liz Truss's personal mobile phone. First, politicians should not discuss any important matters of state on insecure phones or computers. Secondly, hostile powers across the world are putting more resources than ever into cyber warfare. As he prepares his Autumn statement, the Chancellor must now know that cutting spending on this crucial area of defence would be an act of national self-harm. Just days after taking over Twitter, Elon Musk has issued an ultimatum to engineers over a new project. According to a report from The Verge, Musk wants to launch a pay-for-play verification system in which verified users are charged $20 per month. The kicker is that engineers have until November 7 to launch the scheme or face being fired. Employees were only told of the project on October 30. The Verge report says that the price of the verification is subject to change. The price will also cover so-far unspecified other features. Since Musk first offered to buy Twitter, the world's wealthiest man has made it clear he planned to shake things up at the social media giant. Hours before The Verge report emerged, Musk tweeted: 'The whole verification process is being revamped right now.' Musk spoke to Twitter employees on his first day as the new boss on October 26 Earlier, tech website Platformer's Casey Newton reported that Twitter was leaning towards asking for verified users to pay for the privilege. DailyMail.com has asked Twitter for comment on this story. There are close to 400,000 verified users on Twitter. Making them pay could help the platform stay afloat after reports that bots make up five percent of all users and 'heavy tweeters' make up less than 10 percent of the site's monthly users. Less active users mean less eyeballs for advertisers. During the court battle to acquire Twitter, Musk himself claimed that fewer than 16 million users are able to see the vast majority of ads. Musk has also refuted a New York Times story accusing the Tesla-founder of planning a series of layoffs before November 1, in order to avoid paying staff their annual stock grants. In responding to ProPublica's Eric Umansky tweeting the Times story, Musk simply wrote: 'This is false.' Later, Musk took further aim at the newspaper of record in tweeting a screenshot of a headline from NYTimes.com accusing him of posting a link to a fake story surrounding the assault on Paul Pelosi. The headline read: 'Elon Musk, in a Tweet, Shares Link From Site Known to Publish Fake News.' Musk quipped: 'This is fake - I did *not* tweet out a link to the New York Times.' In responding to ProPublica's Eric Umansky tweeting the Times story, Musk simply wrote: 'This is false' Earlier, Musk insinuated that he regarded the New York Times as a fake news outlet Musk earlier deleted a tweet suggesting Paul Pelosi's attacker was a gay prostitute he met during a boozy night out. The tweet shared a link to an article suggesting the House Speaker's husband left a San Francisco gay bar with David DePape prior to his assault. But it no longer appears on the new Twitter CEO's page just hours after it was posted. He has now been accused of 'caving into the leftist mob'. Musk had posted the theory in response to a tweet by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in which she claimed that the attack on the 82-year-old was the fault of Republican 'mouthpieces' spreading 'hate and deranged conspiracy theories'. 'There's a tiny possibility there may be more to this story than meets the eye,' the 51-year-old billionaire responded, sharing a link to a story published by an obscure outlet called the Santa Monica Observer. It seemed to have crashed since the story was first highlighted by Musk, with would-be readers receiving an error page reading that the site's webserver, Cloudflare, was 'returning an unknown error' according to Axios. New Twitter CEO Elon Musk shared a link to a now-deleted article suggesting Paul Pelosi left a gay bar with David DePape early Friday morning before he was allegedly attacked with a hammer Musk shared a now-deleted Santa Monica Observer article written by Stan Greene Paul Pelosi was able to call 911 alerting authorities to the situation as it was unfolding. He is pictured here with his wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in 2019 According to the Los Angeles Times, the same outlet previously reported that Hillary Clinton died before the 2016 election, and that a body double had been sent to debate Donald Trump. It also claimed that sunlight could treat COVID, and that Kanye West had been appointed to the Trump administration. The latest story, which can still be accessed in an online archive, was headlined: 'The Awful Truth: Paul Pelosi Was Drunk Again, And In a Dispute With a Male Prostitute Early Friday Morning.' Author Stan Greene claimed 'in his honest opinion' that Paul Pelosi and DePape met at a gay bar earlier that night and went to the home together. Greene offered no evidence to back up his claims, and police have not shared any information which confirms any of the claims made. Pelosi was previously sentenced to five days in jail in August after he crashed his Porsche while drunk this year, but there's no suggestion that he's gay or an alcoholic. Musk's decision to share such an outlandish theory sparked fury on Twitter, just days after he bought the site and vowed to make it a paragon of free speech. He had written in a message to advertisers on Thursday that while he wants the social media giant to become a 'digital town square' it 'obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences'. A mother-of-six who slapped a stranger she thought was staring at her while waiting to board an international Qantas flight has pleaded guilty to the random assault. New Zealander Jaylene Jones-Tango was standing in the departure lounge at Sydney Airport ready to board QF149 to Auckland shortly before 5pm on October 20. Sitting in front of 36-year-old Jones-Tango was a 61-year-old woman who was waiting with her husband and another passenger to catch the same flight. Without warning, and apparently for no reason, Jones-Tango slapped the woman between the shoulder blades, according to a statement of facts tendered in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. A mother-of-six who slapped a stranger she thought was staring at her while waiting to board a Qantas flight has pleaded guilty to the random assault. New Zealander Jaylene Jones-Tango, 36, is pictured outside Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Monday Jones-Tango was standing in the departure lounge at Sydney Airport ready to board QF149 to Auckland shortly before 5pm on October 20. Sitting in front of her was a 61-year-old woman who was waiting with her husband and another passenger to catch the same flight 'The impact of the slap shocked the victim, causing her to turn around,' the statement said. 'At this time she observed a female standing behind her who then said, "Hi".' Jones-Tango, who the victim described as having 'blondey hair' and being of 'Maori or Polynesian ethnicity', walked off and sat down behind her. The court heard the victim had been a teacher for 40 years in her native New Zealand and had extensive experience dealing with 'problem children'. 'The victim, while shocked at the behaviour, did not retaliate or respond as a means of de-escalating a potentially volatile situation,' the statement of facts said. 'The victim moved seating positions so she could keep an eye on the girl. Over the next few minutes the accused has continuously taunted the victim by pulling faces and giving offensive signs.' A short time later, Jones-Tango approached the woman again and without provocation opened her left hand and with a swinging arm slapped her on the right side of her face. Without warning, and apparently for no reason, Jones-Tango slapped a stranger between the shoulder blades. The victim then turned around, according to a statement of facts tendered in court. 'At this time she observed a female standing behind her who then said, "Hi"' A short time after the first slap, Jones-Tango approached the woman again and without provocation opened her left hand and with a swinging arm hit her on the right side of her face. Passengers are pictured queuing at Sydney Airport The victim responded by saying 'Hey!' but again did not retaliate. 'The force of the slap caused immediate pain to the victim's right cheek and left her in "disbelief", later stating, "I knew it wasn't personal because I have never seen her before",' the statement of facts said. 'The accused has walked away from the victim and returned to a nearby seat where she stared out of the window.' Australian Federal Police officers were called and observed Jones-Tango appeared to be be affected by drugs or alcohol. Qantas security removed Jones-Tango from the flight and she was charged with one count of common assault. On Monday she faced magistrate Daniel Covington who heard Jones-Tango had arrived in Australia six weeks ago on a holiday. The court heard Jones-Tango had formed the view the woman she slapped had been staring at her before she launched her assault. She had written a letter of apology to the victim and another to the court. Jones-Tango is pictured with a friend outside court She had been drinking before her flight home and after being arrested was staying with a friend at Mount Druitt, wanting to return to New Zealand as soon as possible. One of 11 siblings, Jones-Tango had six children who did not live with her, the court heard. She was unemployed, had been the victim of violence and suffered trauma. 'As far as the facts are concerned they are most regrettable,' her barrister said. 'A random attack on someone minding their own business at the airport.' The court heard Jones-Tango had formed the view the woman she slapped had been staring at her before she launched her assault. She had written a letter of apology to the victim and another to the court. Jones-Tango had been drinking before her flight home and after being arrested had been staying with a friend at Mount Druitt, wanting to return to New Zealand as soon as possible. Passengers are pictured arriving at the Qantas terminal at Sydney Airport Mr Covington described the assault as a 'random attack' and said Jones-Tango's belief the victim had been staring at her 'certainly doesn't justify the actions'. 'People at the airport should be able to go about their day without being assaulted,' he said, before convicting Jones-Tango and fining her $1,000. Following Jones-Tango's arrest, the AFP's Sydney Airport commander Morgen Blunden said police would not hesitate to prosecute people whose behaviour endangered other passengers. 'Thousands of people are travelling through Sydney Airport every day and we are serious about making sure it remains a safe environment for travellers and employees who work there,' Detective Superintendent Blunden said. 'We will not tolerate this type of allegedly violent and unprovoked behaviour and people should know that we will prosecute them to the full extent of the law if they pose a threat to peoples safety.' At least 120 people have died after a cable bridge collapsed in the Morbi area of Gujarat, Western India, on Sunday. Authorities have said nearly 500 people were celebrating Dilwali on or around the pedestrian suspension bridge over the country's Machhu River, when it snapped. State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said this included more than 150 people on the narrow bridge at the time. At least another 30 people have been confirmed as injured in the tragedy, and a number of those killed are children. Rescue efforts are continuing into the night with dozens said to be unaccounted for. Rescue efforts have continued into the early hours of the morning to try and find people who became trapped in the water Friends and relatives anxiously wait for news after a bridge collapsed in northern India killing at least 120 people The Indian Coastguard (left) led the search and rescue efforts on the water, but dozens of ordinary citizens joined the efforts The bridge was recently closed for six months while it underwent a refurbishment, and only reopened a week ago Hundreds of people have anxiously lined the riverbank to watch rescue efforts as they await news of friends and loved ones A large emergency response was deployed to the chaotic scene as victims were rushed to hospital Rescuers have been pictured using heavy equipment such as cranes to help rescue those trapped in the waters below The suspension bridge was extremely busy in the minutes before the collapse, with as many as 150 people walking over the river Officials say the cause of the collapse could have been overcrowding, but have ordered a team to investigate Some people managed to hold onto the end of the bridge and were left hanging in the air awaiting rescue The bridge - known as Julto pul - is a popular tourist attraction in the Morbi area of Gujarat, western India At least 120 people have died in the collapse, with many of those left in the water attempting dangerous climbs to safety. P. Dekavadiya, the head of police in Morbi, said: 'We have recovered 120 bodies so far. The toll is likely going to increase as the search operation continues.' He said more than 130 people had been rescued. One witness told local media: 'People fell on top of each other after the bridge collapsed. People had flocked to the bridge for rituals and because of the Diwali festival. Many children and women were among the victims.' Hundreds were plunged into the water below near the town of Morbi while dozens more were left clinging onto the bridge's twisted wreck to await rescue. Video footage shows people holding onto the bridge as emergency services struggled to rescue them. Emergency workers flooded to the scene, including 50 navy personnel and 30 air force officials, along with a national disaster management team to trace missing people, the government said in a statement. A five-member team specialising in infrastructure was appointed to conduct an investigation into the disaster. Some of those who plunged into the water clambered up the broken structure to try to make their way to the river banks, while others swam to safety. Prateek Vasava, who swam to the river bank after falling from the bridge, told 24 Hours Gujarati-language news channel that he witnessed several children drop into the river. 'I wanted to pull some of them along with me but they had drowned or got swept away,' he said. The bridge had collapsed in just a few seconds, he said. 'Many children were enjoying holidays for Diwali and they came here as tourists. 'All of them fell one on top of another. The bridge collapsed due to overloading,' said one witness, who gave his name as Sukram. Atul Prajapati, a medical officer at the state hospital near the disaster site, said: 'We have found 120 bodies and the final rites process has begun.' The bridge, known as the Julto pul, is a 140-year-old structure that had recently been refurbished and was reopened to the public last week after six months of work. Images showing the bridge shortly before it collapsed revealed pedestrians were tightly packed together as they made their way across the river. Officials said that the collapse of the structure could have been caused by overcrowding. Hundreds of onlookers gathered around the collapse site on Sunday evening as rescue efforts continued Ambulance services arrive at the hospital as hundreds are feared injured following the collapse India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: 'I am deeply saddened by the tragedy at Morbi. Talked to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other officials about this. 'Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided to the affected.' Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel tweeted: 'I express my condolences to the families of the citizens who lost their lives in the tragedy of Morbi. 'The state government will provide Rs 4 lakh to the family of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.' 'The news of the accident due to the breakdown of the cable bridge on the Machhu river in Morbi, Gujarat is very sad. 'Taking quick cognizance of the incident, the Gujarat government and administration have given necessary guidelines for relief and rescue. I wish the injured a speedy recovery.' Minister of State Brijesh Merja tweeted: 'Due to the accident on the suspension bridge, all the private hospitals along with the civil hospital have been ordered to provide immediate treatment. 'Apart from this, orders have been given to take the injured people out of the water and take them to a private hospital in an ambulance, free of charge. Also, private hospitals have been asked to keep as many doctors as possible on duty.' The incident comes ahead of elections in Gujarat, which are expected to be held by the year-end with the current term of the Modi's ruling party's term ending in February, 2023. The bridge was first opened in 1879 and connects the Mahaprabhuji region to Samakantha. The bridge is a popular attraction for tourists and locals, and was especially busy during this festive season, during which many celebrate Diwali and Chhath Puja. It had previously suffered significant damage following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. Melissa Caddick's jewellery, clothes, handbags and art will go under the hammer after a court ordered several 'uncontested' assets of the missing fraudster should be sold. Caddick, 49, a self-styled financial advisor, vanished in November 2020 after ASIC raided her home in Sydney's east and is presumed dead after her foot washed up on a NSW beach. ASIC had been probing her company, Maliver Pty Ltd, over claims it was providing financial services without a licence and that its sole director and shareholder had misappropriated funds. She used the money for holidays, property and to purchase art, luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior and one-of-a-kind pieces from Sydney based jeweller Stefano Canturi. Court proceedings initiated by the corporate watchdog in November 2020 remain underway in a bid to return money to duped investors. Melissa Caddick's (pictured with Anthony Koletti) collection of designer clothes, handbags and artworks are to go under the hammer including a $100,000 diamond necklace On Monday, as part of the long-running civil action, barrister Nicola Bailey, acting for receivers of Caddick's estate, sought Federal Court orders permitting disposal of assets over which no objection had been received from 'out-of-pocket investors'. 'Uncontested' goods to be sold via auction, or returned to owners, included Canturi jewellery, designer goods and household items, Ms Bailey said. Among the specific items listed to be sold by court-appointed receivers are a diamond necklace valued at $100,000, a Cartier Panther bracelet watch, a pair of Gucci silver heart earrings and a Canturi Cubism Collection necklace - featuring aquamarine, sapphire and 165 diamonds. Of the jewellery, Ms Bailey said Canturi Corporation had 'no difficulty' in delivering up pieces that it held. She said uncommercial items like stationery and cleaning products could be given to charity, while a pearl necklace would be 'disclaimed' to its owner. All proceeds would be held in a receiver trust account, the barrister said, noting that a 'contested asset application' would be made at a future date. The court heard that Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti objected to the sale of some assets but that they did not include those under consideration on Monday. Melissa Caddick's (pictured with Anthony Koletti) extensive jewellery collection includes multiple diamond and sapphire necklaces from Sydney jeweller Stefano Canturi In April, Koletti claimed, as per court documents, that he was entitled to a share in millions of dollars worth of Caddick's property, jewellery, artworks and cars. The Sydney hairdresser later abandoned the claim, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. 'I am satisfied I can make the orders sought... based on the evidence that has been read this morning,' Justice Brigitte Marcovic said. 'I am satisfied that all necessary parties have been notified of the proposal to sell various assets that form the receivership property.' The judge said any assets subject to an objection did not come under the order and so would not be sold, with the resolution of those assets being 'for another day'. Mr Koletti's blue convertible Audi R8 V10 with custom number plate was sold off at auction for $295,000. She bought it for him in 2016 Caddick swindled more than $30 million in funds over eight years, leaving investors out of pocket by as much as $23.7 million, the Federal Court has previously been told. On Friday the receivers reported they had an accepted an offer on Caddick's Dover Heights house. They will not be disclosing the sale price until settlement in 12 weeks, but it was hoped to fetch at least $10 million. In February her luxury cars sold at auction for more than $360,000. SNL alum Chris Redd has been seen smiling for the first time since he was assaulted by a man with a 'brass knuckle duster' - as he says he is 'ok and healing fast'. Redd, 37, was left with two black eyes and a large gash on his nose following the attack on Wednesday night outside of the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village. Police are investigating the incident, but there have been no arrests and the suspect is still at large - with Redd needing stitches on his nose. In an Instagram post on Sunday, Redd said: 'Ive been resting up like crazy but I want to say thank you thank you thank you for all the messages of love, the jokes, and the concern! Ill be back up talking some good s very soon.' The comedian said that he would reschedule any shows that had to be canceled due to his injuries, and was pictured smiling with his gash healing by TMZ. According to his Facebook page, Redd is due to appear in Tacoma, Washington, from November 11-13, Rochester, New York, November 17-19, Springfield, Missouri, December 2 and 3 and East Providence, Rhode Island, between December 15 and 17. In the same post, Redd also put down a rumor that the attacker had snatched a chain from him. He joked: 'Y'all will just write anything.' Redd, 37, was left with two black eyes and a large gash on his nose which required stitches following the attack CCTV footage shows Redd stroll up the NYC street before he's suddenly floored by a punch Shocked onlookers quickly jump to their feet after he's hit, spraying blood over the sidewalk It had been alleged that Redd lost his Greg Yuna chain during the incident. Redd's HBO Max special Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This? drops on November 3. The special was produced by Conan O'Brien. The funnyman will also appear in a pre-taped appearance on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live on Monday night. The appearance was recorded prior to the attack. Surveillance footage showed onlookers immediately spring from their seats to aid the comedian, whose nose was busted open by the blow. Staff at a nearby restaurant had to scrub the sidewalk with hot water after the attack to clear up the blood. The attack on Redd by a mystery assailant was completely unprovoked. Witness Fabrizio Cavallacci, who owns Cafe Reggio next door to the comedy club, told PIX11: 'He had his nose cracked not broken, but split and a lot of blood was coming out.' He smiled and said that he was 'ok' after being punched in the face with brass knuckle dusters SNL star Chris Redd received care from passersby and cops after the punch 'split' his nose Blood splattered on the sidewalk and steps by the comedy club where Redd was to perform Cavallacci said he was outside when the attack happened, adding: 'A whole bunch of people [were] gathered there, and they really bashed the poor guy. 'He was really bleeding a lot.' He said: 'After an ambulance came we took a pail of hot water to clean the sidewalk because it was really messy.' The cafe boss said two masked men ran off down the street after the attack and 'things like this happen pretty often' in the area. The SNL alum reportedly plans to beef up his personal security following the vicious assault A local business owner said the punch 'split' Redd's nose, with blood splattered over the street A man dressed in security guard uniform 'with brass knuckles' ran up to him and assaulted him Redd, who announced he would not return to SNL after five seasons in September, was rushed to the hospital, but released shortly afterwards. The star was earlier said to be meeting with police to go over surveillance footage, with Redd 'rocked to the core' by the attack and planning on using security around him going forward. He was getting out of a car in front of the famed comedy club when a man dressed in a security guard uniform ran up to him and allegedly assaulted him. The attacker was reportedly wearing brass knuckles when he punched the comedian on Wednesday. Optional land tax will help first-home buyers purchase property sooner and save them money over the time they're expected to stay in the property, the NSW government says. Some could live in their property for 63 years and still pay less than they would for upfront stamp duty, NSW Treasury analysis says. That figure is for a first-home buyer buying a $1.5 million unit, the maximum eligible price. More realistically, 'under reasonable assumptions', the Treasury analysis still shows those who opt for annual land tax will save money for more than 20 years. Some first home buyers could live in their property for 63 years and still pay less in land tax than they would for upfront stamp duty, NSW Treasury analysis says Premier Dominic Perrottet wants to start a trial in January 2023 of an optional land tax for first-home buyers. It would allow them to avoid the high cost of stamp duty, and the property would not be locked into the tax if sold. Legislation creating the scheme has passed parliament's lower house but is subject to an inquiry before the upper house votes. Treasury's inquiry submission notes the scheme 'is not expected to have any noticeable effect on home prices, but it is expected to increase home ownership'. It favours owner-occupiers over investors and removes the stamp duty 'deposit barrier', allowing first homebuyers to purchase sooner, Treasury said. Mr Perrottet blames Labor for the inquiry delaying the bill's passage. 'Stop blocking the opportunity for young people to get into their very first home,' he said on Monday. Labor has criticised the proposal and called for it to be delayed until after the election, pleading with the cross bench not to support the bill. 'We're not going to support land tax in NSW,' Opposition Leader Chris Minns reaffirmed on Monday. He has not revealed plans if the trial begins in January and his party is elected in March. 'If it does pass, we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it,' Mr Minns said. Optional land tax will help first-home buyers purchase property sooner and save them money over the time they're expected to stay in the property, the NSW government says The scheme will place a 'forever tax' on the family home and cost the government revenue, Labor says. 'What we're seeing from Labor is a scare campaign based on lies,' Mr Perrottet said. The scheme made sense and would benefit first-home buyers, he said. Purchasers would pay land tax on an $800,000 unit for 36 years before it cost them more than stamp duty. A $1 million townhouse would have buyers ahead for 28 years, and a $1.25 million house for 26, Treasury says. Its calculations have tax rates indexed to grow at the same rate as gross state product per capita (3.2 per cent annually in the 15 years to June 2021). The analysis uses an average 5.6 per cent mortgage rate, taken from the same 15-year period, and assumes different land values for houses (60 per cent), townhouses (50 per cent) and units (35 per cent). Prior analysis showed half of all owner-occupiers sell their property within 10.5 years and about two-thirds within 20. Stamp duty exemptions and concessions available for first-home buyers purchasing homes under $800,000 will continue. Mr Minns said about 85 per cent of first-home buyers already benefited from the existing concessions. 'They won't be going on this land tax merry-go-round in the first place,' he said. The NSW Tenants Union supports land taxes, with chief executive Leo Patterson Ross last week telling the upper house inquiry it discourages land-banking and intentionally vacant properties. McKell Institute chief executive Michael Buckland said all homebuyers should be offered the land tax option, then the property should be locked into the tax to gradually transition all homes. The committee is expected to report on its inquiry by Friday. An aspiring rapper is being celebrated as a hero after he saved the lives of four people by alerting them to the flames engulfing their home as they slept in Iowa on October 23. According to KCRA, Brendon Birt, who goes by the moniker Blase 96 in his music career, took a wrong turn in the town of Red Oak when he came upon the home. He told the station: 'I just felt like somebody was in there because it was so late at night.' The owner of the house, Tender Lehman, was in Montana due to a family emergency when the fire occurred. Her three children and their 22-year-old brother, Bryce Harrison, were inside asleep on the fateful night. The three youngest children were in the care of their brother while Lehman was away. The children are aged 17, 14 and 8. The KCRA report says that the family continued to sleep despite the fire because the home's smoke detectors did not go off. When Birt noticed the fire, he began banging one windows until he was able to rouse those inside. Birt told KCRA: 'Like every second that was going by was just getting worse. I just felt like somebody was in there because it was so late at night, you know? I just knew that I had to act quick.' Lehman posted the video showing the moment that her family escaped certain death on Instagram. The video was recorded by her Ring doorbell camera. She wrote in the caption: 'The day our lives changed forever! But, from the ashes right??' The video showed Lehman's three young children escaping, they are followed by their eldest sibling. The hero continued: 'They came out the door. Like, I just felt like, I just wanted to break down and cry. Like, I dont even know these people here.' The horrific fire broke out on the night of October 23 in Red Oak, Iowa, around 110 miles southwest of Des Moines Four siblings, ages 22, 17, 14 and 8, remained asleep inside as the flames engulfed the home According to local reports, the family's smoke detectors did not go off as the fire spread It took Brendon Birt's heroic actions to rouse the family from their beds to safety Brendon Birt, pictured here, is an aspiring rapper who goes by the name Blase 96 When Lehman returned from Montana, she met Birt. The grateful mother said: 'Im so incredibly grateful, [for sure]. My kids wouldnt have made it, man. They're safe, and they're safe because of him. I mean, lives were saved here. Souls.' The home's owner told KCRA that their home is destroyed and that five of their seven dogs were dead. Christopher Lehman, the children's father, told the station: 'Everything was just black in the living room. There's nothing left of it.' The Stanton Fire and Rescue Department said on Facebook that it took them five hours to get the blaze under control. The Red Oak Fire Department said that the cause of the fire is under investigation. In an interview with NewsNationNow's Prime, Birt described his thought process saying: 'I decided to act real quick, because I knew how bad is bad to get. I just I had to assume that people were in there.' He went on: 'I just did what I had to do. Luckily it turned out to be the way it was supposed to be.' Also speaking with the network, Lehman said that she considers Birt to be family now. She said: 'He has been in contact with my children every day. And I know that its a healing process for him just as much as it is for my kids.' According to the Stanton Fire and Rescue, firefighters battled the blaze for five hours The children's grandmother wrote on Facebook: 'This young man doesnt look like a hero with his saggy pants, two tone braids and a stocking cap but he is our hero' A GoFundMe page that has been set up for the family has raised over $7,500 at the time of writing. The goal of the page is $30,000. According to the page, that was set up by Tender Lehman's mother, Windy Monjarez, the family's home is a 'total loss.' The page reads: 'My son in law is a Union Boilermaker and my daughter is in college to become a nurse. Anybody who knows them, knows their hearts!' It continues: 'They would and have helped everybody who has ever needed it. They are homeless and have nothing left.' On her Facebook page, Monjarez wrote of Birt: 'This young man doesnt look like a hero with his saggy pants, two tone braids and a stocking cap but he is our hero.' She added: 'Brendon Birt you are my hero! You will always be in my heart as the 25 yr old hipster hero that saved my four grandkids. I love you!' According to his Facebook page, Brendon is a native of Red Oak, Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa. In 2020, Brendon released his first album Misunderstood that ironically includes a track titled Get Out. He followed that up with his second album, Black Side. The Greens are demanding a four day working week to be publicly funded and trialled in one of Australia's most hipster suburbs. Victorian Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam on Monday pitched a $60million fund to help a transition to a four-day working week model. And she wants it tested out in the suburb of Richmond, three kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, with female-dominated workplaces getting preferential treatment. 'Workers often achieve the same or greater output, and with a much more reasonable work-life balance,' she said of the benefits of a short week. Ms Ratnam launched the campaign with candidate Gabrielle de Vietri, who hopes to win the seat of Richmond off incumbent Labor MP Richard Wynne in the November 26 state election. Under a two-year trial, Victorian-owned businesses and government departments with less than $50m in annual turnover would be eligible to apply for funding. Pictured is a female traffic controller on a building site The trial would be carried out in the suburb of Richmond, three kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, where the Greens hope to pick up a seat in the state election Under the plan, there would be a two-year trial where Victorian-owned businesses and government departments with less than $50m in annual turnover would be eligible to apply for funding. Female-dominated workplaces would be prioritised and the cash used to increase staff numbers in frontline workplaces, or support systems and technology within workplaces to adapt to a new schedule. The funding could be used to increase staff numbers, or for support systems and technology within workplaces to help them adapt to the new work practices. The trial would take place over two years, with the Victorian government measuring the social and economic benefits to workers and businesses. Workplaces would transition full-time staff to four days with no loss of pay or entitlements, while part-time workers would get a proportional reduction in working hours or an equivalent pay rise. 'These trials are already taking place in various private sectors and around the world, and results are outstanding,' Ms Ratnam said. 'We've been tricked into believing that working five days a week is normal, but if we can achieve the same results in four, as the trials are indicating, why wouldn't we take some of our time back to spend with loved ones on passion projects? 'Victoria could lead the nation in trialling the four-day work week.' A Greens plan to trial a four-day working week would see female-dominated workplaces getting priority The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), which represents public servants, has written to parties to ask for their position on a four-day week for its staff and the wider sector. Premier Daniel Andrews and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy last week publicly declared they did not support the proposal. 'No, I don't think a four-day week is the answer,' Mr Andrews said when asked about the idea. Mr Guy agreed and said the working week would not be changing if the Liberals are elected. But the leaders' reticence could change if there is a tight election result and the Greens hold the balance of power. Victorian Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam (pictured) pitched a $60million fund to help a transition to a four-day working week model Two weeks out from early voting centres opening, new polling indicates millions of Victorians are yet to make up their minds. A Resolve Strategic survey of 800 voters, taken from October 20 to 24 and published in The Age on Monday, found 27 per cent of respondents were uncommitted. That means there are about a million enrolled voters who could be swayed in the lead up to the November 26 poll. The call was shutdown by the government and opposition almost immediately. Foreign Minister Park Jin explains his ministry's 2023 budget proposal at a plenary session of the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee in Seoul, Oct. 31. Yonhap South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said Monday the country's decision to join Japan's international fleet review next month was based on "customary" international practices, dismissing a controversy here over what would be the country's first participation in the event in seven years. The Navy plans to dispatch the 10,000-ton logistics support ship Soyang to the event to be held in Sagami Bay off Tokyo on Nov. 6. Public controversies linger over whether it is appropriate for South Korea to take part in the fleet review, where the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is set to hoist the Rising Sun Flag, viewed by many Koreans as a symbol of Japan's imperialist past. South Korea has stayed away from Japanese fleet reviews in recent years amid chilled ties and public sentiment against the display of the flag. "The decision was made after a comprehensive review of past cases and customary international practices," Park said during a session of the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee. He stressed that the South has participated in the Japanese fleet review numerous times in the past, including during the previous liberal administration of President Kim Dae-jung. "It is my understanding that such a decision was made in consideration of North Korea's back-to-back provocations and the grave security situation around the Korean Peninsula," he added. The South Korean Navy participated in Japan's fleet review in 2002 and 2015, while the JMSDF joined the South's fleet review in 1998 and 2008. (Yonhap) TV news reporter Candice Wyatt says Twitter scammers have stolen her Instagram photos and are using them as a lure for private 'sex chats'. Wyatt, 40, made an Instagram appeal for help to stop the scam on Sunday. The post showed a Twitter account under the name 'Lory Bonine', which displayed images of Wyatt posing for camera and drinking champagne at a social event. Channel 10 news presenter and reporter Candice Wyatt (pictured) says her Instagram pics have been stolen by a Twitter account, which is using them as a lure for private 'sex chats' Wyatt, showed an example of the 'Lory Bonine' account using photos taken from her Instagram 'HELP! Hey guys if you have a Twitter account can you please go and report this person?' Wyatt wrote. 'They're taking my Insta pics and using them on Twitter to DM people for private sex chats. 'Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but this is not OK. 'And, yes, I've reported them too.' Wyatt told the Herald Sun she would not 'stand' for her image being used to defraud people. 'In a world where data breaches and identity theft are rife, I won't stand for fake social media accounts which aim to scam innocent people out of money, using my image,' she said. 'I encourage everyone to report fake accounts and help make social media a safe place'. Following an incident with a man who spat at her, Wyatt said Channel 10 now hire security while filming in public and 'do a risk assessment every time we decide to do a live cross' Wyatt is a prominent Channel 10 personality in Melbourne and her Instagram account boasts many shots of decked out in eye-catching attire enjoying the high life with the city's movers and shakers. However, she endured an encounter of a very different nature with a man in August of last year. The man spat at her and the camera crew while they were filming live crosses near central Melbourne in August and continued to verbally abuse them for 45 minutes. The thug was locked up for 53 days in jail following his court case in May. Wyatt, here seen holidaying on the Greek island of Santorini, often posts shots of her glamorous social life 'Last year, while I was between live crosses for our News... I was assaulted by a random man next to the Yarra River,' Wyatt said on social media at the time of the trial. 'His attack on me was relentless and a large crowd gathered. I had to call 000.' Wyatt said Channel 10 now hire security when filming in public and do 'risk assessments' before a live cross. For the second time in two years, Rodney Wayne Williams has been found guilty of murdering pregnant 16-year-old Tiffany Taylor, with the judge labelling him a 'creep'. And Williams, 68, has killed before. Tiffany was last seen leaving a motel south of Brisbane seven years ago after Williams organised to meet her on a dating website and pay for sex. Williams picked up Tiffany near the Waterford West motel in July 2015 and was accused of killing her at a remote industrial area before disposing of her body at Fernvale, 100km southwest of Logan. Her body has never been found. Tiffany Taylor was 16 and pregnant when she was last seen leaving a motel south of Brisbane in 2015. Rodney Wayne Williams was found guilty of her murder for the second time on Monday For the second time in two years, Rodney Williams (pictured) has been found guilty of murdering Tiffany Taylor after he picked her up near the Waterford West motel in July 2015. He had organised to meet with her on a dating website and pay for sex Williams was found guilty on Monday afternoon after the jury deliberated for almost five hours in the three-week trial. He had also been found guilty of Tiffany's murder and sentenced to life in prison after a 19-day trial in March 2020. But Williams won an appeal in June 2021 and was granted a retrial. Williams had also been convicted for murder in 1978. He stabbed an elderly neighbour in the back during a robbery and was sentenced to life in prison but was released on parole after 15 years behind bars. At this month's retrial the court heard Tiffany's blood and DNA were found in Williams' gold or champagne-coloured Hyundai sedan. The Crown would show footage it argues shows Williams and Tiffany together in his Hyundai which sported a 'Hustler' sticker on the back bumper. Williams told police Tiffany had suffered a nose bleed when he picked her up. The court heard Williams created a false trail of communication with Tiffany (pictured) on the dating website after killing her, with his last message saying: 'Sorry I didn't turn up, decided I wasn't going to pay for it' Williams (pictured in August, 2015) was found guilty on Monday afternoon after the jury deliberated for almost five hours in the three-week trial He claimed that he had given her a lift to Redbank Plains but changed his story, saying he dropped her off at a truck stop on the Warrego Highway west of Brisbane and had not seen her since. He denied having sex with the teen, telling police he told Tiffany he didn't have any money but she insisted on meeting him anyway because she thought he was interesting after reading his dating website profile. Footage on motorway cameras and phone tracking details on cell towers indicated that her body was in his vehicle on the drive to Fernvale, crown prosecutor Caroline Marco said. Ms Marco said images from toll booths indicated Williams with a passenger in his Hyundai sedan, highlighting one at Heathwood entering the Ipswich motorway. She said while it was not the most clear image it indicated a person slumped on a reclined passenger seat - a person the prosecutor claimed may be a dead Tiffany. Tiffany was reported missing by her sister on July 15, three days after she met Williams at the motel in south Brisbane. Her body has never been found 'As audacious as it might sound that a person would put a deceased person in the front seat of the car, remember that his journey was along a motorway ... and at high speed and if she was slumped in the seat passing motorists may think ... she was asleep,' Ms Marco told the jury. Williams created a false trail of communication with Tiffany on the dating website after killing her, the court heard, with his last message saying: 'Sorry I didn't turn up, decided I wasn't going to pay for it'. He was intercepted by officers at a Brisbane train station with a bag of clothes and sentimental items in August 2015, a day before he was to be interviewed by police. Supreme Court judge Peter Applegarth slammed the killer for repeatedly lying when he handed down his judgment, NCA Newswire reported, with Williams claiming the girl had been 'interested' in him. 'No 16-year-old girl would have found you interesting,' Justice Applegarth said. 'Few 60-year-old women in their right minds would have found a creep like you interesting. The only ones who did would be forensic psychiatrists.' Ukraine's capital has been left largely without water and suffering power cuts this morning after Russia unleashed another missile barrage on major cities. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said 80 per cent of his city has been left without water and 350,000 homes have no power after Russian cruise missiles hit key infrastructure sites - with witnesses reporting five explosions. Kharkiv, in the north, Dnipro and Cherkasy, in central Ukraine, and the southern city of Zaporizhzhia were also hit - causing power cuts. More than 50 cruise missiles were fired by Russian strategic bombers with 44 of the projectiles shot down, Kyiv's commanders said. It comes two days after Russia's Black Sea fleet was damaged by explosive-laden drones in an attack blamed on Ukraine. Ukrainians collect water from public fountains after Russian shelling knocked out around 80 per cent of supplies in the capital Kyiv on Monday A queue of people is seen in a park in Kyiv after Russians attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure left most of the capital without water Smoke rises over Kyiv after Russia launched cruise missiles at the city early Monday, targeting civilian infrastructure including power and water networks Russian missiles are shot down over Kyiv on Monday morning amidst a barrage by Moscow's troops which hit Ukrainian power stations Kyiv regional governor Oleksii Kuleba also said one person was wounded and a number of houses were damaged in this morning's attack. In Kharkiv, two strikes hit critical infrastructure facilities, according to the authorities, and the subway stopped working. Officials also warned about possible power outages in the city of Zaporizhzhia from the strikes there. Critical infrastructure objects were also hit in the Cherkasy region, and explosions were reported in other regions. In the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine, an energy facility was struck, according to local authorities. In Vinnytsia, a missile that was shot down landed on civilian buildings, resulting in damage but no casualties, according to regional governor Serhii Borzov. Parts of the country's rail network were also cut off from power, Ukrainian Railways reported. Russia has been targeting civilian infrastructure, including electricity and water supplies, in an apparent attempt to freeze Ukrainians in their homes as winter hits. Facing setbacks on the battlefield, Moscow seems to be targeting civilians to break their will to continue the war. Such attacks are war crimes, under international law. It comes after a weekend in which Russia blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on its Black Sea fleet. Moscow has since withdrawn its support for ships taking grain out of Ukraine's ports and into world markets, saying it could 'no longer guarantee their safety'. Smoke rises over the city of Dnipro, in central Ukraine, after Russian missiles bombarded the country early on Monday People shelter in the Kyiv subway system as Russian missiles rain down on the capital early on Monday, leaving parts of the city without power At least five explosions were heard across Kyiv on Monday as Russia launched more missiles at power facilities (pictured, people shelter in the subway system) Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, added: 'Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraines critical infrastructure. 'Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians. 'Dont justify these attacks by calling them a "response". Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians.' Russia said Saturday's attack, at the Crimean port of Sevastopol, involved nine drones which damaged one warship. Footage released over the weekend appeared to give a drone's-eye-view of the attack - closing in on a warship as a helicopter attempted to blow the drone up. Another piece of black-and-white footage seemed to reveal the moment a ship was struck, with an explosion lighting up the night sky. Moscow claimed all of the ships targeted were involved in the mission to allow grain ships to navigate the heavily-mined waters of the Black Sea and transport food to global markets, where it is used to feed some of the world's poorest. As a result, the Kremlin said it was withdrawing support for the mission. However, Kyiv - with support from Turkey - plans to push ahead with fresh shipments today amid fears the vessels could come under attack. Incredible video footage from a Ukrainian underwater drone appears to show the Russian Black Sea flagship, Admiral Makarov A minister joked there might be 'some little man in China listening to me and my wife' today after it emerged Liz Truss's phone had been hacked. Mark Spencer said all ministers used personal phones but stressed he was 'careful' and never discussed government business. The comments came after extraordinary revelations in the Mail on Sunday that the former prime minister's personal mobile phone was hacked by agents suspected of working for the Kremlin. Cyber-spies are believed to have gained access to top-secret exchanges with key international partners when she was Foreign Secretary, as well as private conversations with close ally Kwasi Kwarteng. One source told the newspaper the phone was so heavily compromised that it has now been placed in a locked safe inside a secure Government location. Boris Johnson is said to have been informed when he was premier, but a news blackout was put in place to minimise damage. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is also embroiled in a separate row about use of her private email account to circulate sensitive government information. A Whitehall source said all ministers involved in national security would be expected to attend fresh training with the security services this week 'to ensure everyone is aware how this material should be handled'. Mark Spencer said all ministers used 'personal' phones but stressed he was 'careful' and never discussed government business The comments came after extraordinary revelations in the Mail on Sunday that Liz Truss's personal mobile phone was hacked by agents suspected of working for the Kremlin Ministers will be warned they should never use their personal mobile phones to conduct Government business as they are likely to be the target of hostile states such as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. Mr Spencer told Sky News ministers get 'quite a lot of briefing' from the security services on 'what to do and what not to do'. Asked if he uses his Government phone for personal business, he said: 'I do not, no.' He added: 'You do get quite a lot of briefing from the security services on what to do and what not to do. So, you know, it's quite important to get that right. 'I don't want to comment too much on it because, of course, what I don't want to do is tell the world exactly what that briefing says. 'But you do get a lot of support when you become a Government minister on what is appropriate and inappropriate as a Government minister.' He added: 'We all talk on personal phones don't we. I ring my wife, maybe there's some little man in China listening to the conversation between me and my wife, but you know, you've just got to be careful about what information you use on which phone... 'There's a lot of people that want to do this country harm, which is why you've got to be careful.' Pauline Neville-Jones, former chairman of Britain's joint intelligence committee, yesterday said she was 'not at all tolerant of the notion that it's OK for ministers to use private mobile phones'. A devastated father-of-two took his own life just weeks after his own dad suddenly died, leaving their family completely heartbroken. On October 23, Nicky Larkin was found dead near a stables in Bridgend, south Wales, where he would take his daughter for horse riding lessons. The 29-year-old, who had been struggling with depression, found it difficult to cope after his father Roy, 64, died in August, WalesOnline reported. Nicky's devastated mother, Julie Larkin, said her son idolised his father and even followed in his footsteps as a plasterer. She told The Mirror that her son, who adored his children, had not 'been right' since his father died. Nicky Larkin (pictured with children Tommy and Katie and partner Sian) took his own life in Bridgend, south Wales, just weeks after his father passed away Roy Larkin, who had been diagnosed with cancer, died at home in Bridgend in August aged 64 Nicky idolised his father Roy (pictured together) and even followed in his footsteps and became a plasterer Friends and family of Nicky said he was a very 'dedicated dad' to his two children Julie Larkin (pictured with Roy) said her son Nicky had been struggling with depression before his father died, but said he hadn't 'been right since' Julie said her son was 'the most loving' and 'hard-working' man, who lived with mental health issues that began to worsen after her husband of 37-years died. The 57-year-old told The Mirror there had been no indication Nicky would take his life and that he would often walked by the farm with his daughter Katie, son Tommy, and partner Sian on a weekend. Julie, who has three other children, said: 'He was a lovely, lovely boy. A happy go lucky man, a selfless man, and an amazingly hard worker. He loved his children and his family. He was extremely popular.' She added: 'As a family we lived a very normal life before Roy's death. Everything was great. We had our problems but we worked through them. But everything has changed.' The family is concerned about how they will pay for Nicky's funeral, so shortly after Roy's. Nicky's mother Julie said her son had been struggling but that there was no indication he would take his life Nicky (middle with his three siblings) was described as 'a selfless man' and an 'amazingly hard worker' An online fundraiser has been launched, aiming to raise 5,000 to cover the costs of Nicky's funeral Julie Larkin said that her whole family has been 'left in bits' after they discovered Nicky had taken his own life Bridgend nightclub, The Eden, will host an event on November 11 where all earnings on the door will go towards Nicky's funeral. While family friends Alisha Harris and Stevie Hoey have organised an online fundraiser. Alisha Julie and her family 'don't deserve this' and that she wanted to give Nicky 'the best send off there is'. She said: 'This family has been through enough, and funerals cost money. A lot of money especially to give Nicky Larkin what he deserved. 'He was hard working boy from a young age, who literally had his entire life ahead of him. 'He was always speaking down the school with other parents and Ive heard them speak of how much of a dedicated dad he was to them two beautiful kids that he's sadly left behind.' You can visit to GoFundMe here. But this means petty neighbour disputes are being recorded as violent crimes Current rules mean all complaints from public need to be included in statistics Police statistics are scaring the public into believing that violence is much more common than it actually is due to incivility and petty disputes between neighbours being routinely recorded as crimes, a chief constable has warned. Sir David Thompson, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, told the Times that crime is being measured in a 'completely mad way' and giving a false impression that acts of violence are on the increase. He explained that this is the result of a Home Office rule that all complaints from the public must be included in official statistics, even if it is just a petty dispute such as one neighbour feeling threatened after another complained about her children playing on their driveway. This rule was put in place after revelations several years ago that police forces were manipulating statistics to meet targets - recording rape and child sex abuses as 'crime-related' or 'no crimes' and downgrading burglaries to lesser offences. Last week official statistics revealed that police-recorded crime in England and Wales has hit a new high, driven by apparent sharp increases in violent and sexual offences. A total of 6.5 million crimes were recorded in the 12 months to June 2022, up from the previous all-time high of 6.3 million in the year to March. Some 2.1 million violent crimes against the person were recorded by police in the 12 months to June, up 13 per cent year-on-year and up 20 per cent on pre-pandemic levels, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). But Sir David said these statistics are not showing the full picture and that his own force's apparent 203 per cent increase in violence without injury since 2018 is 'almost totally' down to crime recording. Sir David Thompson (pictured), Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, claims police statistics are scaring the public into believing that violence is much more common than it actually is due to incivility and petty disputes being routinely recorded as crimes He said: 'We are recording colossal amounts of stuff in this violence category that makes the public think violence is going through the roof. But their actual experience of violence is going down.' He recognised the need to record all sexual crimes but questioned why reports that were not fully investigated because they were deemed not criminal were being included in ONS statistics. He explained that he often does not have the resources to deploy detectives to investigate complaints that are clearly not criminal but unless these allegations can be proven to be untrue, they continue to be recorded in statistics. Some such reports made to West Midlands police include a person who had a walking stick raised to them during a dispute with a neighbour and another who said she felt threatened and harassed because her neighbour criticised her children for running on their driveway. He called for a Home Office inquiry into the recording rules which he described as 'mad', saying it would be like the NHS recording every person who thought they might have cancer even before they were assessed by a professional. The chief constable also claimed that disparities in recording crimes across the country has given the impression that the rate of violence against the person is higher in Warwickshire, West Mercia, Norfolk and Cumbria than in London because these regional forces abide closely to the recording rules. A total of 6.5 million crimes were recorded in the 12 months to June 2022, up from the previous all-time high of 6.3 million in the year to March Rick Muir, director of the Police Foundation think tank, also argued that the ONS statistics were misleading and that crime was 'not at an all time high'. He told the paper: 'Crime recorded by the police has increased. Crime as measured by the [annual British] Crime Survey, the best metric we have, is falling and is much lower than it was 20 years ago.' According to the latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending June 2022, total crime has decreased by 8 per cent. Estimates from the CSEW showed that there were 1.2million violent offences in the year ending June 2022, which represented no significant change with the year ending March 2020. The ONS acknowledged that some of the increase in rape and domestic-abuse offences shown in their most recent statistics 'may reflect improvements seen in recording and reporting over the last few years'. Rick Muir from the Police Foundation (pictured) also agreed that ONS statistics were giving the misleading impression that crime is at an all time high The figures show that the number of recorded rape offences has nearly doubled in just over six years, from 366,321 in 2015/16 to 70,600 in the year to June. Diana Fawcett, chief executive at the charity Victim Support, said: 'This huge increase in sexual violence, in particular rape, reported to the police is seriously alarming. 'While these figures may reflect rises in these offences, it may also be the case that more survivors are coming forward, as awareness about violence against women improves. 'The glaring rise in reported domestic abuse also reflects what we're seeing the number of women reaching out to us for support shot up during the pandemic and hasn't gone back down since.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The public have a right to expect that the police get the basics right and that genuine crimes that have been reported to the police should be treated seriously and investigated. 'Everyone should have the security of a safe street and home, and it is promising to see that knife crime, burglaries and drug-related offences have fallen across the country. 'As of 30 September 2022, 15,343 additional uplift officers have been recruited in England and Wales through the Police Uplift Programme, 77% of the target of 20,000 additional officers by March 2023.' Unaware of their impending doom, the victims of the suspension bridge collapse in India smiled and joked together as the structure swayed from side to side. Within seconds, their laughter was quickly replaced by horrified screams as they plunged to their deaths. The disaster marks one of the deadliest accidents in India in the past 10 years, with at least 141 killed after the colonial-era pedestrian bridge over the Macchu River in Morbi snapped on Sunday. Local police have launched a criminal investigation into the tragedy after it emerged that the walkway, which had been under renovation for seven months, had reopened to the public on Wednesday without a safety certificate. Nine people had been arrested in connection with the collapse of the bridge as of Monday afternoon, all of whom were associated with a company tasked with maintaining the bridge. They are being investigated for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, senior police officer Ashok Kumar Yadav said in a statement. Horrifying footage from just before the collapse shows a group of young Diwali revellers taking photos and smiling as the green cables above them begin to sway. Then, suddenly, the cables snap, the narrow walkway buckles, and the unsuspecting victims are hurled 30ft to their deaths. Around 35 of those killed were younger than 14, as desperate families waited in vain for word of their loved ones. Unaware of their impending doom, the victims of the suspension bridge collapse in India smiled and joked together as the structure swayed from side to side Within seconds, their laughter was quickly replaced by horrified screams as they plunged to their deaths Soldiers carry the body of a victim after a suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi town in the western state of Gujarat, India, on Monday Indian rescue personnel conduct search operations after a bridge across the river Machchhu collapsed in Morbi in the early hours of Monday morning The relatives of a victim who died after the cable bridge collapse are overcome with emotion on Monday The bridge - known as Julto pul - is a popular tourist attraction in the Morbi area of Gujarat, western India The bridge had been packed with hundreds of revellers celebrating the Diwali and Chhath Puja festivals before it collapsed. Hundreds were plunged into the water below near the town of Morbi while dozens more were left clinging onto the bridge's twisted wreck to await rescue. Video shows people holding onto the bridge as emergency services struggled to rescue them. 'People were hanging from the bridge after the accident, but they slipped and fell into the river when it collapsed,' said Raju, an eyewitness who gave only one name. 'I could not sleep the entire night as I had helped in the rescue operation. I brought a lot of children to the hospital.' Another witness who worked all night on the rescue efforts said: 'I saw the bridge collapse before my eyes. 'It was traumatic when a woman showed me a photo of her daughter and asked if I had rescued her. I could not tell her that her daughter had died.' One local MP, Kalyanji Kundariya, told media he had lost 12 family members in the accident, including five children. Some of those who plunged into the water clambered up the broken structure to try to make their way to the river banks, while others swam to safety. Prateek Vasava, who swam to the river bank after falling from the bridge, told 24 Hours Gujarati-language news channel that he witnessed several children drop into the river. 'I wanted to pull some of them along with me but they had drowned or got swept away,' he said. The bridge had collapsed in just a few seconds, he said. 'Many children were enjoying holidays for Diwali and they came here as tourists. 'All of them fell one on top of another. The bridge collapsed due to overloading,' said one witness, who gave his name as Sukram. Some people managed to hold onto the end of the bridge and were left hanging in the air awaiting rescue Friends and relatives anxiously wait for news after a bridge collapsed in northern India killing at least 120 people People carry the bodies of some of the victims of a suspension bridge collapse, during a funeral procession in Morbi, on Monday Most Indians cannot swim and another Morbi resident, Ranjanbhai Patel, said he helped pull out those who had been able to reach the banks. Emergency workers flooded to the scene, including 50 navy personnel and 30 air force officials, along with a national disaster management team to trace missing people, the government said in a statement. A five-member team specialising in infrastructure was appointed to conduct an investigation into the disaster. P. Dekavadiya, the head of police in Morbi, told AFP that more than 130 survivors had been rescued but at least 141 were killed. Hundreds of mourners today walked among the rows of graves at the Muslim cemetery in Morbi. Relatives dug graves for their kin with the help of staff, as mourners tried to comfort each other and volunteers offered the grieving families water. Some hugged each other, some cried, some mourned in silence as they waited their turn to lay the bodies to rest, with a shortage of coffins slowing the process. Around 50 Hindu cremations were held on Monday, and 37 Muslim funerals were being carried out at the only Islamic cemetery in the district. Local businessman Rafiq Gaffar was burying two of his nephews: Nisar Iqbal, 21, and 12-year-old Arman Irfan. They were close friends and had told their mothers they were going to the bridge. The family rushed to the site when they learned of the collapse. 'It was mayhem,' said Gaffar, 45. 'People were crying and wailing. It was a scene from doomsday. 'There were bodies floating on the water everywhere and people trapped on the bridge who were frantically calling for help. 'We had no hope after witnessing the scenes. We were just hoping to see their bodies.' Mourners take part in a funeral procession while carrying the coffin of a victim who died after a bridge across the river Machchhu collapsed at Morbi on Monday A survivor of a pedestrian bridge collapse lies at a hospital in Morbi town of western state Gujarat, India, on Monday They searched for the boys for eight hours, he said, but did not find them. 'Finally around six in the morning their bodies were fished out. 'Our family is devastated and it is difficult to overcome the loss.' Arman was the eldest of three brothers, he added. 'He was in school and was too young to die.' Nisar had just started working at a spare parts shop and was helping to earn money for the family. 'He has a sister who is getting married next year but we don't know what will happen now. It will take us ages, in fact our lives to come out of this tragedy. 'They were young and we have nothing left now.' The Indian Coastguard (left) led the search and rescue efforts on the water, but dozens of ordinary citizens joined the efforts The bridge was recently closed for six months while it underwent a refurbishment, and only reopened a week ago Hundreds of people have anxiously lined the riverbank to watch rescue efforts as they await news of friends and loved ones A large emergency response was deployed to the chaotic scene as victims were rushed to hospital Police registered a criminal case against unnamed persons responsible for the renovation, maintenance, and management of the bridge. The government has formed a five-member team to investigate the disaster. The bridge, known as the Julto pul, is a 140-year-old structure that had recently been refurbished and was reopened to the public last week after seven months of work. Gujarat-based electrical appliances maker Oreva group, known for its Ajanta clocks, had been in charge of maintaining the bridge for 15 years, said Sandeepsinh Zala, the chief officer of Morbi municipality. 'They did not give us any information that they were reopening the bridge,' Zala said. 'We have not issued any fitness certificate to them.' Rescuers have been pictured using heavy equipment such as cranes to help rescue those trapped in the waters below The suspension bridge was extremely busy in the minutes before the collapse, with as many as 150 people walking over the river Officials say the cause of the collapse could have been overcrowding, but have ordered a team to investigate Jayrajsinh Jadeja, a local lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, blamed Oreva for selling tickets without restrictions and said overcrowding led to the bridge collapse. The bridge was earlier maintained by the local municipality, which limited the number of people on the bridge at one time to 20, he said. An Oreva spokesperson did not answer calls and text messages from Reuters. The Indian Express newspaper quoted an Oreva spokesperson as saying: 'While we are waiting for more information, prima facie, the bridge collapsed as too many people in the mid-section of the bridge were trying to sway it from one way to the other.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former chief minister of Gujarat, expressed his condolences to the victims' families. 'In this hour of grief, the government is with the bereaved families in every manner,' he said. 'The Gujarat government is carrying out relief and rescue operations since yesterday. The central government too is extending all help to the state government.' The pedestrian bridge is 4.1 ft wide and spans 233 metres connecting the Darbargadh Palace heritage hotel and the town. It was built in 1877 when India was a British colony. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel tweeted: 'I express my condolences to the families of the citizens who lost their lives in the tragedy of Morbi. 'The state government will provide Rs 4 lakh to the family of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.' 'The news of the accident due to the breakdown of the cable bridge on the Machhu river in Morbi, Gujarat is very sad. 'Taking quick cognizance of the incident, the Gujarat government and administration have given necessary guidelines for relief and rescue. I wish the injured a speedy recovery.' Opposition politicians said the disaster exposed the lack of oversight of infrastructure in the country. 'Not just extremely sad on bridge collapse in Morbi but also very angry. Because it was a tragedy in waiting,' Gurdeep Singh Sappal, a member of the Congress party, wrote on Twitter. 'For some time now, bridge collapse, roads caving-in, dams breaching are happening quite often.' The incident comes ahead of elections in Gujarat, which are expected to be held by the year-end with the current term of the Modi's ruling party's term ending in February, 2023. The bridge was first opened in 1879 and connects the Mahaprabhuji region to Samakantha. The bridge is a popular attraction for tourists and locals, and was especially busy during this festive season, during which many celebrate Diwali and Chhath Puja. It had previously suffered significant damage following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. Rishi Sunak could perform a U-turn by attending the Cop-27 climate summit in Egypt next month, No10 admitted today. The Prime Minister is reconsidering after sparking a backlash by saying he would be too busy assembling the crucial Autumn Statement package in the coming weeks. But Downing Street said 'substantial progress' was being made on the fiscal plans - due to be unveiled on 17 November - and so Mr Sunak's decision to snub Cop-27 was now 'under review'. The renewed possibility of the PM travelling to Egypt comes as his predecessor Boris Johnson considers going to the summit - causing anxiety in No10 about Mr Sunak being outflanked. US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are also expected to attend the meeting at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Mr Sunak's official spokesman said: 'As weve said, the PM is focused on pressing domestic issues, most significantly preparing for the Autumn Statement. 'So any attendance at Cop would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing. 'The PM fully recognises the importance of the Cop summit and is fully committed to addressing climate change.' The spokesman added the PM believes the public would 'rightly' want him to focus on issues at home, particularly on 'restoring fiscal credibility' and delivering a budget package that 'works for the British people'. Downing Street also defended Mr Sunak's move to downgrade climate roles within Government. As part of last week's reshuffle when the PM took office, it was confirmed climate minister Graham Stuart will no longer be attending Cabinet. Alok Sharma, the Cop-26 President, also lost his right to attend Cabinet meetings. Mr Sunak's spokesman suggested the public judges the Government on 'outcomes' and not 'vibes' when quizzed about why the pair had been demoted. Rishi Sunak is reconsidering attending Cop-27 after sparking a backlash by saying he would be too busy assembling the crucial Autumn Statement package in the coming weeks His predecessor Boris Johnson is considering going to the meeting in Egypt, causing anxiety in No10 about Mr Sunak being outflanked Environment minister Mark Spencer said this morning that he would like to see Mr Sunak join the gathering 'if he's got time' Earlier today, environment minister Mark Spencer said he would like to see Mr Sunak attend Cop-27 'if he's got time'. 'I think the PM has a huge inbox. He's come into office, he's got an inbox which is full to the brim,' he told Sky News. 'Clearly he wants to concentrate on the financial statement and that's what he's doing. 'But if he's able to get through all of that, you know, Cop is very important. 'It's very important to the Government, it's important to our future, so we'll send out senior ministers, but that's yet to be decided who's going to go.' Asked if he would like to see Mr Sunak attend the summit, Mr Spencer said: 'If he's got time. 'Only he will know what he's got in his inbox and in his diary, if he has the time, but he'll make that call and I'm sure it'll be the right one.' News of a possible change of heart came after Mr Sharma said yesterday the PM could undermine Britain's role as a world leader on green issues if he snubbed the summit from November 6 to 18. He said he was 'disappointed' that Mr Sunak was not intending to go. The PM last week said he wanted to focus on Britain's 'depressing domestic challenges'. But it raised concerns that the UK would not be properly represented at the summit. Former prime minister Liz Truss had been planning to go. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, Business Secretary Grant Shapps and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey will attend with Mr Sharma. Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that the King who was advised not to attend Cop-27 despite pleas from the US among others will host a reception for global business leaders beforehand at Buckingham Palace. Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse, the party's energy and climate change spokesperson, said: 'It shouldnt take Boris Johnson going to Cop to embarrass Rishi Sunak into doing the right thing. 'He must immediately confirm his attendance at Cop-27 and appoint a climate minister to the Cabinet. 'We cannot wait another second to tackle the climate crisis. Rishi Sunak must act before he destroys our countrys reputation and the planet even more.' Advertisement Extra tents have been set up at a migrant processing centre in Kent where 4,000 people are packed into a space designed for just 1,600. Unions have warned the facility in Manston is 'like a pressure cooker', with cases of diphtheria and outbreaks of violence. Overcrowding at the former RAF airfield has worsened after 700 more migrants were taken to the centre from another site in Dover which was attacked on Sunday by a man hurling petrol bombs. Sir Roger Gale, a local Conservative MP, described the situation at Manston as a 'breach of humane conditions' and accused ministers of deliberately fuelling overcrowding. 'There are simply far too many people and this situation should never have been allowed to develop, and I'm not sure that it hasn't almost been developed deliberately,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats arrive at the Dover centre before being taken to Manston for processing. They are meant to stay there for a maximum of 24 hours while they undergo checks before being moved into immigration detention centres or asylum accommodation such as hotels. But Home Secretary Suella Braverman was said to have blocked the transfer of migrants from the centre amid the soaring cost of housing them in hotels, which is around 6million per day. It comes as new official figures revealed a further 468 migrants were intercepted crossing the Channel in small boats on Sunday in eight separate incidents. Sunday's arrivals take the number to make the treacherous crossing so far this year to 39,259, compared to 28,526 in 2021. Aerial photos show large tents that have been set up at Manston, a migrant processing centre in Kent that is said to be heavily overcrowded Migrants and staff could be seen milling around in the field outside the large tents Unions have warned the facility in Manston is 'like a pressure cooker', with cases of diphtheria and outbreaks of violence A man walks near a shower area inside the immigration processing centre in Manston, Kent A woman waves at the camera from behind a green tarpaulin covering a wire fence at a migrant processing centre in Manston, Kent Conditions inside the Manston facility - the outside of which is pictured today - have been described as dangerous and overcrowded A member of staff watches on as a group of migrants gather together inside the Manston centre, which is located inside a former RAF base A man holds up a baby inside an immigration processing centre in Manston, where conditions have been criticised by MPs A view of people thought to be migrants at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility. It was previously used by the MoD to train firefighters Sir Roger, the MP for North Thanet, told Sky News there were now more than 4,000 people at Manston. He said conditions were 'wholly unacceptable' and suggested it may have been allowed to happen 'deliberately'. 'That's like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then there's a car crash, and then suddenly there's a five mile tailback. The car crash was the decision not to book more hotel space,' he said. Asked whether Ms Braverman is the right person to handle this situation, Sir Roger said: 'I'm not seeking to point fingers at the moment but I do believe whoever is responsible, and that is either the previous home secretary or this one, has to be held to account, because a bad decision was taken and it's led to what I would regard as a breach of humane conditions.' There have been outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies at Manston and the Guardian reported there was a case of MRSA. Staff are also reporting outbreaks of violence amid tensions over the conditions. Lucy Moreton, from the Immigration Services Union (ISU), told MailOnline: 'The situation at Manston has been allowed to become utterly catastrophic. 'Over 4,000 people are now on site; some, including families with children, for more than 4 weeks. The facilities are utterly inadequate. 'Staff face threatening and violet behaviour on a daily basis from migrants who are frustrated and bored. The ISU has raised urgent concerns that detention at this site and for this length of time is unlawful.' Andy Baxter, assistant general secretary of the POA, said Manston has unfolded as a 'humanitarian crisis on British soil', with 'pressure cooker' conditions building. There have also been outbreaks of violence at the facility, whistleblowers from the camp told the Daily Mail over the weekend. 'Fights have broken out between Albanians and Eritreans using sharpened combs from their Home Office washbags as weapons,' the source said. 'A small Army detachment is inside to help keep order. We have been told riot police are on standby to enter if the migrants kick off in the next few days. It is a tinderbox. 'Migrants have attacked Border Force officials and security staff, who are scared and outnumbered.' Cabinet minister Michael Gove yesterday told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme the situation at Manston is 'deeply concerning' but he denied that the Home Secretary ignored or dismissed legal advice. Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor, who has inspected the facility, said urgent improvements were needed. 'We were absolutely clear in our report that's coming out tomorrow that the Home Office and contractors need to get a grip, they need to speed up the processing of migrants, they need to make suitable provisions so people can be moved off site as quickly as possible and housed in humane and decent conditions,' he told Today. Sir Roger, the MP for North Thanet, told Sky News there were now more than 4,000 people at Manston. He said conditions were 'wholly unacceptable' and suggested it may have been allowed to happen 'deliberately' He said: 'That's like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then there's a car crash, and then suddenly there's a five mile tailback' Migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats arrive at the Dover centre before being taken to the Manston for processing Members of the military and UK Border Force extinguish a fire from a petrol bomb in Dover, Kent, on Sunday Mr Taylor added: 'The facilities are not set up for people to be staying. It's not a residential facility. It's a short-term holding facility which is supposed to process people through. 'So the danger is if people are spending long periods of time in what are very cramped conditions without suitable accommodation that's just not acceptable.' Mr Jenrick visited Manston on Sunday after another watchdog, Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal, told MPs he was left 'speechless' by the problems at the site. In a post on Twitter, Mr Jenrick said migrants continue to be processed 'securely' in 'challenging conditions', adding: 'I was hugely impressed by the staff I met, managing this intolerable situation.' The same day police said two or three incendiary devices were thrown at a migrant processing centre in Dover and caused a fire. The suspect was identified and found at a nearby petrol station, where he was confirmed dead, Kent Police said. Two people inside the centre at Western Jet Foil were left with minor injuries. Although the site remained open, 700 people were moved to Manston for safety reasons. A Reuters photographer said a man threw petrol bombs with fireworks attached before killing himself. The news agency reported the attacker was described as a white man wearing a striped top, who drove up to the centre in a white Seat 4x4 vehicle. Some 468 people arrived in the UK on Sunday after crossing the Channel in eight boats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, taking the provisional total for the year so far to 39,864. A group of migrants outside the Manston facility last week. The site in Kent is located in the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent Overcrowding at the former RAF airfield has worsened after 700 more migrants were bussed to the centre from another site in Dover that was attacked on Sunday by a man hurling petrol bombs Migrants are meant to stay at Manston for a maximum of 24 hours while they undergo checks before being moved into immigration detention centres or asylum accommodation such as hotels A file photo of the facility, where unions and whistleblowers say conditions have deteriorated in recent weeks Environment minister Mark Spencer told Sky News the UK needs to find a way to deal with migrants 'compassionately' as he acknowledged there are 'huge challenges' in the system. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said there is no 'silver bullet' to fix the migrant crisis, adding: 'Clearly there's more to do, but we're making progress.' In an interview with GB News, he denied there had been an outbreak of diphtheria within the facility. 'My understanding is actually that people presented with diphtheria and were treated by the medical facilities there,' he said. 'That was not an outbreak of diphtheria within the facility. That's people landing on our shores with that condition and being treated by our medical teams there to help them and support them. James Wilson, Deputy Director at Detention Action, said: 'Home Office statistics show that most of the people being held at Manston, including children, are likely to be refugees who have already survived serious trauma and danger to reach our shores. 'The Home Office is now denying those people essential medical, psychological and legal support. It is cruel and unlawful to detain people for weeks on end in these increasingly unsanitary, overcrowded conditions.' The Home Office said last night: 'The Home Secretary has taken urgent decisions to alleviate issues at Manston and source alternative accommodation. Claims advice was deliberately ignored are completely baseless. 'It is right we look at all available options so decisions can be made based on the latest operational and legal advice. 'The number of people arriving in the UK via small boats has reached record levels, which has put our asylum system under incredible pressure and costs the British taxpayer millions of pounds a day.' Migrants at the Western Jet Foil processing centre in Dover on Sunday following the petrol bomb incident The family is part of the Yemini community, with faith leaders leaving mementos Three brothers and a baby from the Bronx have died in a terrifying inferno after the blaze broke out in a two-story home on Sunday - as witnesses said they saw 'little hands' from the upstairs windows. Victims of the horrific fire at 2165 Quimby Ave were identified as Ahmed Saleh, 22, his 10-month-old daughter, Barah Saleh, Kalheed Waleed Ban Saleh, 10, and Mohamed Waleed Ahmed, 12. Firefighters showed up at the scene minutes after the flames quickly spread around 6am and attempted to save the children whose screams echoed throughout the neighborhood. 'You could see their little hands banging on the windows,' tearful resident Merlyn Persaue, 60, told the New York Post, adding: 'I see the hands in the windows, and then the flames wash up on the windows, and then there was no more sound.' The two boys were pronounced dead at the scene and Ahmed Saleh and his daughter died at a local hospital. About eight family members have lived in the home for nearly five years, according to a neighbor. Victims of the horrific fire at Quimby Ave were identified as Ahmed Saleh, 22, his 10-month-old daughter, Barah Saleh, Kalheed Waleed Ban Saleh, 10, and Mohamed Waleed Ahmed, 12. Pictured: the three brothers Barah Saleh, 10-months-old, also died in the fire. Firefighters were able to save the baby's 21-year-old mother Fire fighters are seen at the scene of the fire after putting out the blaze on Sunday at 2165 Quimby Ave Firefighters were able to save the baby's mother, 21, and a 41-year-old man. The mother of the 10-month-old heard the screams of the children as she helped some people escape. 'Last night, our family was having a sleepover and my sister was trying to help her kids escape,' the 21-year-old's brother told New York Daily News. 'She got some people out of the house but when she went back inside, the flames had overtaken the house and the windows burst.' One neighbor living next door rescued the mother of the three brothers and her other son before the flames could spread. '[The] woman and little boy were banging on my window. They were screaming, they were crying, and the black smoke was coming out behind them,' neighbor Imlaque Chowdhury said. 'I opened the window, and I grabbed them both and pull them inside. What else could I do? One of those kids that plays with my niece. I looked outside, and I saw the man running around. I thought that everyone had gotten out. I could have gone down, I could have helped. I could have done more. But I didn't know. I thought everyone had gotten out.' Cries in Arabic which translate to 'Help me, God! Help me, God' were heard coming from the burning house, one neighbor said, before officers rushed to the scene. Firefighters were seen at a home in the Bronx on Sunday morning Officials can be seen loading an ambulance outside off the home Emergency responders managed to pull a 21-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man out of the flaming building Three men ran up the stairs to try and kick down the door, attempting to rescue the family right until the end. The father of the brothers attempted to break down the door with a hammer. Fire officials saw flames spilling out of the windows of the house and heard gut-wrenching screams when they arrived. 'When I come out, I see fire, I see this man just panicking, just screaming for his family. He said 'my kids, my kids are all up there, help!'' neighbor Carla Cornielle told NBC 4 New York. Emergency responders managed to pull a 21-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man out of the flaming building. They are in critical condition and are being in treated in NYC Health + Hospitals Jacobi. The family members were from the Yemeni community. Faith leaders were seen leaving candles in commemoration of those who died in Sunday's fire. City Hall is promising to help the family with funeral arrangements. 'We did have slight extension to the building next to the fire building. We have several firefighter injuries, minor in nature,' said Assistant Chief Kevin Brennan said. A team of more than 100 firefighters and emergency services managed to get the fire under control at just before 8am, extinguishing it shortly after. Mayor Eric Adams visited the remains of the home and promised to help the community recover while alongside the father of the three sons. The mayor himself has lived through two house fires. 'He lost his children and it's extremely painful,' Adams said. 'We are going to be here for the family to make sure we can assist with all the burials and all the support they need at this time.' #NewYork: Four people died including 3 children and several others were injured after a fire broke out in a home in the #Bronx, #QuimbyAvenue. Ring camera footage captured the raging fire.@FDNY @NYPD @NYPDnews @NYCMayor @ericadamsfornyc pic.twitter.com/gjt8umSlsM Vosa Tv (Official) (@vosatvofficial) October 31, 2022 File photo: Mayor Eric Adams visited the remains of the home and promised to help the community recover. He is pictured making an announcement in New York last week A neighbor's home was also damaged in the fire, and a man was seen collecting his possessions before going to stay with a relative. 'We have fires in this borough almost every single week, and certainly any fire is one too many,' Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said. One fire in January in a Bronx apartment building killed 17 people. 'We have to learn from so many other painful lessons from the past, of making sure we have smoke detectors that are working. October is Fire Safety Awareness Month, but it needs to be every single month.' The cause of the fire is still being investigated. Inspector Keiyon S. Ramsey, the commanding officer of the 43rd Precinct, said in an interview with the New York Times that it is not expected to be criminal. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum communicates with a pilot taking part in the Vigilant Storm exercise between South Korea and the United States at the South Korean Air Force's 19th Fighter Wing in Chungju, 147 kilometers south of Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff South Korea's top military officer called Monday for a "thorough readiness" posture against possible North Korean threats as he inspected a key command post for air operations amid ongoing major air drills between the South and the United States. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum made the remarks as he visited the Air Force Operations Command's Korea Air and Space Operations Center and other air defense units, citing recent provocations from Pyongyang, including continued ballistic missile launches. "Maintain a thorough readiness posture against various threats," Kim instructed officials at the command in Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, according to his office. "In case of an enemy provocation, maintain an operational posture that will allow a stern response in terms of self-defense to thoroughly punish the enemy." Kim then visited the armed service's Air and Missile Defense Command at the same base and ordered officials to maintain a "24-hour" monitoring and response posture, citing possible missile launches by Pyongyang that can be carried out at "any time." He also made a visit to the 19th Fighter Wing in Chungju, 147 km south of Seoul, to check its combined wartime operational capabilities as the unit takes part in drills with the U.S. this week. Kim said the training will serve as an opportunity to boost the allies' combined defense posture by strengthening their air forces' inter-operability, according to the JCS. The five-day Vigilant Storm exercise, which kicked off earlier in the day, mobilizes some 240 aircraft, including South Korean F-35A and U.S. F-35B stealth fighters. The drills come after a series of provocations by Pyongyang in recent weeks, including its firing of two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Friday. (Yonhap) Friends of a Manhattan doctor who vanished in a midnight boating accident a week before he was due in court in connection with a $100m health insurance fraud are hoping that he is still alive. Marvin Moy, 51, is one of several doctors arrested in January for his suspected involvement in the schemes, in which they pressured car accident victims to seek medical treatment at their facilities. The father-of-one was reported missing in the early hours of October 13 after heading out with a friend for a fishing trip on his boat the Sure Shot - a week before he was due in court. Friends have admitted that there is a small chance that he might be shipwrecked on some small rock, while others believe he is dead and describe the incident as a complete tragedy. One told DailyMail.com that it wasnt unusual for the doctor to stay overnight on the boat after being out fishing all day, and that tragedies like this happen from time-to-time. Moy, a physician and rehabilitation doctor who practices out of Hempstead, New York, was on the boat with a passenger who was recovered by the Coast Guard. Rescuers reported coming across an oil slick and debris at the scene of the accident roughly 25 miles off the coast of Fire Island. However, Moy was nowhere to be found, with searches taking place for more than 30 hours and covering 4,830 miles to try to find the missing man. Marvin Moy, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor practicing out of Hempstead, NY, was reported missing in the early hours of October 13 just hours after he set off on a late night fishing trip aboard his boat, the Sure Shot Moy disappeared on October 13, just hours after he set off on a late night fishing trip aboard his boat, the Sure Shot (pictured) Moy was one of several doctors arrested in January for his suspected involvement in two fraudulent schemes operated by gangsters Alexander 'Little Alex' Gulkarov and Bradley Pierre. The criminal enterprises connected car accident victims with doctors such as Moy who would perform unneeded medical procedures. This would then allow the gangs to overbill insurance companies and make off with $100million in profits over 13 years. Moy's role in the scam saw him 'conduct unnecessary and painful electrodiagnostic testing' on a slew of car accident patients who did not need to undergo the procedure, the indictment alleged. The doctor was supposed to attend a court hearing on October 19 - less than a week after he disappeared without a trace on the water. At the hearing, Moy's attorney told the judge that a legal representative from the Coast Guard said the doctor cannot be considered dead until the investigation into his disappearance ends, according to the New York Post. They said: 'The representative indicated that he would keep us apprised of any developments and that, ultimately, a report would be issued and that we would be provided such a report.' Moy, who divorced from his wife two years ago, had battled pancreatic cancer and was diabetic according to friends. Marvin Moy, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor practicing out of Hempstead, NY, was reported missing in the early hours of October 13 Several friends of the doctor believe that he perished in the accident, while others say they hope he is 'shipwrecked' somewhere Jess Waters, who attended Fork Union Military Academy with Moy, told DailyMail.com that he had an incredible mind. He said: 'He was an avid fisherman and a sailor, he loved his boats and it was a big part of his recreational life. 'Im pretty sure he went whenever he could, I dont necessarily believe that he went out at midnight. 'He had been out during the day and was spending the night on the boat. He was out where there is potential for these commercial vehicles to be in their lanes, and from time-to-time tragedies like this happen. 'The boat was struck and then officially capsized 15 minutes later, and his friend was picked up by a passing vessel. 'The ocean being what it was they were separated, their jettison life raft wasnt up and they werent able to put on warm suits. His death is a complete tragedy.' Other friends told the New York Post that they're left with 'unresolved questions' after his disappearance and said the circumstances surrounding the incident were 'troubling'. 'We've got unresolved questions. We do not know what happened. I would obviously like for my friend to be found. There's still a chance he's shipwrecked on some small rock,' the friend said. A Coast Guard spokesman said: The incident was reported just after midnight on the morning of Oct. 13 of an alleged collision involving Mr. Moy and one other person with a large vessel. The other person was recovered while Marvin remained missing. We conducted boat and helicopter searches for over 30 hours covering 4,830 nautical miles, finding only the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon that he was allegedly holding when he was last seen. Colleagues of the doctor shared memories of him online, with one paying tribute to his 'brilliant mind' Moy poses with a mako shark after one of his fishing trips along the New York coastline The search was then suspended on Oct. 14 pending any further info and Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound is currently conducting an investigation into the incident. The incident took place roughly 25 nautical miles South of Fire Island, NY. Although the active search has been suspended, Coast Guard units will continue to monitor the area for significant sightings and additional information. Moy was charged with healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, and was facing a maximum potential prison sentence of 30 years for his role in Pierre's scheme. In January, US Attorney Damian Williams described the operation as 'one of the largest insurance frauds in history' and outlined the methods used by the conspirators to make their fortune. 'The defendants charged are alleged to have collectively perpetrated one of the largest no-fault insurance frauds in history. 'In carrying out their massive scheme, among other methods, they allegedly bribed 911 operators, hospital employees, and others for confidential motor vehicle accident victim information. 'With this information, they then endangered victims by subjecting them to unnecessary and often painful medical procedures, in order to fraudulently overbill insurance companies,' Williams declared. Moy practices medicine in Hempstead, NY, and specialises in rehabilitating patients who are disabled or who have been involved in an accident to regain function. He received his medical degree from University at Buffalo School of Medicine and is licensed to practice medicine in the state of New York and New Jersey. A British tourist has collapsed and died after swimming in the sea at a popular Algarve beach. The 55-year-old man went into the water at Praia dos Alemaes in Albufeira, Portugal. But when he emerged from the waves, he felt unwell before collapsing on the beach. Emergency services rushed to the scene at 1.30pm on Thursday October 27 after reports he had suffered a heart attack. They tried to revive him but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A British tourist has collapsed and died after swimming in the sea at a popular Algarve beach (pictured) The National Maritime Authority said in a statement: 'Upon arrival at the scene, it was found that the victim, a 55-year-old man of British nationality, was being assisted by lifeguards on duty on the beach, with the support of people who were nearby, until the arrival of Albufeira Volunteer Firefighters and an Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (INEM) crew who started resuscitation manoeuvres on the victim.' His body was then moved to the Legal Medical Office of Portimao by volunteer firefighters. Earlier this month, another British holidaymaker, 64, collapsed and died on the beach in front of her partner after a swim in the Mediterranean. Deborah Hooper was with retired accountant Andrew Ashman, 72, when she is thought to have suffered a cardiac arrest in rough seas. Deborah Hooper 64 died on Friday, October 14, after suffering what is thought to be a cardiac arrest The pair were walking along a beach at Punta Secca near Ragusa on the Italian island of Sicily when tragedy struck. Italian police say they believe she had 'some sort of medical episode' while swimming in the water. The 64-year-old was pulled from the water by passersby and despite the best efforts of medics she could not be saved. The beach is famous for being the seaside home of popular Italian TV detective Inspector Montalbano which is screened on BBC TV and features in the opening credits. The British tourist was on holiday in Punta Secca, a fishing village in southern Sicily (file image), when she became ill and died Hooper decided to go for a swim in the rough and cold sea near Punta Secca but she quickly felt unwell, reports local media The woman's death comes after a 62-year-old British man died while on holiday with his wife on the Greek island of Crete. The man, who has not been named, walked towards the sea but he began feeling unwell and returned to his sunbed next to his wife on the beach of Stalida. But as he laid down on the sunbed, he died. An ambulance was called and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, local media report. An autopsy is expected to reveal the cause of death. Last month, a 74-year-old British woman also drowned during a holiday in Crete, with her body being found washed up on a beach on the Greek island on October 5. CPR was carried out on the woman by rescuers for 30 minutes, but she did not respond. She was rushed to a local hospital - General Hospital St. George - but was pronounced dead. Last month, a British woman, 45, died after feeling unwell when she swam in the sea in Albufeira, Portugal.The woman collapsed on the beach and medics tried to revive her - but she died on the shoreline. Shanghai Disneyland has barred thousands from leaving the Magic Kingdom after locking down the entire resort due to a Covid outbreak. All visitors in the park at the time of the announcement have been ordered to stay inside until they can provide a negative test for the virus. Footage shared on Weibo showed panicked guests rushing to the park's gates to escape, only to find them locked. Around 60,000 visitors enter the park each day. Authorities moved to shut it down after only 10 locally transmitted cases were reported across Shanghai yesterday, all of which it said were people without symptoms. The resort said at 11.39am today it would immediately shut the main theme park and surrounding areas including its shopping street until further notice to comply with virus curbs. Shanghai Disneyland has barred thousands from leaving the Magic Kingdom after locking down the entire resort due to a Covid outbreak. Pictured: officials ushering guests inside the parl The resort said at 11.39am today it would immediately shut the main theme park and surrounding areas The Shanghai government said on its official WeChat account the park was barring people from entering or exiting and that all visitors inside the site would need to await the results of their tests before they could leave. Anyone who had visited the park since October 27 would also need to test for Covid three times in three days, it said. The theme park continued to operate rides for visitors stuck in the park during the closure on Monday, social media users reported. A Shanghai Disney Resort spokesperson said the resort was still operating 'limited offerings' and that they were following measures in line with guidelines from Chinese health authorities. The resort had on Saturday said that it had started operating with a reduced workforce to comply with Covid measures. The closure marks the latest disruption for the Shanghai Disney Resort, which was shut for over three months during Shanghai's lockdown earlier this year. Uniformed officials arrived at the Disney resort to impose the harsh restrictions in response to the minor Covid outbreak The park was also closed for two days in November last year with more than 30,000 visitors stuck inside, after authorities ordered all of them to be tested in a contact tracing exercise. Videos circulating on China's Weibo platform on Monday showed people rushing to the park's gates, which were already locked. Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the videos and the Shanghai Disney Resort did not respond when asked about on how many visitors were inside. Local authorities across China have continued to impose abrupt and extreme measures to cut any possibility of virus transmission once cases arise, in line with the country's ultra-strict zero-tolerance approach towards Covid. The Universal Resort in the country's capital of Beijing reopened on Monday after a five day closure, which was also prompted by virus measures. Rising case numbers from numerous outbreaks across China have prompted a tightening of local curbs and lockdowns, including in parts of big cities such as the southern metropolis of Guangzhou. Videos circulating on China's Weibo platform on Monday showed people rushing to the park's gates, which were already locked At this month's twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, President Xi Jinping reiterated China's commitment to its zero-Covid policy, disappointing investors and countless Chinese frustrated by lockdowns, travel curbs and testing. 'We don't expect the zero-COVID policy to be abandoned until 2024, which means virus disruptions will keep in-person services activity subdued,' said Huang from Capital Economics. In the central city of Zhengzhou, a Foxconn plant that makes iPhones and employs about 200,000 people has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. New cases in mainland China hit 2,898 on Sunday, topping 2,000 for a second straight day, a tiny number by global standards. In Guangzhou, one of China's biggest cities and an economic powerhouse, the number of new locally-transmitted cases totalled 1,110 from October 24-30, up from 402 in the previous seven-day period, with the district of Haizhu, home to 1.8 million people, under lockdown. People wearing face masks visit the Shanghai Disney Resort in June when it reopened after a Covid shutdown The park was also closed for two days in November last year with more than 30,000 visitors stuck inside A Guangzhou resident named Ye said he was in a suburban quarantine hotel after being told on October 27 that he was deemed a close contact by virtue of walking on the same street three days earlier around the same time as someone who tested positive. 'I do not know how they calculated that. Also there is no room for you to query or dispute it. If they say that's what you are, then that's final,' said Ye, an artist in his 50s. Over the past week, authorities have raced to get a handle on rising cases in cities across China, including Datong, Xining, Nanjing, Xian, Zhengzhou and Wuhan, forcing temporary lockdown measures. Du Fan, 40, founder of Wuhan Small Animals Protection Association, which won praise from animal lovers during the pandemic's first lockdown in the central city in early 2020, said his residential compound had been locked down on Saturday. 'My biggest worry at the moment is that if this continues for too much longer, I'm afraid we won't be able to continue rescuing the animals, because there's no way to carry out a lot of work,' he said. In the Chinese-controlled territory of Macau, authorities reinstated curbs including locking down a major casino over the weekend after a handful of cases were detected. Macau had been COVID-free for more than three months. Russian troops have used rape as a weapon of war since the invasion began She said he maimed and strangled her before raping her on sofa The great-grandmother detailed how man punched her and beat her with rifle yudmila, 75, detailed how a Russian soldier raped and beat her in her home A Ukrainian great-grandmother has described how a Russian soldier raped and beat her until dawn after he burst into her home. Lyudmila, 75, detailed how the Russian soldier punched her so hard that he broke her nose and knocked out two of her teeth before he beat her with his rifle. The great-grandmother said the soldier, who was in his 60s, threw her on to the sofa and strangled her before he maimed her after he broke into her home in the village of Myroliubivka, near Kherson. Lyudmila, her voice cracking with emotion, said the soldier then ripped off her clothes and raped her. She still has the scars from where the rapist cut her stomach. 'The deep ones still haven't healed,' Lyudmila told Radio 4's Today programme. Lyudmila's horrific ordeal - and the testimonies of hundreds of other Ukrainian women - shows how Russian soldiers have used rape as a weapon of war in the eight months since the invasion began. Lyudmila, 75, detailed how the Russian soldier punched her so hard that he broke her nose and knocked out two of her teeth before he beat her with his rifle. Pictured: File image of a woman walking past a damaged building in Nova Kakhovka, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on Sunday The 75-year-old, detailing the hours of abuse at the hands of the Russian soldier, said: 'One night, I heard a very loud knock at my window. I saw a soldier there. 'When I opened the door, he immediately punched me in the face, knocked out two of my teeth and broke my nose. I was covered with blood.' Lyudmila, who later fled her home with her family, continued: 'He started beating me in the chest with his rifle butt. He pulled my hair, threw me on to the sofa and began to strangle me. 'Then he began to undress me and after, he raped me.' The great-grandmother added: 'He cut my stomach. Until now, I have scars on my stomach. The deep ones still haven't healed.' The soldier beat Lyudmila for hours and sprayed the room with bullets. He left at dawn. Recalling what she was thinking as she endured the hours of abuse, Lyudmila said: 'I said goodbye to my children, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren. 'I never thought I would stay alive. Putin and the Russians will never be forgiven. There will be no forgiveness.' Since Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine began, Russian troops have raped scores of women and girls - leading some to consider suicide. A horrifying and damning UN report earlier this month detailed how Russian soldiers gang-raped a 22-year-old Ukrainian mother, sexually abused her husband and made the couple have sex in front of them before raping their four-year-old daughter. The heart-wrenching report revealed how Russian troops, while occupying a village in the Chernihiv region, also raped an 83-year-old woman in her house in front of her physically disabled husband. In many cases, the Russian troops would shoot dead the women's husbands - or threaten to do so - as soon as they tried to defend their wives and stop them from being raped. Rape has historically been used as a weapon of war - in Bosnia in 1992, Rwanda in 1994 and Darfur in 2003 to name but a few instances. Since Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine began, Russian soldiers have raped scores of women and girls - leading some to consider suicide (File image of a woman arranging flowers outside a house where a couple were killed in Kyiv) Russian soldiers have also been known to use rape as a weapon of war in the past. The Soviet Red Army soldiers raped an estimated two million German women after the fall of Hitler's Third Reich at the end of the Second World War. The true scale of wartime rape - and now in Ukraine - will continue to remain unknown as many women remain silent about their experiences for fear of being stigmatised. Systematic mass rape campaigns use forced impregnation as a tool to ethnically cleanse a nation and psychologically traumatise generations of people. The children born as a result of this wartime rape are often stigmatised themselves as they become a 'living reminder of the conflict', academics say. Russia invaded Ukraine in February as Putin ordered what was supposed to be a days-long 'special military operation' to topple the government. But he now finds himself bogged down in an eight-month long war that looks set to continue for months longer at least, and suffering huge losses. Ukrainian resistance has proved fiercer than almost all observers expected, and has been spurred on by atrocities that Russian troops have committed in occupied areas. In April, after Putin's men withdrew from areas around the capital Kyiv, mass graves with bodies of hundreds of civilians were uncovered. Survivors of the occupation told how Russian soldiers hunted down anyone suspected of working with the government or military to interrogate and torture - some were ultimately killed. Others told how soldiers came to their homes, beat or raped them, stole, and then fled as Ukraine's forces advanced. Kyiv argues Moscow is fighting a genocidal war aimed at wiping out their national identity by murdering innocents, deporting people into Russia and systemic rapes. Putin denies that his armed forces are deliberately targeting civilians. Twelve ships loaded with grain have left Ukraine's ports this morning despite Russia withdrawing from a pact granting them safe passage through the Black Sea. Tracking data showed the vessels departing ports around Odesa, in southern Ukraine, and heading out across a stretch of heavily-mined sea towards the Bosphorus Strait and onwards to the Mediterranean Sea. Turkey and the United Nations said teams had inspected the vessels and were watching over them after Russia withdrew from a pact allowing grain shipments out of Ukraine and said it could 'no longer guarantee' their safety. It came after a fleet of drones attacked Russia's Black Sea fleet on Saturday in an attack which it said targeted warships involved in protecting the grain convoys. The Kremlin blamed Ukraine for the strikes. Ukrainian ships carrying grain destined to feed some of the world's poorest departed the country Monday, in defiance of Russia pulling out of a deal granting them safe passage Twelve ships were inspected by Turkey and the UN early Monday before setting out across the heavily-mined Black Sea, as the UN vowed 'cargo ships can never be held hostage' Hero Briton praised by Zelensky after training base hit by Russia A British veteran now serving with the Ukrainian armed forces has been praised for his bravery after Russia missiles blew up a training base. Dan Ridley, 27, a former private in The Princess of Waless Royal Regiment, told how five Russian S-300 missiles struck the base at the weekend. Mr Ridley told The Sun how he and six other Britons were training Ukrainian troops at the base when it was struck. Despite the terrifying ordeal, nobody was injured and Mr Ridley has vowed to keep on working in Ukraine. That earned him the praise of President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said that 'neither rain nor even missiles get in the way' of the training drills. Advertisement 'Civilian cargo ships can never be a military target or held hostage. The food must flow,' tweeted Amir M. Abdulla, UN coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Monday that his country will continue to provide security to the ships - which contain vital food for developing countries, many in the Middle East. The last time there were widespread food shortages in the region, it helped to spark the Arab Spring which caused widespread unrest and millions of refugees to flee to Turkey. 'Even if Russia behaves hesitantly because it didn't receive the same benefits, we will continue decisively our efforts to serve humanity,' Erdogan said in a speech. The UN and Turkey say they plan to inspect a total of 40 vessels scheduled to depart on Monday. Hundreds of thousands of tons of wheat booked for delivery to Africa and the Middle East are at risk following Russia's withdrawal, while Ukrainian corn exports to Europe will get knocked lower, two Singapore-based traders said. 'If I have to replace a vessel which was due to come from Ukraine, what are the options? Not much really,' said one Singapore-based grain trader who supplies wheat to buyers in Asia and the Middle East. Ukraine relies on its southern ports - which have been blockaded by Russian - to transport grain to international markets where it feeds some of the world's poorest Chicago wheat futures on Monday jumped more than 5 per cent and corn rose over 2 per cent from the fears over supplies. Earlier this year global wheat prices jumped to an all-time high and corn hit a ten-year top as Russia's invasion fuelled a rally set off by adverse weather and Covid supply disruptions. Australia, a key wheat supplier to Asia, is unlikely to be able to fill any supply gap, with shipping slots booked right up to February, traders said. Shares in Australia's GrainCorp - which posted a five-fold jump in H1 profit due to supply constraints arising from the Russia-Ukraine conflict - rose more than 7 per cent. No ships moved through the established maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday. But the United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine pressed ahead and agreed on a transit plan for Monday for 16 vessels to move forward, despite the withdrawal of Russia. Ukraine produces millions of tons of grain annually that provides food for the likes of the UN's World Food Programme (file image) 'We have to see how the situation unfolds. It is not clear if Ukraine will continue to ship grains and what happens to Russian exports,' said the Singapore-based grains trader. Asian buyers booking Ukrainian wheat cargoes include Indonesia, the world's second-largest importer of the grain, although the region typically relies on Australia and North America. In recent deals, Indonesian millers bought four cargoes or around 200,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat for November shipment, in deals signed over the last few weeks, traders said. Some Vietnamese feed mills that bought Ukrainian wheat are also likely to suffer. Last week, a government agency in Pakistan bought about 385,000 tons of wheat in a tender likely to be sourced from Russia and Ukraine. 'We are not sure if Russia will continue to export wheat or it will be safe for vessels carrying Russian wheat to ship from the Black Sea even as Ukrainian exports remain blocked,' said a second Singapore-based trader at an international company. Ukraine's corn exports to Europe booked for November are likely to be hit as well. Plumes of smoke were visible after Ukrainian drone strikes in the middle of the night - Russia say they had to destroy nine drones and seven maritime drones 'As far as Europe is concerned, corn is a bigger issue than wheat as we are getting into peak season for Ukrainian corn in November,' said the second trader. Russia's decision is expected to support world vegetable oil prices as it threatens Ukraine's sunflower oil exports to key destinations, including top edible oil importer India. Malaysian palm oil futures jumped more than 4 per cent on Monday. Under the UN-brokered grains deal, a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) made up of UN, Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian officials agrees on the movement of ships and inspects the vessels. More than 9.5million tons of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy have been exported from the Black Sea since July. Although global agricultural commodity prices have come off record highs in recent months, local retail food prices remain high and now face further upside. 'Typically, it takes about two months for higher grain prices to filter through the supply chain and impact consumers at the retail level,' said a Sydney-based analyst. 'But food processors do not have much forward coverage, so it is likely to be a lot quicker.' A young mother killed by her 'obsessive' partner feared social services would 'take her baby away' if she kept reporting his 'controlling' and violent behaviour to police, her aunt told an inquest. Raneem Oudeh, 22, was murdered outside her mother's home in Solihull, West Midlands, shortly after midnight on August 27, 2018. She was killed alongside her mother Khowla Saleem, 49, by her ex-partner Janbaz Tarin, then aged 21, who the jury heard had once carved her name into his arm with a razor. On her wedding day, he is said to have told her: 'In our culture we don't have divorce... the day you leave, I will kill you.' At inquests into the two women's deaths resumed at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court today, an 11-member jury heard evidence about Ms Oudeh and Tarin's relationship from her aunt, Nour Norris. Senior coroner Louise Hunt also told jurors they would hear evidence of West Midlands Police's response to several phonecalls made by Ms Oudeh to the force about her abusive partner before her death. Raneem Oudeh (pictured), 22, and her mother Khaola Saleem, 49, were murdered by Janbaz Tarin, then 21, in Solihull, West Midlands, on August 27, 2018 In her evidence, Ms Norris told how Raneem had fled the war in Syria to join her mother and family already living in the UK in 2014. She said that after arriving, her 'ambitious' niece enrolled at Solihull College. It was in her English study group she first met classmate Tarin. Ms Norris described how Tarin 'would buy her gifts, do things for her'. 'At the beginning, she thought it was just a friendship, then that led to stalking her, hassling her,' she said. 'She had to report him to the college to leave her alone. He was suspended (from the college).' Later, through her family, Ms Norris told how Ms Oudeh 'met a guy' who she then went on to marry, getting pregnant with her child. However, that relationship failed before the birth and she ended up having the baby 'by herself'. An inquest heard Ms Oudeh feared reporting abuse by Tarin (pictured), because she was worried social services would remove her child 'She felt very vulnerable', Ms Norris said. By the summer of 2016, Ms Oudeh was 'down, upset - a single mum at the age of 20', and still being 'stalked' by Tarin, Ms Norris added. After her niece moved to a flat in Kingshurst Road, Solihull, Tarin 'slowly, gradually' convinced Ms Oudeh to rekindle their relationship. She claimed Tarin told her niece 'this time you are mine'. On April 2, 2017, Tarin and Ms Oudeh had an Islamic marriage, but Ms Norris said the wider family sensed something was wrong. Shortly after the wedding, Ms Oudeh looked 'disturbed' as she told her aunt about a remark Tarin made to his new wife, as they signed nuptial paperwork. 'He turned around to her and whispered in her ears 'in our culture, we don't have divorce, now you're my wife, the day you leave, I will kill you',' said Ms Norris. After the wedding, Ms Norris said: 'He (Tarin) became very controlling and became quite obsessive, that she was his belonging.' She added: 'He wanted her to dress and talk in a certain way, share the bedroom in a certain way.' The marriage started to break down again after Tarin travelled to Afghanistan at the end of 2017, where it emerged he had another wife and three children - with a fourth on the way. Ms Oudeh's mother Khaola Saleem (pictured), 49, died alongside her daughter after Tarin opened fire at them outside her home in Solihull, West Midlands, on August 27, 2018 In January 2018, Ms Oudeh told him the relationship was over but he started stalking her again and 'would sleep in the car outside her house, for days,' Ms Norris said. On one occasion, he sent Ms Norris an image on Facebook of his left arm, in which he had used a 'razor' carving Raneem's name. Ms Oudeh briefly got back with Tarin, but by April 2018 wanted rid of him for good - which is when matters 'really escalated'. Ms Norris claimed her niece tried to be direct with Tarin, because her repeated calls to police led to little action, with visits from social workers leaving her 'scared' they would remove her child. 'She called police a number of times before and... they didn't really listen to her properly and didn't take her seriously, or they blamed her', she said. 'They'll say to her 'you're wasting our time, you need to deal with him yourself, kick him out - you can't call us all the time. Ask him to move out'.' Ms Norris also told how Ms Oudeh was 'concerned about her baby', and social service's involvement. 'She wanted to co-operate with social workers but was too scared that if she tells them everything, they will take her baby away,' claimed Ms Norris. In August 2018, Ms Oudeh applied for a non-molestation order, but on the night of August 26, Tarin followed Ms Saleem and Ms Oudeh to the Rotana Shisha Lounge. Tarin 'slapped' her in the restaurant, then followed them as they left. Ms Hunt told jurors: 'The police were called - their response, you'll hear, was delayed due to a firearms incident. 'It was just after midnight Janbaz Tarin murdered Raneem and Khowla outside her address. 'He was subsequently convicted of both murders.' The coroner told jurors they would go through seven tranches of phone calls Ms Oudeh made to police between April and August 2018, to understand 'how police responded and also how other agencies responded'. The inquest continues. Turned up to work next morning smelling of alcohol, Bulford Military Court heard The soldier was found passed out on a guardsman's floor at Wellington Barracks He was meant to be on duty at Buckingham Palace from 2am but did not turn up Lance Sergeant Farai Mabasa (pictured outside Bulford Military Court) has been fined 14 days' pay after he failed to turn up for a shift at Buckingham Palace A Grenadier Guard who missed his shift protecting Buckingham Palace after drinking too much rum and falling asleep on the floor has been fined two weeks' wages, a court martial heard. Lance Sergeant Farai Mabasa was meant to be on duty from 2am on August 12 but made the 'very bad decision' to have a drink with a colleague in his barracks. The soldier he was meant to be relieving on the Queen's Guard shift repeatedly rang the 36-year-old to try and find him but he had fallen asleep and missed the shift. Eventually, Lance Sergeant Mabasa, of the Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, was found passed out on another guardsman's floor at nearby Wellington Barracks. When ordered to return to the palace later that morning, he turned up smelling of alcohol, the court martial was told. The Lance Sergeant initially pleaded guilty to two charges of unfitness through alcohol and failure to attend for duty. He was demoted in rank and sentenced to seven days' detention through an internal disciplinary procedure. But according to Army rules, under that process a person with the rank of Lance Sergeant cannot be ordered to be detained without special permission. This permission was never sought and so the original punishment was quashed at an appeal hearing at Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire. The father-of-two, who came to the UK from Zimbabwe aged 14 in 2000, was instead fined 14 days' pay - approximately 1,365. The court heard the incident took place on August 12 while the late Queen was on her summer holiday in Balmoral. Lance Sergeant Mabasa, of the Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, failed to turn up for a shift at Buckingham Palace in August Flight Lieutenant Charlotte Adams, prosecuting, said Lance Sergeant Mabasa had finished a shift at Buckingham Palace at 10pm and was due to return at 2am. She said: '[His colleague] checked on his room and the guardroom but [Lance Sergeant Mabasa] was not there. He tried calling him every five minutes but he didn't answer his phone. 'Instead [the colleague] stayed on guard for the remainder of the shift. Lance Sergeant Mabasa was found asleep on the floor - he had been out drinking. 'He was ordered to report back to Buckingham Palace at 8.30am, where he stumbled into the guardroom smelling of alcohol. He was deemed unfit for duty and sent back to Wellington Barracks.' Flight Lieutenant Adams told the appeal hearing that Lance Sergeant Mabasa's original sentence was 'unlawful' given his rank. She continued: 'The aggravating feature here is that Lance Sergeant Mabasa is an experienced serviceman and should have known the implications of being under the influence during the course of duty.' He was eventually found passed out on another guardsman's floor at nearby Wellington Barracks (pictured) Alex Rynn, defending, said Mabasa had been using alcohol as 'a crutch' but since the incident, he had started attending Alcoholics Anonymous three times a week and accepted the 'destructive influence' it had. Mr Rynn said: '[Lance Sergeant Mabasa] is deeply ashamed - he knows he has done wrong and is rightly being punished. 'Due to return to Queen's Guard at 2am, he made a bad decision, a very bad decision, to have a drink with a colleague. 'He was drinking rum and fell asleep, that's why he didn't answer his phone.' Lance Sergeant Mabasa was initially demoted in rank and sentenced to seven days detention but this punishment was quashed on a technicality at an appeal hearing at Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire (pictured) Judge Advocate General Darren Reed told Lance Sergeant Mabasa: 'We deem this to be serious considering the rank you held at the time. Your unfitness for duty is equally serious. 'We see this as a wilful disregard for your duty - you rendered yourself unable to perform.' Referring to the initial demotion and week-long detention, he added: 'You cannot be detained because of your rank. 'Consequently we quash that sentence, you will be fined 14 days' pay, approximately 1,365.' Lance Sergeant Mabasa will retain his current rank. Nicola Sturgeon's plan to use 20billion of North Sea oil and gas revenues to fund the first decade of independence in Scotland have been dealt a serious blow after an expert said the sector was unlikely to generate that much money. Economist Tony Mackay, who helped set up Norway's 1trillion sovereign wealth fund in the 1970s, said he had 'doubts' over the SNP leader's plan for a similar set-up. Last week Ms Sturgeon unveiled plans for a Building a New Scotland Fund to bankroll capital spending in the first 10 years after leaving the UK. It involves the 'sustainable use of oil and gas revenues ... to enable Scotland to get off to as strong a start as possible and to lay the foundations for a green, fair and net zero economy'. But Mr Mackay told The Sunday Times: 'The Norwegian oil fund has been very successful, more successful than I ever imagined. However, I have many doubts over this proposal for a New Scotland Fund because I believe future oil and gas revenues will be very small in the first decade of independence. 'North Sea oil and gas production has declined massively in recent years as many fields have ceased production. Only a few remain in comparison with the 1970-2000 period.' Last week Ms Sturgeon unveiled plans for a Building a New Scotland Fund to bankroll capital spending in the first 10 years after leaving the UK However, Mr Mackay told The Sunday Times: 'The Norwegian oil fund has been very successful, more successful than I ever imagined. However, I have many doubts over this proposal for a New Scotland Fund because I believe future oil and gas revenues will be very small in the first decade of independence' The fund was unveiled by the SNP in a paper a fortnight ago. It suggested Holyrood government modelling had shown that a similar scale investment 'would have both a short-term demand effect and a longer-term supply effect by increasing long-term productive capacity and providing a sustained boost to the economy'. 'This modelling showed that after five years, an investment package of 1.56billion a year could lead to the Scottish economy becoming between 0.5 per cent and 1 per cent larger at the end of the programme than it would otherwise be. 'Over 15 years, this is equivalent to increasing the size of the economy by between 10billion and 25billion, at 2017 prices.' A Scottish Government spokesman told the paper: '[Our] position is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations.' But she added: 'As outlined in the government's proposals for the economy of an independent Scotland, the Building a New Scotland Fund would be funded from oil and gas revenues as well as other windfall income and, where necessary, from borrowing.' Tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas have increased to almost 8billion in the first nine months of 2022, according to research. Figures from the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce show the government's tax take has increased nearly seven-fold from the same period last year. A windfall tax for the energy sector was introduced in May, which brought in a 25 per cent surcharge on extraordinary profits from energy companies. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is understood to be considering raising this further to improve the UK's fiscal position. The chamber of commerce analysed tax receipt data from January to September this year, finding that offshore companies paid 7.9billion in tax. This would be a 692 per cent increase on the same period in 2021. It came as research showed business confidence in Scotland fell 10 points to 5 per cent during October as companies faced 'ongoing economic challenges'. The latest Business Barometer from Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking found confidence in the manufacturing sector fell for the fifth month in a row, to 13 per cent, the lowest confidence level since February 2021. Confidence in the retail sector declined by six percentage points to 9 per cent, while in the services sector it fell to 16 per cent, both the lowest levels since early last year. The construction sector saw a 10 percentage point rise to 20 per cent, although this level still remains weaker than in the first half of the year. Scottish businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as evolving their offering (33 per cent), investing in their teams (29 per cent) and entering new markets (27 per cent). Chris Lawrie, Scotland area director at Bank of Scotland, said: 'Ongoing economic challenges, not least the cost of doing business, is hitting firms and we're seeing this reflected in a less optimistic outlook. 'As we approach the busiest trading period of the year for many, businesses across the country need to prioritise maintaining a steady cashflow to remain resilient and be well-equipped for any opportunities to grow. 'After all, Christmas can be a frenetic and expensive time for businesses and their customers, so firms need to have a plan in place to manage this, as well as having some money aside to cover unexpected costs. 'We'll remain by the side of Scottish businesses to help them continue to navigate the challenging market conditions and push for growth.' The survey was conducted with 1,200 companies - including 100 businesses in Scotland - between October 3 and 17. Overall UK business confidence fell one point during October to 15 per cent. Suella Braverman is under fresh pressure over the Channel migrant crisis and security breaches today, with a Tory MP saying chaos in Kent might have been caused 'deliberately' by ministers. The Home Secretary is facing demands to come to the Commons to explain using her personal email to send sensitive government information to a backbench ally. She is also in the spotlight over conditions at the Manston migrant processing centre, after reports of overcrowding and outbreaks of disease. Veteran MP Roger Gale, who represents North Thanet, suggested the Home Office actively decided not to book more hotel space to stop arrivals staying at the reception centre too long. There are claims that officials are now looking at booking individual rooms for migrants to ease the pressure, rather than blocking out whole hotels. Others MPs have criticised France for failing to stop small boats attempting the crossing. An ex-borders chief also suggested mooring a cruise ship in the middle of the Channel where people can be accommodated. Suella Braverman is under fresh pressure over the Channel migrant crisis and security breaches today A group thought to be Channel migrants being brought ashore in Dover last week Concern has been growing over conditions migrants are being held in while waiting to be processed on arriving in the UK, and after one centre in Dover was firebombed over the weekend. So far this year, close to 40,000 people have made the journey from France, crossing the world's busiest shipping lanes in dinghies and other small boats, provisional Government figures show. Sir Roger told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There are simply far too many people and this situation should never have been allowed to develop, and I'm not sure that it hasn't almost been developed deliberately.' The Tory MP said he understood a decision was taken not to book additional hotel space. 'That's like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then there's a car crash, and then suddenly there's a five-mile tailback,' he said. 'The car crash was the decision not to book more hotel space.' He said he believes it was a decision taken by the Home Secretary, but is not sure whether it was Priti Patel or Suella Braverman. Sources close to Ms Patel distanced themselves from the problems, arguing that overcrowding was not as bad before. 'Priti was signing off hotels in the summer - despite how unpalatable it was politically - because it's the right thing to do,' one source said. Natalie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said Ms Braverman had passion but that needed to be 'translated into actions' and complained that was being blocked by a 'rag bag of people who seem to want open borders'. 'I've had many conversations with the Home Secretary about this issue, as you would expect, and I don't think anyone doubts her passion and determination to tackle this issue,' she told TalkTV. 'As we've seen before it is a case of actually translating that into actions that will be put into effect and make a difference on the ground. 'In the most immediate term that does mean stopping the boats leaving France. There are obviously a whole range of other measures, but at the moment a number of those are held up in the courts, a number of those are subject to more legal changes to go through Parliament. 'So all efforts have to go on stopping those boats and tackling the issue head on.' Asked why the Government has not got to grips with the issue of Channel crossings, Ms Elphicke said: 'The small boats crisis is clearly out of control and an entirely fresh approach is now needed. 'What's been happening is simply not working, because every single attempt to get on top of this is delayed or thwarted by a rag bag of people who seem to want open borders and don't seem to want us to get a grip on this particular situation. 'We've seen people object to absolutely everything, object to the new laws coming through, object to any agreements put in place, object to all of the efforts of the Government to try and tackle this issue. 'That's really not on because it puts peoples' lives at risk crossing the Channel, and it also results in this uncontrolled amount of people arriving.' Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said that in a forthcoming report he makes clear the Home Office and contractors 'need to get a grip' of the crisis. He told the Today programme: 'They need to speed up the processing of migrants, they need to make suitable provisions so people can be moved off site as quickly as possible and housed in humane and decent conditions. 'The facilities are not set up for people to be staying. It's not a residential facility. It's a short-term holding facility which is supposed to process people through. 'So, the danger is, if people are spending long periods of time in what are very cramped conditions without suitable accommodation, that's just not acceptable.' Home Office minister Robert Jenrick visited Manston on Sunday after another watchdog, Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal, told MPs he was left 'speechless' by the problems at the site. In a post on Twitter, Mr Jenrick said migrants continue to be processed 'securely' in 'challenging conditions', adding: 'I was hugely impressed by the staff I met, managing this intolerable situation.' Kevin Saunders, former chief immigration officer for the UK Border Force, said the system is 'broken' and that he would put asylum seekers on a cruise liner. 'I would put a cruise liner in the middle of the Channel and put all asylum seekers on that, put it in international waters so they can't claim asylum, because it's not the UK,' he told the BBC. 'This has been mooted before but was kicked into the long grass, but I think it's worth revisiting.' He said a cruise liner would have proper facilities and everything that would be needed. Ms Braverman has not spoken publicly since the latest revelations about Manston and leaks emerged, but Labour has tabled an urgent question in Parliament later. The Home Secretary did not respond to questions as she left her London home this morning. Ms Braverman was fired by Liz Truss after sharing a highly sensitive message with Tory MP Sir John Hayes from her personal email and accidentally copying in an aide to another MP. Her actions constituted two breaches of the ministerial code and raised security concerns. Mrs Braverman said she 'rapidly' reported the mistake and was reappointed to Rishi Sunak's Cabinet when he became Prime Minister last week. Rishi Sunak in Downing Street launching the Poppy appeal today But an email seen by the BBC has thrown doubt over her claims about the speed with which she acted. Mrs Braverman was sent a message at around 8.30am on October 19 informing her she had sent an email in error an hour earlier, the broadcaster said. Shortly after 10am she responded, telling the recipient to 'delete and ignore' the message. But it was not until around 12pm that the Home Secretary instructed her officials to tell the Cabinet Secretary what had happened, according to a source close to Mrs Braverman. Confronted yesterday with the minister's email telling the erroneous recipient to ignore the earlier message, Michael Gove insisted her request was 'standard practice'. And he suggested Mrs Braverman is facing opposition because she is 'brave' and 'making changes', telling the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: 'You only take flak if you're over the target.' He is said to be considering laying off 25% of the workforce in first round of cuts Elon Musk plans to release a quarter of Twitter's workforce in his first round of layoffs after his $44billion takeover, according to reports. It comes as the new Twitter CEO allegedly issued an ultimatum to the social media platform's engineers, telling them to revamp Twitter's verification system in less than a fortnight or face the sack. Celebrity lawyer Alex Spiro, a long-time Musk legal representative, led the conversations about the job cuts, according to the Washington Post. The Tesla and SpaceX chief immediately fired the social media company's CEO, chief financial officer, head of legal, and general counsel when he assumed command on Thursday. The first round of layoffs will impact almost every department, and are expected to specifically impact sales, product, engineering, legal, and trust and safety in the coming days, the Post's source claimed. Twitter had over 7,000 employees at the end of 2021, according to a regulatory filing and a quarter of the headcount amounts to nearly 2,000 employees. Musk denied a New York Times report about laying off Twitter employees at a date earlier than November 1 - which is tomorrow - to avoid stock grants due on the day. Elon Musk plans to let a quarter of the workforce go at social media giant Twitter in his first round of layoffs after acquiring the company in a multi-billion dollar takeover last week Elon Musk was pictured at Twitter offices carrying a sink The new Twitter CEO allegedly issued an ultimatum to the social media platform's engineers, telling them to revamp Twitter's verification system within a fortnight or face the sack Musk is pictured with Twitter employees in the office on the day of the takeover After engineers, Twitter's highest paid employees work in sales - with several earning more than $300,000. According to a report from The Verge, Musk wants to launch a pay-for-play verification system in which verified users are charged $20 per month. The problem is that engineers have until November 7 to launch the scheme or face being fired. Employees were only told of the project on October 30. The Verge report says that the price of the verification is subject to change. The price will also cover so-far unspecified other features. Since Musk first offered to buy Twitter, the world's wealthiest man has made it clear he planned to shake things up at the social media giant. Hours before The Verge report emerged, Musk tweeted: 'The whole verification process is being revamped right now.' Earlier, tech website Platformer's Casey Newton reported that Twitter was leaning towards asking for verified users to pay for the privilege. DailyMail.com has asked Twitter for comment on this story. In responding to ProPublica's Eric Umansky tweeting the Times story, Musk simply wrote: 'This is false' Longtime ally to Musk David Sacks is reportedly working with the Tesla CEO as a 'staff software engineer' Musk also denied claims that he will be firing employees before they received their November 1 compensation in the form of stock grants. He responded to the claims made by ProPublica's deputy managing editor, Eric Umansky, responding by saying this is false. The New York Times reported that employees are being cut off before the 1st as a cost-cutting measure, with the grants representing a significant portion of employees pay. Musk fired four executives shortly after taking over the company, who had been owed millions under the merger agreement. Former CEO Parag Agrawal had been set to received up to $60million alone, but Musk sacked them all 'for cause' - though it is unclear his reasons behind the move. It is possible the firings could void the payout agreement, but the executives are 'deliberating' their next steps. Earlier, Musk insinuated that he regarded the New York Times as a fake news outlet Since Musk first offered to buy Twitter, the world's wealthiest man has made it clear he planned to shake things up at the social media giant Both David Sacks and Jason Calacanis have appeared in a company directory over the weekend, and are understood to have the titles of 'staff software engineer'. Musk's official title is CEO, although publicly he has referred to himself as 'Chief Twit'. There are close to 400,000 verified users on Twitter. Making them pay could help the platform stay afloat after reports that bots make up five percent of all users and 'heavy tweeters' make up less than 10 percent of the site's monthly users. Less active users mean less eyeballs for advertisers. During the court battle to acquire Twitter, Musk himself claimed that fewer than 16 million users are able to see the vast majority of ads. On Sunday Musk took aim at Twitter's board ad lawyers, claiming that they 'deliberately hid evidence from the court' - referring to his legal bid to stop the $44bn takeover. Sriram Krishnan, another longtime Musk associate, also tweeted that he was helping out the deal by investing $400million from crypto firm Andreessen Horowitz. Musk took further aim at the New York Post in tweeting a screenshot of a headline from NYTimes.com accusing him of posting a link to a fake story surrounding the assault on Paul Pelosi. The headline read: 'Elon Musk, in a Tweet, Shares Link From Site Known to Publish Fake News.' He quipped: 'This is fake - I did *not* tweet out a link to the New York Times.' Musk earlier deleted a tweet suggesting Paul Pelosi's attacker was a gay prostitute he met during a boozy night out. New Twitter CEO Elon Musk shared a link to a now-deleted article suggesting Paul Pelosi left a gay bar with David DePape early Friday morning before he was allegedly attacked with a hammer Musk's official title is CEO, although publicly he has referred to himself as 'Chief Twit' The tweet shared a link to an article suggesting the House Speaker's husband left a San Francisco gay bar with David DePape prior to his assault. But it no longer appears on the new Twitter CEO's page just hours after it was posted. He has now been accused of 'caving into the leftist mob'. Musk had posted the theory in response to a tweet by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in which she claimed that the attack on the 82-year-old was the fault of Republican 'mouthpieces' spreading 'hate and deranged conspiracy theories'. 'There's a tiny possibility there may be more to this story than meets the eye,' the 51-year-old billionaire responded, sharing a link to a story published by an obscure outlet called the Santa Monica Observer. It seemed to have crashed since the story was first highlighted by Musk, with would-be readers receiving an error page reading that the site's webserver, Cloudflare, was 'returning an unknown error' according to Axios. Musk shared a now-deleted Santa Monica Observer article written by Stan Greene Paul Pelosi was able to call 911 alerting authorities to the situation as it was unfolding. He is pictured here with his wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in 2019 According to the Los Angeles Times, the same outlet previously reported that Hillary Clinton died before the 2016 election, and that a body double had been sent to debate Donald Trump. It also claimed that sunlight could treat COVID, and that Kanye West had been appointed to the Trump administration. The latest story, which can still be accessed in an online archive, was headlined: 'The Awful Truth: Paul Pelosi Was Drunk Again, And In a Dispute With a Male Prostitute Early Friday Morning.' Author Stan Greene claimed 'in his honest opinion' that Paul Pelosi and DePape met at a gay bar earlier that night and went to the home together. Greene offered no evidence to back up his claims, and police have not shared any information which confirms any of the claims made. Pelosi was previously sentenced to five days in jail in August after he crashed his Porsche while drunk this year, but there's no suggestion that he's gay or an alcoholic. Musk's decision to share such an outlandish theory sparked fury on Twitter, just days after he bought the site and vowed to make it a paragon of free speech. He had written in a message to advertisers on Thursday that while he wants the social media giant to become a 'digital town square' it 'obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences'. Interview: Chinese path to modernization to continuously improve people's well-being -- Japan's Komeito party leader Xinhua) 09:39, October 31, 2022 TOKYO, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) shoulders the responsibility of seeking happiness for the people and the Chinese path to modernization will surely continue to improve the people's well-being, a Japanese political party leader has said. The CPC adheres to the spirit of self-reform and under its leadership, the Chinese economy has been constantly forging ahead, said Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Japan's ruling coalition party Komeito, in a recent interview with Xinhua, applauding China's tremendous development achievements over the past decade. "China has been setting its future development goals with a long-term perspective and making continuous efforts to achieve them," he said. "Komeito party has been paying close attention to the progress of the Chinese path to modernization," an important concept highlighted in the report of the 20th CPC National Congress. Yamaguchi noted that despite their differences in political systems, Japan and China should work together on the basis of mutual respect and common values of mankind to realize their people's goals of pursuing happiness, good-neighborliness and prosperity. Speaking of his expectations about the future China-Japan relations, Yamaguchi said the two sides should make active efforts to maintain good bilateral relations, carry out dialogue and exchanges, constantly strengthen mutual trust, as well as safeguard and develop friendly, stable and constructive relations. The two sides should also work together to safeguard world peace and stability, he said. Yamaguchi said he looked forward to consolidating and strengthening the long-term friendly relations between the Komeito party and the CPC, and further promoting Japan-China cooperation. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) A message is laid among flowers at a temporary mourning space near the scene of a tragic Halloween crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district, Oct. 31. Newsis Korean businesses have canceled their Halloween promotional events as the country mourns the death of more than 150 people in a massive crowd crush in central Seoul, companies said Monday. Lotte Department Store, a leading shopping mall, said it has called off its plans to hold Halloween parades and run pop-up stores at its Jamsil branch. Posters and promotional images for those events have been removed. Shinsegae Department Store and Hyundai Department Store also joined the move, canceling all Halloween programs and getting rid of decorations. Local theme parks, including Lotte World Adventure and Everland, have suspended all Halloween events from Sunday morning, while Starbucks Korea said it has wrapped up its promotions for Halloween drinks. At least 154 people were killed in the crowd surge during Halloween celebrations in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon on Saturday night, with dozens more injured. The Korean government has designated a weeklong national mourning period through Saturday, with flags at half-mast at government buildings and public offices across the country during the period. Samsung Electronics, the No. 1 home appliances maker, scrapped its plan to hold a Halloween promotional party in Seoul last weekend and stopped releasing its SmartThings brand advertisements. LG Electronics has also canceled all Halloween promotional events and removed related posters and decorations from its local stores across the country. Kakao, the operator of No. 1 mobile messenger KakaoTalk, has wrapped up its Halloween discount events on the chat application. This image from Naver shows its online mourning page for the Itaewon tragedy. Yonhap A reality TV star has confronted a cleaner who filmed a sexy video in her bedroom when she was being paid to tidy up. Jess Eva, from The Blocks 2018 series, paid cleaner and raunchy OnlyFans star Kyla Hutton $650 to clean her Sunshine Coast property on October 18 before tenants were set to move in. But shortly after Ms Hutton went to the home to start work, Eva received a message showing the contractor performing a 'sexy dance' on the floor of her master bedroom - a text sent by accident. But shortly after Ms Hutton went to the home to start work, Eva received a message showing the cleaning contractor performing a 'sexy dance' on the floor of her master bedroom (pictured left) - a text sent by accident. She also posted a raunchy picture to Facebook (right) The two stood toe-to-toe arguing on A Current Affair on Monday night, with Eva claiming the home was not properly cleaned. 'What was not clean about it? What was not clean about it?' Ms Hutton shouted. Eva replied: 'The floors, the rooms, the kitchen, the drawers.' 'OK, but it was clean, it's not going to take much you've just got to wipe a little bit and dust a little bit' Ms Hutton insisted. Eva had recently bought and renovated the property with her partner and fellow The Block star Norm and found Ms Hutton's cleaning services through an ad on Facebook. When asked about this Ms Hutton claimed the video was taken during a short break. Radio host and reality TV star Jess Eva confronts Kyla Hutton, who was hired to clean her house but spent time taking 'sexy' videos and photos of herself Triple M's Jess Eva (pictured) attends the 2022 Australian Commercial Radio Awards in Sydney 'I sent my girlfriend a funny video for two seconds,' she said. 'I sat down for two seconds that whole time. 'I worked my arse off in that place. I scrubbed every goddamn f**king wall. Another photo of Ms Hutton wearing a revealing negligee in the house was posted on her Facebook account with the caption: 'Life is what you make it'. Eva, who is based in Sydney as the host of the Triple M radio breakfast show, sent a friend to the house to check the cleaning had been done late in the evening. But when her friend arrived she claims to have found Ms Hutton was in the shower. There was also a male companion in the house. The friend asked Ms Hutton and her companion for the house keys, which they said they didn't have. Eva learnt that Ms Hutton has an OnlyFans website, where she posts revealing videos and photos of herself for her army of subscribers On Monday, Ms Hatton on Facebook said: 'There is two sides to every story' Eva learnt that Ms Hutton has an OnlyFans website, where she posts revealing videos and photos of herself for her army of subscribers. After signing up to the channel she was sent a text message from Ms Hutton. 'If you have any fantasies or ideas you want to see me do let me know and I will get to work,' it said. 'Have ya found my keys? Eva replied. 'If she is genuine about making all my dreams and fantasies come true all I want is to see my keys,' Eva joked On Monday, Ms Hatton on Facebook said: 'There is two sides to every story and if you want to hear my side Im more than happy to share details add my tick-tock I will be live there tonight peachypeach6969'. For her work Eva is based in Sydney where she is a host on the Triple M breakfast radio show Detectives investigating the death of war hero Peter Gouldstone, 98, four years ago following a home burglary for a 20 TV have charged a Homeless man. The pensioner suffered severe injuries including two bleeds to the brain and extensive bruising during a break-in at his home in Enfield, north London. He was found dying at 10am on November 6, 2018 and was taken to hospital but died a few weeks later. Police had released a CCTV clip of three men trying to break in to another house near his home on the same evening, November 5. But until now there had been no charges and four agonising years had passed for the family of Mr Gouldstone, who served in Italy during the Second World War before working for the Post Office as a telephone engineer and retiring around 1980. Now MailOnline can disclose a homeless man, Nicolae Ion, 31, is in custody charged over the burglary. He is due to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November 2 over the alleged offence. Peter Gouldstone died a few weeks after his home in Enfield, north London was raided In the raid that cost Mr Gouldstone his life, burglars made off with a 20 Panasonic TV The police told MailOnline: 'The charge relates to a burglary at the home of 98-year-old Peter Gouldstone on Evesham Road, Enfield between Monday, November 5 and Tuesday, November 6, 2018. 'Mr Gouldstone died later the same month.' There had been a 10,000 reward on offer for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the men who broke into Mr Gouldstone's home, where he had lived for more than 60 years. A 26in Panasonic TV, model TX-L26X10B, and other possessions were stolen in the robbery. Three men were seen trying to break into a house in Enfield before another home, that of Peter Gouldstone, was broken into, leaving him with severe injuries which led to his death The pensioner was left fighting for his life and later died after he was attacked at his home After the attack, Mr Gouldstone's his son Simon told reporters: 'The house was very cold, he was in amongst quite a lot of turmoil. He couldn't communicate, he had bruising on his arms and face. 'I don't know how they can live with themselves. The sooner they're locked up the better.' Police released a picture of the Panasonic television taken in the raid. The same type of TV can be bought second-hand on eBay for 20. Jair Bolsonaro's presidency was never going to be quiet after a career built on controversy that regularly landed the far-right leader in hot water. But the Brazilian nationalist still shocked many with his gaffes and outspoken remarks that defined his four-year reign. The so-called 'Trump of the Tropics' is now preparing to bid farewell to power after suffering an election defeat to the left-wing Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro had claimed his rival's return to power would usher in communism, legalised drugs, abortion and the persecution of churches, and he is yet to concede the vote. But the incumbent's Christian conservative administration was widely criticised for its handling of the Covid pandemic and the worst deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in 15 years. Here, MailOnline gives a rundown of some of his most memorable moments in office. Bolsonaro walks at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia today in the first image of the president since his election loss Stabbing during election campaign Even during his election campaign in 2018, Bolsonaro was no stranger to headlines. The controversial candidate was leading the polls when he was attacked while being carried shoulder high in the midst of a crowd in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, south east Brazil. The horrifying moment was caught on several cameras as the assailant struck Bolsonaro in the stomach with a kitchen knife. The politician was seen collapsing and clutching his stomach in agony and is then rushed to hospital. Presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro is taken on the shoulders of a supporter moments before being stabbed during a campaign rally in Juiz de Fora, Brazil Jair Bolsonaro reacts after being stabbed during the rally. Police spokesman Flavio Santiago confirmed that his attacker had been arrested Bolsonaro underwent laparoscopic surgery after being stabbed at a campaign rally according to his advisers This photo released by the Military Police, shows the knife supposedly used by Adelio Bispo de Oliveira A group of people try to detain Adelio Bispo de Oliveira (pictured centre), who allegedly stabbed the right-wing presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro Initially his son Flavio Bolsonaro said the injury had been superficial, however, an hour later he posted another tweet saying the wound was 'worse than we thought.' Flavio said the puncture had hit parts of his father's liver, lung and intestines and he lost a lot of blood. The attacker was identified as Adelio Bispo de Oliveira who said he was on a 'mission from God'. Bispo was found not liable due to his 'permanent paranoid delusional disorder', and Bolsonaro was released from hospital a month after the stabbing. LGBT backlash In 2019, Bolsonaro declared that Brazil must not become a 'gay tourism paradise', sparking fury. He said: 'If you want to come here and have sex with a woman, go for your life. '[But] Brazil can't be a country of the gay world, of gay tourism. We have families.' The city of Rio de Janeiro was once named the best LGBT destination in the world and various Pride events, as well as the famous Carnival, attract millions of people from around the world. The president previously said he was 'very proud' to be homophobic and even once said that he would rather have a dead son than a gay one while also telling openly gay British actor Stephen Fry that 'Brazilian society doesn't like homosexuals.' In another attack, he accused 'homosexual fundamentalists' of brainwashing children to 'become gays and lesbians to satisfy them sexually in the future'. He also once told a female lawmaker she was too ugly to rape, and said the birth of his daughter, after having four sons, was a 'moment of weakness.' And his latest comments have again caused anger in the LGBT community. Covid catastrophe Despite contracting Covid, Bolsonaro regularly downplayed the virus and promoted conspiracy theories about the pandemic. Nearly 700,000 Brazilians died from Covid and many critics point the finger at the president. But at its outbreak, he asserted that 'Brazilians never catch anything' and even claimed they could jump into sewage without getting infected with anything. He discouraged mask use and falsely suggested that people who got vaccinated against ran the risk of contracting AIDS. Last year, a six-month inquiry heard devastating witness testimony from experts who said ineffective medicines were used on 'human guinea pigs.' Bolsonaro gives a thumbs up after being admitted to hospital with an abdominal problem in January The 1,200-page report accused Bolsonaro of 'quackery' for dismissing the virus as a 'little flu' and for delays in ordering vaccines - a vaccine which he refused to take himself because he claimed he had natural immunity. Charges of 'homicide' and 'genocide' were even filed against Bolsonaro before they were withdrawn. He lashed out at vaccines and claimed the Pfizer jab could turn people into crocodiles and also lead to women growing facial hair. The Brazilian leader said: 'In the Pfizer contract, it's very clear: ''We're not responsible for any side effects.''If you turn into a crocodile, that's your problem.' He continued: 'If you become superhuman, if a woman starts to grow a beard or if a man starts to speak with an effeminate voice, they [Pfizer] won't have anything to do with it.' Bolsonaro also once said: 'Some people say I'm giving a bad example. But to the imbeciles, to the idiots that say this, I tell them I've already caught the virus, I have the antibodies, so why get vaccinated?' He also fired two health ministers during the pandemic, both trained doctors, and replaced them with an active-duty army general. Fuel price outrage during Queen funeral visit Bolsonaro used his trip to the UK for the Queen's funeral last month to share his shock at the price of UK's petrol. The Brazilian president stopped at a petrol station in London and posted a video about the cost of fuel. Standing at a Shell garage in London's Bayswater Road, Brazil's controversial president pointed at the electronic sign displaying the 161.9p price for a litre of unleaded. Standing at a Shell fuel station in London's Bayswater Road, Brazil's controversial president pointed at the electronic sign displaying the price of fuel 'I'm here in London, England, and the price of petrol is 1.61 this is about R $ 9.70 per litre,' he said In a video filmed with mobile phone, Bolsonaro said the cost is 'practically double the average of many Brazilian states' and also claimed fuel in Brazil is among the cheapest in the world. 'I'm here in London, England, and the price of petrol is 1.61 this is about R$9.70 per litre,' he said. 'Our gasoline is in fact, among the cheapest in the world,' he claimed. The video was posted online the night before the Queen's funeral. Some on social media criticised Bolsonaro's claim and said it is not a fair comparison as Brazil's minimum wage is many times is lower than the UK's. Prices in Britain have fallen in recent months from highs of nearly 2 per litre. Bolsonaro was also accused of using his London trip to be pictured among the world leaders in an attempt to boost his image and use it as a platform for his campaign. Wrestling with an influencer Bolsonaro got tangled up with a social media influencer and tried to snatch his cellphone away during his campaign for reelection. The leader was speaking to supporters and posing for selfies outside Palacio da Alvorada, the presidential residence in the capital city of Brasilia, when Wilker Leao pushed his way through the crowd and confronted him. Leao used his phone to film himself, repeatedly shouting at the president, calling him a 'coward,' 'bum' and the 'darling' of a pork-barrel faction in Congress. Bolsonaro initially entered his car, but then reemerged and grabbed Leao's shirt and forearm while reaching for his phone. Security guards pulled Leao, a former Army solider away. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro confronted social media influencer Wilker Leao and tried to snatch his cellphone away on Thursday after Leao, a former Army soldier, heckled the far-right leader and called him a 'coward,' 'bum' and the 'darling' of a pork-barrel faction in Congress Brazil's President Jail Bolsonaro grabs social media influencer Wilker Leao by the arm in an attempt to take his cellphone during a confrontation in front of the presidential residence in the city of Brasilia on Thursday morning A journalist from news website G1 published a video of Leao's comments and the subsequent altercation in which a security guard grabbed the social media figure and tossed him to the ground. 'Don't film this, don't film this,' Bolsonaro told his supporters as Leao was held by presidential security. 'It is his right (to protest), but he was being impolite.' Four minutes later, security allowed Leao to return to the scene and chat with Bolsonaro. 'You can talk to me as much as you want,' Bolsonaro told Leao. The two spoke for five minutes about plea bargaining, the budget, tax reform and weapon possession until the president decided to go back to his car and leave. Bolsonaro and Leao had spoken in the past, including in April when the influencer identified himself as a corporal in the Army reserve. Leao questioned Bolsonaro about comments he had made in which he said the work of Army corporals and soldiers was limited to cleaning. 'Stop, stop, stop... Why are you angry?' Bolsonaro told him. 'Why did you stay eight years [in the Army] and now you're complaining?' The YouTuber replied: 'I am defending corporals and soldiers who, for example, carry out the armed security of (president), but outside the door they do not have a gun.' Picking up a dwarf In the summer of 2020, the Brazilian president mistakenly lifted up a dwarf into the air after mistaking the man for a young boy. In the summer of 2020, the Brazilian president mistakenly lifted up a dwarf into the air after mistaking the man for a young boy Bolsonaro was visiting Arcaju, the capital of the northeastern state of Sergipe, where he made the embarrassing gaffe. Footage shows the leader picking up the masked man while he was flanked by security guards. A woman in the background is heard asking: 'Is that a child?' Bolsonaro then puts him back on the ground and moves away while a crowd continues to throng around him. Joking around as the Amazon burns In 2019, huge wildfires ripped through the Amazon, sparking global concern about mass destruction to the 'lungs of the world'. But Bolsonaro dismissed their fears, while also claiming the fires were started by activists without evidence. He ignored Emmanuel Macron's 'sensationalism' after the French president accused him of weakening environmental laws and encouraging deforestation. Bolsonaro even referred to himself as 'Captain Chainsaw' for allowing the demolition of the rainforest. He was later seen joking around and taking selfies at a ceremony where he received military honours while massive protests gathered over the burning Amazon rainforest. Bolsonaro tries on a military beret during a ceremony at the same time as fires ripped through the Amazon Activists demonstrate during a protest against the government of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro over the fires in the Amazon rainforest, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Aerial picture showing smoke from a 2-kilometre stretch of fire billowing from the Amazon rainforest He was seen trying on a military beret, posing for a selfie and giving a toothy grin as he received military honors during a ceremony for Soldier Day at the Brazilian Army Headquarters in Brasilia, at the same time as the fires were rampaging. Bolsonaro described rainforest protections as an obstacle to economic development, sparring with critics who note that the Amazon produces vast amounts of oxygen and is considered crucial in efforts to contain global warming. Leading politicians, celebrities, environmentalists and even Carrie Johnson warned of the devastating impact of the fires ravaging the rainforest, which produces a fifth of the worlds oxygen. But Bolsonaro shrugged off criticism over his failure to act, saying the fires were an internal matter. Police believe parties were known to each other and it was an isolated incident Woman, 60s, pronounced dead at scene and the other, 30s, taken to hospital Met called to an address in Dagenham and found two women with stab injuries Man, 28, arrested in connection with double stabbing in east London last night A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and grievous bodily harm after a woman in her 60s was killed and another was seriously injured in a stabbing in east London yesterday. Met Police officers were called to an address in Dagenham at around 9.30pm and found two women with stab injuries. One woman - believed to be in her 60s - was pronounced dead at the scene and the other - thought to be in her 30s - was taken to hospital for treatment. Her condition is not life-threatening. A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and GBH after attending an east London police station and remains in custody. The Met Police said it is believed that it was an isolated incident and that the parties involved were known to each other. Police were called to an address on Auriel Avenue (pictured) in Dagenham, east London last night and found two women with stab injuries Homicide detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command are investigating and the next of kin has been informed. Detective Superintendent Richard Vandenbergh of the East Area Command unit said: 'This is a truly shocking incident that has left one woman dead and a second with serious injuries and will understandably cause concern within the local community. 'A man has been arrested and remains in custody and it appears this was an isolated incident confined to a single address. 'Residents will have woken up this morning to find a large police presence in the area. Detective Superintendent Richard Vandenbergh of the East Area Command unit said there is a large police presence in Dagenham while officers investigate 'I want to reassure people that this is standard practice when dealing with such a serious incident so specialist officers can gather evidence as quickly and securely as is possible. 'You will also see local officers in the area; if you have concerns or information that could help then please speak to them.' Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD 6755/30Oct. Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Advertisement It was amid the terror of the trenches that they stopped and put on a brave face for their families. Amid the three-month Battle of the Somme in 1916, thousands of British, Australian and French soldiers posed for photos that were later sent home to relatives. The 4,000 glass plate negatives of mostly unidentified Western Front troops were uncovered in 2010 in an attic in a farm house in northern France, by author Ross Caulthart and military historian Peter Burness. Now, with only a fraction of the First World War troops having been identified, researchers are calling on the public and potential relatives to help put names to their faces. In Australia, around 250 of the 800 Australian soldiers who feature have been identified, but in Britain, historians have only been able to trace 100 of the 1,500 Britons who are pictured. The images were taken by French couple Louis and Antoinette Thuillier, who lived in the village of Vignaport. Their photos now form what is called the Thuillier Collection. Vignaport, just 30 miles from the front lines, acted as a staging post, where soldiers could rest and prepare for battle. At least 420,000 British men were killed over several months on the Somme, along with 195,000 French troops and 450,000 Germans. On just the first day of the battle, the British Army lost 20,000 men, with a further 40,000 injured. It was amid the terror of the trenches that they stopped and put on a brave face for their families. After the Battle of the Somme in 1916, thousands of British, Australian and French soldiers posed for photos that were later sent home to relatives. Above: One of the images of an unidentified British soldier. He is seen sitting with a small dog on his lap The 4,000 glass plate negatives of mostly unidentified Western Front troops were uncovered in 2010 in an attic in a farm house in northern France, by author Ross Caulthart and military historian Peter Burness. Above: These three soldiers from an unidentified regiment are among those who appear in the photos Friendly comrades are seen posing together on a bed of straw as a sign announces: 'We are seven'. The image is one of the thousands that were taken by French couple Louis and Antoinette Thuillier The Thuilliers hit upon the idea of charging a small fee to take portraits mages of soldiers as they sought to capitalise on the hive of activity that Vignaport became during the war. Their images were printed onto postcards, allowing soldiers to maintain a fragile link with soldiers back home. The images capture what military life was like for the troops as well as some of the friendships and bonds formed between the soldiers and civilians. Some of the images have been displayed in a museum in the Thuilliers' former farmhouse since 2018. Alice Orzechowski, assistant director of the Vignacourt 14-18 museum, told The Times that it is 'more difficult' to identify British men because of 'limited access' to archives and the fact that it costs money. Appealing for help, she called on both researchers and ordinary Britons to help 'take part in this research adventure'. Some of the images date from the 1916 offensive, whilst others were taken in 1917 and 1918. It was in Vignacourt that local couple, Louis and Antoinette Thuillier (pictured right), hit on the idea of taking portrait photos of soldiers passing through the town to send home to their worried families. Above left: Two British troops pose for a photo together For much of the First World War, the small French village of Vignacourt was always behind the front lines as a staging point, casualty clearing station and recreation area for troops of all nationalities moving up to and then back from the battlefields on the Somme. Above: Another soldier poses with a dog Just boys themselves: Some of the images reveal just how young many of the soldiers who fought were. The above two men are among the 1,400 who are unidentified Signs of battle: One young man is seen with his hand in a sling after being wounded at the front, whilst another man betrays the look of someone who has seen the horror of war first-hand The Thuilliers hit upon the idea of charging a small fee to take portraits mages of soldiers as they sought to capitalise on the hive of activity that Vignaport became during the war. Above: Two unidentified Britons pose for images The never-before-seen images of Western Front troops were uncovered almost a century after they were taken having lain hidden in an attic in a farm house in northern France. Above: A soldier poses on a motorbike as a comrade stands with a pipe in his hand Mr Coulthart's 2016 book, The Lost Tommies, displayed some of them for the first time. The original glass plate negatives were bought by Australian businessman Kerry Stokes. The plates of British, American, French African, Nepalese and Indian soldiers are housed by Mr Stokes's museum, the Stokes Collection. Mr Coulthart told The Times that he had not been able to find British museums willing to preserve, restore and digitise the images of British men. He claimed that on visiting museums in the UK, his inquiries were met with 'disinterest and unhelpfulness' Advertisement A family of eight who were forced to move out of their home are living in two houses separated by a dual carriageway after the council failed to find a property big enough to squeeze them all in. The parents, three boys and three girls are divided between one-bedroom temporary city council homes that sit either side of the busy A45, in Birmingham, roughly 250ft apart. Mother Rebecca Fenner and four of her children are living in one room in a home in Yardley, on one side of Coventry Road with a double bed and bunk bed but no space for cots. Meanwhile, her husband Yassin Amrani stays in a single room in a property on the other side of the road with their two eldest daughters. A similar-sized house on the same side of the road as the first home is valued around 200,000, according to Zoopla, and the second home has an estimate of 242,000. A family-of-eight have been housed in two separate one-bedroom homes across a dual carriageway in Birmingham Mother Rebecca Fenner (far left) lives with four of her children in a one-bed home on the A45 in Yardley, Birmingham, with a double bed and a bunk bed but no space for cots The mother of six said the family were kicked out of their old home when their landlord returned from Egypt. Pictured: The A45 Meanwhile her husband Yassin Amrani (back right) stays on the other side of a dual carriageway with their two eldest daughters The family live close enough that they are able to see each other from their homes (nearest right and white house on the left) The school girls have had to stay and sleep in the property alone at times while their father is out working. Ms Fenner has said her cramped and noisy accommodation has been called a prison by one of her boys. The mother of six said the family were kicked out of their old home when their landlord returned from Egypt. She told BirminghamLive the city council is taking no notice and that she is being 'ignored'. The school girls have had to stay and sleep in the property alone at times while their father is out working Ms Fenner told BirminghamLive: 'My support worker knows about this and has raised it, but no one at the council is taking any notice. I've sent 50 emails and no one has come back to me. 'What do I do? I'm being ignored. I'm asking to be put in something which is self-contained. I hope we can move as soon as possible.' The council offered the desperate mother an upstairs room but she rejected it and claimed it was not right because of the stairs. 'It's an awful situation. I can't handle it anymore and neither can my husband.' Ms Fenner (left) has said her cramped and noisy accommodation has been called a prison by one of her boys A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: 'Like all councils dealing with a national housing crisis, we would prefer not to have to place homeless people in temporary accommodation. 'We have offered this family alternative accommodation, including rooms within the same building in their current accommodation as well as rooms in a purpose built homeless centre, however they have refused both offers. 'We will continue to look for more suitable accommodation for this household and will ensure that they are contacted by one of our outreach team who can provide support and advice regarding housing options including renting in the private sector. 'However, Birmingham has a high demand on our waiting list and all offers of permanent accommodation will be made in line with our housing allocation policy.' Donald Trump Jr posted an image of a hammer and white briefs to his Instagram on Sunday night with the caption: 'Got my Paul Pelosi Halloween costume ready', apparently mocking the hospitalized husband of the House Speaker. The husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 82, was rushed to hospital after hammer-wielding David DePape, 42, broke into his family home and fractured his skull. The briefs are understood to be a nod to the conspiracy theory that Paul met his attacker at a gay bar, a myth promoted by Elon Musk who responded to a Tweet with an article supporting the theory, which was later deleted. Police have said on record that Paul Pelosi and his attacker did not know each other prior to the assault. The post received a strong backlash when Trump Jr retweeted the original, which he appears to have screenshotted from another account and reposted to Instagram without credit. Multiple Twitter accounts said they were reporting the post, which one commenter called 'vile'. 'You think this is funny? He's 82 and nearly died,' said one. 'You are freaking disguising!' said another. But others users joined in the mockery, posting their own versions of the 'Halloween costume' and sometimes adding zip ties, which the attacker was carrying. Donald Trump Jr posted an image of a hammer and white briefs to his Instagram on Sunday night with the caption: 'Got my Paul Pelosi Halloween costume ready' Donald Trump Jr posted an image on Sunday night after appearing on Fox News to say the attack should motivate Democrats to take violent crime more seriously On October 28, DePape broke into the Pelosi household shouting: 'Where's Nancy?' Nancy Pelosi was in Washington DC at the time, with the attacker turning on her elderly husband instead, though he is expected to make a full recovery. The perpetrator appears to have thought Nancy Pelosi responsible for committing fraud in the 2020 election, emerging himself in online disinformation before the attack. Democrats and Republicans both broadly condemned the violence, though Republican senators pushed back on the Democrat line that GOP rhetoric had enabled the attack. '[Nancy Pelosi] has been villainized for years, and big surprise its gone viral, and it went violent,' Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar said Sunday on NBC. Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel had previously posted a video of a himself firing a gun in the air on Twitter along with the hashtag #FirePelosi. Florida Senator Rick Scott called the violence 'horrible' and suggested a lack of public trust in elections could have led to the attack. Speaking with Fox News on Sunday, Trump Jr said the attack should motivate Democrats to take violent crime more seriously. 'Imagine how safe the country would be if democrats took all violent crime as seriously as theyre taking the Paul Pelosi situation,' Trump Jr wrote to his 2.6 million followers on Truth Social that afternoon, before Tweeting the same message. Date from the police department of San Francisco, where the attack happened, showed the number of assaults in the city up 11.1% compared to 2021. David DePape, 42, was identified as the man who attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul with a hammer at their San Francisco home in the early hours of Friday morning Police tape is seen in front of the San Francisco home of Speaker Nancy Pelosi Paul Pelosi, left, was taken into brain surgery after the attack but is expected to make a full recovery, while DePape is set to be charged with multiple felonies including attempted homicide. He is pictured with Nancy at the Time 100 Gala in 2019 The post came not long after Elon Musk deleted a tweet suggesting Paul Pelosi's attacker was a gay prostitute he met during a boozy night out. 'There's a tiny possibility there may be more to this story than meets the eye,' the 51-year-old billionaire responded, sharing a link to a story published by an obscure outlet called the Santa Monica Observer. The article suggested without providing evidence that the House Speaker's husband left a San Francisco gay bar with DePape prior to his assault. According to the LA Times, the same outlet previously reported that Hillary Clinton died before the 2016 election, and that a body double had been sent to debate Donald Trump. It also claimed that sunlight could treat Covid, and that Kanye West had been appointed to the Trump administration. Paul Pelosi was previously sentenced to five days in jail in August after he crashed his Porsche while drunk this year, but there was no suggestion that he's gay or an alcoholic. Joe Biden said Saturday that the House Speaker told him her husband was 'doing okay, he went to the hospital, was operated on and he seems to be coming along well, he's in good spirits, and the whole family's there.' Kamala Harris, campaigning in Philadelphia on Friday ahead of the midterms, said the attack in the early hours on the Pelosi's San Francisco home was 'tragic' and 'extreme violence'. Barack Obama, also on the campaign trail, in Georgia, condemned the attack. Advertisement The final photos of two US exchange students tragically killed in the South Korea Halloween stampede has emerged as the congressman uncle of one victim said she was 'a gift from God to our family'. Anne Gieske, 20, posted smiling selfies with Steven Blesi, also 20, during a hike at Hallasan volcano just hours before they were killed in the crush on October 29. Gieske, a congressman's niece who celebrated her birthday on Friday, was a junior who attended the University of Kentucky's nursing program. In a tribute today, Ohio representative Brad Wenstrup said: 'Monica and I, and our entire family, are grieving the loss of our niece Anne Marie Gieske. She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much.' Hours after her tragic passing was reported, the family of Blesi said that they had been notified that he was also among the 156 who perished. He was a junior at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. Blesi's father said he text his son just half an hour before the stampede and told him: 'I know you're out and about. Be safe.' Tragically, he never received a reply from his son. Anne Gieske posted the smiling selfie with Steven Blesi just hours before the horrific crush that claimed both of their lives The pair of US exchange students were part of a group who enjoyed a seven-hour hike at the Hallasan volcano in South Korea Anne Gieske, a junior at the University of Kentucky, was killed in the stampede Saturday evening in South Korea It has now emerged that Seoul police assigned just 137 officers to manage the crowd of Halloween revelers which numbered over 100,000. Both Gieske and Blesi were taking part in study abroad programs at their respective schools. The incident happened as the crowd at the Halloween event on Saturday night became unruly and surged, which triggered a deadly stampede. Roughly 100,000 people were present for the South Korean event. Gieske's parents, Dan and Madonna Gieske, said: 'We are completely devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Anne Marie. She was a bright light loved by all. 'We ask for your prayers but also the respect of our privacy. Annes final gift to us was dying in the state of sanctifying grace. We know we will one day be reunited with her in Gods kingdom.' Anne Gieske's uncle, Ohio representative Brad Wenstrup, said: 'She was a gift from God to our family. We loved her so much.' Anne Gieske, 20, and Steven Blesi, also 20, posed for smiling selfies posted just hours before they were killed in the crush Representatives from the University of Kentucky said two other students were also studying abroad in South Korea. Both other students have been accounted for. The University's President, Eli Capilouto, confirmed that the two others are safe at this time. 'We have been in contact with Anne's family and will provide whatever support we can now and in the days ahead as they cope with this indescribable loss,' said Capilouto. 'We will be there for those in our community who knew and loved Anne. We also have nearly 80 students from South Korea at UK, members of our community, who will need our support,' the University's president continued. In August, Gieske set up an Instagram account dedicated to detailing her adventures in South Korea. Gieske, who was from Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, graduated from Beechwood High School in 2020, she was a member of Beechwood's marching band from 2015 to 2020. Steve Blesi's father posted this photo of his son on Twitter as their family frantically sought information about his whereabouts as news of the stampede emerged Blesi's father, Steven Blesi, 62, of Marietta, Georgia, told the New York Times that their family was contacted on Saturday night by the United States Embassy in Seoul and told the tragic news. Earlier, Steven Blesi had sent out a tweet that featured a picture of his son as the family pleaded for information. Following the confirmation, he tweeted: 'Thank you for the outpouring of love. We need time to grieve.' In his interview with the Times, Steven Blesi described the pain of his son's death. He said: 'It was like it stabbed like a hundred million times simultaneously. It was like your world just collapsing. It was numb and devastating all at the same time.' He said that his son was studying at Hanyang University at the time of his death. Steven Blesi added that his son wanted to pursue business in eastern Asia after graduation. He joked in his interview with the Times: 'My wife is Latin, but he did not want to go to Latin America. He was actually learning Korean in addition to Spanish. He wanted to speak more languages than my wife.' In addition to his father, Steve Blesi is survived by his mother, Maria, and his brother, Joey. Heartbreakingly, his father told the Times: 'I texted him maybe a half-hour before all this happened, and I said, "I know youre out and about. Be safe." I never got a reply to that.' People pay tribute for the victims of the Halloween celebration stampede, on the street near the scene on Monday night More than 150 people were killed and at least 150 others were injured in the deadly stampede in Seoul's Itaewon distric Among the dead was 24-year-old actor and singer Lee Ji Han, who appeared on reality TV show Produce 101 to create a K-pop band. He later appeared on the popular drama show Today was another Nam Hyan Day in 2019. His agents paid tribute to the youngster who 'shone beautifully with his passion for acting'. 935 Entertainment said in a statement: 'It's true that Lee Ji Han passed away due to the accident in Itaewon on October 29. 'We also hoped that it wasn't true, and we were very shocked to hear the news. The family is suffering immense grief right now, so we are being very cautious. May he rest in peace.' They later added: 'Please send a warm farewell to [Lee], who left us too soon. We will also remember Lee, who shone beautifully with his passion for acting.' Actor and singer Lee Ji Han (pictured), 24, who appeared on reality TV show Produce 101 to create a K-pop band, was killed Ji Han rose to fame on the second season of Produce 101, in which 101 contestants compete for a spot in a K-pop band Seoul police assigned 137 officers to manage the crowd of Halloween revelers a decision that has come under intense criticism. By comparison, nearly 7,000 police officers were sent to another part of the South Korean capital on Saturday to monitor dueling protests that drew tens of thousands but still fewer people than flocked to the popular nightlife district of Itaewon the same night Even the task force created to investigate why the crowd surged, with 475 members, is more three times larger than the detail assigned to crowd control. As South Korea mourns, officials are facing tough questions about preparations for the celebrations and demands for accountability in the wake of the country's worst disaster in nearly a decade. The national government has insisted there was no way to predict the crowd would get out of control. Jude Hehman, Mayor of Gieske's hometown, City of Fort Mitchell, said he hopes the US government will aid the investigation into how the disaster was able to take place. Mourners pay tribute in front of a joint memorial altar for victims of the deadly Halloween crowd surge, outside Seoul city hall Investigators inspected the scene on Monday of the deadly stampede that happened during Halloween festivities in Seoul He told DailyMail.com: Our prayers and thoughts are with the family. 'Through this, I know the state and federal government is working to get her remains over here and Ive offered my support for the city to celebrate her life at the right time. They have received incredible support from the community. What they are describing is just numbness. Its surreal to put their head around what has happened in this tragedy. Kennesaw State University said in a statement: 'Kennesaw State University officials were deeply saddened to learn that KSU student Steven Blesi was among the more than 150 people tragically killed in this weekends Halloween incident in Seoul, South Korea.' The school added that a total of 11 students from Kennesaw State University at currently studying in Seoul. The statement said that all of the other students are safe and have been accounted for. The school's president Kathy Schwaig said: 'On behalf of the entire Kennesaw State community, our thoughts and prayers go out to Stevens family and friends as they mourn this incomprehensible loss. We have been in contact with Stevens family and have offered all available resources of the University to them.' Gieske was one of three students from the University of Kentucky who were studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, according to representatives from the school Some reports indicate that the majority of the victims from the incident were teens and individuals in their twenties. The party took place in central Seoul and came to a head when the massive crowd attempted to rush through narrow corridors, trampling over others. Horrifying video from after the incident shows a fireman in South Korea trembling as he gives a press briefing about the Halloween stampede that killed over 150 people. An additional 82 were injured during the stampede, the group announced Sunday. South Korea's Chief of Yongsan Fire Department Choi Seong-beom appeared to shake as he gave the media a briefing on the stampede that killed at least 153 in Seoul Onlookers, police and paramedics gathered where dozens of people suffered cardiac arrest in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon The 'heartbreaking' video, which was taken several hours after the deadly incident occurred, shows the exhausted emergency worker slightly shaking as he holds the microphone. Online, people responded to the video to share their sympathies with Choi Seong-beom and other emergency workers who attended the traumatic incident. More than 1,700 emergency workers were deployed from across South Korea to respond to one of the deadliest crowd crushes in recent history - including about 520 firefighters, 1,100 police officers and 70 government workers. More footage overlooking the street showed dozens of emergency responders working desperately to administer CPR to victims lying on the street. Left: The alleyway is seen early on Sunday morning. It remained cordoned off as police continued their investigations into the tragedy. Right: The same alleyway is seen shortly before the crush. Hundreds of people are shown packed in Dozens of those who were injured or killed reportedly suffered cardiac arrests. At least 19 of those are foreign nationals. South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a week of national mourning and after visiting the site earlier today said that the deadly stampede 'should not have happened'. 'In the center of Seoul, a tragedy and disaster occurred that should not have happened,' Yoon said in a national address, vowing to 'thoroughly investigate' the incident and ensure it could never happen again. Reports from last night also detail how some revelers continued to party in the neighborhood after the crush - despite desperate pleas from the police to go home. Advertisement Matthew Perry told on Monday how he tried desperately to keep his drug and alcohol addiction a secret from his Friends co-stars for years, but now hopes they will all read his new memoir about it. Perry, 53, has spoken frequently of his addiction in the last few weeks in an effort to promote his new memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. On Monday morning, he appeared live on Good Morning America to talk more about his crippling alcoholism and drug addiction. At its worst, his addiction had him drinking a quarter bottle of vodka a day and taking 55 Vicodin, methadone and Xanax. He talked at length about the addiction in an hour-long interview with Diane Sawyer that aired on Friday. The book is not out until tomorrow but Perry says he has already received supportive messages from 'some' of his Friends co-stars. 'I've gotten some really nice texts from a few of them already and the book isn't even out yet,' he said on Monday morning. Scroll down for video Matthew Perry told on Monday how he tried desperately to keep his drug and alcohol addiction a secret from his Friends co-stars for years, but now hopes they will all read his new memoir about it Matthew Perry hopes his old Friends co-stars read his new memoir and says some have reached out to him already: Ive gotten some really nice texts from a few of them already and the book isn't even out yet. pic.twitter.com/NXD17njnuV Good Morning America (@GMA) October 31, 2022 Perry with Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Anniston, David Schwimmer and Matt Le Blanc in 2004, before they filmed the final episode of Friends. He said he had tried to keep it a secret from them for years but was found out He added that while writing the book was easy, reading it back became a painful process for him. 'It was a gratifying experience to write the book, it all just poured out of me. It came easily to me to write it but then I had to read it for the Audible part of it and that was really hard. 'Reading and it sort of disassociating a bit... thinking "God, what a terrible, hard life this guy has had and realizing, I'm talking about myself. 'I felt very sorry for that person because I know what was going on in his head and it all had to be a secret. I was on a show that a lot of people were watching and trying not to have a lot of people know that,' he said. He added that he had tried to 'not go after' anyone in the book, despite sharing previously secret details of romances with Julia Roberts and Valerie Bertinelli. 'It's very important to me that I didn't go after anyone and I wasn't gossipy,' he said. He added that for years, he was unaware that he was an alcoholic. 'A lot of people have alcoholism and don't know that they do. They're wondering why they drink so much. I didn't know. I had to keep it a secret because I didn't understand what was going on. Perry said he backed out of a romance with Julia Roberts because it was 'too much' for him to date one of the biggest stars in the world. The pair dated for several months between 1995 and 1996. He also claims in the book to have 'made out' with Valerie Bertinelli (right together in 1990) when her husband Eddie Van Halen was passed out Perry, left, in 1987 and right, at the height of his Friends fame. He previously told Diane Sawyer how viewers could 'track' his addiction with his weight: 'When Im carrying weight, its alcohol. When Im skinny, its pills.' 'Certain lines in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous made me aware. 'I thought I was alone in this and then I read a passage that said drinkers think they are trying to escape but really what they're trying to do is get over an illness that they don't know they have. I went, "oh there's 30million people that think like me." Perry is now a sponsor to other alcoholics, something he said he takes joy from. Perry's memoir goes on sale tomorrow 'If you've gone through anything close to what I've gone through, I can help. There's some light that comes on in people's eyes when they get it.' He previously told Sawyer how he battled the lowest points in his addiction when he was at the top of his career. 'I should have been the toast of the town, but I was in a dark room meeting with nothing but drug dealers and completely alone,' he told Diane Sawyer in an hour-long interview that aired on Friday. It began when he was 14, when he said he drank an entire bottle of wine. By 18, he was drinking every day, he said. 'I lay in the grass and was in heaven,' said Perry, who is promoting his new memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, which details his battle with addiction. 'I thought to myself, "This must be the way normal people feel all the time."' In the book, he reveals how Jennifer Anniston was among the most supportive of his Friends co-stars, telling Sawyer: 'She was the one that reached out the most. You know, Im really grateful to her for that.' He also reveals in the book that he broke up with Julia Roberts because dating one of the world's biggest stars was 'way too much for him'. He dished on asking Jennifer Anniston out on a date before they co-starred on Friends (she said no) and also claimed to have made out with Valerie Bertinelli while her husband was passed out. She has not responded to the allegation. Perry says he has been to rehab 15 times and estimates he has spent $9million on trying to be clean and sober throughout his life. Now, he says he craves a wife and children. In his interview with Sawyer, he said viewers of Friends could 'track' which drug he was taking or if he was drinking by monitoring his weight. 'When Im carrying weight, its alcohol. When Im skinny, its pills.' He guesses he has attended some 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and had detoxed 54 times, many of which were during his run on Friends. He appeared on the show throughout its 10-year run but made a rule to never drink or take drugs on set. 'I made a rule that I would never drink or take anything at work,' Matthew said. 'So I would never do that, but I would show up blindly hungover. Like shaking. I loved Chandler, I loved the show. And I knew, "Remember this, because it's going to be the best time of your life." 'And I knew I would never forgive myself if I messed this up,' he said. A six-year-old Miami boy with autism who vanished two months ago, reportedly kidnapped by his father and grandmother, has been found safe 2,000 miles away in Canada. Jorge 'Jojo' Morales has been missing since August 27 after his father failed to return the child to his mother at their Miami home as part of their custody agreement. Jorge Morales, 45, and his paternal grandmother, Lilliam Morales, 68, were arrested by Royal Canadian Mounted Police after a tipster spotted Jojo at a Walmart in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. He was said to be in 'good health and unharmed.' For more than two months, Jojo's mother Yanet Leal Concepcion says she's been living a nightmare. But on Sunday, she got the call from an FBI agent that her son had been found and was safe. She has spoken to her son, but has not yet been reunited with the boy. 'When he said I have good news for you, I almost passed out on the floor and started screaming,' Concepcion told CBS Miami. 'And I got to speak to my son which was awesome.' The overjoyed mother couldn't stop smiling as she added: 'He says he misses me and you know I love him so much. Oh and he wanted pizza,' she said laughing. Jorge 'Jojo' Morales (pictured here with his mother Yanet Leal Concepcion before he vanished) was found Sunday two months after he went missing from his Miami home on August 27 Jojo's mother Yanet Leal Concepcion has spoke to her son, but has not been reunited with the boy. She said she almost passed out on the floor when she got the good news that he was ok Jojo's mother was able to speak to her son and said: 'He says he misses me and you know I love him so much. Oh and he wanted pizza' There has been a massive nationwide search for Jojo since the end of August when an Amber Alert was issued. According to investigators, Jojo was picked up by his paternal grandmother as part of the shared custody court order. His father was supposed to return him to the child's mother at their Miami home, but failed to do so, violating the court order. When Concepcion went to Morales apartment in search of her son, she found the place empty and her son missing. 'Everything was gone. Everything was gone from his apartment,' she said. 'His phones were off. His mom's phone was off.' In a plea for help to find her son, the devastated mother said that Jojo, who is on the autism spectrum, had begun to say things to her like his dad wanted 'to take him to live on a farm with windmills and wanted me to go with him.' She added that he had said that 'bad people are trying to take me away,' according to conversations she recorded with him. There has been a contentious custody fight between the couple since Concepcion filed for divorce from Morales in January 2019, according to records obtained by the Miami Herald. Concepcion's emergency motion to have his time sharing rights with JoJo suspended eventually was granted in November 2021 after first getting denied. Concepcion has said that she believes that Jojo's father and grandmother had been planning the abduction for a year to live 'off the grid.' Morales let his nursing license fall into delinquency July 31, according to online records. And his mother sold their house in Homestead in October 2021, making a profit of about $100,000, the Miami Herald reported. Detectives think the 45-year-old Morales had been planning this for a year, according to Local 10. Concepcion says her ex-husband was looking into how to live 'off the grid' Morales let his nursing license fall into delinquency July 31, according to online records. And his mother sold their house in Homestead in October 2021, making a profit of about $100,000 The FBI and the NCMEC released surveillance video that showed JoJo and Jorge Morales were in a Walgreens in Houlton, Maine on August 29 Since then, they've been renting a unit at the South Point apartments in West Perrine, where Concepcion went to look for her child after Morales failed to return him. Miami-Dade police issued an Amber Alert a few days later. The boy had been missing for one month when U.S. Border Patrol found an SUV in Main with some of JoJo's belongings inside. The U.S. Marshals offered an increased reward of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest of the father and grandmother and last week, the FBI and the NCMEC released surveillance video that showed JoJo and Jorge Morales were in a Walgreens in Houlton, Maine on August 29. The search efforts paid off on Sunday when the boy and his father were spotted in Moncton, New Brunswick, the RCMP announced on Twitter. Jojo, who is on the autism spectrum, had begun to say things to his mother like that his dad wanted 'to take him to live on a farm with windmills and wanted me to go with him' Last month, the National Center for Missing Children found a vehicle connected to the elder Morales and his mother, Lilliam Pena Morales (pictured right), in Littleton, Maine The tipster who called in the sighting saw the father and son at a Walmart in Moncton, about 2,004 miles from Miami, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). In a statement released through the NCMEC, Concepcion said, 'OMG, I have no words! There is no way to simply say thank you to everyone! I mean, eternally grateful for the support of the community, and I've had people who don't even know us posting fliers in Canada!' 'This is another example how local, state, federal, and international law enforcement, along with the United States and State Attorney's Office coming together for the safety of a child and will continue to work together to fight the greater evil,' Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez said. Concepcion said she now plans to take her son on a Disney cruise, a trip she says he had been wanting to go on for awhile but his father would never allow. 'I'm just blessed that i can share a happy ending to this because I know a lot of moms out there don't get this happy ending and I do.' Foreigners walk on the street of Myeongdong in downtown Seoul, Oct. 17. Korea Times file Korea saw its foreign population shrink by 1 percent last year from the previous year, marking a decline for the second year in a row, the interior ministry said Monday. According to a report by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the number of foreign residents had stood at 2.13 million as of Nov. 1, 2021, compared with 2.14 million the same day a year earlier. The number includes foreign nationals residing in the country for more than 90 days, and naturalized Koreans and their children. It marks the second year in a row the country has reported a fall in its foreign population since relevant statistics were first compiled in 2006. Of them, the population of foreign workers without Korean nationality had decreased by 13.2 percent on-year as of November last year, the report showed. "There is concern over a manpower shortage in rural areas, as the number of foreign workers shrank," said Choi Hoon, a ministry official. The report showed the number of naturalized Koreans had come to 210,880 as of November last year, up 9.9. percent from a year earlier. Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital Seoul was hosting the biggest number of foreign residents by region, with 714,497, or 33.5 percent of the total foreign population. Seoul was hosting roughly 20 percent, followed by Incheon, west of Seoul, with 6.3 percent. The ministry said the statistics have been compiled to help central and municipal government agencies formulate policies aimed at helping foreign residents better settle down in the country. (Yonhap) The president of one of America's largest teachers' unions was accused over the weekend of 'gaslighting' parents after she tweeted that 'everyone suffered during the pandemic' as test results show the devastating effect remote learning has had on education. Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, tweeted Saturday: 'The bottom line is everyone suffered in the pandemic ... because of the pandemic. 'The disruption was everywhere, and it was bad regardless of whether schools were remote or in person,' she wrote. 'We are focused now on the urgent need to help kids recover and thrive.' Her comments come in response to a study showing that math scores across the United States saw their biggest decreases ever, and reading scores fell to levels not seen since the early 1990s during the COVID pandemic. Weingarten, 64, and the AFT used their political muscle during the pandemic to ensure schools were kept closed and teachers did not have to return to work. She even fought against former Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' vow to reopen schools, and said in July 2020: 'Theres no way that youre going to have full-time schools for all the kids and all the teachers the way we used to have it.' Now, those who have long opposed school closures say she is trying to avoid the blame for its effects. Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, had fought against proposals to reopen schools during the pandemic Over the weekend, she tweeted that 'everyone suffered in the pandemic' Florida State Board of Education member Ryan Petty accused her of gaslighting, while John Cardillo, a former radio host called Weingarten a 'backpedaling hack.' Kira Davis, the managing editor of RedState, meanwhile, tweeted, 'You're too late, Randi... The adults will take it from here,' and Stephen Miller, a contributing editor at the Spectator, wrote: 'Here's another example of "It's not important... who is to blame."' Angela Morabito, a spokeswoman for for the Defense of Freedom Institute, also accused her of 'lying (again)' and Ryan Cooper, a partner at PurpleStrats a reputation management firm sought to clarify that it was not every child who suffered. 'Only the kids in public school under your control,' he tweeted to Weingarten. 'You did that.' Meanwhile, Maud Maron, an activist who fought for reopening schools during the pandemic, wrote that Weingarten 'really makes it clear why parents should not [vote] for her Democrats who closed schools AND refused to open them when it was painfully obvious that kids were hurting and the science did not support Randi's union first/kids last policies. 'She takes NO responsibility.' Many who were already critical of the school closures accused her of gaslighting parents by not taking the blame for plummeting math and reading scores Weingarten had already been facing backlash after the National Center for Education Statistics revealed last month that math scores among third grade students dropped five points from 2020 to 2022, and reading scores dropped seven. That is the largest drop in reading scores in three decades, with math scores falling for the first time since records began in 1969. The declines hit all regions of the country and students from most backgrounds underscoring how remote-learning during the pandemic was no substitute for in-person education. As NCES acting associate commissioner Daniel McGrath lamented the report at the time as 'some of the largest declines we have observed in a single assessment cycle in 50 years. 'Students in 2022 are performing at a level last seen two decades ago,' he said. Republicans immediately blamed Democrats and the influence of teachers' unions for keeping schools closed. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Rep. Virginia Foxx, the ranking member of the House Education and Labor Committee, said: 'President Biden, Randi Weingarten, and their Democrat counterparts across the country deserve equal blame for undercutting the educational pursuits of America's children.' But Weingarten sought to put a positive spin on the new figures, emphasizing that the shutdowns were necessary due to the pandemic. 'Thankfully after two years of disruption from a pandemic that killed more than 1 mil Americans, schools are already working on helping kids recover and thrive. This is a year to accelerate learning by rebuilding relationships, focusing on the basics,' she wrote on Twitter at the time. The National Center for Education Statistics revealed that math and reading scores have dropped across the board But just one month later, the NAEP released another study showing that math and reading scores also plummeted for students fourth through eighth grade. It found that nearly four in 10 eighth graders failed to grasp basic math concepts. It also found that in both math and reading, students scored lower than those tested in 2019. But while reading scores dipped, math scores plummeted by the largest margins in the history of the NAEP test, which began in 1969. Math scores were worst among eighth graders, with 38 percent earning scores deemed 'below basic' a cutoff that measures, for example, whether students can find the third angle of a triangle if they're given the other two. That's worse than 2019, when 31 percent of eighth graders scored below that level. And no part of the country was exempt, with every region seeing test scores slide, and every state seeing declines in at least one subject. The Education Recovery Scorecard, which gathered a district-by-district analysis of test scores, also found the average student lost more than half a school year of learning in math and nearly a quarter of a school year in reading. The report said the pandemic devastated children's well-being, not just by closing their schools, but also by taking away their parents' jobs, sickening their families and teachers, and adding chaos and fear to their daily lives. 'When you have a massive crisis, the worst effects end up being felt by the people with the least resources,' said Stanford education professor Sean Reardon, who compiled and analyzed the data along with Harvard economist Thomas Kane. The declines hit all regions of the country and students from most backgrounds underscoring how remote-learning during the pandemic was no substitute for in-person education Most concerning, however, are the gaps the NAEP found between students. Confirming what many had feared, racial inequities appear to have widened during the pandemic. In fourth grade, black and Hispanic students saw bigger decreases than white students, widening gaps that have persisted for decades. Inequities were also reflected in a growing gap between higher and lower performing students. In math and reading, scores fell most sharply among the lowest performing students, creating a widening chasm between struggling students and the rest of their peers. Surveys done as part of this year's test illustrate the divide. When schools shifted to remote learning, higher performing students were far more likely to have reliable access to quiet spaces, computers and help from their teachers, the survey found. The results make clear that schools must address the 'long-standing and systemic shortcomings of our education system,' said Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Los Angeles schools and a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets the policies for the test. 'While the pandemic was a blow to schools and communities, we cannot use it as an excuse,' he said. 'We have to stay committed to high standards and expectations and help every child succeed.' Other recent studies have found that students who spent longer periods learning online suffered greater setbacks. But the NAEP results show no clear connection. Coded messages hidden within reports from the Chinese lab at the centre of Covid origin theories may provide new evidence that the virus leaked before causing a global pandemic that has killed millions. Toy Reid, an expert in 'official speak' used by Chinese elites, believes updates from the Wuhan Institute of Virology sent weeks before the first official case of Covid in China detail an ongoing crisis at the lab that Xi Jinping may have been dealing with personally. Reid, who was part of the team that put together a US Senate report backing the 'lab leak' theory, uncovered documents from mid-November 2019 that contain cryptic references to a 'grave situation', 'hidden dangers' and 'severe consequences'. The same documents describe how a high-level Beijing official visited the lab bearing 'important oral remarks and written instructions' from Xi Jinping and Chinas old premier, Li Keqiang. While it is impossible to know exactly what was discussed, Reid and three other experts agreed the documents appear to reference an ongoing crisis that just so happened to take place before Wuhan was overrun by Covid. It is just the latest piece in a growing body of evidence that disputes the official theory - pedaled by the WHO and some senior scientists - that the virus jumped from animals into humans in what is known as a 'spillover event'. The Wuhan Institute of Virology - which was involved in controversial 'gain of function' research on coronaviruses - is at the centre of theories about the origins of Covid A week after officials first signalled a problem in their reports, a Beijing official arrived at the lab to give a safety briefing to high-level scientists (file image, Wuhan lab) Experts studying reports sent from the lab to Beijing in the weeks before Covid emerged uncovered clues of a potential crisis there - including references to 'opening Pandora's Box' Toy Reid, an expert in Chinese 'official speak', also uncovered references to a 'grave situation' at the lab and 'hidden dangers' Reid's evidence forms part of a 500-plus page report put together by the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions - a 35-page summary of which was released last week. The summary, which does not include much of the evidence the team gathered, concluded that Covid 'most likely' leaked from a lab and that evidence pointing to a natural spillover is 'still missing'. Pro Publica and Vanity Fair magazine obtained a copy of the full report, interviewed Reid, and then submitted his analysis to three independent experts who fact-checked his findings and came to largely the same conclusions. Reid based his findings on reports uploaded from Chinese Communist Party officials based at the Wuhan Institute (WIV) which are sent to Beijing weekly. Because the reports are supposed to prove loyalty to the party and the fulfillment of its aims, any problems are cloaked in a thick veil of legalese that can be hard to penetrate. But Reid uncovered cryptic references to 'opening Pandora's Box' in a report on November 12, as party officials describe opening test tube samples. The Covid pandemic was most likely the result of a lab leak, according to an explosive Senate report published last week Policymakers said 'substantial' evidence pointing to a research accident has emerged while evidence for a natural spillover 'is missing' The question of whether the global outbreak began with a spillover from wildlife sold at the market or leaked out of the Wuhan lab just eight miles across the Yangtze River has given rise to fierce debate about how to prevent the next pandemic. New studies point to a natural spillover at the Huanan wildlife market. Positive swab samples of floors, cages and counters also track the virus back to stalls in the southwestern corner of the market (bottom left), where animals with the potential to harbor Covid were sold for meat or fur at the time (bottom right) DID COVID LEAK FROM A WUHAN LAB? THE EVIDENCE FOR AND AGAINST Evidence for Wuhan lab-leak theory An article in the respected Science journal on May 14, 2021 kick-started the surge in interest for the lab-leak theory. Some 18 experts wrote in the journal that 'we must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data'. Later that month, a study by British Professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Dr Birger Srensen claimed it had 'prima facie evidence of retro-engineering in China' for a year. The study included accusations of 'deliberate destruction, concealment or contamination of data' at Chinese labs. It followed statements from the WHO Director General, US and EU that greater clarity about the origins of this pandemic is necessary and feasible to achieve. Previously, the theory had been dismissed as conspiracy by most experts, partly because of its association with President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden in May 2021 ordered a full investigation into the origin of the pandemic virus and demanded scientists work out whether there is truth to the theory. In December 2021, Harvard scientist Dr Alina Chan told the UK's Science and Technology Select Committee that it is 'reasonable' to believe that Covid was genetically engineered in China. She also said that the Chinese Communist Party's cover-up of the initial outbreak in Wuhan two years ago and attempts to sabotage the World Health Organisation's inquiry into the origins of the pandemic made the lab-leak theory likely. The head of the World Health Organization insisted just a day earlier that the theory that Covid emerged from a Wuhan lab has not been ruled out as he said China should help solve the mystery out of 'respect' for the dead. The body's director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, suggested that Beijing had not cooperated fully as he urged more 'transparency' in the continuing investigation. And a senior Government source claimed in June 2022 that the WHO boss privately believes the pandemic kicked off following a leak from a Chinese lab. In September 2022, leading medical journal the Lancet admitted the virus may have been leaked from a lab, including those in the US. In October, a bombshell US Senate report concluded that the lab leak hypothesis was the most likely source of the pandemic. Policymakers said there was 'substantial' evidence of an accident at a research facility while evidence for a natural spillover is 'still missing'. The interim report concluded that China 's unwillingness to cooperate or open up the lab in question meant it 'no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt'. GOP members of the Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions reviewed hundreds of studies into the origins of Covid and interviewed 'several dozen' experts over the past 15 months. Evidence against the theory A series of papers point to the virus evolving in animals before being transmitted to humans, in the same way as all other previously discovered coronaviruses. The first study, published in Scientific Reports, showed some 47,000 wild animals from 38 species were sold across four markets in Wuhan between May 2017 and November 2019. The authors, including Dr Chris Newman, an evolutionary ecologist at Oxford University, claimed the evidence showed the conditions for animal-to-human transmission were in place in Wuhan. But they acknowledged there was no proof Sars-CoV-2 was present or originated in any of these animals. A joint World Health Organization-China investigation also concluded it was 'very likely' the virus jumped from bats to humans via an as-yet-unknown intermediary animal. And a June 2022 report by the WHO sets out that Covid most likely originated in bats before infecting humans. A series of studies published in July appeared to trace the first cluster of cases back to one specific corner of the wet market, where animals known to harbor Covid including raccoon dogs, hedgehogs, rats and squirrels were kept. Chinese scientists also found positive samples of an ancestral Covid strain on floors, counters and equipment in the market. Advertisement The report adds: 'These viruses come without a shadow and leave without a trace. Although [we have] various preventive and protective measures, it is nevertheless necessary for lab personnel to operate very cautiously to avoid operational errors that give rise to dangers. 'Every time this has happened, the members of the Zhengdian Lab Party Branch have always run to the frontline, and they have taken real action to mobilize and motivate other research personnel.' Reid concluded that these messages refer to an ongoing issue at the lab and pre-empted some kind of disciplinary action from Beijing, hence the reference to party officials 'taking real action'. Beijing does appear to have sent an official to deliver a stern warning the following week - Dr. Ji Changzheng, the director of safety and security at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. While his visit was billed as routine safety training, in fact the lab had already completed training in April that year. A report dated November 19 chronicles the visit, and reveals Dr Ji met exclusively with senior members of the lab to deliver 'important oral remarks and written instructions' from Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang. Dr Ji spoke about 'many large-scale cases of domestic and foreign safety incidents in recent years' again referencing 'hidden dangers' which 'revealed the complex and grave situation currently facing [bio]security work', the report said. Reid said officials also refer to 'pishi' - handwritten notes scrawled in the pages of official reports by higher-ups - which typically convey urgent actions for those lower down the chain to follow. He believes the 'pishi' Dr Ji delivered may have be written by Xi himself, suggesting that whatever was going on at the lab was serious enough to require the attention and personal input of China's all-powerful leader. Three experts shown the same evidence all concluded that the reports appear to be referencing an ongoing crisis at the lab and that Dr Ji's visit was not routine. Two agreed that Xi seems to have personally written instructions for the lab's managers. A third said it was not possible to tell what Xi may or may not have known, but that the wording implies 'something really bad' was going on. While Reid and the three experts say it is impossible to know exactly what was discussed at the meeting, it came just weeks before the first officially recorded Covid infections. Chinese government documents reported by the South China Morning Post but never made public also document a case of Covid in Hubei province - where Wuhan is located - on November 17, two days before the meeting. Reid, the experts interviewed by Pro Publica and Vanity Fair, and the Senate committee which put the new report together, have not concluded that Covid leaked from a lab. However, they have pointed to new evidence suggesting it could have leaked - a theory once dismissed by the WHO as 'extremely unlikely' and treated as a conspiracy by politicians - and say it is the 'most likely' explanation. Crucial evidence to support the theory that Covid moved from animals into people remains missing, they wrote, while attempts by China to stymie investigations into the lab harm its credibility. 'The hypothesis of a natural zoonotic origin no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt, or the presumption of accuracy,' they add. Scientists researching the 'spillover' theory of Covid's origins argue that the virus likely originated in bats, but would probably have needed to move through a second animal to make it more infectious to humans before making the final jump. While viruses that look similar to Covid have been found in the wild, researchers have never been able to identify that second host animal or explain how exactly the 'spillover' happened. The leading theory is that an infected animal was sold as food at a Wuhan market because that is where the first cluster of cases was found. However, scientists have been unable to rule out the possibility that the virus was brought into the market by an already-infected person before spreading. Many of these riddles could be answered by discovering 'patient zero' - the first person to be infected - but scientists have been unable to track them down. Theories that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute centre around highly controversial 'gain of function' research that the lab was engaged in. Such research involves tinkering with viruses to make then more infectious or deadly, in order to study what the impact to society would be or to develop treatments before the scenario plays out for real. However, many within the scientific community argue the risks of such research - releasing a highly infectious or deadly virus into the world - outweigh the benefits. Proponents of this theory say it solves the problem of the intermediate host because, if scientists extracted the virus from a bat then modified it themselves, it would explain how it was so well-suited to spread in humans. The Wuhan institute was well-known for studying bat coronaviruses, with one of its doctors - Shi Zhengli - dubbed 'China's batwoman' due to her speciality. China has denied being responsible for leaking the pathogen and has instead leaned heavily on the idea it was imported from outside the country on frozen meat - which would conveniently shift the blame beyond its borders. Beijing has refused to allow an independent team of experts free reign to investigate the virus's origins, including detailed examination of the Wuhan lab. A WHO team was allowed into the country to conduct a heavily stage-managed investigation back in February 2021, which dismissed the lab leak theory in favour of natural spillover. However, their report was panned as little more than a whitewashing of Chinese propaganda and the body has since backtracked slightly - insisting a lab leak remains a possible hypothesis. The coronavirus pandemic has led to some 6.6million deaths worldwide according to official estimates, though the true toll is likely far higher, and has wreaked havoc on global markets which appear headed for a deep recession. In a statement to the inquest, her father said 'she died doing what she loved' Her friend Hannah Carrington was with her on the climb and heard her scream The teacher died from cardiovascular shock from blood loss due to a leg injury An English teacher fell to her death on a Welsh mountain moments after telling her friend how much she was 'loving' the climb up the 3,261ft peak, an inquest heard. Experienced climber Samantha Orton, 55, fell and suffered a fatal leg injury while leading a climb in Snowdonia. An inquest into her death at Ruthin County Hall on Friday heard she was on the Chasm Route on Glyder Fach in the Ogwen Valley when she fell around three metres. Her friend Hannah Carrington was with her on the climb on June 2 - 85 miles from Mrs Orton's home in Manchester. Ms Carrington heard her friend let out a 'loud terrified scream' followed by an 'agonising cry as if she was in pain'. Samantha Orton, 55, fell and suffered a fatal leg injury just minutes after saying she was 'loving' the climb and the views on one of Britain's highest peaks An inquest into her death at Ruthin County Hall on Friday heard she was on the Chasm Route on Glyder Fach in the Ogwen Valley when she fell around three metres (Pictured: Mrs Orton climbing in Costa Blanca) Her friend Hannah Carrington was with her on the climb on June 2, 85 miles from Mrs Orton's home in Manchester (Pictured: Mrs Orton climbing in Spain) Mrs Orton had been leading the climb so Ms Carrington could not see what happened. At approximately 2pm nearby climbers saw the teacher - who appeared to be unconscious - on a ledge. The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, Welsh Ambulance Service and the Coastguard were all called out to the accident. Coming from Caernarfon, the Air Ambulance and Coastguard helicopter airlifted her from the mountain, according to Manchester Evening News. She died shortly after at the mountain rescue base in Capel Curig shortly after 2:30pm. Ms Carrington heard Mrs Orton let out a 'loud terrified scream' followed by an 'agonising cry as if she was in pain' Mrs Orton died shortly after at the mountain rescue base in Capel Curig shortly after 2:30pm (Pictured: Mrs Orton climbing in Spain) The inquest heard the pair were experienced climbers who had carefully planned the route and were wearing appropriate safety equipment, including helmets and harnesses. A post-mortem examination conducted by consultant pathologist Dr Mark Atkinson found Mrs Orton died from 'cardiovascular shock from blood loss due to a leg injury as a result of a fall from height.' In a statement to the Ruthin hearing, Mrs Orton's father said that 'she died doing what she loved.' Giving a conclusion of accidental death, senior coroner John Gittins said: 'This was an accident, pure and simple. There is no suggestion before me that this [is] anything more than a tragic accident.' A post-mortem examination conducted by consultant pathologist Dr Mark Atkinson found Mrs Orton died from 'cardiovascular shock from blood loss due to a leg injury as a result of a fall from height' (Pictured: Mrs Orton on the sea cliffs of Pembrokeshire) In a statement to the Ruthin hearing, Mrs Orton's father said that 'she died doing what she loved' (Pictured: Mrs Orton abseiling on Aonach Mor) He said that 'none of us know what is around the corner', but in his job he gets to see people 'living their dreams', going on to add 'she died doing what she loved in a place she was very fond of.' Mrs Orton was an English teacher for 27 years 'working with people from all over the world, many who had come here as refugees and were struggling to make a new life in the UK.' Her friends have raised more than 5,000 for charities Right to Remain and the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Service. Donald Trump called the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband a 'terrible thing' and used the occasion to blast the crime rate in big cities across the country. 'Yeah, with Paul Pelosi, that's a terrible thing. With all of them. It's a terrible thing,' the former president said in an interview with the conservative Spanish-language network Americano Media. In a rambling answer, Trump also criticized the crime rate in American cities, defended his withdraw of U.S. troops from Afghanistand and claimed 'stone cold killers' are being let out of prison. Trump and Pelosi had a contentious relationship when he was president. As speaker of the House, she helped oversee his two impeachment trials and stymied his legislative agenda. Trump, in return, called her 'Crazy Nancy.' By the end of his presidency, they had not spoken in over 10 months. Still, Trump was critical of the break-in at the Pelosis' home in San Francisco. David DePape was arrested for using a hammer to attack Paul Pelosi, who needed brain surgery but is expected to fully recover. DePape, 42, was reportedly looking for the speaker, who was in Washington D.C. at the time, and shouted 'Where's Nancy?' Trump said: 'These people are crazy. They're going to release stone cold killers out of the jails. Nobody knows why. I mean, they need room or something.' Donald Trump called the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband a 'terrible thing' Nancy Pelosi is pictured in December 2019 at a dinner with her husband Paul; in a statement on Saturday she thanked well-wishers for their support and praising the first responders who came to her husband's aid He then blasted the crime rate in American cities, noting that most of them are run by Democrats. A majority of big city mayors are Democrats. 'Look at what's happened to San Francisco generally. Look at what is happening in Chicago. It was far worse than Afghanistan. Okay, we have Chicago. When I had Afghanistan. I told you 18 months we went without one soldier being shot. And you look at what happens in Chicago and one weekend - last weekend was brutal. It was like a warzone,' he said. Voters had labeled the rising crime rate as one of their top concerns heading into next week's midterm election. In a Gallup poll out last week, 78% said they believe crime rates are rising nationally and 56% said they think crime is rising where they live. There's been a dramatic uptick in murder in the past several year. FBI data shows that it rose nearly 30% from 2019 to 2020 - the largest single-year increase. For example, in Chicago this past weekend, at least 35 people were shot, five fatally. Republicans are blasting Democratic candidates for being 'soft on crime.' The GOP spent nearly $40 million on crime-related messaging in September alone, NPR reported. In his interview, Trump also defended the police. 'Now we have to give the police back their dignity, their respect. They can solve the problem. Today, if a police officer says something that's slightly out of line, it's like you know, the end of his life, the end of his pension, the end of his family. We can't do that. We have to give the police back their authority and their power and their respect. Because this country is out of out of control. You look at and they're Democrat-run cities almost exclusively,' he said. Trump has been on the campaign trail for Republicans in the lead up to the election that will decide which party controls Congress. He'll be in Iowa on Thursday, Pennsylvania on Saturday and Florida on Sunday. For years, Republicans have tried to make Pelosi a campaign boogeyman, using the 82-year-old's image as a recurring caricature in countless ads against Democrats, including many now airing in races nationwide during a hostile election season. The head of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel, said Sunday it was 'unfair' to blame the GOP for creating a political climate that could have laid the ground for such an attack. 'You can't say people saying, `Let's fire Pelosi or 'Let's take back the House' is saying go do violence,' she told Fox News Sunday. Meanwhile, Speaker Pelosi, on Saturday, thanked well-wishers for their support and praising the first responders who came to her husband's aid. 'Yesterday morning, a violent man broke into our family home, demanded to confront me and brutally attacked my husband Paul,' she wrote in a letter to her colleagues. 'Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our Pop. 'We are grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and emergency services, and for the life-saving medical care he is receiving.' Pelosi said that her husband was grateful for the support he had received from politicians across the nation. 'Please know that the outpouring of prayers and warm wishes from so many in the Congress is a comfort to our family and is helping Paul make progress with his recovery. His condition continues to improve,' she wrote. DePape, 42. is accused of breaking into Pelosi's $6million home and attacking Paul Pelosi, 82, with a hammer as he shouted: 'Where's Nancy?' Investigators work outside the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi in San Francisco on Friday Police in San Francisco said the assault of Paul Pelosi was intentional. Authorities said the suspect confronted Paul Pelosi in the family's Pacific Heights home early Friday demanding to know, 'Where is Nancy?' The two men struggled over a hammer before officers responding to a welfare call to the home saw DePape strike Paul Pelosi at least once, police said. DePape was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary. Prosecutors plan to announce the charges on Monday during a news conference and expect his arraignment on Tuesday. During the Capitol riot, those swarming the buildings trying to overturn Joe Biden's election victory over Donald Trump roamed the halls also shouted menacingly, 'Wheres Nancy?' Police are yet to ascribe a motive for DePape's attack, but online accounts illustrated a highly-disturbed and suicidal individual with hallucinations and far-Right fixations. DePape's daughter said her father is 'consumed by darkness' and sexually abused her and her brothers when they were children. Inti Gonzalez blogged about him on Friday, writing in the post, which has since been taken down, that her mother met DePape - whom she describes as her father - in Maui when she was pregnant with her. The couple moved to the Bay Area soon after Gonzalez was born. Her mother Oxane 'Gypsy' Taub, 53, is in prison on 2021 child abuse charges. The Government's long-awaited Covid inquiry has asked to see ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson's WhatsApp messages. Bombshell private texts sent by Mr Johnson during the pandemic have already been leaked by maverick ex-No10 aide Dominic Cummings, including one where the then-PM apparently branded Matt Hancock 'totally f***ing hopeless' and called the PPE situation a 'disaster'. Messages asked for by investigators relate to a group chat which served as a 'core decision-making forum', as opposed to individual chats written by Mr Johnson. The WhatsApp group in question includes other senior officials and civil servants in Downing Street at the time. None of the other participants were named, however. Hugo Keith KC, counsel for the inquiry, said that thousands of documents had been requested to inform the inquiry. It could take years for them all to be reviewed. 'We have sought agendas, minutes and other documents associated with the core decision-making forum such as Cabinet meetings, Cobra meetings and ministerial implementation groups,' Mr Keith said. 'We've asked for ministerial submissions, No10 daily briefing documents, records of written and oral advice to ministers and details of internal communications including a WhatsApp group, which included the Prime Minister, No10 and other senior officials.' The coronavirus public inquiry has asked to see Boris Johnson's WhatsApp messages when he was Prime Minister, alongside communications with other senior officials Mr Johnson apparently messaged Mr Cummings to say that PPE was a 'disaster' on April 27, 2020 In an exchange with Boris Johnson from March 27, 2020, Dominic Cummings criticised the Health Secretary over the failure to ramp up testing Mr Cummings gave a brutal assessment of the performance of the government during an exchange of messages at the start of the pandemic Dominic Cummings (right) posted bombshell messages from Boris Johnson attacking Matt Hancock (left) The inquiry has requested evidence for the second module from the Cabinet Office, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Department of Health and Social Care. It has also requested information from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, the Government Office of Science, as well as the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and Independent Sage. The Home Office, Treasury, Departments for Education, Transport, Levelling Up, Work and Pensions, Business, and Energy and Industrial Strategy have also been asked for documents, along with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England. Initial responses from Government departments suggest tens of millions of files could be relevant to the overall theme of module two. It is thought that it would take more than three years to review documents from the Cabinet Office alone. Mr Keith said the probe will instead take a 'targeted approach', seeking documents relevant to the key narrative events and decisions covered by the second module. Earlier, as he opened the second stage of the statutory inquiry, Mr Keith said the hearings would examine whether lives could have been saved by earlier lockdowns. In his opening address, Mr Keith said the crisis placed 'extraordinary levels of strain' on the UK's health, care, financial and educational systems and businesses, on top of individual bereavements. He said its impact will be felt for 'decades to come', adding: 'The pandemic has led to financial and economic turmoil. 'It has disrupted economies and education systems, and put unprecedented pressure on national health systems. Jobs and businesses have been destroyed and livelihoods taken away. 'The disease has caused widespread and long-term physical and mental illness, grief and untold misery. 'Its impact will be felt worldwide, including in the United Kingdom, for decades to come.' Module two will scrutinise political decisions and actions in relation to the pandemic, covering a period between early January 2020 until February 2022, when the remaining Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett will examine the effectiveness of mandatory lockdowns in controlling the spread of coronavirus, the inquiry was told. This will include 'the relationship between the timeliness and the length of the lockdown, and the trajectory of the disease', Mr Keith said. He continued: 'How were economic and societal impacts, including the impact on physical health, healthcare provision, mental health, education and societal wellbeing, assessed and weighed in the balance? 'And perhaps, my lady, the single most important question: is it possible to say what the likely effects of earlier or different decisions to intervene would have been? The counterfactual proposition. 'Bluntly, would lives have been saved if the lockdowns had been imposed earlier or differently?' Mr Keith said questions would be asked about the role of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), including whether any lessons may be learned from the 'structures in place in other countries for the provision of scientific advice to policymakers'. He added: 'Was the system of government medical and scientific advisers effectively utilised? How effective was the decision-making system under which the Prime Minister and other ministers acted on the advice and recommendations of the relevant bodies and advisers? Did the system allow properly for timely political decision-making?' He said further questions would be asked about whether committees were working with relevant and accurate data. 'How effectively was data distributed through the Government? How reliable was the infectious disease data modelling? Did the data modelling cover the right eventualities? Was there an over-reliance on epidemiological modelling or mathematical modelling? Was there an over-reliance on influenza epidemiology and data modelling?' Around 200 scientists, including all those involved in the Sage group and others in the Independent Sage group, have been asked to give evidence about the effectiveness of the pandemic response. The probe also heard that 39 individuals, groups and institutions have been granted core participant status for the second module. These are individuals, organisations or institutions with a specific interest in the inquiry who can access relevant evidence, make opening and closing statements and suggest lines of questioning to inquiry counsel. Mr Keith said the pandemic 'reached out and affected almost every person' but its impact was not equally felt. He welcomed the inclusion of bodies representing children, older people, disabled people, domestic abuse victims, those with chronic mental and physical health needs, members of ethnic minority communities and people with long Covid. A further preliminary hearing for the module will take place in early 2023, with public hearings starting in the summer. These are scheduled to last for around eight weeks. When will Boris Johnson be quizzed? Who else will be involved? And how long will it take? EVERYTHING you need to know about the Covid inquiry as delayed probe FINALLY kicks off Why was the inquiry set up? There has been much criticism of the UK government's handling of the pandemic, including the fact the country seemed to lack a thorough plan for dealing with such a major event. Other criticisms levelled at the Government include allowing elderly people to be discharged from hospitals into care homes without being tested, locking down too late in March 2020 and the failures of the multi-billion NHS test and trace. Families of those who lost their loved ones to Covid campaigned for an independent inquiry into what happened. Then Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was right that lessons are learned. He then announced in May 2021 that an inquiry would be held. Will Boris Johnson be quizzed? If so, when? Given he was in charge of the Government for the entirety of the pandemic, his insights will prove central to understanding several aspects of the nation's response. If called forward as a witness, he would be called in front of the committee to give evidence. Public hearings aren't set to begin in spring 2023. Which other famous faces will be involved? Although a full cast list hasn't been released, many faces thrust into the limelight during the pandemic are expected to make an appearance. This could include Sir Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, who were dubbed 'Professor Gloom and Dr Doom' for a number of pessimistic projections on how the pandemic could unfold. Matt Hancock, the former Health Secretary who forced to resign after breaching social distancing rules at the time by kissing a colleague, and Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson's former chief aide, are also names likely to appear. Other pandemic-era famous faces like former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and UK Government Chief Medical Advisor Professor Sir Chris Whitty, who frequently appeared during the televised Covid briefings are also tipped to be called as inquiry witnesses Public inquires in the modern era A public inquiry is a major investigation convened by a Government minister about a particular event or series of events. They are reserved for issues where a level of public concern in an issue is identified. Public inquires are often announced following sustained campaigns from members of the public. Here are some of the most notable public inquires held in the UK in modern times: Undercover Police Inquiry Announced: 2015 Status: Ongoing Reason: Concerns over how police infiltrated thousands of political groups since 1968. This involved deceiving women into intimate relationships. Grenfell Tower Inquiry Announced: 2017 Status: Ongoing Reason: To examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017. 72 people died as the result of the fire which spread through the cladding on the exterior of the building after being sparked by a faulty refrigerator. Infected Blood Inquiry Announced: 2017 Status: Ongoing Reason: To investigate circumstances that British people which were provided infected blood products by the NHS since 1970, often with devastating consequences for their health. The Litvinenko Inquiry Announced: 2014 Status: Completed (2016) Reason: To investigate the death of Alexander Litvinenko, an ex-Russian spy living in London in 2006. The inquiry concluded he died after consuming radioactive polonium 210. It also found he this was an intentional poisoning in an operation which was 'probably approved' by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement The inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence and release documents. All of the public evidence is given under oath. This, like a courtroom, means a person appearing as a witness is under a legal obligation to tell the truth. But it cannot prosecute or fine anyone. What topics will the inquiry cover? There are currently three broad topics, called modules, that will be considered by the inquiry. Module 1 will examine the resilience and preparedness of the UK for a coronavirus pandemic. Module 2 will examine decisions taken by Mr Johnson and his then team of ministers, as advised by the civil service, senior political, scientific and medical advisers, and relevant committees. The decisions taken by those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also be examined. Module 3 will investigate the impact of Covid on healthcare systems, including on patients, hospitals and other healthcare workers and staff. This will include the controversial use of Do Not Attempt Resuscitation notices during the pandemic. The inquiry has the power to announce further modules during its lifetime. Who is in charge of the inquiry? Baroness Heather Hallett is in the charge of the wide-reaching inquiry. And she's no stranger to taking charge of high profile investigations. The 72-year-old ex-Court of Appeal judge was entrusted by Mr Johnson with chairing the long-awaited public probe into the coronavirus crisis. Her handling of the inquiry will be subject to ferocious scrutiny. Until Baroness Hallett was asked to stand aside, she was acting as the coroner in the inquest of Dawn Sturgess, the 44-year-old British woman who died in July 2018 after coming into contact with the nerve agent Novichok. She previously acted as the coroner for the inquests into the deaths of the 52 victims of the July 7, 2005 London bombings. She also chaired the Iraq Fatalities Investigations, as well as the 2014 Hallett Review of the administrative scheme to deal with 'on the runs' in Northern Ireland. Baroness Hallett, a married mother-of-two, was nominated for a life peerage in 2019 as part of Theresa May's resignation honours. How long will it take? When he launched the terms of the inquiry in May 2021, Mr Johnson said he hoped it could be completed in a 'reasonable timescale'. Baroness Hallett made it clear she was determined the inquiry 'would not drag on for decades'. 'My principal aim is to produce reports and recommendations before another disaster strikes the Four Nations of the United Kingdom and if it is possible, to reduce the number of deaths, suffering and the hardship,' she said. But, realistically, it could take years. The Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war began in 2009 but the final, damning document wasn't released until 2016. Meanwhile, the Bloody Sunday inquiry took about a decade. Should a similar timescale be repeated for the Covid inquiry, it would take the sting out of any criticism of any Tory Government failings. A report will almost certainly not be published before Britain's next general election, which is currently not set to take place until 2024. Why was it delayed? Ministers initially hoped that the Covid inquiry would kick off in the spring. However, the matters to be investigated by the probe which experts have said will be one of the most complex public inquiries ever weren't formalised until the end of June. The probe could not officially begin until the terms of reference, as they are known, were confirmed. Campaigners were furious at the delays, arguing that it had been 'shunted yet again to the bottom of the government's to-do list'. The Covid inquiry was also postponed by a fortnight following the death of Queen Elizabeth II death on September 8. It was due to start on September 20 but pushed back until October 4. A rogue bus driver has been sacked after running a red light on a busy road crossing - and missing a seven-year-old girl by just inches. Heart-stopping video footage shows the moment little Courtney Flynn narrowly avoided death as she dashes out of the way of the oncoming single-decker. Courtney had waited until the 'green man' came on to cross the road with her mother Tracy, 32, as she walked home from school. But moments after stepping into the road, the bus is seen careening towards the youngster, who manages to turn around and sprint away to safety. Police and bus company officials are investigating the near miss which happened in Newport, Gwent in Wales. Courtney is pictured with her mother Tracy as she gets the green light to walk across the road, in Newport, Wales But moments later, as the seven-year-old steps out into the road, a bus is seen driving through a red light towards her With just inches to spare, Courtney manages to spin around and dart back to her mother before the bus hits her Tracy said her little girl, pictured, has been left shaken by the ordeal, which has since seen the bus driver being suspended amid a police investigation into the incident Terrified mother Tracy said: 'My little girl was waiting for the green light, as she should do. It came on and she ran ahead. 'I grabbed her hood but lost my grip. She mustve heard me shout as she managed to get back out of the way. 'Another second and she wouldnt have been here to celebrate her seventh birthday. 'My little girl loved school but the next day she didnt want to go. We were both shaken up after it happened, and she missed school the following day as we couldnt face that road so soon. 'Shes still a bit wary by that road. 'After it happened she wouldnt hold my hand. She was shaking and I was shaking too.' Mother-of-two Tracy said the bus driver made no attempt to apologise following the near miss on October 13. 'He just looked straight ahead and kept going. He upped his speed to get away from us,' she said. 'When she goes to the lights now she is wary.' She believes the driver being sacked was the right decision - adding: 'Im glad that somethings been done, I wouldnt want to see other people being hurt like we could have been. 'He could have hurt my little girl - or killed her - so I worry others could have been hurt. Tracy, pictured with Courtney, said her little girl could have been killed had the bus hit her Scott Pearson, managing director of Newport Transport which runs the bus, said the company was 'deeply sorry for the distress caused to Courtney and her family'. Courtney is pictured running back to her mother as the bus passes her by 'We would not want a parent to lose a child or loved one.' Scott Pearson, managing director of Newport Transport, said: 'We are deeply sorry for the distress caused to Courtney and her family. 'We took immediate action and suspended the driver from service. 'Following the completion of the internal review, the driver has now been dismissed from the company. 'Safety is paramount to us, our drivers undergo extensive training to ensure the safety of our passengers, pedestrians and other road users and we conduct continuous competency audits. 'We expect our staff to drive professionally at all times, and where that does not happen, we will always take swift action. Gwent Police said: 'Officers from Operation Snap are investigating a report of driving without due care and attention by an employees of Newport Bus. Investigations are progressing.' A Holland & Barrett worker attacked his boss in front of shocked customers after a row erupted about the length of his lunch break. Terry Stokes, 26, dug his fingers into Kyran Burnetts eyes then grabbed a blade from the store room at the health food shop near Victoria Station, central London. Four customers fled in panic as Stokes chased Mr Burnett with the knife on December 29 last year, Southwark Crown Court heard. Judge David Tomlinson told Stokes: The incident happened in your work place at Holland & Barrett in Warwick Way. It started because your colleague had remonstrated [with] you via text or WhatsApp about the time you had taken away for your lunch break. You approached your colleague while he was at the till with two other customers. Holland & Barrett in Warwick Way, Pimlico, was the location of the vicious row You started shouting and instantly adopted an aggressive stance. You gave no thought to the customers who became alarmed quickly. Mr Burnett felt the need to defend himself. During the course of the incident the two of you remained upright. You sent articles on the shop floor flying. You dug at least one of your fingers into his eye. He felt a stinging sensation and he feared his sight might be impaired. Mr Burnett seemed to be as strong as you. Terry Stokes, 26, dug his fingers into Kyran Burnetts eyes then went for a knife inside the shop But the worst was to come. You disappeared into a storage room, and having had ample time to cool off, re-emerged with a cutting knife. You were intent on chasing Mr Burnett with an exposed bladed article. This caused alarm and distress, not just to Mr Burnett, but to four other customers who fled the premises. But the judge gave Stokes credit for finding another job since the incident. We have an impressive letter written on your behalf by your new employer who plainly thinks you would be of more use outside of prison than behind bars. Stokes, of Camden, was convicted of assault by beating and possessing a knife. He was sentenced to eight months jail suspended for 21 months. Stokes will also have to complete 18 hours of unpaid work with 15 days of rehabilitation activity and he was also ordered to pay 1,250 compensation to Mr Burnett. The judge added: You still have anger issues and it may properly be addressed with these sessions. You really must curb your temper in the future. Mahek and Ansreen Bukhari, and six others, deny murder. The trial continues Court heard Hussain was 'head over heels' in love with Ansreen, his sister said He threatened to leak a sex tape to her husband when she called relationship off A young man who was allegedly murdered by a TikTok star in a 100mph car chase after threatening to expose his affair with her married mother was 'head over heels' in love with his older lover, his sister told a court today. Saqib Hussain died instantly when his Skoda hit a tree while being pursued from Leicester by two other vehicles in the high-speed chase after he allegedly blackmailed TikTok star Mahek Bukhari's mother and threatened to send proof of the affair to her husband. Saqib, 21, had enjoyed a passionate three-year fling with Mahek's mother Ansreen, who at 45, was 23 three years his senior, but he threatened to leak a sex tape they had made to her husband and family when she tried to end their relationship, the jury was told. TikTok star Mahek Bukhari, 23, (pictured left with her mother in a video) plotted to have her mother Ansreens young lover Saqib Hussain, 21, killed, Leicester Crown Court has heard Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin (left) and Saqib Hussain (right), both 21, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, died instantly in a horror crash in February. Mr Hussain, who worked at a bakery, had been in a three-year relationship with Ansreen Bukhari, 45, who has pleaded not guilty to his murder, along with seven other co-defendants The court heard how, on the night of his death, Mr Hussain thought he was going to meet with Ansreen and Bukhari and that they were going to pay him 2,000 - money he had spent on Ansreen during their relationship and a payment that Saqib wanted in return for keeping intimate photographs of Ansreen private and not sharing them on the internet or sending them to her husband. Mr Hussain's sister Sana Hussain had warned him not to go to a fateful meeting with Bukhari, 23, telling him he was taking a risk. In a statement read out to the court, Sana described how her brother was head over heels in love with Ansreen and was always buying her stuff. She said the relationship began when Mr Hussain was 18 and was 'on and off' but her brother was heartbroken when the relationship ended. She said she met Ansreen on one occasion outside a hotel. She also said she told her brother he should not be in a relationship with a married woman. She warned Mr Hussain that he was taking a risk going to get the money in February of this year, hours before he was killed. She asked him: Are you stupid? and warned that someone might rush him. The prosecution allege that Mahek (pictured) lured Mr Hussain into a trap on the night he died by promising to pay back money owed to him The day before Mr Hussain died his father, Sajad, who also knew about the affair, texted Sana, asking her to go and speak to her brother, who had been sulking for two days. Describing her last ever conversation with her brother, she said: I went to speak to Saqib in his bedroom. I asked what was wrong but he wouldn't tell me. He asked me to leave. I said, 'We are close and tell each other everything'. But he just said 'no' and asked me to leave his room. The jury also heard a statement from Ansreen's husband, Ali Raza, who told police he did not know about the affair his wife was having, though he apparently dismissed a previously-sent message from Saqib as fake. He recalled someone with the name Saqib had sent him a comment on social media informing him his wife was having an affair. He said: I do recall that about four or five months ago I received a message on my TikTok account. Someone put a comment that said something about my wife having an affair. I never told my wife about it - I assumed it was just nonsense. I think 'Saqib' was the name or part of the name of the account. He said he noticed the 'Saqib' user had no followers, which made him conclude it was a fake account. The trial has been told that the killings of Saqib and his friend Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, 21, were premeditated when their car was forced off the road after a 100mph chase. Both men died instantly after their Skoda Fabia burst into flames when it was rammed off the road in Leicester on February 11 this year. Bukhari and her mother both deny murder, and an alternative charge of manslaughter, along with six other defendants. Prosecuting, Collingwood Thompson KC, told the jury that all eight defendants now admit they were in two cars, an Audi TT and a Seat Leon, which were in pursuit of the two victims Skoda. Mr Thompson said: They have only been forced into making those admissions by the mobile phone data which shows them following the fleeing Skoda. 'No doubt they were hoping in a number of cases by making no comment in their police interviews that there would be insufficient evidence to place them at the scene of the collision. Mahek Bukhari (pictured) is a TikTok star and influencer. Prosecutors allege she tried to arrange men to 'jump' Mr Hussain and Mr Ijazuddin That in itself speaks volumes, Mr Thompson said that the meeting with the two victims at a Tesco car park in Leicester was premeditated and those involved must have known from the fact that balaclavas were being worn that violence was contemplated if necessary. The court heard that a wheel brace was also brought along by the youngest defendant, Mohammed Patel, 20. Mr Thompson added: Once Mr Saqib tried to escape violence did become necessary, because the only way to stop him was by the use of force. Everyone in those cars that left Tesco's in pursuit of the Skoda Fabia must have known that. This was not a pursuit that lasted just a few seconds or a couple of minutes. The pursuit lasted just over 10 minutes. That was a shared and common intention, the crown allege, to inflict at least really serious harm, either at the Tesco car park, or later. Therefore they were assisting and encouraging the commission of the murders by their presence. Last week, a harrowing 999 call was played to the jury in which Mr Hussain was heard pleading: 'They're right behind. They're hitting into the back of the car very fast. Please I'm begging you, I'm going to die.' He screamed before a loud crash was heard. Before her arrest, Bukhari had boasted of more than 126,000 followers on TikTok and a further 43,000 on Instagram. She had regularly shared snippets of her life, including her outfits, make-up and handbags, and has also appeared in videos alongside her mother. But she is now charged with two counts of murder, and of manslaughter as a possible alternative, alongside her mother and friend Natasha Akhtar, 22, who are both alleged to have recruited others. Footage from police attending the crash scene, at about 1.35am on February 11, showed the Skoda Fabia in flames, resting against a tree in the central reservation of the A46 dual carriageway, by the Six Hills junction near Leicester. The car had split into two on the point of impact and was soon ablaze. Officers saw 'a body hanging out of the remains of the nearside passenger seat', but the heat of the flames prevented rescuers from helping Mr Hussain. Footage from police attending the crash scene, at about 1.35am on February 11, showed the Skoda Fabia in flames, resting against a tree in the central reservation of the A46 dual carriageway, by the Six Hills junction near Leicester (police scene pictured) Today, the jury heard a statement from Pc Joseph Raddings, the first officer on the scene. He said: I could see in the distance a fire in the road. He said the burning wreck was too dangerous to approach, with popping and banging sounds coming from the car and debris being flung out from the wreck. He said: If there was anyone inside there was no chance of preserving life. It was only later that he confirmed there had been two people inside the vehicle. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, Mr Ijazuddin's body was also recovered, with the two men only identifiable by 'dental records', the jury heard. The pair had been friends since school, with Mr Ijazuddin agreeing to drive his friend to Leicester that night - described by prosecutors in court as a 'fatal mistake that cost him his life'. Mr Thompson has told jurors the 999 call was key to the Crown's case that the crash 'was not simply a tragic road traffic accident but a deliberate murder'. Of the subsequent police investigation, triggered by Mr Hussain's call and death, the prosecutor said: 'It revealed a story of love, murder, anger, attempts at extortion and - ultimately - murder.' The six-minute 999-call began with Hussain telling the operator that he was being tailed by another car. He said: 'They're trying to block me in. I can't get to a police station. There are guys following me with balaclavas on. I'm on the A46, they're trying to ram me off the road.' He told the operator he was driving past Ratcliffe College and was being chased by two vehicles. Growing more desperate as the cars ran into the back of his car, he told the operator that he could not read their registration plates before adding: 'They're trying to kill me. Please sir I just need help.' He gave his name and told the operator he lived in Banbury, Oxfordshire but had come to Leicester with Mr Ijazuddin for some food and to meet a friend. Just before the crash is heard Mr Hussain says: 'They're right behind. They're hitting into the back of the car very fast. Please I'm begging you I'm going to die.' The defendants all deny murder and an alternative count of manslaughter. Those on trial are: Natasha Akhtar, (22), of Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, Mahek Bukhari, (23), and Ansreen Bukhari, (45), both of George Eardley Close, Stoke, Raees Jamal, (22), of Lingdale Close, Loughborough, Rekan Karwan, (28), of Tomlin Road, Leicester, Mohammed Patel, (20), of Braybrooke Road, Leicester, Sanaf Gulammustafa, (22), of Littlemore Close, Crown Hills, Leicester, and Ammeer Jamal, (27), of Catherine Street, Belgrave, Leicester. The trial, expected to last eight weeks, continues. A coroner has criticised the University of Exeter for failing to respond to a student's 'cry for help' weeks before he took his own life after failing some of his exams and struggling with isolation during the pandemic. Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, a third-year physics and astrophysics student, died in June 2021 from asphyxiation at his home in Launceston, Cornwall. Assistant Cornwall coroner Guy Davies said there was a 'total absence of personal engagement' from the university towards Mr Armstrong Evans and there had been a 'catalogue of missed opportunities along with system failures'. Less than a month before he died, Mr Armstrong Evans emailed his tutor and the wellbeing service detailing his isolation during lockdown and his declining mental health, which he said had affected his exam performance. Mr Davies described this as a 'cry for help' but said it did not lead to any direct engagement between the university and Mr Armstrong Evans, or his parents Rupert and Alice Armstrong Evans. Assistant Coroner Guy Davies has criticised the University of Exeter for 'a total absence of personal engagement' with physics student Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, (pictured) who died in June 2021 from asphyxiation at his home in Launceston, Cornwall 'This court has heard evidence of the terrible consequences of academic pressures on students and the need for universities to provide a safety net for their students,' Mr Davies said. 'That should include welfare services and the capacity to proactively respond to concerns. 'In Harry's case the safety net did not operate to safeguard him. Concerns were raised on a number of occasions by both Harry and his parents. 'My central finding will be that the welfare service did not proactively respond to those concerns and did not provide the necessary support for Harry. 'Specifically, there was no engagement with Harry's family. Indeed, his parents only found out about the extent of his exam failure after his death. Mr Armstrong Evans emailed his personal tutor and the wellbeing service in May 2021 and told them of his isolation during lockdown 'I further find that Harry's death was due to an acute mental health crisis which was preceded by a catalogue of missed opportunities, along with system failures, which together led to an absence of proactive results which meant Harry could not receive support.' Mr Davies said he would be writing a preventing future deaths report to the university highlighting his concerns about staff training for suicide prevention, whether the wellbeing service's case management system was 'fit for purpose', and consideration of providing the mobile numbers of personal tutors to students. Speaking after the coroner recorded a conclusion of suicide, the student's parents called for 'Harry's Law' to give universities a legal duty of care to students. 'Harry was a beautiful, kind, intelligent and gentle soul. He never had a cross word with anyone,' they said. 'He was our pride and our joy and his passing is made all the more tragic because it was entirely avoidable. 'For too long, universities have operated in a space where, under the law, they are not obliged to provide any duty of care to the young people at their institutions. 'Legally they are adults but, emotionally, many are not mature enough to process the suffocating stress of exams and, in the case of Harry, when they do raise their hand and ask for help, it is often too little, too late.' Mr Davies said staff at the University of Exeter (pictured) failed to respond to Harry's 'cry for help' a few weeks before he took his own life Cornwall Coroner's Court heard that Mr Armstrong Evans's exam results were good in his first two years but by the third year were 'falling off a cliff edge'. By May, he was emailing his tutor and the wellbeing service about his options for deferring his summer exams and resitting others, but they said there was nothing in what he had told them that they described as a 'red flag'. His personal tutor, Professor Matthew Browning, said university policy prevented him from discussing his welfare with his parents, but the coroner said there was a 'misunderstanding' of this policy and he had overlooked 'exceptional circumstances'. Mr Davies said Professor Matthew Browning (pictured) had overlooked 'exceptional circumstances' by not getting in touch with Harry's parents The inquest heard Mrs Armstrong Evans had made three attempts to contact the wellbeing service, but no one got back to her due to IT system failures. 'Consideration should have been given at this stage to notifying Harry's parents the extent of his exam failure, to fully mobilise Harry's support network,' Mr Davies said. 'The system failures that effectively deleted these concerns meant that safeguarding opportunities were missed.' Mr Davies said the student's email on May 28 required 'further and immediate inquiry by phone or in person with Harry' and because of previous safeguarding concerns 'needed information sharing with his parents' about his academic situation. 'That email was a cry for help from Harry and required a proactive response from the wellbeing department, and a response was required beyond sending Harry a stream of emails inviting him to fill in an online form,' he said. 'Nobody from Exeter University reached out to Harry. There was a total absence of personal engagement.' Mike Shore-Nye, registrar at the University of Exeter, said: 'We are acutely aware of the current mental health challenges for young people and the difficulties accessing external services and have invested significantly in student welfare and wellbeing support in recent years. The 21-year-old was described as a 'beautiful, kind, intelligent and gentle soul' by his parents Rupert and Alice Armstrong Evans 'We have set up a bespoke partnership with local NHS and support services for students with complex mental health needs, depression and anxiety. 'We provide student support services seven days a week both on campus and in the community, including throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Student health and wellbeing is always the University of Exeter's top priority. 'We also welcome and support the recent Universities UK (UUK) guidance on suicide prevention and their recommendation on a trusted student contact when there are serious mental health concerns. 'A number of the UUK recommendations have already been implemented at the University of Exeter, and we will implement all the recommendations. 'On education, during the pandemic all students were supported with a no disadvantage guarantee to ensure their assessment marks didn't suffer as a result of the difficult circumstances surrounding the pandemic. 'We continue to take a compassionate and supportive approach to all students who are struggling with personal circumstances and the societal pressures we face today.' For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org President Joe Biden lost his temper with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and told him to be more appreciative of the billions in military aid the U.S. had given Ukraine in a testy phone call in June, a new report claims. A new NBC report says that Biden had 'barely finished telling Zelensky he's greenlighted another $1 billion in military assistance when Zelenskyy started listing all the additional help he needed and wasn't getting.' Biden then reportedly lost it, according to sources familiar with the call. Raising his voice, he told Zelensky the Americans had been quite generous and his administration and the military were working hard for Ukraine. He told the Ukrainian leader he show a little more appreciation. The aid was publicly announced an Zelensky released a statement thanking the U.S. for the package. President Biden reportedly lost his temper with Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call between the two world leaders as Biden felt the Ukrainian president was not being appreciative of U.S. aid A new NBC report says that Biden had 'barely finished telling Zelensky he's greenlighted another $1 billion in military assistance when Zelenskyy started listing all the additional help he needed and wasn't getting The Biden-Zelensky relationship has only improved since then, according to people familiar, and there have been subsequent phone calls and aid packages. But the frustration is indicative of Biden's awareness that public support for dumping billions into a war across the globe could begin to wane. U.S. aid to Ukraine has surpassed $65 billion, around $15 billion of that in military aid coming from the Pentagon. Republicans have already warned they won't be offering a 'blank check' to Ukraine, as GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy put it. Earlier this month Biden expressed concerns that if Republicans took back Congress aid money would dry up. Biden and the less isolationist members of both parties have already discussed ramming through as much as $50 billion in Ukraine funding to an omnibus spending bill that they'd pass before a new Congress is sworn-in in January. 'These guys don't get it. It's a lot bigger than Ukraine. It's Eastern Europe. It's NATO. It's really serious, serious consequential outcomes,' Biden said earlier this month of Republicans who want to turn off the spigot of aid dollars. As of Monday morning Ukraine's capital has been left largely without water and suffering power cuts this morning after Russia unleashed another missile barrage on major cities. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said 80 per cent of his city has been left without water and 350,000 homes have no power after Russian cruise missiles hit key infrastructure sites - with witnesses reporting five explosions. Kharkiv, in the north, Dnipro and Cherkasy, in central Ukraine, and the southern city of Zaporizhzhia were also hit - causing power cuts. More than 50 cruise missiles were fired by Russian strategic bombers with 44 of the projectiles shot down, Kyiv's commanders said. It comes two days after Russia's Black Sea fleet was damaged by explosive-laden drones in an attack blamed on Ukraine. Russia has been targeting civilian infrastructure, including electricity and water supplies, in an apparent attempt to freeze Ukrainians in their homes as winter hits. Facing setbacks on the battlefield, Moscow seems to be targeting civilians to break their will to continue the war. Such attacks are war crimes, under international law. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, center, closes his eyes while speaking to reporters in the city's central area of Itaewon on his government's response to a deadly crowd crush accident that claimed at least 154 lives during Halloween celebrations the previous day, Oct. 30. Yonhap Questions are increasingly raised as to whether the Itaewon disaster could have been prevented with preparatory safety measures by the administrative authorities and police. Some critics say the Seoul city government, the office of Yongsan Ward to which Itaewon belongs and police should have taken sufficient accident prevention measures in anticipation of a record Halloween crowd, whereas others say the disaster was beyond the realm of prediction. At least 154 people have been killed in the deadly stampede in a narrow 3.2-meter-wide downhill alley in Itaewon late Saturday night. A crowd of nearly 100,000 people was expected to flock to the nightlife district Saturday to celebrate the first Halloween event without social distancing restrictions, including outdoor mask-wearing rules, in three years. Critics are asking questions about why and how the administrative authorities and police had failed to prepare in advance against crowd-related accidents. They say there was a kind of prior warning signal, as eyewitness accounts have said on social media that some people were pushed by the crowd and fell in the same alley the previous night but were not injured after other people stopped moving. Eyewitnesses also said it was already difficult to walk around in Itaewon on Friday due to a huge crowd. Despite the apparent warning signals, however, the Seoul city government did not seem to have taken any specific measures to avoid Halloween-related safety accidents in advance. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, front, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, left, back, pay tribute at a joint memorial altar for the victims of a Halloween crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district at Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall, Oct. 31. Yonhap "We did not prepare special measures or operate a situation room for Halloween, because no large-scale event was scheduled by an organization in Itaewon," said a Seoul city government official, adding the concerned ward office has mapped out accident prevention measures. In contrast, the municipal government had established safety measures, including control of roads and deployment of safety personnel, for the 2022 Seoul International Fireworks Festival held in Yeouido, central Seoul, on Oct. 8 in anticipation of a crowd of 1 million. The Yongsan Ward office held an emergency meeting Thursday under the supervision of its deputy head to discuss Halloween-related safety measures for the Itaewon area, but the discussions were reportedly focused on COVID-19 quarantine measures, inspection of facilities and restaurant food safety. Control of roads and one-way passing for many narrow alleys, where Halloween events were concentrated, were not implemented. The ward office said about 150 civil servants in 28 teams were deployed to Itaewon from Thursday to Saturday, but it seemed the manpower was not enough to cope with the tens of thousands of people. The Seoul police also said they deployed about 200 officers to Itaewon on Saturday, though their tasks were mostly focused on cracking down on sex crimes, drugs and theft, instead of safety management. Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min also said this year's Halloween crowd in Itaewon was not worryingly large compared with previous years and the police force was kind of scattered due to riots and demonstrations all over the city on the same day. Flowers are seen at the scene of a deadly accident in Seoul, following Saturday night's Halloween festivities, Oct. 30. AP Advertisement Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was pictured today with his wife Akshata Murty walking down the No 10 Downing Street hallway alongside their labrador retriever Nova after buying poppies from representatives of the Royal British Legion. The Sunaks, estimated to be worth 730million, stood either side of fox red Nova - who had a poppy attached to her collar - as Mr Sunak urged people to donate money to honour past and present veterans as Remembrance Day approaches. Earlier this morning, after briefly struggling with putting cash into a Poppy Appeal tin, Mr Sunak then put a poppy on his wife's jumper before she reciprocated. The PM then put a purple collar with a poppy attached around Nova's neck before giving her a treat. Nova could reach new heights of fame as she begins life in the fast lane under the ownership of Britain's first non-white Prime Minister. But the fox red dog will be no stranger to living at high speed as labrador retrievers are known for their energetic and playful lifestyle. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty after they bought poppies, and a special 'poppy' dog collar for their pet Labrador Nova, from representatives of the Royal British Legion at 10 Downing Street The Prime Minister was in good spirits as he walked back into Downing Street with his dog Nova wearing a special poppy collar Nova could reach new heights of fame as she begins life in the fast lane under the ownership of Britain's first non-white Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tends to his dog Nova, putting a collar with a poppy attached to it around his labrador's neck as it gazed up as Ms Murty The fox red labrador retriever will be no stranger to the camera from now as its owner takes on responsibility as leader of the Government Not a fan of that one! The adorable labrador retriever appeared to be growling as Mr Sunak attempted to put a special poppy collar round her Ms Murty followed her husband outside of No 10 bringing Nova with her on a lead before the PM donated money to the Poppy Appeal British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty pose with volunteers from the Royal British Legion outside Number 10 Downing Street Well-behaved Nova was seen sitting patiently looking up as Ms Murty while the Prime Minister donated money to the Poppy Appeal The fox red dog will be no stranger to living at high speed as labrador retrievers are known for their energetic and playful lifestyle It is also a return to the limelight for Nova who lived next door at No 11 Downing Street while its owner was Chancellor under Boris Johnson's leadership. The then-chancellor first announced that the family had received a new member with an adorable picture of the pair together in June last year with the caption: 'Meet Nova'. Mr Sunak could be seen looking down at Nova who was perfectly positioned on his lap, staring straight down the camera lens. At the time, the dog was eight-weeks old, so Nova is now believed to be around 17-months old. It's reported that Mr Sunak was not too eager on welcoming a dog into the family but after his two daughter's Krisna and Anoushka met Boris Johnson's pooch Dilyn, they begged their father for a puppy of their own. Then Chancellor Rishi Sunak welcomed Labrador Nova into his family last June, at eight weeks old. In a social media post, he said: 'Meet Nova' In preparation for the Budget last year, Mr Sunak posted a photo of him intently looking at a document while an exhausted Nova could be seen slumped on the sofa Mr Sunak was not too eager on welcoming a dog into the family but after his two daughter's Krisna and Anoushka met Boris Johnson's pooch Dilyn (pictured together), they begged their father for a puppy of their own The PM eventually caved in and the labrador retriever arrived into the household. A Downing Street source told The Sun at the time: 'Rishi was fighting it but finally gave in, and the whole building is cooing over her.' The No 10 pet is also believed to have a taste for roast chicken and even took naps in the former Chancellor's famous red Budget box. Nova, who featured on Mr Sunak's Instagram today, has often been seen on the page, including when the now-PM was preparing for the 2021 Budget. Mr Sunak's two daughter's Krisna and Anoushka (pictured at a campaigning event in Grantham in July) were desperate for a dog Mr Sunak was seen walking Nova earlier this year at his home in west London. He has since moved out and back into Downing Street with his family Mr Sunak and his wife were spotted taking Nova for a walk back in January. The dog first became a member of the family in June, 2021 Nova will have fierce competition to overtake Larry the Cat (pictured staring at the PM) as Downing Street's chief animal Mr Sunak posted a photo of him intently looking at a document while an exhausted Nova could be seen slumped on the sofa. 'Tomorrow's Budget and Spending Review will deliver a stronger economy for the British people. I hope you find it more engaging than Nova did,' the caption said. Nova will have fierce competition to overtake Larry the Cat as Downing Street's chief animal. The cat which has become synonymous with No 10 even has its own parody Instagram account. It's been a rollercoaster ride for Larry whose fame skyrocketed during the last few months where he appeared under three Prime Minister's and multiple Cabinet reshuffles. The Chief Mouser, as he is known, has been a staple of Downing Street for around a decade now. The parody Twitter account, known to post tongue-in-cheek Tweets, joked when Mr Sunak was made PM: 'Rishi Sunak is becoming prime minister. His family is loaded so caviar and lobster on the menu for me from tomorrow.' Slipper-ing to Downing Street! Rishi's billionaire wife Akshata Murty dressed down in 42 White Company sliders and 50 faux fur H&M gilet as she moved back into No 10 By Harriet Johnston For MailOnline She may be the heiress with a billionaire father, but Rishi Sunak's wife ditched the designer labels over the weekend to show off her love of high street brands. Akshata Murty, the daughter of Indian IT mogul Narayana Murty, was snapped overseeing movers unpacking the family's furniture into No10 on Saturday. Ms Murty, who is more often seen dressed up in designer labels, opted for a casual look for the occasion - pairing grey leggings, a light grey jumper and a 50 black fluffy H&M gilet with her 42 White Company faux fur sliders. She was pictured overseeing workers from Bishops Move unloading what seemed to be an upright piano, a double mattress and a barbecue, as well as smaller boxes of possessions. The Sunak family has chosen to return to the No10 flat - where they lived while Mr Sunak was Chancellor of the Exchequer - instead of moving into the more spacious flat in No11 as has been the custom for prime ministers since 1997, when Sir Tony Blair swept to power. Akshata's off-duty mum style included a pair of new White Company slippers. Described online as 'stylish and versatile', the brand say they can be worn as 'nightwear as loungewear and daywear' and suitable for 'milder weather'. Ms Murty, who owns a 430million stake in her Indian tech billionaire father's IT business, has raised eyebrows with her high-end wardrobe. In December 2020, the IT heiress wore a box-fresh pair of 445 Gucci trainers, a REDValentino shearling and leather coat costing 1,630 and a leather skirt worth more then 1,000, for a date night with her husband in upmarket Mayfair. Mr Sunak and Ms Murty have built up a joint fortune of 730million, the Sunday Times Rich List revealed in May, making him the first frontline politician to feature in the annual wealth rankings since its inception in 1989. Mr Sunak made big money in the City of London before entering politics. But the bulk of the cash is from his wife's stake in IT giant Infosys, set up by her father N. R. Narayana Murty, one of the richest men in India who has been described as the father of the Indian IT sector and 'one of the 12 greatest businessmen of all time'. Ms Murty has enjoyed around 54million in dividends over the past seven and a half years alone. There was a furore after it emerged Ms Murty had non-dom status, which typically applies to someone who was born overseas and spends much of their time in the UK but still considers another country to be their permanent residence or 'domicile'. It has been estimated Ms Murty's non-dom status could have saved her 20million in taxes on dividends. She later agreed to pay UK taxes on her worldwide income. Her family are also have a joint venture with Amazon worth 900million a year and shares in the firm running Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Italian and burger chain Wendy's in India. Before becoming Chancellor, Sunak was better known in India than he was in Britain, after he became a household name when he married Akshata. The furore came after was revealed that Ms Murty had non-dom status, which typically applies to someone who was born overseas and spends much of their time in the UK but still considers another country to be their permanent residence or 'domicile'. Speculation was rife over whether the family would revert to previous living arrangements, with Mr Sunak splitting his time between Downing Street and his house in west London. In April Mr Sunak, his wife Akshata Murty, their daughters Krishna and Anoushka and family labrador Nova moved out to be closer to the children's 22,000-a-year private school. Coming around the same time that news emerged that Mr Sunak's wife, Akshata Murty, had claimed 'non-dom' tax status, reportedly saving her millions, there was speculation the move was linked to a wish to avoid media attention, although Mr Sunak denied that at the time. But earlier this week, Mr Sunak's press secretary told reporters: 'They will be moving into the No 10 flat, where they used to live.' Asked whether the family plans to redecorate the flat, his press secretary said: 'Not that I'm aware of.' It means that they will not live in the flat above No11, which was renovated by Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie for an estimated 200,000 in the so-called 'wallpapergate' scandal which notoriously involved gold wallpaper that cost thousands of pounds. However, Mr Sunak is still keeping the London townhouse, and if he wants to get away from Downing Street, he will be able to spend weekends at the Prime Minister's official country estate, Chequers, with his family, as well as spending time at their London properties and their constituency home in North Yorkshire. A classified report due to be sent to Congress Monday lists more than 150 cases of unexplained UFO encounters by military and government officials in the past year, sources told DailyMail.com exclusively. The 22-page report, compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), analyzes 366 cases and only about half of them could be explained, two sources close to the department said. Examples include video shot by Reaper drones conducting surveillance in the Middle East that caught 'orbs' flying around then 'suddenly bolting off the screen'. Others, an ODNI source said, are similar to famous encounters by Navy F-18 fighter pilots who saw, filmed and registered on radar 'tic tac' and 'gimbal' shaped craft flitting near training areas off the US east and west coasts, moving at supersonic speeds and performing incredible maneuvers with no apparent means of propulsion. The G-forces from the sharp turns at eye-watering velocities were so extreme they would have crushed the skull of a human pilot trying to perform the same maneuver. Some cases had explanations as mundane as weather balloons. But among these are 'brand new surveillance by foreign adversaries,' the source said, including Chinese spy drones trying to gather information on US military pilot training. Sources tell DailyMail.com that a classified report was sent to Congress that lists more than 150 cases of unexplained UFO encounters in the past year. Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray plays a video of an 'unidentified aerial phenomenon', commonly referred to as a UFO, at a hearing in May The Pentagon released three videos of UFOs taken by Navy pilots to 'clear up misconceptions.' The 22- page report was compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and analyzes 366 cases An ODNI source said that examples in the report are similar to the famous encounters by Navy F-18 fighter pilots, who saw, filmed and registered on radar 'tic tac' and 'gimbal' shaped craft flitting near training areas off the US East and West coasts, moving at supersonic speeds and performing skull-crushing maneuvers with no apparent means of propulsion The US Navy filmed a 'pyramid' shaped UFO. Examples in the report include video shot by Reaper drones conducting surveillance that caught on camera 'orbs' flying around then 'suddenly bolting off ' A public version of the report, stripped of classified information, is due to be published by ODNI Monday but sources say both the classified and unclassified versions have been delayed by a few days. The UFO dossier is the debut of an annual report mandated by last year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), part of a slew of new legislation forcing more government transparency on unexplained phenomena in our airspace and seas. The 366 cases sources described in the classified report represent a large increase from the 144 covered in a 'preliminary assessment' published last year by the ODNI. The June 2021 dossier said one case had been explained as a balloon, and of the remaining 143 unexplained cases dated between 2004 and 2021, 80 reports 'involved observation with multiple sensors'. All cases came from 'US government sources'. Members of the intelligence community who are eager for the government to address the issue of unexplained craft in our skies, were disappointed by the report's focus on cases investigators were able to solve. 'They're patting themselves on the back that they've resolved over half of them,' the ODNI source said. 'But we don't give a crap about the ones they've resolved. Yeah, there's balloons up there, and balloons are sometimes mistaken for UAP. 'But there are s***loads of classified videos that are pretty profound and pretty clear. 'They don't want to talk about this stuff, because they really, really don't know what the hell they are. That's the truth.' The classified report has been sent to the Armed Services, Appropriations, Foreign Affairs or Relations, and Intelligence committees of the House and Senate. The House Intelligence Committee held its first public hearing on UFOs in 54 years where panel members grilled Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray (left) and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security Ronald Moultrie (right) A map shows several USS destroyers that were on patrol and were suddenly swarmed by flashing drones which were able to travel long distance at high speeds Two pilots can be heard in ARTCC recordings from August 18, 2022. 'We've got a few aircraft to our north here and he's going around in circles, much higher altitude than us. Any idea what they are?' ex-fighter pilot Mark Hulsey radioed in The 2022 NDAA, signed into law last December, requires the government to release a public report on UFO incidents each year by October 31, with a classified annex sent only to lawmakers with security clearance. But sources told DailyMail.com that ODNI instead wrote a single, classified report and is running a few days behind schedule delivering it to Congress and creating a public, declassified version. Former Navy Lieutenant Ryan Graves regularly witnessed UFOs in restricted airspace The ODNI source said there are dozens of classified UFO videos on government servers filmed by MQ-9 Reaper drones abroad. 'These drones operate 20-25,000 feet up in the air and they're flying around. We're keeping an eye on bad guys all over the world,' they said. 'An operator will be zoomed in looking at a town in Syria. And all of a sudden, a little orb will go flying through the viewfinder. 'The operator's like, ''What the hell?'' And so he starts focusing on it and he just watches the orb for a while. We might get it for 30 seconds, we might watch it for 10 minutes. And then it will do something remarkable, like suddenly bolt off the screen.' One tape seen by the source shows a UFO diving into the ocean 'without making a splash.' 'There's some pretty spectacular videos,' they said. The ODNI source was critical of their department's dossier, saying it glossed over the many intriguing and worrying unexplained cases. 'It was not as detailed as you might hope. It spent a lot of time jumping into the foreign surveillance that was discovered, which has nothing to do with UAPs,' the source said. 'There's a lot of attention to that and just about nothing about the other 49 per cent that were not resolved.' Ryan Graves, one of the Navy F-18 pilots who encountered 'gimbal'-shaped objects pulling high-gravity turns and showing no propulsion heat signature on infra-red cameras, tweeted on Friday about the danger of ignoring such cases. 'Expect to continue seeing periodic attempts to cling to the social high ground used to mock those who broach the topic of UAP,' Graves wrote. 'Conclusive commentary on UAP undermines [national] security, aviation safety, and common sense. It's okay to be wrong; ignoring the issue is not acceptable.' Graves tweeted: 'Expect to continue seeing periodic attempts to cling to the social high ground used to mock those who broach the topic of UAP' A graphic shows the location and dates of several reported UFO sightings, mainly in the Pacific Ocean, that occurred in August and September of this year This image shows the brightness of the UFO compared to the circled stars, which are much dimmer The ODNI source said the classified report promised lawmakers better data in future due to improved systems for military personnel to report UFO incidents, and a more proactive approach from the recently revamped UFO task force which operates out of the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. 'We didn't go out searching for them. We accidentally stumbled into them,' the informant told DailyMail.com. '[Now] they're actually creating collection plans to go out and try to learn more, for the first time. That's something that's been happening just in the last six months. 'We're probably seeing five a month, maybe 10 a month. In a single report you might have 10 incidents.' 'There was a section that said that, because this effort is growing, future reports would be vastly more detailed, and contain much more data. 'I am more hopeful than not that we're heading in the right direction.' The news comes after Nasa announced its own team of 16 experts will begin an 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Study' lasting nine months. The 2023 NDAA, set to be voted on before the year end, includes whistleblower protections for officials disclosing previously secret government projects involving UFOs to the task force, and creates a system for intelligence officials to report highly classified incidents to the task force without violating their security oaths. The nudist longtime partner of the man accused of brutally attacking Paul Pelosi revealed in a jailhouse interview that suspect David DePape has been 'mentally ill for a long time' and had paranoid delusions. Oxane 'Gypsy' Taub, 53, who was convicted in 2021 for trying to kidnap a 14-year-old boy, is also a longtime nudist activist. She says during her two decades with DePape says she saw him transform following a disappearance of more than a year. 'He came back in very bad shape. He thought he was Jesus. He was constantly paranoid, thinking people were after him,' Taub told Bay area affiliate ABC 7 in a phone call from prison. 'And it took a good year or two to get back to, you know, being halfway normal.' 'He is mentally ill. He has been mentally ill for a long time,' she said from the Californian Institution For Women in Corona, California, where she is serving time. The two previously lived together in Berkeley. Oxane 'Gypsy' Taub, who once protested naked in front of San Francisco City Hall (above), was convicted in 2021 for child abuse after stalking and harassing a 14-year-old boy. She said in an interview from prison that longtime former partner DePape has been 'mentally ill for a long time' Taub says she first met DePape two decades ago when he had political views like her own, although the 'hemp jewelry maker's' more recent postings have contain anti-semitic themes and QAnon conspiracies as well as election fraud claims. 'Well when I met him, he was only 20 years old, and he didn't have any experience in politics, and he was very much in alignment with my views and I've always been very progressive. I absolutely admire Nancy Pelosi,' said Taub. The couple raised two sons and a daughter, and split seven years ago, she said. Taub described herself as the 'ex-life partner of David DePape and the mother of his children.' DePape, 42, was carrying zip ties with him when he broke into the Paul and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, calling out 'Where's Nancy' the same phrase used by Capitol rioters on January 6. The San Francisco Police Department has also confirmed that there were just two people in the Pelosi home at the time of the attack - not three, as they had previously reported. The incident, just days before the November elections, has renewed calls in Congress to beef up security in light of a growing threats against lawmakers. The speaker, who gets a security detail, was not home at the time of the incident. U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said in a weekend memo to lawmakers that the attack 'is a somber reminder of the threats elected officials and families face in 2022.' Taub, 53, was convicted in 2021 for child abuse, and allegedly bought sex dolls for her sons to use. Prosecutors said Taub, who once protested naked in front of San Francisco City Hall, had been stalking the boy, sending him emails and messages and trying to lure him to secretly meet with her. Ryan La Coste, one of Taub and DePape's neighbors, said he's long complained about the family's behavior and nudity while minors were around, noting that the family keeps several sex dolls, according to Michael Shellenberger's Substack. 'Before Gypsy got locked up, there were sex dolls drying on the back of their porch that I'm assuming she bought for her sons,' La Coste said. 'They're off the wall.' Following his attack on Pelosi, DePape has been accused by his daughter of sexually assaulting his three children when they were kids. Taub (right, pictured with Paul Pelosi attacker David DePape in 2013) was accused of sending messages to a former friend of her son, telling the minor that she wanted to date him and trying to lure him to meet with her secretly. She says DePape once disappeared for a year and came back changed Taub's former lover, DePape, has been charged with attacking Paul and yelling for Nancy (the couple pictured together in April) inside their $6million San Francisco home DePape (above) has been described as an unhinged conspiracy theorist, who neighbors said would often abuse and sell psychedelic drugs A view of Nancy and Paul Pelosi's home in San Francisco, California, where the attack happened at 2.27am on Friday morning A view of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center where victim Paul Pelosi was taken after being attacked in his home on Friday While DePape has been accused of abusing minors, Taub is the one convicted of the crime as police said she had an 'obsession' with a child, once writing to him that it would be legal for them to date in other states. In 2019, police said Taub continued inappropriate behavior with a former friend of her son despite the boy's family placing a restraining order on her. Authorities said Taub was writing to the boy about dating him and once drove past his house trying to talk to profess 'her love and desire' to be with him. According to police, Taub later had her son deliver a package to the boy, which included a letter pleading with him to meet with her without his phone. 'This is our last chance to help you,' the letter read. 'Leave your bag and your regular cell phone in the locker.' Police showed up at the time and place of the meeting Taub had set up and arrested her as she wore a 'disguise.' Along with stalking and endangering the boy, the court heard that he had suffered great 'mental anguish' over the repeated harassment. Along with worries over Taub's criminal record, neighbors told Shellenberger that she and DePape often used the psychedelic drug ibogaine. Taub, pictured at a naked wedding ceremony by San Francisco City Hall, was arrested in 2019 and convicted of her crimes against the 14-year-old boy in 2021 The home of David Depape, 42, of Berkeley, California. Although the couple hung LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter flags, their neighbors said their liberal politics was performative Other neighbors, like Ryan La Coste (above), claimed Taub and DePape would try selling psychedelic drugs to them as medicine. La Coste said he's long complained about the nudity in front of minors from his neighbors A neighbor, who identified herself only as Tish, claimed the duo would buy the drugs from Mexico 'and then they bring it back here and treat people's mental health illnesses.' She alleged that Taub and DePape would abuse the pills themselves, wailing at night and sweating profusely from trips that appeared to last three days. Laura Hayes, another neighbor, told CNN that she's seen similar odd behavior from the former couple. She said DePape once told her 'he talks to angels and there will be a hard time coming.' While reports indicate that DePape was an unhinged, far-right conspiracy theorist, neighbors noted he and Taub's politics were much more muddied. They told Shellenberger that the couple had Black Live Matter flags and an LGBT rainbow flag outside their home, but also said that any liberal leanings appeared to be shallow and performative. Taub's criminal record and the former couple's alleged drug abuse paints the picture of a deeply troubled household as DePape's daughter, Inti Gonzalez, claimed her father abused her and her two brothers. Gonzalez blogged about DePape, 42, on Friday after it was reported that he broke into the Pelosi's $6million San Francisco home at 2.27 am in his underwear and beat the 82-year-old Paul with a hammer while shouting 'where's Nancy?' The daughter of the man who attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul with a hammer early Friday morning says that he's 'consumed by darkness' and sexually abused both her and her brothers before their mother left him Gonzalez wrote in the post, which has since been taken down, that her mother met DePape - whom she describes as her father - in Maui when she was pregnant with her. The couple moved to the Bay Area soon after Gonzalez was born. According to his daughter, DePape slowly became 'toxic' until Gonzalez's mother left him when she was 13-years-old. After DePape was out of the home, her brother Nebosvod began to have memories of their father 'physically and sexually abusing me and my brothers, which started when we were very young and continued until around 2008, when [Gonzalez] was 7.' Gonzalez wrote that her father's alleged violent attack on Pelosi was 'not much' of a shock 'considering the kind of extreme abuse he had inflicted on me and my brothers.' She wrote that her mother met DePape - whom she describes as her father - in Maui when she was pregnant with her and where Gonzalez was born. They moved to the Bay Area soon after her birth After Nebosvod began to remember abuse, Gonzalez says she and her youngest brother Daniel also started to remember being abused by DePape. Their mother filed a police report against DePape but 'the case was not managed properly so nothing was done about it,' according to Gonzalez. Despite the memories of abuse, Gonzalez also writes that DePape was a 'quiet' man who was 'never violent, yelled or even swore.' She heartbreakingly describes DePape as someone who 'did genuinely try to be a good person' and added that she loves him, but 'the monster in him was always too strong for him to be safe to be around,' adding that he also suffered an abusive childhood. Gonzalez said: 'He barely opened up about himself or his past but it was obvious that he grew up in hell and that we didn't know the worst of it.' She did know, however, that his mother 'would beat him almost to death.' Gonzalez wrote that she still loves her father despite the 'extreme abuse' she recalls him inflicting. He once even apologized for his behavior - according to Gonzalez, he took the siblings to a park and said he was sorry 'for everything I have done to you guys. I am more sorry than you will ever know.' However, the most recent time Gonzalez spoke to DePape, he tried to get to her to admit that the abuse never happened. A police bodycam video captured the moment a septuagenarian was rescued before Dominican Republic authorities discovered she plotted her own abduction to scam her daughter out of $40,00 and help pay off one of her accomplice's witchcraft debt. Deisy Hernandez, 70, plotted with Roberto De Jesus to fake her kidnapping at her home in the central city of Bonao on October 20 and had a man contact her daughter to seek the ransom, National Police spokesman Diego Pesqueira revealed Sunday. Authorities rescued Hernandez and arrested the money owing abductor, Yorvy Soto, in the municipality of Villa Altagracia while they were on their way to the Santo Domingo city of Los Alcarrizos on Friday. Deisy Hernandez was arrested Friday after police in the Dominican Republic learned she faked her own kidnapping to help out her friend, Yorby Soto, get out of a $6,600 debt he owed to a person who he had hired to perform witch spells on his own mother. Hernandez, 70, had a man contact her own daughter on October 20 to request $40,000 in exchange for her release Yorby Soto was taken into custody by Dominican Republic authorities in Villa Altagracia on Friday after he was pulled over with his friend, Deisy Hernandez, who plotted her own kidnapping to help him get out of debt Soto confessed to the investigators that Hernandez and De Jesus had approached him with a plan to help him get out of the debt that he had with an individual who he had hired to practice spells on his own mother. Soto told the police that he was given a date by when he had to come up with the $6,600 or risk having his mother die. He added that he was unaware that Hernandez and De Jesus had sought out a larger amount from Hernandez daughter. According to Soto, De Jesus was responsible for picking up the ransom at a place to be determined in exchange for Hernandez's release before Deisy Hernandez was found sitting in the back of vehicle Friday, nine days after she set up her own kidnapping to scam her own daughter out of $40,000 Soto told police that he was unaware that Hernandez and De Jesus sought $40,000 from her own daughter instead of the $6,600 he really needed to get out of debt Yorby Soto is escorted by a member of the Villa Altagracia police force following his arrest Video footage showed two cops approaching Soto's vehicle on a street near a highway intersection before he was forced to the ground and placed under arrest. Hernandez was sitting in the rear seat with her hands tied. One of the police officers asked her if she was ok while another questioned Soto about the whereabouts of the other people who were involved in the kidnapping. De Jesus was arrested during a separate police operation in Villa Altagracia. Hernandez, Soto and De Jesus have all appeared before a local prosecutor in Villa Altagracia, but have yet to be formally charged. 'As for the alleged kidnapped, Deisy Hernandez, no trace could be found that indicates violence or mistreatment against her,' the police said in a statement. 'The reports and testimonies of the detainees indicate that she was helped by them to manage to coordinate and/or plan the way in which they would achieve their objective.' The number of US military veterans who carry out violent attacks has jumped fourfold these past dozen years, according to a government study, which calls for action against domestic extremist groups. A report from the Democrat-led House Committee on Veterans' Affairs says ex-servicemen are increasingly being radicalized and joining the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Three Percenters and other hard-line outfits. It comes days before the midterm elections and amid widening political divisions that have seen ever-more Americans including ex-service members worried about the country's direction and willing to act out their beliefs. 'The vast majority of the nation's approximately 18 million living veterans remain law-abiding citizens,' said the study. But 'individuals with military backgrounds have become increasingly involved with violent extremist plots and attacks in recent years.' Domestic Violent Extremist (DVE) groups target veterans because of their combat and weapons experience and because they afford 'an air of credibility' to otherwise fringe ideas As recently as the 2000s, only about seven people with military backgrounds carried out violent extremist attacks each year. That exploded fourfold to an average of 30 each year between 2010 and 2020. Veterans have been behind a tenth of all domestic terror plots and attacks in recent years, said researchers, in incidents that claimed 314 lives and injured 1,978 people from 1990 to 2021. Veterans made up 15 percent of those charged over the January 6, 2001, attack on the US Capitol, part of an effort to stop the certification of the election that brought Joe Biden, a Democrat, to power, says the study. The study highlighted other ex-servicemen involved in political violence. They include the Navy veteran Ricky Shiffer, 42, who was fatally shot by police in August as he tried to breach the FBI's Cincinnati field office, as well the veterans involved in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. Navy veteran Ricky Shiffer, 42, was fatally shot by police in August as he tried to breach the FBI's Cincinnati field office Thirteen men, including members of two right-wing militias, were arrested for plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 and 'instigate a civil war' Further back, Army veteran Timothy McVeigh used a fuel and fertilizer bomb to turn a federal building into a tomb of rubble in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people including 19 children and injuring nearly 700 others. Domestic violent extremist (DVE) groups 'target veterans for their combat experience, weapons training, and leadership' skills and because they afford 'an air of credibility' to otherwise fringe beliefs, said the report. Those who leave service with blemished records or have been injured or traumatized in war zones are particularly vulnerable to hardliners mostly far-right groups, but also religious zealots and hardcore leftists, it said. 'There is no single pathway toward radicalization,' said the 21-page document. 'But there are certain risk factors, including social isolation, job insecurity, unhealed trauma, substance abuse, and mental health concerns, that make some individuals susceptible to radicalization and recruitment.' The report called for government agencies to run more 'early prevention and intervention programs' as well as civics education for active duty service members and veterans even after they leave the service. It also urges the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to identify those at-risk of radicalization and work harder to ensure ex-service members get the jobs, education, housing, food and healthcare they need to prosper. Members of the Oath Keepers militia group at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The group has a connection with former members of the military and law enforcement Congress is not likely to act quickly or decisively on the issue, which exposes rifts between Democratic and Republican politicians, who often say the issue is offensive to veterans and does not warrant attention. Afghanistan war veteran Cole Lyle, who heads the veterans' advocacy group Mission Roll Call, said the report 'promotes a dangerously inaccurate stereotype of veterans as inherently violent'. 'It also distracts the Department of Defense, the VA, and the American public from urgent issues facing the veteran community like suicide prevention, mental health treatment, and access to care,' Lyle told DailyMail.com. The focus on violent extremism comes at a tough time for the military, which is struggling to attract new recruits and faces a shortfall of some 15,000 Army soldiers this year and bigger problems down the road. Research from the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) in July found that the number of military personnel who would advise others to enlist sank nearly 12 points to 62.9 percent between 2019 and 2021. Three quarters of those surveyed were in debt, more than half could not save, 61 percent had trouble paying rent and a troublesome 17 percent said they were so cash-strapped they could not always put enough food on the table. Former Defense Sec. Mark Esper recently warned about the military's dismal recruitment numbers, writing that only a small fraction of the US is fit to serve anymore since many are either overweight, on drugs or have a criminal past. Comes as Russia tries to round up as many men as possible and push them to the front lines, regardless of skill Footage has emerged showing panicked soldiers fleeing attack on armoured vehicle - only for it to flip over It marks the deadliest day for Vladimir Putin's troops since Russia's the invasion began in back in February Ukraine has claimed that 950 Russian soldiers were killed on Sunday as its forces continue to make gains Advertisement Nearly 1,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in one day in Ukraine, Kyiv has claimed, marking the deadliest day for Vladimir Putin since his troops invaded eight months ago. Ukrainian forces have been making gains across Russian-occupied areas, with fighting intensifying in the country's east and in the southern city of Kherson. In a blow to Putin's invasion, 950 Russian soldiers were killed on Sunday, pushing the Russian death toll up to at least 71,200, Kyiv has claimed. And in yet another example of his forces' incompetence, video shows panic-stricken Russian soldiers fleeing a Ukrainian attack on an armoured vehicle - only for it to flip over and fling the troops into the air. Footage, apparently from Kherson, shows Russian soldiers running towards an armoured vehicle as Ukrainian missiles rain down on them. Footage, apparently from Kherson, shows Russian soldiers running towards an armoured vehicle as Ukrainian missiles rain down on them The soldiers scramble on top of the armoured vehicle and are seen smiling as they speed off down a road away from the Ukrainian attack. But the transport suddenly veers to the right and into a ditch, causing the Russian soldiers - no longer smiling - to scream in fear The driver quickly steers to the left (pictured), but the speeding vehicle flips over - flinging the Russian troops on to the road below them. The video then cuts out Ukrainian soldiers inspect a damaged Russian tank near the recently retaken village of Kamianka, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on Sunday The soldiers scramble on top of the armoured vehicle and are seen smiling as they speed off down a road away from the attack. But the vehicle then veers to the right and into a ditch, causing the troopers- no longer smiling - to scream in fear. The driver quickly steers to the left, but the speeding vehicle flips over - flinging the troops on to the road below them. The video then cuts out. It comes as as Russia tries to round up as many men as possible and quickly push them to the front lines, regardless of skill, training and equipment. The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in its latest intelligence briefing that Russia has deployed several thousand newly mobilised reservists to the front line in Ukraine - but in many cases they are 'poorly equipped'. 'In September, Russian officers were concerned that some recently mobilised reservists were arriving in Ukraine without weapons,' the MoD said in its Monday morning briefing. For those Russian soldiers who are turning up with weapons, they are often being issued AKM rifles, which fires 7.62 mm ammunition. This is different to the ammunition required in the rifles issued to Russia's regular combat units. 'The integration of reservists with contract soldiers and combat veterans in Ukraine will mean Russian logisticians will have to push two types of small arms ammunition to front line positions, rather than one,' the MoD added. It continued: 'This will likely further complicate Russia's already strained logistics systems.' Since Putin announced the mobilisation of 300,000 Russians on September 21, independent media, human rights activists and those called up have painted a bleak picture of a haphazard and chaotic effort to call up reservists. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov last week acknowledged persisting problems with equipment for the draftees, but 'vigorous measures taken to rectify the situation are already yielding the first positive results'. He said regional authorities are involved in providing 'the missing gear,' and now deputy prime minister Denis Manturov 'is personally responsible for this' in a coordination council Putin has created. Russian media reported multiple deaths of reservists in Ukraine, with their relatives telling news outlets that they had received very little training. When asked by a reporter why several reservists had died in Ukraine only three weeks after being called up, Putin confirmed that training could last as few as 10 days and as many as 25. Military analyst Pavel Luzin said Russia is not able to train hundreds of thousands of men. 'The army was not ready for mobilisation. It never prepared for it,' he said. Russian targets are hit by grad rockets of Grad Rocket Company of the 53rd Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Military forces in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on October 28 Putin has promised to finish the call-up drive by November, when the regular autumn draft is scheduled. Military experts and rights groups say enlistment offices and training camps can't process both at the same time, warning that mobilisation may resume months later. As of mid-October, 222,000 reservists have been recruited, Putin said. Whether it will be possible to enlist another 80,000 in the remaining two weeks is unclear. To try to broaden the pool, the Russian parliament on Wednesday lifted a ban on mobilising men who have been convicted of a grave criminal offense and who have been released from prison but whose convictions are still on the books. It comes as NATO member Norway will raise its military readiness, its prime minister said today, pointing to ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine as cause for greater caution. 'The military will as of tomorrow raise its preparedness in Norway', Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, whose nation shares a land border with Russia in the Arctic circle, told reporters. 'We currently have no reason to believe that Russia wants to involve Norway or any other country directly in the war, but the war in Ukraine means it is necessary for all NATO countries to be increasingly on their guard', he added. Norway has overtaken Russia as Europe's main natural gas supplier following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Scandinavian country has already raised security around its strategic sites after mysterious drone flights were observed near its offshore oil and gas platforms and the suspected sabotage of Nord Stream's Baltic Sea pipelines. Meanwhile in Ukraine, a massive barrage of Russian strikes hit critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities on Monday morning, knocking out water and power supplies in apparent retaliation for what Moscow alleged was a Ukrainian attack on its Black Sea Fleet over the weekend. Ukrainians collect water from public fountains after Russian shelling knocked out around 80 per cent of supplies in the capital Kyiv on Monday Smoke rises over Kyiv after Russia launched cruise missiles at the city early Monday, targeting civilian infrastructure including power and water networks Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine's power plants and other key infrastructure as the war enters its ninth month. Large parts of Ukraine are already experiencing rolling power cuts as a result. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces carried out 'strikes with long-range high-precision air and sea-based weapons against the military command and energy systems of Ukraine'. 'The goals of the strikes were achieved. All designated targets were hit,' the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine's air force said it shot down 44 of more than 50 cruise missiles that were launched by Russia. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russian missiles and drones hit 10 Ukrainian regions and damaged 18 objects, mostly energy facilities. Hundreds of localities in seven Ukrainian regions were left without power, he said in a Facebook post, adding that 'the consequences could have been much worse' if the Ukrainian forces hadn't shot down most of the Russian missiles. Thirteen people were wounded as a result of morning attacks, the head of National Police Ihor Klymenko said on national television. Loud explosions were heard across the Ukrainian capital in the early morning as residents prepared to go to work. The emergency services sent out text message warnings about the threat of a missile attack, and air raid sirens wailed for three hours during the morning commute time. 'The Kremlin is taking revenge for military failures on peaceful people who are left without electricity and heat before the winter,' Kyiv regional governor Oleksii Kuleba said. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 80 per cent of consumers in the city of three million people were left without water supplies because of the damage to a power facility. Local authorities were working on restoring the supplies as soon as possible, Klitschko said, telling Kyiv residents in the meantime to 'stock up on water from the nearest pump rooms and points of sale.' Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowed that the attacks on civilian facilities would not weaken Ukraine's resistance. 'We will persevere, and generations of Russians will pay a high price for their disgrace,' Yermak said. Russian missiles are shot down over Kyiv on Monday morning amidst a barrage by Moscow's troops which hit Ukrainian power stations Ukrainian ships carrying grain destined to feed some of the world's poorest departed the country Monday, in defiance of Russia pulling out of a deal granting them safe passage Twelve ships were inspected by Turkey and the UN early Monday before setting out across the heavily-mined Black Sea, as the UN vowed 'cargo ships can never be held hostage' The attacks occurred just before Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and many top members of his government, including the foreign, defense and interior ministers, arrived in Kyiv in the latest show of support from European leaders for Ukraine. 'The Ukrainians are fighting not only for their country but also for the whole of Europe. Our support must continue,' Fiala tweeted from Kyiv. Smoke was seen rising from the left bank of the Dnieper River in Kyiv, either from a missile strike or where it was shot down by Ukrainian forces. In the eastern city of Kharkiv, two strikes hit critical infrastructure facilities, according to authorities, and the subway ceased operating. The Lviv region in western Ukraine was also targeted, but the missiles were shot down, Lviv governor Maksym Kozytskyy said. The attack comes two days after Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack against Russia's Black Sea Fleet off the coast of the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine has denied the attack, saying that Russia mishandled its own weapons, but Moscow still announced halting its participation in a UN and Turkey-brokered deal to allow safe passage of ships carrying grain from Ukraine. But 12 ships loaded with grain still left Ukraine's ports this morning despite Russia withdrawing from the pact granting them safe passage through the Black Sea. Tracking data showed the vessels departing ports around Odesa, in southern Ukraine, and heading out across a stretch of heavily-mined sea towards the Bosphorus Strait and onwards to the Mediterranean Sea. Turkey and the United Nations said teams had inspected the vessels and were watching over them after Russia withdrew from a pact allowing grain shipments out of Ukraine and said it could 'no longer guarantee' their safety. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was determined to press forward with the grain deal, which has allowed more than nine million tons of grain to be exported from Ukraine. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he would speak by phone with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later on Monday to ensure the deal continues. 'The suspension of the agreement affects all humanity. We remind the parties concerned to reconsider their decisions,' Akar said. 'Those in need were already urgently awaiting the grains. The situation will only get worse.' Meanwhile, a Ukrainian great-grandmother has described how a Russian soldier raped and beat her until dawn after he burst into her home. Lyudmila, 75, detailed how the Russian soldier punched her so hard that he broke her nose and knocked out two of her teeth before he beat her with his rifle. The great-grandmother said the soldier, who was in his 60s, threw her on to the sofa and strangled her before he maimed her after he broke into her home in the village of Myroliubivka, near Kherson. Lyudmila, her voice cracking with emotion, said the soldier then ripped off her clothes and raped her. She still has the scars from where the rapist cut her stomach. 'The deep ones still haven't healed,' Lyudmila told Radio 4's Today programme. Lyudmila's horrific ordeal - and the testimonies of hundreds of other Ukrainian women - shows how Russian soldiers have used rape as a weapon of war in the eight months since the invasion began. The 75-year-old, detailing the hours of abuse at the hands of the Russian soldier, said: 'One night, I heard a very loud knock at my window. I saw a soldier there. 'When I opened the door, he immediately punched me in the face, knocked out two of my teeth and broke my nose. I was covered with blood.' Lyudmila, who later fled her home with her family, continued: 'He started beating me in the chest with his rifle butt. He pulled my hair, threw me on to the sofa and began to strangle me. 'Then he began to undress me and after, he raped me.' The great-grandmother added: 'He cut my stomach. Until now, I have scars on my stomach. The deep ones still haven't healed.' The soldier beat Lyudmila for hours and sprayed the room with bullets. He left at dawn. Recalling what she was thinking as she endured the hours of abuse, Lyudmila said: 'I said goodbye to my children, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren. 'I never thought I would stay alive. Putin and the Russians will never be forgiven. There will be no forgiveness.' A distraught California dog owner was put on suicide watch for a second time after her German Shepherd Zeus was euthanized Friday morning - months after being locked up for biting a stranger and the cop who came to seize him. Faryal Kabir's 16-month-old puppy Zeus had been locked up and placed in isolation at Elk Grove Animal Shelter since the dog was seized by animal control officials on July 15, 2022 after it was deemed dangerous. Lawyers Andrew Shalaby and Christine Kelly had prevented the dog from being euthanized twice, but during their third attempt to release the dog after a 105-day lock up the dog was killed. On Friday, an email was sent to both attorney's informing them that the dog was 'euthanized humanely.' Faryal Kabir, Zeus attorney Andrew Shalaby went to his client's home hours after the execution to share the harrowing news. Faryal Kabir and her German shepherd Zeus euthanized by the city of Elk Grove on Friday. Kabir was taken to hospital after learning the news and is now on suicide watch Elk Grove Animal Shelter where Zeus was held in isolation since July 15 and put to death on October 28, 2022 Officer Crystel Mocek was the Elk Grove Animal control officer that unlawfully seized Zeus Kabir sobbed uncontrollably upon finding out her dog was put to death, according to audio obtained by DailyMail.com. In the recording she can be heard screaming and repeating: 'No! No! Please don't do this to me,' Kabir wails. A member of the Kabir family told DailyMail.com that they had zero warning that Zeus had been killed and they had no time to prepare their loved one. They said she locked herself in her bedroom threatening to kill herself. They called 911 and waited an agonizing two hours for police to arrive. Mocek was hired as an animal control officer by the city of Elk Grove April 2020 'The whole family was terrified,' he said. 'They took her out in handcuffs. They were so cruel to her. You can never imagine. No one was sympathetic. No one cared. All they did was take the report.' Kabir remains in hospital and is sedated on tramadol as her lawyers and family fight to get justice for Zeus. On Friday, the city of Elk Grove issued a release stating that the German Shepherd dog known as Zeus, who was designated as a dangerous animal, was humanely euthanized by the City of Elk Grove consistent with a previously issued administrative order. 'This has been a difficult situation for all involved in this matter, and the City does not take this action lightly,' the release said. 'The City takes its duty to preserve public safety and protect the community very seriously. While some members of the public asked the City to consider alternatives to euthanasia, the dogs established bite history and dangerous propensities presented too great of a risk to public safety for this community, or any other community to which the animal may have been relocated,' the statement read. The process that led to todays action began following the first unprovoked attack on a resident on May 16, 2022. Two administrative hearings were conducted by two separate independent hearing officers on June 8, 2022, and August 15, 2022. The first hearing officer confirmed that the dog was properly designated as a dangerous animal and imposed keeping restrictions for the animal. The second hearing officer concluded that the owner failed to comply with mandated keeping restrictions, that the dog bit a police officer, and ordered the dangerous animal to be humanely euthanized. 'The courts have consistently ruled in favor of the City in a number of legal challenges on this issue,' the statement said. 'The City delayed euthanasia of the animal for almost two months to allow time for the owner to pursue judicial remedies with the courts, but efforts by the owner in both state and federal court for a stay of the euthanasia or other related relief have been unsuccessful.' 'Continued housing of the dangerous animal was not in the public or the animals interest. The humane euthanasia of the dangerous animal was necessary and appropriate in this instance. A photo of the dog bites the man sustained during the May 16, 2022 incident Animal Control Officer Crystel Mocek and an officer from the Elk Grove Police showed up unannounced at Kabir's home in July to seize Zeus Kabir speaking with the officials on July 15, 2022 outside of her Elk Grove home Kabir is seen holding Zeus on his leash before he is loaded into the back of the animal control van and taken away A photo of one of the animal control officers outside of Kabir's home looking at this pant where Zeus snagged him. Officials had arrived five days early to seize the dog . Zeus was due to be put to sleep October 14, but his execution has been delayed after Kabir sued Bodycam video show Kabir trying to restrain Zeus as he lunges at animal control officers trying to seize him. Zeus is now doomed to die by lethal injection for his violent behavior Shalaby told DailyMail.com that under the city of Elk Grove municipal code, one bite only classifies a dog as 'potentially dangerous.' He said Elk Groves press release and video of Zeus biting the police officer is 'a serious misrepresentation.' 'Zeus was killed because he bit two people, one of which was a police officer, because Zeus was handed his death sentence 52 minutes before he bit the police officer. He was handed his death sentence before the Animal Control officer even called the police.' Fayal Kabir said her and Zeus had an unbreakable bond. Kabir is now on suicide watch since her dog was killed by Elk Grove animal officials on Oct. 28 Kabir was seized by animal control officials on July 15, 2 The harrowing ordeal started back in May when Zeus had bit a man. The man suffered some bites to his leg and filed a report. Kabir was sent a letter from the city informing her that her dog was deemed a dangerous animal. On June 8, a hearing was scheduled. Kabirs attorney told DailyMail.com that Zeus had already been deemed dangerous by the city before the hearing was even arranged. He said his client got locked out of the meeting and therefore, was unable to defend herself and her dog. She maintained that she followed all of the guidelines, which also included eight weeks of obedience training, getting a license that classified Zeus as a dangerous dog and buying a leash, as well as a muzzle. Animal control officers had gone to Kabir's home on July 13- two days before they seized the dog. 'They had no business whatsoever going to Kabir's home before the compliance deadline. In the video the animal service officials admitted that they were there early to seize the animal.' Zeus's fate was ultimately sealed after biting a shelter cop during that visit. 'The officer [Animal Service Officer Crystel Mocek] got angry that my client refused to let her into her home before the compliance deadline - and then two days later - on July 15th they showed up in a spiteful manner.' Zeus had been set to be euthanized twice but Shalaby and attorney Christine Kelly with The Animal Law Office filed two lawsuits in both state and federal court to stop Zeus from being euthanized. At the time, Kelly, who was handling the federal portion of the case, told DailyMail.com that she 'doesn't understand why the city is so drastic.' 'The alleged bites are very minor, and not rising to the level of the death penalty,' she said. 'I think they are using Zeus as an example and are afraid of backing down, for fear of being accused of being wrong.' Shalaby then filed another lawsuit in state court - called injunctive relief - calling for the city to release Zeus on the grounds that they seized him before the law allowed them to do so. 'It's beyond cruel. That dog is 100% innocent,' he said. 'It is intentional and unjustifiable revenge by Officer Mocek.' Kabirs lawyers say Zeus only bit the cop to try and 'defend himself,' and that the dog's attack was unprovoked. Lawyer Andrew Shalaby has worked tirelessly trying to save Zeus's life. Devastated by his death, he told DailyMail.com that he plans on getting justice for the family Kabir holding Zeus when he was only a baby. She raised him since he was nine weeks old Kabir told DailyMail.com that Zeus was her world, since she has no children, no spouse. She was so distraught that on October 7 that she was taken to the hospital after relatives feared she would kill herself. Five days later she was released. During this time, Shalaby was trying to get in touch with the city to get Zeus released. On October 13, DailyMail.com contacted both attorneys for the city of Elk Grove - Jonathan Hobbs and David Tyra to find out why Zeus was seized five days before she the deadline. Hobbs never responded to their request but, Tyra responded and told DailyMail.com it was an active litigation and could not comment on the case. DailyMail.com then called animal control supervisor, Alicia Neranda to find out why Officer Crystel Mocek went to Kabir home five days early to seize the dog. Neranda did not respond to our request for comment. On October 18, the PIO from the Elk Grove Police Department responded stating that due to the pending litigation, we are not release any additional information than what has already been released already. The remaining questions have been submitted to the City Clerk as a PRA,' they said. Ten days later, Oct. 28, 2022, Shalaby and Kelly were notified by email from city attorney, David Tyra informing them that Zeus had been 'euthanized humanely' earlier in the day. Hours after Zeus' execution Shalaby told DailyMail.com: Elk Grove lied to the news, to the public, to kill and innocent dog, to punish a human and to stop the publicity,' he said. 'He did not bite multiple people or 3 people. He bit an animal control officer because they came to take him and kill him. He had a right to defend his life, and they killed this innocent one-year old German Shepherd,' Shalaby said. He continued: 'They lied to CBS, ABC, Reuter, MSN, Sacramento Bee, Yahoo News, DAILY MAIL and all the other news media. And, then they took his owner away in handcuffs for a suicide hold seven hours ago. The cruelty is unfathomable.' Now Shalaby is planning to file a judicial misconduct complaint. The family said they had asked for the return of Zeus' body so Kabir, who is Muslim, could wash it before burial. On Monday, Tyra sent an email to Shalaby informing him that Zeus' remains were at the Elk Grove Animal Shelter and can be picked up and given back to the family. The man accused of murdering two teenagers out for a hike in 2017 has finally been charged with their deaths. Richard Allen, 50, of Delphi, Indiana, was arrested on Friday for the deaths of Libby German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13. He is now charged with two counts of felony homicide. Allen has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held at White County Jail without bond. He is due back in court on January 13, 2023 with a presumptive trial date of March 20, 2023. He is said to not be cooperating with authorities, according to WISHTV. He does not appear to have a prior criminal record and previously worked at the local CVS. 'It's a step in the right direction,' Nicholas McLeland, the Carroll County Prosecutor, said of Allen's arrest at a news conference on Monday. He noted that it was 'disappointing' that the suspect is a local resident, and said he can now bring the evidence against Allen to court in the future trial. But when asked whether anyone else may have been involved in the murders, McLeland simply said: 'We have not closed the door on this case.' Richard Allen, 50, was charged with two counts of felony murder for the deaths of Libby German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13 Abigail Williams, left, and Liberty German, right, were murdered in February 2017 after going for a walk. No one has ever been arrested for the 14-year-old girls' murders It remains unclear what led police to ultimately arrest Allen, as the state police will not be releasing evidence in the case under a court order. A composite sketch was released in 2017 showing a possible suspect in the case A probable cause document has been temporarily sealed, with McLeland saying he requested the documents be sealed due to 'extra scrutiny' associated with the case and to protect the integrity of the investigation. 'The investigation is far from complete, and we will not jeopardize its integrity by releasing information before it's time,' said Doug Carter, the superintendent of the Indiana State Police. 'If you choose to be critical of our silence, be critical of me, not the frontline,' he said. 'These are folks who have devoted their entire lives to a conclusion in other words, a guilty verdict.' But Allen has long been presumed to be the unidentified man seen approaching German and Williams, when they were crossing the Monon High Bridge in the woods outside Delphi in February 2017. The bridge is located just a few miles from his home which is also just a half-mile from the middle school the two teens attended. Libby had shared a snap of herself walking along the railroad tracks on the day of her murder, with the Snapchat updates causing a sensation that made the case one of the United States' most notorious unsolved murders. The girls' bloodied bodies were found about a half mile from the bridge. Following the news on Monday, Kelsi German, the sister of Libby German, tweeted: 'We got him.' Indiana State Police announced on Monday that Allen has been charged in the murders Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said Allen's arrest is a 'step in the right direction' The family members of Libby German and Abigail Williams listened intently during the news conference After news of Allen's arrest broke on Friday, a disturbing photo emerged showing his daughter posing in the same spot where the teenage victims were last seen alive. The photo shows Brittany Zapanta, 28 - the daughter of Richard Allen, 50, on the Monon High Bridge. It was posted to Facebook by Allen's wife Kathy, 50, in 2018 just over a year after the girls disappeared in February 2017, although it's unclear when the photo was taken. There is also no indication as to who took the snap on the Monon High Bridge Trail. And another photo posted online showed Allen smiling with his wife, while in the background over his shoulder, a police sketch of the Delphi murder suspect could be seen posted by a notice board on a wall. It is unclear when and where the photo was taken. The version of the suspect sketch in the image was not released until April 2019, so the photo would have been taken at least two years after the murders. It was later revealed that his home was less than two miles from the Delphi train bridge where Williams and German were last seen alive. The photo of Allen's daughter, 28-year-old Brittany, was posted to Facebook by his wife Kathy, 50, in 2018 - just over a year after the girls disappeared in February, 2017 Libby German was filmed by her friend and fellow victim Abigail Williams in February, 2017, moments before they were murdered - The arrest of Allen could be the end of a years-long investigation during which numerous possible leads have led nowhere, and police have remained tight-lipped about details of the case. Exactly how the girls died remains unknown to the public, and the state their bodies were discovered in also remains shrouded in mystery. Over the summer, the details of a search warrant revealed that Libby and Abigail were found covered in blood, and that their killer appeared to have taken a souvenir of some sort from the murder site. The warrant, obtained by the Murder Sheet podcast and released to Indianapolis FOX59, offered no further detail on what the souvenir was, although it did say that 'the rest of [the girls'] clothing was recovered,' implying that the killer had taken something they'd been wearing. And sickeningly, the murderer 'staged' the girls' bodies in a particular way after killing them, although it remains unclear exactly how he did this. Investigators also believed photographs or videos were likely shot of the grotesque set-up to 'memorialize' the crime scene. The photo shows Richard Allen, 50, smiling with his wife while over his shoulder a police sketch strongly resembling him is posted on the wall Allen is pictured here with his wife, Kathy, in an undated picture. They live just miles from the bridge from where the two teens disappeared in 2017 Allen is pictured here with his wife Kathy in an undated photo. He does not appear to have a prior criminal history and was known locally for working in the local CVS This is the sketch Allen was photographed sitting close to. It is one of several released following the February 2017 murders of The 2017 murder of Abby and Libby became notorious after investigators released chilling footage the girls recorded of a man following and approaching them across the Monon High Bridge. A heavily-built man in jeans and a blue jacket could be seen approaching the girls, and in a brief snippet of audio that was released the man could be heard saying 'Down the hill' to the girls. The full clip is reportedly 43 seconds long, but its contents are believed to be too disturbing to share in full. The voice in the clip was described as being 'not inconsistent' with that of Logan, the FBI investigation concluded. A brief clip of the man walking towards the girls on the trail was released too. An unidentified man now believed to be Allen was filmed approaching Libby and Abby before their deaths Over the years numerous people have been put forth as possible suspects in the case. Ron Logan, who died in 2020, had long been the prime suspect. The girls bodies were discovered on his property - just 1,400 from his house - and it was revealed over the summer that his alibi for the day of the murder did not line up. His home was searched and he was arrested shortly after the killings, but he was released and never charged. Kegan Kline, 27, of Peru, Indiana, was also previously named as a suspect in the murders. He is said to have admitted talking to Libby German using a fake Instagram profile called Anthony_shots. Kline - who is heavy-set and pasty-faced - used an image of a ripped and muscular young man to trick underage girls into speaking to him. He is said to have arranged to meet with Libby on the Delphi High Bridge the day before she was murdered while walking along it. But he is also said to have shared his Anthony_shots password with others - including his father - and said his dad could be a prime suspect in the killings. Kline is being held in jail after being arrested on separate child porn charges in 2020. Neither he nor his father have been arrested over the Delphi Bridge killings. NATO member Norway will raise its military readiness, its prime minister said on Monday, pointing to ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine as cause for greater caution. 'The military will as of tomorrow raise its preparedness in Norway', Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, whose nation shares a land border with Russia in the Arctic circle, told reporters. 'We currently have no reason to believe that Russia wants to involve Norway or any other country directly in the war, but the war in Ukraine means it is necessary for all NATO countries to be increasingly on their guard', he added. Norway has overtaken Russia as Europe's main natural gas supplier following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Scandinavian country has already raised security around its strategic sites after mysterious drone flights were observed near its offshore oil and gas platforms and the suspected sabotage of Nord Stream's Baltic Sea pipelines. 'The military will as of tomorrow raise its preparedness in Norway', Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, whose nation shares a land border with Russia in the Arctic circle, told reporters Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 Norway shares a 123-mile border with Russia in the north Russian missiles are shot down over Kyiv on Monday morning amidst a barrage by Moscow's troops which hit Ukrainian power stations Smoke rises over Kyiv after Russia launched cruise missiles at the city early Monday, targeting civilian infrastructure including power and water networks In recent weeks, several Russians have been arrested in Norway for illegally flying drones in its airspace or violating photo restrictions in restricted areas. Last week, Norway's counter-intelligence service also announced the arrest of a man suspected of being a Russian undercover agent, who according to experts could be a senior officer from the GRU military intelligence service. 'I must stress that nothing has happened in the last day or days that has prompted us to raise our preparedness now. It is an evolution over time which has led us to take this step', Store said. Debris of Russian missile downed by Ukraine lands in Moldovan village Missile debris landed in the northern Moldovan village of Naslavcea on Monday morning after a Russian fusillade was intercepted by air defences in neighbouring Ukraine, Moldova's Interior Ministry said. No one was reported hurt but the windows of several residential homes were shattered in Naslavcea, which lies on the border with Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement. The Russian strike had targeted a Ukrainian dam on the Nistru river that runs through Ukraine and Moldova, Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu tweeted. 'Attacks on water infrastructure and ensuing stress on the river could put the entire region in danger of floods,' he said, condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine 'in the strongest possible terms'. Russia fired dozens of missiles at Ukraine on Monday, Ukrainian officials said. The Moldovan Defence Ministry said its radars had not detected any illegal flights in its air space and that the debris from the missile had not been picked up because of the size of the shrapnel. Advertisement Defence Minister Bjorn Arild Gram meanwhile said the increased military preparedness would include measures related to logistics, communications security and security at military installations. Amid rising tensions between Russia and the West, Norway has already boosted its military budget and intelligence efforts in Northern Norway, where it shares a 123-mile border with Russia. The move to boost military readiness comes after a fresh wave of brutal Russian attacks early this morning left Ukraine's capital without water and suffering power cuts this morning. Vitaliy Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said 80 per cent of his city was cut off from water and 350,000 homes had no power after Russian cruise missiles hit key infrastructure sites - with witnesses reporting five explosions. Kharkiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy and Zaporizhzhia were also hit - causing power cuts. More than 50 cruise missiles were fired by Russian strategic bombers with 44 of the projectiles shot down, Kyiv's commanders said. It comes two days after Russia's Black Sea fleet was damaged by explosive-laden drones in an attack blamed on Ukraine. Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba also said one person was wounded and a number of houses were damaged in this morning's attack. In Kharkiv, two strikes hit critical infrastructure facilities, according to the authorities, and the subway stopped working. Officials also warned about possible power outages in the city of Zaporizhzhia from the strikes there. Critical infrastructure objects were also hit in the Cherkasy region, and explosions were reported in other regions. Ukrainians collect water from public fountains after Russian shelling knocked out around 80 per cent of supplies in the capital Kyiv on Monday A queue of people is seen in a park in Kyiv after Russians attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure left most of the capital without water In Vinnytsia, a missile that was shot down landed on civilian buildings, resulting in damage but no casualties, according to regional governor Serhiy Borzov. Parts of the country's rail network were also cut off from power, Ukrainian Railways reported. Russia has been targeting civilian infrastructure, including electricity and water supplies, in an apparent attempt to freeze Ukrainians in their homes as winter hits. Facing setbacks on the battlefield, Moscow seems to be targeting civilians to break their will to continue the war. Such attacks are war crimes, under international law. It comes after a weekend in which Russia blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on its Black Sea fleet. Moscow has since withdrawn its support for ships taking grain out of Ukraine's ports and into world markets, saying it could 'no longer guarantee their safety'. Voters in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota will decide on their state's cannabis rules in November Teens who see lots of cannabis adverts on billboards and storefronts are bigger users of the drug and six times more likely to be hooked, says the latest study to warn against the normalization of pot. A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study warns of the 'special risk' young people face from cannabis, and urges states that allow recreational pot to exercise 'caution' with advertising rules. The warning is gaining traction as voters in Maryland, Arkansas, and three other states gear up to decide in next month's midterm elections whether to allow recreational weed for residents aged over 21. Experts caution against America's speedy switch to legalizing cannabis, particularly for young people, and DailyMail.com has spoken with many parents who watched their children lose their minds and even their lives due to pot. A man opens the door of the Weed World Store in New York City. Youths who regularly see billboard and storefront ads for pot are seven times more likely to use the drug, researchers say 'Legalization may alter the ways that youth use cannabis.' says the study, led by Pamela Trangenstein, an expert on substance abuse. 'Our study extends these findings by suggesting that marketing could contribute to these changes.' Researchers surveyed 172 teenagers aged 15-19 living in California, Colorado, Washington, and other states that had legalized recreational cannabis use. Each had used the drug at least once. Adolescents who regularly saw cannabis adverts on billboards or storefronts were seven times more likely to use pot frequently, they found, and were six times more likely to suffer from cannabis use disorder. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this refers to a user who cannot quit, craves the drug, or uses so much that they start having problems at school or home or with friends. Unexpectedly, teens who saw cannabis ads occasionally on Instagram were less likely to use pot frequently although it was not entirely clear why this was so, and researchers called for further inquiry. 'Ad exposure may facilitate progression toward problematic use,' said the study. 'States and other localities with legalized cannabis should exercise special caution regarding forms of marketing that promote brand identification and engagement with youth.' The study was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs last year, but has gained attention in recent days, as cannabis looks set to become legally available to millions more Americans within months. Voters in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota will in November decide whether to legalize weed for residents age 21 or older, changing the rules in states with a combined population of nearly 16 million. They would join the 19 states and territories that already permit recreational pot, and leave about half of the U.S. population living in areas where the possession and use of pot are legal for adults. A total of 38 states permit marijuana for medical use. In the coming years, voters in Oklahoma, Wyoming, Florida, Nebraska, and Ohio will also hold ballot measures on legalizing pot. The Weed World Candies truck in New York City, which has legalized recreational cannabis but not yet licensed dispensaries. Critics worry about billboards and storefront advertising swaying impressionable young users Teenagers are lured by colorfully-packaged candy-like products that leave them vulnerable to higher rates of dependency, psychosis and school dropouts, researchers warn. Pictured: child-friendly cannabis gummy packaging Support for legalization in Maryland is particularly high, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll released this month 73 percent are in favor of letting over-21s get high. Dr Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told DailyMail.com that young people using cannabis was a 'concern' Research firm BDSA projects legal cannabis sales to hit $30 billion this year, and $47.6 billion by 2026, surpassing the craft beer industry and sending windfall tax revenues into the coffers of permissive states. Experts say legalizing pot has led to it gaining acceptance in recent years, leading more people to try it. Stress from the Covid-19 pandemic has also driven up the number of users. The National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA) annual survey in August found the number of under-30s using marijuana hit record levels last year which the agency's boss Dr Nora Volkow called a 'concern'. Experts describe a 'potential explosion' of underage cannabis use and raised the alarm over the weak oversight of the pot industry. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug advisor, noted how early legalizers of cannabis like Washington and Colorado had seen first hand the dangers of super-strength pot and a 'backlash has begun' to restrict sales. Those seeking to loosen the laws around cannabis had for years protested for pot including at this rally at the White House in 2016 before Biden decided to pardon federal offenders Marijuana dispensary manager LeRoy Roybal of Santa Fe, New Mexico, preparing for the opening of the state's regulated pot market in April 'What people know about marijuana is often rooted in pop culture, not science,' Sabet, president of the campaign group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, told DailyMail.com. 'The evidence on marijuana is clear: it is not a risk-free drug, and it can have lasting physical and mental effects and these effects are amplified in frequent users and users of high-potency products.' The average cannabis joint is 4-5 times stronger than it was 50 years ago, with 20-25 percent THC potency, said Sabet. Concentrates and edibles nowadays can be 100 percent potent, he added. 'Today's marijuana has been engineered to be more addicting and is now being pushed by addiction-for-profit companies like Altria and Imperial Tobacco,' added Sabet. 'States that legalize marijuana see increases in youth use, more deaths from marijuana-impaired drivers, increased rates of violent crime, and more incidents of accidental ingestion by children.' The $30billion cannabis industry argues that taking the drug either smoking it, vaping it or as an edible can help relieve feelings of anxiety or depression, chronic pain, and even help fight addictions. The U.S. Cannabis Council, a major lobbying group, said legalization was widely supported, that pot was safe and could help addicts beat opioid and alcohol dependency. But in states where pot has been legalized, many parents say their children have been sucked into an addiction spiral. They also raised concerns over a free-for-all market in which super-strength cannabis products are sold in cartoon-covered packaging. Mary Maas, 57, from Washington, which legalized weed in 2012, told DailyMail.com how her son Adam, 26, spiraled into a devastating addiction to super-strength pot products worlds apart from the 'Woodstock weed' she recalls from the 1960s. Now, she looks at the potent oils, vapes, dabs, drinks and gummies sold at a growing number of dispensaries, as well as the down-and-outs living in tents under Seattle's I-5 highway, and urges other states to heed Washington's lessons. 'They'd better watch out,' she said. Adam Maas, 26, with his family in Washington. Mom Mary, 57, describes her 'straight-A student' getting hooked on super-strength cannabis products and ending up delusional, jobless and sleeping rough in Seattle Police block the scene of a Halloween crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district, Oct. 31. Yonhap Police did not foresee that massive casualties would occur from this year's Halloween festivities in the central Seoul district of Itaewon, a top police official said Monday, responding to growing criticism about their failure to prevent the deadly crowd crush. Hong Ki-hyun, chief of the National Police Agency's Public Order Management Bureau, admitted the police's failure to predict the fatal crowd collapse among Itaewon's Halloween crowd during his meeting with reporters at his office. "It was foreseen that a large number of people would gather there. But we didn't expect that large-scale casualties would occur due to the gathering of many people," Hong said. Hong noted that this year's Halloween crowd was similar to the level of previous years or slightly bigger, though it has not been confirmed whether people gathered at a much faster rate than before. "I was told that police officers on the scene didn't detect a sudden surge in the crowd," Hong said, expressing regrets about their judgment. Police officers work at the scene of the Itaewon crowd crush in a narrow alley of the popular nightclub district in Yongsan, Oct. 30. Yonhap Artists said the decision was 'wrong', 'embarassing' and against the feminist values of Dr Elsie Inglis - a Scottish humanitarian, doctor and suffragist It appointed royal sculptor Alexander Stoddart, who did not submit an entry Statue for Elsie charity criticised for scrapping its competition to find an artist A charity has been criticised for scrapping a competition to design a statue of suffragist Elsie Inglis (pictured) A charity which sparked outrage after scrapping a competition to design a statue of suffragist Elsie Inglis and commissioning a man to do it instead said it stands by its decision but apologises for not 'communicating more clearly'. Artists who had spent hours on their competition entries said the last minute decision by the Statue For Elsie charity to appoint the royal sculptor Alexander Stoddart was 'wrong', 'embarrassing' and against the feminist values that Dr Inglis embodied. A statue of the Scottish humanitarian and doctor, who died in 1917, was proposed for Edinburgh earlier this year but trustees decided to scrap their competition to find an artist just two weeks before the deadline after watching the Queen's cortege pass through the city. A statement on the Statue For Elsie website said the charity took the 'very difficult' decision after recognising the statue 'needed to meet with the historical consciousness of the Royal Mile'. The charity delightedly announced on October 17 that the King's Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland, who had not submitted an entry, had agreed to take on the commission, and despite criticism the trustees still insist they made the 'right choice'. Artists who had spent hours on their competition entries said the last minute decision by the Statue For Elsie charity to appoint the royal sculptor Alexander Stoddart (pictured) was 'wrong', 'embarrassing' and against the feminist values that Dr Inglis embodied In a statement the Statue For Elsie trustees said there was nothing in the brief which said female artists would be given priority. The statement said: 'While we've always sought to act in the best interests of the charity to achieve the long term recognition and renown of this incredible woman and her work, we accept that we could have communicated more clearly in recent weeks, and we apologise for this. 'The Board set up the competition to identify a suitable artist for the important job of designing a long overdue statue for this pioneering woman. 'The brief did not specify that it was to be a female artist and was also clear that we reserved the right not to appoint any of the entries. 'The brief was published at the end of July and we sought the support of Alexander Stoddart, an artist of international renown, in making sure that the opportunity reached as many people as possible. 'In the course of those discussions, it became clear that Professor Stoddart would be interested in undertaking the commission personally, much to our surprise and delight. Sculptor Natasha Phoenix, an artist from East Lothian, said she had spent around 650 hours preparing on applying for the commission before the competition was closed. She has now been asked to donate one of her practice pieces (right) to Surgeons' Hall Museum 'Given his proven record of producing inspiring monuments it was clear to the Trustees that this was the way to provide the appropriate legacy for Dr Elsie Inglis, the key objective of the campaign. 'In light of this we felt it only right to suspend the call to avoid artists spending any further time on submissions. 'The two artists who had submitted the requested information - a one-page document on approach, sketches, CV and photos of previous work - were informed at that point too. 'On reflection, we can see that the decision and approach should have been explained more fully and transparently, and we regret this. 'We were and remain unanimous in the decision that the artist now appointed is the right choice to ensure the objectives of the charity are delivered. A statue of the Scottish humanitarian and doctor, who died in 1917, was proposed for Edinburgh earlier this year but trustees decided to scrap their competition to find an artist after watching the Queen's cortege pass down the city's Royal Mile (pictured) 'We are also proud to continue with the schools' competition and ongoing work with young people across the city, which increases knowledge and awareness of her life and work, and inspires our young and future generations. 'We'd like to thank our donors and supporters, and we look forward to developing these fitting celebrations of Elsie, the woman, so many of us across the city, the country and the world so much admire.' But artists have criticised the statement, arguing that it misses the point that women weren't even given the opportunity to be considered in a process that was meant to be open to all. Surgeon, teacher, suffragist and founder of the Scottish Women's Hospitals: Who was Elsie Inglis? Born in India, Elsie Inglis (1864-1917) came to Scotland when she was about 14 and studied medicine in Edinburgh and Glasgow. In 1892 she qualified as a doctor and two years later opened a general practice in Edinburgh as well as a hospital for women and children. She was actively involved in the campaign for women's votes as a member of the Scottish Federation of Women's Suffrage Societies. During WWI she organised hospital units staffed by women for overseas service the Scottish Womens Hospitals for Foreign Service. She led one of these hospitals in Serbia, where she was the first woman to receive the Order of the White Eagle - the highest Serbian honour for heroism. Advertisement Sculptor Natasha Phoenix, an artist from East Lothian, said she had spent around 650 hours preparing on applying for the commission. She criticised the lack of apology to artists who had in so much effort, adding: 'There was no chance for female sculptors to even be considered on the basis of merit. 'This is going to be such an inspirational piece for so many women and girls. 'Dr Elsie Inglis strongly believed in creating opportunities for women to work. How can we honour Elsie Inglis while ignoring her basic principles?' An open letter to members, donors and the charity's board of trustees also criticised the decision, saying the decision to appoint Mr Stoddart was 'goes against the aims of the campaign'. It read: 'We do not support the decision of the trustees in hiring Alexander Stoddard. 'His consultation was sought during the "open for entries" commission period, he had a financial interest and was therefore not objective. 'He has no clear links with Elsie Inglis or feminism and is very much not in the spirit of the original brief. 'We strongly believe Dr Elsie Inglis would not support the sudden cancellation of the original open call for submissions and hiring of the Royal sculptor and the resulting blocking of women from entering the commission. 'This decision goes against the aims of the campaign. It stands in direct opposition to the core beliefs expressed by Dr Elsie Inglis herself.' Georgia Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams said Georgia sheriffs endorsed her opponent, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, because they 'want to be able to take black people off the streets.' Abrams made the comment as she and Kemp sparred over whether she wanted to 'defund the police,' during their final debate Sunday night in Atlanta. 'The men and women of law enforcement know who is going to be with them and have their back and continue to have their back. And that is me,' Kemp said on the Sunday night debate stage. 'And that is why we have the endorsement of 107 sheriffs around this state.' Abrams hasn't fully signed onto the 'defund the police' movement, but previously said in an interview that she supported the 'vision that is underlying that cry.' Georgia Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams (pictured) said Georgia sheriffs endorsed her opponent, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, because they 'want to be able to take black people off the streets' Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams face off in a televised debate, in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Ben Gray) Stacey Abrams (right) made the comments as she and her rival, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp (left) faced each other in a final debate before election day Sunday night in Atlanta, Georgia That's provided Kemp with fodder to go after Abrams, and he remains ahead of the Democrat with just eight days to go before Election Day. 'I'm not a member of the "good ol' boys" club. So, no. I don't have 107 sheriffs who want to be able to take black people off the streets, who want to be able to go without accountability,' Abrams responded. 'I don't believe every sheriff wants that, but I do know that we need a governor who believes in both defending law enforcement but also defending the people of Georgia.' Abrams then pointed out that she has two brothers - one who has committed crimes and the other who is a social worker. 'My brother who commits crimes should be held accountable, but my other brother should never be pulled over for driving while black,' she argued. 'And yet in this Georgia, he is.' Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp (left) has been able to use the left-wing 'defund the police' movement to go after Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams (right), as she's previously said she supports the 'vision that is underlying that cry' Republican Gov. Brian Kemp (left) shakes hands with Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams (right) Sunday night in Atlanta. Kemp and Abrams faced off in 2018 too, when she came within two points of winning in what had previously been a solid red state She said as governor she would 'hold law enforcement accountable, but also be supportive.' Abrams specifically called on local law enforcement to be supported, as local officers weren't given pay raises using COVID funds in Georgia. Republicans were quick to pick up on Abrams' quip. 'This kind of vile, sinister, outrageous anti-cop rhetoric puts our police officers in peril at a time when deadly criminal violence against our law enforcement heroes is exploding,' tweeted former Trump White House official Stephen Miller. 'Biden and Dems must immediately disavow Abrams deeply dangerous rhetoric.' The RNC Research account shared the clip and labeled it a 'smear' of law enforcement. 'Stacey Abrams goes full progressive and accuses the police in Georgia of racism generally,' wrote conservative pundit, Erick Erickson. Republicans across the country have been able to expertly use the far-left cry to 'defund the police' against Democrats during this midterm cycle - despite national Democrats, including President Joe Biden, condemning the movement and stating support for the police. On Friday, former President Barack Obama stumped for Abrams and Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in Atlanta, arguing that it's the Democrats who have 'serious answers to serious problems.' 'Violent crime has gone up over the last seven years, not just the last two, not just in liberal states but in conservative, rural states too,' Obama stated. 'That's a serious problem.' But then he asked, 'Who will fight to keep you and your family safe?' 'The Republican politicians who want to flood our streets with more guns? Who actually voted against more resources for our police departments?' Obama mused. Abrams and Kemp ran against each other in 2018 as well, and Abrams came within two points of beating Kemp in a state that had previously been red. In 2020, Georgia went blue for Biden and two Democrats - Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff - flipped control of the Senate to Democrats in run-offs in the early days of 2021. Georgia could decide the fate of the Senate again, with Warnock locked in a tight race with Republican Herschel Walker, whose campaign has survived a series of scandals, with the candidates essentially tied. Arizona's Republican governor has begun using shipping containers to fortify a second section of the southern border despite being ordered to take down barriers in another part of the state. Gov. Doug Ducey is taking legal action, asking a court to allow more than 100 double-stacked containers, topped with razor wire, to stay in place close to Yuma. The Biden administration has warned him that the action amounts to trespass on federal lands. The row illustrates how immigration is a potent election issue for Republicans in border states ahead of next week's midterm elections. Last week, Ducey shared video of the container wall. 'In just four days, we've closed 1,280 feet of open border with 64 double-stacked containers,' he tweeted. 'Where theres a will, there's a way!' His push began in August during a record surge in people illegally crossing the border as part of an effort to highlight what he says in the inaction of the Biden administration. Border Patrol agents patrol along a line of shipping containers stacked near the border on Aug. 23, 2022, near Yuma, Arizona. The federal government says they must be removed Part of a new border wall in video shared by Doug Ducey on Twitter Shipping containers being used to fill gaps in the border wall in Yuma, Arizona Doug Ducey, Republican governor of Arizona, is suing to prevent the Biden administration forcing him to remove a double-stacked wall of shipping containers from the border Figures released in October showed the number of migrant border crossings reached 2.76 million in the 2022 fiscal year , breaking the previous record set a year earlier The new section covers a 10-mile stretch of the border, which Ducey said would be blocked by 2,700 of the 60-foot shipping containers. However the Biden administration says the governor has no right to block the border. 'The unauthorized placement of those containers constitutes a violation of federal law and is a trespass against the United States,' the Bureau of Reclamation letter stated last earlier. 'That trespass is harming federal lands and resources and impeding Reclamation's ability to perform its mission.' The lawsuit says that the state has: 'concurrent jurisdiction with the appropriate federal governmental entity over those parts of the Roosevelt Reservation located in the State.' In a statement launching the suit Ducey said the federal government was intent on undoing efforts to prevent illegal immigration. 'Our border communities are overwhelmed by illegal activity as a result of the Biden administration's failure to secure the southern border,' he said. 'Arizona is taking action to protest on behalf of our citizens. 'With this lawsuit, we're pushing back against efforts by federal bureaucrats to reverse the progress we've made. 'The safety and security of Arizona and its citizens must not be ignored. Arizona is going to do the job that Joe Biden refuses to do secure the border in any way we can. We're not backing down.' The border is a potent issue for Republicans ahead of next week's midterm elections. In total, there were 227,547 encounters along the southwest land border in September, a 12 percent increase compared to August - ending the fiscal year at an all-time high It means for the Fiscal Year ending September 30th, there was a total of 2,378,944 encounters - the highest level ever recorded by the department It has helped give Blake Masters a change of an upset win in a tight race for the senate in Arizona. And Trump's border wall has been a key campaign issue for some candidates in non-border states. 'Republicans, we need to have a fight over the border wall,' J.D. Vance, the Republican Ohio Senate candidate, told supporters at a recent rally. 'And we need to be willing to say to Joe Biden: 'You don't get another dime for your priorities unless you do your job and enforce and secure the Southern border.' The latest numbers show the scale of the problem. Border crossings reached 2.76 million in the 2022 fiscal year, breaking the previous record, according to Customs and Border Patrol. Republicans have kept up a steady stream of attacks on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing them of taking a soft-touch approach. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has slammed Rishi Sunak for his 'symbolic' decision to skip Cop27 - as no10 confirms the Prime Minister could U-turn if 'substantial progress' is made on the autumn budget. Speaking to Jeremy Vine this morning to publicise her new book 'The Climate Book,' Ms Thunberg was asked what she thought about Mr Sunak not attending the summit. It came after a caller to the BBC Radio Two show branded it 'disgusting' that 'the world is burning up yet the Prime Minister decides to give the climate summit a miss'. Ms Thunberg told listeners: 'Of course it's difficult to talk about these individual decisions because they always have many different factors behind them but the fact that among one of the most powerful people in the world doesn't have time for this, it's very symbolic and says that they may have other priorities. 'Which of course can be understandable, but as long as we use these excuses we won't get anywhere.' Mr Vine referenced reports that former Prime Minister Liz Truss or 'her people' said 'they didn't want King Charles to go to the summit' before asking Ms Thunberg if she thought the Monarch should be there. 'It's a very clear signal that the government has its own agenda and decides who can go and who cannot go because it might damage them or their image,' she replied. Greta Thunberg was asked what she thought about Mr Sunak not attending the summit - she is pictured here at the launch event of her new book yesterday Ms Thunberg has slammed Rishi Sunak for his 'symbolic' decision to skip Cop27 No10 today admitted Mr Sunak could perform a U-turn by attending the Cop27 summit. The Prime Minister is reconsidering after sparking a backlash by saying he would be too busy assembling the crucial Autumn Statement package in the coming weeks. But Downing Street said 'substantial progress' was being made on the fiscal plans - due to be unveiled on 17 November - and so Mr Sunak's decision to snub Cop-27 was now 'under review'. The renewed possibility of the PM travelling to Egypt comes as his predecessor Boris Johnson considers going to the summit - causing anxiety in No10 about Mr Sunak being outflanked. Mr Sunak's official spokesman said: 'As weve said, the PM is focused on pressing domestic issues, most significantly preparing for the Autumn Statement. 'So any attendance at Cop would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing. 'The PM fully recognises the importance of the Cop summit and is fully committed to addressing climate change.' It was earlier reported that Rishi Sunak is standing by predecessor Liz Truss's decision to stop King Charles from attending the Cop 27 climate summit in Egypt next month, despite him 'champing at the bit' to go. Mr Sunak has been accused of a 'massive failure of leadership' after himself deciding not take part in the event, despite Truss having planned to travel to represent the UK there. Critics say it calls the new PM's climate stance into question. The PM is reportedly under pressure to let the King attend and allies have suggested he should let Charles go to demonstrate the UK's commitment to combating climate change in his absence. Charles is said to be disappointed not to go, but understands his attendance would need the blessing of the government and will not force the issue with No10, The Times reported. A source told the newspaper: 'He will be champing at the bit but knows it would need government blessing. The PM has reversed the fracking decision so this could be another smart environmentally focused move.' Rishi Sunak is standing by predecessor Liz Trusss decision to stop the King from attending the Cop 27 climate summit in Egypt next month despite him 'champing at the bit' to go Last year's Cop-26 summit in Glasgow was attended by a string of Cabinet ministers - including Mr Sunak himself as Chancellor Ms Thunberg herself said on Sunday she will skip next month's COP27 talks in Egypt, slamming the global summit as a forum for 'greenwashing'. 'I'm not going to COP27 for many reasons, but the space for civil society this year is extremely limited,' she said during a question and answer at the launch of her latest book at London's Southbank Centre. The 19-year-old activist had previously expressed solidarity on Twitter with 'prisoners of conscience' being held in Egypt ahead of the UN's 27th conference on climate, opening in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on November 6. 'The COPs are mainly used as an opportunity for leaders and people in power to get attention, using many different kinds of greenwashing,' she said. The COP conferences, she added, 'are not really meant to change the whole system', but instead encourage gradual progress. 'So as it is, the COPs are not really working, unless of course we use them as an opportunity to mobilise.' Released on Thursday, Thunberg's 'The Climate Book' includes about 100 contributions from various experts, including economist Thomas Piketty, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the writer Naomi Klein. Ms Thunberg also publicised her book as she appeared on the Jeremy Vine show today Thunberg's royalties for the book will go to her eponymous foundation, which will distribute them to charitable organisations working on environmental issues. The activist said she wanted the book to 'be educational, which is a bit ironic since my thing is school strikes', referring to her protests in front of the Swedish parliament starting in 2018. Ms Thunberg also publicised her book as she appeared on the Jeremy Vine show today. She also told the radio show she doesn't plan to stop protesting on climate change - as well as saying the reason she started was because she was 'very worried hardly anyone seemed to be reacting'. She said she couldn't understand why people could continue living their lives as usual. The activist told Jeremy Vine she didn't expect things to 'blow up' when she first began speaking out. She also claimed on the show she didn't have any school friends because she was a 'nerd' and said she was ignored by teachers. 'I would be sitting there reading by myself,' she said, adding: 'I was very invisible, it's a very big contrast [to how well known she is now.]' A baby allegedly murdered by nurse Lucy Letby showed intermittent signs of life for five hours after a medical crash team called off their desperate attempts to resuscitate him, a court heard today. Both Baby C's heart and breathing re-started faintly while he was being cuddled by his parents in a family room at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Medical staff had initially gone twice over the normal 20-minute threshold recommended for resuscitation to continue once a baby has failed to respond. And they continued to carry out 'token' resuscitation for another hour, to allow time for the infant to be baptised by both a Catholic priest and a Church of England vicar. Earlier today, the court heard that a senior nurse on duty with alleged baby killer Letby had to tell her repeatedly to come out of a room Baby C's parents were spending their last moments with their son after she'd been involved in failed attempts to revive him. The shift leader at the Countess of Chester Hospital said she wanted Letby, 32, (pictured) to concentrate on caring for a baby boy she considered the most poorly newborn on the neonatal unit that night The shift leader at the Countess of Chester Hospital said she wanted Letby, 32, to concentrate on caring for a baby boy she considered the most poorly newborn on the neonatal unit that night. Instead, the woman now on trial for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder a further ten kept going into the family room occupied by the parents of Baby C. They had gone there within minutes of a crash team calling a halt to their efforts to revive him, following his sudden and unexpected collapse on June 14, 2015. Dr John Gibbs, a consultant paediatrician who had worked for 20 years at the hospital, told the jury at Manchester Crown Court: 'Surprisingly, while we were waiting for the two minister there were some signs of life. 'I hadn't been expecting that. I was not sure initially what to do, because we had stopped full resuscitation. We were only performing a token resuscitation to allow him to be christened. 'I'm not sure why his breathing occasional gasps and his heart beats re-started. 'It was five hours (later) when finally no heart beat was heard and there were no further gasping responses'. By then Dr Gibbs had returned home, but he recalled a colleague, Katherine Davis, a paediatric registrar in the unit, calling him on a number of occasions. 'She called me I can't remember how many times to say 'Baby C is still showing breathing effort'. The consultant said he did not want to give the impression that he was blaming the parents for their decision to have the resuscitation continue while the two ministers made their way to the hospital. 'I'm not blaming them. It's not their fault. The fault is that his heart and breathing started again and that should not happen. 'I can't think of any natural disease process that would allow the heart to re-start later on when you've not been able to re-start it with resuscitation. 'That suggests that whatever catastrophic event caused his death was reversing. I don't understand that from a natural disease process'. Mr Gibbs said that when staff became aware of the intermittent signs of life returning to the infant they gave him palliative care. They realised that by then he had suffered profound brain damage. 'It's very difficult to know what a 30-weeker feels,' he told the jury. 'We don't know if he was feeling distressed, but we knew he had had no nutrition and by then would be dehydrated. 'It was therefore appropriate to give him morphine to relieve any distress'. Nurse B, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said her fellow Band 6 nurse Melanie Taylor was the one meant to offer the family a memory box of hand and foot prints and a lock of hair. But she had only done so 'partly'. The rest of the process was carried out, unbidden, by Letby. Speaking from behind a screen at Manchester Crown Court, Nurse B said: 'When [Baby C] went to the family room with his parents and grandparents, I re-assigned everyone who had been in Nursery 1 to different babies. Click here to listen to The Mail+ podcast: The Trial of Lucy Letby This week, Caroline and Liz begin outside the crown court where Liz goes over the opening statements of both the prosecution and the defence. The prosecution accuse Lucy Letby of being 'a poisoner' and 'constant malevolent presence' on the unit, while the defence say the case against her is based entirely on coincidence and assumption, describing her as a hard working nurse who only tried to help the babies in her care. We'll also hear from David Banks, a media law expert, who explains the fine line journalists tread when reporting ongoing trials. Advertisement 'I asked Lucy to focus back in N3 because I was still concerned about him. However, Lucy went into the family room a few times and I asked her to come out and to leave that family with Mel.' Asked by Simon Driver, prosecuting, whether Letby had any reason to go in, she replied: 'Not that I can remember. It was more than once. I can't recall how many times.' She agreed with Ben Myers, KC, defending, that his client had been involved in the failed resuscitation attempts. But when he asked her to confirm that Letby had later gone back to N3 as instructed, she replied: 'Yes after a number of times asking.' Baby C's father has previously told the jury that Letby interrupted them as his life ebbed away in the family room following the attempts at resuscitation. His wife was upset that her newborn was still gasping and had a pulse. A doctor had to explain that it was a brainstem response, and to comfort him the baby was given morphine. The father said that a nurse he thought may have been Letby came in with a ventilated basket, allegedly telling the couple: 'You've said your goodbyes. Do you want me to put him in here?' 'This comment shocked us,' he recalled in a written statement. 'My wife said: ''He's not dead yet''. 'The nurse backed off and tried to defuse the situation, but I couldn't believe she'd said that.' In a statement to police on February 13, 2018, Nurse B had referred to the ward manager 'fighting' for more staff. She told Mr Myers this was 'not just a Chester issue', and added: 'We worked really hard missing breaks to make it function.' Mr Myers: 'In general, if staff were struggling to cope, would it impact on the care of babies.' Nurse B: 'I didn't say staff were struggling to cope.' Mr Myers: 'If they were, could that impact on the babies?' The nurse replied: 'The care would have been given because the nurses were missing their breaks.' Instead, the woman now on trial for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder a further ten kept going into the family room occupied by the parents of Baby C She agreed that C was a baby 'in a potentially fragile condition', and that there was a risk 'he could die'. However, she told Mr Driver that she regarded the infant boy that Letby was caring for in N3 to be more at risk. 'I was worried about him. In my opinion he was the most poorly baby on the unit that night. I was regularly checking on (him) to ensure he was getting what he needed.' Mr Driver asked: 'Was he?' Nurse B replied: 'I believe he should have had a septic screen, so 'No' is the answer. But that's a medical decision. The medical decision was that he was ok. I don't believe that to be true.' Dr Katherine Davis, a paediatric registrar at the hospital, said there had been a 'prolonged attempt' to resuscitate the infant, but this was eventually abandoned. 'It became obvious that we were not winning. We hadn't got a heart rate.' She said it was noted that a capnograph carried out during the resuscitation attempts had detected carbon dioxide coming out of the baby. 'Unexpectedly', he was gasping and had a heart rate at this time. She was later told by one of the relatives that Baby C had died. She went into the family room to confirm that. Asked by Simon Driver, prosecuting, whether Letby had any reason to go in to see the grieving parents, she replied: 'Not that I can remember. It was more than once. I can't recall how many times' Mr Myers, for Letby, put it to her: 'He was right on the very limits of what the Countess of Chester could deal with, wasn't he?' Dr Davis replied: 'I think our limit was 800g, and he was 800g.' She said the infant was 'not getting sick' despite the readings of dark bile aspirates. 'It is not something we should ignore, it's something we would keep any eye on but I don't think there was anything else we should have done.' Although dark bile was 'not normal', it was also 'not uncommon' in premature babies. When Mr Myers suggested Baby C should have been seen prior to his third day of life, she said the infant's case would have been discussed. Dr Davis said that when she reached Nursery 1 the nursing staff were doing everything they could. Philip Astbury, prosecuting, asked if she had ever seen a collapse as sudden or unexpected as that of Baby C. Dr Davis replied: 'Absolutely not.' She said she had seen a lot of babies with significant abdominal issues, along with infants with NEC [necrotising enterocolitis], but they didn't 'behave or die in the way that' Baby C did. Letby denies all the charges and her trial continues. A 17-year-old new mother who died of a cardiac arrest after a traumatic C-section could have survived if her doctors had relieved air pressure in her chest caused by her being rolled over, an inquest heard today. An expert claimed a severe airflow issue - which could have been fixed by the emergency insertion of needles - led to Teegan Barnard suffering fatal brain damage. Doctors treating Teegan should have recognised that 'air was in the wrong place' and fatally putting pressure on her heart, surgeon Ehab Bishay said today. Intervening earlier and performing the insertions in Teegan's chest would have saved her, Mr Bishay believes. Doctors treating tragic 17-year-old Teegan Barnard should have recognised that 'air was in the wrong place' and fatally putting pressure on her heart, surgeon Ehab Bishay said today Teegan's tragic last picture: This picture was taken shortly before Teegan died, weeks after giving birth. Investigators said it would have been 'best practice' and 'appropriate' for health workers to offer Teegan an induced labour An expert claimed a severe airflow issue - which could have been fixed by the emergency insertion of needles - led to Teegan Barnard suffering fatal brain damage Teegan's inquest - which resumed today having originally begun in January - has heard that the teenager - a 'girly girl' who was 'excited' about becoming a first-time mother - suffered a cardiac arrest two hours after giving birth to son Parker. Teegan suffered obstructed labour - when a baby cannot exit the pelvis. Her labour was traumatic and the 5ft 6ins teenager, who weighed 52kg, lost 3.8 litres of blood in just 10 minutes as she gave birth to 9lbs 9oz Parker via caesarean. TIMELINE: TEEGAN'S TRAGIC DEATH AT 17 September 7, 2019: Teegan began to have contractions while 41 weeks pregnant, so went to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, West Sussex, but midwives said she wasn't dilated enough so sent her home. September 8: Her contractions became 'very strong and she was in a lot of pain', so went back to hospital, and vomited at around 11pm. September 9: In the early hours, her pulse raised to 119 beats per minute. At 1am, Teegan showed signs of infection and was given an emergency caesarean. At around 3am her condition dramatically worsened and 'her lips turned blue' as she suffered breathing issues. The first-time mother suffered a devastating cardiac arrest and brain damage. October 7: Teegan died at home in Havant, Hampshire, after being discharged to spend her final days there. Advertisement Keen horse-rider Teegan gave birth to Parker at 3.04am on September 9, 2019, at St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, West Sussex, and died at home in Havant, Hampshire, - where she had been discharged to for her final days - on October 7, 2019. It was heard pizza-chef Teegan could have been offered to be induced three weeks before she eventually gave birth at 41 weeks, but wasn't. During the previous four days of her inquest in Chichester, experts have provided evidence over what they believe caused her cardiac arrest. One expert has claimed she could have suffered an adverse reaction to drug Carboprost, a hormone widely given in childbirth emergencies to stop her Postpartum haemorrhaging, a serious medical issue when mothers lose significant amounts of blood in labour. Today, Birmingham-based cardiothoracic surgeon Mr Bishay said he believes Teegan suffered tension pneumothorax, a severe condition in which air is trapped in the chest and puts pressure on the heart. Mr Bishay said the trigger for Teegan's dramatic downfall was when she was 'rolled left to right' on a hospital bed while she being cleaned up after her labour. He said: 'It's a horrific situation to deal with, everything seemed to go wrong when she was being turned. 'In my experience, that's a very important part as the tube has to be maintained.' Mr Bishay suggested if her tube was disturbed or 'vibrated' during the movement it could have caused tension pneumothorax which led to cardiac arrest. He added: 'The sequence of events was her having high pressure airways when she was being turned, then the arrest followed. 'It was as simple as air on Teegan's heart. 'Her having air in the wrong place was the cause of the arrest.' Mr Bishay said the complication is 'recognised but unusual' but that pneumothorax should have been ruled out earlier by Teegan's medics by trying to release air from her chest. 'It needed to have been done', Mr Bishay said. Teegan's inquest - which resumed today having originally begun in January - has heard that the teenager - a 'girly girl' who was 'excited' about becoming a first-time mother - suffered a cardiac arrest two hours after giving birth to son Parker 'You have gone from a position of taking Teegan through a difficult labour, having post-partum haemorrhaging, to having a catastrophic situation where you suddenly can't ventilate. 'You still can't put air into the patient's lungs, why not? It should have been thought of earlier that air was in the wrong place here, then decompressed from both sides.' He added: 'It was a very difficult and stressful situation for everybody, I'm aware of that, I'm not sitting in a position of hindsight and criticising anyone. Teegan suffered obstructed labour - when a baby cannot exit the pelvis 'I empathise in that that nobody wants to put needles near anyone's chest.... You run a risk but it's a resuscitation situation. 'In my opinion, I've got to do something, it's risky but I've got to do it. It's a dire resuscitation situation. 'It's precious time without oxygen, every minute counts... If it was done sooner then I think a hypoxic brain injury would have been less likely. 'If you look at the post-mortem it's clear the hypoxic brain injury was the cause of death... I'm a thoracic surgeon I can recognise it quicker than other people, but if she was decompressed quicker, circulation would have been restored. 'In my opinion she wouldn't have have died had it been performed sooner.' He added: 'That decompression should have occurred a lot sooner and if it did it would have circulation would have returned. 'On the balance of probabilities she would not have died if they intervened earlier.' Dr Philip McGlone, a consultant anaesthetist who treated Teegan, claimed her cardiac arrest came about as a result of bronchospasm, when airways in lungs tighten. Today, Birmingham-based cardiothoracic surgeon Mr Bishay said he believes Teegan suffered tension pneumothorax, a severe condition in which air is trapped in the chest and puts pressure on the heart (Pictured: Teegan with her mother Abbie Hallawell) Dr McGlone said he felt a 'gush of air' hit his face when Teegan's abdomen was opened. Mr Bishay vehemently disputed the cause of cardiac arrest being bronchospasm, claiming that it can only be pneumothorax. Mr Bishay said: 'If anyone looked at this case with an objective mind, it's something that's so well-trodden, it's pneumothorax leading to arrest. 'To speculate it is bronchospasm... I'm afraid I can't agree with that.' Teegan's mother paid tribute to the late teen. 'Teegan had a big personality and was full of life', her mother Abbie Hallawell said. 'She loved her family and had close relationships with her grandparents. Teegan's mother Abbie Hallawell said: 'Teegan had a big personality and was full of life' (Pictured: Teegan's mother Ms Hallawell and her father Trevor Barnard) 'She was a girly-girl who enjoyed socialising with her friends and horse riding. 'Growing up she was a normal healthy girl who didn't suffer any major illnesses.' Ms Hallawell and Teegan's father Trevor Barnard have instructed expert medical negligence lawyers as they demand answers at the inquest. Ms Hallawell and Mr Barnard are bringing up Parker - who is now three - alongside his dad, Leon Forster. The inquest continues. Brazilian voters have gone from one extreme to the other as they ditched the controversial far-right Jair Bolsonaro in favour of socialist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by the narrowest of margins in Sunday's election. The new president, known as Lula, is no stranger to the electorate, having previously served as the country's leader from 2003 to 2010. The former trade unionist introduced sweeping reforms in his first stint in power and was admired for his ambition, even lauded as the 'most popular politician on Earth' by Barack Obama, but he was never far from scandal. That all came to a head when he was handed a prison sentence in 2018, just a year after the shock death of his wife of 43 years Marisa Leticia Rocco Casa. But the progressive has since staged a remarkable comeback, quashing his corruption charges before sealing an unlikely election win against the incumbent Bolsonaro, the first time a sitting president has lost in Brazil. It has been viewed as a mirror of the US 2020 election, with the 'Brazilian Biden' seizing power from 'Trump of the Tropics' who is yet to concede to his rival. Lula celebrates his election win with his supporters today in Sao Paulo after defeating Jair Bolsonaro Lula kisses his wife Rosangela 'Janja' da Silva today after being elected for the third time Lula is seen during his inauguration ceremony in Brasilia in 2003, next to Bolsonaro in 2019 'They tried to bury me alive, and I am here,' da Silva said in a speech Sunday night after results that confirmed his third presidential win. 'I am here to govern in a very difficult situation. But I have faith in God that, with our people's help, we will find a way out for this country.' Lula was born in 1945, the seventh of eight children, in Brazil's poor northeast. Two weeks after his birth, his father Aristides Inacio da Silva and his mother's cousin Valdomira Ferreira de Gois moved to Sao Paulo. Seven years later, Lula's mother moved the family to Sao Paulo to rejoin her husband on a 13-day trek, only to discover he had started a second family with her cousin. For some time, they lived in the same house until they could bear it no longer and Lula's mother left with her children to a small room behind a bar. Metalworkers hold up Lula on their shoulders in 1979 after a union rally in Sao Bernardo do Campo The trade unionist takes part in a demonstration in Campos do Jordao with metal workers in 1970 Cuban President Fidel Castro talks with Brazilian Workers Party (PT) leader Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva (left) during a visit to Havana in 1989 He made his first presidential run in 1989 (pictured), which he lost - along with two subsequent races Pressed for money, the future president became a metalworker at age 14 in the metropolis' gritty outskirts. It was a physical job that famously cost him his left pinky finger. He became a union leader in an era when Brazil's manufacturing work force was still vast, and translated into political power. He made his first presidential run in 1989, which he lost - along with two subsequent races. Finally, in 2002, he claimed victory and became the first worker to assume the nation's top job. And he was reelected four years later, defeating his rival Geraldo Alckmin who, this year, became his running mate. Commodities exports to China were surging, filling government coffers, and a vast welfare program lifted tens of millions of Brazilians into the middle class. Lula's first wife Maria de Lourdes died two years after their marriage while pregnant with their first son. The leader is pictured with his second wife Marisa Leticia Rocco Casa in 1989 The President and First Lady are pictured at Buckingham Palace alongside the Queen and Prince Philip in 2006 Da Silva left office with an approval rating above 80%, and then-U.S. President Barack Obama called him 'the most popular politician on Earth.' His hand-picked successor, Dilma Rousseff, was elected in 2014. In Rousseff's second term, however, a sprawling corruption investigation ensnared top politicians and businessmen alike. It plunged her administration - along with da Silva and the rest of the Workers' Party he founded - into disgrace. Revelations of systemic kickbacks in exchange for government contracts were followed by a deep, two-year recession that many blamed on Rousseff's economic policies, and which turbocharged resentment of the Workers' Party. She was impeached in 2016 for breaking fiscal responsibility laws regarding management of the federal budget. Then the former president was sentenced for corruption and money laundering, and confined to a 160-square-foot room on the fourth floor of a Federal Police building in southern city Curitiba. US president George W Bush welcomes Lula to the White House in 2003 shortly after his election win. He was the first world leader tot oppose the Iraq War to visit the White House British model Naomi Campbell presents a shirt saying 'We love Brasil' to the president in 2005 Gordon Brown greets Lula at the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark That sidelined him from the 2018 presidential race, and cleared the way for Jair Bolsonaro, then a fringe lawmaker, to cruise to victory. Da Silva's political legacy was in tatters. His personal life, too, was blown to pieces. His wife passed away, which at the time he blamed on the strain caused by the investigation. Slowly, hope crept in. He started exchanging love letters with a woman named Rosangela da Silva, nicknamed Janja. Their relationship blossomed thanks to da Silva's then lawyer, Luis Carlos Rocha, who visited him every weekday. Rocha acted as dutiful courier, hiding Janja's letters inside his jacket pocket where guards wouldn't check. He told The Associated Press he saw da Silva's face light up with each colorful envelope he delivered. 'God willing, one day we will publish (the letters),' da Silva said at a rally in September. 'But only for people aged over 18.' The Supreme Court also started assessing the legality of his convictions, which it eventually annulled on the grounds that the presiding federal judge had been biased and colluded with prosecutors. Lula is seen turning himself into police in 2018 amid a bombshell corruption investigation against the former president The politician arrives at the Federal Police headquarters to serve his corruption sentence in 2018 After 580 days imprisonment, da Silva was a free man - free to marry his girlfriend, and free to run for the presidency. That didn't stop incumbent Bolsonaro, seeking a second term, from reminding voters of da Silva's convictions at every turn, warning that electing him would be like letting a thief return to the scene of the crime. It revitalised semi-dormant sentiment against the Workers' Party, and the fact that much of Brazil still holds da Silva in disdain is a key reason this year's contest between the two political titans grew ever closer. Ultimately, it came down to the wire: da Silva was elected, for the third time, with 50.9% of the vote. It was the tightest election since Brazil's return to democracy over three decades ago. During his victory speech, Janja was by his side, as she was throughout his campaign. She shed tears, overwhelmed with emotion. And she wasn't alone. In prison, he started exchanging love letters with a woman named Rosangela da Silva, nicknamed Janja (pictured) 'I cried when he was jailed. Now I cry because he will take Brazil back to normal. He can do it, he has the charisma to do it,' said Claudia Marcos, a 56-year-old historian who joined thousands of others to celebrate the leftist's victory on Sao Paulo's main boulevard. 'He is our phoenix. The most important president in Brazil's history.' At the Workers' Party's headquarters on Sunday, da Silva read out a long, carefully written speech promising to unite Brazil. He will take office on January 1, and has said he won't seek reelection. That means this presidential term could be his final act. 'It is not the number of years that makes someone old. What makes you old is the lack of a cause,' said da Silva, who turned 77 three days before the vote. 'Brazil is my cause. The Brazilian people are my cause.' How the woman's car became submerged in the canal is under investigation with the Miami-Dade Police Department The condition of the woman is unknown at this time Piquet and his friend were able to get the attention of a neighbor on the other side of the water who was able to throw the rope to her and pull her Christiano Piquet, 45, made and emergency landing and ran to the woman, calling out for help while they went towards her The woman's car had been submerged in the water and she was laying on top, injured from the accident A Florida man helped to save a woman's life Sunday morning in Miami as he spotted her splashing and screaming for help in a canal A paraglider taking a morning flight through Florida made an emergency landing after spotting a struggling and terrified woman clinging to submerged her car in a canal. The rescue happened early Sunday morning, just around 8am, in southwest Miami-Dade when Christiano Piquet, 45, caught a glimpse of something in the water. DailyMail.com spoke with Piquet, who said while he was up in the air for his typical pre-church flight alongside his friend. 'I'm flying with my friend Sunday before church, like we always do,' Piquet says in a video posted to his Instagram. Christiano Piquet was out for a morning flight when he noticed a woman splashing in the water in a Florida canal Sunday morning After spotting the woman screaming for help in the water, Piquet made an emergency landing and ran towards the spot where he saw the woman and her submerged vehicle When he arrived, he found the woman stranded and attached to her vehicle, still crying out for help The man was able to document the entire save with his GoPro, which he had brought up with him for the trip. The two were flying through the area on what he said was not their typical path when he first noticed something amiss. Piquet said he saw splashing in a canal and turned himself and his camera to get a better look. The Miami man said he thought it may be alligators or crocodiles, typical inhabitants of Florida's various waterways. What he didn't expect was to Zoom in and spot a submerged vehicle, accompanied by a woman who was screaming loudly. 'I see a woman, holding [on] for her life,' he says in the post. He then added a short snippet of the woman calling out for help. Upon making the discovery, Piquet made an emergency landing and jumped straight into action. The man unhooked from his glider and ran towards the woman. Piquet and his friend were able to get the attention of a neighbor who ran to the scene to help the woman out of the water from the other side of the canal The neighbor was able to tug the woman from her car using a rope she held onto The woman cried and thanked the men as she still yelled out in pain from the acccident Piquet said his friend also made an emergency landing, and was injured in the process. They ran to where the woman was seen and worked quickly to flag down a neighbor for additional assistance. 'Do you need help?' Piquet asked the woman upon arriving at the scene. 'Oh, my God, I fell with my car in here,' the woman shouted back. Piquet managed to call for help from a neighbor who he saw nearby. The two men called the neighbor over and documented as he helped to rescue her. 'So we threw her a rope, and she was free, she was alive,' said Piquet in an interview with WSVN. While the neighbor was pulling the woman, she screamed out in pain repeatedly. 'Everything happened so fast, and after we got her to safety, we called 911.' Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the crash around 8.30am. 'They came, and they gave her the help that she needed,' said Piquet. Paramedics were called to the scene and were able to transport the woman to a hospital for unknown injuries Paramedics transported the woman to an area hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. How the woman ended up in the canal remains a mystery. Police are investigating what caused the crash. Her condition is also unknown at this time. 'I hope she's okay,' he said Monday. DailyMail.com reached out to officials with the Miami-Dade Police Department for more information but did not receive a response by the time of publication. In spite of the unanswered questions, the Florida man told DailyMail.com that he was just glad he was able to spot her and start the rescue process. 'God used me to save that woman' Piquet said, thankful that he was in the area. Piquet is the owner of Piquet Realty, a real estate company based in Miami, Florida, and spends his time doing paragliding, skydiving, boating, and more 'It was the right place at the right time,' he continued. 'Hey, we pretty much saved this lady's life today,' Piquet says to his friend in the video after the woman was pulled from the canal. The video, posted Sunday, has received hundreds of comments from people calling him a lifesaver and a hero, a term he isn't ready to use, himself. 'I'm not calling myself a hero,' Piquet said on Monday. A man in his 50s was found without a pulse and not breathing in the utility room in which the leak sprung A carbon dioxide leak in a utility room in Terminal 8 in LAX airport caused a construction worker to lose his pulse and stop breathing this morning. The man in his 50s was found passed out in the utility room in which the leak sprung. Paramedics performed CPR and he was taken to a nearby Los Angeles hospital. On arrival his condition was updated to be critical, the fire department said. Three other workers, two men and a women, were in the room as well but less severely affected. One construction worker in his 50s was discovered in a utility room in the United Airlines facility passed out and without a pulse. Three other workers were less severely affected but hospitalized The airport said that the leak caused delays and that all United Airlines flights into the airport would be held at their origin airport. Less than an hour later it was announced that ordinary service would resume and only trace levels of carbon dioxide were being detected. Soon after 10am the airport put out a notice that Terminal 8 was to reopen as the Los Angeles Fire Department had cleared the building as safe. The utility room is located more than 200 feet from the Terminal 8 baggage area, according to officials. Authorities said that there was a popping sound that could be heard by the workers shortly before the leak. Los Angeles Airport Terminal 8 hosts mainline flights, served by United Express and United Airlines. The airport said in a Tweet that only the United Airlines facility was impacted by an ongoing hazmat investigation. A hazmat investigation was carried out by the Los Angeles Fire Department in the Terminal 8 United Airlines facility First responders at LAX say it appears gas leak in terminal 8 area took place during construction work and affected construction workers. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/uNhcsLBeJ3 Kara Finnstrom (@KaraFinnstrom) October 31, 2022 A Hazardous Materials team from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the baggage claim area of that terminal around 7am. Terminal 8 was cleared entirely of more than 100 passengers who were sent to Terminal 7 for 'screening,' the airport said. Only trace amounts of carbon dioxide remained in the room, according to an update from the fire department at 8.45am. Moscow has summoned the Dutch ambassador to 'protest strongly' against the efforts of British spies to 'recruit' Russian diplomats in the Netherlands, Russia's foreign ministry said today. Ambassador Gilles Beschoor Plug was called in to hear the protest from the Kremlin, which claimed representatives of the British intelligence services 'made an attempt to recruit the military attache of Russia's embassy in The Hague on October 20'. 'Such provocative actions are unacceptable... and hinder the normal operation of Russian establishments abroad,' it added. The ministry also accused Western secret services of attempting several similar 'provocations' against Russian diplomats over recent years in the Netherlands. MailOnline has contacted the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) for comment. It comes just one week after Norway's security services arrested a man at the University of Troms who they believed was a Russian spy. Moscow on Monday summoned the Dutch ambassador to 'protest strongly' against the efforts of British spies to 'recruit' Russian diplomats in the Netherlands, Russia's foreign ministry said (anti-war protesters pictured outside Russian embassy, The Hague) Russia's foreign ministry accused Western secret services of attempting several 'provocations' against Russian diplomats over recent years in the Netherlands (Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov pictured) NATO-member Norway raises 'military readiness' as its neighbour Russia continues bloodshed in Ukraine NATO member Norway will raise its military readiness, its prime minister said on Monday, pointing to ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine as cause for greater caution. 'The military will as of tomorrow raise its preparedness in Norway', Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, whose nation shares a land border with Russia in the Arctic circle, told reporters. 'We currently have no reason to believe that Russia wants to involve Norway or any other country directly in the war, but the war in Ukraine means it is necessary for all NATO countries to be increasingly on their guard', he added. Norway has overtaken Russia as Europe's main natural gas supplier following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The Scandinavian country has already raised security around its strategic sites after mysterious drone flights were observed near its offshore oil and gas platforms and the suspected sabotage of Nord Stream's Baltic Sea pipelines. Advertisement Russia's foreign ministry cited numerous examples of incidences in which Western powers allegedly attempted to entice Russian diplomats into sharing sensitive information. Representatives of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) made an approach 'in a park' in December 2018 to a Russian diplomat with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the ministry charged. The following December, CIA agents tried at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport to 'encourage' an attache from Russia's embassy to 'cooperate', the statement said. Moscow accused authorities in the Netherlands of being complicit in 'these illegitimate acts'. It listed another case in April when 'members of Dutch special services tried to recruit three Russian diplomats who had earlier been declared personae non gratae,' ahead of their expulsion. In July 2020, in The Hague, 'surveillance equipment was discovered in the car of a (Russian) embassy diplomat, according to the statement. Russia urged 'Dutch authorities to refrain from these hostile acts which lead to a subsequent degradation in bilateral relations'. The Hague should take 'comprehensive measures to prevent such incidents in the future', it said. Russia's military offensive in Ukraine has led to a wave of international condemnation and sanctions backed by the expulsion of hundreds of Russian diplomats from Western nations, some accused of spying. Moscow has responded by sending home dozens of Western diplomats. The Kremlin's protest against alleged attempts by Western powers to recruit its diplomats follows the arrest of a suspected Russian spy in the Arctic town of Troms by Norwegian police. The man, who worked as a researcher at the University of Troms, had posed as a Brazilian citizen but police believe his real identity to be Russian. 'Jose Assis Giammaria' worked at Troms university but on Friday was arrested on suspicion of entering Norway onfalse pretences. Prosecutors named him as Mikhail Mikhushin NATO member Norway will raise its military readiness, its prime minister said on Monday, pointing to ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine as cause for greater caution. Norway shares a 123-mile border with Russia in the north The man, who went by the name of Jose Assis Giammaria but whose real name is believed to be Mikhail Mikhushin, represents a 'threat to fundamental national interests' and should be expelled from Norway, deputy Norwegian police security service (PST) chief Hedvig Moe said, describing him as an 'illegal agent'. An illegal agent is an intelligence operative without official government links who assumes a covert persona, often using a real, dead person's identity. 'Typically illegal agents are talent scouts recruiting agents for later, and preparing the ground for other spies to do traditional intelligence work,' said Moe. The accused man's lawyer did not return a request for comment. The suspect was involved in a research group that worked with Norwegian government agencies on 'hybrid threats' linked to 'Arctic Norway', Moe said. The arrest was made possible with the collaboration of 'several' international security services, declining to say from which countries. 'It is a long-term project to have an illegal agent,' said Moe. It costs a lot of money. Major state actors only use them and it is known Russia has used them in the past.' A mourner places a flower to pay tribute to the victims of a deadly crowd crush, near Itaewon Station, central Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Team of 475 police officers investigating cause of Itaewon crush By Jung Min-ho President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee laid white chrysanthemums at an altar, Monday, set up in central Seoul to mourn the victims of a crowd crush that killed more than 150 people in the Itaewon nightlife district two days ago. The altar at Seoul Plaza was filled with a somber silence as the two paid their respects to the deceased and as the country attempts to make sense of how an exuberant evening there suddenly turned into a nightmare. Thousands of others also visited the altar, where they grieved over the tragedy. Some visitors quietly shed tears, while others were seen crying out loud. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, a total of 154 people died and 149 others were injured from the incident that occurred at a narrow, inclined alley next to Hamilton Hotel. Most of the deceased were young people in their 20s; six were teenage students. Among the dead were 26 foreign nationals from China, Iran, Russia, the United States, France, Australia, Vietnam and Uzbekistan, Norway, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Austria and Japan. The death toll could rise further, as more than 30 remain in serious condition. President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee hold flowers as the two pay their respects for the victims of a deadly crowd crush that resulted in the deaths of more than 150 people, at a memorial alter in Seoul Plaza, central Seoul, Monday. Newsis Prime Minister Han Duck-soo promised that the government will do its best to support the bereaved families, including foreign nationals, from covering funeral expenses to expediting visa services for those in need. It was supposed to be a fun night out. Dressed as ghosts, animals or their favorite animation characters, as many as 100,000 people packed the streets of Itaewon. Many seemed to be excited to be able to attend the first mask-free Halloween parties that took place since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The tragedy happened when a massive crowd converged in a narrow alley measuring just 3.2 meters in width. Some of them, for unknown reasons, began to fall over, causing others near them to fall down like "dominoes" according to some witnesses. It was the beginning of the deadliest peacetime disaster in the capital since the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse. Some witnesses claim several men wearing "rabbit hairbands" initiated the fall, saying that they shouted "push, push" and "we're stronger!" before fleeing the scene. Police officers investigate the scene of a deadly crowd crush that resulted in the deaths of more than 150 people, in Itaewon, central Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Advertisement Elon Musk has dissolved Twitters board of directors which makes him the sole director of the social media giant as he plans to fire a quarter of the workforce' after being spotted partying with his ex-wife. The world's richest man was spotted in Beverly Hills on Sunday night for an exclusive Halloween party hosted by actress Bella Thorne, and was accompanied by his former spouse Justine Wilson. It appears that he was parting into the early hours, before a security filing was reported on Monday, which states that all previous members of the board are no longer directors in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement. The Tesla CEO, who has given himself the title of 'Chief Twit', fired four executives shortly after taking over, who had been owed millions under the merger agreement - lodging the dissolvement on Thursday. Former CEO Parag Agrawal had been set to received up to $60million alone, but Musk sacked them all 'for cause' - though it is unclear his reasons behind the move. It is possible the firings could void the payout agreement, but the executives are 'deliberating' their next steps. Agrawal and chairman Bret Taylor are no longer on the board of directors after Musk's $44bn takeover. Martha Lane Fox, Omid Kordestani, David Rosenblatt, Patrick Pichette, Egon Durban, Fei-Fei Li and Mimi Alemayehou have also been ousted from their positions after the SpaceX chief's overhaul. The world's richest man was spotted in Beverly Hills on Sunday night, before the filing on Monday, for an exclusive Halloween party hosted by actress Bella Thorne, and was accompanied by his former spouse Justine Wilson Hours before the filing was made, Musk was snapped with his ex-wife Justine, who was dressed in a full latex feline outfit and appeared in good spirits Actress Bella Thorne threw a Halloween party for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, with Musk going as 'himself' Justine smiled as she and Elon got into a Tesla and appeared to share a ride, while the SpaceX chief didn't seem to have dressed up for the occasion Elon wields the ax: All NINE members of Twitter's board of directors are dissolved for box headline Bret Taylor Parag Agrawal Omid Kordestani David Rosenblatt Martha Lane Fox Patrick Pichette Egon Durban Fei-Fei Li Mimi Almayehou Advertisement As well as sacking Agrawal, Musk also fired CFO Ned Segal, Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde and General Counsel Sean Edgett. Hours before the filing was made, Musk was snapped with his ex-wife Justine, who was dressed in a full latex feline outfit. The pair appeared to be in good spirits as they chatted away before jumping into a red Tesla before leaving the party together. Justine, 49, and Musk, 50, share 18-year-old twins together Griffin and Vivian who recently revealed her plans to change her gender and cut ties with her billionaire father. Vivian, formerly Xavier, is petitioning the court to change her last name to Wilson, adding: 'I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.' Musk, 50, has two other children with Canadian singer Grimes, 33: two-year-old X A-12 and Exa Dark Siderl, six months nicknamed X and Y by their parents. Wilson and Musk split acrimoniously in 2008, with Wilson going on to write an essay in Marie Claire in 2010 in which she described herself as a 'starter wife' and revealed her anger over his engagement to British actress Talulah Riley just six weeks after he filed for divorce. She also told how Musk declared himself the 'alpha' in their relationship and treated her like an employee to which he would often respond: 'If you were my employee, I would fire you.' The former couple were seen chatting outside of the party in Beverly Hills, hosted by actress Bella Thorne, hours before he dissolved Twitter's board of directors The unlikely reunion lasted past 2am when they were seen exiting with 5 or more security guards Wilson and Musk split acrimoniously in 2008, with Wilson going on to write an essay in Marie Claire in 2010 in which she described herself as a 'starter wife' Both Musk and Justine were seen darting into to the back of a pristine red Tesla with a white interior Justine donned grey fringe boots with her latex cat outfit, as well as a matching mask When their eldest son Nevada died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in 2002, Wilson said Musk regarded her grief as 'emotional manipulation' and refused to talk about the baby. Although they went on to have five children, she said he regarded her as insignificant and pushed her into becoming a trophy wife cliche. It comes as the new Twitter CEO allegedly issued an ultimatum to the social media platform's engineers, telling them to revamp Twitter's verification system in less than a fortnight or face the sack. Celebrity lawyer Alex Spiro, a long-time Musk legal representative, led the conversations about the job cuts, according to the Washington Post. Musk's ex-wife showed off her slim figure in the latex Catwoman as the pair left the party and appeared to have put their differences behind them Both Justine and Musk happily chatted away as they left the party, with his ex-wife appearing to be more into the costume theme than the billionaire Musk laughed when asked what he had gone as, saying 'you'll never guess' before chuckling and shrugging Musk, 50, has two other children with Canadian singer Grimes, 33: two-year-old X A-12 and Exa Dark Siderl, six months nicknamed X and Y by their parents Justine smiled and waved at the cameras before they made a dash to get to a Tesla surrounded by security The former couple had an acrimonious split, after having five children together, but appear to be on better terms The Tesla and SpaceX chief immediately fired the social media company's CEO, chief financial officer, head of legal, and general counsel when he assumed command on Thursday. The first round of layoffs will impact almost every department, and are expected to specifically impact sales, product, engineering, legal, and trust and safety in the coming days, the Post's source claimed. Musk also joked that Twitter would be 'minting money' if he had a 'dollar for every time someone asked if Trump is coming back' to the social network. Twitter had over 7,000 employees at the end of 2021, according to a regulatory filing and a quarter of the headcount amounts to nearly 2,000 employees. Musk denied a New York Times report about laying off Twitter employees at a date earlier than November 1 - which is tomorrow - to avoid stock grants due on the day. Former CEO Parag Agrawal, right, also had his directorship dissolved, along with David Rosenblatt, left Elon Musk plans to let a quarter of the workforce go at social media giant Twitter in his first round of layoffs after acquiring the company in a multi-billion dollar takeover last week Egon Durban, left, and Patrick Pichette, right, are also on the list of nine board members who have been ousted from their roles Chairman Bret Taylor has had his role dissolved, with Elon Musk making himself the 'sole director' of the social media giant A securities filing lodged on Monday states that all previous members of the board are no longer directors in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement After engineers, Twitter's highest paid employees work in sales - with several earning more than $300,000. Musk also denied claims that he will be firing employees before they received their November 1 compensation in the form of stock grants. He responded to the claims made by ProPublica's deputy managing editor, Eric Umansky, responding by saying this is false. According to a report from The Verge, Musk wants to launch a pay-for-play verification system in which verified users are charged $20 per month. The problem is that engineers have until November 7 to launch the scheme or face being fired. Employees were only told of the project on October 30. The Verge report says that the price of the verification is subject to change. The price will also cover so-far unspecified other features. Martha Lane Fox, left, and Omid Kordestani, right, were both removed from their roles on the board of directors at Twitter Earlier, Musk insinuated that he regarded the New York Times as a fake news outlet Musk is pictured with Twitter employees in the office on the day of the takeover On Sunday Musk took aim at Twitter's board ad lawyers, claiming that they 'deliberately hid evidence from the court' - referring to his legal bid to stop the takeover Longtime ally to Musk David Sacks is reportedly working with the Tesla CEO as a 'staff software engineer' In responding to ProPublica's Eric Umansky tweeting the Times story, Musk simply wrote: 'This is false' Since Musk first offered to buy Twitter, the world's wealthiest man has made it clear he planned to shake things up at the social media giant. Hours before The Verge report emerged, Musk tweeted: 'The whole verification process is being revamped right now.' Earlier, tech website Platformer's Casey Newton reported that Twitter was leaning towards asking for verified users to pay for the privilege. DailyMail.com has asked Twitter for comment on this story. Both David Sacks and Jason Calacanis have appeared in a company directory over the weekend, and are understood to have the titles of 'staff software engineer'. On Sunday Musk took aim at Twitter's board ad lawyers, claiming that they 'deliberately hid evidence from the court' - referring to his legal bid to stop the takeover Longtime ally to Musk David Sacks is reportedly working with the Tesla CEO as a 'staff software engineer' New Twitter CEO Elon Musk shared a link to a now-deleted article suggesting Paul Pelosi left a gay bar with David DePape early Friday morning before he was allegedly attacked with a hammer Musk's official title is CEO, although publicly he has referred to himself as 'Chief Twit'. On Sunday Musk took aim at Twitter's board ad lawyers, claiming that they 'deliberately hid evidence from the court' - referring to his legal bid to stop the takeover. He claims that the former board of directors and lawyers used 'fraudulent metrics' during the court hearing, and warned 'stay tuned, more to come'. Sriram Krishnan, another longtime Musk associate, also tweeted that he was helping out the deal by investing $400million from crypto firm Andreessen Horowitz. Musk took further aim at the New York Post in tweeting a screenshot of a headline from NYTimes.com accusing him of posting a link to a fake story surrounding the assault on Paul Pelosi. The headline read: 'Elon Musk, in a Tweet, Shares Link From Site Known to Publish Fake News.' He quipped: 'This is fake - I did *not* tweet out a link to the New York Times.' Musk earlier deleted a tweet suggesting Paul Pelosi's attacker was a gay prostitute he met during a boozy night out. A former Michigan cop will stand a murder trial for fatally shooting a black man in the back of his head during a scuffle over his Taser will stand trial for his death. Christopher Schurr, 31, was charged in June with second-degree murder for fatally shooting Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop on April 4. He has since been fired from his position as a member of the Grand Rapids Police Department, though he insists that he was acting in accordance with the police department's policy and his use of force was justified. Schurr claimed Lyoya had control of his Taser when he shot him. Defense lawyers said the officer feared for his safety. But Lyoya's family has argued that Schurr, who is white, failed to de-escalate the situation after the 26-year-old black man failed to produce a license and fled the scene. Christopher Schurr, 31, will stand trial for fatally shooting Patrick Lyoya, 26, during a traffic stop in April. He is pictured here in court on Friday Lyoya seemed to try to resist the officer before he was shot at point-blank range Video from the incident shows Lyoya trying to flee the scene after he failed to produce a driver's license Video from the incident shows Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stepping out of his car on a rainy street of Griggs and Nelson SE, seemingly confused and asking 'What did I do?' as the officer repeatedly asks for a driver's license and orders him to get back inside the vehicle. Lyoya apparently tries to physically resist Schurr when the officer yells at him to 'Drop the Taser' before shooting him at point-blank range. 'There is little doubt that Lyoya's death was caused by the gunshot wound to the head inflicted by defendant,' Judge Nicholas Ayoub wrote in his opinion Monday. 'The clear depiction of the incident in the video strongly infers that defendant knew he was pointing the gun and firing it at close range to Lyoya's head, which in turn, is sufficient to establish probable cause to conclude the defendant acted with malice. 'The only real debatable question here is whether defendant's actions were justified under the law,' he wrote. In his decision, Judge Nicholas Ayoub (pictured) called into question whether the shooting was justified under Michigan law He noted that Grand Rapids Police Capt. Chad McKersie 'offered an example of other tools and techniques that were available to defendant at the time of the incident' but still said Schurr followed protocol Lyoya's family has argued that Schurr, who is white, failed to de-escalate the situation after the 26-year-old black man failed to produce a license and fled the scene In his decision to move forward with a jury trial, Ayoub said Lyoya's 'homicide would be justified under the law "only if the defendant honestly and reasonably believes his life [was] in imminent danger, or that there [was] a threat of serious bodily harm and that it [was] necessary to exercise deadly force to prevent such harm to himself."' He noted that Capt. Chad McKersie, of the Grand Rapids Police Department, testified in court that 'it's not clear whether Patrick Lyoya was merely trying to get away or was prepared to offensively attack [the] defendant.' As a result, Ayoub called into question whether the shooting was justified under Michigan's 'fleeing felon rule,' which justifies the use of deadly force to prevent a felon from escaping arrest. Under the law, he said, deadly force is justified when evidence proves a felony actually occurred and the fleeing suspect against whom deadly force was used was the one who committed the felony and that the use of deadly force was 'necessary' to apprehend the suspect. But in his testimony, Ayoub writes, Capt. McKersie 'offered an example of other tools and techniques that were available to defendant at the time of the incident, including pepper spray, or the use of a flashlight, baton or radio to strike the suspect.' Still, McKersie believes the 'defendant followed his training policy based on the totality of the circumstances required.' 'There is at least some evidence from which a person of average intelligence could conclude that defendant's shooting of Lyoya in the back of the head was not reasonably necessary to prevent his escape,' the judge concluded. Schurr's body-camera footage showed he had pulled Lyoya over because he said license plates on his car didnt match the vehicle on April 4 Soon, Schurr grabbed Lyoya during the traffic stop, and the two grappled in front of several homes in the Michigan city Schurr has claimed he pulled Lyoya over on April 4 because he said the license plates on his car did not match the vehicle. The ensuing altercation was caught on video from the dashboard of the officer's squad car, from his body-worn camera and from a neighbor's surveillance camera shortly after. Footage from Schurr's body camera showed Lyoya stepping out of the car that rainy day and asking the officer what he was being pulled over for, as Schurr repeatedly asks him for his license. 'I'm stopping ya, do you have a license? Do you have a driver's license, do you speak English?' Schurr asks. Lyoya confirms in the video that he speaks English and opens the driver's side door as he speaks to his passenger. He then shuts his door, turns his back to the officer and appears to walk away. shoulder. Lyoya is seen pushing back against the officer and then starts running until the officer tackles him to the ground. He and the cop grapple in front of several homes while Lyoya's passenger got out and watched. The officer repeatedly orders Lyoya to 'let go' of his Taser, at one point demanding: 'Drop the Taser!' He eventually caught up to Lyoya, and could be heard yelling at Lyoya to let go of his taser in the final moments before he drew his gun and shot him. It remains unclear whether he actually handled the Taser Schurr's body-camera footage from the incident showed him pressing Lyoya's head to the ground in the moments before the shooting It is not clear from any of the videos if or when Lyoya tried to grab the cop's Taser, but the cop is heard yelling at him to let go of the device, which was deployed twice, but didn't strike anyone, officials said. At this point, the officer's body camera suddenly turns off. Police Chief Eric Winstrom explained that it takes pushing a button for three seconds to turn off the body camera and he thought the pressure from Lyoya's body caused the deactivation. But additional video footage from the neighbor's doorbell security system, the dashcam in the officers vehicle, and a bystanders cellphone capture different angles of the incident. Winstrom said the fight over the Taser lasted about 90 seconds. In the final moments, the officer was on top of Lyoya, kneeling on his back at times to subdue him. 'From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,' Winstrom told reporters. 'And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that's the only information that I have.' Audio from a neighborhood home surveillance camera also captured the sound of the officer shooting Lyoya in the back of the head. An autopsy later confirmed that Lyoya died from a single gunshot wound to the back of his head An autopsy later confirmed that Lyoya died from a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. In a report, Dr. Werner Spitz wrote that a large-caliber bullet traveled up and to the right side of his skull and lodged near his right temporal body, noting that there was 'extensive hemorrhaging' in the brain. Spitz also said he found fragmenting of the skull, which suggests that the unnamed police officer's gun was pressed against Lyoya's head when it was fired - noting that he was 'conscious and aware that a gun was being held to the back of his head' before he was fatally shot. Death occurred within a matter of seconds, Spitz said, telling reporters at the news conference that 'when the brain is injured in any way... within seconds, the entire brain will swell and death will follow.' He added that he had found no other injuries consistent with a struggle - in contrast with the Michigan police department's assertation that he fought back against the cop following the traffic stop. The Northern Ireland Secretary will hold face-to-face meetings with Northern Irish political leaders today as he seeks a way to break through a political Brexit impasse. Chris Heaton-Harris will visit Belfast tomorrow to see the leaders of Sinn Fein, the Democratic Unionist Party, Alliance and Ulster Unionist Party in a bid to avoid a Stormont election just before Christmas. Northern Ireland is facing a race against time to break the deadlock at Stormont after ministers warned they will have to trigger an election this week. The DUP has been refusing to take up the Deputy First Minister role due to the ongoing dispute over the post-Brexit protocol for the province. Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, both sides of the sectarian divide must agree to participate for powersharing to function. Mr Heaton-Harris had been expected announce a date for a poll last Friday - potentially December 15 - but held off to try to get an unlikely agreement. However Downing Street said it is 'not aware' of any plans for an update over the coming days. Asked if there will be an update from Mr Heaton-Harris with regard to the election, the PM's official spokesman said: 'I'm not aware of any plans for that during those visits. The rules are the date needs to be announced as soon as reasonably practicable. But I don't have an update for you.' Pressed on whether an election still has to go ahead even if an agreement is made in the coming days, he said: 'Our sole focus is on the obligations and legislations placed on the UK and restoring stable, accountable and locally elected devolved government in Northern Ireland.' Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is set to meet Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance leader Naomi Long and UUP leader Doug Beattie on Tuesday. Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill is set to become the First Minister if a power-sharing agreement can be resolved DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson insisted last week it is the fault of the UK government that devolved government in Northern Ireland is not functioning. The 24-week deadline for forming a functioning powersharing executive in Belfast following May's election ran out at midnight early on Friday. Once the deadline passed on Friday, the UK Government assumed a legal responsibility to call a fresh election within 12 weeks. Mr Heaton-Harris insisted on Friday he still intended to call an election but failed to set a date, prompting Northern Ireland's chief electoral officer, Virginia McVea, to apologise to election workers who are on standby to assist on the basis polling day will be December 15. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson insisted last week it is the fault of the UK government that devolved government in Northern Ireland is not functioning. 'We've had six months in which to do something about the protocol, and during those six months we have had three prime ministers, we have had the Government changed often and we haven't seen the progress that is needed,' he told BBC Radio Ulster. 'I think the Government would be within its rights to say, given that those six months have elapsed and progress hasn't been made, that we need a further period to sort this out, get a solution on the protocol that restores Northern Ireland's place within the UK internal market and that will see the institutions restored immediately.' But Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy dismissed the notion that the DUP tactic of refusing to form an executive was exerting any pressure on the Westminster government to act over the protocol. He told the BBC: 'The chaos and the infighting that is going on within the Tory government means their focus is entirely on themselves, and if there is a negotiation with the EU, that will take place because the British government want it to take place not because the DUP are punishing the people of the north by preventing them having their own institutions. 'The DUP action is harming only the people that they represent, and we all collectively represent, and is serving no purpose other than to do that.' Vladimir Putin's conscripts have been filmed drunkenly battering each other in an alcohol-fuelled brawl at a training barracks ahead of their deployment to the battlefields of Ukraine. An extraordinary leaked video shows the 'drunk' soldiers punching each other, with some ending up unconscious on the floor during the fight at the barracks in Yurga, Siberia. The video shows Putin's army intelligence and military police dragging the unconscious troops, who are from the 74th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, along the street and away from the bloody brawl. The footage tallies with reports of low morale and drunkenness among Russian recruits and speaks to wider problems faced by Putin's military - poor command, discipline and organisation - that have plagued its war effort so far. Vladimir Putin's conscripts have been filmed drunkenly battering each other in an alcohol-fuelled brawl at a training barracks ahead of their deployment to the battlefields of Ukraine An extraordinary leaked video shows the 'drunk' soldiers punching each other, with some ending up unconscious on the floor during the fight at the barracks in Yurga, Siberia. The footage shows Putin's army intelligence and military police dragging the unconscious troops, who are from the 74th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, along the street and away from the bloody brawl But the man then realised that military intelligence and police are involved, seeking to break up the fight. Some of the new recruits involved in the fight were held on the ground by the military police with their hands tied behind their backs A man, likely a Russian soldier, filming the brawl from a building overlooking the chaos, said: 'Mobilised men are fighting crowd on crowd. Look they are even dragging some of them to the fields. 'Some are jumping over here across a fence. This is a really tough fight. Those who pass out are dragged away.' He added: 'They are beating each other really, really hard. They are just crushing the guys. Some needs assistance, help.' But the man then realised that military intelligence and police are involved, seeking to break up the fight. Some of the new recruits involved in the fight were held on the ground by the military police with their hands tied behind their backs. He said: 'These guys are from intelligence. They are knocking down [the mobilised soldiers]. 'They are taking some of them away to the parade ground. 'Some of the [mobilised) are getting taped. This is what they are doing to the drunks.' The footage tallies with reports of low morale and drunkenness among Russian recruits and speaks to wider problems faced by Putin's military - poor command, discipline and organisation - that have plagued its war effort so far. Pictured: The barracks where the drunken brawl took place Separate footage shows how other 'drunk' conscripts from Putin's mobilisation drive are held in an iron cage. The soldiers - intended for Ukraine - are billeted at Kazan Expo International Exhibition Centre, normally a modern venue for congress and exhibition events. Colonel Vyacheslav Epifantsev refused to comment on why mobilised soldiers were held in the cage. But media reported it was for those who took to drink ahead of their posting to the frontline. There are complaints among Russian soldiers of equipment shortages, poor living conditions and scant training for new recruits. Separate footage shows how other 'drunk' conscripts from Putin's mobilisation drive are held in an iron cage Since Putin announced the mobilization of 300,000 Russians on September 21, independent media, human rights activists and those called up have painted a bleak picture of a haphazard and chaotic effort to round up as many men as possible and push them quickly to the front lines, regardless of skill, training and equipment. Conscription protests have been harshly put down, and tens of thousands of men fled Russia to neighbouring countries to avoid being pressed into service. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday acknowledged persisting problems with equipment for the draftees, but 'vigorous measures taken to rectify the situation are already yielding the first positive results.' He said regional authorities are involved in providing 'the missing gear,' and now Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov 'is personally responsible for this' in a coordination council Putin has created. Russian media reported multiple deaths of reservists in Ukraine, with their relatives telling news outlets that they had received very little training. Ukrainian soldiers inspect a damaged Russian tank near the recently retaken village of Kamianka, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on Sunday When asked by a reporter why several reservists had died in Ukraine only three weeks after being called up, Putin confirmed that training could last as few as 10 days and as many as 25. Military analyst Pavel Luzin said Russia isn't able to train hundreds of thousands of men. 'The army was not ready for mobilization. It never prepared for it,' he said. Putin has promised to finish the mobilization drive by November, when the regular fall draft is scheduled. Military experts and rights groups say enlistment offices and training camps can't process both at the same time, warning that the call-up may resume months later. As of mid-October, 222,000 reservists have been recruited, Putin said. Whether it will be possible to enlist another 80,000 in the remaining two weeks is unclear. To try to broaden the pool, the Russian parliament on Wednesday lifted a ban on mobilizing men who have been convicted of a grave criminal offense and who have been released from prison but whose convictions are still on the books. Jerry Lee Lewis ex-wife revealed that her father chased her new husband down with a gun when he learned when the rocker had eloped with his daughter when she was just 13 years old. In an interview given the day after Lewis death, 78-year-old Myra Williams recalled how news of their controversial marriage derailed the singers career for years. She also recounted how she 'took care of everything' during her 13-year marriage to Lewis, who was also her first cousin once removed and nine years her senior. Lewis, one of rock and roll's earliest pioneers, died at 87 years old on Friday. He soared to fame alongside stars like Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash with hits like Great Balls of Fire and Live at the Star Club, Hamburg. But his ascent up the charts ground to a halt when news of his marriage to Williams broke a year after their 1957 nuptials. As Lewis was lambasted in the press, his label - the famous Sun Records - stopped promoting him and tour dates dried up for a period. 'I was the bad thing in his life,' Williams said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, recalling how she and Lewis were harshly judged by the public. The couple divorced in 1970 over 'adultery and abuse' as Lewis became mired in drug addiction. Myra Williams, 78, recalled how she 'took care of everything' during her 13-year marriage to Jerry Lee Lewis. The rock star was also her first cousin once removed and nine years her senior Lewis and Myra Williams on their wedding day in 1957. Lewis was 22 at the time and Williams was 13 'I was the bad thing in his life,' Williams said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, recalling how she and Lewis were harshly judged by the public. The couple divorced in 1970 Myra Williams, now 78, recalled in a recent interview how despite being just 13 when she married Lewis, she felt like the adult in their marriage Williams said that though she was characterized as a 'child bride' when news of her marriage to Lewis broke, inside their relationship things were quite the opposite. 'I was called the child bride, but I was the adult and Jerry was the child,' she told the LA Times. 'When I look back on it, how can you defend yourself when you're 13 years old? I mean there's no excuse good enough for that to be OK.' She said that the moment she became a wife she assumed all the responsibilities in the marriage. 'I didn't miss a beat. I took care of everything,' she said. Williams bought a house for the family while Lewis was away on tour, and also bought a red Cadillac convertible he requested she pick up. 'I mean, I didn't even have a driver's license,' Williams said, recalling how she ran the family's finances. 'I did all the work and made all the decisions and did all the running and taking care of business and that kind of stuff.' 'One time I went to the bank with a big sack of money to deposit it... and the teller said to me, 'Myra, there's a policeman sitting there outside in his car and he followed you here. So when you get ready to leave, I'll drive you home.' Williams said that though she was characterized as a 'child bride' when news of her marriage to Lewis broke, inside their relationship things were quite the opposite Williams bought a house for the family while Lewis was away on tour, and also bought a red Cadillac convertible he requested she pick up Williams recalled to the LA Times how her father invited Lewis - his cousin - to stay at their home in Memphis, Tennessee so he could record at Sun Records. Although Lewis was still married to his second wife at the time, Williams said the two fell in love and eloped. She said when her father found out about the marriage 'he got his gun.' 'That was not a happy moment. Daddy felt very betrayed by that. I was his 13-year-old little girl.' Williams told how her father chased Lewis to Sun Records, but producer Sam Phillips had already told Lewis to flee. She said Phillips calmed her father, and that when Lewis returned to town he told him 'You better be good to my girl.' 'There was just no choice. I mean, killing Jerry was not an option. It was his first thought, but it wasn't an option,' Williams said. Myra Williams in a photo posted in 2015. She is 78-years-old today. She and Lewis divorced in 1970 Jerry Lee Lewis pictured in the final photo taken of him before his death alongside fellow music legend Kris Kristofferson A year into their marriage Williams had their first child at 14-years-old. The boy died three years later in a drowning accident when Williams was just 17. By 19 she had a second child. She said in the early years of their marriage things were great and that she and Lewis often clowned around their house together. But when Lewis began using drugs and alcohol regularly, his personality began to change. 'His personality just became mean. And nasty. It was like a whole different man. Just bad, you know?' she told the LA Times. Despite the burdens she faced at such a young age, Williams said her time with Lewis gave her a 'strength' she carried with her throughout her life. 'Yes, it was turbulent as a teenager to be a wife and mother,' she said. 'But in going through it, I've found my strength. And there's almost nothing that can knock me off my block at this point.' The Supreme Court's conservative supermajority heaped skepticism on affirmative action-based college admissions policies on Monday in yet another case that could see the high court overturn its own precedent. A pair of legal challenges targeting race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina are part of another politically-charged docket for justices this year. Trump-appointed Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested race-based admissions policies are 'potentially dangerous' while longtime Justice Clarence Thomas claimed to not 'have a clue' of what diversity means during the tense hearing. Conservative activists are claiming that the 14th Amendment, which ended slavery and guaranteed all Americans equal protection under the law, means that governments and other such institutions cannot enact race-based policies - even if they aid people who have suffered from discrimination. It comes after the court's last term saw it overturn federal abortion protections granted in Roe v. Wade and deem New York's strict conceal carry gun laws unconstitutional, both of which have angered Democratic officials and voters. On Monday, the Supreme Court heard the UNC case first. Both were brought by a group founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum. The universities have said they use race as only one factor in a host of individualized evaluations for admission without quotas - permissible under Supreme Court precedents - and that curbing the consideration of race would result in a significant drop in the number of students from under-represented groups. The Supreme Court's six conservative justices appeared poised to agree with an anti-affirmative action group asking them to overturn prior rulings that greenlit race-conscious admissions policies A diverse school body is also prized by most college and universities as a more enriching educational experience for all involved. But Kavanaugh told the lawyer defending UNC's policy that 'these racial classifications are potentially dangerous and must have a logical end point.' 'When is your sunset? When does this end?' conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked about UNC's consideration of race in admissions. Thomas, one of two Black members of the court, said, 'I've heard the word diversity quite a few times, and I don't have a clue what it means.' 'I didn't go to racially diverse schools but there were educational benefits,' Thomas added. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts said that if schools no longer are permitted to solicit applicants' race through 'checking a box' on an admissions application as they now can, 'maybe there'd be an incentive for a university to, in fact, pursue race-neutral alternatives.' The court as recently as 2016 upheld a race-conscious admissions policy in a case involving the University of Texas, but it has shifted rightward since then. But only the court's three liberal justices appeared sympathetic to the schools' cause on Monday. Activists demonstrate as the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on a pair of cases that could decide the future of affirmative action in college admissions, in Washington, Monday, Oct. 31 One case comes from University of North Carolina, while another is against Harvard University (pictured: Supreme Court Police hand out tickets to members of the public to attend oral arguments on Monday) One heated exchange prompted Obama-appointed Justice Elena Kagan to suggest a conservative colleague was splitting hairs when he attempted to paint a scenario illustrating a case where some kind of 'affirmative action' would still be legal. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito asked whether if schools are barred from considering race they could still consider, in the theoretical case of an immigrant from Africa now living in a predominately white area in North Carolina, an essay that describes having to deal with 'huge cultural differences.' Blum-linked lawyer Patrick Strawbridge said such an applicant could do so 'because the preference in that case is not being based upon the race.' Kagan pushed back on that scenario, saying it was 'slicing the baloney awfully thin' because 'race is part of the culture.' The suits were filed separately against the two schools in 2014. Newly-minted Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (right), only participated in the UNC case because she previously agreed to recuse herself from Harvard's One accused Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The other accused UNC violating the 14th Amendment. Blum's group has argued that the Constitution requires colorblind admissions. 'The assumption that race necessarily informs something about anyone's qualifications is antithetical to this court's precedents and to our Constitution,' Strawbridge told the justices. New Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first black woman to serve on the court, grilled Strawbridge about his definition of race-based admissions. Jackson only participated in the UNC case, having previously agreed to recuse herself from Harvard's. 'You keep saying that you object to the use of race standing alone' in deciding which applicants to admit, Jackson, told Strawbridge. 'But as I read the record and understand their process, it's never standing alone, that it's in the context of all of the other factors - there are 40 factors about all sorts of things that the admissions office is looking at. And you haven't demonstrated or shown one situation in which all they look at is race.' Strawbridge asked the Supreme Court to overturn a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that held that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process because of the compelling interest of creating a diverse student body. The Supreme Court first upheld affirmative action in college admissions in a 1978 ruling that held that actions to achieve diversity were permissible but racial quotas were not. Terry, of Tennessee, was 37 years old when she was killed nearly 50 years ago The 'Lady of the Dunes' has been identified nearly 50 years after the woman's mutilated remains were found on the Cape Cod National Seashore, a breakthrough in a case that has stumped authorities for decades. She was the oldest, unidentified homicide victim in Massachusetts. Until now. Officials used investigative genealogy to identify the woman as Ruth Marie Terry of Tennessee, the FBI announced Monday. Terry, who was 37 when she was killed, was found in the dunes in Provincetown in July 1974. She was naked on a beach blanket with her hands severed - so she could not be identified by her fingerprints, officials believe. Her skull was crushed and she was nearly decapitated. The cause of death was determined to be a blow to the head and authorities believe she was killed several weeks before her body was found. Authorities hope the woman's identity may help unravel one of Massachusetts' most famous unsolved murders and finally identify her killer. Officials used investigative genealogy to identify the 'Lady of the Dunes' murder victim, whose body was found on the Cape Cod National Seashore in 1974, as Ruth Marie Terry of Tennessee A composite of what it was believed Lady of the Dunes looked like before she was identified Authorities identified Terry through investigative genealogy, the use of DNA analysis in combination with traditional genealogy research and historical records 'Today's identification of the Lady of the Dunes is not the end of the case, or even the beginning of the end,' State Police Colonel Christopher Mason said during a press conference on Monday. 'But this achievement does mark an important milestone towards identifying Ruth's killer. It represents a critical discovery that makes possible the rest of the work that lies ahead.' The news was delivered to her family Monday morning, according to Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston division. 'This is, without a doubt, a major break in the investigation that will hopefully bring all of us closer to identifying the killer,' Bonavolonta said. Officials released few details about Terry except to say that she was a daughter, sister, aunt, wife and mother and had ties to California, Massachusetts and Michigan. 'Today, over 48 years after her murder and discovery, we can finally say her name,' Mason added. 'We know Ruth had family and friends who loved her. And we are aware that this development has not been an easy one for them.' Authorities identified her through investigative genealogy, the use of DNA analysis in combination with traditional genealogy research and historical records. The techniques mirrored those used by California investigators to identify a serial killer known as the Golden State Killer, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said Monday. Terry's nude body was found on July 26, 1974 by a 13-year-old girl walking her dog who stumbled upon the horrific scene in the dunes about a mile east of the Race Point Ranger Station in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She was lying on a beach blanket with her nearly severed head and crushed skull resting on her folded jeans. Her hands were missing, having been severed, with investigators believing the killer removed them so she could not be identified through fingerprints. Terry's long, reddish-brown hair was held back with a barrette and she had seven gold crowns on her teeth, worth about $5,000 to $8,000 at the time. She had been sexually molested with a wooden object, apparently after her death, The Boston Globe reported. Terry's nude body was found on July 26, 1974 by a 13-year-old girl walking her dog who stumbled upon the horrific scene in the dunes in Provincetown, Massachusetts Terry is pictured here in the 1960s, years before she was killed and left in the dunes There was no sign of a struggle, no murder weapon left behind and her body was in poor condition because of the heat, which left investigators with few clues. Terry's cause of death was determined to be a blow to the head and believed to have occurred several weeks prior. But for 48 years, the identity of the woman has baffled investigators. Authorities for decades tried to identify her and her killer by exhuming her remains, performing clay model facial reconstruction, and releasing age-regression drawings of her face. Investigators had long said she had long red or auburn hair and that they believed she was somewhere between 20 to 40 years old. In 1980, the body was exhumed from the burial plot at a church cemetery for blood samples and exhumed again 20 years later for DNA sampling. A clay model of the woman's head was created and age-regression drawings were done in 2006. After being exhumed in 2000, she was reburied at St. Peter's Cemetery in Provincetown with a headstone that read: 'Unidentified Female Body Found Race Point Dunes July 26, 1974.' The FBI released a new posted on Monday with pictures of Terry and are asking anyone with information about the case to contact authorities And in 2019, prosecutors were examining a new method for the use of DNA evidence and genealogy to generate leads in cold criminal cases on Cape Cod and the Islands and the 'Lady of the Dunes' was one of two cases, officials said. 'Now that we have reached this pivotal point, investigators and analysts will turn their attention to conducting logical investigative steps that include learning more about her as well as working to identify who is responsible for her murder,' Bonavolonta said. The FBI released a new posted on Monday with pictures of Terry and are asking anyone with information about the case to contact authorities. 'Now, almost half a century since her own voice was silenced in the most horrible of ways, we focus our work entirely on determining what Ruth Marie Terry did in life, on what led her to the eastern most point of our state to the dunes of Provincetown, and to who did this to her,' Mason said Monday. An alcohol taskforce cop got drunk in a Swiss police station and shot a colleague in the foot, authorities said on Monday. The intoxicated officer fired his gun seven times inside the taskforce office's last Friday, a spokesman for the Geneva judiciary confirmed. Five of the man's colleagues were there including 'one who was hit in the foot and had to undergo surgery,' he said. The intoxicated officer fired his gun seven times inside the taskforce office's last Friday, a spokesman for the Geneva judiciary confirmed (file image of Swiss policemen on a Geneva Street; there is no suggestion that those pictured are involved in the alleged incident) The officer was questioned by Geneva's top prosecutor and stands accused of endangerment and causing bodily harm through negligence. He has also been accused of resisting efforts to establish his 'capacity to drive'. The authorities, who did not provide details on what the man's blood-alcohol level had been at the time, said the investigation was ongoing. Mrs Braverman prompts new row by describing Channel migrant crisis as an 'invasion' on South Coast Advertisement Suella Braverman tonight claimed Britain's asylum system is 'broken' and illegal migration is 'out of control' amid an 'invasion' on the South Coast. The Home Secretary delivered a stark assessment to the House of Commons of her department's failings as she battles to save her job. Mrs Braverman is fighting for survival on two fronts as she faces a row about overcrowding at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent. She is also contending with a continuing controversy over security breaches following her use of a personal email address to send official documents. The Home Secretary initially resigned over that row but was reappointed just six days later by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He has seen criticism of his rehiring of Mrs Braverman - as well as a focus on her record at the Home Office - overshadow his first few days in No10. Mrs Braverman tonight suggested she was the victim of a 'political witch-hunt' as she attempts to survive the double scandal. More than 4,000 people are claimed to be on the Manston site, which is designed to accommodate only 1,600, with concerns the 'inhumane' conditions are leading to a risk of fire, disorder and infection. Mrs Braverman tonight cautioned MPs against using 'inflammatory language' in relation to the severity of the situation at Manston, although she admitted it was 'indisputably concerning'. But the Home Secretary attracted condemnation for her own comments when she referred to the Channel migrant crisis as an 'invasion'. Furious MPs accused her of 'inflaming hate' and highlighted how her remarks came just a day after petrol bombs were thrown at another Home Office facility in Kent. Mrs Braverman began a statement to the Commons tonight by providing an update on the 'shocking' incident at Dover's Western Jet Foil yesterday. She told MPs that 'two to three incendiary devices' were thrown at a Border Force immigration centre. 'The suspect was identified, quickly located at a nearby petrol station and confirmed dead,' she said. 'The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit attended to ensure there were no further threats. Kent Police are not currently treating this as a terrorist incident.' The embattled Home Secretary also gave her wider assessment of the Channel migrant crisis, which has seen 40,000 people arrive on the South Coast already this year. 'We need to be straight with the public. The system is broken. Illegal migration is out of control,' Mrs Braverman told MPs. She suggested only the Tories were 'serious about stopping the invasion on our southern coast'. 'Some 40,000 people have arrived on the South Coast this year alone,' the Home Secretay added. 'Many of them facilitated by criminal gangs, some of them actual members of criminal gangs. So lets stop pretending that they are all refugees in distress. The whole country knows that is not true.' The Home Secretary Suella Braverman delivered a stark assessment to the House of Commons of her department's failings as she battles to save her job Aerial photos show large tents that have been set up at Manston, a migrant processing centre in Kent that is said to be heavily overcrowded Migrants and staff could be seen milling around in the field outside the large tents More than 4,000 people are claimed to be on the Manston site, which is designed to accommodate only 1,600, with concerns the 'inhumane' conditions are leading to a risk of fire, disorder and infection A man walks near a shower area inside the processing centre in Manston, Kent A woman waves at the camera from behind a green tarpaulin covering a wire fence at a migrant processing centre in Manston, Kent A man holds up a baby inside an immigration processing centre in Manston, where conditions have been criticised by MPs Mrs Braverman's reference to an 'invasion' on England's southern coast was swiftly condemned by opposition MPs. 'Disgusted' Labour MP Zarah Sultana accused the Home Secretary of using language that 'whips up hate and spreads division'. Fellow Labour backbencher Kim Johnson posted on Twitter: 'The Government needs to stop inflaming hate.' Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael, the party's home affairs spokesperson, said: 'If the asylum system is broken it is because the Conservatives have broken it. 'This scandal-ridden Home Secretary has no credibility left. These refugees are not an invasion, they are people who want to build a life for themselves and their families, contribute to our society and our economy, and support themselves instead of relying on handouts.' The Home Secretary has come under pressure over the situation at Manston following reports she failed to act on legal advice that migrants were being detained for unlawfully long periods at the site. She was also alleged to have blocked the transfer of thousands of migrants to hotels this summer, which was claimed to have directly led to overcrowding and outbreaks of scabies and diptheria. In her statement to the Commons, Mrs Braverman denied blocking migrants from staying in hotels and insisted she had 'never ignored legal advice' in relation to accommodation for asylum seekers. 'To be clear, like the majority of the British people I am very concerned about hotels but I have never blocked their usage,' the Home Secretary said. 'Indeed since I took over 12,000 people have arrived, 9,500 people have been transferred out of Manston or Western Jet Foil, many of them into hotels. 'And I have never ignored legal advice, as a former attorney general I know the importance of taking legal advice into account.' Mrs Braverman outlined how it costs taxpayers 6.8million a day to fund hotel accommodation for migrants and asylum seekers. 'Let me set out to the House the situation that I found when I arrived as Home Secretary in September at the Home Office,' she said. 'I was appalled to learn there were over 35,000 migrants staying in hotel accommodation around the country at exorbitant cost to the taxpayer. 'I instigated an urgent review. I pushed officials to identify accommodation options which would be more cost-effective and delivered swiftly while meeting our legal obligations to migrants.' Migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats arrive at the Dover centre before being taken to the Manston facility for processing Migrants picutred at the Western Jet Foil processing centre in Dover on Sunday Mrs Braverman faced a grilling from her own Tory benches amid the 'crisis' at Manston. Veteran Conservative backbencher Sir Roger Gale, the MP for North Thanet - the Kent constituency where the Manston site is located, claimed the facility had been operating 'absolutely magnificently' and 'very efficiently' until five weeks ago. 'Im afraid the Home Secretary took the policy decision not to commission further accommodation and it is that, that has led to the crisis at Manston,' he said. Sir Roger urged Mrs Braverman to offer assurances that the Manston processing facility won't become 'a permanent refugee camp'. The Home Secretary replied: 'On no occasion have I blocked the procurement of hotels or alternative accommodation to ease the pressure on Manston, Im afraid that simply isnt true.' Labour's Rachel Maskell said conditions at Manston were 'clearly unsafe and inhumane'. 'We know obviously the suffering that people have experienced there, after 12 years of shameful watch of this Government,' she added. In her reply, Mrs Braverman urged MPs not to 'create alarm unnecessarily', adding: 'So when she talks about the language that she uses, I do gently urge her not to use inflammatory language.' As the Home Secretary vowed to crack down on the Channel migrant crisis - including by pushing ahead with a scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda - she issued a warning to those making perilous journeys to Britain from mainland Europe on small boats. 'People coming here illegally from safe countries are not welcome and should not expect to stay,' she said. Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper quizzed Mrs Braverman over whether she had been warned she was 'acting outside the law' by failing to provide alternative accommodation for those at Manston. She claimed ignoring legal advice would have seen the Home Secretary breach the ministerial code - something Mrs Braverman has already admitted to in her use of a private email address to send official documents. Ms Cooper asked: 'Given that its been less than a week since she was reappointed and less than a fortnight since she was first forced to resign for breaching the ministerial code. 'And every day since her reappointment there have been more stories about possible security or ministerial code breaches. 'How is anybody supposed to have confidence in her given the serious responsibilities of the Home Secretary to stand up for our national security, for security standards and for public safety?' In response, Mrs Braverman reiterated that she had made 'an error of judgement' in her use of a private email address and had 'apologised for that error'. 'I took responsibility for it and I resigned,' she added. Earlier today, the Home Secretary had attempted to draw a line under the row over how she handled official documents by penning a letter to the Commons' Home Affairs Select Committee. Prior to her reapppointment by Mr Sunak, she had been forced to resign earlier this month after it was revealed she emailed Cabinet papers to her private Gmail account and then on to senior Tory backbencher Sir John Hayes as well as, mistakenly, an assistant to another Conservative MP. In her letter to the committee today, Mrs Braverman disclosed that a review by officials had identified six more occasions when she forwarded documents to her personal email. However, Ms Braverman argued that none of the material had been secret or damaging, and her actions had been 'reasonable'. She wrote: 'The review also identified that within the period between 6th September and 19th October, I had sent official documents from my Government email to my personal email address on six occasions... 'The review confirmed that all of these occasions occurred in circumstances when I was conducting Home Office meetings virtually or related to public lines to take in interviews.' She added that when Mr Sunak brought her back she gave him assurances she will not use personal IT for government business again. 'I hold myself as Home Secretary to the highest possible standards and I am glad to be able to serve again,' Ms Braverman said. 'I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his ongoing confidence following my reappointment.' Mrs Braverman was put under fresh pressure over the Channel migrant crisis and security breaches today In a letter to MPs, the Home Secretary revealed she had sent more official documents to her personal email address The latest details emerged amid a wider government security row, after news that Ms Truss's mobile phone was hacked by suspected Russian spies when she was Foreign Secretary. Discussing the six occasions when she sent documents to her private email, Ms Braverman said: 'As I was joining the Home Office meetings virtually and occasionally while in transit via MS Teams and where I would be looking into the camera and visible on screen on my Government-issued phone, I was therefore of course unable to simultaneously read the necessary official documents on the same screen of the same mobile device. 'It was not possible to use a single device to conduct the meetings and read the documents at the same time. 'Therefore, I had occasionally and exceptionally emailed them to my personal email account so that I could read the documents in order to conduct essential Government business. 'In all of these incidents, it was more practicable to use my personal phone to read the documents and was within permitted use; such use of my personal IT was reasonable and carried out in the public interest in order to enable me to do my job. 'None of the documents in question concerned national security, intelligence agency or cyber security matters and did not pose any risk to national security. None of the documents were classified as SECRET or TOP SECRET. 'I only used my personal email in instances where I judged it reasonable, given the circumstances. In accordance with the Guidance, as noted above, it was not reasonably possible to act otherwise. 'I have discussed those instances with my Permanent Secretary and he acknowledges and accepts my explanations. 'The review also confirmed that I had never used my Government email to send any information to external recipients outside of Government. Other than 19th October, I have not used my personal email account to send official Home Office documents to other people outside of government. 'There is no other person who has access to my personal email account.' Spelling out the promises she had made to the PM, Ms Braverman said: 'In my appointment discussion with the new Prime Minister, I assured him that I would no longer use personal IT for Government business. 'I have requested briefing and guidance by security experts on what constitutes appropriate use of Government and personal IT. I have now received this briefing. 'This fulsome and detailed security briefing by officials was supplementary to the briefing by officials when I was first appointed as Home Secretary at the beginning of September. My Ministerial team and those who work with me closely will all receive the same training.' This morning, Sir Roger referred to decisions over the Manston facility as a 'car crash'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'There are simply far too many people and this situation should never have been allowed to develop, and I'm not sure that it hasn't almost been developed deliberately.' The Tory MP said he understood that a decision was taken not to book additional hotel space. 'That's like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then there's a car crash, and then suddenly there's a five mile tailback,' he said. 'The car crash was the decision not to book more hotel space.' Sources close to Mrs Braverman's predecessor, Priti Patel, today distanced themselves from the problems at Manston and argued overcrowding was not as bad before. 'Priti was signing off hotels in the summer - despite how unpalatable it was politically - because it's the right thing to do,' one source said. Downing Street defended the Government's management of the asylum system. Asked when Mr Sunak was going to get a grip on the situation in the Channel, the PM's official spokesman said: 'I think all ministers involved have been clear that this is a very difficult, longstanding problem. 'We do have a package of measures, everything from the Rwanda deal down to what we are doing stopping around 28,000 crossings with French colleagues, and changing the laws to make it easier to crack down on the criminal gangs that are exploiting people. 'There is no silver bullet to this. We do want to proceed with the Rwanda policy, which we believe will have a significant deterrent effect. But there is a great deal of work that needs to be done across the board before we make further progress.' Sir James Dyson's bid to sue Channel 4 has been thrown out after a High Court judge ruled that a documentary exposing alleged exploitation of workers at a factory in Malaysia did not defame him. The technology tycoon, Britains second richest man, sued Channel 4 News and Independent Television News (ITN) for libel following the broadcast on February 10. The documentary reported on conditions at a factory run by ATA which helped make Dysons high-end vacuum-cleaners and air filters. It is estimated to have been seen by millions of viewers, and featured interviews with workers at ATA Industrial, who said they faced abuse and inhuman conditions while at the factory and were paid only 9 a day. Sir James claimed the broadcast falsely said he and companies Dyson Technology and Dyson Limited were complicit. But in a judgment today, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed his libel claim. Sir James Dyson's bid to sue Channel 4 has been thrown out after a High Court judge after it was ruled a documentary did not defame him Workers said they faced abuse and inhuman conditions while at the factory and were paid only 9 a day The judge said: 'The broadcast is simply not about him, and no ordinary reasonable viewer could conclude that he was being in any way criticised. The allegations in the broadcast were clearly targeted, but the targets do not include the first claimant [Sir James]. 'Only a reader that was hopelessly naive about the way in which global companies like Dyson operate could consider that a single person, its founder, had day-to-day management responsibility for what happened in a manufacturing plant that supplied its products.' Mr Justice Nicklin had been asked to decide several issues in the claim, including whether the programme defamed Sir James and the two companies. Hugh Tomlinson KC, for Sir James and the companies, previously told the court the broadcast had targeted Dyson meaning Sir James and Dyson companies. However, Adam Wolanski KC, for Channel 4 and ITN, had argued that the broadcast did not defame Sir James or even refer to the two companies. And Mr Justice Nicklin found that while Sir James was named and pictured in the programme, the entrepreneur was not defamed. His claim was dismissed. The judge was also asked to decide whether the two Dyson companies also suing were referred to in the broadcast. He found the two 'candidates' identified by the broadcast would be the company trading with ATA and the company involved in the so-called 'PR operation' which responded to the claims becoming public knowledge. He said that if Dyson Technology Limited and Dyson Limited were not those companies referred to, they would not be able to continue the libel claim either. Sir James (pictured) claimed the broadcast falsely said he and companies Dyson Technology and Dyson Limited were complicit, but his claim was thrown out today 'It may be possible for Dyson to put forward a revised claim on behalf of the current corporate claimants, or for claims to be brought by other companies in the Dyson group', Mr Justice Nicklin said. He added that he had not reached any concluded view on the meaning of the programme in relation to the two companies. Following the ruling today, Dyson said it maintains the broadcast made 'misleading and defamatory allegations' against the companies. A spokesperson said: In February 2022 Channel 4 News broadcast a report about a manufacturer in Malaysia called ATA, with whom Dyson terminated its contract in November 2021, in which they also made false and defamatory allegations against Dyson. The judgment today is on a number of preliminary technical issues regarding how the case will proceed. The judgement concludes that the allegations centre on ATA and are not defamatory in respect of Sir James Dyson. We do, however, maintain that the broadcast made misleading and defamatory allegations against the Dyson companies. Pictures of two American victims of Saturday's crowd crush in Itaewon are taped at a memorial space in Itaewon, Monday. Keith Yi, a Korean American volunteered to put up the pictures upon the requests of the victims' friends via social media. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Lee Hae-rin An Iranian man stood in dismay in front of a memorial altar set up at Itaewon Station, just a few meters away from where a deadly crowd crush killed at least 154 people and injured hundreds of others on Saturday night, while many others still remain unaccounted for. He was there to pay condolences to his deceased Iranian friends. "I knew four of them (five Iranians were found dead from the incident)," he told The Korea Times, Monday, on condition of anonymity. "And then we had to wait many, many hours to know about our friends. Are they alive? Where are they?" He said he could only learn the whereabouts of all four of them on Sunday around 3 p.m., after 10 hours of nail-biting, painful waiting. "Some Korean friends helped us to find their names (on the list of casualties) and contacted hospitals. Very gradually, we found that four are dead," he said, still unable to believe his friends are gone. Maram Ben Hamouda, 20-year-old French student at Hanyang University, also came to pay condolences to her deceased friends at the memorial site. She hadn't heard from them since losing them in the crowd on Saturday night and learned about their deaths Monday morning during Korean class. Foreign mourners place white flowers to pay condolences at a memorial site set up at Itaewon Station in central Seoul, for the victims of Saturday's deadly crowd crush that killed 154 people, including 26 foreign nationals. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A decorated naval captain has been removed from his post for allegedly bombarding a female sailor under his command with 'suggestive messages'. Commander Tom Knott MBE is said to have sent 'amorous and inappropriate texts' to a junior member of his ship's company and was removed as captain of HMS Trent over the weekend. It comes as the First Sea Lord launched an urgent investigation last week after the Mail exposed widespread allegations of abuse, misogyny and sexual harassment in the Royal Navy. Commander Knott, 39, was said to have bombarded a female member of his crew with the messages after an alcohol fuelled night out at a foreign port with his ship's company. Commander Tom Knott MBE has been removed from his post over the weekend Commander Tom Knott MBE is said to have sent 'amorous and inappropriate texts' to a junior member of his ship's company. File image of HMS Trent The captain was swiftly removed from the warship which carries out Nato duties in the Mediterranean as part of a counter-terrorism mission in the region. A Royal Navy source told Mail Plus: 'Command and alcohol doesn't mix one too many in this case resulted in totally unacceptable behaviour. 'It made his positon completely untenable and was in contravention with the code of social conduct.' The previously celebrated captain is now the subject of a wider investigation which will which will determine his future employability in the navy. The former commander was awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List in 2013 for defending Gibraltar's territorial waters. He was also presented with the Long Service and Good Conduct medal in 2019 which is awarded in recognition for 15 years of 'exemplary service'. The Royal Navy is thought to be moving quickly to stamp out bad behaviour after a number of whistle-blowers exposed allegations of abuse in the Mail last week. 'Of course, one case is one too many but we would like to think we are turning a corner,' the Navy source added. A number of women including former lieutenant Sophie Brook have spoken out to expose the mistreatment of women including allegations of serious sexual assaults in the Submarine Service. A number of women including former lieutenant Sophie Brook (pictured) have spoken out to expose the mistreatment of women including allegations of serious sexual assaults in the Submarine Service Now a former officer has come forward to expose a similar culture on the surface fleet. The latest whistle-blower said that women on the Navy's ships were subjected to sexual harassment on a daily basis which included having their underwear stolen and being asked for sexual favours. Last week Admiral Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, said an investigation had been launched. 'I am deeply disturbed to hear of allegations of inappropriate behaviour in the Submarine Service and I want to reassure our people, and anyone who is reading this, that any activity which falls short of the highest of standards the Royal Navy sets itself is totally unacceptable and not a true reflection of what Service Life should be,' he said. 'These allegations are abhorrent. Sexual assault and harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated. 'I have directed my senior team to investigate these allegations thoroughly. Anyone who is found culpable will be held accountable for their actions regardless of their rank or status.' Knott declined to comment because the investigation is continuing. A medical practice manager who stole 155,000 from her employer while having an affair with one of the doctors has been jailed for 18 months. Jacqueline Rodger, 55, had a secret relationship with Dr Iain Hathorn while she was working at the Greenhills Medical Practice in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire. They had been having regular trysts since 2011 but the illicit affair ended when Rodger got married. The relationship was revealed after an investigation was launched into cash problems at the practice. Jacqueline Rodger (pictured), 55, had a secret relationship with Dr Iain Hathorn while she was working at the Greenhills Medical Practice in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire The probe led to a confession from Hathorn who admitted having a 'proper sexual affair' with Rodger. Police dismissed allegations that she was forced into the relationship. After the affair became public, Rodger, who claimed to have taken the money due to stress, told Hathorn by text message: 'Iain, it's Jacqueline. It was me that did it. I'm so sorry, so ashamed. You're all such lovely people.' A message sent to another doctor at the surgery said: 'I am so sorry and ashamed of what I have done. You were all so good to me, I deserve everything that's coming my way.' The investigation showed Rodger, who had worked at the centre since 2008, had been moving money to her own account disguised as dozens of bogus payments to locum doctors and office supply firms. Rodger, of East Kilbride, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where she admitted embezzling 155,012.71 between April 2014 and February 2018 Rodger, of East Kilbride, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where she admitted embezzling 155,012.71 between April 2014 and February 2018. Sheriff Martin Jones KC said there was no alternative to prison. Rodger had originally been accused of pocketing 224,375.39 but prosecutors accepted her guilty plea to the lesser amount. The court was told the medical centre was forced to close after the money was stolen. Speaking after the hearing, the former partners of Greenhills Medical Practice said: 'We are absolutely delighted with the sentence and feel justice has been done. 'She was a trusted colleague who we regarded as a friend and we just feel totally betrayed. 'The practice dissolved after this and all of our patients had to go elsewhere which is a real shame for them, some had been with us for 25 years and if she hadn't taken the money we would have taken on another partner because we were just so busy. 'There hasn't been any remorse from her or any attempt to pay the money back.' Depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham earlier told the court how Hathorn was removed from the fraud investigation after he admitted his affair with the prime suspect. She said: 'Dr Hathorn explained the affair started in 2011 and described himself and the accused as being engaged in a 'proper sexual affair' that ended once she got married.' The prosecutor added: 'As a result of this investigation and the actions of the accused, the Greenhills partners decided to cease their contract with the NHS and, as of 31st October 2018, Greenhills Medical Practice ceased to exist.' Rodger has also launched civil proceedings against the medical practice for unfair dismissal and sexual harassment. Kevin Corr, defending, said: 'The seriousness of this offence is not lost on Miss Rodger. 'She is terrified about going into custody.' Sheriff Jones said: 'You have pled guilty to a very serious offence and embezzled 155,000 from the medical centre where you were employed as a trusted manager who was supposed to look after these funds. 'Your culpability in this is high and the harm you caused was significant and I do not consider a community based disposal would reflect the gravity of this offence.' The sheriff reduced the sentence from 21 months because of her guilty plea. NHS Lanarkshire declined to comment. The owner of a restaurant where James Corden allegedly screamed at staff over a botched omelet has reignited his feud with the phony British star. Keith McNally, owner of the luxury Balthazar restaurant in New York City, said talkshow comic Corden will say anything to save his bacon. McNally was reacting to recently-revealed text messages Corden sent to a journalist which said he never screamed at anyone after an omelet served to his wife was supposedly cooked incorrectly. It had appeared the pair buried the hatchet after Corden apologized on The Late Late Show and McNally lifted his ban on Corden visiting the restaurant. McNally claimed Corden's messages to a journalist claiming he didn't shout were 'a massive lie' McNally, owner of celeb favorite Balthazar, used this photo of Corden for his Instagram post McNally said recently-revealed texts from Corden showed he'll 'say anything to save his bacon' It had appeared the feud was over after Corden issued an apology and McNally lifted his ban But in a post on Instagram today, McNally said: LAST POST ON THIS NON-STORY: I don't want to over-egg the pudding, but in Friday's London Times Corden flip-flopped and told a massive lie AGAIN: '"I never screamed at anyone, I didnt shout, didnt call anyone a name or swear or use derogatory language How is it remotely a thing? When that person who posted the story wasnt even there." On second viewing, I found his TV "confessional" contrived and phony. The actor will say anything to save his bacon. In the scheme of things my opinion means nothing, but after Friday's interview and a second look at his fraudulent confessional, I've given up on James Corden. For Good. END OF STORY. Corden allegedly shouted at staff when his wife's omelet had egg whites despite her allergy Corden apologized on The Late Late Show and McNally accepted, but the feud has restarted He didn't clarify whether Corden was formally re-banned, but the post suggest he's unlikely ever to return to the restaurant. The infamous omelet saga began on October 9 when Corden and his wife Julia dined at the restaurant with friends. Julia asked for an all-yolk omelet - something that is not on the extensive brunch menu. When it arrived, the dish contained some egg whites. Corden sent it back to the kitchen and when it returned, he says it was still 'wrong'. McNally first shamed Corden on Instagram, telling his followers how the comedian had twice abused staff. He said: James Corden began yelling like crazy to the server: "You can't do your job! You can't do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelet myself! Corden addressed the controversy on his show last Monday and issued an apology, causing McNally to forgive the comic and unban him. But McNally once again tore into Corden over the text messages reported in The Times. Julia, Corden's wife (pictured), ordered an egg-yolk omelet because of an allergy to egg whites James Corden reportedly yelled at waitstaff after his wife received the wrong omelet order In a stream of text messages, Corden said the incident and its backlash has 'been the most surreal moment,' while adding that McNally was not present when his wife Julia was served the wrong order. 'I mean, it's so odd,' he writes. 'I never screamed at anyone, I didn't shout, didn't call anyone a name or swear or use derogatory language how is it remotely a thing? And that be OK? 'And now it's fact, and that's that. When the person who posted the story wasn't even there. Just so odd.' He added: 'I have never talked about eggs this much.' McNally also owns Pastis, Minetta Tavern and Morandi in the West Village - three well-known, well-respected New York institutions that are regularly frequented by celebrities. Corden and Julia in 2018. He claimed she told Balthazar staff she had a 'serious food allergy' The breakfast menu at Balthazar, which has two omelet options which contain egg whites There are only two omelets on the menu at Balthazar; the $25 Omelet with Herbs, and the $27, Egg-White Omelet. Both come with a side of home fries or salad. Servers explained to DailyMail.com that Corden was asking for something that is not offered and was angry when it wasn't up to his standards. 'He wanted an omelet that had only egg yolks. Not the egg-white omelet, just egg yolks, said one. 'Why then would you even bother ordering an omelet if you're allergic to eggs? In his apology for the outburst, Corden said: Because I didn't shout or scream, I didn't get up out of my seat, I didn't call anyone names or use derogatory language, I have been walking around thinking that I've not done anything wrong. 'But I have. I made a rude comment,' he said, adding that he 'values and respects' anyone and everyone in the service industry. Corden's current contract with Viacom CBS for his Late Late Show expires next year. He and his wife are selling their $9.7million home in Brentwood and are planning to return to the UK next year. A knife suspect has walked free from court after he was pinned to the ground by a police officer who put his knee on the man's neck. Marcus Coutain, 50, was stopped in London after he was found with a carpentry knife in his pocket in Islington, North London. Mr Coutain has now been cleared of the possession of a knife charge, claiming he had it to repair a bike inner tube. Jurors at Aldersgate House Crown Court deliberated for under two hours before reaching their verdict. The suspect had been stopped by PC David Herald and PC Hoyin Chan on July 16 2020. The court that PC Herald had placed his knee on Mr Coutain's neck 'like George Floyd' in an attempt to stop him escaping. Marcus Coutain, 50, was stopped in London after he was found with a carpentry knife in his pocket in Islington, North London. He was pinned to the ground by by PC David Herald and PC Hoyin Chan on July 16 2020 George Floyd was murdered by a police officer who knelt on his neck and back for nine-and-a-half minutes on May 25, 2020. Body camera footage from PC Chan showed Mr Coutain, wearing a green t-shirt and jeans, waving his hands in the air saying 'what, what' towards the officers. The officers can be heard shouting stay, stay with PC Herald wrapping his hands around Mr Coutains throat and putting him into a headlock. Coutain can be heard screaming and saying: What I havent f***ing done anything, my neck, I cant breathe, PC Herald can be heard saying stay down, you can breathe before adding that members of the public at the scene were 'making s*** up'. Giving evidence to the courtroom today, PC Herald explained to jurors: 'That was in relation to them saying I was kneeling on Mr Coutains neck and that I was doing it on purpose similar to George Floyd.' He added: '(Coutain) was highly aggressive. I could hear him loudly shouting what, what. Today jurors at Aldersgate House Crown Court cleared Mr Coutain of possession of a bladed article I saw him initially running from PC Chan, he had puffed his chest out with arms out wide as if wanting to fight. Mr Coutain was going to offer us serious aggressive resistance, so at that point PC Chan and I went to detain him. PC Chan managed to grab hold of one of his arms I grabbed hold his left shoulder, what resulted was a bit of a roll around in an effort to securely detain him. A carpentry knife in Mr Coutains front right pocket.' Prosecutor Anna Dutka acknowledged in her closing speech that PC Herald's behaviour was 'unacceptable' but added 'what he did and how he acted is not for this criminal courtroom or this criminal trial. Rhys Rosser, defending, said: Mr Coutain didnt ask for a solicitor because he knew he did nothing wrong. All he was doing was fixing a bike wheel It may have been a surprise to you that that craft knife was illegal to carry that that sort of thing ends up in the crown court. It was probably more of a surprise to you that that was illegal when that item got shown to you because its just so small. Did you really expect that that would be against the law? Certainly, Mr Coutain didnt. If you return a guilty verdict, youre effectively criminalising someone for fixing a bike and leaving it in their pocket. Mr Coutain, of Finsbury Park, was cleared of possession of a bladed article. Advertisement The UK is set to see a blustery start to November with the arrival of Storm Claudio meaning the Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for wind, including 70mph gales in coastal areas. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in force until 8am on Tuesday, saying the weather could risk causing disruption. As well as strong winds in that area in the early hours of the morning, people across much of England and Wales can expect a wet night. Storm Claudio's move eastwards on Tuesday is expected to leave in its wake a showery day for much of the UK, with Wales and areas in southern and central England predicted to see the most frequent rainfall, the Met Office added. The UK is set to see a blustery start to November with the arrival of Storm Claudio meaning the Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for wind, including 70mph gales in coastal areas. Pictured: Members of the public during heavy rainfall in Greenwich on October 31 Temperatures tomorrow are set to become milder, averaging at around 10C, while Wednesday will be a couple of degrees warmer at 12C. Pictured: Autumnal weather at Priory Park in Warwick Temperatures tomorrow are set to become milder, averaging at around 10C, while Wednesday will be a couple of degrees warmer at 12C. Neil Armstrong, chief meteorologist, said: 'The biggest impacts from Storm Claudio are expected in northern France, which is why is has been named as a system by Meteo-France. 'What it means for us in the UK is for some high winds to be possible along much of the southern coast of England. 'Some isolated and especially exposed coastal areas could see gusts in excess of 70mph, while much of the warning area will see gusts of between 50 and 60mph.' The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in force until 8am on Tuesday, saying the weather could risk causing disruption Conditions are unlikely to improve by midweek as low pressure moving in from the west is forecast to bring wet and windy weather The windy weather follows the Halloween weekend: here people dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river in Avon in Dorset on October 30 Conditions are unlikely to improve by midweek as low pressure moving in from the west is forecast to bring wet and windy weather. The Met Office said winds are likely to be strongest along Irish Sea coastal areas, including western Wales, north west England and south west Scotland, as well as the east coast of Northern Ireland. It has issued a yellow weather warning for wind on Wednesday. Deputy chief meteorologist Steven Keates said: 'Within the warning area, gusts are expected of between 55 and 65mph. The windy weather comes after the UK enjoyed above-average temperatures as October came to an end, with the mercury reaching the low 20s in some parts resulting in balmy conditions for this time of year. Pictured: A bright autumn sunrise in Wimbledon on October 29 'This is associated with low pressure moving towards the north west of the UK, which is bringing with it some heavy rain on Wednesday, especially across parts of south west Scotland, Cumbria and western Wales, although much of the UK will see some rain through the day. 'In addition to high winds in the warning area, many parts of the UK will experience strong and gusty winds, at least for a time, during Wednesday.' Later in the week, between Wednesday and Friday, the weather will continue to be unsettled with a mixture of wet spells with clearer interludes. Temperatures will be close to average. The windy weather comes after the UK enjoyed above-average temperatures as October came to an end, with the mercury reaching the low 20s in some parts resulting in balmy conditions for this time of year. President Joe Biden flew to New York City on Monday to attend the memorial service of Donald Blinken, the former U.S. ambassador to Hungary whose son Antony Blinken is serving as the top U.S. diplomat. Donald Blinken, who was nominated to the post by President Bill Clinton in 1994, died in September, as the United Nations General Assembly events were underway. He was also a top Democratic Party donor, and he once chaired the board of trustees for the sprawling State University of New York university system. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden flew to New York to attend the memorial service for Donald Blinken, the late diplomat and father of Secretary of State Antony Blinken The president, who began his day in Wilmington, Delaware, flew to Manhattan for the service, then headed to the White House. He made time for the service during a busy week leading up to the mid-terms, with events in South Florida and New Mexico on his political schedule this week and a new event added for Philadelphia Saturday with former President Barack Obama. 'He was of a generation and of a temperament where you didnt necessarily communicate everything or share everything you just did,' the Secretary of State told the New York Times following Donald Blinken's death. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (l) described his diplomat father as part of another generation Biden flew to Manhattan along with first lady Jill Biden for the service Donald Blinken served as U.S. ambassador to Hungary. He died in September at 96 He died at his home in East Hampton last month at 96. He became wealthy as a financier who helped found the E. M. Warburg Pincus & Company and became a major Democratic donor. He began collecting Mark Rothko paintings in the 1950s and became president of the Mark Rothko Foundation. Rothko was a longtime friend. Through that post, Blinken donated about 1,000 Rothko works to American and overseas museums. He also served as President of the Brooklyn Academy of Music in the 1970s. Five people - including two young children - were killed when a Ford SUV carrying three girls and four women crashed almost head-on into a Nissan pick-up truck, Florida Highway Patrol said. The collision occurred when a Ford Explorer - driven by a 20-year-old woman and carrying six female passengers aged one, five, 12, 22, 31 and 56 - crossed the center line of a two-lane highway heading north and hit a Nissan Frontier driving in the opposite direction. The 20-year-old driver from Zephyrhills as well as the one-year-old, 12-year-old and 56-year-old in the Ford all died in the crash. The three others in the car were all seriously injured. A 53-year-old man driving the Nissan was also killed and his passenger was severely injured. Then an 18-wheeler hit the Nissan, but its driver was uninjured. The 2015 Ford Explorer was being driven by a 22-year-old driver from Zephyrhills and was carrying six passengers, including a one-year-old baby and a 12-year-old girl who both died The 2021 Nissan Frontier was struck twice, first by the Ford in a head-on collision and then its passenger side was hit by an 18-wheeler #BREAKING | Five people, including a 1-year-old were killed last night in a vehicle crash near #PlantCity, #Florida. It happened on SR 39 at Bruton Rd. Three others were seriously injured according to #FHP troopers. More info on @FOX13News pic.twitter.com/6a7yXOVsjr Ryan French FOX 13 (@RyanFrenchFox13) October 31, 2022 Five killed of ten involved in tragic three-vehicle collision near Tampa 2015 Ford Explorer Driver, woman, 20 - died Passenger, woman, 56 - died Passenger, girl, 12 - died Passenger, girl, one - died Passenger, woman, 22 - injured Passenger, woman, 31 - injured Passenger, girl, 5 - injured 2021 Nissan Frontier Driver, man, 53 - died Passenger, unknown - injured 18-wheeler Driver - survived Advertisement The collision happened just north of Plant City on the outskirts of Tampa at the junction between SR-39 and Bruton Road just before 10pm on Sunday night. All female passengers in the 2015 Ford Explorer were wearing seatbelts or in a child restraint, investigators said. The 53-year-old man driving the Nissan was from Valrico and was traveling south on SR-39. As the vehicles were approaching each other the SUV drifted across the center line for 'unknown reasons,' troopers reported. Both vehicles crashed nearly head-on, they said in their report. After the crash the Ford ended up on the west shoulder of the highway and the Nissan came to rest in the southbound lane of SR-39 without any lights. A 18-wheeler driving south along SR-39 then collided into the passenger side of the wrecked Nissan, plunging both vehicles into the bank by the side of the road. The driver of the 18-wheeler is from Plant City and was not injured in the crash. The condition of the four other severely injured is not currently known and the Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash. No arrests have been announced at this time Investigators in San Diego believe that the group traveled from Los Angeles to pull off the burglary The group got in and out in less than 60 seconds, using cutters to rip tags Video of the incident shows seven to nine suspects jacking designer handbags, getting away with $140,000 in merchandise A group of thieves hit a high-end mall in San Diego on October 27, striking the outlet's Nordstrom A group of brazen thieves hit a San Diego, California, Nordstrom and got away with $140,000 in merchandise and designer handbags. Police said that the incident happened on Wednesday, October 26, at the Westfield UTC in University City, a commercial district near the University of California San Diego. The thieves struck just after 7pm, according to a representative with the San Diego Police Department. In less than 60 seconds, the group, comprised of seven to nine thieves, is able to grab dozens of bags and leave the store completely without being stopped. Within seconds of coming into the camera's frame, the group got to work, grabbing bags from the display cases inside the store The group members had cutters with them so that they could remove tags that would alert security as they exited Just as quickly as they entered the frame, the group of thieves were able to exit quickly with 70 total bags This is the Nordstrom where seven to nine thieves got away with $140,000 in merchandise A total of 70 bags were taken during the heist, police said after the fact. The reported value of the designer purses is $140,000. The exact brands of the purses stolen is unknown, however. It's unclear if the group was armed with weapons, but they did have cutters on them to remove tags from the purses quickly. Surveillance video from inside the store shows the group just walk away after jacking the bags. Officials with the San Diego Police Department told KSWB that they believe the group of thieves are part of a theft ring from Los Angeles. The group has yet to be identified but does appear to include both black and white individuals, as well as men and women. At this time, no arrests have been made. DailyMail.com reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, and officials at Nordstrom, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. Nordstrom isn't the only high-end story at the Westfield UTC, though. The popular San Diego mall has stores like Chanel, Hermes, Jo Malone, Kate Spade, Kendra Scott, Le Labo, Louis Vuitton, and more. The shopping destination is also home to several high end jewelry stores, another type of store known for being targeted by thieves looking to make quick money. The theft has scared some customers so much because of how safe the mall, and the area surrounding it, typically are. 'Always felt safe here,' said one shopper who spoke to FOX5 in San Diego. 'So it's kind of concerning.' The Westfield UTC is a high-end shopping plaza just north of downtown San Diego The outdoor mall is known for its offering of designer and affordable brands, as well as its public art displays In addition to the mall being home to stores like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Kate Spade, and more, Westfield UTC has high-end restaurants and eateries The San Diego theft is just one marker of a startling and troublesome trend in states like California, helmed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. According to data released by the Office of the Attorney General of California, the state saw a 6.7 percent uptick in violent crimes from 2020 to 2021. Property crimes were also on the rise, up 3 percent with just under 2,220 incidents reported. Additionally, the arrest rates decreased in 2021, almost 7 percent from 2020, which saw historically low numbers of crimes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Gavin Newsom's state saw a nearly 7 percent increase in violent crimes in 2021 and a 3 percent increase in property crimes. Arrests were down, however The incident at the San Diego mall came less than 48 hours after thieves hit a Los Angeles Chanel store, getting away with an unknown number of products. It's unclear if the two thefts are related, but San Diego Police officials did say they believe that At that time, at least two people used a stolen van to smash through the front of the Beverly Grove location, the second incident of its kind in three months. The smash-and-grab happened just after 2.30am on October 25. Police said last week the suspects drove the van into the front window of the Chanel store in an attempt to steal the merchandise inside. Police responded early in the morning on October 25 to the Chanel store in Beverly Grove for reports of a burglary An armed security guard was inside at the time and was able to fend off the suspects after they smashed the vehicle through the window Chanel bags were seen strewn on the sidewalk after the burglary. Some purses sold by the designer brand cost upwards of $4,000 The window was barred with a grate at the time of the incident, video and photos from the scene show. Additionally, police told DailyMail.com that the van used by the unidentified suspects had recently been stolen. Video from local news outlets showed a messy scene with glass shattered both on the sidewalk outside of the location as well as on the floor of the store. In one clip, handbags appeared strewn across the ground. According to Chanel's website, purses sold by the company can range in price from $200 to upwards of $4,000. That investigation is ongoing. Last Tuesday's robbery in Los Angeles wasn't the first for the store, however. In July, thieves struck the exact same store, using a white van to ram into the entrance and grab merchandise. Thousands of dollars worth of Chanel items were stolen in the July 20 burglary before the group took off in two vehicles. The four suspects in that incident were later arrested for allegedly burglarizing a Neiman Marcus store Fashion Island shopping mall in Newport Beach just hours after the Chanel hit. The pain continued on October 11 and she decided to visit her gynecologist, who broke the news that she was going to become a mother for the second time A Brazilian woman gave birth to her second child earlier this month, but not before she was shocked with the news that she was pregnant after complaining of stomach pains. Juliana Brasileiro thought she was experiencing an abdominal discomfort after joining her husband, Juan Tostes, and friends for a night at the movies in Rio de Janeiro on October 9, according to online news portal G1. The 25-year-old had just gotten over her menstrual cycle and decided to take an over-the-counter medicine to treat the pain. The ache was so bad, Brasileiro explained, that she ended up visiting a neighborhood 24-hour urgent care facility the following day. Juliana Brasileiro and her husband, Juan Tostes, pose with their second child, Mariana Tostes, who was born October 11, the same day the now mother-for-two discovered that she was 40 weeks into her pregnancy during a visit with her gynecologist after experience stomach pains for three days Mariana Tostes was born October 11 in Rio de Janeiro to 25-year-old Juliana Brasileiro, who was not aware that she was pregnant with her second child 'I couldn't stand,' she recalled. 'I could only lie on the floor. I was in so much pain.' Brasileiro said she spent five hours before she was treated by a doctor who told her that she had a lot of gas buildup and was prescribed a laxative. The pain persisted October 11 and she took up her mother-in-law's suggestion of visiting her gynecologist, who surprised her with the news that she was 40 weeks into her pregnancy. Brasileiro said that the doctor told her, 'My daughter, you are pregnant and already giving birth, go now to an emergency [room]!' She and her Tostes headed to Albert Schweitzer Hospital, where she gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Marina Tostes. Mariana Tostes gets a warm hug for her happy older brother, Martin Tostes Mariana Tostes, the new bundle of joy for a married couple in Rio de Janeiro who were shocked by the news that they were expecting their second child. The baby was born October 11, the same day her mother found out that she was actually 40 weeks pregnant Mariana Tostes lets out a cry after she was born October 11 at Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Rio de Janeiro 'Daughter, you are still too young to understand the world in which you fell from your parachute,' Brasileiro wrote on her Instagram account October 19 as she revealed her new addition to her followers. 'It came quietly, and showed that life is literally a little box of surprises.' The now mother-of-two said the surprise pregnancy made their family stronger than ever. 'I never imagined having 2 children, and at ages very close' Brasileiro explained. 'I didn't think that my life would turn upside down and that the inside out was the right side. You came to bring our family together, and to show that if we have our family, we have EVERYTHING!' Mariana Tostes came as a major surprise when she was born October 11. Her mother, Juliana Brasileiro, told Brazilian outlet G1 that she felt stomach pains October 9 after attending the movies with her husband and friends and fell ill afterwards. She went to the emergency room the next day and was given a laxative. The pain persisted on the 11th and she decided to visit her gynecologist, who ordered her to get to the hospital as soon as possible because she was about to give birth The Brasileiros with their two children, Mariana and Martin, were caught by surprised earlier this month when they found out they were expecting their second child She lauded her husband for being 'brave, and how essential he's been' since they welcomed Mariana to their family. 'He stood by us all the time, and knew that in the end everything would be alright. And it was,' she wrote. 'You are living proof that all of us' fate is already drawn, and that life can surprise us anytime! You were inside me the whole time, growing for 40 weeks with absolutely no doubt of your existence.' The cash-strapped parents took to the Brazilian crowdfunding site, Vakinha, in hopes that well-wishers will help them cover the cost of diapers and other baby items since they never had a chance to plan for a baby shower. 'Thanks to the help of friends and relatives, we are gradually managing to provide comfort to our little one,' Brasileiro wrote. 'But if you want to contribute in some way, it can be through VAKINHA, which will relieve us a lot!' Taylor gave birth to their baby son last week who has been named after late dad He and his girlfriend Taylor Piliae had recently discovered they were expecting Western Sydney teen was stabbed to death at the Royal Easter Show in April Bittersweet moment for girlfriend and family of ride worker Uati 'Pele' Faletolu The grieving teen whose boyfriend was stabbed to death during a wild brawl at the Royal Easter Show has given birth to their first child, naming him in honour of her partner. Carnival ride worker Uati 'Pele' Faletolu, 17, from Doonside in Sydney's west will never meet his baby son after he was tragically killed on April 11, just weeks after he and his girlfriend Taylor Piliae discovered they were expecting their first child. She gave birth to their son last week, who was named Uati in a sweet tribute to his late father. Photos shared online show baby Uati newborn being held and doted on by proud loved ones. 'Welcome to the world bubba my heart's so full, I love you so much,' Taylor's sister Bree captioned a photo cradling her beloved nephew. Uati Faletolu (right) and his girlfriend Taylor Piliae (left) were preparing to welcome their first child when Uati was stabbed to death at the Royal Easter Show in April Newborn Uati (pictured) will sadly never get to meet his late dad Both mother and baby are doing well, family members told The Daily Telegraph. Bree confirmed on Instagram, several days after Uati's death, that her sister Taylor was expecting her first child with a partner, sharing a photo of the ultrasound of her nephew. 'Can't wait to meet mini Pele,' she wrote. Days later, Taylor told mourners at his funeral that Uati was 'the best boyfriend and the best everything to everyone'. 'I wish I had 10 more minutes with you to tell you how much you're appreciated. You would have been the best dad,' she wept. 'I promise I'll take care of our baby.' She told how Uati was planning to spend his Easter Show earnings on the new baby. Ms Piliae has spent recent months documenting her pregnancy on TikTok and paid an emotional tribute to her late partner, asking him to 'watch down' on their son. Taylor's sister Bree has shared a sweet snap cradling her beloved named nephew Uati 'Missing you so much Uati, so heartbroken. You are not here but I know God's gotchu now and that you are in a better place and that you are happy,' Ms Piliae wrote. 'Please watch down on our future son. We love you.' She shared a montage of photos to the song In The Stars by Benson Boone, and quoted some of the lyrics. Photos of Uati were on display at Ms Piliae's recent baby shower. Uati was on a break from his job working on the Break Dance ride when he was stabbed to death in front of shocked show goers in the carnival ride area on April 11. Two men aged 18 and a 14-year-old boy were later charged with murder and are currently before the courts. The site of a deadly crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul, is cordoned off, Oct. 31. Yonhap Police investigating the deadly Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon are analyzing scores of witness accounts and security camera footage to determine the cause of the accident, a top police official said Monday. The crowd crush in a narrow, sloped alley in the popular nightlife district in Seoul on Saturday night left 154 people dead and 149 others injured, 33 of them seriously. "We have formed a 475-member special investigative team and are closely checking the circumstances of the accident by investigating eyewitnesses and analyzing CCTV video footage," Nam Gu-jun, chief of the National Office of Investigation, told reporters. The team interviewed 44 eyewitnesses Sunday and has secured 52 pieces of surveillance camera footage in 42 places around the scene, he said. They also examining videos posted on social media sites. He said no acts subject to criminal charges have been detected so far. The site of a deadly crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul, is cordoned off, Oct. 31. Yonhap The race that stops the nation will suffer through its coldest weather in decades with torrential rain, thunderstorms, hail and snow forecast for Australia's east coast. But the bitter cold snap isn't expected to deter Melbourne Cup punters, with around 80,000 people predicted to rush through Flemington Racecourse's gates before the main event kicks off at 3pm AEDT. Racegoers have been warned to dress warmly for the 14C maximum temperatures and pack an umbrella and gumboots with an afternoon of thunderstorm and hail forecast. In Sydney, racegoers heading to Randwick Racecourse will fare much better with a mostly sunny day and a top of 24C. But further inland in NSW, temperatures will plummet, with snow expected in the Blue Mountains and in Orange in the central-west of the state on Wednesday. The icy blast isn't expect to dampen enthusiasm in Melbourne as a cold front moves in from the west and drops temperatures six to 16 degrees below average. Melburnians heading to Flemington on Tuesday should expect similar conditions endured four years ago (pictured, ladies braving the wet weather at the 2018 Melbourne Cup) Temperatures across Australia's south-east will plummet on Tuesday It's due to a huge pool of cold Antarctic air being hurled northwards by a deep low pressure system near Tasmania. 'On Melbourne Cup Day it will be a maximum of 14 degrees (in Melbourne), which will make it the coldest Cup day since 1995,' BoM meteorologist Jonathan How said. 'We are expecting showers on and off through the day and they could be heavy, with small hail and thunder as well, including right around race time. 'It will be quite cold as well, with a wind chill, so we are certainly advising people to bring warm clothing to Flemington.' The last time racegoers experienced a hot Melbourne Cup day was in 2014, when the temperature got just above 29 degrees. In 2020, the temperature on Cup day was 30 degrees, but there were no crowds at Flemington due to Covid-19 restrictions. This year will be the first since 2019 that crowds are allowed back to Flemington for the big race. While strong cold fronts are not unknown outside of winter in the southern states, this one is a remarkably cold system for November due to its strength and its duration. The chilly weather is likely to stick around for the next few days. 'In addition to being cold and very windy, this will also be a wet system for pretty much anywhere on the southeast mainland, with the exception of the narrow strip east of the ranges along the east coast,' Weatherzone said. 'So Melbourne will cop the full force of this system, while Sydney will be insulated from the worst of the cold and wet, although it should get some pretty strong winds.' Racegoers heading to Flemington are warned it will be the coldest Melbourne Day in 27 years Ducking for cover: This young woman needed an umbrella to keep her outfit dry on Derby Day at Flemington on Saturday, in a taste of what will be coming on Tuesday for the Melbourne Cup The chilly late spring weather could see snow falls in Tasmania, Victoria and NSW from Tuesday, just below 1,000 metres. They include Mount Buller and Falls Creek in Victoria while in NSW, Thredbo, Katoomba and Orange. Widespread rain and storms will hit south-eastern Queensland, eastern NSW and Victoria and Tasmania, bringing more flooding to some areas already badly affected. East coast Australians have suffered through almost three years of soggy and chilly La Nina weather since the summer 2019-2020 bushfires ended. And while some Aussies were treated to a sunny weekend, the rain is back with another wet couple of days forecast. For the flood-ravaged parts of NSW such as Moree, Narabri, Dubbo and down the western slopes, it is likely to cause renewed flooding. 'We are looking at the possibility of renewed minor to major flooding for some of those rivers in NSW,' Mr How said. 'Some of those rivers already have flood warnings, so it could just prolong those peaks and cause some flash flooding and thunderstorms as well.' There could be unseasonable snow in NSW and Victoria in the coming days. Pictured are visitors walking up closed roads to see the snow at Mount Macedon, a small town 64 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, on July 13, 2016 The weather forecast for Tuesday shows a lot of rain and cold temperatures across southern and eastern Australia The areas of Victoria that were hit by floods in recent weeks could also face further flooding in the coming days due to heavy rains. Mr How said that although parts of Australia does 'tend to get cold snaps that can happen in the first half of November ... what we are seeing (in the coming days) is quite unusually cold'. 'We could see snow up to, potentially, the central tablelands of NSW in places such as Oberon, and some of the hills around Bathurst could see some flurries on Tuesday night and Wednesday,' he said. The coast of NSW will escape the worst of the weather, though. 'Most of the rain is expected west of the Great Divide. So Sydney won't see too much, it's mostly inland areas,' said Mr How. Say cheese: Racegoers were in high spirits as they enjoyed the Sydney sunshine on Golden Eagle Day Advertisement Eco-zealots in Italy have blocked the busiest motorway in Rome as climate protests begin to sweep across Europe. Protesters have sat in the middle of the Via Guglielmo Marcon in the country's capital holding banners aloft as part of Ultima Generazione, Italian for Last Generation, demonstrations. The 'civil disobedience' movement was borne from Extinction Rebellion and the independent 'Ultima Generazionea' last year. The protesters are demanding that disused coal plants be reopened and calling for a halt to a new drilling project for the research into and extraction of natural gas. It was the latest such stunt by climate campaigners in a spate of high-profile incidents in which eco-warriors have targeted road networks and artworks across Europe. Eco demonstrations, which have taken place in London every day this month, include two environmental activists who glued themselves to an exhibition of a dinosaur skeleton at Berlin's Natural History Museum yesterday to protest against the German government's climate policies. Police removes climate activists of "Ultima Generazione" (Last Generation) as they block the road Via Guglielmo Marconi earlier today A motorbike driver passes over a banner as Italy's 'Ultima Generazione' (Last Generation) climate activists block a road to highlight the need to combat the climate crisis A police officer removes Italy's 'Ultima Generazione' (Last Generation) climate activists during the protests in Rome earlier today Ultima Generazione is an Italian non-violent civil disobedience campaign born in 2021 within the Extinction Rebellion movement and now independent Ultima Generazione A furious driver is pictured confronting a protester holding a banner while blocking one of the busiest roads in Rome earlier today Two protesters sit directly in front of a car while blocking the Via Guglielmo Marconi during a climate demonstration in Rome earlier today A protester sits with her hands aloft as a car tries to drive around a group of eco-zealots blocking the road In Berlin, two women wearing orange vests stuck themselves to metal poles supporting a dinosaur skeleton that was over 60 million years old, holding a banner that read: 'What if the government doesn't have it under control?' They did not touch or do any damage to the skeleton itself. The women were removed by the police after security guards at the museum alerted them to the incident. The protest was the latest effort to force governments around the world to take swift action to reduce emissions over the damage global warming is doing to the planet. One of the women, Caris Connell, said she was scared of 'forest fires, water shortages, famines, and war. 'Dinosaurs died out, because they could not withstand massive changes to the climate. That is also threatening us,' added the 34-year-old. It comes after furious drivers resorted to dragging away a group of eco protesters who sparked fury by halting traffic on a busy motorway during a similar stunt in Rome earlier this month. Rush hour motorists were blockaded on the Grande Raccordo ringroad outside the Italian capital by Last Generation activists who unfurled large banners protesting fossil fuels. The disruption led to angry scenes as drivers got out of their vehicles to remonstrate with the eco-zealots and plead with them to get out of their way. 'Ultima Generazione' demands the reopening of disused coal plants and cancel the project of new drilling for the research and extraction of natural gas The eco-zealots wrote a message in the middle of the busy road as they sat to block all traffic in the Italian capital earlier today Some took matters into their own hands, physically dragging protesters out of the way. One man on a motorbike begged to be let through, loudly arguing: 'I have to go, I'm a doctor.' But a female activist refused to grant him permission to get through without seeing his medical identification and demanded he handed it over. He eventually brandished his ID card and the demonstrator allowed him to bypass the human barricade. In another tense exchange, one angry driver shouted at a protester: 'You have to move, move out of the f***ing way!' When he started to physically drag the activist off the road, a woman intervened: 'Stop! You will hurt him.' Another man stepped in and confronted the demonstrators, saying: 'This is not the way of protesting. Organise a proper protest, the motorway is not where you should protest. We have to go to work' 'Otherwise, this will become poor against poor. People will get angry and they will beat you and this is not fair... You're p***ing people off.' The protesters' banners read 'no gas' and 'no coal' and they are calling for stronger government action on climate issue. Halloween was ruined in one Michigan neighborhood after a vacant home was found riddled with roaches and deemed unsafe for trick-or-treaters by city officials. The red-shingled zombie house located on 20th Street and Wyandotte, a city approximately 11 miles south of Detroit, was closed by officials on Monday for fear party goers may step on cockroach eggs and spread the vermin throughout their homes. Residents in the area were issued a letter from Wyandotte's city engineer days prior informing them that the sidewalk will be closed between 4pm and 8 pm. 'Barricades and signage will be placed on the street and at sidewalks at Grove, the intersections of Orchard and Pine, and at Eureka, closing the street and sidewalk to vehicles and pedestrians,' the letter said, in part. The council said it was in the 'best interest of the citizens,' to close off the street to prevent 'further roach migration,' and prevent 'roaches from grabbing onto kids' costumes,' according to USA Today. The red-shingled zombie house located on 20th Street and Wyandotte was closed by officials on Monday for fear party goers may step on cockroach eggs and spread the vermin Notices from the city are posted outside of the door of the vacant home 'Barricades and signage will be placed on the street and at sidewalks at Grove, the intersections of Orchard and Pine, and at Eureka, closing the street and sidewalk to vehicles and pedestrians,' the letter issued to residents said, in part. The city council was first made aware of the problem three weeks ago. City Councilman Todd Hannah said that the city was offering to spray every yard in the area affected and was planning to begin exterminating the home where it all began. The October 25 letter issued by Gregory Mayhew, the Wyandotte Building Authority commissioner, stated that a property had been identified 'in your neighborhood' that has a roach infestation. The letter further explained that the roaches are making their way to other homes, and that the city is trying to exterminate them but said, 'it will take some time,' the news outlet reported. Some of the residents said the nightmare started sometime around August 12. Garbage collectors made the discovery of the roach infestation while they were picking up trash. After a wellness check officials found the horrifying conditions. Next door neighbor Lisa LaBean said, 'children were sitting on the couch for a wellness check and cockroaches were crawling all over them,' 7 Action News reported. According to a report, the homeowners do not currently live in the home. The infestation was so bad that the residents were asked to wrap their belongings and place them outside of their house so they could be sprayed by an exterminator, but many did not wrap their furniture when they placed it outside, which resulted in the roaches spreading, the news outlet reported. LaBean has been so traumatized by the creepy crawlers she said she has spent up to $1,800 in supplies to kill off the critters. 'You lay in bed and you think something's crawling on you or something, it's horrible,' she said. 'I don't want them coming in my house.' Resident Becky Wallace who lives near the roach-riddled home said its 'nasty.' 'It doesn't matter if you are a tidy person or a hoarder roaches come in all these homes' Resident Becky Wallace who lives near the roach-riddled home said its 'nasty.' 'It doesn't matter if you are a tidy person or a hoarder roaches come in all these homes.' She added: 'There were roaches and bed bugs . . . when you think about having either one of them in your home, it just gives you that dirty feeling.' While another neighbor spoke for the entire block, 'Everybody's upset about it.' Many residents who called in a professional exterminator were told that the roaches may take up to a year to get rid of. In the meantime, many of the neighbors are spraying their feet and pants with rubbing alcohol to help kill off any roach eggs they step on Hanna said the gnarly bugs are 'no fault of the city' and admitted to the Detroit Free Press that the city is 'desperately trying to get rid of the pests.' After almost 10 hours it started to allow tourists with negative results to leave Visitors are are not permitted to leave until they test negative for Covid-19 Shanghai Disney Resort abruptly shut its doors on Monday as Chinese authorities imposed a snap lockdown trapping guests who are not permitted to leave until they test negative for Covid-19. Visitors to Shanghai Disney Resort are not allowed to leave 'until on-site testing returns a negative result', the city government said in an online notice on Monday. It added that those who had visited the park since Thursday must obtain three negative Covid tests over three successive days and 'avoid participating in group activities'. Video from the park shows visitors stuck in Shanghai Disneyland and large queues for Covid-19 tests. After almost 10 hours the lockdown started, the park began allowing tourists with negative results to leave Shanghai Disneyland barred thousands from leaving the Magic Kingdom after locking down the entire resort due to a Covid outbreak. Pictured: officials ushering guests inside the parl The resort said at 11.39am today it would immediately shut the main theme park and surrounding areas Uniformed officials arrived at the Disney resort to impose the harsh restrictions in response to the minor Covid outbreak The resort said at 11.39am local time that it would immediately shut the main theme park and surrounding areas including its shopping street. After almost 10 hours it started to allow tourists with negative results to leave. The theme park continued to operate rides for visitors stuck in the park during the closure, social media users reported. A Shanghai Disney Resort spokesperson said the resort was still operating 'limited offerings' and that they were following measures in line with guidelines from Chinese health authorities. For some who had been looking forward to their visit to the park, the hours of waiting had been a disappointing end to their day. 'We flew in from Shenzhen for Halloween because there are supposed to be limited-edition fireworks. And then today there are no floats, no fireworks, and no parade of villains,' said Marvis He, who came with a friend. The announcement came after Disney said it was 'temporarily closing with immediate effect... in accordance with disease control requirements'. The sprawling 960-acre theme park and resort includes Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown and Wishing Star Park. The park put visitors into a lockdown following an alert over Covid-19 from authorities People wearing face masks visit the Shanghai Disney Resort in June when it reopened after a Covid shutdown The resort had previously said that it was operating at reduced capacity due to Covid restrictions. 'We will notify guests as soon as we have a confirmed date to resume operations,' Disney said. The closure marks the latest disruption for the Shanghai Disney Resort, which was shut for over three months during Shanghai's lockdown earlier this year. The park was also closed for two days in November last year with more than 30,000 visitors stuck inside, after authorities ordered all of them to be tested in a contact tracing exercise. Videos circulating on China's Weibo platform on Monday showed people rushing to the park's gates, which were already locked China is the last major economy wedded to a zero-Covid policy, with authorities brandishing snap lockdowns, mass testing and lengthy quarantines in an effort to stamp out emerging outbreaks. But new variants have tested local officials' ability to snuff out flare-ups faster than they can spread, causing much of the country to live under an ever-changing mosaic of Covid curbs. China reported 2,699 local Covid infections on Monday, including 10 asymptomatic cases in Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission. The eastern megacity a major hub for the world's second-largest economy seethed under a months-long lockdown earlier this year marked by sporadic food shortages and isolated protests. A tragic car accident that killed a mum of six has also left two of her daughters with severe spinal injuries, with one facing a future as a paraplegic. Hannah Louise Fraser, 30, and her six children, aged from 14 months to 14 years old, were in a car crash on the Goomalling-Toodyay Road in Wongamine, north of Perth, at about 6.20m last Wednesday. Their Kia Carnival collided head-first with a cement truck travelling in the opposite direction, killing Ms Fraser and leaving her kids trapped in the wreckage. The six children were immediately rushed to Perth Children's Hospital, with four expected to be released in the coming days. Hannah Louise Fraser's husband Leighton Fraser (pictured together) said one of his children has been left paraplegic from the crash that killed his wife last Wednesday Mrs Fraser (above) was driving on the on the Goomalling-Toodyay Road in Wongamine with her six children when they collided with a cement truck However, five-year-old Bethel and 11-year-old Mariah are facing more serious issues due to spinal injuries. Bethel is expected to make a full recovery but Mariah's spinal cord was severed in the horror crash. She will never walk again. Mrs Fraser's husband Leighton Fraser spoke publicly for the first time on Monday to reveal the extent of his daughters' injuries. 'We're looking at the loss of the lower legs and loss of use of bowel, that kind of thing. So paraplegic,' he told 7News. He said his family had been able to find peace with the death of the young mother because of their faith. The crash last Wednesday killed Mrs Fraser and saw her six children rushed to Perth Children's Hospital (pictured, Mrs Fraser's Kia Carnival after the horror crash) Mrs Fraser's (above) father-in-law have fundraised more than $64,000 to help her family 'She's home with God and that's what we're so thankful for,' he said. '(I'll bring up the children) to be a reflection of her. To carry the same grace she carried is the main focus.' It is believed Mrs Fraser and her children were on their way to a weekly home-schooling class. The 58-year-old truck driver managed to escape the crash with minor injuries and was taken to hospital for a precautionary check. Mr Fraser said his 'heart breaks' for the truckie. The devastated husband shared a heartbreaking tribute to his late wife the day after her crash. Mr and Mrs Fraser (above) were meant to celebrate eight years of marriage just a few weeks after her death The 58-year-old truck driver managed to escape the crash (above) last Wednesday with minor injuries The two were meant to celebrate eight years of marriage just a few weeks after her death. 'To the love of my life,' he wrote. 'I'm sure I got the chance to tell you just how much your presence in my life made me a better man or just how much you meant to me. 'I hope that in the years we spent side by side my actions told you every day that I love you more than words can describe. 'So as I look to our future, I vow to raise the kids to the absolute best of my ability and promise that I will always honour the amazing person you are. 'Till I see you again rest easy my darling. I will love and cherish you always.' One of Mrs Fraser's (above) children will be left without the use of her legs after her spinal cord was severed in the crash last Wednesday Mrs Fraser's (above) father and stepmother have raised more than $16,000 to fly from the UK to Perth and support their daughter's family A GoFundMe created by Mr Fraser's father has raised more than $64,000. Another GoFundMe created by Mrs Fraser's father and stepmother has raised more than $16,000 to help them fly to Perth from the UK and be with family. Major Crash detectives will investigate the circumstances of the accident. Anyone with dashcam footage of the incident is urged to contact police. Statistics provided by the LAPD indicated that through October 10 there had been a total of 24,450 violent crimes committed so far in 2022 The attack comes as crime continues to rise in and around the Los Angeles area A California woman who was stabbed to death along with her father in a Kohl's parking lot outside of Los Angeles penned a disturbing social media post just a few days before the brutal slaying. McKenna Evans, 22, wrote on Facebook Monday that she was needing to 'find a home' because a 'very toxic person' was moving back into the house they were renting, adding that she did not 'feel safe or comfortable around him.' Later that week, McKenna and her father Ken Evans, 54, who appeared to be in living out of their parked cars at the retail store lot, were stabbed to death by a man who local authorities believe to be transient. The man was hauled off in handcuffs, but his identity has not been publicly released. It happened just before noon on Thursday in a seemingly random attack, LA County Sheriff's Department said, but comments on McKenna's post showed concern and then turned to shock as news of their deaths emerged. The stabbings are just the latest in the escalating crime in Los Angeles while homeless encampments continue to pop up along the city streets. McKenna Evans (left) who was stabbed to death along with her father Ken Evans (right) in a Kohl's parking lot outside of Los Angeles penned a disturbing social media post just a few days before the brutal slaying McKenna wrote on Facebook Monday that she was needing to 'find a home' because a 'very toxic person' was moving back into the home they were renting, adding that she did not 'feel safe or comfortable around him' The father and daughter were stabbed to death by a man who local authorities believe to be transient. The man was hauled off in handcuffs, but his identity has not been released On Thursday, the father and daughter were working on a car in the parking lot in Palmdale, just north of Los Angeles, when an unidentified man approached them and asked for assistance with his own vehicle, cops said. An apparent 'argument ensued' which led to a physical fight and the man stabbed both the father and daughter multiple times before being apprehended by sheriff's deputies responding to the call. It is not known what prompted the argument. McKenna was pronounced dead at the scene and Ken was rushed to a local hospital where he was also pronounced dead. Just days earlier, McKenna shared a post to Facebook about her living situation. 'Hey guys, a lot of things are going on right now, things that are leaving me stressed and scared, and I could really use some prayers,' she began. 'My family still needs to find a home but our case worker hasn't been much help, my boyfriend and I also need to find somewhere else to live because in the house we are renting a room in, a very toxic person is moving back in and I do not feel safe or comfortable around him, I'm still studying for my boards in 2 weeks, and I'm seriously scared and depressed with everything going on.' She continued: 'I feel like I've lost all hope and I can't manage to scrape any up off the bottom of the barrel. Please just help me pray that things will turn out okay soon. I'm at a loss.' It's not known if the suspect and the two victims knew each other. Ken Evans (left) and his 22 year-old-daughter McKenna (right) were killed in a seemingly random attack in a Kohl's parking lot just just before noon on Thursday outside of Los Angeles Elizabeth Evans, who is Ken's widow and McKenna's mom, said: 'I am completely destroyed.' '(McKenna) wasn't just my daughter, she was my best friend' McKenna and Ken were both in their own cars parked next to each other. The suspect who stabbed them was parked nearby and appeared to be living from his car, detectives said In an interview with local news station KTLA on Sunday, Elizabeth Evans, who is Ken's widow and McKenna's mom, described the moment she saw the man suspected of killing her daughter and husband smirk as he was led away in handcuffs by deputies. 'When he was in handcuffs, he smirked,' she said. 'He had a smirk on his face. How dare he? I hope he never gets out of prison.' As of Monday, the suspect's name had not been publicly released and there were no new updates on the stabbings. McKenna's mother also spoke about her pain following the slayings. 'I am completely destroyed,' she said. '(McKenna) wasn't just my daughter, she was my best friend,' she added. She described McKenna as an ambitious young woman and said she was studying to be an aesthetician. 'She was an absolute beacon,' she said. 'She didn't know a stranger. Everybody became her best friend.' And of her husband Ken, she gushed: 'He loved playing pool, he loved mountain biking, he loved spending time with his daughter. That was Ken a risk-taker, always adventurous.' Ken tried to shield his daughter with his body during the attack, Elizabeth said. 'That was Ken a risk-taker, always adventurous,' she said. McKenna's mother and Ken's wife Elizabeth Evans said the two were in the Kohl's parking lot working on a car when somebody she believed to be on drugs attacked them both A witness who wanted to remain anonymous told KTLA news that Ken tried to escape the attack by getting into a car but continued to be stabbed A woman who witnessed the brutal stabbing but wanted to remain anonymous described to KTLA how the attacker was seemingly targeting McKenna. She recounted how she saw McKenna screaming and running around the parking lot. She said that he then stabbed her 'in the back, on the side of her ribs and in her stomach.' 'He walked away, came back and started stabbing her again.' 'Then walked away again. Came back. Kicked her, stabbed her two times in the abdomen and walked away,' she added. She then said she saw Ken being stabbed by the same man. 'He got stabbed a couple of times, and then he was trying to get back into his vehicle where he continued to stab him,' she said. McKenna's mother described her as ambitious and said that her 22-year-old daughter was training to become an aesthetician McKenna Evans during her graduation from Highland High School McKenna with her mother Elizabeth Evans, who said she was 'completely destroyed' McKenna's boyfriend of eight months Jesse Mercado held Elizabeth in his arms as he tried to hold back tears. 'The first time I met her was at work,' said Jesse. 'The moment she presented herself was the day I fell in love with her.' He told ABC7: 'All I want from this is just one more time. Just one more time. Can't I just hold her one more time? And say my goodbyes and that's it. Tell her I love her. I'll always love her.' Thursday's brazen attack comes as crime continues to rise in the Los Angeles area. Changes in crime since 2021 as reported by the LAPD. Statistics are through October 10 Statistics provided by the LAPD indicated that through October 10 there had been a total of 24,450 violent crimes committed in 2022, up by 3.9 percent from the total in the same period last year, 23,526. Robbery is up by 14.9 percent since last year and aggravated assault 0.9 percent. Woke LA DA George Gascon has come under fire for his progressive policies, which he says will lower jail populations - but which critics warn are making the streets less safe. A man killed his married lover in a 'merciless' attack inside her bedroom after her husband found out about their affair, a court has heard. David Cheres, 21, allegedly kicked and slashed at 43-year-old Tiprat Argatu with a knife and scissors at her home in Whitechapel, east London, in the early hours of January 24 last year. He stamped on her neck and stabbed her with a pair of scissors with so much force they bent in half, a jury has been told. Cheres has admitted Ms Argatu's manslaughter by diminished responsibility, but is standing trial at the Old Bailey charged with murder. Opening the case today, James Dawes KC told the court: 'Between 4am and 4.50am - a period of about 50 minutes - the defendant battered and kicked a woman to death in her bedroom. 'Tiprat suffered a savage and prolonged attack at the hands of this defendant.' The attack involved the use of his shod foot and slashes with two sharp weapons - a kitchen knife and a pair of long scissors, jurors heard. David Cheres, 21, allegedly kicked and slashed at 43-year-old Tiprat Argatu (pictured) with a knife and scissors at her home in Whitechapel, east London Mr Dawes added: 'She was unarmed and offered little resistance. The defendant stabbed and slashed at her head and neck repeatedly with those weapons, cutting her. 'He used so much force with the scissors that he bent them in half. 'Tiprat appears to have held up her hands in order to try to defend herself because some of the stab and slash wounds were on her hands and fingers. 'He stamped on her neck, breaking bones and her larynx. He smashed the bones in her face and neck.' It was not possible to determine the order in which the wounds were inflicted because no-one witnessed it, Mr Dawes said. 'But you may conclude that this attack took time, took effort and it was relentless and merciless', the prosecutor told the jury. A pathologist concluded the cause of death was severe blunt impact trauma to the head and neck. Mr Dawes suggested the motive was linked to the defendants feelings about 'the way his life was going' and the loss of his friendship with the victims husband. Cheres had previously been friends with Mrs Argatus spouse, who had discovered he was having sex with her just hours earlier, the court heard. Mr Dawes said: 'Perhaps he blamed himself or her for the breaking of this friendship. 'What is clear, he directed this outburst of anger at Tiprat - not at himself - in the small hours of the morning, about 12 hours after (her husband) had discovered that they were having an affair.' The prosecutor said the attack was relentless and merciless. Cheres has admitted Ms Argatu's manslaughter by diminished responsibility, but is standing trial at the Old Bailey (pictured) charged with murder Police found Cheres later the same morning exiting a bin cupboard naked, the Old Bailey heard. Asked where he had come from, Cheres gestured towards a bin cupboard where police officer found a duvet and pillow, the court heard. Ms Argatu was from Thailand and married her Romanian husband in 2019. The couple lived in Thailand for 18 months before moving to London in September 2020. Cheres had met and become friends with Mr Argatu previously and the two kept in touch even when the latter was living in Asia. When Mr Argatu came back to London in 2020, he and Cheres met up before Cheres eventually moved into a spare room in the couples shared flat in Ellen Street. They lived with three other Romanian men who were in the UK doing construction or building jobs. Cheres, also of Ellen Street, Whitechapel, denies murder and the trial continues. US Attorney Breon Peace said boxer's arrest was 'victory for law enforcement' A former heavyweight boxer from Montenegro is charged with trafficking 22 tons of cocaine worth over $1 billion via the United States in one of the largest seizures of the drug in American history. Goran Gogic, 43, was arrested on Sunday night and charged by the Department of Justice today. He was detained while trying to board a flight to Zurich from Miami International Airport, after being indicted by a grand jury in New York. Prosecutors charged Gogic with three counts of violating the federal Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, and one count of conspiracy. Each count carries a mandatory minimum 10-year prison term and possible life sentence. A lawyer for Gogic did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Goran Gogic, 43, was arrested on Sunday night and charged by the Department of Justice today. The former heavyweight boxer from Montenegro is charged with trafficking 22 tons of cocaine worth over $1 billion via the United States The charges stem from the seizures of 22 tons of cocaine from three commercial cargo ships in 2019, including 19.8 tons from the MSC Gayane while it was docked at Philadelphia's Packer Avenue Marine Terminal The charges stem from the seizures of 22 tons of cocaine from three commercial cargo ships in 2019, including 19.8 tons from the MSC Gayane while it was docked at Philadelphia's Packer Avenue Marine Terminal. Prosecutors said the conspirators transported cocaine to Europe from Colombia through American ports, using cranes and nets at night to hoist drugs onto cargo ships from approaching speedboats along the ships' routes. The complex operation required knowledge of each ship's crew, route and location data, and that there was room to store drugs in shipping containers that were already aboard, prosecutors said. According to court papers, Gogic oversaw the scheme's logistics, coordinating with crew members, Colombian traffickers and European dockworkers to benefit himself and his Balkan-based cartels. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in Brooklyn called Gogic's arrest and indictment 'a resounding victory for law enforcement'. According to court papers, Gogic oversaw the scheme's logistics, coordinating with crew members, Colombian traffickers and European dockworkers to benefit himself and his Balkan-based cartels Commissioner Richard Ross speaks standing in front of part of the evidence presented during a press conference of federal and local law enforcement agencies, at the United States Customs House, in Philadelphia, PA, on June 21, 2019 James Carroll, (C) director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), speaks about the seized cocaine. At least 17.5 tons of cocaine with more than $1 billion in street value was seized - the largest cocaine seizure in the 230-year history of CBP At least eight crew members from the Gayane have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges over their roles. According to online records, Gogic was a boxer from 2001 to 2012, winning 21 bouts and losing four with two draws. Peace added: 'The arrest and indictment of Gogic, a former boxer allegedly responsible for trafficking a staggering amount of cocaine, more than 20 tons, which he attempted to move through U.S. ports, is a resounding victory for law enforcement. 'The meticulous planning by the defendant and his co-conspirators failed to take into account the federal agents whose hard work resulted in this body blow to the organization and individuals responsible for distributing massive quantities of cocaine.' Frank A. Tarentino, III, DEA Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Division, said 'due to the hard work by local, state and federal law enforcement, 20 tons of poison was intercepted en route from Colombia to Europe' At least eight crew members from the Gayane have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges over their roles. The ship is owned by a fund run by banking giant JPMorgan Chase as part of a transportation strategy fund run for the bank's asset management unit Frank A. Tarentino, III, DEA Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Division, said: 'A billion dollars' worth of cocaine seized was a heavy hit for Gogic's criminal network, but nothing heavier than his arrest last night. 'As evident in this case, criminal organizations will go to various extremes to make a profit off the sale of poison. 'Due to the hard work by local, state and federal law enforcement, 20 tons of poison was intercepted en route from Colombia to Europe. 'Gogic's arrest underscores law enforcement's commitment to bringing to justice those responsible for causing the most harm to our communities.' A key U.S. senator is seeking a U.S. government probe of a Saudi billionaire's investment in Twitter as part of Elon Musk's takeover in just the latest potential clash with the kingdom. 'Today I am requesting the Committee on Foreign Investment which reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyers to conduct an investigation into the national security implications of Saudi Arabia's purchase of Twitter,' wrote Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut on the platform Tesla founder Musk took over. He was referencing the stake by Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal stake in the purchase, as Musk takes steps to oust executives and revamp the platform's moderation policies, following a takeover that drew a legal challenge. Sen. Chris Murphy is seeking a probe of a Saudi billionaire's stake in Elon Musk's Twitter purchase Murphy said on Monday he wants a U.S. national security review of a Saudi Arabian conglomerate's stake. CFIUS reviews acquisitions of U.S. businesses by foreign buyers. It is just the latest flashpoint in U.S.-Saudi relations since OPEC+ announced production cuts of 2 million barrels of oil per month, infuriating the administration and accusing the Kingdom of funding Russia's war in Ukraine indirectly. It also comes as Musk threatens to impact the political landscape by re-platforming banned figures including the rapper Ye or possibly former President Donald Trump. Most foreigners seeking to take even non-controlling stakes in U.S. companies must seek approval from CFIUS, a powerful Treasury-led committee that reviews transactions for national security concerns and has the power to block them. On Friday, Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding Company and the private office of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said they will continue their ownership of Twitter shares valued at $1.89 billion, according to a statement tweeted by Prince Alwaleed. The tweet signals another flashpoint in U.S.-Saudi relations Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal helped finance Musk's $44B purchase Musk has already started firing Twitter executives 'The deal is in line with the long-term investment strategy which Kingdom Holding Company is known for,' the statement said. Alwaleed's Kingdom Holding is 16.9% owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 'We should be concerned that the Saudis, who have a clear interest in repressing political speech and impacting U.S. politics, are now the second-largest owner of a major social media platform,' Murphy wrote on Twitter 'There is a clear national security issue at stake and CFIUS should do a review.' The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for U.S. Treasury, which leads CFIUS, declined to comment. Musk last week closed the $44 billion deal announced in April to take Twitter private. Banks including Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Corp committed to provide $13 billion in debt financing. The 78-year-old entrepreneur is understood to have died near his houseboat Tycoon yachtsman Peter de Savary, who built a property empire boasting both Lands End and John oGroats despite being expelled from school aged 16 after allegedly being caught in bed with the headmaster's au pair, has died suddenly at the age of 78. De Savary, who was one of Britain's most colourful characters, died at the weekend. His third wife Lana told the Mail: 'Peter was extraordinary, not just as a businessman but as a wonderful mentor, loving husband and father of five daughters. 'He was remarkable, an enormous gap will be left in our lives.' It is understood that de Savary died near his houseboat on the River Thames at Chelsea. He put his Cotswolds mansion on the market for 10.5million in 2016 so that Lana would not be burdened with the 207-acre Manor Hall estate after he was gone. One of Britain's most colourful characters, Peter de Savary, died suddenly at the weekend at the age of 78. His third wife Lana told the Mail: 'Peter was extraordinary, not just as a businessman but as a wonderful mentor, loving husband and father of five daughters' It is understood that de Savary died near his houseboat (pictured) on the River Thames at Chelsea He started the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, Scotland (pictured: Peter in front of the castle), which was the backdrop of Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie De Savary could once boast both Land's End (pictured, Porthcurno Beach near Lands End) and John o'Groats as part of his property empire 'I don't want to risk leaving her with a house of this size to cope with single-handed,' he said at the time. The son of a French-born Essex farmer, de Savary was expelled from Charterhouse School aged 16 after allegedly being caught in bed with the headmaster's au pair. He made his first million by the time he was 30, after setting up an import-export business selling goods to Africa. He then amassed a fortune from the regeneration of industrial wasteland. He had interests in shipping and petrol but is probably best known for his work in hospitality. He founded the St James's Club franchise with venues from London and Paris to New York, Los Angeles and Antigua. The son of a French-born Essex farmer, de Savary (pictured) was expelled from Charterhouse school aged 16, after allegedly being caught in bed with the headmaster's au pair De Savary (pictured with his third wife Lana and their two children in 1988) made his first million aged 30, after setting up an import-export business, selling goods to Africa While travelling with his family from the Caribbean in 1987, he was in a plane crash that left one of his young daughters having to be revived on the beach. Pictured: Peter de Savary's seaplane in Newport Harbour in 1982 A keen yachtsman, de Savary led the British sailing team in two failed attempts to win the America's Cup. Pictured: The tycoon in the Bahamas He had interests in shipping and petrol but is probably best known for his work in hospitality. He founded the St James's Club franchise with venues from London and Paris to New York, Los Angeles and Antigua. Pictured: Peter de Savary at Millwall in 2005 He also started the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle in Scotland, which was the backdrop of Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie in 2000. A keen yachtsman, de Savary led the British sailing team in two failed attempts to win the America's Cup. While travelling with his family from the Caribbean in 1987, he was in a plane crash that left one of his young daughters having to be revived on the beach. The near-death experience proved pivotal. 'At that point, my philosophy on life changed,' he said. 'When you genuinely look death in the eye, you know it's a pretty tenuous thing we're hanging on to.' De Savary announced he would not be leaving any of his reputed 100 million fortune to his five children, explaining: 'They will not be given the responsibility and the awesome task of trying to preserve or augment or carry on any of my efforts.' Rep. Tae Yong-ho, a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), was appointed the PPP's leader at the parliamentary foreign affairs and unification committee Monday. Underlining the importance of bipartisan commitment in foreign affairs and security, Tae said he will closely cooperate with his counterpart from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea to run the committee smoothly. "They often say there is no ruling and opposition party when it comes to foreign affairs and security. This is because they agree that parties can exist only when a country exists," Tae said. "I will communicate with the Democratic Party of Korea's committee leader Rep. Lee Jae-jung for the committee's smooth operations." Tae, who formerly served as a No. 2 diplomat at North Korea's Embassy in London, defected to South Korea in August 2016. In 2020, he was elected to the National Assembly as the main conservative opposition United Future Party's candidate in Seoul's southern affluent district of Gangnam, becoming the first person hailing from the communist nation to be chosen directly by South Korean voters as their representative. Tae's appointment is seen as symbolic because it means someone from North Korea will be leading the ruling party in the key National Assembly committee that handles legislation related to diplomacy and unification, and conducts oversight over the foreign and unification ministries. (Yonhap) Advertisement The annual Halloween parade in New York City's Greenwich Village returned on Monday night with the event drawing in tens of thousands of costumed participants and even more spectators. While the 2020 parade was canceled due to the COVID pandemic, the parade last year was also almost canceled due to a budget shortfall until a generous donor stepped in to save the event. The 2022 Village Halloween Parade showcased hundreds of floats and puppets. The Brass Queens, an all-women eight-piece brass band from Brooklyn, led the parade. The Brooklyn United Marching Band is the grand marshal of the parade with his year's theme: 'freedom.' A woman in a Catrina costume attended the parade on Monday night People in costumes dance on a float as they attend New York's Annual Village Halloween Parade in Manhattan Skeletons are always a popular choice of costume during the parade One woman appeared to embody the cost of living crisis as she worse a stash of hundred dollar bills Two parade participants were seen wearing outfits with a splash of color A man dressed as Austin Powers could also be seen walking up the route through the West Village One of those taking part in Monday night's event was hair stylist Roberto Novo who creatively dressed his French Bull dogs in Halloween costumes Novo even shaved his head and placed his own hair on top of his dogs' heads Fifteen years ago, when hair stylist Novo met a French bulldog puppy at the pet shop next to his salon, it was love at first snuggle and he ended up cloning a dog. He now has three generations of the pups The dogs caught the attention of passersby in the East Village on Monday afternoon Roberto decided to move forward with cloning his beloved dog - at a cost of $50,000 and even sold an Andy Warhol painting People dress as illuminated panda bears as they attend New York's Annual Village Halloween Parade Those watching from the sidelines also took time to dress up and get into the Halloween spirit People hold up Day of the Dead skeletons as they attend New York's Annual Village Halloween Parade in Manhattan Parade participants held up skeletons as they made their way up Sixth Avenue This group of parade marchers brought their own musical instruments along with them There was plenty of homage to the Mexican Day Of The Dead festival Some worse particularly gruesome masks and costumers as they made their way uptown A person dressed in a 'Where's Waldo?' costume sits in Union Square on Halloween in New York City Two people dressed in Gothic style clothing are seen walking around in Halloween costumes in Manhattan Halloween is an excuse for anybody to dress up however they like - as this subject shows Adding something as simple as a pair of wings and some face paint - and you have a costume One person appeared to be getting into the spirit with a Mexican-style outfit What do you get if you cross a Samurai fighter with the devil? Something like this, probably 'Freedom was inspired not by the people of New York, but by their need to experience a place where fun is the main objective; to feel joy and the freedom of being who you are,' artistic and producing director Jeanne Fleming said in a statement. 'Throughout history, when our country faced times of hardship, people flocked to the parade because it extended the freedom to forget about whatever was going wrong and enjoy what was right in front of them, each other.' One of those taking part in Monday night's event was hair stylist Roberto Novo who creatively dressed his French Bulldogs in Halloween costumes. Novo even shaved his head and placed the hair on top of his dogs' heads. Fifteen years ago, when hair stylist Novo met a French bulldog puppy at the pet shop next to his salon, it was love at first snuggle. Ghosts and ghouls ran amok in New York City with many participating in the Village Halloween Parade The Village Halloween Parade started as a humble neighborhood affair in 1973 and quickly grew to attract thousands of costumed revelers A woman in a puppet costume attends the 49th Annual Halloween parade in Greenwich Village Freedom was the theme for the parade this year and parade organizers hoped to give New Yorkers a space to express themselves without fear of judgment The parade was free for all to view or join, but those wanting a special VIP experience were able to purchase tickets for exclusive access and experiences The parade stepped off at 7:00 p.m. at Canal Street and 6th Avenue and traveled north to 15th Street Revelers marches in the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, late on Monday The costumes were wild, wacky, weird and wonderful Hoda Kotb, left, and Savannah Guthrie dress as a Cirque du Soleil acrobats during NBC's Today show Halloween celebration Dylan Dryer, Al Roker, Melvin Craig and Sheinelle Jones at 2022 Halloween on 'Today' at Rockefeller Plaza 'He started to lick my face, and it was like he was saying to me, 'You're the one!' Novo, 62, recalled. He named the pup Machito and they became inseparable. When Machito turned 12, Roberto paid $1,600 to have the dog's DNA harvested and stored with Texas-based animal cloning ViaGen Pets. Two years later, in early 2020, Machito died unexpectedly at age 14. Roberto decided to move forward with cloning the beloved dog - at a cost of $50,000. 'It was an amount I didn't have in my bank account,' Novo said to the New York Post earlier this year. But he 'would do anything to get his little buddy back.' A woman dressed in a skeleton outfit walks along the street in Manhattan while drinking a bottle of Mexican soda What the cluck? This outfit caught the attention of people as it waddled on by during the day on Monday One youngster appeared prepared to collect his candy alongside his mom on Monday afternoon 'Fourteen years with him wasn't enough; I needed 14 more.' Novo sold a prized Andy Warhol butterfly silkscreen he had purchased from a client and Warhol friend years earlier. 'While I loved looking at something beautiful on my wall, it wasn't going to give me unconditional love,' he said. As usual, the parade was open to anyone wearing a costume. It began in 1973 with a puppeteer marching with his family and grew into a televised extravaganza. The mile-and-a-half parade will started at 7pm in Greenwich Village under an overcast sky and heavy police presence. The New York Police Department was on 'heightened vigilance' despite saying there were no credible threats. Some streets were closed off and police officers were stationed at every corner. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Monday hit back at former President Barack Obama, who hammered the incumbent on Social Security at a Saturday rally. 'It's pretty rich for a former president who divides his time between Martha's Vineyard and Washington D.C. to come in here and call somebody who lives in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and drives all over the state talking to all kinds of folks, to say that I'm out of touch,' Johnson said on Fox Business Monday. Obama, out stumping for Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Johnson's opponent, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, claimed that Johnson wanted to raise the retirement age to 70 and have lawmakers vote to fund the program on an annual basis. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Monday hit back at former President Barack Obama, who hammered the incumbent on Social Security at a Saturday rally Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) responds to former President Obama's attacks on Johnson: "It's pretty rich for a former president who divides his time between Martha's Vineyard and Washington D.C. ... to say that I'm out of touch." pic.twitter.com/otSiJ3PhWl The Recount (@therecount) October 31, 2022 Former President Barack Obama went after Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Social Security during a Saturday rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 'Think about that, because Washington works so well,' Obama remarked. 'You want your Social Security and Medicare reliant on Congress every year.' 'He's called Social Security a Ponzi scheme, said it's candy that the left has given away,' the ex-president continued. In his interview on Fox, Johnson pushed back and said he has aimed to 'save' Social Security, by implementing some cost-saving measures. 'The point is, some of you are on Social Security, some of your parents are on Social Security, some of your grandparents are on Social Security,' Obama continued. 'You know why they have Social Security? Because they worked for it.' 'They worked hard jobs for it. They have chapped hands for it. They have long hours and sore backs and bad knees to get that Social Security,' Obama said, his voice booming. 'And if Ron Johnson does not understand that - if he understands giving tax breaks for private planes more than he understands making sure that seniors who have worked all of their lives are able to retire with dignity and respect, he's not the person who's thinking about you, and knows you, and sees you, and he should not be your senator from Wisconsin,' Obama said. Obama hit the campaign trail in earnest starting Friday, headlining a rally in Atlanta before moving on to Michigan and Wisconsin, and then Nevada. The Democratic National Committee confirmed Monday that Obama and President Joe Biden would appear together in Philadelphia on Saturday to campaign for Democrats Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who's running for Senate, and Josh Shapiro, who's running for governor. This place should be a riot of honking, quacking and clucking at this time of year. Instead, there is a deathly silence hanging over Fen Farm, deathly being the operative word. Alan Wharton's entire flock of geese, ducks and chickens has gone and not one of them has ended up on a plate. They were all casualties of the worst outbreak of avian flu in British history, carted off to an incinerator by government officials. Not that Alan was there to see it. He was too upset to leave the house that day (or the day after that). His wife, Tonya, dealt with the circus which turned up in white hazmat suits. 'You wouldn't believe the number of people down here. They even brought their own loos and a mobile office,' says Tonya. 'It looked like a crime scene. The neighbours probably thought I'd killed Alan and buried him under the patio.' ROBERT HARDMAN: Make no mistake, the avian flu epidemic is worse than anything anyone can recall The hit squad even dispatched Winnie, Rosie and Ruby, the three pet hens belonging to the Whartons' nine-year-old son, Charlie. 'If it wasn't for my wife, I wouldn't have got through it,' explains Alan, as we meet at the gate to the immaculate but empty Fen Farm, near Thelnetham on the Suffolk/Norfolk border. It's locked, of course, as it has been since the day the birds were taken. No one is allowed on site except the family. This is a heartrending saga unfolding on poultry farms all over the country right now. Not that you are probably aware of it. Our political and media classes have been so preoccupied with the recent Westminster psychodramas and financial turbulence that virtually no attention has been paid to what is an equally historic crisis taking place in the countryside. Make no mistake, the avian flu epidemic is worse than anything anyone can recall. Whitehall officials, never ones for hyperbole, say it exceeds last winter's outbreak and that was called 'the largest ever'. At the start of October, the total number of cases among captive flocks had reached 161 up from 26 in 2020-21. Yet, since then, that number has rocketed by another 87, the latest being a farm in Lancashire which was wiped out last night. It means that more than 5.5 million farmed turkeys, geese and ducks have died or been culled in the past year 2.3 million of them in the past month alone. Yesterday, the Government announced a Covid-style lockdown on all kept birds across England. Under a new 'national housing order', all must remain indoors while new biosecurity measures must be in place for visitors. The measures have come too late for an estimated 35 per cent of Britain's free-range poultry market which has already been culled. This is on a par with the ghastly foot-and-mouth plague of 2001 in terms of the impact on a particular section of Britain's farming economy. However, the whole nation knew all about foot-and-mouth because it hit cattle and sheep, which are a much more visible part of our public landscape. This is a heartrending saga unfolding on poultry farms all over the country right now. Pictured: Dead geese at Steve Childerhouse's Norfolk farm The UK's 12 million-strong bovine population, plus 33 million sheep, occupy nearly 60 per cent of what's known as the country's 'utilised agricultural area'. Poultry farming is a more sheltered business, with hundreds of millions of animals occupying a fraction of that space, often under cover and out of public view. Yet all this contributes 6 billion to the national economy in terms of meat and eggs. One part of it is also almost entirely seasonal. And this crisis raises the very real prospect of a dire shortage of both turkey and geese this Christmas. Only then, perhaps, will the rest of us actually wake up to the severity of what is going on. A few weeks ago, Britain's biggest producer of Christmas geese, Suffolk's Gressingham Foods, lost its entire flock to avian flu. 'It's a race against time. Nearly all the geese are gone and a lot of the country's fresh turkey flock has already been lost,' says Paul Kelly. Famous for his Kelly Bronze premium turkeys, Paul is chairman of the British Turkey Federation and is also on the Poultry Board of the National Farmers Union. His own birds are safe and sound for now but he is warning that unless the Government changes its current rules, then many farmers will simply give up, whether they get infected or not. 'The risks are just too high for many farmers to keep going. This really is like Covid for the poultry world except we are not allowed to vaccinate.' The Government says a vaccine would be ineffective and merely lead to further mutations of the virus. This is, by no means, a British crisis. It's the same story across Europe. In the U.S., they have lost more than six million turkeys just weeks before Thanksgiving, forcing prices up by 20 per cent. So what is going on? The problem is that an especially virulent strain of the S5N1 flu virus has taken root in populations of wild birds and, thus, travelled all over the world. The good news is that it poses virtually no risk to humans. The bad news is that it races through bird populations in a matter of hours and, worst of all, it is now a year-round phenomenon. In the past, this sort of virus would be an occasional winter hazard. This year, cases have been popping up round the clock. Entire populations of Scottish seabirds, including the great skua and the guillemot, have been decimated over the summer. Seasonal migrations have exacerbated the problem, especially in East Anglia, but there have been reports of dead birds falling out of the sky as far afield as Cornwall and Wales. Left to rot, they infect all around them. Alan Wharton, for example, did not lose all his birds the other day. His farm was wiped out back in March. Yet his friend, Steve Childerhouse, up the road in Attleborough, Norfolk, lost his birds only in recent weeks. 'I started this business as a boy with four geese,' says Steve, 51. His problems began at the end of September when a fox got in and took a few of his 2,500 geese. Counting the cost: Steve Childerhouse on his turkey farm before the outbreak Several days later, he saw that one or two had died of something else. He feared the worst and called the vet. By the time, the government culling team arrived a few days later, only 26 geese were left alive, staggering among a field of corpses. By then, the virus had taken root among his 11,000 turkeys, too. 'You get very upset because we are all very passionate about what we do,' he says, showing me horrific pictures of what this virus does in a day. The Christmas round-up had always involved a 40-strong part-time team made up both of locals and Polish workers who would congregate at his farm every November to despatch, pluck and prepare his free-range birds. That team will get no work this year. Steve is wondering how he will find employment himself for at least another year he has lost all his birds not just for this Christmas, but for the next one, too. Defra rules, based on an arbitrary bureaucratic rule of thumb, effectively give farmers two options. They can either opt for a hugely expensive military-style industrial decontamination process or undertake an intensive deep-clean and then wait 12 months before restocking, even though the science is unclear on the survival time of this strain of virus. This rule, obviously, rules out getting any birds in time for next Christmas. And it makes no provision for the fact you could douse your entire farm in disinfectant, only for a dead swan from Iceland simply to drop into your pond from a clear blue sky. As things stand, Steve reckons he has lost 200,000 this year alone. And compensation is another key issue. There is no remotely affordable insurance against bird flu. Farmers can claim for healthy birds lost to a notifiable disease such as this. However, this virus moves so fast that by the time a government vet has answered the phone, done the paperwork, got in the car and turned up to evaluate a cull, there are often no healthy birds left. Hence it really is a race against time to get the officials round as soon as possible, however distressing the outcome. Last week, the farming minister, Mark Spencer, announced a new package of measures, including dating compensation from the 'outset' of a cull. However, the National Farmers' Union is calling for this to apply from the moment the disease is confirmed. Howard Blackwell's nightmare began on October 3 at the farm near Kelvedon, Essex, which his grandfather started in 1930. The backbone of the farm is turkeys, but Howard had expanded the family business to include geese, chickens and ducks, plus an award-winning farm shop and a butchery serving farmers across the area and employing 40 people. 'On the Tuesday, I picked up six dead birds,' says Howard, 59. 'The next morning, there were 23 dead, and I sent some straight to the vet for testing. I remember his call back at 12.30. He only had to say one word: 'Unfortunately . . .' A 'prevention zone' was declared across the UK on October 17 as the country continues to battle a 'devastating' outbreak of avian flu - which could have a knock on effect for next year's festivities too There followed days of mind-numbing calls to and from government agencies before any officials turned up the following weekend. By then, Howard had already opened a turkey shed one morning to find the most appalling sight. 'It was like Armageddon. It took three of us two hours to carry out more than 1,000 dead birds.' When the government vets arrived with their gas chambers, mobile office and even a team of security guards, there were only a few hundred turkeys left to euthanise. As a result, the compensation for 'healthy birds' among his 5,500 turkeys, 1,800 geese and 450 chickens will be minimal. To make matters worse, a Defra official called and told Howard to close the farm shop and butchery business. 'I said to her: 'You can't just bankrupt me and all my staff like that. Who is going to pay all their mortgages? Are you?' The Tenant Farmers Association came to the rescue. 'They found out the official paperwork had not been served properly, so the shop and butchery can stay open,' says Howard, in between calls to cancel the accommodation he had booked for his Polish plucking team.' You need talk to any of these farmers for only a few minutes to appreciate the other side of this crisis the strain on families. These are often tiny businesses, built up over generations only for the whole lot to be destroyed overnight by something entirely beyond their control. During the foot-and-mouth crisis, there were spikes in rates of suicide and depression among farmers. Don't be surprised if history repeats itself this Christmas. And unless there is a change in the rules to allow farmers to restock within six months, rather than 12, a lot of poultry farmers such as those I have talked to will be giving up altogether. In which case, next Christmas, Britain will face a pretty clear choice: factory-farmed turkey 'parts' from the other side of the world or a nice vegan roast with all the trimmings. Advertisement Devilish revellers across the UK braved the wind and the rain as they celebrate Halloween on a boozy night out. Students posed for photos as they flocked to bars in Newcastle, Leeds and Swansea to party on the spookiest night of the year. Ghoulish makeup and fancy dress costumes remained intact despite the heavy rain and wind hitting partygoers on Monday night, as they battled the weather to enjoy the celebrations. No doubt many of them will wake up with spooky hangovers in the morning... LONDON: A man dressed up with Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas LONDON: Despite the rain Londoner's headed out to Soho to celebrate Halloween NEWCASTLE: A man dressed up as a ghost spotted wandering around the city on Halloween NOTTINGHAM: Students in Halloween costumes brave Storm Claudio as they make the most of Halloween NEWCASTLE: A group of girls head out to bars in central Newcastle to celebrate the spookiest day of the year LEEDS: A woman dressed in a devil outfit makes a peace sign LONDON: A couple headed out in Soho dressed as spooky skeletons SWANSEA: Revellers braved the wind and the rain as they party on Halloween NOTTINGHAM: A group of students use plastic bags to keep their hair dry from the rain NEWCASTLE: A couple wear matching costumes featuring bald caps LEEDS: A group of friends enjoying their night out despite the hellish weather NEWCASTLE: A group of friends pose for photos on a night out in Newcastle LONDON: Two friends dress up as nuns on a rainy Halloween night in Soho NEWCASTLE: Geordies are out tonight as they celebrate Halloween NEWCASTLE: A group of friends pose for photos as they enjoy a boozy Halloween NEWCASTLE: Friends dressed as angels and devils head out to celebrate Halloween NEWCASTLE: Girls wear smiles as they head into central Newcastle to party on Halloween LONDON: A bar-goers dressed as Pennywise the clown on Halloween NEWCASTLE: Night revellers enjoy a night out dressed to celebrate Halloween NEWCASTLE: Revellers in the city dress up for Halloween NEWCASTLE: Fancy dress costumes were seen across the city on Monday night LEEDS: Revellers ran through the street to avoid the heavy rain on Halloween NEWCASTLE: Revellers were out on the town in fancy dress LEEDS: The Mario brothers hit the street, joined by other revellers on Halloween LEEDS: Umbrellas at the ready as a group queue outside in the rain on Halloween LEEDS: Wonder woman makes her way through the rain on Halloween LEEDS: Revellers in the city got creative with fake blood in their costumes LEEDS: Shielding from the rain with an umbrella, revellers enjoy a night out PORTSMOUTH: A group of revellers celebrate Halloween in the Hampshire city Advertisement Conditions at the Manston processing centre deteriorated further last night as insiders warned migrants were fighting each other with improvised weapons. The Kent site has tripled in size since May, when seven tents were being used to house asylum seekers compared with 21 yesterday. Some 4,000 people are now packed into the former RAF station which has a capacity of just 1,600. Severe overcrowding has led to outbreaks of violence and infections such as diphtheria. The situation became even more dire yesterday with the arrival of another 700 migrants, who were brought from Dover after the Western Jet Foil processing centre was attacked with petrol bombs on Sunday. Staff at Manston warned migrants are making blades out of tent parts, loo roll holders and broken bits from the wired fence. It came as a damning report called for ministers to 'get a grip' on the crisis after a watchdog uncovered worrying conditions. Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, carried out an unannounced visit in July and found evidence of 'exhausted' migrants sleeping on floors and 'impatient staff'. An aerial view of the Manston processing centre in Kent. The site has tripled in size since May due to record numbers of small boat crossings Some 4,000 people are now packed into the former RAF station in Manston which has a capacity of just 1,600. Severe overcrowding at the centre has led to outbreaks of violence and infections such as diphtheria The situation has since worsened due to record numbers of migrants arriving via small boats this summer. Lucy Moreton, a professional officer at the Union for Borders, Immigration and Customs, said staff in Manston have witnessed 'incredibly tense' scenes in the last 24 hours. 'Tensions have been very high in Manston for the last three weeks off and on, as people are staying there longer and longer and are becoming increasingly more frustrated,' she told the Daily Mail. 'They get bored. Mostly the migrants fight amongst each other rather than fight us but then our staff have to go in and separate them. Staff have already expressed serious concerns about improvised weapons that are being found.' Miss Moreton said the violence is largely being driven by Albanian men, adding: 'We've got a fairly high proportion of individuals in reach of a deportation order or with other known criminality and most of the unrest tends to focus around them.' People who live near Manston have also expressed safety concerns amid questions of whether migrants will be rehomed to prevent overcrowding. Margaret Brown, 71, said: 'It is a fear. You've got children and everyone going through here. We've got our grandchildren here. 'Gangsters and everyone else they are bringing over, they've not been checked.' People who live near Manston have also expressed safety concerns amid questions of whether migrants will be rehomed to prevent overcrowding. Pictured: A view of people thought to be migrants at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility in Kent Natasha Roots, 27, said it would be 'very concerning' if migrants were rehomed in empty accommodation near her. She added: 'Quite frankly there are enough people already living [here] that need houses.' In his 37-page report, Mr Taylor expressed concern over the conditions at Manston, with some migrants waiting up to 70 hours to be processed. He added: 'It was particularly disappointing to see exhausted detainees forced to sleep on floor mats between rows of seats or on wooden benches. 'Much more accommodation was available at Manston but it was as yet unstaffed and did not have proper sleeping facilities. Detainees could not go outside for fresh air.' The report also found that 'a considerable minority' of migrants have been moved to temporary hotel accommodation without screening. Mr Taylor added: 'Recent intelligence from a number of credible sources... suggest that the current situation at Manston has significantly deteriorated since our July inspection. 'We are hearing that detainees are now being held in greater numbers and for much longer periods of time in cramped and uncomfortable conditions, often supervised by staff who have not been suitably trained.' A Home Office spokesman said the asylum system is 'under incredible pressure' but they added: 'Manston remains resourced and equipped to process migrants securely and we will provide alternative accommodation as soon as possible.' Unions warned the Manston site is 'like a pressure cooker', with cases of diphtheria and outbreaks of violence. Aerial photos show large tents that have been set up at Manston, a migrant processing centre in Kent that is said to be heavily overcrowded Sir Roger Gale, a local Conservative MP, described the situation at Manston as a 'breach of humane conditions' and accused ministers of deliberately fuelling overcrowding. 'There are simply far too many people and this situation should never have been allowed to develop, and I'm not sure that it hasn't almost been developed deliberately,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats arrive at the Dover centre before being taken to Manston for processing. They are meant to stay there for a maximum of 24 hours while they undergo checks before being moved into immigration detention centres or asylum accommodation such as hotels. But Home Secretary Suella Braverman was said to have blocked the transfer of migrants from the centre amid the soaring cost of housing them in hotels, which is around 6million per day. It comes as official figures revealed a further 468 migrants were intercepted crossing the Channel in small boats on Sunday in eight separate incidents. Sunday's arrivals take the number to make the treacherous crossing so far this year to 39,259, compared to 28,526 in 2021. Migrants and staff could be seen milling around in the field outside the large tents Unions have warned the facility in Manston is 'like a pressure cooker', with cases of diphtheria and outbreaks of violence A man walks near a shower area inside the immigration processing centre in Manston, Kent A woman waves at the camera from behind a green tarpaulin covering a wire fence at a migrant processing centre in Manston, Kent Conditions inside the Manston facility - the outside of which is pictured today - have been described as dangerous and overcrowded A member of staff watches on as a group of migrants gather together inside the Manston centre, which is located inside a former RAF base A man holds up a baby inside an immigration processing centre in Manston, where conditions have been criticised by MPs A view of people thought to be migrants at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility. It was previously used by the MoD to train firefighters Sir Roger, the MP for North Thanet, told Sky News there were now more than 4,000 people at Manston. He said conditions were 'wholly unacceptable' and suggested it may have been allowed to happen 'deliberately'. 'That's like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then there's a car crash, and then suddenly there's a five-mile tailback. The car crash was the decision not to book more hotel space,' he said. Asked whether Ms Braverman is the right person to handle this situation, Sir Roger said: 'I'm not seeking to point fingers at the moment but I do believe whoever is responsible, and that is either the previous home secretary or this one, has to be held to account, because a bad decision was taken and it's led to what I would regard as a breach of humane conditions.' There have been outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies at Manston and The Guardian reported there was a case of MRSA. Staff are also reporting outbreaks of violence amid tensions over the conditions. Ms Moreton told MailOnline: 'The situation at Manston has been allowed to become utterly catastrophic. 'Over 4,000 people are now on site; some, including families with children, for more than 4 weeks. The facilities are utterly inadequate. 'Staff face threatening and violet behaviour on a daily basis from migrants who are frustrated and bored. The ISU has raised urgent concerns that detention at this site and for this length of time is unlawful.' Andy Baxter, assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers Association, said Manston has unfolded as a 'humanitarian crisis on British soil', with 'pressure cooker' conditions building. There have also been outbreaks of violence at the facility, whistleblowers from the camp told the Daily Mail over the weekend. 'Fights have broken out between Albanians and Eritreans using sharpened combs from their Home Office washbags as weapons,' the source said. 'A small Army detachment is inside to help keep order. We have been told riot police are on standby to enter if the migrants kick off in the next few days. It is a tinderbox. 'Migrants have attacked Border Force officials and security staff, who are scared and outnumbered.' Cabinet minister Michael Gove yesterday told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme the situation at Manston is 'deeply concerning' but he denied that the Home Secretary ignored or dismissed legal advice. Mr Taylor, who has inspected the facility, said urgent improvements were needed. 'We were absolutely clear in our report that's coming out tomorrow that the Home Office and contractors need to get a grip, they need to speed up the processing of migrants, they need to make suitable provisions so people can be moved off site as quickly as possible and housed in humane and decent conditions,' he told Today. Sir Roger, the MP for North Thanet, told Sky News there were now more than 4,000 people at Manston. He said conditions were 'wholly unacceptable' and suggested it may have been allowed to happen 'deliberately' He said: 'That's like driving a car down a motorway, seeing the motorway clear ahead, then there's a car crash, and then suddenly there's a five mile tailback' Migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats arrive at the Dover centre before being taken to the Manston for processing Members of the military and UK Border Force extinguish a fire from a petrol bomb in Dover, Kent, on Sunday Mr Taylor added: 'The facilities are not set up for people to be staying. It's not a residential facility. It's a short-term holding facility which is supposed to process people through. 'So the danger is if people are spending long periods of time in what are very cramped conditions without suitable accommodation that's just not acceptable.' Home Office minister Robert Jenrick visited Manston on Sunday after another watchdog, Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal, told MPs he was left 'speechless' by the problems at the site. In a post on Twitter, Mr Jenrick said migrants continue to be processed 'securely' in 'challenging conditions', adding: 'I was hugely impressed by the staff I met, managing this intolerable situation.' The same day police said two or three incendiary devices were thrown at a migrant processing centre in Dover and caused a fire. The suspect was identified and found at a nearby petrol station, where he was confirmed dead, Kent Police said. Two people inside the site at Western Jet Foil were left with minor injuries. Although the site remained open, 700 people were moved to Manston for safety reasons. A Reuters photographer said a man threw petrol bombs with fireworks attached before killing himself. The news agency reported the attacker was described as a white man wearing a striped top, who drove up to the centre in a white Seat 4x4 vehicle. Some 468 people arrived in the UK on Sunday after crossing the Channel in eight boats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, taking the provisional total for the year so far to 39,864. A group of migrants outside the Manston facility last week. The site in Kent is located in the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent Overcrowding at the former RAF airfield has worsened after 700 more migrants were bussed to the centre from another site in Dover that was attacked on Sunday by a man hurling petrol bombs Migrants are meant to stay at Manston for a maximum of 24 hours while they undergo checks before being moved into immigration detention centres or asylum accommodation such as hotels A file photo of the facility, where unions and whistleblowers say conditions have deteriorated in recent weeks Environment minister Mark Spencer told Sky News the UK needs to find a way to deal with migrants 'compassionately' as he acknowledged there are 'huge challenges' in the system. On BBC Breakfast, he said there is no 'silver bullet' to fix the migrant crisis, adding: 'Clearly there's more to do, but we're making progress.' In an interview with GB News, he denied there had been an outbreak of diphtheria within the facility. 'My understanding is actually that people presented with diphtheria and were treated by the medical facilities there,' he said. 'That was not an outbreak of diphtheria within the facility. That's people landing on our shores with that condition and being treated by our medical teams there to help them and support them. James Wilson, deputy director at Detention Action, said: 'Home Office statistics show that most of the people being held at Manston, including children, are likely to be refugees who have already survived serious trauma and danger to reach our shores. 'The Home Office is now denying those people essential medical, psychological and legal support. It is cruel and unlawful to detain people for weeks on end in these increasingly unsanitary, overcrowded conditions.' The Home Office said last night: 'The Home Secretary has taken urgent decisions to alleviate issues at Manston and source alternative accommodation. Claims advice was deliberately ignored are completely baseless. 'It is right we look at all available options so decisions can be made based on the latest operational and legal advice. 'The number of people arriving in the UK via small boats has reached record levels, which has put our asylum system under incredible pressure and costs the British taxpayer millions of pounds a day.' Migrants at the Western Jet Foil processing centre in Dover on Sunday following the petrol bomb incident Councils are fighting back against Government attempts to book up hotels to house asylum seekers. At least four have taken legal action after hotels some in prime tourist areas stopped taking reservations because the Home Office block-booked all their rooms for migrants. Local authorities across the UK said they would take a strong stance against the plans as they affect tourism revenue, put pressure on stretched services, risk local jobs, and breach planning rules. The revolt came as official figures showed another 468 migrants crossed the Channel in eight boats on Sunday, putting further pressure on the UKs creaking asylum system. It took the total who have reached Britain so far this year to 39,867. Ipswich Borough Council was granted an interim injunction last week after the Home Office planned to house 200 asylum seekers in a four-star hotel. The Labour council and local Tory MP Tom Hunt joined forces to fight for the court order against the Novotel hotel. Mr Hunt said: This is the most pressing issue in my inbox. Accommodating people who have come here illegally in expensive hotels smack-bang in the town centre is not something I am going to support. Home Secretary Suella Braverman told MPs yesterday that the Government was spending 6.8million a day on hotels for migrants People arriving at a migrant processing centre shortly before a suspected attack in Dover on Sunday A view of people thought to be migrants at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent on Monday 'Businesses are very concerned about this as it was often used by them for work. Its now lost that purpose. Scott Benton, Tory MP for Blackpool South, described the situation in his constituency as completely regrettable after a hotel was taken over 12 months ago to house 300 asylum seekers. He added: The situation has become intolerable. The Government urgently needs to get a grip of it because people have lost faith that they can protect our borders. We were promised this would be short-term, but the situation hasnt changed in 12 months. I suspect this hotel will be housing migrants for years to come. In Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, local council chief executive Sheila Oxtoby wrote to Home Office officials after they booked up the whole of a very successful, sustainable hotel popular with holidaymakers. But she was ignored and 72 migrants moved in. Great Yarmouth Borough Council then took legal action and won a temporary injunction stopping a second hotel, the Embassy, from taking more asylum seekers. Miss Oxtoby told the Local Government Chronicle: Its absolutely counterintuitive to all the other investment were putting into Great Yarmouth. We will be taking quite a strong stance. The 88-room North Stafford Hotel in Stoke-on-Trent has also been prevented from housing migrants after council bosses secured a temporary injunction. People thought to be migrants wait to be processed at the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent, on Saturday A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, on the Ramsgate Lifeboat following a small boat incident in the Channel on Thursday Stoke City Council won the injunction against Britannia Hotels this month and the case is due back in the High Court tomorrow. Tory, Labour and independent councillors came together to criticise the planned use of the hotel, saying: This is a misuse of the hotel, which does not have permissions for this use, and does not promote inclusion. 'It is an outrage that the Government tells us who to house where. Torbay Council in Devon said a group of under-18s staying in a hotel were putting an immense strain on its childrens services budget, which is already under severe pressure. On Sunday, East Riding of Yorkshire Council confirmed it had gone to the High Court to stop the Humber View Hotel in North Ferriby housing asylum seekers. A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said last night: We have been raising increasingly urgent concerns with the Home Office on behalf of councils about the use of hotels for asylum seekers without adequate time for consulting or even sometimes informing the local council in advance. Councils understand the pressures in the system but it is vital that they are given notification. Home Secretary Suella Braverman told MPs yesterday that the Government was spending 6.8million a day on hotels for migrants. The Home Office said asylum seeker arrivals were at record levels, but admitted that using hotels to house them was unacceptable and a short-term solution. Officials in California have formally charged David DePape with attempted murder among other felony charges in relation to Friday's hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. In a press conference on Monday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins explicitly referred to the attack as 'politically motivated.' Jenkins also stated her belief that DePape intended to murder Paul Pelosi. Jenkins told the media: 'What is clear based on the evidence that we have thus far is that this house, and the speaker herself, were specifically targets of the defendant.' DePape, 42, is also facing charges of the attempted kidnapping of a US official and one count of assault of an immediate family member of a US official. The suspect will be arraigned on Tuesday. He is accused of breaking into the Pelosi's home and beating Paul Pelosi over the head with a hammer and intending to hold his House Speaker wife Nancy hostage and break her kneecaps. Jenkins said in the press conference that Paul Pelosi was asleep in a loose-fitting pajama shirt and a pair of boxer shorts when he was awoken by DePape around 2:30 am. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announcing the charges against David DePape on Monday afternoon During the press conference, Jenkins said: 'What is clear based on the evidence that we have thus far is that this house, and the speaker herself, were specifically targets of the defendant' At some point during the ordeal, Paul Pelosi attempted to escape into an elevator to call 911. When that avenue was closed off to him, he did manage to get to a bathroom where he was able to call the police. DePape was listening in on the phone call, and knew police were going to arrive, according to FBI interrogators, but 'explained that he did not leave after Pelosis call to 9-1-1 because, much like the American founding fathers with the British, he was fighting against tyranny without the option of surrender.' Other state charges include residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and false imprisonment of an elder. If convicted on all charges, DePape could face life in prison. Jenkins said that her office will file a motion to keep DePape in custody without bail. She continued: 'One last thing that I want to say today is that as leaders and as citizens, it is incumbent upon us all, to watch the words that we say and to turn down the volume of our political rhetoric.' DePape's landlord is renowned photographer Malcolm Lubliner, shown here removing the suspect's belongings from the home that they shared in Richmond, California According to the criminal complaint, the day after the attack, authorities traced DePape to a home along Shasta Road in Richmond, California, around 18 miles north of San Francisco. The home belongs to renowned Bay Area photographer Malcolm Lubliner who served as DePape's landlord. DePape lived at the address for two years. Investigators said that inside of the home, they found additional hammers, a sword, and pairs of gloves. Lubliner has been a fixture in the California arts scene since the 1960s and has had his work displayed at the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as well as at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. He has photographed American icons such as Jasper Johns and Janis Joplin. At some point during the ordeal, Paul Pelosi attempted to escape into an elevator to call 911. When that avenue was closed off to him, he managed to get to a bathroom where he was able to call the police On Friday, DePape walked into a bedroom of the $6million San Francisco home just before 3am on Friday, woke Paul Pelosi up and said he would wait for his wife to get home. He told investigators he wanted 'kneecap her' if she 'lied' to him so she would have to be 'wheeled into Congress, showing other Members there were consequences to actions'. The shocking new details were unveiled as DePape was slapped with federal charges including attempted kidnapping, and as a new Fox News report suggested he was in the U.S. illegally from Canada. The suspect allegedly had zip ties with him when he broke into the couple's San Francisco home - and was calling out 'Where's Nancy?' DePape on Monday was charged with assault and attempted kidnapping by the Department of Justice. The suspect, who is now in custody, is expected to appear in court this week on separate state charges. San Francisco police said DePape would be arraigned on charges of attempted homicide, first-degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury, elder abuse, threatening a public official, or family member, among others. Paul Pelosi, who was the only one home when DePape broke in, called the police who arrived two minutes later to find the 82-year-old and DePape, 42, struggling over a hammer, according to a Department of Justice press release. Officers told the men to drop the hammer. DePape then gained control of it and swung at Pelosi's head, before he was arrested as Pelosi lay unconscious on the ground, San Francisco FBI special agent Stephanie Minor wrote in a request for a federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant. DePape, 42. is accused of breaking into Pelosi's $6million home and attacking Paul Pelosi, 82, with a hammer as he shouted: 'Where's Nancy?' Pelosi is pictured above leaving her San Francisco home on Sunday as her husband recovers in the ICU from a skull fracture Paul Pelosi Jr., son of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi, walks outside his parent's home in San Francisco, Saturday, one day after the attack Pelosi had been asleep when DePape entered his bedroom and demanded to talk to 'Nancy.' 'Where's Nancy?' he asked. Nancy Pelosi, who gets a security detail, was in Washington, D.C. at the time of the attack. Pelosi told the intruder his wife was not there and would not be there for several days, and DePape said he would wait. Pelosi was somehow able to get into the bathroom while he called 911. DePape told investigators he wanted to hold Nancy Pelosi captive and talk to her. He said that if the speaker told 'the truth' he would let her go, and if she 'lied' he would 'break her kneecaps.' 'She would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions,' he explained. DePape also explained that he broke into the house through a glass door using the hammer. Pelosi now remains in the intensive care unit recovering from a skull fracture surrounded by family members. When cops arrived at the exclusive property (pictured), they said they saw DePape assaulting Pelosi with a hammer Gypsy Taub (right, pictured with DePape in 2013) was accused of sending messages to a former friend of her son, telling the minor that she wanted to date him and trying to lure him to meet with her secretly Nancy was in Washington, DC at the time her husband was attacked Following his attack on Pelosi, DePape has been accused by his daughter of sexually assaulting his three children when they were kids. The nudist longtime ex-partner of DePape revealed in an interview from jail that he had been 'mentally ill for a long time' and had paranoid delusions. Oxane 'Gypsy' Taub, 53, who was convicted in 2021 for trying to kidnap a 14-year-old boy, is also a longtime nudist activist. She says during her two decades with DePape she saw him transform following a disappearance of more than a year. 'He came back in very bad shape. He thought he was Jesus. He was constantly paranoid, thinking people were after him,' Taub told Bay area affiliate ABC 7 in a phone call from prison. 'And it took a good year or two to get back to, you know, being halfway normal.' 'He is mentally ill. He has been mentally ill for a long time,' she said from the Californian Institution for Women in Corona, California, where she is serving time. The two previously lived together in Berkeley. Taub says she first met DePape two decades ago when he had political views like her own, although the 'hemp jewelry maker's' more recent postings have contain anti-Semitic themes and QAnon conspiracies as well as election fraud claims. 'Well when I met him, he was only 20 years old, and he didn't have any experience in politics, and he was very much in alignment with my views and I've always been very progressive. I absolutely admire Nancy Pelosi,' said Taub. The couple raised two sons and a daughter, and split seven years ago, she said. Taub described herself as the 'ex-life partner of David DePape and the mother of his children.' DePape was also found to have run the website frenlyfrens.com, where he discussed how he had an invisible fairy friend that sometimes appeared to him in the form of a bird and shared images of Hillary Clinton as a zombie. During one post he even ranted about not being able to buy a fairy house with a working door. Many of his posts were filled with tirades against Jewish people, black people, Democrats, the media and transgender people, under categories such as 'Trannies,' 'Da Jewbs' and 'Great Reset.' DePape created his blog just months before the attack, registering it in August. His very first post on the now-deleted site was entitled Mary Poppins, amid Disney World's dispute with Florida Gov Ron DeSantis over his so-called Don't Say Gay bill. It included a video depicting a SWAT team firing at the magical nanny. In the months since, he filled the blog with hundreds of posts depicting anti-Semitic and dystopian images. One such post featured the Devil kneeling and asking a caricature of a Jewish person to teach him the arts of 'lying, deception cheating and incitement.' Several others contained images of rotting human flesh and blood, including zombified versions of Bill Gates and Hillary Clinton as he promoted his far-right conspiracy theories. By late August, DePape seemed to become engrossed in Twitter's decision to ban Jordan Peterson for his posts about transgender people after the Canadian psychologist compared being transgender to 'satanic ritual abuse.' More recently, amid backlash to rapper Kanye West's tweet declaring war on the Jewish people, DePape posted: 'We are ALL the Jews' slave race. In just the past month alone, DePape had published hundreds of blog posts promoting far-right conspiracy theories before he allegedly broke into Pelosi's home, the Boston Globe reports. In recent weeks, after Kanye West faced backlash for a tweet declaring war on the Jews, DePape shared his own anti-Semitic views on his blog DePape was also active on 4chan, positing memes and debating other anonymous users about his beliefs. In an October 24 post on the website, DePape complained he was being targeted by law enforcement officials he described as 'paid shills' trying to manipulate the message board. 'I would come in and lay out the facts, and so all the paid shills would jump on me,' he wrote. 'To try and suppress it.' DePape would also share some photos from a construction site he worked at, one highlighting a jackhammer with the number 33 on it, an apparent reference to a conspiracy theory about Free Masons and world domination. But other posts on his blog seemed to be more personal, offering a glance into his delusions. DePape wrote in recent months how he was becoming suicidal as his relationship with Taub was falling apart. 'I was extremely suicidal,' he posted four days before the attack, writing in an apparent letter to Inti Gonzalez, who has identified DePape as her father: 'Mentally I would beg you guys daily to let me kill myself.' It shows glowing filaments that resulted from a star exploding 11,000 years ago The stunning images were taken by the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal site in Chile The European Southern Observatory has shared a spooky new mosaic image of the Vela Supernova Remnant Advertisement The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has released an image of the ghostly remains of a star that exploded 11,000 years ago, just in time for Halloween. The event is known as the Vela supernova, and the aftermath has been photographed by the Very Large Telescope (VLT) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. Shockwaves caused during the supernova moved through the surrounding gas, compressing it and creating intricate thread-like structures. These gaseous tendrils were also heated by the vast amount of energy that was also released in the explosion, causing them to shine brightly. NASA described the Vela supernova remnant as an 'expanding debris cloud from the death explosion of a massive star.' A view of the Vela supernova remnant - orange and pink clouds that make up what remains after the explosive death of a massive star. This image consists of 554 million pixels, and is a combined mosaic image of observations taken with the 268-million-pixel OmegaCAM camera at the VLT Survey Telescope, hosted at ESO's Paranal Observatory THE VELA SUPERNOVA The Vela supernova remnant is the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in the southern constellation Vela. The explosion occurred approximately 11,000 to 12,300 years ago, about 800 light years away from Earth, and was 250 times brighter than Venus. A neutron star remains that spins more than ten times per second , and is known as the 'Vela pulsar' as it emits vast amounts of radiation as it rotates. Its discovery by astronomers at the University of Sydney in 1968 was direct observational evidence that supernovae form neutron stars. Advertisement A supernova occurs when a star explodes at the end of its life, shooting debris and particles into space. As the star runs out of nuclear fuel, some of its mass flows into its core. Eventually, the core becomes so heavy it can't stand its own gravitational force and the core collapses, resulting in a giant explosion. Every atom in the outer parts of the star is heated to well over one million degrees and ejected into the surrounding gas, producing spectacular filaments. The explosion also leaves behind an ultra-dense, collapsed core made of neutrons - the result of remaining protons and electrons being forced together. This is known as a 'neutron star', and has a magnetic field trillions of times stronger than the magnetic field of the Earth. The rotation of the original star also increases dramatically during collapse, and the resulting neutron star can be left spinning many times a second. As it emits radio waves, X-rays and other radiation through space while it spins, it is known as a 'pulsar'. 'Since neutron stars began their existence as stars, they are found scattered throughout the galaxy in the same places where we find stars,' NASA explains. 'And like stars, they can be found by themselves or in binary systems with a companion.' While the location of the Vela supernova remnant is 800 light-years away from Earth, it is one of the closest known to us. Pictured: Highlights of the Vela supernova remnant The process of going from the raw data captured by a telescope to an astronomical image. 1: The detector registers the light collected by the telescope. 2 and 3: Artefacts and instrumental signatures such as dead pixels, shadows or luminosity variations are corrected using calibration data. 4: Different images taken to capture an astronomical object that is larger than the field of view are stitched together in a mosaic. 5: The brightness of the background is corrected, as it can vary among different parts of the mosaic. 6: The mosaiced image is visually inspected, and any residual artefacts are corrected for. 7 and 8: Images taken through different filters that let through light of certain wavelengths are then assigned unique colours and combined into a final colour image WHAT ARE PULSARS? Pulsars are rotating, highly magnetised neutron stars. They are made of matter much more densely packed than normal which give the entire star a density comparable to an atomic nucleus. They also have extremely strong magnetic fields and give off radiation in a cone-shaped beam which sweeps across the sky as the star rotates, like the light from a lighthouse. When the beam sweeps over Earth, it becomes visible, producing light that cycles every few seconds to just a few milliseconds. Advertisement The pulsar of the Vela remnant - named after the southern constellation Vela ('The Sails') - is placed outside of this image to the upper left, and is spinning more than 10 times per second. While the location of the Vela supernova remnant is 800 light-years away from Earth, it is one of the closest known to us. The image is made of 554 million pixels, and shows an area that would fit nine full moons. It is a mosaic of observations taken with the wide-field camera OmegaCAM of the VLT Survey Telescope. The 268-million-pixel camera can take images through several filters that let through light of different colours. In this particular image of the Vela remnant, four different filters were used, represented here by a combination of magenta, blue, green and red. The VST uses a 2.6-metre mirror to survey the night sky in visible light, making it one of the largest telescopes to do so. This image was generated during the VST Photometric H Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge (VPHAS+), which has been going on for over seven years. This survey has mapped a considerable portion of our home galaxy allowing astronomers to better understand how stars form, evolve and eventually die. Bird's eye view of the Very Large Telescope in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. The site hosts four 8.2-metre Unit Telescopes, four 1.8-metre Auxiliary Telescopes, the VLT Survey Telescope, and the 4.1-metre Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy, seen in the distance on the next mountain peak over from the main platform. The Observatory Control Room building can also be seen on the main platform's front edge People aren't happy with new Twitter owner Elon Musk's 'greedy' plans to charge users to have their accounts verified with a blue tick. The controversial plan, leaked by Twitter employees at the weekend, will force users to pay $20/month to have a blue tick next to their account name. Blue ticks will only be available under Twitter Blue, the platform's paid subscription service that gives access to exclusive features. Twitter Blue is currently $4.99 a month, but under Musk's plans its price would soar to $20 a month a move branded 'greedy' by one user. Musk the world's richest person with a net worth of more than $210billion (180billion) completed his purchase of Twitter last week after a protracted legal battle and months of uncertainty. According to reports, Musk told Twitter developers they will all be fired if they don't meet the November 7 launch deadline to get the changes implemented, even though they were only told about it on October 30. Twitter is planning to remove blue ticks from profiles after 90 days if users dont subscribe to Twitter Blue, the reports claim. MailOnline has contacted Twitter regarding how the plans affect the millions of users where Twitter Blue hasn't launched yet, which includes the UK. On Sunday, Musk admitted that 'the whole verification process is being revamped right now'. Elon Musk, the world's richest person with a net worth of more than $210billion (180billion), completed his purchase of Twitter on Thursday following protracted legal battle and months of uncertainty When asked about the revelations on Monday, Musk (pictured) said: 'Oh no, all our diabolical plans have been revealed!!' Verified user @Psalmology1 said: 'Is this a joke? $20 for what? I think Twitter should come take back its blue badge, I dont want [it] again' '$20/month for twitter blue?? that is an outrageous price for such minor features,' said @5pecialagentoso WHAT IS TWITTER BLUE? In 2021, Twitter officially rolled out its subscription service Twitter Blue in four countries - the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Twitter Blue, which is available for iOS, Android and the web, charges users $4.99 monthly fee to access exclusive features, including 'Undo Tweet', which gives users a chance to cancel tweets if they have second thoughts. Twitter Blue also includes Bookmarks, which allows users to save individual tweets into folders, and Reader Mode, which converts threads of tweets into an article-like view. Twitter increased the price of Twitter Blue from $2.99 per month to $4.99 per month back in July. On October 30, 2022, it was reported that new Twitter owner Elon Musk wants to increase the price of Twitter Blue from $4.99 to $20 a month, and make verified 'ticks' a Twitter Blue feature. Advertisement The plans were revealed by The Verge, which cited Twitter's internal correspondence and 'people familiar with the matter'. But the revelation has caused a storm on Twitter, with many threatening to delete their accounts in protest. Twitter user @PhilosophyBIM posted: 'I really don't care about the blue checkmark on my profile as "verified" but if I have to pay to use twitter down the road, I'd delete my account all together. Simple as that.' @AusomeCharlie said she 'might delete Twitter', adding that she's 'horrified about the paid blue tick idea'. And @bouncytorch said: 'today i learned about twitter blue and it made me wanna delete my twitter once again.' Meanwhile, @VirtuaMcPolygon said: 'Cue the mass exodus.' It's unclear if the thousands of official accounts for companies, charities, non-profits and public bodies will be affected and if they'll have their blue ticks removed if they don't pay the monthly $20 charge. According to Twitter, the blue tick next to an account's name indicates that an account has been verified and 'lets people know that an account of public interest is authentic'. It's a helpful visual indicator that lets other users know that an account is the official home of the user it's purporting to represent and not an imitator. But users don't seem to like the idea of paying $20 for the privilege, with one user calling it an 'outrageous' price to pay. @TLOZ_Triforce17 said: 'Like hell would I spend $20 on a Twitter Blue subscription to be able to edit tweets and gain a verification badge' Twitter user @pressurebygrace said she'd canceled her Twitter Blue account and called the new owner 'greedy' TWITTER USERS ARE LOSING FOLLOWERS AFTER TAKEOVER Multiple Twitter users have posted that they've been losing followers since the $44 billion (38 billion) takeover was completed on Thursday. It's possible people are losing Twitter followers described as 'The Great Purge' by one user because users are deactivating their accounts in protest at Musk's purchase. Another possibility is that Musk has already got to work at reducing the number of bots on the platform, said to make up five per cent of all user accounts. On Friday, Star Wars actor Mark Hamill said he'd lost almost 6,000 followers in the last three days. Read more Advertisement '$20/month for twitter blue?? that is an outrageous price for such minor features,' said @5pecialagentoso. Verified user @Psalmology1 said: 'Is this a joke? $20 for what? I think Twitter should come take back its blue badge, I dont want [it] again.' Meanwhile, @TLOZ_Triforce17 said: 'Like hell would I spend $20 on a Twitter Blue subscription to be able to edit tweets and gain a verification badge. This just screams Elon Musk being greedy to make back money for his dumbass decision to buy this platform in the first place. It screams desperate.' Other users are cancelling their Twitter Blue subscription after learning that it's going up in price. @pressurebygrace said: 'Canceled my @TwitterBlue account. Cant see giving the new Twitter owner more $$, especially with all the other crap hes pulling. Charging to be verified, for example. Thats just greedy.' And @joshuagale75: 'Paying more for Twitter Blue than you do for Netflix just to put $240 bucks a year directly into Elon Musk's pockets.' Blue ticks will ultimately become more scarce on the platform, and an indicator that a user is shelling out a sizeable monthly sum for one. @yashalevine also added: 'Having a blue check will be like a sign that says: "I'm a sucker."' @lynnbixenspan: 'If Twitter starts charging for blue checks, it will become extremely embarrassing to have one.' Twitter user @yashalevine said: 'Having a blue check will be like a sign that says: "I'm a sucker" Another user, responding to the news, pointed out that Twitter verification will cost more than Netflix According to reports, Musk has told Twitter developers that they will all be fired if they don't meet the November 7 deadline to launch the $20 monthly charge for blue ticks. Pictured, the Twitter logo is seen on the exterior of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, California After news broke last week that Musk had completed the takeover, users started to notice that their follower counts were drastically depleting. It's possible people are losing followers described as 'The Great Purge' by one user because users are deactivating their accounts in protest at Musk's purchase. Another possibility is that Musk has already got to work at reducing the number of bots on the platform, said to make up 5 per cent of all accounts. Another possibility is that Musk has already got to work at reducing the number of bots on the platform, said to make up 5 per cent of all user accounts. It's possible people are losing Twitter followers because other users are deactivating their accounts in protest at Musk's purchase 'The Great Purge has begun': Twitter users report losing of followers as Elon Musk formally takes over the platform TIMELINE OF ELON MUSK'S CHAOTIC ATTEMPT TO TAKEOVER TWITTER April 2: Musk announces that he owns 9.2 percent of the company, making him its largest single shareholder April 14: Musk offers to take Twitter private at $54.20 a share, valuing the company at $44billion April 25: Twitter accepts Musk's offer April 29: Musk sells $8billion in Tesla shares to finance deal May 13: Musk says Twitter deal is on hold pending a review of bot accounts May 26: Musk is sued by Twitter for stock manipulation during takeover July 8: Musk says he's backing out of the deal. Twitter sues, trying to force him into seeing it through. October 4: Musk proposes again to go ahead with the deal at the original price October 17: Proposed trial date in Delaware October 26: Musk visits Twitter HQ with a sink, updates his bio on the site to 'Chief Twit' and sets his location to Twitter HQ Advertisement After finally completing the deal last week, Musk started his reign of Twitter in audacious fashion by immediately firing some of Twitter's top executives at its San Francisco HQ. Within hours of the deal, he sacked chief executive Parag Agrawal and top counsel Vijaya Gadde the woman responsible for banning President Trump after the January 6 riots last year as well as chief financial officer Ned Segal. Musk said in May he would reverse Twitter's ban on Trump. Musk had previously accused the fired Twitter executives of misleading him and Twitter investors over the number of fake 'bot' accounts on the platform. Agrawal and Segal were in Twitter's HQ when the deal closed and were escorted out, according to people familiar with the matter. In the past, it was reported Musk had vowed to fire 75 per cent of Twitter staff, thought to be in an effort to cut costs, but Musk denied this on Thursday, according to Bloomberg. Musk signaled the start of his ownership by tweeting 'the bird is freed', in reference to the Twitter logo, followed a few hours later by 'let the good times roll'. Musk, who has called himself a 'free speech absolutist', wants Twitter to enforce fewer limits on content that can be posted. But he's also said he wants to prevent the platform from becoming an echo chamber for hate and division. Other goals include wanting to 'defeat' spam bots on Twitter and make the algorithms that determine how content is presented to its users publicly available. Before closing the deal, Musk walked into Twitter's headquarters on Wednesday with a big grin and a porcelain sink, subsequently tweeting 'let that sink in'. He also changed his Twitter profile description to 'Chief Twit'. Elon Musk speaks with employees including fired top counsel Vijaya Gadde (left) yesterday after taking over at Twitter. She was responsible for permanently banning President Trump from the site - a move that Musk says he will reverse Musk at the Twitter coffee bar yesterday. He previously vowed to fire 75 per cent of the staff - to the dismay of many senior employees Musk posted a video of himself marching into Twitter's San Francisco headquarters carrying a porcelain sink on Wednesday TRUMP SAYS HE'S HAPPY TWITTER IS NOW IN 'SANE HANDS' Former US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was happy Twitter is now in 'sane hands' after Elon Musk formally took over, but did not say whether he would return to his account on the platform that banned him. 'I am very happy that Twitter is now in sane hands, and will no longer be run by radical left lunatics and maniacs that truly hate our country,' Trump said in a post on Truth Social, the social media platform that he founded after being banned from Twitter. Musk has said he would reinstate Trump's Twitter account, but Trump previously said he would not return. Read more Advertisement Publicly, Musk has sought to assure advertisers that his past criticism of Twitter's content moderation rules would not harm its appeal. 'Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences!' Musk said in an open letter posted on Thursday. 'The reason I acquired Twitter is because it is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence. As news of the deal spread, some Twitter users were quick to flag their willingness to walk away. 'I will be happy to leave in a heartbeat if Musk, well, acts as we all expect him to, ' said user @mustlovedogsxo. European regulators also reiterated past warnings that, under Musk's leadership, Twitter must still abide by the region's Digital Services Act, which levies hefty fines on companies if they do not control illegal content. 'In Europe, the bird will fly by our EU rules,' EU industry chief Thierry Breton tweeted on Friday morning. Musk has indicated he sees Twitter as a foundation for creating a 'super app' that offers everything from money transfers to shopping and ride-hailing. The deal's road to fruition was full of twists and turns that sowed doubt over whether it would happen at all. Musk has changed his Twitter profile location to 'Twitter HQ' and his descriptor to 'Chief Twit' ahead of a court-imposed deadline to close his $44 billion takeover deal by Friday There's a new sheriff in town: Elon Musk tweets on Friday morning after taking over the company It all began on April 4, when Musk disclosed a 9.2 per cent Twitter stake, becoming the company's largest shareholder. The world's richest person then agreed to join Twitter's board, only to balk at the last minute and offer to buy the company instead for $54.20 per share. Twitter accepted the offer later in April, but the following month Musk said the deal is on hold pending a review of bot accounts. His lawyers then accused Twitter of not complying with his requests for information on the subject. The acrimony resulted in Musk telling Twitter on July 8 he was terminating the deal, and four days later, Twitter sued Musk to force him to complete the acquisition. Twitter accused Musk of buyer's remorse, arguing he wanted out of the deal because he thought he overpaid. On October 4, Musk performed another U-turn, offering to complete the deal as promised. He managed to do that one day ahead of a deadline to avoid a trial. Growing up, you might have been told that being popular isn't the be-all and end-all. But when it comes to dating as an adult it appears to help, according to a new study. People looking for love are more likely to pursue a romantic relationship with someone who comes across as well-liked by others, researchers have discovered. Growing up, you might have been told that being popular isn't the be-all and end-all. But when it comes to dating as an adult it appears to help, according to a new study (stock image) TOP TEN REASONS WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE TO STAY SINGLE More time for myself Focus on my goals No one dictates my actions Not getting hurt Peace of mind No tensions and fights Freedom to flirt around Save resources Not do things I dislike Better control of what I eat Advertisement A team from the University of California asked more than 550 speed-daters to rate their romantic interest in the potential partners they met. After the event, they surveyed the participants over the next few months to assess whether they dated any of the potential partners they had met and how their romantic feelings changed over time. The team found first impressions tend to linger, shaping whether people desired further contact with potential romantic partners after an initial meeting. Analysis revealed people were likely to pursue a romantic relationship with both those who they thought were popular and those they were compatible with. Co-author Alexander Baxter said: 'Although we expected popularity to be an important factor in the study, we were amazed to find that a good first impression is not just a popularity contest, it's also about compatibility, even when people are still getting to know each other. 'In other words, although it helps to be popular when it comes to getting a second date, having a unique connection with a potential partner can be just as important.' Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the researchers said: 'Because certain traits signal mate value for example attractiveness, fertility, resource potential they can be quickly and consensually assessed in a first encounter and inspire a lingering first impression. 'However, compatibility also matters for human pair bonding, as early hominids needed enduring partnerships to successfully rear offspring. 'These studies demonstrate that romantic first impressions especially the popularity and compatibility components of those impressions are an important factor in the early stages of relationship development.' Analysis revealed people were likely to pursue a romantic relationship with both those who they thought were popular and those they were compatible with (stock image) The study comes shortly after researchers from the University of Nicosia in Cyprus conducted research to discover why more people than ever are choosing to stay single. It found that the top reasons are being able to have more time for yourself, focus on your goals and make your own decisions. However, men rated 'freedom to flirt' more highly, while women saw more benefit from 'no tension and fights'. 'Fights between couples may escalate to physical violence to which women are more vulnerable, which, in turn, would motivate them to avoid such situations, with one way to do so being not to be in an intimate relationship,' the researchers explained. Video by Kim Kang-min On Monday morning, people laid white flowers at a small makeshift altar off an exit of the Itaewon subway station, a few steps away from the site of the crush. The accident two days ago had claimed 154 lives, including 26 foreigners. Foreigners, including Korean American Keith Yi visited the memorial site to pay condolences to the victims and put up pictures of the two American victims upon request of the victims' family. The embassies in Korea are still trying to help those looking for the missing loved ones and help the victims' families. Saturday night's tragedy marked the deadliest stampede in South Korea's history and the worst disaster the country has seen since 2014, when the Sewol ferry killed 304 people, mostly high school students. However, experts fear humans could use the technology to manipulate animals The technology can also pick up the low-frequency sound of elephants and decipher clicking made by whales Humans could soon communicate with animals, as scientists worldwide are using artificial intelligence to speak to bees, elephants and whales, but one expert fears the power could be used to manipulate the wild species. Speaking in an interview with Vox, Karen Bakker from the University of British Columbia said a researcher team in Germany is using AI to decode patterns in nonhuman sound, such as the waggle dance of honeybees and the low-frequency noises of elephants, which enables the technology to not just communicate, but also control the wild animals. Bakker explained that the animal speaking AI can be added to robots that can 'essentially breach the barrier of interspecies communication,' but she also notes the breakthrough raises ethical questions. Enabling humans to speak with different species could create a 'deeper sense of kinship, or a sense of dominion and manipulative ability to domesticate wild species that we've never as humans been able to previously control.' A team of German researches trained AI to mimic the waggle dance of honeybees. The AI used the unique signals to control the bees' movements inside the hive Humans have long sought the ability to speak with animals and have made several films based on the idea, such as the 1967 Doctor Dolittle. The idea is no longer just a movie plot and scientists have uncovered successful methods of speaking the animal language. In 2018, researchers with the Dahlem Center for Machine Learning and Robotics in Germany designed the RoboBee that mimics the waggle dance of bees, which is used to relay information to each other. The robot, which looks nothing like a real life bee, is designed as a sponge with wings and attached to a rod that controls its movements. The team trained the robot to mimic the same movements of the waggle dance, which consists of different forms of air flow and vibrations, and it tricked the bees into 'listening to it.' Elephants are known for powerful roars where they throw their trunks into the air, but these majestic creatures also release low-frequency sounds that go unnoticed by the human ear. However, AI is capable of picking up and deciphering the sound Some of the bees were found to follow directions from the RoboBee, such as where to move within the hive or stop altogether. Bakker, who recently published a book titled 'The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technologies Are Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants,' told Vox that the next step of the German's research is to plant several robots in different hives to see if the colony will accept the machines as one of their own. 'And then we would have an unprecedented degree of control over the hive; we'll have essentially domesticated that hive in a way we've never done so before,' she told Vox. This is where Bakker discusses the ethical issues that could arise from the ability, noting such technologies could lead to humans exploiting the use of animals. However, she is hopeful that the abilities will be used to let the average person 'tune into the sounds of nature.' Elephants are known for powerful roars where they throw their trunks into the air, but these majestic creatures also release low-frequency sounds that go unnoticed by the human ear. Bakker discusses the work of a zoologist and researcher in Bioacoustics, Katie Payne, who used artificial intelligence to pick up the infrasonic sounds. Payne described the sounds 'as a strange throbbing in her chest, a strange feeling of unease,' Bakker told Vox. 'And that's often how we can, as humans, sense infrasound,' she continued. Along with honeybees and whales, a team of international scientists recently launched an ambitious project to listen to, contextualize and translate the communication of Sperm whales, with a goal of 'talking' to the majestic marine animals. Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), launched October 2021, is also using AI to interpret clicking sounds, or 'codas,' Sperm whales make to communicate with one another This project, called Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), is also using AI to interpret clicking sounds, or 'codas,' Sperm whales make to communicate with one another. The team, which launched Project CETI in October 2021, is using natural language processing or NLP a subfield of artificial intelligence focused on processing written and spoken human language - which will be trained on four billion Sperm whale codas. The plan is to have the AI correlate each sound with a specific context - a feat that will take at least five years, according to the researchers. If the team achieves these goals, the next step would be to develop and deploy an interactive chatbot that engages in dialogue with Sperm whales living in the wild. Bakker notes that humans have communicated with animals in the past, specifically primates, but have done so in a 'very human-centered view' - such as teaching the animals sign language. Using AI, however, is a way to use the creature's own language to communicate. The technology analyzes unique signals linked to behaviors and patterns to create the language. 'What [these researchers] are doing is not trying to teach those species human language, but rather compiling, essentially, dictionaries of signals and then attempting to understand what those signals mean within those species,' she told the outlet,' Bakker told Vox. The Taurid meteor shower will treat skywatchers Halloween night when it unleashes a swarm of fireballs into the night sky just several days before it peaks later this week. This shower is composed of two streams: The Southern Taurids which peak November 4 through November 5; and the Northern Taurids which peak between November 12 to November 13. The Taurids have not been seen since 2015 and NASA predicts this years stream is teeming with glowing fireballs that will violently soar through the atmosphere. The pair of meteor showers are active all night, with meteors from both events originating from the same region of the sky as the constellation Taurus, which sits north-west of Orion. The meteors that will be visible tonight are called Halloween fireballs and are best viewed around midnight. The Taurids have not been seen since 2015 (pictured) and NASA predicts this years stream is teeming with glowing fireballs that will violently soar through the atmosphere Each year, from the end of October, the skies play host to the meteor shower, dubbed 'nature's fireworks'. The Taurids display is created by debris left behind by Encke's comet, named after the astronomer who discovered its annual trajectory in 1819. Earth passes through part of the stream every year and the meteors appear as shooting stars in the sky every October in the southern hemisphere, and November in the north. The dust associated with the comet hits the Earths atmosphere at 65,000 mph and burns up, creating the Taurid meteor shower. Bill Cooke, lead for the NASA Meteoroid Environments Office, said in a statement: The annual Taurid meteor shower is going on right now, and we are seeing steady activity in our meteor cameras. The Taurid shower is composed of two streams: The Southern Taurids which peak November 4 through November 5; and the Northern Taurids which peak between November 12 to November 13. Some fireballs have already appeared in over the night sky. Pictures are meteors over Liverpool Individuals should not be surprised if they see a bright meteor or fireball over the next few nights. Taurid meteors can be seen any time the constellation Taurus is above the horizon during the months of September, October, and November. The best time to look for Taurids is after midnight, when Taurus is high in the sky, and when the sky is dark and clear, with no moonlight to mask the fainter meteors. Denis Vida, a meteor physics postdoctoral researcher, predicts there could be more than a 100 million asteroids in the Taurid stream that Earth is currently passing through. The Taurid shower has been visible in different parts of the world, with images and videos showing falling fireballs over the UK and Czech Republic. A study in 2017 proposed the Taurids meteor shower could hold cosmic fragments of ice and rock large enough to wipe out whole continents. And one of these fragments could hit Earth in 2022, 2025, 2032 or 2039, researchers predict. Researchers from the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Science have been keeping track of these fragments. They have found two asteroids, called 2015 TX24 and 2005 UR, which are part of a previously undiscovered branch of the Taurids' debris. Earth passes through part of the stream every year and the meteors appear as shooting stars in the sky every October in the southern hemisphere, and November in the north. This image was taken over the UK The Earth only passes through this potentially dangerous branch once every few years, causing greater numbers of shooting stars. Future encounters are predicted for 2022, 2025, 2032 and 2039. The space rocks measure 650 feet to 900 feet (200 to 300 meters) across and have been registered on the International Astronomical Unions list of "potentially hazardous" asteroids. But the Czech team is concerned that the hidden debris field may contain even larger objects. Writing in a paper published on Arxiv, the study's authors said: 'Since asteroids of sizes of tens to hundreds meters pose a threat to the ground even if they are intrinsically weak, impact hazard increases significantly when the Earth encounters the Taurid new branch every few years. Further studies leading to better description of this real source of potentially hazardous objects, which can be large enough to cause significant regional or even continental damage on the Earth, are therefore extremely important. Jodi Gordon enjoyed a mother-daughter bonding day with her daughter Aleeia at a beach in Double Bay, Sydney, on Sunday. The former Neighbours star, 37, showed off her slender figure in a chic swimsuit. She slipped a pair of baggy trousers over the one-piece as she the pair packed up their car and headed home. Jodi Gordon enjoyed a mother-daughter bonding day with her daughter Aleeia at a beach in Double Bay, Sydney on Sunday She accessorised with a pair of comfortable beige slides and hid her eyes behind a pair of black shades. Earrings were the only jewellery in sight as she pulled her damp brunette tresses into a low bun to show them off. As she packed up the car with blankets, towels and a backpack, Aleeia was seen hopping out to make room. The former Neighbours star, 37, showed off her slender figure in a chic swimsuit. She slipped a pair of baggy trousers over the one-piece as she the pair packed up their car and headed home Jodi's outing comes as she continues her road to recovery after completing a 30-day alcohol program. She spent a month in rehab for alcohol addiction earlier this year, and is now on the path to redemption after embracing a healthier lifestyle and banning booze. 'Life isn't always perfect; you go through your ups and downs,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the launch of Life Botanics' new vitamin range in Sydney in July. 'I've made some big changes this year. So it's been a journey of getting my life to a place where I'm making changes, really taking time to invest in myself.' She accessorised with a pair of comfortable beige slides and hid her eyes behind a pair of black shades Jodi's outing comes as she continues her road to recovery after completing a 30-day alcohol program Jodi, who is an ambassador for Life Botanics, said she'd been making positive changes in recent months, including following an exercise regimen, practising meditation and focusing on nutrition. The mother of one underwent 'immersion therapy' at an exclusive clinic called The Sydney Retreat in Stanmore, where clients are offered a '30-day recovery program' for $8,800. Jodi was previously married to NRL star Braith Anasta, 40, between 2012 and 2015. The stars always pull out their most daring looks for the annual celebration. And on Sunday, Sophie Kasaei, 32, slipped into a plunging bunny costume while Abbie Holborn transformed into a sexy cowgirl for a Halloween night out. The Geordie Shore babes turned up the glamour with the duo both stepping out in leather look thigh-high boots for the fancy dress bash at Gaucho in Manchester. Sexy: on Sunday, Sophie Kasaei, 32, slipped into a plunging bunny costume while Abbie Holborn transformed into a sexy cowgirl for a Halloween night out Sophie - who recently underwent breast reduction surgery - showcased her eye-popping cleavage in the skimpy black and silver sequin bodysuit, which she teamed with long black gloves and fishnet tights. Abbie rocked similar boots but rocked a high waisted mini skirt and skin-baring crop top with her cowboy hat and necktie giving the needed Western nod. Ella Rae Wise and Dani Imbert put on a cheeky display on Sunday evening while amping up the spook factor for the night out. The two TOWIE beauties were dressed for the occasion, with Ella putting a sultry spin on the classic Chucky doll costume. OMG! Sophie showcased her eye-popping cleavage in the skimpy black and silver sequin bodysuit, while Abbie rocked a high waisted mini skirt and skin-baring crop top Spooky: TOWIE's Ella Rae Wise (right) showed off her figure in a sultry Chucky costume as she joined devil dressed Dani Imbert (right) for the Halloween night out in Manchester Posing alongside the beauty was pal Dani, as she opted for a racy red minidress with string detailing and a PVC material. Chanelling the horror character, Ella donned a cut-out denim bodysuit with a striped ultra crop top. She elevated her height with thigh-high denim heeled boots, layered over red fishnet tights with ripped hole detailing. The blonde beauty swapped her ombre locks for a bright red look to match the character, slicking them away from her face while adding a dramatic blood-drip makeup look. Playful: Putting on a cheeky display, Ella elevated her height with thigh-high denim heeled boots, layered over red fishnet tights and teamed with a denim bodysuit Costume clad: Dani and Ella appeared in high spirits while playfully posing for snaps, as the latter jokingly held a plastic knife to her pal's neck, before resting it on her behind Alongside her was Dani, who added some glamour to Halloween weekend with a cut-out PVC dress and tie string design. Pairing lace-topped suspenders and perspex heels with the look, the star decorated her face with bright red cross paint on her cheeks. She and Ella appeared in high spirits while playfully posing for snaps, as the latter jokingly held a plastic knife to her pal's neck, before resting it on her behind. On screen: Aside from enjoying the night out, the pair have been gracing ITVBe screens during the new season of TOWIE Romantic: In recent episodes, Ella confessed her feelings for co-star Jordan Brook (pictured) admitting she wanted to give him a chance Aside from enjoying the night out, the pair have been gracing ITVBe screens during the new season of TOWIE. And in recent episodes, Ella confessed her feelings for co-star Jordan Brook, admitting she wanted to give him a chance. The star has also been romantically linked to Pete Wicks, with the pair often appearing cosy both on and off screen, despite not putting a label on their relationship. While Dani revealed earlier this month that she's rooting for 'Team Pete' for her pal, sharing to OK! Magazine: 'I love Pete, Im quite "Team Pete" because hes a lovely boy, so I dont see anything wrong with the two of them.' Jennifer Lawrence has been hard at work shooting the R-rated comedy No Hard Feelings on Long Island in recent weeks. But on Sunday, she was focused on playing the all-important role as mother to her eight-month-old son Cy, whom she shares with husband Cooke Maroney. The two were spotted heading out for an afternoon stroll in her adopted hometown of New York City as the weekend came to a close. Bonding time: Jennifer Lawrence, 32, took her eight-moth-old son Cy out on a walk in his stroller in New York City on Sunday The first-time mom, 32, pushed her little one in a black and grey stroller, while dressed casually in blue jeans and a burgundy sweater. She also donned a pair of black slip-on shoes, and had her long blonde tresses pulled into a ponytail that hung in front of her left shoulder. As the sun glared down, and the temperatures shifted between the low 50s and low 60s Fahrenheit, the Oscar-winning actress decided to slip on stylish sunglasses for her time outside. At one point, the sun got so intense that Lawrence pulled the stroller's retractable canopy up to keep the child covered. Cover up: As the sun appeared to intensify, Lawrence decided to pull the retractable roof of her stroller over her son The Kentucky native appeared to be enjoying her bonding time with her boy during their time out together. In recent weeks, the leading lady has been spotted shooting No Hard Feelings in parts of Long Island, New York, including Montauk. While few plot details have been released, it has been described as a 'hard' R-rated comedy in the vein of Risky Business and Bad Teacher, with Lawrence playing a woman who answers a Craigslist advertisement that was placed by a mother for someone to date her son (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he enters college. Directed by Gene Stupnitsky and co-starring Natalie Morales and Matthew Broderick, No Hard Feelings is scheduled to be released on June 16, 2023. Casual-cool: The Oscar-winning actress kept it casual in the fashion department dressed in blue jeans, a burgundy sweater and black slip-on shoes Lawrence is also on the promotional push for Causeway, a psychological drama that follows a soldier who suffers a traumatic brain injury while deployed in Afghanistan and then struggles to adjust to life back home. Directed by Lila Neugebauer, best known for her theatre work on Broadway as a director, writer and artistic director, the film also stars Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jayne Houdyshell, Russell Harvard, Joshua Hull, Fred Weller, Sean Carvajal, Will Pullen and Neal Huff. After having its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival in September, Causeway is slated to premiere in theaters in a limited release on October 28, which would be followed up by being released on Apple TV+ on November 4. Lawrence and Maroney, an art dealer who serves as the director of New York City's Gladstone Gallery, just celebrated their third wedding anniversary on October 19. Carrie Bickmore shocked the TV industry when she announced her resignation from The Project earlier this month. But while she may be leaving Channel 10 at the end of the year, the 41-year-old is staying put in her radio job at the Hit Network. Woman's Day reported on Monday that Bickmore was looking to quit Southern Cross Austereo and sign with ARN, the network that owns KIIS FM, but a spokesperson for ARN has denied there have been any negotiations. Woman's Day reports that Carrie Bickmore is looking to quit Southern Cross Austereo and sign with ARN, but a spokesperson for ARN has denied there have been any negotiations The magazine quoted an 'industry source' as saying Bickmore and her Hit Network drive co-host Tommy Little had been offered a blank cheque to sign with ARN. 'They've been told they can "name their terms",' the publication stated, adding that ARN bosses feel Bickmore is the 'missing ingredient' its stable of stations needs. But a spokeswoman for ARN has rubbished the report, calling it a 'fabrication'. The Woman's Day article also said KIIS FM breakfast presenter Kyle Sandilands was pushing to bring over Bickmore - but this claim has also been refuted by Sandilands' manager Bruno Bouchet. The magazine quoted an 'industry source' as saying Bickmore and her Hit Network drive co-host Tommy Little (right) had been offered a blank cheque to sign with ARN 'Woman's Day has a proud and proven track record of being wrong; this report is no different,' Mr Bouchet told Daily Mail Australia. Bickmore announced her departure from The Project after 12 years on air earlier this month. She will leave Channel 10 altogether in November when her contract expires. She told viewers she was quitting to spend more time with her family. However, a spokeswoman for ARN has rubbished the report, calling it a 'fabrication' The Gold Logie winner has been on The Project desk since the program launched in 2009 and has since become a familiar face on Australian screens. 'I have some news that I wanted to share... s**t I'm already crying,' she began. 'I have made the tough decision to finish up hosting the show at the end of the year.' Rumours have since circulated about her next career move, with some industry observers expecting to see her show up on Nine's A Current Affair next year. Leni Klum covered up her model figure during an outing with her boyfriend Aris Rachevsky in New York City on Saturday. The 18-year-old daughter of German supermodel Heidi Klum, 49, kept warm in an oversized black hoodie and baggy Carhartt double knee blue jeans for the outing. The beauty added a touch of sophistication to the casual look with a black Chanel bag. Comfortable: Leni Klum covered up her model figure during an outing with her boyfriend Aris Rachevsky in New York City on Saturday The young star kept her brunette tresses pinned up into a low-key bun, and wore black Adidas sneakers for the day. She shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of oversized black shades. Meanwhile her Harvard University alum beau - who's the son of Rhea Rachevsky, the cofounder of the creative agency Early Morning Riot - matched Leni in a grey hoodie, green cargo pants, and white sneakers. Keeping warm: The 18-year-old daughter of German supermodel Heidi Klum, 49, kept warm in an oversized black hoodie and baggy blue jeans for the outing It comes after the young star recently addressed being labeled a 'nepo baby' in an interview with People. 'It's just a fact. My parents are famous,' Leni, who was adopted by her mother's ex-husband Seal, 59, during their marriage, said. However, Leni insisted that she is 'doing the work and putting in the time' to carve out a career for herself. Chanel: The beauty added a touch of sophistication to the casual look with a black Chanel bag 'I did get help starting off, and I know that people would dream to start off with what I had,' said Leni, who walked for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week in July with her mother proudly filming her from the audience. 'I'm so grateful that I've been able to take what was gifted to me by my mom. But I am doing the work and putting in the time,' she maintained. 'Now I'm working on my own, traveling alone, going to school. My mom and I just have the same love for the same thing.' Doppelgangers: Leni, who followed in her mother's footsteps to become a model, recently responded to being labeled a 'nepo baby'; Pictured 2022 Working at it: 'I'm so grateful that I've been able to take what was gifted to me by my mom. But I am doing the work and putting in the time,' she maintained; Pictured 2021 Leni is one of a massive glut of rising new starlets with famous parents, from Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose Depp, Andie MacDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's daughter Maya, Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia, to Judd Apatow's daughter Maude Apatow, among others. Leni made her modeling debut at the age of 16 with her mother on the cover of Vogue Germany - a publication out of Heidi's native country. Heidi and Seal were married from 2005 until 2014 and they welcomed three children together biologically - Henry, 17, Johan, 15, and Lou, 13. 'It's just a fact. My parents are famous': The beauty was adopted by her mother's ex-husband Seal, 59, during their marriage; Pictured with Seal in 2021 Meanwhile Leni resulted from Heidi's previous relationship with Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, but in 2009 Seal legally adopted her as well. 'Leni is my natural daughter, but the three of us calmly agreed that it made the most sense that he adopt her, because a child needs to grow up in a family,' Flavio told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera in 2016. Flavio, 72, who eventually married a drastically younger Wonderbra model and had a son called Nathan with her, added: 'Leni is Seal's family, Nathan mine.' Matthew Perry says his road to addiction began in his early teens when he drank an 'entire bottle' of wine. The 53-year-old Friends actor, chatting with Diane Sawyer of ABC News on Friday, said that he 'had never drank before' prior to the experience at 14, which impacted him tremendously. 'I lay in the grass and was in heaven,' said Perry, who is promoting his new memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, which details his battle with addiction. 'I thought to myself, "This must be the way normal people feel all the time."' The latest: Matthew Perry, 53, says his road to addiction began in his early teens when he drank an 'entire bottle' of wine. The Friends actor, chatting with Diane Sawyer of ABC News on Friday, said that he 'had never drank before' prior to the experience at 14, which impacted him tremendously The Williamstown, Massachusetts native added: 'By the time I was 18, I was drinking every day.' Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the NBC smash hit, told Sawyer that he began taking prescription pain medication in 1997 after a jet ski accident while he was filming the movie Fools Rush In. 'I had to wake up and realize I needed to get 55 [Vicodin pills] or I was going to be really sick. A bunch of doctors, fake migraines,' he said. 'I guess the weirdest thing I did was on Sundays I would go to open houses and go to the bathrooms in the open house and see what pills they had in there and steal them. 'I think they thought, "Well, there's no way that Chandler came in and stole from us."' The actor detailed the beginnings of his substance abuse battles in the interview The Williamstown, Massachusetts native added: 'By the time I was 18, I was drinking every day' Perry talked with Sawyer about his addiction battle in the interview Sawyer asked Perry in the interview, 'How will we know when you're in trouble, when you're not okay?' to which Perry said, 'If I say, "I'm just going to chill at home alone tonight;" and part two, the other thing, is if I ever say, "I'm cured."' Perry says longtime battle with addiction has seen him in therapy for 30 years; go to rehab 15 times; go to about 6,000 AA meetings and survive 14 surgeries. The actor told Sawyer that while he was entrenched in addiction during his years making the show, he did not use substances while on the set of the NBC hit. 'I made a rule that I would never drink or take anything at work,' Perry said. 'So I would never do that, but I would show up blindly hungover. Like shaking. I loved Chandler, I loved the show. And I knew, "Remember this, because it's going to be the best time of your life." And I knew I would never forgive myself if I messed this up.' Perry says longtime battle with addiction has seen him in therapy for 30 years; go to rehab 15 times; go to about 6,000 AA meetings and survive 14 surgeries The actor told Sawyer that while he was entrenched in addiction during his years making the show, he did not use substances while on the set of the NBC hit Perry this week is slated to embark on a speaking tour titled A Conversation With Matthew Perry. 'Join me on my book tour this November!' he said on Instagram September 23. 'Tickets on sale now ... looking forward to seeing you and sharing stories from FRIENDS, LOVERS, AND THE BIG TERRIBLE THING.' Perry has events scheduled for November 2 at The Town Hall in New York City; November 4 at the Penn Medicine Princeton Health at Hyatt Regency Princeton in Princeton, New Jersey; November 6 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.; and November 10 at the Hot Docs Theatre in Toronto. Perry appeared on the Friends: The Reunion special in 2021 on HBO Max with costars Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Jennifer Aniston. The book is slated to be released November 1. The Block's Sharon Johal and Ankur Dogra were less than impressed with the judges' feedback during Monday's outdoor reveals. Darren Palmer, Neale Whitaker and Shaynna Blaze criticised the location of the pool area and al fresco dining space. 'This is very, very poor planning. I think it takes away from the majesty of this house and does not add value,' Shaynna remarked. The Block's Sharon Johal (right) and Ankur Dogra (left) were less than impressed with the judges' feedback during Monday's outdoor reveals 'It's a pool you can't access and a fire pit [hidden] in a laneway,' she added. Darren agreed, saying: 'You've got a main bedroom and ensuite and this outdoor area that's not connected to the living space.' After listening to the feedback, Ankur said: 'No disrespect to the judges but I don't really care what they say with it being the last [reveal]. 'The house will sell itself regardless.' Darren Palmer, Neale Whitaker and Shaynna Blaze criticised the location of the pool area and al fresco dining space (pictured) 'You can keep your comments and smoke it,' Sharon added. It comes after the Melbourne-based couple unleashed on the show's producers in an unsanctioned radio interview last Tuesday. They slammed their 'villain edit' and called out the unfair emphasis placed on Sharon's career as an actress on Hit NSW Breakfast with Maz and Matty. 'They're just highlighting what they want to highlight,' she said of the producers. '[They are] always referring to me as "actress Sharon, actress Sharon" instead of just Sharon. [They] don't go "social worker Sarah-Jane". It does get a bit annoying.' 'This is very, very poor planning. I think it takes away from the majesty of this house and does not add value,' remarked Shaynna (left) The former Neighbours star said the couple was getting 'annoyed with the set-ups and the storylines' as they headed into week 11 with auction day looming. 'Quite clearly, we're probably not going to be renovators after this. So don't just cut off the only livelihood that my husband is going to have,' she added. This was a reference to the fact host Scott Cam and others had questioned Ankur's credentials as an accountant due to the couple often going over budget. 'That's when tigress Sharon came out and was like, "You know what? STFU [shut the f**k up]. I'm not copping that,"' she said. Married At First Sight star Jackson Lonie has insisted he will not be getting back together with his ex-girlfriend Olivia Frazer after they both attended Halloween party on Friday. Jackson made his feelings clear when he was questioned about their relationship status during an Instagram Q&A. 'Not sure why this keeps coming up, but no. We're friends, and that's it. That's all there is to it,' he said bluntly. Married At First Sight star Jackson Lonie has insisted he will not be getting back together with his ex-girlfriend Olivia Frazer after they both attended Halloween party on Friday Another follower asked 'Why did Olivia make it out like you guys are back together?' Jackson responded: 'I don't know. You'd have to ask her that one, wouldn't you?' 'Not sure why this keeps coming up, but no. We're friends, and that's it. That's all there is to it,' he said bluntly It comes after Olivia and Jackson were spotted with new partners while partying at a Halloween event on Friday, while just metres apart. The Married At First Sight star, 29, was pictured kissing a man she had just met at the spooky bash hosted by Believe Advertising and PR at Sussudio in Potts Point. She immediately took a shine to the man, a filmmaker from England called William, after being introduced to him by a mutual friend. It comes after Olivia and Jackson were spotted with new partners while partying at a Halloween event on Friday, while just metres apart. The Married At First Sight star, 29, was pictured kissing a man she had just met at the spooky bash hosted by Believe Advertising and PR at Sussudio in Potts Point 'They were all over each other, and she didn't even seem to notice Jackson was just a few feet away in the same venue,' an onlooker told Daily Mail Australia. 'The bloke she hooked up with is from Manchester and only arrived in Australia a few weeks ago. I don't think he had any idea who Olivia was.' While Olivia was kissing the man, 31-year-old Jackson was seen working his charms on a glamorous brunette he had met at the bar. While Olivia was kissing the man, 31-year-old Jackson was seen working his charms on a glamorous brunette he had met at the bar In an awkward twist, he could be seen in the background of several photos of Olivia and Will kissing, with his distinctive halo visible above the throng of guests. After meeting at Sussudio, Olivia and Will went with a group of friends to a karaoke bar in the CBD, where they continued to make out. The pair left the venue together at about midnight. After meeting at Sussudio, Olivia and Will went with a group of friends to a karaoke bar in the CBD, where they continued to make out. The pair left the venue together at about midnight Olivia and Jackson were partnered on the most recent season of Channel Nine's Married At First Sight, and at the start they seemed to be a match made in heaven. The plumber loyally stood by his on-screen 'wife' as she was dragged into a feud with rival bride Domenica Calarco, but cracks started to emerge in their relationship in the months after the show finished airing. They called it quits in August, not long after joining adult website OnlyFans together, but vowed to remain friends. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, is seen answering a question in a daily press briefing at the department in Washington in this image captured from the department's website, Oct. 26. Yonhap A nuclear test by North Korea would constitute a "grave escalatory action" that will be met by serious consequences, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the department, insisted the U.S. has a "number of tools" to hold North Korea accountable for any future provocations. "A seventh nuclear test, should it happen, would constitute a grave escalatory action and seriously threaten regional stability, international stability, security in the region, and it would also undermine the global non-proliferation regime and efforts that are being undertaken," he said in a daily press briefing. Pyongyang conducted its sixth and last nuclear test in September 2017. U.S. officials, including state department press secretary Ned Price, have said the North may conduct its seventh nuclear test "at any time." Claire Danes is about to step up the promotional push for the upcoming drama miniseries Fleishman Is In Trouble, along with co-stars with Lizzy Kaplan and Jesse Eisenberg. But on Sunday the leading lady was all about spending quality time with her husband Hugh Dancy and their two sons, which included a stop for a pizza dinner. The family of four looked to be having a grand old time talking and laughing as they made their way along the bustling streets in the West Village neighborhood of Downtown Manhattan. Family time: Claire Danes, 43, and husband Hugh Dancy, 47, took their two sons Cyrus, nine, and Rowan, four, out for a pizza dinner in New York City on Sunday night Danes, 43, looked stylish in a yellow-and-black patterned overcoat over a black ensemble, that included pants and leather boots. The New York City native also had her blonde shoulder-length tresses pushed back off her face with a black headband, as she held hands with her youngest, Rowan, four. Walking side-by-side, Dancy kept his eye on Cyrus, nine, while wearing blue pants with a gray-and-black patterned jacket over a gray T-shirt and blue sneakers. Both of their boys were dressed casually for the the family night out together. Late night snacks: Danes looked chic in a yellow-and-black patterned overcoat over a black ensemble. The couple carried leftovers after their family dinner After dinner, the couple were spotted seemingly in in light conversation holding leftovers that were packed in containers. On a number of occasions they broke out into laughter, all the while both exuding bog smiles. Since wrapping the hit espionage thriller series Homeland in 2020, Danes continued with television work, first starring alongside Tom Hiddleston in The Essex Serpent, which premiered on Apple TV+ in May. The gothic romance period drama miniseries, consisting of six episodes, told the story of London widow Cora Seaborne (Danes) who moves to Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. She ends up forming a surprising bond of science and skepticism with the local pastor (Hiddleston), but when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature. Hard at work: Dancy wore blue pants with a gray-and-black patterned jacket over a gray T-shirt and blue sneakers. He and his wife are both working on a series for television From their, Danes starting work on Fleishman Is In Trouble, which is based on the 2019 novel of the same name, with co-stars Lizzy Kaplan and Jesse Eisenberg. The storyline focuses on Toby Fleishman, a recently divorced forty-something year old man, finds himself immersed in the world of app-based dating. But as he begins to find successes he never found in his youth, his ex-wife Rachel (Danes) disappears without a trace, leaving him with only his kids. The drama miniseries which also stars Lizzy Kaplan and Jesse Eisenberg is set to premiere on n FX on Hulu on November 17. Dancy, a UK native, is best known for his roles in the film adaption of David Copperfield (2000), Black Hawk Down (2001), Ella Enchanted (2004, the NBC series Hannibal (2013-2015) and the revival of the original Law & Order (2022-present), Danes and Dancy, who met on the set of the drama film Evening in September 2006, just celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary in September. Advertisement Megan Fox's fiance Machine Gun Kelly snorted fake cocaine off her breast while emulating wild Nineties couple Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee at a Halloween party on Friday night. The mother-of-three, 36, and her musician boyfriend, 32, appeared determined to shock their fans as they recreated a drug bender in the back seat of the car on the same night they attended the star-studded Casamigos Halloween Party in Beverly Hills. MGK took to Instagram on Saturday to share photos from the event, along with a controversial video that shows him snorting a white substance resembling cocaine off the bombshell's breast, licking the residue, then kissing her. While rocking a wavy blonde wig and plunging pink and burgundy minidress, the Jennifer's Body star was Baywatch beauty doppelganger. Pamela originally wore the outfit to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas grand opening party more than two decades ago. Sex, drugs and Halloween: Megan Fox's fiance Machine Gun Kelly snorted a line of 'cocaine' off her breast while dressed as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee at a Casamigos party in Beverly Hills on Saturday Wild night: The pair recreated a drug bender in the back of a car as they emulated the notorious Nineties couple Out to shock: Machine Gun Kelly snorting the substance the bombshell's breast, licked the residue, then kissed her While Megan displayed her jaw-dropping curves, her man rocked Lee's signature white tank and black leather pants while puffing on a cigarette. Fox oozed sex appeal as she paraded her incredibly toned and sun-kissed legs at the event, also attended by hosts Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford as well as Paris Hilton, Rebel Wilson, Jasmine Tookes and more. Their costumes were most likely influenced by the release of the Disney+ series about Pamela and Tommy's infamous sex tape, which was released in February. In the show, Anderson, 54, was portrayed as Lily James, alongside Sebastian Stan, who played the Motley Crue drummer, 59. Dopplegangers: All eyes were on the couple as they arrived to the Casamigos Halloween Party dressed as one of the most outrageous couples of the 1990s on Friday night Halloweekend: Fox oozed sex appeal as she paraded her incredibly toned and sun-kissed legs at the event, also attended by hosts Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford as well as Paris Hilton, Rebel Wilson, Jasmine Tookes and more The inspiration: Their costumes were most likely influenced by the release of Disney+ series about Anderson and Lees infamous sex tape, which was released in February (the former couple pictured in 2003) Famous pair: Pam & Tommy follows the story of the leak of the couple's sex tape in 1997, which led to devastation for the nineties pin-up and the rocker when their intimate moment spread across the internet for anyone to vie Lookalike: MGK and Fox's costume is spot on for the Motley Crue drummer and his ex-wife Pam & Tommy follows the story of the leak of the couple's sex tape in 1997, which led to devastation for the nineties pin-up and the rocker when their intimate moment spread across the internet for anyone to view. Pamela and Tommy tied the knot on a beach in Mexico in 1995 after dating for just four days. They went on to have sons Brandon, 24, and Dylan, 22, and divorced in 1998. Their sex tape was stolen by Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogan) after Tommy refused to pay for work that he had performed on their house. Iconic: Pamela and Tommy tied the knot on a beach in Mexico in 1995 after dating for just four days. They went on to have sons Brandon, 24, and Dylan, 22, and divorced in 1998 Not okay: 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' Frustrating: She explained: '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."' 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 jewellery, in addition to the sex tape. 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... '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."' Going strong: Meanwhile Fox and her husband-to-be, who co-starred together in Midnight in the Switchgrass back in 2019, began dating in the spring of 2020 The couple appear determined to push the boundaries this Halloween - at a second party on Saturday night Machine Gun Kelly went as a a priest and dragged Megan around on a leash while she was dressed in a bondage outfit. The couple who loves to showcase their PDA revealed their engagement back in January. Megan shared a video of the moment MGK got down on one knee with the caption: 'In July of 2020 we sat under this banyan tree. We asked for magic. We were oblivious to the pain we would face together in such a short, frenetic period of time. Kelly has never been married before but does co-parent a 13-year-old daughter named Casie with his ex-girlfriend Emma Cannon. Megan meanwhile shares three sons of her own - Noah, 10, Bodhi, eight, and Journey, six - with her ex-husband Brian Austin Green. Heavens above: The pair put on another raunchy display as they dressed up for Halloween on Saturday at Vas Morgan's Party in West Hollywood More shock and awe: Later on Sunday, Megan shared a provocative Instagram of MGK feeding her what looked like a communion wafer while raising a glass of wine as part of the black mass Amy Childs has revealed she's expecting twins with boyfriend Billy Delbosq a month after their brief split. The 32-year-old TOWIE star began dating businessman Billy, 38, in July last year and has previously praised him for acting as a father figure to her children Polly, four, and Ritchie Jr, two, from previous relationships. In August, it was revealed the couple had temporarily split after Amy accused Billy of messaging another girl behind her back. While Billy denied the claims, he did admit to taking the woman's number - leading to a fractured time between the couple - yet the pregnancy news has made them stronger. Amy Childs is pregnant! TOWIE star, 32, has revealed she's expecting TWINS with beau Billy Delbosq... two months after they split when she accused him of 'messaging another girl' Amy told OK! magazine: 'I used to have massive trust issues, but the trust has completely come back. I completely trust Bill. To take Bill back we had to go through every emotion and I did go through every emotion. I was angry, upset, but Bill knew he made a big mistake. I do genuinely love Bill.' She added that she initially didn't want to have any more children, but changed her mind after meeting Billy. Amy explained: 'I promise you now, I didnt want any more children. When I met Bill I thought, "Do you know what, Ill have one more." We are so excited its going to be absolutely amazing.' In a joint Instagram post, she continued: 'THE NEWS IS FINALLY OUT When 4 become 6!! Were both over the moon to announce were having.. NOT 1 BUT 2 WERE HAVING TWINS!! Our family is so complete and were so excited for the next chapter.' Amy and Billy have been an item since October last year, just two months after the mother-of-two split from her ex-boyfriend Tim following 14-months together. Doting mother: The 32-year-old began dating Billy, 38, last year and has previously praised him for acting as a father figure to her children Polly, four, and Ritchie Jr, two During the last season of TOWIE, Billy flew to the Dominican Republic to surprise the Essex star for their first anniversary, but she had some things to get off her chest before they celebrated. Amy fumed: 'I think I'm still in shock because I never expected you to come out here for our one year anniversary. I know you said our year anniversary would be amazing, but did I ever think it would be you coming out here? No.' Billy replied: 'I wanted to be around you, I wanted to see you.' But Amy responded: 'Just lately it has been so s**t between us both, like, completely.' Temporary glitch: In August, it was revealed the couple had temporarily split after Amy accused Billy of messaging another girl behind her back Billy agreed: 'It has. You try and push them buttons so much to take it to that next level, to try and get that reaction from me, but once you get that reaction, that's when you step back then. 'You've won, you've got that reaction, and, for me, that makes me feel s**t, makes me feel a bit low, and that's not fair. 'I know we've done things to each other, we've said things, it's not been ideal, it's not been the greatest.' Amy replied: 'Yeah, you know, listen, me and you, we've been very up and down the last eight weeks. Me and your relationship has been shit, hand on my heart it's been a s**t.' She then revealed: 'You messaging another girl, for me, was probably the hardest thing I've had to go through in a relationship. do you know what I mean? I know your reasons, we weren't together that week because we were on and off." Her boyfriend played it down, saying: 'That's what I'm saying to you, there was f*** all in it. You're saying you want to be with me, then you don't, then you do, then you don't.' Amy answered by cutting in: 'I've seen the messages, you invited her back with your mates, absolutely fine, fair enough what you do - that is not acceptable in a relationship, because I would never do that to you.' Clash: During the last season of TOWIE, Billy flew to the Dominican Republic to surprise the Essex star for their first anniversary, but she had some things to get off her chest But she admitted she still trusted him and said: 'I just think you've made a big mistake, and people in life do make mistakes'. Amy, who shares daughter Polly, five, with ex-Bradley Wright, started dating TOWIE newcomer Billy following her split from former partner Tim last July. Amy is also a mum to Ritchie Jr, three, from her relationship with businessmen Ritchie, but unlike Polly, who regularly features on TOWIE, her son remains out of the spotlight. In a recent Instagram Q&A session, Amy said she would consider having children with Billy in the future. 'I always said I would like two and that's it, but since meeting Billy, I feel completely different - 100 per cent in the future,' she said. Billy, who's the owner of Box Gym Fitness in Brentwood where Amy's now a regular visitor, starred on Channel 4 series First Dates in 2018, and admitted to looking for love in the 'wrong places' after repeatedly pursing 'Essex types.' They have set tongues wagging in recent months that they have rekindled their relationship after going their separate ways in 2019. And Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper did little to dispel swirling speculation as he joined her at a Self Portrait fashion event in New York on Sunday evening. The supermodel, 36, looked incredible in a tweed co-ord by the brand, which perfectly highlighted her gym-honed abs. Back on? Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper did little to dispel swirling speculation as he joined her at a Self Portrait fashion event in New York on Sunday evenin Irina's outfit also featured a cropped jacket in the same fabric, which she wore slung over her shoulder. The pale pink outing was styled with a pair of white thigh-high Calzedonia tights and a pair of peep shoe heeled shoes. The Russian beauty kept her accessories to a minimum and wore her brunette locks in soft waves with a natural pallet of make-up. Wow! And Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper did little to dispel swirling speculation as he joined her at a Self Portrait fashion event in New York on Sunday evening Glam: Irina's outfit also featured a cropped jacket in the same fabric, which she wore slung over her shoulder Bradley, 47, looked typically dapper in a dark denim shirt teamed with a pair of jeans and boots, layered with a black jacket. The former couple, who have been seen together on several occassions in recent weeks, were joined at the event by Edward Enniful and Stella Maxwell. The bash was hosted by the brand's Founder and Creative Director, Han Chong. Radiant: The Russian beauty kept her accessories to a minimum and wore her brunette locks in soft waves with a natural pallet of make-up Cute: Irina and Bradley recently holiday together with their daughter Lea De Seine The duo, who dated between 2015 to 2019, have sparked romance rumors for months since she shared vacation photos in the Bahamas together over the summer. It was reported in August that the Nightmare Alley actor, 47, and Vogue cover girl are mulling the prospect of having more children. Although they split in 2019, they have remained famously amicable co-parents since then, with an insider telling Page Six: 'It was a real family getaway and they are considering getting back together.' The source asserted that Irina 'would like her daughter to have a sibling,' and that Bradley is amenable to the idea. Style: The bash was hosted by the brands Founder and Creative Director, Han Chong Team: The former couple, who have been seen together on several occassions in recent weeks, were joined at the event by Edward Enniful (centre) She and Bradley were first linked in 2015 before going public as a couple in 2016, welcoming their little girl in 2017 and then going their separate ways in 2019. Although Bradley was rumored to be dating Hillary Clinton's close confidante Huma Abedin, the outlet reports they were only ever casually involved. Meanwhile Irina's dating history includes Cristiano Ronaldo and last year she was briefly linked to Kanye West in the wake of his split from Kim Kardashian. She rose to game walking for many major fashion brands and becoming the face of the lingerie brand Intimissimi back in 2007. Charlotte Crosby has revealed her newborn daughter is called Alba Jean. The Geordie Shore star, 32, welcomed her little girl earlier this month with boyfriend Jake Ankers, saying she was 'so in love' with the little one. Updating her Instagram followers on Monday, she shared an adorable black and white snap of her little one's hands as she announced the name. Introducing Alba Jean: Charlotte Crosby shared a first glimpse of her newborn daughter on Monday and revealed motherhood has 'shown me a whole new meaning to life' She penned: 'Alba Jean Ankers 14.10.22 'Our hearts are so full my baby girl you have shown us a whole new meaning to life. Your perfect in absolutely every way! 'Mammy and Daddy are so so so lucky to call you our little girl you are loved so much more then you will ever know [sic].' Charlotte took to Instagram on Sunday to update her fans and apologise for taking a break from social media, explaining that she is 'just so in love' with her new daughter. Getting emotional in the video, she described motherhood as 'just absolute bliss' while talking to her 8.2M followers. Charlotte penned: 'Our hearts are so full my baby girl you have shown us a whole new meaning to life. Your perfect in absolutely every way!' An overwhelmed Charlotte appeared make-up free as she began: 'Hi, I'm back and i'm a mother! Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. I just can't go too much into it because I will literally cry. 'I am so sorry because I totally forgot that although I had told everyone that I had the baby, I kinda went quiet on Instagram and I completely forgot Instagram existed because I've just been in a world where I'm so in love.' Apologising to her followers for not keeping them in the loop, the Geordie Shore star continued: 'I'm so sorry, I should've come on and updated you all. New mother: She welcomed her first child, a baby girl, via C-section last week with boyfriend Jake Ankers 'I checked my messages and I had so many people worried. Everything is fine, it's more than fine. it's just bliss, absolute bliss,' she continued. The video then cut off as Charlotte began to tear up, before returning in the following Story to explain: ' I had to compose myself there for a second. But yeah i have got so much to update you all on.' She welcomed her first child via Caesarean-section last week, with her dad breaking the news first as he gushed over being a grandad in a tweet. 'I'm so in love': Charlotte, 32, got emotional on Sunday as she returned to social media after welcoming her baby daughter Cat out the bag: Charlotte's dad broke the birth news first as he gushed over being a grandad in a tweet last week 'So, officially a grand father! Little girl, all is well. Excited for the new chapter in our little family,' wrote her excited father, Gary. While Charlotte herself then took to Instagram to share snaps from the hospital as she confirmed the joyous news. Charlotte revealed she was expecting her first child in May with beau Jake, who she has been dating for one year. Sweet: While the reality star then confirmed it herself with a slew of sweet snaps, showing her and Jake in hospital as they awaited the arrival of their bundle of joy Charlotte previously told how she decided to start trying for a baby in December 2021, not long after she and Jake started their relationship. The couple then decided to stop trying, realising it was quite soon into their romance to welcome a child, and bought ovulation sticks to refrain from having sex on her fertile days. But then in February on Valentine's Day, the star found it strange when she wasn't in the mood to drink or have sex during a surprise romantic getaway to a swanky London hotel - before realising then she was pregnant. Newly-single Millie Court sent temperatures soaring as she took to Instagram on Sunday during her sun-soaked Thailand getaway. The Love Island winner, 25, exhibited her enviable physique in a skimpy white bikini as she enjoyed a coconut drink on a wooden boat. The reality star was later seen 'living my best life' while playing and feeding with pigs on the beach. 'Living my best life': Newly-single Millie Court sent temperatures soaring as she took to Instagram on Sunday during her sun-soaked Thailand getaway Millie posed up a storm in another snap while enjoying a cocktail on a large wooden swing on the beach. She wrote alongside the post: 'Living my best life'. Several of her reality TV pals took to the comment section to gush over the star, including Lucinda Strafford and Chloe Burrows. Stunning: The former Love Island winner, 25, exhibited her enviable physique in a skimpy white bikini as she enjoyed a coconut drink on a wooden boat Posing up a storm: The ITV2 star seemed to be having the time of her life as she swapped her white two piece for an eye catching pink bikini Having fun: The reality star was later seen 'living my best life' while playing and feeding with pigs on the beach Incredible: Millie posed up a storm in another snap while enjoying a cocktail on a large wooden swing on the beach The reality star took to her Instagram Story as she hopped on a jet ski and sped around the ocean. The ITV2 star seemed to be having the time of her life as she swapped her white two piece for an eye-catching pink bikini, showing off her toned figure. On Saturday, the star wowed in a skimpy blue bikini as she sprawled out while enjoying a boat ride out to sea. 'Selfie in the middle of the sea': The reality star took to her Instagram Story as she hopped on a jet ski and speeded around the ocean Sizzling display: Millie pouted and held up a peace sign as she gave fans a glimpse of her fun packed getaway She soon turned over to flaunt her pert behind as she gazed out at the Koh Samui coastline before sharing a more candid shot in her 'Insta vs reality' post. Millie is staying at the lavish Avani Chaweng Samui Hotel & Beach Club, where room rates reach nearly 800 per night. She's newly single following her split from fellow Love Island winner Liam Reardon last month. Hot stuff: On Saturday, the star wowed in a skimpy blue bikini as she sprawled out while enjoying a boat ride out to sea Out of this world: She soon turned over to flaunt her pert rear as she gazed out at the Koh Samui coastline It comes after MailOnline revealed Love Island 2021 winners Millie and Liam decided to go their separate ways following a year-long romance. Millie and Liam called it quits after growing apart in recent months, while they both pursued individual work opportunities. The pair lived together in Essex but have since moved out of their shared home. Matthew Perry looked healthy and suave on Monday as he left his hotel in New York City - ahead of the upcoming release of his explosive memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. The Chandler Bing actor, 53, who has detailed his past addiction battles, near death experiences and turbulent love life in the tome, cut a dapper figure as he headed to Good Morning America. He put on a handsome display in a navy blazer and matching suit trousers, with a pale blue T-shirt underneath. Dapper: Matthew Perry looked healthy and suave on Monday as he left his hotel in New York City - ahead of the upcoming release of his explosive memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing Matthew held a coffee in one hand and waved to waiting fans as he made his way to promote his new memoir. He was seen earlier in the day sporting a grey jumper and navy trousers, while wrapping up in a charcoal grey coat. Smiling as he walked inside, he shielded his eyes from the sun behind a pair of blue tinted sunglasses. Candid: The Chandler Bing actor, 53, who has detailed his past addiction battles , near death experiences and turbulent love life in the tome, looked dapper as he headed to Good Morning America Dashing: He put on a handsome display in a navy blazer and matching suit trousers, with a pale blue T-shirt underneath Hello! Matthew held a coffee in one hand and waved to waiting fans as he made his way to promote his new memoir It comes after his interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC News on Friday, where he said that he 'had never drank before' prior to 14, where he drank an 'entire bottle' of wine, which impacted him tremendously. He said: 'I lay in the grass and was in heaven. I thought to myself, "This must be the way normal people feel all the time."' The Williamstown, Massachusetts native added: 'By the time I was 18, I was drinking every day.' Smiles all round: He was seen earlier in the day sporting a grey jumper and navy trousers, while wrapping up in a charcoal grey coat Looking good: Smiling as he walked inside, he shielded his eyes from the sun behind a pair of blue tinted sunglasses Diane asked Matthew in the interview, 'How will we know when you're in trouble, when you're not okay?' to which he said, 'If I say, "I'm just going to chill at home alone tonight;" and part two, the other thing, is if I ever say, "I'm cured."' Matthew says longtime battle with addiction has seen him in therapy for 30 years; go to rehab 15 times; go to about 6,000 AA meetings and survive 14 surgeries. The actor told Diane that while he was entrenched in addiction during his years making the show, he did not use substances while on the set of the NBC hit. 'I made a rule that I would never drink or take anything at work,' Matthew said. 'So I would never do that, but I would show up blindly hungover. Like shaking. I loved Chandler, I loved the show. And I knew, "Remember this, because it's going to be the best time of your life." And I knew I would never forgive myself if I messed this up.' The latest: It comes after his interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC News on Friday, where he said that he 'had never drank before' prior to 14, where he drank an 'entire bottle' of wine, which impacted him tremendously The Friends actor has detailed his 15 rehab stints, alcoholism, opioid addiction and weeks in a coma in Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing - due for release on November 1. He detailed how his drug and alcohol addictions left him with a 2% survival after the opioids caused his colon to burst and left him in a two-week coma. Matthew's drug addiction revelation was revealed on Thursday during his interview with People Magazine, while he was speaking about his upcoming memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. The actor, who is best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends, is now sober. Road to addiction: The Williamstown, Massachusetts native added: 'By the time I was 18, I was drinking every day' During his interview, he spoke about his decades long battle to rid himself of the disease of addiction. Matthew had revealed that he to have 14 surgeries on his stomach and had to use a colostomy bag for nine months; he said his stomach has a number of scars from the multiple surgeries. His therapist told him he may have to use a colostomy bag for the rest of his life if he takes drugs again, something that keeps him from relapsing. The actor did not disclose when he got sober but said he is 'pretty healthy' now and choose to 'count each day.' Beginnings: The actor detailed the beginnings of his substance abuse battles in the interview The actor also said he had to go to rehab 15 times in a bid to get clean; his first bout was in 1997 and then again in 2001 and in 2011. During his interview, 'The doctors told my family that I had a two percent chance to live. I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that's called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.' Adding: 'I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side of everything again.' 'I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober - and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction - to write it all down. And the main thing was, I was pretty certain that it would help people,' Matthew said. The actor said his alcohol addiction began when he was 24 while starring on Friends, adding that he was 'entrenched in a lot of trouble' by age 34. Mathew revealed that at one time he was taking 55 Vicodin a day while on Friends, noting that he was down to 128 pounds but 'didn't know how to stop.' He said that his co-stars on Friends 'were understanding' and 'patient.' During season nine, Matthew was sober; that was the year he also was nominated for Best Actor. He recently revealed he used to attend open houses with the intent of stealing pills in his efforts to fuel his 55 Vicodin-a-day addiction. In a new Diane Sawyer/ABC News interview shedding more light on his harrowing battle with addiction, Perry said he doesn't believe anyone would have suspected Chandler Bing, his sweet character from Friends, as the thief. 'On Sundays, I would go to open houses and go to the bathrooms in the open house and see what pills they had in there and steal them. And I think they thought "Well, there's no way that Chandler came in and stole from us." Friends: Matthew shot to fame with his castmates: Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc - but behind-the-scenes he was battling addiction Perry called his open house strategy the 'weirdest thing' he did in his efforts to get his 55 pills. The actor, who said he knew he needed that amount of Vicodin or else he'd get 'really sick', said he also complained of fake migraines in order to get the prescription medication. 'I did all sorts of things - a bunch of doctors, fake migraines and all that stuff,' he explained. According to ABC, Perry says he has been in detox approximately 65 times. He has also reflected on the challenges of having to use a colostomy bag while recovering from his colon bursting due to opioid overdose, at age 49, in 2018. 'I've probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober': Matthew has revealed the steep cost of his sobriety a few days after sharing he nearly died from an opioid addiction After suffering from a gastrointestinal perforation, the actor recently revealed he had to use a colostomy bag for nine months and was given just a two per cent chance of survival after spending two weeks in a coma on life support. In a new interview with GQ, the Friends alum provided a snippet from his upcoming memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, in which he recalls waking up 'covered in' his own feces 50 to 60 times. During his five-month hospital stay following his colon rupturing, he told the outlet that he he would regularly wake up and find his colostomy bag had 'broken again.' 'I had sh** all over my face, all over my body, in the bed next door. When it breaks, it breaks. You have to get nurses,' he detailed. To his horror when the time came to remove his colostomy bag, the operation didn't initially work and it was replaced with an ileostomy bag. 'Ten times worse. You have to deal with an ileostomy bag 18, 19 times a day. A lot of suicides with an ileostomy bag. People can't take it,' he said. Sober: The Friends star also shared that he recently celebrated 18 months of sobriety, indicating that her was newly sober during the Friends reunion special in May 2021 Soon afterward, however, he underwent surgery and that 'fixed things,' according to the performer, who has since 'lived without' a colostomy bag for 'along time.' 'I'm very grateful,' Perry stated, despite adjusting to how his body looks with 'plenty of scars.' 'I look at them with gratitude, because it helped me stay alive. But I have to live my life 24/7 with all of this scar tissue I'm constantly aware of. It feels like I'm doing a sit-up at full stretch all the time,' he explained. Still, upon first taking his shirt off after his hospital stay, Perry admitted to bursting 'into tears' and being 'disturbed' as he feared thought his 'life was over.' To feel better, about 30 minutes later, Perry confesses to calling his drug dealer. This led to him to try and sober at another rehab center, this time in Switzerland, where he nearly died again after his heart stopped for a full five minutes. 'This huge, strong guy leaped on top of me,' Perry said, 'and did CPR, and broke eight of my ribs and saved my life.' As he continues to put his recovery first, Perry has declined to reveal how long he has been sober, but says 'it's been a little while' since he's relapsed. Claim to fame: The actor said his alcohol addiction began when he was 24 while starring on Friends, adding that he was 'entrenched in a lot of trouble' by age 34 Friends star Matthew has revealed that his romance with Julia Roberts began after she was approached to appear in the sitcom in 1995 (pictured) - but he later dumped her 'Im less ruled by fear now. One of the things I learned is I can handle when bad things happen now. Im resilient, I am strong, and those things should come very clearly to the reader in the book as well. I am a strong man and I never gave myself credit for that, ever. But now Im slowly starting to,' he noted. During an interview with People this month, he said he was sharing his story now that he's 'pretty safely sober and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction' and to 'help people.' Talking about his starring role on Friends at aged 24, his alcohol addiction was starting to surface. He said he could handle it but he was 'entrenched in a lot of trouble' by the time he was 34. He said there were years during that time in which he was sober and in fact, he was sober throughout the whole of season nine, the year he got nominated for Best Actor. At one point during his Friends career, he admits he was taking 55 Vicodin a day and was down to 128 pounds but yet he 'didn't know how to stop.' Coming soon: Matthew's memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing is available on November 1 He said the disease has got worse and worse and progressive and he's got older and noted his Friends cast mates 'were understanding, and they were patient.' A constant battle, Matthew says: 'I'm pretty healthy now'. He is choosing not to say how long he has been sober for but is 'counting each day.' He said his therapist has told him that he may have to have a colostomy bag for the rest of his life if he takes drugs again, which helps him to avoid relapsing. The actor, who checked himself into rehab during his time on Friends once in 1997 and again in 2001. Matthew famously told the New York Times in 2002, one year after getting sober: 'When [fame] happens, it's kind of like Disneyland for a while. 'For me it lasted about eight months, this feeling of "I've made it, I'm thrilled, there's no problem in the world". He told the Hollywood Reporter in 2015: 'I've had a lot of ups and downs in my life. I learned a lot from my failures. 'But the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, "Will you help me stop drinking?" I will say, "Yes, I know how to do that."' 'And then you realise that it doesn't accomplish anything, it's certainly not filling any holes in your life. I didn't get sober because I felt like it. I got sober because I was worried I was going to die the next day.' 'It's no accident that Chandler is a guy who is trying to deter his own human emotional feelings with laughter. Thats what I did for years. I've tried to palm myself off as being a jokester, kind of like hanging out with me is kind of like a vacation. But that could only take me so far.' He did his third stint in rehab in May 2011, when a representative for the star said it was to prevent a relapse. Support: He has shared Jennifer Aniston's continued support during his recovery: '[Aniston] was the one that reached out the most,' he revealed. 'I'm really grateful to her for that'; Pictured 1995 The actor became an international sensation practically over night after he landed the role as Chandler Bing in Friends in 1994. But while he came off as the hilarious and heartwarming guy who always had a smile on his face on the screen, behind-the-scenes, the star was facing a downward spiral of drug addiction, alcohol use, and overdoses that left him with just a two per cent chance of survival. Perry told People magazine recently while discussing his book that he turned to drugs to deal with the immense fame and pressure that came with starring in one of the most popular shows of all time - revealing he needed 14 surgeries on his stomach and has been in rehab 15 different times as a result of his drug and alcohol use. In 1997, Perry got into a jet ski accident and was prescribed Vicodin, a powerful and addictive pain medication - which would eventually turn into in a years-long battle with addiction. The comedian admitted to the outlet that during the height of his career, he was taking 55 pain killers per day and dropped down to only 128 pounds. He played Chandler from 1994 to 2004 on Friends alongside co-stars David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. The show aired for 10 seasons and made the stars household names. They reunited in 2021 - the first time after 17 years since the show ended - for a reunion special. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse in the US, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP If you are in the UK, call FRANK 24 hours a day, seven days a week 0300 123 6600 She's known for her love of glam dressing up but Myleene Klass' latest look was quite the departure from her usual style. The radio presenter and musician, 44, transformed into fictional character Shaggy from Scooby Doo with the rest of her family dressing up as the rest of the cast. Myleene wore a shaggy wig and drew on a beard, while her youngest son Apollo, three, dressed as Scooby Doo himself. ZOINKS! Myleene Klass wore a wig and a beard to transform into Shaggy, (second from left), as her family dressed up as Scooby Doo for fun Halloween-themed party shared on Instagram on Monday So good! Daughters Ava, 15, and Hero, 11, dressed up as Daphne and Velma Her fiance Simon Motson went as Fred Jones, wearing a white jumper with an orange tie and blue trousers. Myleene's daughter Ava, 15, wore a purple dress as Daphne and her sister Hero, 11, wore round glasses and a tartan skirt to transform into Velma. Having a lovely time, Myleene shared a short video of her party to Instagram and wrote: 'Happy Halloween!' alongside a pumpkin emoji. Look familiar? (L-R) Scrappy, Velma, Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Fred from Scooby Doo Where Are You, circa 1969 Pucker up! Myleene and her fiance Simon kissed one another as Shaggy and Fred Fun times: Ava wore a purple dress and a matching headband to transform into Daphne Sweet moment: Apollo tucked into some sweets while giving his mother a big kiss Cute: Apollo had painted nails - or paws - for the special occasion Iconic: Myleene took a snap with her youngest daughter Hero who looked like a very cool Velma The post comes just days after Myleene was quizzed about a possible return to I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! next year. The show will travel to South Africa for an 'All Star' series featuring past contestants. Myleene first competed in the 2006 series of I'm A Celeb where she famously showered in a white bikini and finished as a runner-up alongside Jason Donovan to winner Matt Willis. When asked by the Eggheads presenter if she'd be returning Myleene said: 'I have heard those rumours. I can neither confirm nor deny.' The Classic FM host recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the station saying: 'It still gives me goosebumps to say on air. 'This is Myleene Klass and this is Classic FM.' Making memories: Myleene posed for yet more snaps with her love, Simon Looks just like her: Hero wore Velma's trademark orange polo neck, glasses and had freckles drawn on her face He wasn't in the cartoon! Myleene stood in front of a very scary looking clown - maybe she was just about to pull his mask off like in the famous Scooby Doo episodes Check this out, mum! Apollo had a big smile on his face throughout the day Wow! She put on a lovely spread for the family against a backdrop of skulls and flowers Helen Skelton has seen her TV company halve in value in the past year. The Strictly Come Dancing star, 39, started her firm Skelton Productions Limited, to manage income from her television work, and despite having assets of 434,000, now owes 265,000 to creditors. It comes just weeks after MailOnline revealed that a property firm Helen set up with her husband Richie has been threatened with closure, after it failed to file legally required accounts. Figures: Helen Skelton has seen her TV company halve in value in the past year According to Companies House documents, Skelton Productions Limited, owned entirely by Helen, saw its worth slide from 348,305 to 168,960 in the 12 months to October last year. While the business still has healthy assets of nearly 434,000, including 378,195 in cash, it owes creditors 265,818, reducing its overall worth. The document shows that in 2021, she paid 37,350 in Corporation Tax so her income was around five times that sum, but in the previous 12-month period, she paid the tax office 94,039, meaning she earned more than 470,000. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Helen Skelton for comment. Raking it in! The Strictly Come Dancing star started her firm Skelton Productions Limited, to manage income from her television work, and has assets of nearly 434,000 Earlier this month it was revealed a property company Helen owned with ex Richie Myler could be shut down. The Countryfile presenter, and her recently estranged husband, 32, are facing the forced closure of their business Myler Properties LLP, after it failed to file legally required accounts. The company - which was set up in January 2020, when they were still together - has been warned of an impending 'compulsory strike off' order, which would necessitate it to be shut down. Time is running out: It comes just weeks after MailOnline revealed that a property firm Helen set up with her husband Richie has been threatened with closure Helen and Richie have until 6 November to successfully show cause that Myler Properties LLP should not be struck off. Helen formed the business under her married name with rugby league star Richie, with whom she shared three young children: Ernie, six, Louis, five, and nine-month-old Elsie. Documents just published show Myler Properties LLP has failed to produce accounts showing the partnership's income and expenditure, which were due to be lodged in January. As a result, assets held by the company could be seized and the business could also face a fine of 1,500 for not filing accounts. Companies House Rules say: 'Not filing your confirmation statements, annual returns or accounts is a criminal offence - and directors or LLP designated members could be personally fined in the criminal courts.' Ex: It comes after Helen's ex Richie revealed that he has set his Instagram to private after allegedly receiving hateful messages from followers In addition to Myler Properties LLP, Helen co-owns a construction company with Richie, Myler Construction Limited, which is still trading after being incorporated in January 2018. It comes after Helen's ex Richie revealed that he has set his Instagram to private after allegedly receiving hateful messages from followers. The rugby player reportedly explained via Instagram that he would be 'removing followers one by one'. He and Strictly star Helen ended their eight year marriage earlier this year, with the sportsman's new relationship with Stephanie Thirkill, 32, coming to light just days later - with it recently being revealed that the latter is now pregnant with the couple's first child. New love: It was recently revealed that his new girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill is now pregnant with her and Richie's first child According to the Daily Star, the Ireland player reportedly posted to his Stories explaining the decision, noting the abuse that he has recieved while the account was public. The soon-to-be dad of four allegedly penned: 'I've decided to put my profile private from now on. If you are on here to share my photos or stories of me and my life maliciously to other people or waste your time sending me abusive messages, please just unfollow me. 'I'm going to start removing people from my account one by one, so if you are a genuine rugby fan and I accidentally remove you, I apologise in advance and will accept you back! Thank you, Richie.' Case of the ex: In a recent interview with The Telegraph , Helen, who shares three children with Richie, refused to comment on Richie's new relationship out of respect for all involved It emerged earlier this month that Richie is expecting a baby with his new girlfriend, and on Saturday night's Strictly, Helen looked teary as her dance partner Gorka Marquez spoke out about her 'difficult time' live on the show. And in an interview with The Telegraph, Helen, who shares three children with Richie, refused to comment on Richie's new relationship out of respect for all involved, noting: 'You cannot have any opinion on anyone else's life until you've walked in those shoes. 'And my family are happy, my kids are happy, and thats all ultimately that matters. She explained that she agreed to take part on Strictly to cap off the year on a positive note, claiming: 'I think it would have been disrespectful for me to have not done Strictly. For my family, who need to see me have a great time. Its not just for me.' Helen went on: 'I dont see myself as a victim, no, because I mean, look There are a lot of people who have been in my situation who havent been given the opportunities that Ive got.' Jason Biggs' wife Jenny Mollen has shared a hilarious exchange between herself and her son's teacher - called Karen - after she took an adults-only trip to Copenhagen. Cookbook author Jenny, 43, posted a picture of a message she had received on Instagram from the concerned teacher. It read: 'Dear Ms. Biggs, today in school your son shared with his classmates that you are in Copenhagen on an adult trip and have been eating (pardon my language) 'tonnes of penis'. 'Your son said you have been eating penis': Jason Biggs' wife Jenny Mollen shared a hilarious exchange from her son's concerned teacher after her adult-only trip to Copenhagen 'While I hate to bother you on your vacation, I felt strongly that you should be aware and perhaps address the issue at your earliest convenience.' Clearly seeing the funny side, Jenny wrote back: 'Dear Karen, He's not lying. I have been eating tonnes of penis on this trip. 'Def gonna need to reign it in when I get home. Thank you so much for checking in on me. See you at drop off! Jen.' Oh, Karen! Cookbook author Jenny, 43, posted a picture of a message she had received on Instagram from the concerned teacher Clearly seeing the funny side, Jenny wrote back: 'Dear Karen, He's not lying. I have been eating tonnes of penis on this trip' However, it is clear what caused the misunderstanding because Jenny shared a third photo - a picture of a menu from the restaurant Noma. She circled 'reindeer penis ragout', which is one of the delicacies on the menu. Jenny and American Pie star Jason, 44, are parents to children, Sid, 8, and Lazlo, 5. After she shared the post, a selection of celebrities and fans shared their amusement. Jenna Dewan wrote in the comments: 'I just fell out', along with a crying face emoji. Oh that's what she meant: However, it is clear what caused the misunderstanding because Jenny shared a third photo - a picture of a menu from the restaurant Noma Annalynne McCord wrote: 'Jenny, I am very envious of your trip to Copenhagen as so eloquently described by your darling child.' Another fan wrote: 'Dead. Save some for me.' Back in April, Jason and Jenny celebrated 14 years of wedded bliss. He wrote a sweet message on Instagram to his one and only, ' In 14 years, my dreams have changed a lot. But the woman in them has very much stayed the same. Happy anniversary @jennymollen.' The actor also shared a series of photos of his wife from throughout their relationship. DEAD! A host of celebrities and fans alike were incredibly amused by the post Happy Anniversary: Jason and Jenny recently shared sweet anniversary messages on social media marking their 14th anniversary Protecting night sky on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Xinhua) 09:42, October 31, 2022 Photo shows the night view of the Lenghu area, in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Photo provided to Xinhua) XINING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Qinghai Province in northwest China has approved the country's first local regulation to protect the night sky in Lenghu, where China is building a world-class astronomy observation site. The regulation will take effect from Jan. 1, 2023. The observation site in the town of Lenghu on the north side of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau will have two designated dark preservation areas, a dark core zone and a buffer zone, to ensure its optical observation environment at night. In the core area with a radius of 50 km, the type and brightness of light resources will be under strict control. The illumination direction of all outdoor fixed lighting will have to be 30 degrees lower than the horizontal line. Planning and building projects and carrying out activities that will affect astronomical observation are prohibited in the core zone. In the buffer zone, the direction of all fixed outdoor lighting will have to be below the horizontal line. The regulation also lays out restrictions on geological exploration, sightseeing and other activities in the area. "The astronomical observation conditions in China's important astronomical town need to be planned and protected from the legal perspective. I'm glad to see that Lenghu is making progress soundly," said Liu Boyang, an astrophysicist who has been to Lenghu several times. As the highest plateau on Earth, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau provides outstanding opportunities for astronomy and particle astrophysics. Photo shows a "Mars Campsite" in Lenghu Town in northwest China's Qinghai Province. Chinese scientists are building the Wide Field Survey Telescope in the town, which is known for its Mars-like landscape and climate. (Photo provided to Xinhua) In 2021, Chinese astronomers reported in the journal Nature their three-year monitoring of a local summit on Saishiteng Mountain in Lenghu. They said the area is an ideal location to build an astronomical observatory due to its advantages of clear night skies, stable atmospheric conditions, and a dry climate. So far, nine optical astronomical telescope projects have been settled in Lenghu, with an investment of nearly 2 billion yuan (about 310 million U.S. dollars). The Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST), a leading optical telescope project in China, will also move from the northern province of Hebei to Lenghu for better performance. The idea of preserving the night sky also goes beyond astronomical observation. In recent years, more people have realized light pollution has deprived most city dwellers of the chance to see the constellations and the Milky Way, affects the physical and psychological health of humans and animals alike, and disturbs ecosystems. In 2013, China started to build its first dark-sky preservations in Ngari and Nagqu in Tibet Autonomous Region to preserve the night sky and educate visitors on the emerging issue of light pollution. In 2018, the two dark-sky parks were certified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) North Korea launches what it claimed was a hypersonic missile, Jan. 5, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap A nuclear attack by North Korea against the U.S. or its allies will result in the end of the country's regime, the U.S. Department of Defense said Thursday. In its National Defense Strategy (NDS), the department said the U.S. will also hold North Korea responsible for any transfer of nuclear weapons or related materials and technology to other actors. "Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime," said the NDS. "There is no scenario in which the Kim regime could employ nuclear weapons and survive," it added, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The new U.S. defense strategy comes amid speculation that Pyongyang may soon conduct what will be its seventh nuclear test. The North conducted its sixth and last nuclear test in September 2017. John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be prepared to conduct a nuclear test at any time. Seann Walsh has revealed that he narrowly escaped being arrested for stealing ice cream from a school while high on weed. The comedian, 36, explained how he had got stoned with a group of friends before getting a bad case of the munchies. He broke into a primary school in search of food, and ended up taking a block of ice cream each. Narrow escape: Seann Walsh has revealed that he narrowly escaped being arrested for stealing ice cream from a school while high on weed However, they were soon surrounded by police cars and Seann only managed to escape trouble by hiding in a bush. Speaking on Tuesday's Unbelievable, in quotes obtained by The Sun, he recalled: 'I was round the age where you started, you know, smoking the naughty leaves. 'And me and five friends smoked this stuff and then we got rather peckish so, we broke into the primary school and we went into the kitchen. 'All that was there in the kitchen, do you remember the blocks of ice cream? Each of us took one and were walking down the street and we all had our block of ice cream. Bad boy: The comedian, 36, explained how he had got stoned with a group of friends before getting a bad case of the munchies 'And then I looked up and a police car zoomed past and stopped in front of us. Other police cars were turning up. There was, like, a riot van.' Seann added: 'I managed to hide behind a bush. It was reported in the local newspaper as the Ice Cream Five!' It comes after it was reported that Seann has signed up for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! He is thought to be heading Down Under for the new series - the first back in Australia since the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Sun, ITV bosses are hoping Seann will discuss his infamous 2018 snog with his Strictly pro partner Katya Jones, who was married to fellow dancer Neil Jones at the time. The brief fling resulted in the end of Katya's marriage to Neil the following year and Seann splitting with his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Humphries. A source said: 'Seann is an incredible signing for I'm A Celebrity and it's a real coup for ITV. His snog with Katya is the biggest scandal to have ever hit Strictly. People still talk about it. 'Seann has joked about his snog with Katya in his comedy sketches but he's never spoken in detail about their relationship. 'Life in the jungle is boring and those long hours around the campfire would be the perfect time for Seann to get talking.' The insider added that they believe it is 'unlikely' the other campmates won't bring the kiss up as it's what the comedian is primarily known for. Seann is now set to become a father, with his dance teacher girlfriend of three years, Grace Adderley, 30. Love rat: Seann's five-year relationship with actress Rebecca Humphries, 35, (right), broke down after he was seen snogging dance partner Katya Jones on Strictly Come Dancing Speaking to a friend on an Instagram Live stream while on tour in Stamford, Lincolnshire this month, he said: 'I'm having a child'. Seann was then asked by the friend, 'So you're gonna be a dad?', replying 'yeah' - with the unnnamed man responding: 'That's worrying'. The love rat TV personality then told his 48,200 followers: 'Unbelievable. Everyone else has been really nice, that's the worst response yet.' His friend then said: 'You're going to have a lot more worries.' Seann then quipped: 'That's the one thing I need in life actually, I don't think I've had enough worries.' Halloween is here and Hollywood is very ready to slip into some fun costumes to thrill their Instagram followers. The looks have already been outrageous as celebrities partied over the weekend. But are some luminaries like Megan Fox, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton and Heidi Klum showing off too much skin? After all, Halloween used to be about ghosts, skeletons, devils, and witches - which were some of the very first costumes to be worn. Here is a look at some of the eye-popping creations that have been worn to celebrate the annual holiday. Too sexy? Several stars, such as Megan Fox, wore very revealing outfits for Halloween A good look: Megan also went as Pamela Anderson as Machine Gun Kelly was Tommy Lee Kylie Jenner went all out this Halloween, and took to Instagram on Sunday to show off yet another one of her costumes. The lip kit mogul, 25, channeled Elvira: Mistress of the Dark in two sultry shots that saw her wear the character's signature black beehive. In the first one, she showed off her washboard abs wearing a skimpy sequin fringe skirt and a sultry bra with tassels. The other snap saw her laying on her side in a plunging black dress that put her ample cleavage on display. Kyvira! Kylie Jenner took to Instagram on Sunday with another tantalizing Halloween costume, as she channeled Elvira: Mistress of the Dark in a bra with tassels and a skimpy fringe skirt Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by James Signorelli, that stars Cassandra Peterson as eccentric horror hostess. The Kardashians star accessorized her first look with black stockings, black fingerless gloves and sparkly tassel earrings. The mom-of-two was seen posing in front of a giant black spiderweb, with a purple background behind her. Busty: The lip kit mogul, 25, also shared another snap in costume, which saw her laying on her side in a plunging black dress that put her ample cleavage on display Inspiration: Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by James Signorelli, that stars Cassandra Peterson as eccentric horror hostess So much to take in: Jenner was also seen as a blue alien with a big chest Nicki Minaj flashed her butt in an outfit. She was dressed as Cinderella in a stunning baby blue gown. But when the rapper turned around, her butt could be seen through cut-outs in the backside of the dress. 'And as she heard the whispers Chunderella snickered. The ugly/evil step sisters had EVERY RIGHT to bicker (through their blisters!) After all, deep down inside they knewtheyd never fit the glass slippers The END,' wrote the artist in her caption. Lizzo was dressed as her 'icon' favorite Miss Piggy when she posed with a snake with no clothes on. Ssssssexy: Lizzo was dressed as her 'icon' favorite Miss Piggy when she posed with a snake with no clothes on Oh Nicki! Nicki Minaj was dressed as Cinderella in a stunning baby blue gown Naughty Nicki: But when the rapper turned around, her butt could be seen through cut-outs in the backside of the dress Kendall Jenner put her modelling skills to the test as she got into the Halloween spirit and transformed into Jessie from ToyStory on Saturday. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, 26, looked nothing short of sensational as she showcased her sexy twist on the iconic costume to celebrate the holiday. The model flashed her toned midriff in a cartoon style white shirt with a large collar, buttons, and yellow cuff detailing. Incredible: Kendall Jenner put her modelling skills to the test as she got into the Halloween spirit and transformed into Jessie from ToyStory on Saturday She showed off her peachy behind in a racy pair of denim underwear which she clipped cow print cut out crouch trousers to. Kendall was seen facing away from the camera looking over her shoulder as she posed up a storm in front of a themed back drop. The reality star styled her auburn tresses in in two braids, which she pulled over her shoulders from under a large red cowgirl hat. Peachy: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, 26, looked nothing short of sensational as she took to Instagram to showcase her sexy costume to celebrate the annual holiday The beauty shared her costume with her 262 million followers and said: 'Well aren't you just the sweetest space toy'. Kendall also took to her Instagram Story and shared a short clip of the ensemble as she departed her house. The Vogue cover girl swapped her high necked shirt for a more revealing cropped strapless number with the same pattern. The Kardashians star normally throws herself a lavish bash for Halloween to celebrate her birthday which is on November 3. A breast show: Kim Kardashian's close pal La La Anthony wore this bra top that showed plenty of chest In previous years she has dressed up as a racy corpse bride in 2021, Pamela Anderson in Barb Wire for Halloween 2020. In 2019 she was a gold forest fairy with a mini skirt, wings and head piece. She looked the part of a Fem Bot from Austin Powers in 2018. In 2015 she was Karl Lagerfeld, the late creative director of Chanel, while a year earlier she chose to dress up as Mario from the Super Mario Bros franchise. Kim Kardashian assembled her very own X-Men characters squad on Halloween weekend, and dropped by Tracee Ellis Ross' 50th birthday party in full costume. The reality TV star, 42, looked incredible dressed up as Mystique and showed off her curves in a blue latex costume and face paint in sultry Instagram photos. She was joined by pals Olivia Pierson, 33 (as Magik) and Natalie Halcro, 34 (as Selene). Flashing the flesh: Hailey Bieber was a Versace zombie in a bra top and skirt Too much! Heidi Klum pulled down her undies to show off a lot Some cloth is missing from this photo: Emily Ratajkowski flashed her bottom Naughty model: Alessandra Ambrosio flashed a lot of legs in this unitard look Singer Nikki Lund - who has a fashion line at Nordstrom - also wore a stunning outfit. The blonde beauty wore a space cowgirl look with a silver fringed hat and matching unitard with large shoulders. The You & I singer modeled a long turquoise wig that matched her eye shadow. Knockout: Singer Nikki Lund also wore a stunning outfit. She wore a space cowgirl look with a turquoise wig and fringed hat Ready for the holiday: She was seen in a pumpkin patch as she attended a festival Bold: Kim Kardashian assembled her very own X-Men characters squad on Halloween weekend, and dropped by Tracee Ellis Ross' 50th birthday party in full costume A naked vibe: Kim showed of her curves but that is nothing new for her The SKIMS founder later shared a snap with Tracee, writing, 'That time I showed up to a birthday dinner in full costume when it wasn't a costume party!' 'Happy Birthday to the most beautiful soul @traceeelliseross,' she added. Kim's usually blonde tresses were dyed red and slicked back, and she swapped her brown eyes for bold yellow contact lenses, while wearing blue stilettos. Meanwhile Olivia was a knockout in a black bodysuit paired with silver armor and a sword. A naughty look: Paris Hilton wore this black bra top and mini skirt Natalie showed off her incredible curves in a black bustier, which she paired with matching panties, a blue cape and a blue wig. Kim also shared a snap of her and Diddy, 52, who was dressed as the Joker. 'Never broke character,' she praised him in the caption. Heidi Klumi is gearing up for the return of her world-famous Halloween party after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And in a tease for the much-anticipated spook fest the 49-year-old supermodel and America's Got Talent judge is sure to grab attention by leaving little to the imagination. While Klum continued to keep the theme of her costume under wraps, she did give her 10 million fans and followers at look at phase one of her preps: a fresh spray tan on her nearly naked body. After dressing up as Sailor Moon and 'Secret Agent Sexy Sliver' for the first two nights of Halloween weekend, Paris Hilton went full superhero on Sunday night. The 41-year-old socialite dressed up as the Marvel superhero Captain Marvel, while her husband Carter Reum joined her by dressing up as another Marvel superhero, Deadpool. Hilton was even seen scaling the fence of her luxurious Los Angeles home with her husband following close behind. Superheroes: After dressing up as Sailor Moon and, 'Secret Agent Sexy Sliver' for the first two nights of Halloween weekend, Hilton went full superhero on Sunday night with her husband Carter Reum Hilton was pictured wearing a blue and red Captain Marvel suit with her blonde locks flowing over her shoulders. She also had a red sash tied around her waist while also seen wearing mirrored sunglasses in some of the photos. The heiress completed her look with blue suede heeled boots for her Halloween eve photo shoot. Actress Blanca Blanco has gotten into the Halloween spirit this week. On Thursday the Tale Of Tails actress was seen in a black gothic outfit that consisted of a small see through lace teddy. And the beauty - who dates John Savage from Deer Hunter fame - also had on dramatic eye makeup that made her look part zombie. Spooky: Actress Blanca Blanco has gotten into the Halloween spirit this week. On Thursday the Tale Of Tails actress was seen in a black gothic outfit that consisted of a small see through lace teddy Zombie time: And the beauty - who dates John Savage from Deer Hunter fame - also had on dramatic eye makeup that made her look part zombie The looker had on heavy eye makeup with veins coming from under her eyes. And she added maroon lipstick. Her long hair was worn down over her shoulders. The unitard was see through and plunging with straps on the hips and one in front over her chest. Ancient history: The star also dressed up as Cleopatra with a green mini dress Good work! The detailed eye makeup by artist Akemi was sensational The star wrote in her caption, 'Ready for Halloween. Vampire look by @makeupartist_akemi. Editing @ivanashobot @filipshobot.' Blanca is best known for playing a stripper in Tale Of Tails. This comes after she released her memoir called Breaking The Mold earlier this year. In March she chatted up at her book signing at Chevalier's Books in Los Angeles. During a Q&A session, the actress commented on her past brushes with A list stars. Actress Victoria Justice seemed very inspired this year. She wore a sexy strapless black lace number to resemble Natalie Portman's swan character from the movie Black Swan. Her pal, who had on a pink wig, wore even less clothing. And beauty Nadia Lee Cohen was dressed as Lolo Ferrari. So much effort: And beauty Nadia Lee Cohen was dressed as Lolo Ferrari Hugh Jackman enjoyed a Halloween morning dog walk with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness in New York City on Monday. While stepping out in a 'Gotcha4Life Foundation' sweatshirt and sweats, the 54-year-old actor enjoyed a stroll with his longtime spouse as they walked their Terrier-Poodle mix, Allegra. Jackman layered with a long peacoat, a beanie that kept his ears warm, sunglasses, and tan slippers without socks. True love: Hugh Jackman enjoyed a Halloween morning dog walk with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness on Monday in New York City The Australian actress, 66, dressed for the chilly fall weather in a black jacket over a bright pink sweater, orange and pink Free City sweatpants and black sneakers. The Halloween outing comes after the couple recently returned from a romantic holiday in Venice, Italy. Hugh previously told People the secret to their happy marriage was 'making time for each other and 'always learning' from one another. The X-Men star said they consciously 'reset' their marriage, which means they don't grow apart like many longtime couples do. Happy couple: While stepping out in a 'Gotcha4Life Foundation' sweatshirt and sweats, the 54-year-old actor enjoyed a stroll with his longtime spouse as they walked their Terrier-Poodle mix, Allegra 'We're always learning and humans change so you have to, you gotta reset all the time,' he said. In April, the Wolverine star penned a gushing tribute to his wife on Instagram as they celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary. 'Today I celebrate 26 years of marriage to my extraordinary wife. Every single day is filled with so much laughter, joy and backgammon! Deb, you light up my life. I love you with all my heart!' The pair married on April 11, 1996, just one year after meeting on the set of Australian drama Corelli. Busy guy: The Wolverine star has returned to Broadway playing Harold Hill in the musical theater classic, The Music Man. Hugh's next project is the heartstring-tugging drama The Son, which will be released in November They have two adopted children, son Oscar, 21, and daughter Ava, 16. The Wolverine star, who made his Broadway debut in the biographical musical The Boy from Oz in 2003, has returned to Broadway playing Harold Hill in the theater classic, The Music Man. Hugh's next project is the heartstring-tugging drama The Son, which will be released in November. The plot is based around a divorced couple who struggle to help their teenage son who is going through a mental health crisis. She captured the heart of Brennon Lemieux when they fell in love - sight unseen - on the third season of Love Is Blind. But viewers were glued to the screen for another reason when Alexa Alfia, 27, took Brennon home to meet her family, ahead of their wedding. Upon arriving at the family mansion, they were met by Alexa's VERY attractive stepmother Morgan, who is believed to be aged 33 and married to her rather handsome father, 52, an insurance agency owner. 'Morgan is her step-WHAAAAT???!': Love Is Blind viewers have gone wild over Alexa's very beautiful step-mother, Morgan 33, after she took fiance Brennon home to meet the family Brennon, an account sales representative for Advantage Water Engineering, got quite the grilling from Alexa's dad Adam, who asked him if he could give Alexa the lifestyle she has become accustomed to. According to RealityTitbit.com, Adams wife Morgan is a business owner and they have six children in their blended family; four girls and two boys aged between two and 25 years old. Adam and Morgan got married in June 2015 at The Joule Hotel in Dallas, Texas, having both lived in North Texas for the majority of their lives. Close in age: Alexa pictured with fiance Brennon, is thought to be six years younger than her step-mother and they get along very well The patriarch operates 14 businesses after starting his first at the age of 20. Morgan previously owned an Allstate insurance agency that she eventually sold to Alexa. Morgan is now a co-owner of Neon Strong, a gym and physical fitness centre. Viewers of the show took to Twitter to express their shock over Morgan's youthful and fit appearance. Love: Morgan pictured with Alexa's handsome father Adam - the pair married in 2015 Stunners: Lots of viewers had something to say about how incredible Morgan looks - and Alexa for that matter They wrote: 'Morgan is Alexas step-whaaaat???! Loool lemme grow old and be a rich old man too chile lmao #LoveIsBlind #LoveisBlindS3 'Are Morgan & Alexa the same age ?? #LoveIsBlind.' '#qtna is Alexas step mom, Morgan, the same age or younger than Alexa? #loveisblind.' It remains to be seen whether or not Brennon and Alexa will stand the test of time. Advertisement It's an annual tradition for morning show TV stars to dress in over-the-top costumes for Halloween and Monday was no different as the finest of the early hour got done up. Several morning show stars slipped into outrageous costumes to greet their early fans. Kelly Ripa of Live With Kelly And Ryan did not disappoint as she slayed an array of looks with co-host Ryan Seacrest by her side. The Today cast including Willie Geist, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb pulled off a Las Vegas theme. And Tamron Hall had an Under The Sea look. Inspired by Halle Bailey who will play the first Black Ariel in the upcoming live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid, Tamron made a dazzling entrance as Ariel Hall. The Talk also had a ton of fun with their Halloween morning. Amanda Kloots nailed it as Catwoman. Kelly Clarkson was dressed as Stevie Nicks with a long ripped dress and white face makeup. H'ween: Kelly Ripa of Live With Kelly And Ryan did not disappoint as she slayed an array of looks with co-host Ryan Seacrest by her side One of Kelly's first looks was as Mighty Thor as she posed with Ryan's Thor. Her outfit was a black, gunmetal gray and maroon dress with black boots and a red cape. Her blonde wig had dark roots and the locks flowed over her shoulders as she was beautifully made up. Ryan looked happy with his white blonde wig and fuzzy beard. Marevel-ous: Another fun look was Ryan as Doctor Strange, a Marvel character played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Ripa was dressed as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful Avengers Another fun look was Ryan as Doctor Strange, a Marvel character played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The film is about Dr. Stephen Strange's (Cumberbatch) life as it changes changes after a car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he looks for healing, and hope, in a mysterious enclave. He quickly learns that the enclave is at the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying reality. Before long, Strange is forced to choose between his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence. Beautiful bride: Ripa was also seen in a wedding gown with a black bobbed wig as she was helped with her train Ripa was dressed as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful Avengers. She wore a long crimped strawberry red wig with the headgear in place. She looked toned in her blood red vest, cape and gloves. On Instagram for the show it read, 'We went into the multiverse with Hulk, Loki, Scarlet Witch and Dr Strange #LiveHalloween.' Ripa was also seen in a wedding gown with a black bobbed wig as she was helped with her train. Today! From left, Sheinelle Jones, Willie Geist, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb appear on NBC's Today show Halloween celebration at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC Sing it! Jenna looked incredible as singing sensation Celine Dion Jailhouse Rock will never be the same again: Geist pulled off his Elvis look nicely Vegas, baby: Sheinelle Jones dressed as a Las Vegas showgirl during NBC's Today show Halloween celebration On the Today show there was plenty of fun to be had. Willie Geist, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb were seen on NBC's Today show Halloween celebration at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. There was a Sin City theme. Carson Daly was a Las Vegas tour guide. Geist was Elvis Presley, Hager was Celine Dion, Melvin was Muhammad Ali. Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie dressed as a Cirque du Soleil acrobats. Tamron Hall had an Under the Sea theme. More on this theme: Hoda Kotb, left, and Savannah Guthrie dressed as a Cirque du Soleil acrobats during It was the shows fourth annual Halloween Extravaganza. Inspired by Halle Bailey who will play the first Black Ariel in the upcoming live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid, Tamron made a dazzling entrance as Ariel Hall. She floated down to her set which was transformed into an ocean fit for Disneys favorite Mermaid. Hall was joined by six young mermaids who sat beside her as she welcomed her first guest, Walt Disney legend Jodi Benson, who voiced the original character over 30 years ago. Cute Kelly: Kelly Clarkson was seen during her Halloween episode of her talk show on Monday. The star obviously is a Fleetwood Mac fan. The former American Idol winner dressed as Stevie Nicks with a long ripped dress and white face makeup. Her hair was worn down in soft curls Benson treated the Tam Fam to an impromptu performance of Part of Your World. And while discussing new book, Part of My World: What I've Learned from The Little Mermaid about Love, Faith, and Finding My Voice, Benson shared a message with her successor saying, 'Halle has just done an amazing job and we are so proud of her and we are so thrilled about this live action movie. We're beside ourselves with excitement.' Kelly Clarkson was seen during her Halloween episode of her talk show on Monday. Mermaid magic: Tamron Hall had an Under the Sea theme. It was the shows fourth annual Halloween Extravaganza Under the sea: Inspired by Halle Bailey who will play the first Black Ariel in the upcoming live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid, Tamron made a dazzling entrance as Ariel Hall Not a bad one at all! Natalie Morales on The Talk Halloween costume episode; she was channeling Wednesday Meeeow: Amanda Kloots dressed as Michelle Pfeiffer's sexy Catwoman from Batman Returns as she had on a black sewn together catsuit. 'I dont know about you, Miss Kitty, but I feel so much yummier,' she wrote on Instagram The star obviously is a Fleetwood Mac fan. The former American Idol winner dressed as Stevie Nicks with a long ripped dress and white face makeup. Her hair was worn down in soft curls. Amanda Kloots dressed as Michelle Pfeiffer's sexy Catwoman from Batman Returns as she had on a black sewn together catsuit. Smart moves: On the Monday, Daily Blast Live co-hosts Sam Schacher, Jeff Schroeder, Al Jackson, Erica Cobb, Tory Shulman and Lindsey Granger celebrated the spooky season in style. The stars dressed up as SNL vet Pete Davidson, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, actor Will Smith, Star Trek icon Nichelle Nichols (who passed away this year), NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and chart-topping superstar Beyonce, respectively 'I dont know about you, Miss Kitty, but I feel so much yummier,' she wrote on Instagram. 'Happy Halloween weekend kittens! See me take on @michellepfeifferofficial iconic Catwoman on our Halloween episode on @thetalk which aires Monday. Its yummy so dont miss it!' She was seen on her show The Talk. On the Monday, Daily Blast Live co-hosts Sam Schacher, Jeff Schroeder, Al Jackson, Erica Cobb, Tory Shulman and Lindsey Granger celebrated the spooky season in style. The stars dressed up as SNL vet Pete Davidson, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, actor Will Smith, Star Trek icon Nichelle Nichols (who passed away this year), NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and chart-topping superstar Beyonce, respectively. He was seen filming his explosive Christmas exit last week. And despite his impending departure from Albert Square, it appears that things couldn't be better for EastEnders' Mick Carter, as he proposes to Janine Butcher in upcoming scenes. A first look snap from the upcoming episode shows the Queen Vic landlord getting down on one knee to pop the question to Janine, after he decided to permenantly end his marriage to his wife Linda. Surprise! EastEnders' Mick Carter looks set to propose to pregnant Janine Butcher in upcoming scenes The image shows Mick preparing to ask Janine for her hand in marriage, with the soap villainess beaming after realising her scheme has been a success. The couple recently returned from a trip away from the Square and are set to make a surprise announcement that will leave Linda devastated. It comes after actor Danny was seen filming his final moments on EastEnders, with sources claiming his departure will be left 'open-ended.' Romantic is blossoming! The couple recently returned from a trip away from the Square and are set to make a surprise announcement that will leave Linda devastated An insider told The Sun: 'The scenes are action-packed with a lot of fighting and shouting. 'It looks to be one of the most dramatic episodes ever. The soap has certainly thrown everything at Danny's exit and it looks like it's going to be left open-ended.' Earlier in the week, Danny began filming his final explosive scenes on EastEnders, as he stood ready to jump off a cliff in an apparent death scene. Danny said in June that his exit would be hugely dramatic, and hinted it would end in Mick's death. What will happen? Danny said in June that his exit would be hugely dramatic, and hinted it would end in Mick's death Speaking to The Sun he said: 'It's huge and it's going to upset a few people. I will miss everyone but I want to go out proper. I came in proper and I want to go out proper. 'I wish I could tell you more. In the next couple of months you'll learn a bit about what we're going to do but I can tell you it's huge.' He added: 'I want to go out in a way that's going to get people talking. It's a thing that needs to be discussed more openly and I think it's going to shock a few people.' Danny went on: 'I've done ten years, over 1,000 episodes, and it's time to move on from it. I just want the right ending. I don't want to jump in the back of a cab!' Earlier this year, Danny admitted he wanted to quit EastEnders 'for a while' as he spoke out for the first time since he announced his departure from the soap. Questions: It comes after actor Danny was seen filming his final moments on EastEnders , with sources claiming his departure will be left 'open-ended. Speaking on his Sorted With The Dyers podcast, he said: 'When you're in a job like a soap your contract comes up for renewal and every time it has they've asked me to stay, and I'm very grateful for that. 'Because I've seen a lot of people come and go. It's very tough. 'I always debate whether I want to sign again and I've been contemplating a while now about whether it's time to roll the dice, take the leap. 'The big news is I've decided not to renew my contract. That's all. That's not because I've fallen out with anybody, I love everybody. That job has been amazing for me. It's an important part of television.' Speaking at the time soap star insisted there's no 'big story' behind his departure, other than he wants to try other things. Ordeal: Mick has endured a turbulent relationship with his wife Linda, and the pair have finally ended their marriage so he can pursue a romance with Janine A spokesperson for the BBC show confirmed that Danny would be leaving Walford later this year, but insisted that there will still be more drama in store for Mick ahead of his exit. The spokesperson said: 'Danny will be leaving EastEnders when his contract comes to an end later this year. 'Danny has made Mick Carter an iconic character which we shall always be grateful for, however we won't be saying goodbye just yet as there's still quite some time and plenty of explosive drama for Mick - to come before he departs Walford. ' Charlie will also be leaving the soap, after rejoining just 19 months ago, with her final storyline being branded 'massive'. EastEnders airs these scenes on Monday 7th November 2022 at 7:30pm on BBC One. Tamron Hall looked amazing dressed as The Little Mermaid on a special Halloween episode of her show Monday. 'I am Ariel Hall and I am celebrating Disney's new live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid coming out in May,' she said as she sat on a swing in a sequined tail that fanned out on the stage. The television personality transformed her talk show into an under-the-sea adventure as she was joined by six young girls dressed as mermaids in celebration of Halle Bailey becoming the first black Ariel. Halloween Extravaganza: Tamron Hall looked amazing dressed as The Little Mermaid on a special Halloween episode of her show Monday Celebrate: The television personality was joined by six young girls dressed as mermaids in celebration of Halle Bailey becoming the first Black Ariel It was the show's fourth annual Halloween Extravaganza. The talk show host explained that she and the girls took inspiration from Bailey and transformed into their own version of the Little Mermaid. Dressed in a purple shell top, with long red braids flowing over her shoulders she said, 'Have you ever seen anything so wonderful in your entire life. You guys look magical. 'We were mer-made for each other and of course, we're all inspired by the excitement over who is playing the newest Disney princess in the underwater fairytale, Halle Bailey!' Lovely: Hall sat on a swing with her long legs tucked inside a sequined tail that fanned out on the stage in front of her She welcomed her first guest, Walt Disney legend Jodi Benson, who voiced the original character over 30 years ago. Benson shared her excitement for Bailey saying, 'Halle has just done an amazing job and we are so proud of her and we are so thrilled about this live action movie. We're beside ourselves with excitement.' Benson treated the Tam Fam to an impromptu performance of Part of Your World. Under the sea: She floated down to her set which was transformed into an ocean fit for Disney's favorite Mermaid on her show's fourth annual Halloween Extravaganza 'I cannot express just how excited I was when I saw Halle Bailey emerge as the new Ariel in the teaser trailer,' Hall told People. 'It took my breath away! Then, I saw all of the videos posted online of kids celebrating. I knew I had to dive right in, no pun intended, and support this magical moment. 'Halloween is my favorite holiday because it's all about fantasy and imagination. We can be anything we want, including mermaids!' Diddy left onlookers shocked as he had a foul-mouthed altercation with actor Michael J.Ferguson while dressed as the Joker during a Halloween night out on Saturday. The rapper, 52, who transformed into the iconic supervillain for the night out was captured maniacally laughing in the Power actor's face before branding him a 'motherf****r' and hugging him during the bizarre interaction. Celebrities flocked to social media to comment on the row with rapper BRS KashKash commenting that: 'he went from Gotham City to New Jack City real fast' - referencing the iconic 1991 film starring Wesley Snipes as a drug lord. The video opens with Ferguson saying to Diddy: 'You're a p***y, a p***y' as Diddy mimics the Joker's cackle while standing close to his face. Joking? Diddy left onlookers shocked as he had a foul-mouthed altercation with actor Michael J.Ferguson while dressed as the Joker during a Halloween night out on Saturday Staying in character. Diddy, surrounded by members of his entourage in clown masks, says: 'What's the matter, you don't like me, you don't like me motherf****r, get to it b***h' 'I'm coming to you with love, come to me and I'll bust your s***, you f*****g p***y, you don't ever talk to me like that. 'You got a problem, you taking over my energy, what did I do to you? Don't play with me on Halloween.' Diddy then drops his character and says in his normal speaking voice: 'Do you know who I am?' before asking for a hug. In character: The rapper, 52, who transformed into the iconic supervillain for the night out was captured maniacally laughing in the Power actor's face before branding him a 'motherf****r' As the pair embrace, he says: 'I love you, we're stronger together, come to the afterparty and change your vibration, I will change your vibration.' It is not known what the pair were rowing over, DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Diddy for comment. Diddy commented: 'Had a fun night. Hugged like black kings should do when it comes to some bulls**t'. Diddy nailed the DC villain's iconic look from top to bottom for his wild night out, donning terrifying makeup and a green-purple suit. Wow: The video opens with Ferguson saying to Diddy: 'You're a p***y, a p***y' as Diddy mimics the Joker's cackle while standing close to his face Oh my! Staying in character. Diddy, surrounded by members of his entourage in clown masks, says: 'What's the matter, you don't like me, you don't like me motherf****r, get to it b***h' Flanked by masked henchman and with a fake machine gun in his hand, Puffy fully embraced the Joker's psychotic persona, acting out for the cameras. The mogul's three-piece suit included a green vest over a patterned shirt and tie. A long purple coat matched a pair of baggy striped trousers that sported a chain. A thick mask of white makeup covered Diddy's entire face, making his blackened eyes and crimson grimace pop with each one of his manic expressions. The multi-platinum hitmaker's dress shoes were made to look worn-out while a greasy, lime-colored wig crowned his head. Purple leather gloves covered his hands which grasped a fake machine gun. The elaborate costume brought out Diddy's inner anarchist as he tore through the town. The inspirational Grammy winner documented his crazy Saturday night from start to finish, posting videos and pictures on Instagram. Outspoken: Michael branded Diddy a 'clown' in the heated clip' Horror: Diddy's entourage were seen snapping photos during the night 'Have a very safe Halloween weekend,' Diddy told his 19.1 million Instagram followers from the throne of his makeup chair. The founder of Bad Boy Records told everyone to 'be nice, be kind and drink responsibly' before telling people to 'vibrate higher' and 'move with love.' Diddy ultimately declared that everyone should have some 'f**kin fun' and then went on to cause fake mayhem as the Joker, having an absolute blast as he dropped a prop grenade in the street and danced around cackling. The Sean John designer uncannily imitated the Joker's maniacal laugh throughout the night, causing such a scene that Tyler, the Creator, 31, stopped his black truck to marvel at Diddy's spectacle. 'This is top tier,' said Tyler, awestruck in his seat as Diddy seized the random moment and played it up big on the street. Friends again: As the pair embrace, he says: 'I love you, we're stronger together, come to the afterparty and change your vibration, I will change your vibration' Comment: Celebrities flocked to social media to comment on the row with rapper BRS KashKash commenting that: 'he went from Gotham City to New Jack City real fast' - referencing the iconic 1991 film starring Wesley Snipes as a drug lord All good: Diddy revealed the pair had resolved their differences All good; Michael reshared a video of the rant with the caption 'all love' 'This is a glorious night when you bump into Tyler, the Creator,' Diddy said to the camera after the Who Dat Boy rapper drove away in his truck. Diddy's rampage continued as cameras captured him at one point mounting a fire engine with what appeared to be a bottle of the mogul's top-shelf tequila after playing around with an actual flamethrower. The serial entrepreneur's latest liquor venture is called DeLeon and currently sells five variants of tequila, ranging from $120 to $1,000 per bottle. Near the end of his night, Diddy sniffed into the camera and told whoever was behind it that she smelled like Kim Kardashian, 42, implying that the megastar was his mystery recorder. 'Dead,' she giggled, blown away by the rapper's magnetic performance as they made their way into Club Love Diddy's exclusive venue of 'visionary fashion, elevated community, black excellence at the highest level, and unabashed and unadulterated sex appeal.' No joke: Diddy slayed Halloween when he ran through the streets of Hollywood as the Joker after attending a Halloween party Lucy Mecklenburgh has claimed she's been refused an ambulance on some occasions when her young children have needed to go to A&E. The former TOWIE star, 31, took to her Instagram Story on Monday to reveal she was once even forced to wait 20 minutes before speaking to a 999 handler. Her son, Roman, two, who she shares with her fiance Ryan Thomas, 38, has been hospitalised multiple times with viruses and fluid in his lungs, while their daughter Lilah, four months, needed medical care recently with bronchiolitis. 'I waited over 20 minutes for my 999 call to even be answered!' Lucy Mecklenburgh has claimed she's been refused ambulances when her young children have needed A&E attention (pictured in July 2022) Following a Good Morning Britain report about increased ambulance waiting times, Lucy wrote on the social media platform: 'Unfortunately I have had to call for ambulances many times for my children. 'On one occasion I have waited over 20mins for my 999 call to even be answered and have also been told there's no ambulances available please can you drive your baby to hospital which is impossible with a small child struggling to breathe. 'Enough is enough!!!!!!! Something has to be done! This breaks my heart.' She later added: 'I've had lots of sad messages of story's [sic] waiting for ambulances. Oh dear: Her son, Roman, two, who she shares with her fiance Ryan Thomas, 38, has been hospitalised multiple times with viruses and fluid in his lungs 'I think we are all aware the NHS is very stretched at the moment, understaffed & underfunded and it must be awful being the person to tell a parent/person in need that there's [sic] no ambulances available. 'Lots of people have messaged to tell me that a huge problem is people calling 999 unnecessarily. Rather than 111, your GP or driving to a&e yourself (when possible). 'Thanks for all your kind messages. Lastly I'd like to thank all the lovely, hardworking NHS staff that have helped my baby's over the last 2 years. 'Now I'm coming off here and enjoying Halloween with my kids Xx.' Scary: Ryan and Lucy's daughter Lilah, four months, suffered a health scare of her own when she was rushed to hospital and put on oxygen after becoming 'really poorly' with bronchiolitis (pictured with Ryan's daughter Scarlett from a previous relationship) Lucy and Ryan's son Roman was hospitalised earlier this month during a family break in Carlisle. Actor Ryan shared a photo of his toddler in an A&E cot, telling his Instagram followers that they had 'unfortunately been in this situation many times before'. Last month Lucy was in hospital with the couple's eldest child as he battled a virus. The Coronation Street star shared a black and white photo of Roman resting in his hospital cot on Sunday evening, writing: 'Me and my little man have unfortunately been in this situation many times before. 'But this weekend we spent 24 hours in hospital away from home - but wanted to say a massive thank you to all the doctors and nurses at The Cumberland Infirmary for the hard work and dedication in making sure we get the best care possible. 'Me and my boy are home safe because of you. We are truly grateful.' Ryan, Lucy and their children were enjoying a weekend away at their friends' Cumbrian house, when Roman was rushed to A&E, with Lucy documenting the weekend on her Instagram account. Last month Lucy rushed Roman to hospital, revealing he was battling a virus - almost a year to the day that he was discovered 'blue in his cot'. The reality star previously told how her little boy spent a week in intensive care last September and put on a ventilator describing it as 'every parents worst nightmare.' Poorly: Lucy and Ryan's son Roman was hospitalised earlier this month during a family break in Carlisle The TV favourite revealed that Roman is back in hospital but reassured fans the two-year-old is on the mend and just needed 'some help' to fight off the sickness. The mother-of-two took Roman to get urgent medical treatment once again after picking up an infection in preschool. Taking to her Instagram Story, the influencer shared a snap of the toddler in a hospital ward with the cubicle curtains drawn. Captioning the snap she pondered: 'Meant to be on a beach. Whyyy did I send Roman to preschool this week?' She then went on to reassure fans that Roman was on the mend and explained: 'He's fine he just sometimes needs some help fighting viruses. Nebuliser, oxygen, steroids, antibiotics. Bless him, wish I'd kept him off preschool and got him to the sunshine sooner.' Last year, Roman spent nearly a week in intensive care and was diagnosed with a 'viral induced wheeze'. Lucy wrote at the time: 'As some of you may have noticed we haven't been on social media lately. Just over a week ago I found Roman blue in his cot probably every parent's worst nightmare. 'Without going into two much detail it ended up with Roman being transferred to St Mary's London intensive care being put on a ventilator. Thankfully we are now all home and Roman is back to his cheeky self.' Lucy said the experience has made her want to get involved with charities for sick children and the hospital where Roman was taken. Lucy is also mother to daughter Lilah, who suffered a health scare of her own last month when she was rushed to hospital and put on oxygen after becoming 'really poorly' with bronchiolitis. Lilah contracted bronchiolitis from Roman, who picked the condition up at pre-school, and suffered from 'coughing and choking' before being rushed to hospital. My Three Sons star Dawn Lyn is fighting for her life in a coma after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor, reports TMZ. The former child star - now 59 - shot to fame aged six as Dorothy 'Dodie' Harper-Douglas on the CBS sitcom's last three seasons, a role she played from 1969-1972. Dawn's condition was revealed on social media by her former co-stars including Stanley Livingston (who played Richard 'Chip' Douglas) and Tina Cole (who played Katie Miller-Douglas) - with the actors urging fans to 'pray' for Dawn's recovery. Fighting for her life: My Three Sons star Dawn Lyn is fighting for her life in a coma after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor, reports TMZ (Dawn is pictured in the 1980s) Stanley wrote last week: 'Just found out my little TV Sis, DAWN LYN (Dodie), is in a COMA and fighting for her life. She had surgery recently to remove a brain tumor. 'Please pray for her to have a swift and full recovery. I took Dawn out to lunch a couple of months ago. We had a great time reminiscing about our MTS days. Dawn is one of the nicest human beings I have ever known. 'Thoughts and prayers also go out to her husband, John, at this time. This is devastating news!" Tina wrote: 'My heartfelt prayers go out to my "My Three Sons" sweet "lil' sis", Dawn Lyn (Dodie) and her husband John. Dawn is fighting for her life after undergoing brain surgery.' Rise to fame: The former child star - now 59 - shot to fame aged six as Dorothy 'Dodie' Harper-Douglas (pictured) on the CBS sitcom's last three seasons a role she played from 1969-1972 Posts: Dawn's condition was revealed on social media by her former co-stars including Stanley Livingston (who played Richard 'Chip' Douglas) and Tina Cole (who played Katie Miller-Douglas) Lyn's brother, actor and musician Leif Garrett, 60, told the publication: 'My sister, Dawn, never wanted anyone to know about the surgery. 'Since it has been leaked on social media, I would really appreciate everyones understanding that it has already been a difficult time having lost both of our parents and a cousin recently.' 'Please just keep my sister in your thoughts and prayers and respect our familys privacy. Thank you.' My Three Sons, starring Fred McMurray as dad Steve Douglas told the story of a widower who raises his three children with his stepfather and the childrens uncle. The series won a Golden Globe for Best Television Show in 1962. On screen: My Three Sons, starring Fred McMurray as dad Steve Douglas told the story of a widower who raises his three children with his stepfather and the childrens uncle (pictured Fred and Dawn in the show) Dawn began acting aged four when she appeared as an American Indian boy in the 1967 B-grade western Cry Blood, Apache at age 4. In 1969, she played Prudence Everett in the pilot for the ABC series Nanny and the Professor but when the television pilot did not initially sell, she was released from her contract with ABC. Lyn also appeared on shows including Adam-12, Emergency!, Marcus Welby, M.D., Barnaby Jones and Gunsmoke. In 1971 she played Gregory Peck's character's daughter in the film, Shoot Out, and had a leading role in a 1973 episode of Mannix. Her last onscreen acting credit was in the 1978 Wonder Woman episode 'My Teenage Idol is Missing.' Dawn quit acting in 1977 and was last known to be working in real estate. This photo, taken on Oct. 9 shows a news report on a North Korean missile provocation being aired on a TV screen at Seoul Station in Seoul. Yonhap North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) toward the East Sea on Friday, the South Korean military said, as Seoul's major military exercise drew to a close. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launches from the Tongchon area in Kangwon Province between 11:59 a.m. and 12:18 p.m., and that the missiles flew some 230 kilometers at apogees of around 24 km at top speeds of around Mach 5. The latest launches came as the South is set to conclude its Hoguk exercise later in the day. Seoul and Washington are also preparing to stage major combined air drills, called Vigilant Storm, next week. "The North's ballistic missile launches this time are acts of significant provocation that undermine peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the international community," the JCS said in a press release sent to reporters. "While tracking and monitoring related movements in close cooperation with the United States in preparation against additional North Korean provocations, our military will maintain a firm readiness posture," it added. Melbourne 'it girl' Georgia Geminder hosted an elaborate Barbie-themed hens party ahead of her wedding to investment investment director Matthew Danos last month. Georgia, 28, who is the model granddaughter of Australia's late 'Cardboard King' Richard Pratt and eldest daughter of billionaire packaging magnates Raphael and Fiona Geminder, looked like a living doll in a Barbie-inspired outfit and long blonde clip-in ponytail. The event took place in a private room at exclusive Melbourne eatery Lillian Brasserie, and included a lavish sit-down luncheon for around 20 of Georgia's gal pals. Melbourne 'it girl' Georgia Geminder, 28, (pictured) hosted an elaborate Barbie-themed hen party ahead of her wedding to investment investment director Matthew Danos last month Georgia stunned in a pink Poster Girl chainmail mini dress that showcased her model physique and completed her look with chunky nude heels, gold hoop earrings and frilly pink opera gloves. For makeup, the toothpaste company owner sported winged eyeliner and blush. Georgia arrived at the event wearing a large Barbie packaging box but removed it as the festivities kicked off. Georgia stunned in a pink Poster Girl chainmail mini dress that showcased her model physique and completed her look with chunky nude heels, gold hoop earrings and frilly pink opera gloves For makeup, the toothpaste company owner sported winged eyeliner and blush Guests were surrounded by large pink balloons, while the long dining table overflowed with with floral displays, custom name tags and endless plates of food Guests were surrounded by large pink balloons, while the long dining table overflowed with with floral displays, custom name tags and endless plates of food. The menu included caviar pretzels, charred king prawns, grilled artichokes, burrata with heirloom tomatoes and crab salad. Each guest also received a hens party 'survival kit' customised with Georgia's name, cookies featuring the raunchy phrase 'Same c**k forever', and phallic shaped straws. Georgia is the model granddaughter of Australia's late 'Cardboard King' Richard Pratt and eldest daughter of billionaire packaging magnates Raphael and Fiona Geminder The menu included caviar pretzels, charred king prawns, grilled artichokes, burrata with heirloom tomatoes and crab salad Georgia arrived at the event wearing a large Barbie packaging box but removed it as the festivities kicked off Georgia married Matthew over the weekend, exchanging vows at an opulent society wedding in Melbourne. The event took place in the ritzy suburb of Kew, and was a traditional Jewish ceremony followed by a black tie reception inside a marquee at Raheen, the Pratt family mansion. Georgia looked like modern day princess in a beaded strapless fishtail gown with matching gloves and a tiara. Each guest also received a hen's party 'survival kit' customised with Georgia's name, cookies featuring the raunchy phrase 'Same c**k forever', and phallic shaped swizzle sticks For makeup, the toothpaste company owner sported winged eyeliner and blush Matthew meanwhile looked sharp during his trip down the aisle, wearing a white blazer, black suit pants and black bow tie. Georgia's mother Fiona owns cardboard giant Visy and is worth a reported $3.4billion, while her father Raphael - who is also on Forbes Rich List - has a 40 percent share in plastics manufacturer, Pact. Her grandfather Richard Pratt, an immigrant born in Poland whose family fled to Australia months before the German invasion, was a leading figure in Melbourne society until his death on April 29, 2009. Georgia posed for selfies with her guests at the flamboyant do Georgia married Matthew over the weekend, exchanging vows at an opulent society wedding in Melbourne. (The couple are pictured at their wedding) Georgia, a former Australian Grand Prix ambassador, spent seven years modelling in Australia, London and Los Angeles before quitting the industry to create a non-toxic toothpaste brand in 2020. In 2020 she launched Gem, a clean beauty company specialising in oral care that replaces chemicals with natural ingredients. Her new husband Matthew is the managing director of James Richardson Investments, part of a furniture, hospitality, real estate and retail corporation headquartered in Melbourne's north. The company is best known for its duty-free outlets in airports and border crossings across Australia and the Middle East. James Richardson is a household name in Israel thanks to its multiple stores in Ben Gurion airport, Israel. She looked like modern day princess in a beaded strapless fishtail gown with matching gloves and a tiara Ashley James showed off her blossoming baby bump as she attended Jonathan Ross's annual Halloween party at KOKO in Camden, London on Monday. The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, cradled her stomach as she dressed as a Narnia-style maenad. She donned a chocolate brown crop top and a pair of furry trousers along with some hoofs. Bump in the night: Ashley James showed off her blossoming baby bump as she attended Jonathan Ross's annual Halloween party at KOKO in Camden, London on Monday The television personality had a red slash on the side of her neck, giving the effect of an open wound. Ashley donned a pair of turned and spiked horns on top of an ice blonde wig. The star took to Instagram last month where she revealed that she's expecting her second child with boyfriend Tommy Andrews. Baby on the way: The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, cradled her stomach as she dressed as a Narnia-style maenad Ouch! The television personality had a red slash on the side of her neck and stomach, giving the effect of an open wound Sharing a sweet video, Ashley unveiled her baby bump for the first time as she posed in underwear, while elsewhere proudly showed off their ultrasound scans and positive pregnancy test. The reality star welcomed her first child, a son named Alfie, in January 2021, just a year after she and tech professional Tommy began dating. Ashley captioned the video: 'We have some news...! I'm excited and nervous to share in equal measure... Baby number 2 coming in 2023. Creepy creature: She donned a chocolate brown crop top and a pair of furry trousers along with some hoofs Ready for the night: Ashley donned a pair of turned and spiked horns on top of an ice blonde wig She noted: 'This audio makes me cry every single time!' before adding: 'A little update will be coming on my podcast which will be relaunched tomorrow!' Ashley and Tommy are already parents to son Alfie, one, who was born in January 2021. Made In Chelsea's Ashley spent six years single before settling down with Tommy in December 2019, after having first met ten years earlier. Strike a pose: The star took to Instagram last month where she revealed that she's expecting her second child with boyfriend Tommy Andrews Six months later, the couple discovered they were having their first baby, after her tech professional moved into Ashley's London home amid the coronavirus pandemic. In July 2020, Ashley announced she and her boyfriend Tom were expecting their first child together, and then heavily documented her pregnancy on social media. The DJ shared a snapshot of herself cradling her baby bump while posing with her handsome beau in France. Congrats! Ashley James, 35, is pregnant with her second child with boyfriend Tommy Andrews Captioning the image, she wrote: 'I'm beyond excited / nervous to finally be able to share our incredibly happy news with you all - especially given I'm an open book who HATES keeping secrets.' The following month, she confirmed to Hello! she was expecting a boy, saying: 'Tommy and I are over the moon to be expecting a baby boy. 'Our main joy is that the baby is growing as he should be and appears healthy and worryingly active. 'I was so convinced I was having a little girl, perhaps I was somewhat hoping to raise a little feminist with a strong mind? 'But I know that this little boy will grow up so loved and supported, with great values and the upmost respect for women... and hopefully he'll make a great big brother one day!' Chinese viewers have slammed a comedy act on Australia's Got Talent after it went viral on social media. He Huang's routine on the Channel Seven show included topics considered taboo in China, including the origins of Covid-19 and a woman's marital status. While many Australians found her act entertaining, some Chinese nationals weren't impressed and criticised Huang, 32, on the social media platform Weibo. Chinese viewers have slammed a comedy act on Australia's Got Talent after it went viral on social media. He Huang's (pictured) routine on the Channel Seven show included topics considered taboo in China, including the origins of Covid-19 and a woman's marital status Weibo users called Huang's jokes 'disgusting' and described the comedian as a 'slop bucket', reports the ABC. Huang said she was concerned about her parents' reaction because 'they are very sensitive', but did not realise the wider Chinese community would be offended. 'I didn't know other Chinese would be triggered by my parents' sensitivity. So I was like, "Hmm, interesting,"' she said. 'All my comedian friends here were just confused. I didn't talk about a lot of sensitive topics. I was mostly making fun of myself, my "leftover lady" status [and] my collective experience with parents pressuring us into marriage.' While many Australians found her act entertaining, some Chinese nationals weren't impressed and criticised Huang, 32, on the social media platform Weibo She added: 'I don't know why they were so triggered.' During her AGT audition, the Melbourne-based funnywoman began by joking about the pronunciation of her name. 'Hello everyone, my name is "Her". It's spelled as H-E. That's it. Yes, it is my name. It is not my pronoun. People get confused all the time,' she said. Weibo users called Huang's jokes 'disgusting' and described the comedian as a 'slop bucket' She also joked about the origins of Covid after saying she was 'made in China'. 'Look guys, I'm really sorry for the Covid. I'm sorry for it, but I didn't do it. I was here the whole time!' The Australia's Got Talent judges said Huang was 'one of the funniest comedians we've had', and voted for her to stay on the show. Emilia Clarke will star in the film An Ideal Wife as Oscar Wilde's one-time wife, Irish childrens author and activist Constance Lloyd, for director Sophie Hyde. The film will focus on Lloyd, an author who had written children's books and materials for newspapers and journals; and a feminist who was involved in efforts to reform dress for women amid the era of Victorian dresses. Lloyd and Wilde got married in 1884 and had two sons. Lloyd later relocated to Switzerland with her sons after Wilde was sentenced to two years in prison for homosexuality, which was then illegal, as it was decriminalized in England and Wales in 1967. The latest: Emilia Clarke, 36, will star in the film An Ideal Wife as Oscar Wilde's one-time wife, Irish childrens author and activist Constance Lloyd, for director Sophie Hyde. She was snapped in her native London in July Lloyd died at 40 in 1898 during a timeframe she was exiled in Genoa, Italy after changing the family's surname to Holland in an effort to separate themselves from Wilde. The film will also take a look at 'the sexual awakening she experienced after she learned that Wilde was homosexual,' sources told Deadline. Embankment Films will be shopping the film at the American Film Market beginning Tuesday, according to Variety, which broke the story. Deadline noted that Embankment has been in communication with buyers about An Ideal Wife for months, and Clarke's name became linked to it in recent weeks. Clarke last appeared in a film in 2019's Last Christmas The English actress has a number of projects in the works, including the miniseries Secret Invasion and films including The Amazing Maurice, The Pod Generation and McCarthy The company is overseeing films including Emily from Frances OConnor; and The Son from filmmaker Florian Zeller which features Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, and Anthony Hopkins. Clarke, 36, last appeared in a film in 2019's Last Christmas. The English actress has a number of projects in the works, including the miniseries Secret Invasion and films including The Amazing Maurice, The Pod Generation and McCarthy. Director Hyde earlier this year released the dramatic Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, which featured Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack. It had a virtual premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and also had a screening at the Berlinale. Hyde won best director honors at Sundance and won the Crystal Bear prize at Berlin for her 2013 film 52 Tuesdays. Deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung gives a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul on Oct. 28. Yonhap The presidential National Security Council condemned North Korea's provocative acts on Friday following the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea. The launch took place around noon as South Korea was set to wrap up its Hoguk military exercise, according to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff. President Yoon Suk-yeol was briefed on the launch by the presidential National Security Office, deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung said. "The NSC standing committee members noted that North Korea once again launched ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions following its recent repeated ballistic missile launches, violation of the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea, and violation of the Sept. 19 inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement through its artillery fire provocation," Lee said at a press briefing, summarizing the outcome of a NSC meeting convened after the launch. "They condemned the provocative acts of North Korea that continue to create tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," he added. The NSC confirmed that the military is maintaining a thorough readiness posture for an immediate response to any provocation by the North and vowed to reinforce the South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture through next week's Vigilant Storm air drills to ensure no disruption to the government's efforts to revive the economy and people's livelihoods. "Moreover, they agreed to closely follow the possibility of a strategic provocation by North Korea, including an intercontinental ballistic missile launch or nuclear test," Lee said. (Yonhap) By Steven L. Shields James Scarth Gale's graduation photo, University of Toronto, 1888 / Courtesy Yoo Young-sik Korean historians have not been kind to the Rev. Dr. James Scarth Gale (1863-1937). Some have either ignorantly or deliberately misinterpreted or mistranslated Gale's writings. Such is true especially regarding the Japanese takeover of the Korean Empire in 1905-10. These same Korean historians had a clear agenda. They wanted all Western missionaries in Korea to be overtly anti-Japanese or outright independence fighters. In truth, Western missionaries could not be either and still be faithful to the pastoral care of their flocks, many of whom were first-generation Christians. The missionaries were placed in an awkward position. For example, Homer B. Hulbert, an early missionary and educator, has been lionized at the expense of others. Hulbert was vocally anti-Japan, but having been deported from Korea in 1907 by the Japanese authority in Seoul, he could only pontificate about them from the comfort of his home in the United States. Hulbert was far from the Japanese Imperial Army's reach and had no direct congregation in Korea for which he was responsible. The single fact that Hulbert outlived Gale by more than 10 years meant that he could see the defeat of Japan and return to Korea at the invitation of the newly minted president of the republic, Syngman Rhee. Nothing more, nothing less. It was Gale who baptized Syngman Rhee at Youndong Church on Daehangno in Seoul and mentored the young man, encouraging him to travel to the U.S. for education and meeting American politicians and dignitaries. Gale himself was born in Canada and a proud subject of the British Empire (for in his day, Canada was not fully independent). Had Gale survived until the end of the Pacific War, no doubt he, too, would have been invited by Rhee to bask in the freedom of the newly independent republic. When Gale arrived in Korea in 1888, he was a young, recent college graduate and missionary of the University of Toronto Young Men's Christian Association, which sponsored Gale and funded the first few years of his work. It's hard to say why Gale's travel to Korea was set for the brutal winter months on the peninsula. He arrived in late December and lived in a small house in Seoul among the missionary community at Jeong-dong (where the British Embassy was located and still is). By spring of 1889, he realized it would be impossible to learn the language by living among foreigners and set off for places far to the north. Gale's early years in Korea were spent in Sorae (Songcheon), Hwanghae Province, then in Seoul, Busan, Wonsan, and finally back in Seoul by the turn of the century, where he remained until his retirement and departure from Korea in 1927. At Songcheon, Gale lived in a Korean house, learned to eat Korean food, learned to sleep on a Korean floor and began learning the language. A determined bachelor in those early years, he paid little attention to the needs of comfort and sanitation. Dr. John Heron, missionary and physician, visited him in Busan and encouraged him to return to Seoul, where the conditions were more healthful. Heron worried that Gale would meet an untimely demise. Ironically, while visiting Gale in Busan, Heron took sick and died. A year or two later, Gale married Heron's widow and took the two young Heron daughters under his wing. They moved to Wonsan, where they ministered for several years and where Gale was highly productive in his literary pursuits. Finally settling in what was then called Yeonmotgol (lotus pond village), not far from Dongdaemun (the Great East Gate), Gale became the first pastor of the church there (now Youndong Church). A missionary who was not an ordained minister had started the congregation several years earlier. Youndong Church and neighborhood around Seoul's Daehangno, as seen from the window of the RAS Korea office. / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields Gale was not only a founder of the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea but a founder of two Christian schools in Seoul that still exist. He also was a founder of the YMCA and was a mentor to dozens of early Independence Club members. Several of the co-signers of the 1919 Independence Declaration had been mentored by Gale or were members of Youndong Church. Gale also baptized Horace G. Underwood, the grandson of another RAS Korea founder, Rev. Dr. Horace G. Underwood. The younger Horace, who became my dear friend, would later serve several terms as RAS Korea president (1957, 1992-93, 2000-01). Gale's contributions to the knowledge of the Korean language, the introduction of Western literature to Korea in the Korean language and the introduction of Korean literature to the West through translations into English had value and positive repercussions for decades after Gale had left this mortal plane. He was a literati par excellence. Not only did he master the Korean language, but he also mastered Chinese characters and translated many Korean books from classical Chinese used during the Joseon era. Gale also improved on Korean-English dictionaries of the time, including Underwood's first primary attempt. Gale's dictionaries were published in several editions. His work was not superseded until the late 1960s by what would become the modern Korean-English/English-Korean dictionaries. Gale's bibliography of books written in English, Korean translations of English-language books, English translations of Korean-language books, original writings in Korean, hundreds of newspapers articles in local and foreign newspapers, both in English and Korean and a complete translation of the Bible (published in 1925) make for dozens of pages of entries. Among the Westerners ever to set foot in Korea, Gale outstrips them all in the sheer volume of his work and his mastery of the language. So far, no one has been able to compile a complete bibliography of his newspaper and magazine articles, since many of them were published anonymously and complete files are either hard to find or simply no longer exist. James Scarth Gale late in life / Courtesy Yoo Young-sik The most definitive biography of James Scarth Gale was published in a two-volume work in 2013. Written by the Rev. Dr. Yoo Young Sik, the book's title is "Chak-han mok-ja: Gae-il-ui salm-gwa seon-gyo" (The good pastor: the life and mission of Gale). The work is available in Korean from Jinheung Books in Seoul. An English-language summary is included in the second volume. Professor Yoo is also a graduate of the same University of Toronto that produced the young, exceptional missionary to Korea more than 130 years ago. Gale was nothing short of heroic. RAS Korea has published several works by Gale, including his "History of the Korean People" (available for sale from the RAS Korea office). His scholarly papers have been published in RAS Korea's journal "Transactions," which can be . Memorial to James Scarth Gale in the courtyard of Youndong Church in Seoul. The RAS Korea office is in the building behind, on the level just to the right of the head. / Courtesy of Steven L. Shields By happy circumstance, the RAS Korea office, in the Korea Christian Building at Daehangno 19 in Seoul, is directly across the street from Gale's church. Rev. Steven L. Shields is president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea (www.raskb.com) and columnist for The Korea Times. Visit raskb.com or email royalasiatickorea@gmail.com for more information about the society. Lexus, the luxury car brand of Japanese auto giant Toyota, which completed five years in India, the worlds fourth and Asias third biggest car market, is bullish on the luxury car market in the country, which is likely to touch 35,000-40,000 units this calendar year. Indias rich and famous bought about four luxury cars every hour in the first nine months of this year, taking the volumes to over 25,000 units. Naveen Soni, president at Lexus India, in an interview with Michael Gonsalves, reveals the road map for the luxury car market and the Lexus brand in India. How was the Diwali festival season for Lexus and the response to your latest model, Lexus NX 350h SUV? It was a great Diwali sales season for Lexus across India. In fact, it was a high growth point for us as the book order was significantly higher and we were able to deliver the cars to our customers. The NX350h is a complete model update over the preceding variant and to be honest, the customer response has been overwhelming and beyond our expectations. We announced the bookings for the new vehicle in January 2022. Our discerning luxury consumers laid their trust in the brand even before learning about the price and the entire years volume got sold out in no time leading to a long wait time. We are consistently making all efforts to meet the delivery commitments given to our guests. Has the luxury car market in India rebounded to get back to 40,000 units annually this year? After a two-year hiatus, the luxury automobile industry is reviving. The market shrank by 50 per cent between 2020 and 2021. However, we anticipate the demand in the luxury auto industry to revive to its highest ever size of 40,340 units that we saw in 2018, even though sales may be marginally below the demand owing to the impact on supplies due to the geo-political situations and impact of Covid on availability of semiconductors. While we are very happy that the demand for luxury cars is seeing a rebound, there is a huge potential for further growth when we look at the contribution of luxury car volumes to the entire passenger car market, which currently stands at 1 per cent in India, while its 14 per cent in China. Also, to note the fact that Chinas luxury car volume is at a similar level as that of the passenger car market size of India. Also, the number of high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and ultra-HNIs in India are expected to grow faster than the global rate, implying that the future of the Indian luxury auto industry is very positive and encouraging. You are known as the worlds largest hybrid luxury car maker. When do you plan to introduce pure electric cars in the country? We are researching the market and feel that the future of transportation will be electrified rather than just electric, with all electrified technologies. Consumers should be able to choose the most suitable technology for themselves. Police officials will be sending the seized mobile phones and other devices to a forensic laboratory Representational Image. (DC File Image) HYDERABAD: A day after the Cyberabad police arrested Ramachandra Bharathi, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji for alleged poaching of TRS MLAs, the investigation officer (IO) intensified his probe in tracking the call data of the accused, who allegedly contacted 25 ruling party legislators, directly or indirectly. Police officials will be sending the seized mobile phones and other devices to a forensic laboratory for appropriate verification. Bharati had a WhatsApp chat with a person from Delhi on the need to meet the person for a very important discussion. Around 25 members are ready to join us. They all are in my circle. The plan is to bring 40 on board. ASAP," the remand report says. "We are still tracking details of how they tried to lure the MLAs offering huge amounts. We will file a petition before the court seeking police custody of the accused," sources said. They said that they had to identify other conspirators. They have retrieved data from the mobiles of Bharathi and Nanda Kumar. Rescue personnel conduct search operations after a bridge across the river Machchhu collapsed at Morbi in Gujarat on October 31 (Photo by Sam PANTHAKY / AFP) Morbi (Gujarat): The death toll in Morbi suspension bridge collapse rose to 134 on Monday, a senior Gujarat police official said, adding that the rescue operation was still underway. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi remained in Morbi during the night to oversee the rescue operation being conducted by multiple agencies. The more than a century-old bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi, located around 300 km from the state capital Gandhinagar, had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation. It was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday. "The death toll in the bridge collapse incident has gone up to 134," Rajkot Range Inspector General Ashok Yadav told PTI. The state information department said five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), six platoons of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), a team of the Air Force, two columns of the Army, and two teams of the Indian Navy apart from local rescue teams were involved in the operation that continued through the night. "The rescue operation is still on," Yadav said. Sanghavi told reporters that the state government has formed a committee to conduct a probe into the bridge collapse. Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British era hanging bridge when it snapped, plunging them into the water below. Apart from locals, people from nearby cities and villages had also come to the bridge on a holiday when it collapsed. Due to the Diwali vacation and being a Sunday, there was a rush of tourists on the bridge, a major tourist attraction. Before the tragedy occurred, some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its big wires, an eyewitness said, adding that the bridge may have collapsed due to the huge crowd on it. People fell over each other when the bridge collapsed, he said. Several of the victims were seen hanging by the edge of the bridge to prevent themselves from slipping into the river. After the collapse, all that remained of the bridge was part of the metal carriageway hanging down from one end into the river water, its thick cables snapped in places. At the local hospital, people formed a human chain to hold back crowds and keep the road clear for ambulances which brought those rescued. A private operator had carried out the repair work of the bridge for nearly seven months before it was reopened for the public on the Gujarati New Year day on October 26. The bridge was reopened after a private inaugural event and was yet to receive the municipality's "fitness certificate," a civic official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Gujarat, spoke to CM Patel and other officials, the PM's Office said in a tweet. Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured, the PMO said. The state government announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Following the accident, Modi cancelled his road show scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad Monday ahead of the state Assembly polls, BJP sources said. He will attend a programme to launch some railway projects in Ahmedabad. A "page committee sammelan", scheduled to be held on Tuesday in Modi's virtual presence, has been put off, the sources added. The Congress said its 'Parivartan Sankalp Yatra', which was to be taken out from five zones across the state on Monday, was postponed by a day following the bridge collapse Party leader H.D Kumaraswamy will announce a list 90 to 100 candidates from across the State at Mulbagal town in Kolar district. (Twitter/@hd_kumaraswamy) Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (Secular) is all set to be the first off the block to announce its candidates for the Assembly elections in Karnataka, some six months away. The former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will also kickstart 'Pancharatna Ratha Yatre' on Tuesday, virtually sounding the JD(S) poll bugle. "Kumaraswamy will announce a list 90 to 100 candidates from across the State at Mulbagal town in Kolar district tomorrow," a senior party leader told PTI on Monday. "These candidates will win for sure and we have lot of confidence in them". The elections to the 224-member Assembly is due by May next year. Kumaraswamy, son of former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, will perform puja at a temple at Kurudumale in Kolar district, start the 'Yatre' and head to Mulbagal, where he will address a public meeting in the afternoon. The first phase of the Yatre will cover some 35 to 36 Assembly segments and culminate with a public meeting at Anekal (in the suburbs of Bengaluru city) on December 6. The second phase covering a similar number of constituencies is proposed to be organised around the middle of December, party sources said. With five tableaux, the 'Pancharatna Ratha Yatre' will project what the party will do if it comes to power -- in areas of education, health, agriculture/ irrigation, housing and employment (youth and women empowerment), a JD(S) office-bearer said. A 'feedback' vehicle ('Janata Mitra') will also form part of the Yatre; here, people can share their thoughts on their expectations from the government, in a form that would be displayed on their phones once they scan the QR code. For those who are not so tech-savvy, hardcopies of the form will be made available and they can drop in a box after filling them. There will also be a podium with a tablet PC where they can write their views on what kind of government they desire and their expectations from the party leadership. Another vehicle with 'vintage design' will carry a huge LED screen where videos and audios on the achievements of the past JD(S) governments, and contribution of party leaders will be played, along with short and documentary films. The police on Monday arrested nine persons, including four from the Oreva group that was managing the Morbi bridge, and filed a case against firms tasked with its maintenance and operation. (Photo: AFP) NEW DELHI/MORBI: Expressing grief over the collapse of the suspension bridge at Morbi in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi got visibly emotional and said his heart and mind were with the victims. Modi will visit the site of one of the worst tragedies in recent times on Tuesday. The police on Monday arrested nine persons, including four from the Oreva group that was managing the Morbi bridge, and filed a case against firms tasked with the maintenance and operation of the British-era structure which collapsed, killing 134 people including 45 children. Video footage emerged of the moments before Sunday evenings deadly collapse, purporting to show the bridge beginning to shake and snapping in a few seconds, taking down scores of visitors. Rajkot Range IGP Ashok Kumar Yadav said among the arrested were two managers and two ticket booking clerks of the Oreva group. The other five include two repairing contractors hired by the Oreva group and three persons working at the bridge as security personnel. A five-member Special Investigative Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the collapse. The police registered an FIR on charges of culpable homicide against agencies. We will conduct a thorough inquiry and will not spare the guilty, said IGP Yadav at a press conference/ A day after the bridge collapsed, rescue operations continued as the authorities looked for survivors. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi remained in Morbi during the night to oversee the rescue operations. Modi, who cancelled his planned roadshow to be held in Ahmedabad on Monday due to the tragedy, got emotional as he offered floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 147th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity at Kevadia, and said: While I am in Ekta Nagar my mind is with the victims of Morbi. Rarely in my life would I have experienced such pain. On one hand, there is a pain-riddled heart and on the other there is a path to duty. The PM pledged that the Gujarat government and the Centre would extend all possible assistance. Fingers are being pointed at the Ajanta Oreva group, that was given the contract for renovation and maintenance of the bridge. Questions were being raised on how the company, known for manufacturing clocks, e-bikes, heaters and other electrical gadgets, was awarded the contract. Reports emanating from the state indicated that the Oreva group claimed to have completed the renovation at the cost of Rs. 2 crore. It was learnt the contract was signed between the Morbi municipal corporation and the Ajanta Oreva group in March this year and was valid till 2037. The terms of the agreement apparently stated a period of between eight to 10 months should be there for trials and maintenance before opening the bridge. The company allegedly transgressed the laid-down norms and opened the bridge in just five months. The civic body claimed that it was not informed by the company about the opening of the bridge to the public. It was claimed that following the renovation, it was the responsibility of the civic body to check the bridge and issue a no-objection certificate (NOC). It is learnt that Lok Sabha member from Rajkot Mohan Kundariya also lost 12 of his relatives in the bridge collapse. Four daughters of the brother-in-law of my elder brother, the husbands of three of them and five children were killed in the accident. They belonged to different villages in Tankara taluka and were settled in Morbi, said Kundariya, adding that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the incident. Bengaluru: In two separate cases, the Karnataka High Court (HC) has held that the POCSO Act and IPC override Muslim personal law regarding age of marriage. In the first case, the HC rejected the contention that "under Mohammedan Law, the puberty is the consideration for marriage and normal puberty age is treated as 15 years and hence, no commission of offence under Section 9 and 10 of the Child Marriage Restrain Act," was committed. Justice Rajendra Badamikar in his recent judgement said that, POCSO Act is a Special Act and it overrides personal law and under POCSO Act, the age for involving in sexual activities is 18 years." The court was hearing a petition for bail by a 27-year old Muslim man whose wife was 17 years of age and had become pregnant. When she visited a hospital for check-up, the medical officer informed the police of her age and a case under Child Marriage Restrain Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act (POCSO) was filed against the husband. However, the court granted bail to the husband. It said, "Admittedly, the petitioner is the husband of the victim and looking to these facts and circumstances, there is no serious dispute regarding the marriage as the petitioner himself has produced the relevant documents before the Trial Court regarding the marriage. Considering the relationship of marriage, in my considered opinion, there is no impediment for admitting the petitioner on bail." In the second judgement by the same judge, a 19-year old's bail petition was rejected by the court. He was charged under the POCSO Act as well as the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He had allegedly induced a 16-year-old girl on April 6, 2022 to go with him to Mysuru where he raped the minor girl twice in a hotel room. A charge sheet has already been filed in the trial court in Chikkamagaluru. In the bail petition before the HC, the advocate for the accused argued that "the age of puberty is required to be taken note of as parties are Mohammedans." The HC however, said that "But it is to be noted here that the POCSO Act and IPC are substantiate acts and they prevail over personal law and under the guise of personal law the petitioner cannot seek regular bail." Considering that "there is prima-facie material evidence against the petitioner and the medical evidence further discloses there is a sexual relationship," the court said bail could not be granted to him. Even though the charge sheet was filed, "mere submission of the charge sheet does not give any right to the present petitioner to claim bail as a matter of right," it said, rejecting the petition. HYDERABAD: Mere arguments between public and public servants cannot be termed obstructing official duties, said a city court, while hearing a case of an argument between a customer and the staff of a bank at Langar Houz in 2016. In the initial days of demonetisation, the person had withdrawn money from his account, but when he tried to withdraw the amount for the second time on the same day, the bank staff refused the payment, leading to an argument between the customer, who is the accused in this case and the bank staff. Following this, a case was registered against the individual for obstruction of duties and he was arrested. However, six years later, the court recently dismissed the case, ruling in his favour. The bank staff told the court that he had obstructed their duties and pushed tables in the branch. But the court pointed out that the staff failed to depose how the accused obstructed their duties. It cannot be said that merely pushing tables in the bank amounts to obstructing duties of a public servant, the court observed. The court pointed out that the staff, who lodged the complaint in 2016, identified the accused during the trial in 2019, which was after a lapse of three years. It is very unreasonable to believe that a person sees another person for the first time and remembers the same person after three years when there is no prior acquaintance with each other. This court is afraid to believe the evidence of the staff with regard to the identification of the accused, the court said. Speaking about the other bank employees, who were eyewitnesses to the case, the court said that they knew about the argument but nowhere in their evidence deposed that the accused had obstructed their duties. HYDERABAD: The BJP and the Congress took strong exception on Sunday to the TRS government withdrawing general consent to the central investigating agencies to register and investigate cases in the state. Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka told Deccan Chronicle that the Congress governments were transparent and allowed investigations to be conducted by the CBI and central agencies. "The Congress government handed over the Paritala murder case to the CBI when Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy was the CM. The TRS governments secret GO withdrawing general consent to the CBI illustrates lack of transparency. BJP state vice-president N.V.S.S Prabhakar, the former Uppal MLA, said the GO in a secret manner proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the TRS had made a mistake in the MLAs poaching case. To get out of this, the government has resorted to this act of prohibiting the CBI from registering and investigating cases, he said. Questioning the need for secrecy, Prabhakar said, The TRS leaders should realise that they cannot escape from this case by bringing such GOs since they wont be able to withstand legal scrutiny," he said. HYDERABAD: Accusing Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of failing to provide funds to Munugode constituency for eight years, since the state was formed, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy stated that the NDA government at the Centre had allocated Rs 800 crore to Nalgonda district for helping fluoride victims. Responding to the Chief Minister's remarks during the Munugode public meeting, Reddy said that the BJP is not involved in any political bargaining to poach MLAs. "There is no need to destabilise the TRS government by purchasing MLAs. In a few months, the people of Telangana will teach them a lesson in the next general elections," he said. In 2014, and 2018, the Chief Minister made false promises in Munugode that the TRS government would provide water facilities to farmers to cultivate 1. 30 lakh acres from Dindi lift irrigation and Sivvannagudem and Laxminarasimha reservoirs. "Rao started mudslinging the BJP and its leaders in raising Telangana sentiment among the people by making false statements. He must own up responsibilities for his failure to provide 30 TMC water to farmers in Munugode. The Central government had convened a meeting on Krishna water issues. But, no one was represented by the Telangana government," Reddy pointed out. The minister said Rao had cheated in the name of a 100-bed hospital in Munugode, about fuel prices and about the five per cent GST on handlooms. He said of the five per cent, Telangana government gets 2.5 per cent tax benefits from people. Reddy found fault with the state government for withdrawing the general consent to CBI when Rao had time and again stated that they will not fear CBI, ED, and Income-Tax probes. The Union minister pointed out that the state government had allowed several belt shops in every village in Munugode constituency while failing to provide drinking and irrigation water to the people. HYDERABAD: BJP Munugode candidate Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy said on Monday that he had nothing to do with the company that had allegedly transferred money to various persons, and declared that neither he nor his election agent had authorised any such transfers. He urged the ECI to take stringent and urgent action against the complainant which was intended to defame me in public life and to disturb the ongoing election process. Responding to a ECI notice, following a complaint on Sunday from TRS that he had transferred Rs 5.22 crore to various individuals in Munugode with the intention that the amount be distributed to voters, Reddy said the allegations against me in the name of model code violation are fabricated and aimed at affecting my electoral prospects. He said he was neither a partner, nor a director in the company mentioned in the TRS complaint, Sushee Infra and Mining Limited, and that it was managed by his son, Komatireddy Sankeerth Reddy, and his associates. The BJP candidate said details of transfer of funds from the company to individual companies or others were false. He also provided a detailed statement to ECI denying each of the alleged bank transaction details alleged by the TRS. Reddy also said that Sushee Infra was awarded a coal mining contract as it emerged as the lowest bidder, when it participated in a global tender and competed with several multinational companies in 2021. The BJP, meanwhile, in a complaint to ECI, urged it to take immediate action against the TRS for filing a false complaint against Rajgopal Reddy. It said the ECI must investigate as to how the party had secured sensitive bank accounts information. Rescuers attend to injured people on a street in Seoul's Itaewon, Oct. 30. Yonhap A witness of the deadly Halloween crush in Seoul's Itaewon district that killed at least 154 people has shared his horrific experience of carrying dead bodies and watching people, many in their 20s, suffocate to death. "I think I carried, like, 50 bodies," a man in his 20s working at a store in Itaewon told Yonhap News Agency on Sunday night. "All I could think was that I had to save just one more person." At least 133 others were injured in Korea's deadliest crowd surge that happened in the famous nightlife district Saturday night, after tens of thousands of people visited the area for Halloween. The witness, who requested anonymity, said once he had rushed to a narrow 3.2-meter-wide downhill alley, there were already people some unconscious trapped and trampled. Rescuers attend to injured people on a street in Seoul's Itaewon, Oct. 30. Yonhap Hyderabad: Reminding voters about how the people of Siddipet had changed the course of state politics in 2001, when they elected him MLA after he founded the TRS with the sole purpose of achieving statehood, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said that Munugode voters have the chance to reshape national politics by laying the foundation for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and put an end to the undemocratic and unethical politics of the BJP government at the Centre. Appealing to voters to elect TRS candidate K. Prabhakar Reddy with a resounding majority, the CM said only the people of Munugode had the golden opportunity to shift the direction of national politics and to start the triumphal march of the BRS. Promising to launch development works in the Munugode constituency within 15 days of the TRS victory in the bypoll, he said, "I received representations from Munugode party leaders and people for setting up a 100-bed hospital and laying of roads. These are small wishes. I will sanction all such development works within 15 days after the TRS victory. The CM criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for imposing GST on handlooms and urged weavers to make sure that none of their votes in the byelection would go to the BJP. The CM also warned the voters that if they chose to support the BJP, meters would be installed for agricultural pumpsets. The BJP would ask domestic consumers to replace their electricity meters with fresh equipment which would cost `30,000 each. According to Rao, there is no country in the world, except India, that has 50 per cent irrigable land and a conspiracy was being hatched to handover farmlands to corporates, though the nation has sufficient manpower and other resources. While stating that the BJP government at the Centre had increased fuel prices, introduced power reforms to privatise the sector, causing hardship for common people and farmers, the CM said that he relied on your support to fight the BJP government's anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-poor policies. You are my army and my strength. If you elect BJP, nothing can be done. I urge all people to think twice before casting your vote. Vote for those who work for the welfare of the poor and farmers. The vote should be used as a weapon to ensure the nations prosperity and development, besides the good of the society, he told the audience. The remarkable return of Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva to a third term as President of Brazil may be subject to incumbent Jair Bolsanaro vacating his office in orderly transfer of power in the New Year. The swing to the Left may be in line with what has been happening in Latin America where at least six major nations have gone down this political road. But, in Brazil, the swing away from the maverick rightist Bolsonaro is of great import to the world at large as Lulas comeback should ease the pressures on an Amazon rainforest burning from deliberate denudation wrought by Bolsonaros nonchalance in cocking a snook at the environment. A wafer-thin majority under 2 per cent may be an index of the deep polarisation in Brazilian society, but it comes despite voter intimidation and attempts to keep them away from EVMs, which Bolsanaro often derided. What more a Donald Trump clone will do in replicating the Americans playbook remains to be seen. As a Covid sceptic, he may have done enough damage already, likening it as he did to the common cold. He frowned upon the vaccine though Brazil lost 7 lakh people to the pandemic, a toll second only to the USA. In prison for graft during the elections in 2018 and freed by the top court a year later on the grounds of due process not being followed Lula has many challenges to face after his country had suffered Bolsanaros eccentricities and policies and his mocking of the sections of the electorate like women, people of colour and the LGBTQ+ community. Lula is no longer the union leader from the radical Left as was evident from his shift to the centre in the run-up to the crucial 2022 polls. The people of a populous democracy have made their choice and the world may heave a sigh of relief at the loss of traction for the likes of Bolsonaro. However, it is the spectre of the dangers of deep divisions in society that makes for a scary scenario as economies face headwinds and peoples restiveness may be more due to economic causes than political right now. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision not to attend the COP27 climate summit is being kept under review and will depend on progress being made on preparation for a budget statement due on Nov. 17, his spokesman said on Monday. Last week Sunak said he was focusing on pressing domestic matters, and his office said he was not expected to travel to the event in Egypt. "The prime minister is focused on pressing domestic issues, most significantly preparing for the autumn statement, so any attendance at COP would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event," the spokesman said on Monday. "His focus is on the domestic issues at the moment, we keep it under review." Here are today's news highlights from India and around the world. It has been known for a while that the insurgents in Indias Northeast have used neighbouring Myanmar for shelter and training to carry out their armed fight in the region. However, security agencies in the region, have been recently claiming that they have begun to witness a reversing trend, where rebel groups of Myanmar are now found to be using Mizoram to arrange and transport arms and equipment to aid their fight against the military junta that usurped the elected government there last year. Security officials stationed in Mizoram told DH that over the past two months, hand-made grenades, crude explosives, bullets, bullet-proof jackets, satellite phones and other communication devices have been seized in at least four different instances while being smuggled into Myanmar. Investigation into the cases related to recovery of the items have revealed that the armed groups fighting against the military are trying to arrange weapons, in order to intensify their armed fight against the military. So, vigil has been intensified along the Indo-Myanmar borders in the Northeast to ensure that Indian soil cannot be used for any unlawful activities, be it here or outside, a security official said. Myanmar, which witnessed sporadic trouble since the military junta staged a coup last year, shares 1,643km of border with India along Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. In February last year, the military launched a crackdown against pro-democracy protesters, forcing over 30,000 Myanmar nationals including MPs, MLAs, police personnel to flee and take shelter in Mizoram, a state sharing 510km border with the military-ruled country. A new stockpile of weapons was recovered on Sunday from Siaha district in Mizoram by the Assam Rifles while being transported to Myanmar. A team of Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police intercepted vehicles and seized the items at Tuipang village. The items recovered were of military grade and hence the same being used for anti-national activities against own people, by insurgents based in Myanmar, cannot be ruled out, Assam Rifles said in a statement on Sunday. The items included a shotgun, gelatin sticks, combat backpacks, combat dress, hand gloves and shoes. Four persons were arrested and a Chinese motorcycle was also seized. Similarly, on October 26, Assam Rifles and Mizoram police seized another cache of equipment and arms that included satellite phone, airgun, airgun pellets, batteries and others from Niawthlang village in Siaha district. Four persons were arrested in that instance. Sources in Assam Rifles said more than 20 Myanmar nationals have been arrested in the past few months in Mizoram alone for their alleged involvement in smuggling of arms, drugs, gold, betel nuts and other items. We have asked the local administration to conduct proper documentation of the Myanmar nationals who are continuously coming to Mizoram due to the conflicts in Myanmar, said an Assam Rifles official. The National Investigation Agency, which has been investigating a case related to recovery of 2,400 kg of explosives in Mizoram in January had stated on September 14 that the consignment was meant for Chin National Front, a group against the military in Myanmar. Army on Sunday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of north Kashmirs Kupwara district and killed a foreign militant after he was trying to sneak into this side. One #Pakistani #terrorist/infiltrator got #neutralised by Army in Keran Sector (Jumagund area) in #Kupwara district. Search ops in the area is still going on. Further details shall follow (sic), Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. Also Read | Two arrested as Jammu and Kashmir police bust international terror module The encounter comes a day after Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said infiltration attempts may increase in the coming days as militants terror handlers across the border may try to push terrorists into the Indian side before snow blocks passes along the LoC. This year 41 foreign militants have been killed in various encounters with the security forces in Kashmir in the first 10 months of this year compared to 19 such killings in the whole of 2021. The increase in killing of foreign militants clearly reveals that Pakistan spy agency ISI has lost trust on local militants and are pushing more Pakistanis to keep the terrorism alive in Kashmir, a senior police officer said. Veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy turned 79 on Monday. The senior Congress leader, who is currently staying away from public life owing to ill health, however, celebrated his birthday at Aluva guest house here with his family and senior party leaders. Prominent actor Mammootty visited Chandy at the guest house to wish him on his birthday. Chandy, who represents Puthuppally constituency in the state Assembly since 1970, was chief minister twice. "Hearty birthday greetings to Shri Oommen Chandy, former Chief Minister... I wish Shri @Oommen_Chandy good health, happiness and the continued love and trust of the people of Kerala," Governor Arif Mohammed Khan tweeted. Hon'ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan said: "Hearty birthday greetings to Shri Oommen Chandy, former Chief Minister who is turning 80. I wish Shri @Oommen_Chandy good health, happiness and the continued love and trust of the people of Kerala": PRO KeralaRajBhavan pic.twitter.com/4op32mpLDp Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) October 31, 2022 Chandy, who met the media here, thanked everyone who wished him on his birthday. He also said that he will soon be travelling to Germany for special medical treatment for his ailment. Kerala Congress chief, K Sudhakaran, wished Chandy on his birthday and said he is a role model for all those seeking to understand how to make an impact with their life. "Wishing my much respected senior colleague Shri @Oommen_Chandy ji a wonderful 79th birthday on October 31 a birth date he shares with the immortal Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala wished Chandy, praying for his health and longevity. Wishing my much respected senior colleague Shri @Oommen_Chandy ji a wonderful 79th birthday on October 31 a birth date he shares with the immortal Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel pic.twitter.com/5FxjuZoWTE Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 31, 2022 "May you serve the people of Kerala for years to come," he said. Germany understood the trap of strategic vulnerability that it had laid for itself in relying so heavily on Russian gas only after Moscow invaded Ukraine and turned off the spigot. But whether that lesson has been fully absorbed may be tested elsewhere: China. As Chancellor Olaf Scholz prepares for his first visit to Beijing on Thursday, a planeload of executives in tow, Germanys intelligence chiefs and allies are warning him against pursuing business as usual with a China that is saber-rattling in the Taiwan Strait. Were tensions to escalate, Europes most powerful democracy could be exposed to economic coercion. More than a million German jobs depend directly on China, and many more indirectly. Almost half of all European investments in China are from Germany and almost half of German manufacturing businesses rely on China for some part of their supply chain. And Germanys dependence on China is more complex than that on Russia: In addition to Chinas export market, German industry also relies on China for raw materials and technologies critical for the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. From solar modules to batteries for electric cars, China is crucial. Also read | China says wants deeper Russia ties, silent on Ukraine war When people talk about China, they say, Russia is the storm, China is climate change, said Thomas Haldenwang, the president of Germanys domestic intelligence agency. We cannot allow a situation where the Chinese state can influence political events in Germany, possibly through critical infrastructure. Yet Germany is edging in that direction and at a moment when President Xi Jinping has just secured a third term with greater emphasis on Chinas security interests and threats from the West, warning of dangerous storms on the horizon. Even so, ahead of his trip, Scholz has been quietly engineering a compromise to allow Cosco, a Chinese state-owned shipping company, to buy a stake of up to 25% in a container-handling terminal in Hamburg port, Germanys most important. The investment, down from Coscos original proposal of 35%, was opposed by six of his ministries and both the domestic and foreign intelligence chiefs. They worry that Coscos stake could be weaponised by Beijing, whose state-owned companies already hold sway over other critical infrastructure and technology, including a stake in the Wilhelmshaven port and the mobile network of the German railway company, and in 2016 bought what was then Germanys largest robotics firm, Kuka. As if to prove their point, German politicians say, Cosco threatened to take its business elsewhere if its bid was turned down. It is the Hamburg ports biggest client, and already owns stakes in ports in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Italy. It also owns two-thirds of the port of Piraeus in Greece and even some stakes in ports in the US. The blackmail is already in full swing, said Norbert Rottgen, a conservative member of the German Parliaments foreign affairs committee and outspoken China hawk. Its another building block of Chinese influence in Germany. In a terse statement this week, Cosco cautioned that the Hamburg deal was still uncertain. Scholz, a former mayor of Hamburg whose successor is one of the noisiest advocates for the Cosco bid, has so far been silent on the matter. Read | Putin says decade ahead 'most dangerous' since WWII The bid has become a test case of the chancellors fledgling China strategy and Germanys willingness to pay an economic price for more strategic independence. For decades, Germanys post-war identity was that of a peaceful exporting nation, thriving on cheap Russian gas imports and ever-growing sales to its largest trading partner, China. That model made Germany the largest and most influential economy in Europe. Even before the war in Ukraine, Germanys China policy was ripe for evolving from the mercantilist soft touch of the Merkel era. In 2019, the Federation of German Industries, or BDI, published a policy paper warning that the countrys liberal, open model was increasingly in competition with Chinas state-dominated economy and that Germany should protect itself more forcefully from Chinese companies. The war in Ukraine has only added urgency. The Russian attack on Ukraine has taught us that vis-a-vis autocratic states we have to be better prepared for extreme scenarios, said Siegfried Russwurm, the president of the BDI, which represents more than 100,000 companies. That is true for China, too. The widening imbalance between the economies has also sown alarm. In recent years, the Chinese government has pursued a series of industrial subsidy campaigns to wean itself from imports. China now makes a very wide range of factory equipment that it used to buy from Germany. Covid lockdowns and a wave of nationalism have also hurt consumer spending on imports in China. At the same time, Germany has gone on buying ever more goods from there. The result is that Germanys long-time trade surplus with China vanished late last year and has been replaced by a steadily widening deficit. Many German companies now see China as a competitor at home instead of an opportunity abroad. People always talk about how China is a big market no, China is a huge economy with a small accessible market, said Jorg Wuttke, the president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. Overall, EU exports to China are only slightly larger than those to Switzerland. All of that has added to the frustration with Scholzs apparent tiptoeing around China, and not only from some German businesses. Scholzs own foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, of the Green Party, has struck a noticeably more hawkish tone on China, and especially on the Cosco bid. She told The Suddeutsche Zeitung this month. With every investment in German critical infrastructure, we have to ask ourselves what that could mean at the moment when China would oppose us as a democracy and a community of values. Baerbock plans to lay out the countrys first China strategy early next year. It is expected to reflect concerns in Germany that China holds too much sway over the countrys most powerful companies. Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW all sell more cars in China than anywhere else. Last month, the chemical giant BASF opened the first of several dozen factories that it is building in the 10 billion euro initial stage of a vast complex in southern China. Even as many smaller German businesses pare back their exposure to China, a narrowing group of corporate giants has continued to invest. Persuading these companies to diversify away from China has proved a struggle. Some see a dangerous clash of national and corporate interest reminiscent of the debates over Russian gas pipelines. BASF was one of the companies that had to write off its investment into the Russian pipeline Nord Stream 2. Scholzs reluctance to take a tougher line on China, observers say, is likely to be a reflection of uneasiness over the German economy. The chancellor is treading carefully to avoid creating a sense of confrontation with China when the country is headed for recession and Europe is already locked in a standoff with Russia. Thorsten Benner, the director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, said, Part of the hesitation is that Scholz doesnt want to send shock waves into the system. But he and others said Germanys economic anxieties should not factor into decisions on strategic investments, such as Coscos bid in the Hamburg port, out of fear that Chinese business would go elsewhere. European states need to stand together, they say, and Germany cannot be afraid to be the first. Daytime police drama Hope Street credited by two of its main actors as a breath of fresh air is back on screens next week. The Northern Ireland-based programme is returning for its second series, after proving a hit with audiences both at home and abroad. Set in the fictional seaside town of Port Devine and filmed in picturesque Donaghadee, the first series drew an average audience of 1.7 million per episode. Viewers can expect to find out the fate of Inspector Finn OHare played by Ciaran McMenamin after a dramatic cliff-hanger in the final episode of season one. Fermanagh-born McMenamin said being in the series has reinvigorated his love of acting, adding Im having an absolute ball. Speaking to reporters ahead of the series return and alongside other members of the cast, he enthused about getting to film in his native Northern Ireland. He said: Its amazing to come home and work on something like this, adding that it looks amazing on camera. When you make something set anywhere, the 1% of the audience from there are usually the most critical. So I was kind of wondering how this would go down at home. But people have really lapped it up because its kind of positive and its a new way of looking at here. Were not just digging up all the negative stuff and people have really responded to it. He and his on-screen wife Rachel Tucker, who plays Siobhan OHare, described the show as a breath of fresh air, with the Broadway star adding that she has pride in the dramas depiction of Northern Irish humour. She said: Im proud. Im really proud of that humour. Its a pure homegrown Northern Irish series, it should be so celebrated. Executive producer Paul Marquess, who has worked on Coronation Street and Brookside, described it as a returning drama rather than a soap and reiterated comments ahead of the shows launch that he had wanted to make something which isnt about serial killers or the Troubles. He told reporters he wanted the programme to be a character piece in which a crime is solved in every episode by a group of characters who youd like to spend some time with, in a place that youd like to come and have a wee break in. The producer, from Belfast, said he is passionate about seeing local crew being given opportunities to progress, with some who were trainees on series one having been promoted to bigger roles on the second series. He said: They are from here and that is so gratifying to see. Theyre clever and smart and able and they dont have to leave the wee six (counties) to work in this industry, so thats all very satisfying. This series will see the return of Shameless actor Aaron McCusker as Clint Dunwoody, and Niamh McGrady as his partner Nicole Devine, as well as the introduction of new characters including Stephen Hagan as detective constable Al Quinn. The first episode of series two will air on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer at 7pm on November 7. The series will be available on BBC Daytime in the new year. The programme is a co-commission between BBC Daytime, BBC Northern Ireland and Britbox International, made with support from Northern Ireland Screen. A fire that extensively damaged an Orange hall in Magherafelt is being treated as a hate crime, police have said. Firefighters tackled the blaze at the premises on the Aghagaskin Road on Sunday evening. Police believe entry was forced at the back of the hall and an accelerator was used to ignite the fire inside. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and UUP leader Doug Beattie are among politicians to have condemned the incident. PSNI Detective Sergeant Brian Reid said: We believe at this time that entry was forced through a window at the rear of the property and that accelerant has then been used to start the fire which has left the building extensively damaged. An investigation is under way and we are treating the incident as a hate crime. Mr Reid appealed to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the Aghagaskin Road area on Sunday or who captured dash-cam footage from the area that could assist the investigation to come forward. DUP Mid Ulster MLA Keith Buchanan attended the scene on Sunday evening. He noted that the hall had metal window guards amid concerns about the potential for an attack. It speaks volumes that this hall had to have metal sheets across all its windows and doors in the first place, he said. There is no place for such hatred in society. The men and women of that lodge have every right to exist in Mid Ulster and live peaceably. The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said firefighters were called to Ballynougher Orange Hall at 4.52pm on Sunday. Fire appliances from Maghera, Magherafelt and Springfield, an aerial appliance, a water tanker, 29 firefighters and two officers were in attendance. Firefighters used four jets to extinguish the fire, it said in a statement. Police have appealed to the man convicted of murdering a Co Tyrone woman to finally reveal the location of her body. On the 10th anniversary of 34-year-old Charlotte Murrays disappearance, a senior detective made a direct plea to her killer, Johnny Miller. Miller, from Moy, was found guilty in October 2019 of murdering the Omagh woman. Ms Murray, who was a twin, went missing from the Tyrone area and police believe she was murdered between October 31 and November 1 2012. PSNI Detective Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan said: Johnny Miller was sentenced to life in February 2020 for killing Charlotte, but still refuses to say where her remains are, denying her friends and family the chance to say their final goodbyes and lay her to rest. His cowardly silence is cruel and is prolonging the suffering and distress for Charlottes family. They have already been through unimaginable turmoil and they simply want to know the truth about what happened to her. I am appealing directly to Johnny Miller do the decent thing, end the familys suffering and tell us where Charlotte is. Its also possible that other people know where Charlottes body is or what happened to her. If you do, please come forward now with the information we need to bring Charlotte home to her family. It is the honourable thing to do and is the very least Charlottes family deserve. Please call police with any information, no matter how insignificant you think it is. Police appeal to Charlotte Murrays murderer to reveal the location of her body on 10th anniversary of her disappearance: https://t.co/JP3d3HtaAM pic.twitter.com/NTlAyy6hfB Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) October 31, 2022 The Major Investigation Team can be contacted on 101. Alternatively, if you want to remain anonymous you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Ms Murrays family have campaigned for a change in the law in Northern Ireland to restrict parole for convicted killers who refuse to disclose the location of their victims bodies. They believe Miller, formerly of Redford Park, Dungannon, should not be released from prison until he has revealed the whereabouts of her remains. Qualcomm is among the most popular smartphone chip manufacturer in the world. The company makes several tiers of processors for Android phones, ranging from entry-level devices to flagship devices. For the last few months, Android flagships have relied on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8+ gen 1, two of the company's most potent chips yet. However, the company could launch the successor of these chipsets as early as next month. Qualcomm's official website announced the date of the next Snapdragon Summit, where the company is expected to reveal the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 might be revealed soon The Snapdragon Summit 2022 will take place in Hawaii from November 15 to November 17, 2022. Although the company has not confirmed what it could reveal at the event, it launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 around the same time last year. Hence, there is a good chance that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC will make an appearance at the event in November. Indian tipster Abhishek Yadav has also predicted that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 could be released during the Snapdragon Summit 2022. Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit from 15 - 17 November, 2022 in Hawaii. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 #Qualcomm #Snapdragon #SnapdragonSummit pic.twitter.com/p2UaZmGcaG Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) October 30, 2022 We've already seen smartphones pop up with the unreleased chipset on the benchmarking platform Geekbench. Most recently, the Galaxy S23 Ultra came up on Geekbench's database with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Hence, it seems that smartphone companies already have access to the chipset and are testing its performance. In the past, Qualcomm has struggled with overheating and power management issues with its flagship chipset. However, that changed with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 to a good extent. With a maximum clock speed of up to 3.2GHz and support for LPDDR5 RAM, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is the current choice of smartphone manufacturers. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 expected specifications The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC is said to be based on TSMC's 4nm fabrication technology. The mobile processor could further push for peak performance while trying to remain energy-efficient. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 reportedly carries the model number SM8550 and is supposed to come with one high-performance Cortex A73 core, two moderate-performance Cortex A720 cores, two slightly balanced A710 cores, and three Cortex A510 efficient cores. This way, the chipset can handle heavy tasks with high-performance cores and light tasks with energy-efficient cores. Further, the CPU could be accompanied by an Adreno 740 GPU. According to the Geekbench scores of the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC may offer up to 15% better performance than its predecessor. Still, it will only be when the chipset comes out that we'll get a real idea about how it performs in real life. For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in. Subscriber content preview Image from city of Vancouver document [enlarge] The new station is run by the Vancouver Fire Department. The Vancouver Fire Department earlier this month opened Fire Station 11 at 9606 N.E. 130th Ave., in the Orchards/Sifton area of Clark County. It is located outside the city limits, but within the fire department's service area. . . . With the increase in high-quality hairdressers, Korea's old-school barbershops, or "yibalso" in Korean, became far less prevalent in the nineteen eighties. However, more traditional men's haircutting and beard-trimming services are finding new popularity here in the form of trendy but retro barbershops. A preliminary round for this event called World Barber Classic Korea takes place in Seoul every year. This year's competition was held at Seocho District in Seoul where hundreds of people either working as professional barbers or those interested in barber culture flocked to watch the event last Tuesday. The winner of this tournament gets an opportunity to participate in the final round of House of Seven and compete for Asia's champion title. The final round is set to be held next year in Japan. Interviewed / edited by Choi Jin-woo Local community radio station Dundalk FM scooped three gold medals at the CRAOL (The Community Radio Forum of Ireland) annual awards night in the Connacht Hotel in Galway. There were two awards for Dundalk FM presenter Jason Kelly, who received a gold award in the Access and Inclusion category as well as a special Outstanding Award. Jason is a well-established broadcaster who presents his own show Drivetime. Earlier in the year he participated at an Access & Inclusion Show at a Seminar in Dublin and also created a video presentation in which he highlighted the benefits that volunteering with Dundalk FM has brought to him. Jason thoroughly enjoys his time with Dundalk FM and is a valued member of the Dundalk F.M. Programme & Technical Committee. The judging panel had interviewed Jason earlier in the year, and determined that his ability to get across the sense of achievement he experienced just what being a volunteer meant to him. He spoke highly of the sense of belonging he felt within the station. The judges felt his disappointment and frustration at not being able to attend the Dundalk FM Studio during the pandemic, yet he upskilled himself to broadcast online at that time. This honesty and passion came across quite clearly, and the judges felt it was a richly deserved award on the night. Jason expressed his delight over the live transmission via the Zoom Link of the Awards. The Town Talk programme also received gold in the Social Benefit Category. Over the years, the Town Talk Team has presented an informative and lively morning show highlighting the many local issues, reviewing local & national newspapers and keeping the Dundalk FM Listeners tuned in with many interesting guests. The flagship programme led by Marissa Luchessi and a strong team adhere to the core of Community Radio broadcasting in providing quality programmes with a strong emphasis on social benefit. The programme has built up a strong local physical profile through a series of regular outside broadcasts from various locations including Dundalk Simon Community, SJOG Venegas Centre, Mens Shed, Election Counts, North Louth Hospice Shop, Outcomers, Creative Spark Community Hub, Birches Alzheimers Centre, Dundalk Alone, DKIT, LMETB, Bridge St Studios, Louth Volunteer Centre, Dundalk Womens Aid, Rehabcare, Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol and Aiken Barracks to name but a few. Adding to the Dundalk involvement at the event, retired teacher and Dundalk FM member Pat Hamilton launched a book he co wrote with fellow CRAOL Committee member Pat Quinn, celebrating the 25th anniversary of CRAOL. Within a six month period both men brought individual contributions from all 35 community radio station with each station presenting their own description of their own contributions within their own catchment area, a summary of their achievements, studio facilities and staffing details. This practical record from all community stations is a treasure trove of information and also includes station logos, contact details for all stations and a variety of photographs. Printed in full colour by Anglo Printers in Drogheda, the design and layout was created by Paula Healy (Flirt FM Galway) and CRAOL national Coordinator Mary Lennon. Speaking at the launch on Thursday, to coincide with the official launch of the CRAOL Feile, Ciaran Kissane (Broadcasting Authority Ireland) congratulated both gentlemen on an excellent production, which reflected in a comprehensive yet readable style, an excellent viewpoint from all stakeholders in community radio over the past 25 years. By Lee Min-young, Kim Kang-min A day after the deadly accident in Itaewon, the area has been cordoned off by police tape, and personal belongings of victims were scattered along the edges of an alley in Seoul's Itaewon on Sunday afternoon, where hundreds of people celebrating Halloween were crushed together the night before. This 4-meter wide alley was packed with thousands of people who came to celebrate Halloween last night, leaving at least 153 people dead and 133 injured, as of 6 p.m. Sunday. The death toll could rise further, as 37 people sustained serious injuries, officials said. An estimated 100,000 gathered in the area for the first Halloween since the lifting of remaining COVID-19 restrictions. The government has declared the district of Yongsan-gu, where Itaewon is located, a special disaster area. Joint memorial altars will be set up at Seoul Plaza and Itaewon Monday morning. Cairo Amman Bank receives US$ 10 million green financing facility EBRD, EU and GCF provide third loan under Green Economy Financing Facility Financial package to boost investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) are together providing US $10 million to Cairo Amman Bank (CAB) to strengthen climate investments in Jordan. The financial package of US$ 10 million, of which US$ 2.5 million was co-financed by the GCF, will enable CAB to extend sub-loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that invest in climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies and services. This is the first facility to CAB under the GCF-GEFF Regional Framework in Jordan and will include a technical cooperation (TC) package funded by the EBRD, the European Union and GCF. The TC package will include an assessment of the optimal technology for better integrating climate change practices into the local private MSMEs and households targeted. It will also include technical advice on the implementation of the proposed energy investments as well as sessions to raise awareness and build capacity in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies. Eligible sub-borrowers are also expected to receive investment incentives funded by the European Union. Jordans population has grown rapidly, reaching 11.2 million, with increased demand for water and energy. This new investment will benefit the countrys private sector and is expected to contribute to sustainable economic growth and transition to a greener economy. The loan agreement was signed by Jurgen Rigterink, EBRD First Vice President and Head of Client Services Group, and Kamal Al-Bakri, Chief Executive Office of Cairo Amman Bank. Mr Rigterink said: We are proud of our continuous partnership with Cairo Amman Bank and we are keen to help Jordan build a greener and more resilient economy. Small and medium-sized businesses are key in building a green and sustainable economy. Kamal Al Bakri, chief executive officer of Cairo Amman bank, said: It gives us a great pleasure to announce a new era of green climate investments in Jordan in collaboration with EBRD and GCF. This facility will enable our bank to invest in climate change and green technology. Through this cooperation, we have received the right moral and financial support to strengthen our partnership with EBRD and to continue the success stories that contributed much to our countrys economic growth in the past few decades, he added. Cairo Amman Bank is the sixth-largest bank in Jordan, with total assets of US$ 5.2 billion as of 30 June 2022. While CAB focuses predominantly on retail operations, it is a universal bank that offers a wide range of products and services including micro, SME and corporate lending. Since it began investing in Jordan in 2012, the EBRD has provided more than 1.8 billion in financing through 66 projects in the country, including financial support for the Jordanian banking sector through MSME loans, subordinated debt and trade finance facilities. THE Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is proving an absolutely fantastic boost for the citys hotel, pub, and restaurant trade, with business owners delighted at the crowds packing out venues . Tens of thousands of attendees from around Cork, across Ireland, and much further afield have descended on the city for the long weekend, with hotel and pub owners reporting a brisk trade. Tom Baynes, a barman at the Hi-B pub on Oliver Plunkett St, described the atmosphere throughout the festival as electric. Hermeto Pascoal performing at The Everyman during the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.Picture: Naoise Culhane The weekend was busier than St Patricks Day, said Mr Baynes. Changeable weather and occasional bursts of heavy rain failed to dampen the buzz on the city streets, which echoed to the sounds of numerous outdoor performances. For the Metropole Hotel it has been an exceptionally busy and exciting few days, said assistant manager Tanusha Suvashini. The Hyde Park Brass performing on Harleys Street beside The Metropole Hotel for the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. Business was rocking and it was an amazing vibe, Ms Suvashini told The Echo. Its been great to have all this back again, she said. Coming after a disastrous few years for the tourism industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, the jazz festival is proving a much-needed shot in the arm for local hostelries. I think its gone beyond expectations, said Ms Suvashini. The crowds yesterday were really absolutely up to the brim of the hotel, she added. Were getting a fantastic vibe. Everyone is enjoying it. The bands have been really amazing so its a great one. The Metropole Hotel played host to numerous acts over the weekend, with the Lamarotte Jazzband proving particularly popular. They were in the lobby yesterday and they were magnificent, said Ms Suvashini. Mayo native Susie Fry, who was soaking up the atmosphere on Saturday, told The Echo she has been coming to the Metropole for jazz weekend for almost two decades. Paul, Roz, Katie and Ollie Dyer at Guinness Cork jazz festival club at the Metropole hotel. Picture: Eddie O'Hare Its a real tradition for us; we look forward to this weekend, she said. This should be our 19th year coming but as you know with Covid, we missed out on that one year. I dont know what we did on that Halloween weekend when it wasnt on, but we certainly missed it. We came down last year as things were just kind of slowly coming back after the pandemic. "It just wasnt quite back to itself but this year it really seems back into the swing of it. Corks Imperial Hotel on the South Mall enjoyed one of its best weekends ever and there was a party atmosphere, said manager Soizic Kiely, adding that it has been non-stop busy since the doors opened on Friday, with the hotel fully booked out. Theres a great atmosphere, said Ms Kiely. Theres a great buzz around; people are in a great mood. The guests included those who have been jazz fans for many years and have returned yet again to Cork. Between the 260 residents of the hotel and the hundreds of visitors, it was such a huge weekend that the Imperial had to hire up to 70 extra staff. Zara Lentzly, Faye Dowling and Kerri Peters from Cork seen at the Brog during the Jazz weekend. Picture: Howard Crowdy Some staff were willing to do more shifts, and the young team working gave it a party atmosphere, Ms Kiely said. People are smiling. There has been no trouble. People are just here for a good time, and its been wonderful. Guests have come from all over the world, including the UK and the Netherlands, but this year the majority are Irish visitors, added Ms Kiely. Sean Og O'Keeffe and Rory O'Connell from Aghada seen with Matt Flynn from Dungourney in Conways Yard during the Jazz Weekend in Cork. Picture: Howard Crowdy The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has packed out pubs, which reported a roaring trade. Paul Montgomery, owner of Clancys and other venues, said it has been a bumper weekend for business. His venues played host to about 55 bands over the weekend, including at Clancys, Conways Yard, and An Sibin on Princes St. Its terrific. There have been a lot of visitors who have travelled in, he said. Exceptionally busy. I would honestly say it has exceeded our expectations. THAT picture of me was taken in 1956, by the Cork Examiner on the opening of the Hydrotherapy bath. Im in the steel bath in the orthopaedic hospital in Gurranabraher. Im three years old. My mother had it on the wall in our house. I dont remember it, but it was a very hard time for my parents. Anne Casey, from Mallow, contracted polio in 1956. Her story, and stories like hers, have attracted renewed attention since Covid. So much so that a book of 29 personal stories of polio was re-launched by Polio Survivors Ireland. The aim of the publication is to help ensure the legacy of polio is not forgotten, and that eradication through vaccination is protected. The differences between the two viruses are clear. Whilst we sheltered the elderly in recent years, polio, or infantile paralysis, struck fear into the hearts of parents across the world in the early 1950s. The highly contagious disease could result in partial or complete paralysis of their children for life. Despite their differences, Covid brought it all back for Anne. I was so scared. I thought to myself, this is here for a long time and who knows when well get a vaccine. They started tests for polio vaccines in 1916. They didnt find a vaccine until 1955. Ireland didnt get it until 1957. I remember children getting vaccines in sugar lumps in school. But it took a long time. The way the world came together and got the vaccine for Covid was really something. Anne has no time for the conspiracy theorists who refuse vaccines. She still lives with the after-effects of polio, and she lives with her memories. If they could see those polio wards. If they could know the side effects of polio and what we went through as children. People suffer from Post-Polio Syndrome too. I dont, but I know people who live in pain. People who 20 years after their infection have to wear callipers for the first time. 60% of sufferers develop that syndrome who knows what Covid sufferers will face in years to come? For the most part, Anne draws more contrasts than comparisons between polio and Covid. Things were so different then. I had to go into hospital every year until I was 15. The doctors and the nurses then were different, very different to today. They were very cold and very distant. I brought my daughter into CUH when she broke her arm and I found it very difficult. I could see how warm the place was, there were teddy bears and kind faces. There was none of that in my day. Anne tells me her story slowly, with care. She was the only one in her family to contract polio. The family ran a farm in Dromahane, outside Mallow. An adult neighbour, Joe OCallaghan, across the road also caught it along with one of his children, Helen ODonoghue (nee OCallaghan). Some doctors at the time were advising that children didnt swim in the river. My mother told me that I was unwell for a few days. I had a sore throat and a headache, much like Covid. But then I woke up and couldnt move my legs. I couldnt get out of bed. I was sent to St Finbarrs and put in quarantine. My parents could only look at me through glass. It must have been so hard for them. I couldnt walk. I crawled around. Then I was sent to the orthopaedic hospital. I stayed there for a year and a half before coming home and after that, I went back for the summers. They did their best to do it during the school holidays, but I still missed a lot of schooling. I ask Anne if she made many friends in the wards. To a degree, she hesitates. But the atmosphere was different back then. There was little support given to us from the doctors and nurses. The only people who were kind to us were the cleaners. They were the salt of the earth. Theyd slip us sweets while the nurses werent looking. My parents visits were very restricted. They could only come for an hour or so on a Sunday, so I really didnt know them in the beginning, and I didnt know my little brother. Hed speak to me through the window. My parents got a better car to make the journey because the Mallow-Cork road was so terrible then, there were over 100 bends. Anne had one advantage: city cousins from the Northside and Turners Cross. My city cousins would visit me a lot and spoiled me, so I almost knew them better. Theyd leave me toys, but the toys would always be taken away by the nurses after they left. I wouldnt get them back until I was leaving again. She paints a grim picture of the hospital. The nurses were brought in from outside because the polio numbers were so high, so they hadnt specialised in working with children. There could have been 15 girls in a ward. We were in Block 3 and the boys were in a different block. The physio was in Block 4, and they worked us hard. They were very tough on us, very harsh, and wed no parents to back us up. We were all terrified of Block 9 where they did the operations. Wed look out the window and see children being brought in and out in the open air in trolleys. She remembers moments of joy, like the school that Mrs Murphy ran in the hospital. She also remembers how the children loved their beds being wheeled out onto the veranda when the summer was fine. A connection of mine, Hannah Quinn called to the hospital on her wedding day and we were all enthralled by her wedding dress. She had to get special permission for her visit. But she cant hide her pain when remembering for too long. I remember young girls screaming in pain, crying out, because one leg hadnt grown like the other and they stretched them to make them even. I had different operations and a major one when I was nine on my left leg, but I never had the stretching. An operation at nine allowed Anne to walk with only one calliper instead of two. Before then, she walked very slowly. She has worn a calliper on her left leg since. She cant walk more than eight steps without it. She uses a walking stick or a roller, complains of tender skin, and is prone to pressure sores from wearing steel all her life. Nowadays, people are so kind because they see the predicament youre in, but it was different then. We had to fend for ourselves. My conversation with Anne leaves me certain of two things. Irish society is kinder and more compassionate, than it was in 1956. And science has changed our world for the better. With Covid back in our lives, interrupting our plans and separating us once again, theyre two lessons worth remembering. Polio & Us is available to purchase from www.polio.ie All proceeds from the book go towards services and supports for polio survivor My parents could only look at me through glass. It must have been so hard for them. I couldnt walk. I crawled around. Then i was sent to the orthopaedic hospital. I stayed for a year and a half. By Choo Jae-woo On Oct. 23, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress concluded with the election of Xi Jinping as the party's general secretary for an unprecedented third term since Chairman Mao Zedong's era. Following his election, the party immediately announced the composition of the highest decision-making organ, the Politburo Standing Committee. Of the six newly appointed members excluding Xi himself, no heir apparent was in the standing. All six men will be over the age limit of 67 during the next party leadership change in five years. Again, as had happened in Xi's first and second terms, the party did not assign to one person the position of the first secretary of the Party's Central Secretariat and the vice chairmanship of the party's Central Military Commission. The CCP's deliberate effort to evade including an heir apparent in recent personnel shuffles sends a clear message. Xi's leadership is most likely to go beyond his third term. Xi's leadership longevity is justified by his loyalty to communism and commitment to China's long-sought dream of becoming a socialist powerhouse. No one else apparently seems to meet these requirements other than Xi in the eyes of the party. It is not simply because of Xi's personal background. That Xi is a son of Xi Zhongxun, one of the high-profile personnel among the first generation of party leaders along with Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai was a mere factor in his election. His paradoxical experience of having been a victim of the "Down to the Countryside Movement" during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s is the decisive narrative best accounting the theory that Xi is a communist to the bone. He and his family's suffering from the movement could have made them detest the party and communism. Paradoxically enough, he was instead engulfed in communist ideology through daily self-criticism and brainwashing political study sessions. According to the CCP's political timetable, China is at a critical juncture to materialize communism as well as a strong, modernized state system. It has defined the leadership nature and character that can effectively navigate the nation toward these ends. A shift in China's policy goals from economic development to the completion of socialism called for a change in the leadership's orientation from pragmatism to ideology. A leader that is a communist to the bone had to be sought, and Xi was deemed to be the perfect fit. Having assumed his throne in the party in 2012, Xi already declared his intent to lead the nation into a so-called "New Era." It is an era in which the CCP envisions that the nation will have completed the modernization of socialism by 2035 and a strong state founded on modernized socialism by 2049. The next five years will therefore be a critical period for the realization of the former, per Xi's address at this year's party congress. Perfecting socialism and its modernization process will dictate the ultimate goal of Xi's China policy: to prove that a socialist system is superior to others including a democratic one. It naturally alludes to the inevitability of the rising power competition against those with different systems. China's socialist system must reign atop. It puts Xi's China in competition against the United States, the leader of democracy and the founder of the existing liberal world order. For this reason, strategic competition between the United States and China will perpetuate as long as Xi is in power in China. Against this background, the fate of the Korean Peninsula will be greatly challenged. China will incessantly attempt to expand its influence over the two Koreas until they are fully incorporated into its long-term foreign policy goal as a member of the community of common destiny for mankind. To counter China's challenge, South Korea will first have to exploit China's growing anxieties from the strengthening of the alliance with the United States. Beijing is intimidated by the U.S.' aggressive approaches to global supply chain resilience efforts, for instance. The alliance should push the envelope a little further to hamper China's economic development and therefore also the legitimacy of Xi's leadership. This may transpire in China seeking a compromise that would be favorable to those who share democratic universal values. Secondly, Korea must find a way to counter China's playing one off of the other strategy. The answer lies in its unswerving commitment to the alliance. China's strategy in theory can be very effective considering the structure of international relations in Northeast Asia. All regional states are bound by an alliance relationship in one way or the other. South Korea and Japan, for example, are respectively allied to the United States, and the North with China. For Beijing to achieve its strategic interests in the South against Washington, it would have to manipulate Seoul to go against the latter. China's sanctions following the THAAD deployment succeeded in creating "sinophobia" in Korean society. Korea must now overcome its fear of China's punitive response while in pursuit of its national interests, let alone the interests of the alliance. Beijing will otherwise keep pressing Seoul over the reinforcement efforts by the U.S. Forces Korea. Lastly, Korea must build its own set of bipartisan principles for its foreign relations. The consequences we can expect are twofold. It will produce a great boost in the allies' confidence in Korea, and will allow Korea to counter coercive actions by those with a different ideology and values. Choo Jae-woo (jwc@khu.ac.kr) is a professor of international relations at Kyung Hee University and director of the China Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Security. He was a visiting fellow of Brookings Institution. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. The UKs new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who just took office on Monday, has said he will not attend the upcoming COP27 UN climate conference in Egypt in November. His decision comes at a time of upheaval for the UK, which has had three prime ministers in two months and is facing an energy and cost of living crisis. It also comes amidst concerns about the nations commitment to remaining a global leader on climate after hosting last years COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Its not leadership. It is abdicating leadership not to go to COP27, Ed Miliband, the shadow climate secretary from the opposition Labour Party, told Sky News. Sunak has so far sent mixed signals on climate and the environment. His predecessor, Liz Truss, was widely criticized by environmental groups for lifting a moratorium on fracking and expanding oil and gas licenses in the North Sea, as well as backing a plan making it harder to place solar panels on farmland. She had also planned to attend COP27 for at least one day, The Guardian reported. In his first week in office, Sunak has promised to restore the moratorium on fracking, which was part of his Tory Partys 2019 manifesto. However, on Thursday his office said he would not attend COP27, Reuters reported. The stated reason is that he is working on a delayed autumn fiscal statement that will be released November 17. The Prime Minister is not expected to attend the summit in Egypt due to other pressing domestic commitments, including preparations for the autumn statement, a Downing Street spokesperson said, as Reuters reported. At the same time, Suanks government maintained it was committed to addressing the climate crisis. We remain committed to net zero and to leading international and domestic action to tackle climate change, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said, as BBC News reported. The UK is forging ahead of many other countries on net zero. When the UK hosted COP26 last year, the meeting concluded with the Glasgow Climate Pact, which set a 2023 deadline for countries to adjust their emissions-reductions targets to come closer to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The conclusion of the summit was criticized because the 1.5 target was not reached, but organizers maintained that the pact still allowed a path to 1.5. The UKs outgoing COP26 President Alok Sharma will attend the talks in Egypt along with Coffey, BBC News reported. The UK will be fully represented by other senior ministers, as well as COP President Alok Sharma, a Downing Street spokesperson said, as Reuters reported. They will be working to ensure that countries continue to make progress on the ground-breaking commitments made at COP26 in Glasgow. That said, Sharma will no longer be a member of the cabinet, and neither will newly-renamed climate minister Graham Stuart, according to The Guardian. Despite this decision, Sunak said that the climate crisis was a priority for his government, according to The Guardian. The leaders of opposition parties and environmental groups criticized Sunaks decision not to attend the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, which will last from November 6 to 18, BBC News reported. Green MP Caroline Lucas said failing to attend made a mockery of any government claims on continued climate leadership, as BBC News reported, while Greenpeace UK head of politics Rebecca Newsom said it indicated that Sunak did not take the climate crisis seriously enough. Among other major players, Russias Vladimir Putin will not attend and Chinas leadership has not confirmed. U.S. President Joe Biden is planning to be present. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Greta Thunberg speaks during the launch of her latest book "The Climate Book" at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall in central London on Oct. 30, 2022. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images When the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change opens November 6 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, one notable face in the climate movement will not be present. Nineteen-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg said she would not attend the conference during a talk in London Sunday as she promoted her new book The Climate Book, The Guardian reported. She also criticized the COP process in general. As it is now, the COPs are mainly being used as an opportunity for leaders and people in power to get attention when they say, Were going to change, and using many different kinds of greenwashing, lying and cheating and so on, Thunberg said in an interview with journalist Samira Ahmed. Thungerg was speaking as part of the Southbank Centres London Literature Festival to promote her new book, as The Independent reported. The Climate Book debuted October 27 in many parts of the world including the UK, according to Green Matters. The book features more than 100 essays from climate activists and experts including Bill McKibben, Michael Mann and Naomi Klein, as well as essays by Thunberg herself. However, U.S. readers will have to wait until February 14, 2023 to get their hands on a copy. In a speech on Sunday, Thunberg called for rapid action to address the climate crisis. She pointed to the United Nations Emissions Gap Report released October 27, which found that national pledges strengthened after last years COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, still put the world on track to 2.4 to 2.6 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100 and that emissions needed to fall by 45 percent by 2030 compared to current policies in order to avoid the worst aspects of the climate crisis and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Earlier this week, the United Nations Environment Programme released the Emissions Gap report stating that only an urgent system-wide transformation can deliver the enormous emissions cuts needed to stabilize 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, Thunberg said. And, to quote the IPCC, we need rapid, far-reaching, unprecedented changes in all aspects of society. Thunberg called out world leaders for consistently failing to act in time, which is the reason the COP does not function. If the transition away from fossil fuels had begun 20 to 30 years ago, the gradual pace of change promoted by those conferences might have worked, Thunberg said. As it is now, the COPs are not really going to lead to any major changes. Unless, of course, we use them as an opportunity to mobilize, which we must try to do, and make people realize what a scam this is, realize that these systems are failing us, Thunberg said. COP27 has faced additional criticism by environmental, human rights and civil society groups because of the Egyptian governments restrictions on public protest and detention of human rights advocates. Thunberg was one of 968 groups and individuals to sign a petition calling on Egypt to open up civic space and release everyone arbitrarily detained ahead of the conference. She also met with the sister of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian writer imprisoned in Egypt, who has been calling for his release by protesting outside the Foreign Office, as The Independent reported. Im not going to COP27 for many reasons, but the space for civil society this year is extremely limited, Thunberg, who did attend COP26, said Sunday, as The Guardian reported. We stand in solidarity with prisoners of conscience in Egypt & joined @copcivicspace petition urging Egypt to open civic space and release everyone arbitrarily detained ahead of #COP27 Sign the petition urging @AlsisiOfficial @Cop27P to #FreeThemAllhttps://t.co/07ElEovDpy Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) October 20, 2022 COP27 has also been criticized for greenwashing by accepting Coca-Cola as a sponsor. In her talk on Sunday, Thunberg advised listeners not to rely on world leaders and to demand change by participating in climate activism. In order to change things, we need everyone we need billions of activists, she said, as The Guardian reported. Malaysian government urged to moderate rising pork prices Pork farmers in Malaysia are urging the government to moderate rising pork prices in the country as prices for the meat are expected to increase further due to outbreaks of diseases and surging input costs, The Star reported. Pork traders said live swine farm prices, which are currently trading at MYR 13.50 (~US$2.86; MYR 1 = US$0.21) per kg, are anticipated to increase next month. The price increase, according to the Federation of Livestock Farmers' Associations of Malaysia (FLFAM), was brought on by a rise in operating expenses as well as the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in several states. The increase, which was dubbed the "highest increase in history," was brought on by the swine fever outbreak and the fluctuating price of animal feed. Wong Fu Sheng, the chairman of the Penang Pig Farmers Association and the FLFAM representative for Penang, said the price of swine feed, which used to cost MYR 800 (~US$169.20) per tonne, has increased to MYR 2,000 (~US$423) per tonne. Wong said raw materials are expensive, and operating costs are high as well. As a result, total costs have increased by 50% to 60%. The only current preventative measure against African swine fever (ASF) is the culling of infected pigs and disinfection of the farm. Swine farms are being destroyed, and there is currently no vaccine to protect the swine. He said to clear the farm and repopulate it with other livestock, it takes six to nine months. Chow Poh Yue, chairman of the Malaysia Pork Meat Traders' Association, hoped that the government would step in to stop the skyrocketing price of pork. Chow said the government ought to make an effort to control rising pork prices as everything is increasing right now, food operators are complaining, and the general public is also struggling. He argued that the government ought to intervene because swine farms had been arbitrarily raising prices and that the Chinese New Year was quickly approaching (Jan 22, 2023). Pork traders said that since this is the ninth increase this year, the government needs to step in. Chow also questioned why the cost of domestic pork (from animals raised in Malaysia) was more expensive than that of imports. Chow said Malaysia charges MYR 1,350 (~US$285.53) per 100kg for live swine, Thailand charges MYR 1,300 (~US$274.96), and Denmark charges MYR 400 (~US$84.60). Chow issued a warning that businesses and consumers would switch to imported frozen pork if local farms continued to raise their prices. He said that over the past few months, consumers who were feeling the pinch had bought less local pork. He also said they no longer slaughter 120 swine every day; only 30. The market is experiencing a shortage of 30,000 live swine per month as a result of ASF, he said, adding that 3,000 pork retailers may have to close their doors if the situation persists. Wong Teu Hoon, president of the Pan Malaysia Koo Soo Restaurants and Chefs Association, said the cost of pork belly increased from MYR 23.50 (~US$4.97) per kg in January to MYR 30 (~US$6.35) in August, forcing restaurant owners to change their menu prices. - The Star Authorities are to blame for 'manmade disaster' The nation is in deep grief, mourning the victims of the Halloween tragedy which occurred on Saturday night. On Monday, people lined up to pay tribute to the victims at altars installed near the accident site in Itaewon, as well as at Seoul Plaza and in other cities around the country. We again express our deep condolences to the bereaved families of 154 people, including 26 foreign nationals, who were killed in the crowd crush. It was an unimaginable disaster that should not have happened in the center of Korea's capital, Seoul. The tragedy took place as hundreds of Halloween partygoers packed into a narrow, inclined alley just 3.2 meters in width next to Hamilton Hotel, after the government lifted the outdoor mask mandate against the COVID-19 pandemic. Central and municipal authorities should have taken necessary precautions to prevent such a deadly accident when around 130,000 partygoers gathered for Halloween celebration. A day earlier, up to 100,000 people gathered there with some minor accidents in which people fell. However, police and disaster control authorities apparently disregarded concerns about any unpredictable accidents. If they had been well-prepared, the damage could have been minimized at least. The police and municipal authorities are to blame for failing to take timely and appropriate measures to prevent the accident. Relevant officials and Itaewon merchants met to discuss the matter Oct. 26, three days before the start of Halloween weekend. However, they did not take any measures. What they did was monitor the roads and facilities in Itaewon via surveillance cameras. They cannot avoid criticism for having neglected the safety of the partygoers even though they anticipated the gathering of large crowds, regarding the festivities as "unofficial and without organizers." They only issued a brief instruction calling on restaurants there to abide by regulations on outdoor business activities. Only a few officials were dispatched for the festivities. In contrast, a large number of police were mobilized to cope with political rallies held around the presidential office and downtown Seoul against the Yoon Suk-yeol administration until late Saturday afternoon. Yet the Halloween festivities which attracted far larger crowds remained without proper control for safety until the mayhem erupted suddenly. Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min took flak for his remarks apparently trying to avoid responsibility. "I'm not sure the disaster could have been prevented even if more police officers and firefighters had been dispatched in advance." How could a minister in charge of the people's safety and anti-disaster measures make such a statement? All told, the disaster is a sort of "manmade accident." It is not proper to attribute the mishap to the faults of the people celebrating Halloween. Around that time, people also crowded together but no such accidents took place at nearby subway stations thanks to proactive guidance by metro employees. Now the government should overhaul its disaster prevention and safety system and work out radical measures to stop such tragedies from happening again. As the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show kicks off Monday in Las Vegas, Mopar Stellantis' OEM accessory division unveiled a trio of intriguing concept vehicles, led by an electrified Jeep CJ. Even more exciting, the battery electric technology behind it could portend a restomod revival of classic American muscle cars. Stellantis The Jeep CJ Surge concept explores a future zero-emission propulsion system kit and supports the Jeep brands mission to become the leading electrified SUV brand in the world," Mark Bosanac, North America senior vice president, Mopar service, parts and customer care, said in a prepared statement Monday. "Separately, our Ram 1500 Backcountry X and TRX Gold Shot concepts showcase a truckload of innovative Mopar accessories for our award-winning full-size trucks." Turn on browser notifications to receive breaking news alerts from Engadget You can disable notifications at any time in your settings menu. Not now Turned on Turn on The CJ Surge is what's known as a restomod (a portmanteau of "restoration" and "modification"), in that they cleaned up an late model CJ7 (the resto part) and swapped out the internal combustion engine for battery-electric propulsion (the mod part). Restomods aren't strictly electrifications we've been doing them with crate engines for decades but with automakers swiftly transitioning to battery power from gas, demand from the classic car community for similar capabilities has grown in recent years. In response, Ford has begun prototyping a BEV restomod system called the Eluminator. The Surge is Mopar's first steps in the same direction. Stellantis So rather than an inline-six or v-eight that the CJ7s originally came with, Mopar has dropped in a "scalable 400-volt, 200-kW Electric Drive Module" that provides four-wheel drive capabilities. That powerplant is backed by a 24-module Li-ion battery that sits in a "custom shell mounted in the rear of the passenger cabin," which you can see as the giant silver box dominating the trunk space in the image above. And rather than a traditional manual transmission, the Surge replaces the stick shift with a Wrangler JK center console and rotary shifter knob. Stellantis There's no word on performance numbers, much less when or even if this will ever come to market. If you want to check out the Surge for yourself, you'll need to get to the Las Vegas Convention Center before November 4th. Twitter started verifying public figures to prevent scammers from distributing fake news. New owner Elon Musk, however, thinks the blue check is just a status symbol, and one people should pay for. The platforms new owner has reportedly decided users will need to sign up for Twitter Blue to maintain verification, which will increase to $20 a month. Its also reported Musk has given Twitter employees until November 7th to implement the changes, or hell start firing people. Im sure the blue check is, for some, little more than a bragging right, but its also Twitters fix to a fairly knotty problem. Back in the day, it was easy enough to create an account posing as a respected newswire to pump out fake stock information. The speed of Twitters platform means people can retweet something controversial about a stock price to their followers before theyve clocked it came from @WellStreetJourral. Although, given Twitters new owner was responsible for the Funding Secured tweet, maybe thats just allowed now. Dan Cooper The biggest stories you might have missed The 14- and 16-inch variants have been delayed. Devindra Hardawar If you were hoping to snag a 14- or -16-inch M2 MacBook Pro before the holiday season, brace yourself. A new report suggests while Apple had planned to launch the high-end machines this fall, the company has kicked things back. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman now believes we wont see those models until March at the earliest. Hopefully, nobody is losing too much sleep over it, especially given just how much power the existing models are still throwing around. Continue Reading. In Hollywood, all square-jawed hunks are replaceable. ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images Netflixs popular adaptation of The Witcher is getting a fourth season, but without the star power of its original leading man. Henry Cavill, who played Geralt of Rivia for the shows first three seasons, is (reportedly) freeing up his schedule to once again play Superman. Taking his place on the show is Liam Hemsworth, the youngest member of the Hemsworth acting clan, with a jaw thats only marginally less square than his predecessor. Continue Reading. A Happy Little Sun, there. NASA If Bob Ross were alive today, this is the sort of news that, Im sure, would put a big ol smile on his big ol face. NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory has captured an image of the sun where it looks like its smiling. The cause of this is little more than the coincidental clustering of coronal holes, but its sufficiently cute that we imagine itll be everyones desktop background for the next month at least. Continue Reading. The Rohde & Schwarz technology company ends a successful 2021/2022 fiscal year with increased revenue and strong order intake. The strategic focus on communications, information and security has enabled the company to remain resilient in the face of global uncertainty. The high-tech solutions from its Test & Measurement, Technology Systems and Networks & Cybersecurity Divisions enable industry and government customers to ensure their technological and digital sovereignty. MUNICH, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021/2022 fiscal year (July to June) was characterized by diverging trends. Revenue increased to EUR 2.53 billion. The positive operating results were in line with expectations. At EUR 2.84 billion, order intake was significantly higher than in the previous year. On June 30, 2022, the company had around 13,000 employees. The excellent order intake shows that Rohde & Schwarz is well positioned in its markets. Each of the company's three divisions achieved double-digit growth. However, the conversion of orders into billable sales was impeded by the tight supply chain situation. The company's high degree of vertical integration, with plants in Germany, Czech Republic, Singapore and Malaysia, bolstered its stability. Innovative test and measurement solutions for future technologies With its T&M solutions, Rohde & Schwarz provides the foundation for technological advances in growth markets such as wireless communications, automotive, quantum computing and aerospace & defense. This led to strong demand for high-performance wireless testers, signal generators, spectrum analyzers and oscilloscopes. Mobile communications is driven in particular by the worldwide rollout of 5G networks and the greater availability of 5G-enabled devices. Meanwhile, the 6G standard is on the horizon. Rohde & Schwarz is supporting fundamental 6G research up into the subterahertz range. The automotive market is also defined by widespread technological advances. The focus is on connectivity and communications, i.e. vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology. With a newly launched radar test system, the company has established itself as a technological leader in this application field. For the automotive industry, this is a decisive step toward making the vision of autonomous driving a reality. Security scanners to protect public and private spaces Rohde & Schwarz security scanners help improve security at events, airports and companies. The R&S QPS201 security scanner was officially placed on the Qualified Products List of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), taking an important step toward deployment at US airports and other TSA security screening facilities. The scanner now has good prospects in the US market in addition to Europe and Asia. Rohde & Schwarz as a technology partner in project business The current geopolitical developments are leading to a reevaluation of security and defense in society and at the political level. Rohde & Schwarz has proven itself a reliable technological partner in numerous customer orders. For example, the company won a major contract from the British Royal Navy to equip also the Batch 2 Type 26 frigates with an integrated communications system. Furthermore, the company landed its first order for a complete R&S naval communications suite in Germany. In the land based defense segment, the company demonstrated its capabilities to the German armed forces with deliveries of the SVFuA/SOVEROND digital tactical radio for the retrofitted Puma infantry fighting vehicle. The new R&S Series 5200 air traffic control radio, which ensures safety for civil aviation, entered the market. The radio was an immediate bestseller in Vietnam, Taiwan, Slovenia, Australia and Malaysia. In the broadcast & media market segment, Rohde & Schwarz completed development of the first model of a new transmitter generation. The high-power transmitter allows broadcast network operators to significantly reduce their CO emissions and operating expenses. It is also ideal for future services such as 5G Broadcast. The transmitter attracted much attention at the IBC in Amsterdam, one of the industry's key trade shows. Combined forces for security and reconnaissance The acquisition of Schonhofer Sales and Engineering GmbH ideally complements Rohde & Schwarz products through vertical integration. With this new fully owned subsidiary, Rohde & Schwarz now provides the entire signal intelligence portfolio from a single source from sensor technology to data analysis and sensor fusion. Networks & Cybersecurity: an established key supplier in Germany LANCOM Systems GmbH of the Networks & Cybersecurity Division also developed extremely positively across all product segments. Together with Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity and Rohde & Schwarz SIT, the company makes important contributions to Germany's digital sovereignty as the strongest player in the German B2B market. Sustainability in all aspects of corporate management Rohde & Schwarz is a privately owned company that is financed by its own resources. Corporate Management leads the company with a long-term focus and sustainability plays an important role in all activities. Rohde & Schwarz is making climate protection a more integral part of its business especially through the expansion of renewable energy sources. By the end of the 2021 calendar year, the main company locations in Germany had successfully switched over to electricity from renewable sources. A further example is the planned rooftop photovoltaic system on the parking garage of the Memmingen plant, which will expand an existing solar energy system. Press contacts: Europe (headquarters): Monika Roth (phone: +49 89 4129 16652; email: press@rohde-schwarz.com) View original content: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/rohde--schwarz-closes-fiscal-year-successfully-despite-global-uncertainty-301662860.html Over the past week, the Ukrainian army has shot down more than 40 Iranian kamikaze drones, a significant number of Russian missiles, and six helicopters. The result is hundreds of saved lives, dozens of surviving infrastructure facilities, said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In total, Ukraine shot down more than 300 Iranian kamikaze drones. Monday, October 31, 2022 Its Caskets Week at AGoodGoodbye.com! With Create a Great Funeral Day (Oct. 30), Visit a Cemetery Day (the last Sunday in October), Halloween/Dia de los Muertos (Oct. 31), All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2), take a look at these casket videos recorded at the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) expo. The event took place in Baltimore October 10-12, 2022. These three videos focus on different types of caskets, from eco-friendly to something that will not biodegrade, plus a vintage casket truck! Passages International Bamboo Caskets for Cremation In this video, Gail Rubin visits with Darren Crouch, president of Passages International. The company specializes in eco-friendly and biodegradable caskets and urns. At this convention, the company was emphasizing its bamboo casket for cremation. Many funeral homes use a cardboard box for cremation. Listen as Darren Crouch talks about the benefits: beautiful, affordable, clean and fast burning, low carbon footprint, and fair trade created. The bamboo casket is made in Bangladesh, creating jobs and skills for their workers there. Learn more at www.PassagesInternational.com or www.AGreenerFuneral.org. [embedded content] Thacker Caskets and Vintage Casket Truck Danielle Thacker, Executive VP of Sales & Marketing for Thacker Caskets, shows a classic casket truck the company recently restored. The truck was purchased by her grandparents in the 1960s. Found abandoned in a forest with a tree growing through the truck, it took them three years to restore this unique vehicle. Thacker Caskets is the third-largest casket company in America, and the third-generation family-owned company is based in Maryland. Their metal caskets are made in Alabama, and their wooden caskets are made with a family owned company in Canada. Learn more at their website: www.ThackerCaskets.com. [embedded content] Clear View Caskets In this video, Gail visits with Rangel & Andrea Fernandez, Owners and Co-Founders of Clear View Caskets. Gail does a test rest in their new GOLD COLLECTION CASKET, popularly known by families as The Snow White Casket due to its round top design. [embedded content] Clear View Caskets was founded by this couple in their home garage. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is now based out of Miami Florida, employing USA workers who build the caskets by hand. They export their luxury and unique casket collections nationally and internationally. Their intention was to offer a revolutionary way to truly VIEW the passing of a loved one. What they never anticipated was the social and psychological benefits thousands of families all across America are reporting. We all fear what we cannot see, therefore, this exceptional product provides much more than luxury, explained Andrea Fernandez. Their slogan states; HEALING BEGINS WITH A CLEAR VIEW CASKET! Clear View Caskets owns the patent to this concept of the transparent casket, as well as all design variations and functionality in America and other countries. Their website is www.ClearViewCaskets.com and you can follow them on Instagram @clearviewcaskets. For more videos about products and services exhibited at the NFDA convention and other funeral and cemetery expos, check out the Tools of the Trade playlist on YouTube. Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death, attended and spoke at the NFDA convention on How a Before I Die Festival Can Fill Your Preneed Pipeline (view her presentation rehearsal here). She also interviewed exhibitors at this funeral industry event. Subscribe to her YouTube channel @Gail Rubin for more videos about death and funeral planning information know before you go, shop before you drop! Related From: EYMER BRAND Laboratories & Think Tank For Immediate Release: Dateline: Scituate , MA Monday, October 31, 2022 The email came out of nowhere. Creative agencies dont usually spam me, but this one did. How did I fall for this phishing scheme? And how can you prevent yourself from being fooled by the same tactics? If caught in an AI-generated phishing scheme, here are a few tips to avoid getting trapped and spilling critical personal information. Last Monday, I received an email announcement from a company that, for this post, we will call AGENCYWHO. According to their description, AGENCYWHO is a full-service digital art, animation, and visual effects studio that provides high-quality professional services and offers innovative solutions with a unique creative approach. According to the email, this California-based agency currently has numerous open positions for creative professionals like me. At first glance, this was a company on the move, rapidly growing, and committed to delivering visually stunning projects that promote awareness and inspire people. Employees may choose either full or part-time employment from remote locations. The email provided an acceptable hourly rate. Benefits include dental and vision coverage, paid time off, bonus pay, employee discounts, flexible work schedule, and vacations. Milton, the companys HR manager, conducted the virtual and text-based job interviews using the Telegram app. My interview went as follows: Me: I am interested in learning more about creative opportunities at AGENCYWHO. Milton: Hello, Milton here from AGENCYWHO. How are you? Me: Im doing great. How are you doing today? Milton: Great, and nice to meet you. We are looking for talented 3D/2D/CG Artists, Animators, Illustrators, Product Designers, Producers, Editors, Graphic Designers (print, web, motion), Writers, and Photographers to join our team remotely. Are you ready to begin the interview here? This is a text-based interview. Me: Yes, I am. I am ready anytime you are. Milton: Lets begin. What is your full name? What type of artist are you? How long youve been working in the field? Where are you currently located? Why should we hire you? Me: Doug Eymer Graphic Designer/Illustrator 25+ years You should hire me because I am a multi-faceted, creative genius and an incredible head for business. I am located 20 miles south of Boston in a seaside town called Scituate. Also, I have a great sense of humor, and my clients love me. Milton: Okay, give me an example of when you thought outside the box. How did it help your employer? And provide a time when you dealt calmly and effectively with a high-stress situation. What third-party and proprietary tools do you use daily? How do you deal with creative blocks? Me: (I provided three examples) In 2004-2005, BlueCross BlueShield of MA hired me to rethink and design the Website of the Future. My final design was a browser-free desktop app and a physical device similar to an iPhone or Palm pilot. (This was in advance of the iPhones release in 2007). A couple of years later, Martine Rothblatt asked me to develop a presentation based on her book, Two Stars for Peace, which she was to deliver at a ceremony in her honor at Tel Aviv University. The publication and my presentation described how if Israel and Palestine became our 51st and 52nd states, there would be peace in the Middle East. This past year, I developed a series of worksheets, a printed book, and a coloring book for the Responsible Flushing Alliance. These materials feature the villainous Clogmonster and teach children not to flush items down the toilet that may cause the growing problem of damaging clogs that disrupt private and public sewer systems. Since the beginning of my professional career, I have dealt with stressful situations regularly. This acquired trait proves especially true in my experiences as a business owner and agency principal within a large Boston-based marketing communications firm. I have incredible patience, and I am an excellent listener. My tools include Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Suite, Camtasia, QuickBooks, Basecamp, Dropbox, Google suite, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Squarespace, etc. In terms of creative blocks, they have never really been an issue. Occasionally my ideas stall for a short amount of time. Still, the wheels begin to spin by switching gears and participating in other activities (i.e., exercise, mowing the lawn, working on another project, etc.). The most exciting moment in my profession is when the BIG idea strikes! This occasion is the RUSH that keeps me going. (The text string abruptly stopped but continued in the late morning of the following day.) Milton: Lets continue. What steps do you take if the final colors of a printed illustration are different from the ones you designed on your computer, and what are some ways you can add perspective to an image? Me: If I attempt to match colors on a finished printed piece, I know I cannot rely on my computer screen. For reference, I need to use my new Pantone Guide or custom ink drawdowns. A designer can enhance perspective by manipulating the lighting and adjusting the focus. Photoshop also allows the view to be altered. Milton: Okay, your duties may include: Brainstorming with the marketing and design team to come up with image ideas. Preparing and designing rough draft illustrations according to client specifications. Defining any budget or time limitations. Creating complete illustrations by combining painting, hand-drawn, and digitally created images. Refining image design using illustration software. Enhancing the design concept using a wide range of colors and graphics. Applying complex isometric techniques to add perspective to design shapes. Formatting final illustrations using CAD software. Ensuring that printed illustrations meet specified color and quality standards. Can you handle these duties if hired and trained/orientated? Me: Definitely. I am well-versed and have handled many roles, from new business development and final production (and everything in between). Milton: Great. There will be video meetings with the other team members once a month. Along with the team, you will be working on projects and sharing work-related ideas. A contract letter will be emailed to you, which you are to read, sign, and send back a copy. There will be online training next week, and a creative director will be assigned to you to put you through, and I will also let you know prior to that time also an Art-Test will be conducted. You are to work 20-40 hours a week. Our hours are flexible as you can get to choose your hours. Video meetings will be happening on Zoom. Regarding the training, I will speak to the Art Director about the times and dates and let you know as soon as possible. The company will pay you $X/hr with paid time off, vision, health and dental benefits, and advancement opportunities with us. You will receive your pay via direct deposit or check bi-weekly; taxes are taken out of your pay as employee tax. Working Days are Monday-Fridays, you can do some weekends if desired, and you will work remotely. We also use Dropbox to send and receive files. Understood? Me: Yes. Milton: You provided all the required answers, making you fit for the job. As for work resumption will be sometime during the first week of November, but Im certain the Training/Orientation begins next week. Also, youll need to have these items to begin work: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite Wacom Cintiq Pro 21 Adobe CC Suite (with our subscription license) Maya and Autodesk 3Ds Max Houdini software programs ZBrush software 2022 Safescan TA-8020 Employee Time Clock System MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) And other company-customized equipment. IPad tab. 24-inch Huion Kamvas display drawing Jira C4D 8K monitor The company will provide you with a start-up check to enable you to buy the above materials and a new MacBook for work. The software will be installed on the computer and come with your employment paperwork and work ID card. You will purchase the materials from our accredited software vendor. The vendor will cover the shipping cost, install the software updates and patches, and perform manual data backups and secure data. She will ship everything to you via FedEx delivery. Ill provide the vendor info in due time. This is our hiring process, and Ill be here to guide you throughout the process. Okay? This was all too good to be true. As the bells and whistles pulsated through my head and the bright red flags consumed my vision, I brought the interview to a screeching halt. I then deleted the conversation and the Telegram app. The old saying goes, If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it just may be a duck. A duck had phished me! I was so enthusiastic about this opportunity that my whole sense of reasoning had been captured and taken hostage until I suddenly smelled a rat! After carefully reviewing the message strings content, delivery, and the nearly twenty-hour pause, I realized this was a cruel AI-generated phishing scheme. The whole structure of the conversation was not human. I had been responding to an automated script. In the next step, I would most likely receive an employment contract asking for vital and personal information, including my social security number. As for purchasing hundreds of dollars worth of hardware and software, why would they send me a check to cover the cost rather than paying their vendor directly? I recalled hearing of a fraudulent scam where the recipient deposits the check into their bank account. The company check bounces, and the equipment never arrives. To expedite the process, the intended recipient has purchased the goods from the companys vendor with their credit card, leaving them with a pricey bill. So, keep in mind if you receive an email or text response from somebody after applying for a job. There is a chance that the email is not from a human but from an automated system. Search for the LinkedIn profiles of the employees who responded to your inquiry. Check out the companys website and make sure it looks legitimate. Visit the companys social media accounts. If posts appear in languages other than English or consistently lousy grammar and spelling errors, there is a higher chance of a bot-driven conversation. Stay alert, and dont talk to strangers! Its a tough world out there, and you cant be too careful! A mandatory poultry housing order will be introduced across the whole of England from 7 November as the UK's worst-ever bird flu outbreak continues. The UK's Chief Veterinary Officer made the announcement on Monday (31 October), saying the government had seen a 'rapid escalation' in avian influenza cases. The housing measures legally require all poultry farmers and keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures. Over the last year, the UK has faced its worst ever outbreak of bird flu, with over 200 cases confirmed since late October 2021. The disease has been detected at over 70 premises since the beginning of October, as well as multiple reports in wild birds. The mandatory housing order will be introduced across all areas of England from 00:01 on Monday 7 November. The government has also increased the national risk of bird flu in wild birds to 'very high'. Christine Middlemiss, the Chief Veterinary Officer, encouraged bird keepers to use the week to prepare for the tougher measures. She said the decision had not been taken lightly: "We are seeing rapid escalation in the number of cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across England. "The risk of kept birds being exposed to disease has reached a point where it is now necessary for all birds to be housed until further notice. "Scrupulous biosecurity and separating flocks in all ways from wild birds remain the best form of defence." The new housing measures build on the strengthened biosecurity measures that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) earlier this month. The AIPZ means that all keepers need to take extra precautions, such as restricting access for non-essential people on site. The UK Health Security Agency continues to advise that the risk to public health from the virus is 'very low'. And the Food Standards Agency advice remains unchanged, that avian influenzas pose a 'very low' food safety risk for UK consumers. It comes after the government announced last week that it will alter its existing bird flu compensation scheme to make payments faster, helping stem cash flow pressures. And in consultation with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), an easement to marketing rules will also be introduced in England. This means that farmers who breed turkeys, geese or ducks for their meat will have an the option to slaughter their flocks early and to freeze these products. A Cumbrian livestock farmer who has established himself as one of the most notable Beltex breeders has been announced as this years winner of the David Thomlinson Award. John Hall of Inglewood Edge Farm received the title, which aims to recognise a passionate livestock farmer, at Harrison & Hetherington's Borderway Agri Expo on 28 October. Having farmed at Inglewood Edge since 1949, the award judges explained how John has dedicated his life to his work, having built up the family farm to what it is today. He runs 906 acres of grassland and has established himself as one of the most notable Beltex breeders, having been involved with the breed since it was first imported into the UK. John has given his all to the Beltex Sheep Society, both on the council and as chief inspector travelling the length and breadth of the country to promote and help the breed. Alongside his commitment to the Beltex Sheep Society, John has also sat on the British Blue Council and is heavily involved in supporting and encouraging local Young Farmers Clubs. A well-respected name, John is a familiar face on the showing circuit, both as an exhibitor and a judge, and his family has celebrated success locally and nationally, particularly with their Beltex sheep. The prestigious David Thomlinson award was launched by Harrison & Hetherington in 2021 to recognise accomplishment within the livestock farming industry. Following David's death as a consequence of a tragic accident on his farm, this award is intended to commemorate his life and achievements. The judging panel consisted of David Thomlinsons wife, Sheila Thomlinson, his neighbour and friend David McRea, and former colleague and friend David Pritchard. They said of the winner: Judging this years nominations was a very difficult job, however John simply shone through. "His dedication and passion for his industry represented exactly what David stood for and I believe he is a very worthy winner. His nomination outlined his commitment to helping others succeed, as well as paving a way for young people to secure the future of the industry and the breeds he cares so deeply about. "His knowledge and experience are phenomenal and his achievements throughout his lifetime are something to be very proud of. John, who was overcome on receiving his award, said: I am stunned and absolutely thrilled. I cant comprehend that people think so much of me. It is such an honour. S.Korea's stampede death toll rises to 154 Xinhua) 09:43, October 31, 2022 People mourn for victims of a deadly stampede at Itaewon, a district in Seoul, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2022. At least 154 people were killed and 149 others injured in a stampede that occurred Saturday night in the Itaewon district of Seoul during Halloween gatherings, local authorities said on Sunday. (Photo by James Lee/Xinhua) SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The casualty from a stampede, which occurred Saturday night at the Itaewon district of the South Korean capital Seoul during Halloween gatherings, rose overnight, the authorities said Monday. At least 154 people were killed and 149 others injured from the incident, according to Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The death toll could grow further as 33 people were in critical condition. Twenty-six foreigners were among those killed in the incident, and 15 others were wounded. The stampede was believed to have been caused by huge crowds surging into a narrow downhill alley and toppling over one another at the popular nightlife district in Seoul. The government has announced a one-week national mourning period over the tragedy until Saturday. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) By Erin Kim I am surprised, shocked and confused. But most of all, I am scared for our future. For most of my relatively young life, I grew up and learned to take for granted that the world lived in harmony. And that the world's problems are there to be solved, eventually. From a very young age, I enthusiastically learned the Mandarin language with assurances from my teachers that China is embracing the rest of the world in global trade, democracy and fair play. I also took a keen interest in modern history with confidence that dictators like Hitler are historical aberrations that will not be repeated, ever. I entered debating competitions with the absolute confidence that any notions of dictatorships are bound to fail in due course. Even our neighbor North Korea and its dictator Kim Jong-un seemed like just a freakish accident in a long history of improving global harmony and globalization. My interest in refugees began with the desire to help North Korean defectors, very confident that it is a problem soon to be deleted from our collective "do to list." For my generation, climate change seemed to be an issue that posed a rare challenge due to the serious threat to our future. Then with COVID-19, everything I took for granted was flipped over on its head. The pandemic showed the ugly side of nationalism with prejudice and racism still being widespread problems. The reports of anti-Asian incidents are deeply disturbing for a young person like me, who has only experienced them through books and movies. To see the rising discrimination against any race or color is hard to fathom, as we were taught that racism and refugees are issues that are getting better every year. Also hard to fathom is the U.S. trade war with China. China's trade war with the U.S. continues to flip the notion of the globalization ideal that I learned all my life. China's zero-COVID policy seemed at first like a noble effort to ensure the safety of its people, but recently it dawned that the reasons seemed more political than humanitarian. Not to mention China's treatment of Uighurs, which seems not that different from North Korea's treatment of many of its people. Finally, I read about the Chinese government banning certain books from Hong Kong schools, which is so different from what I remember when I was attending school there not so long ago. This month, Chinese President Xi Jinping is changing China's constitution to extend his term in office indefinitely, ending its promise of embracing and respecting the democratic process. The pride I had for being fluent in Chinese does not have the same feeling anymore. Most shocking is Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which to me is frighteningly similar to what I read about in the early days of World War Two. The plight of the Ukraine people, especially the innocent young ones, was unfathomable just a few years ago. North Korean refugees now do not seem like an anomaly but a part of a greater trend. The idea of war, such as the one Russia is waging against Ukraine, is something I only read about in history books. But that is now shown every day in the media. Most disappointing is the lack of action taken by the United Nations or the United States, whom we took for granted as the ultimate world police to prevent such incursions on any sovereign nation. Coincidentally or not, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un all seem to have been empowered since the COVID-19 outbreak. Yet, we should not give up hope. My experience with countless volunteers helping refugees proved to me that there are far more people ready to protect human rights and refugees than those causing them distress or harm. The support for the Ukrainians from the global public is an inspiring foundation for us to build awareness for refugees. With the easing of the COVID-19 lockdowns and global travel largely resuming, the world will get back to its normal way of life. We also hope with the growing support from the public, we will take on the challenges that are facing us. Erin Kim is a high school senior at Geelong Grammar School and an Australian state debating champion team member. New legislation seeking to unlock gene-editing technologies in order to boost UK food security will return to parliament today. The Third Reading of the Genetic Technology Bill is scheduled for Monday (31 October) and is expected to be introduced in the House of Lords the following day. The government said the legislation, a major departure from EU policy, would introduce a "more proportionate and science-based regulatory system" for precision-bred plants and animals. For example, the bill would enable scientists to spearhead the development of crops that are more resilient against disease and the effects of climate change. Defra farming minister Mark Spencer said British scientists were 'leading the world' in precision breeding, with the bill putting "Britain at the forefront of agri-research". "We are already seeing how new genetic technologies can increase yields, make our food more nutritious and result in crops that are more resistant to disease and weather extremes," he said. The bill covers precision-bred plants and animals developed through techniques such as gene editing, where the genetic changes could have occurred naturally or through traditional breeding methods. This is different to genetic modification (GM), which produces organisms containing additional genes. The post-Brexit law change means that scientists will be able to undertake research and development using gene editing, which remains banned in the EU. Environmental groups are critical of gene editing, as they believe the technique is only a rebranding of newer forms of genetic modification. They have called on the UK to stay aligned with the 2018 European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that classed gene editing as a form of GM. The RSPCA recently warned that "now is not the time to be relaxing the regulations" as the long-term consequences of using the technologies was not known. The charity added there were "more ethical and humane ways" to solve issues in the farming industry "without pushing farm animals even further towards their physical limits". But Defras chief scientific adviser, Gideon Henderson, said precision breeding was a 'powerful and important tool' to help tackle the challenges of biodiversity and climate change. "The ability to use gene editing to make precise, targeted changes to the genetic code of organisms, in a way that can mimic traditional breeding, enables development of new crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, healthier to eat, and more resilient to drought and heat as climate changes." He added: For centuries, traditional breeders have made use of our understanding of genetics to breed plant varieties with desirable characteristics. "Gene editing allows precision breeding to make the same type of genetic changes in a far more efficient and precise way, significantly reducing the time needed to create new varieties." If the bill is passed, the government would remove plants and animals produced through precision breeding technologies from regulatory requirements applicable to the environmental release and marketing of GMOs. The government would also introduce two notification systems; one for precision bred organisms used for research purposes and the other for marketing purposes. A regulatory system for precision bred animals to ensure animal welfare is safeguarded would also be established. Six grassroot projects looking at rural challenges such as mental health, loneliness and skills have been awarded nearly 70,000 in funding. The Princes Countryside Fund (PCF) and Waitrose & Partners have announced the recipients of their new joint 'Happiness Grants'. The grants will fund community projects addressing challenges such as food poverty, mental health, skills and development opportunities, as well as loneliness and isolation. The first six projects as part of this partnership have now been announced, including Positive Community Actiona meal delivery service tackling rural isolation in Pewsey, Wiltshire. Black Mountains College of Talgarth, Wales has received funding, which will provide rural skills and vocational courses in the area. Three farm support organisations Lincolnshire Rural Support Network, Shropshire Rural Support and Warwickshire Rural Hub have also been awarded grants. The funding will be used to improve access to emergency mental health and financial services for farmers. The grants will also support a sustainable farming group to help share environmentally-friendly agricultural practices in the community. Keith Halstead, director of the Princes Countryside Fund, said the funds would respond to the needs of farming and rural communities. "Whether our funding is empowering community-led projects like Stoke Ferry Community Enterprise in Norfolk or meeting day-to-day running costs of farm support groups thereby ensuring family farms have access to practical, local help when they need it. Andrew Bebb, of Shropshire Rural Support, said the grant would give the charity the opportunity to increase hours of operation and extend support. "It will also help us raise awareness of the issue of mental health in farming, and help break the stigma by getting young farmers involved. Welsh governments proposals for the Sustainable Farming Scheme do not work for tenant farmers, NFU Cymru has warned following a series of meetings. Farmers present at the meetings expressed serious concerns that they would not be able to access government support schemes in the future. Figures show that over a quarter of land in Wales is farmed by people who do not own the land that they farm. At the meetings, NFU Cymru shared information on the Agriculture (Wales) Bill introduced to the Senedd last month and the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) set to replace the BPS and Glastir from 2025. Many farmers were doubtful that landlords would be prepared to grant permission for the proposed 10% tree cover and 10% habitat creation universal action requirements given they result in a permanent land use change from productive agricultural land. It was also highlighted that, in many instances, woodlands were not included within the tenancy agreement, so tenant farmers were further away from achieving the governments target for woodland cover. Overall targets for 10% tree cover and 10% habitat were viewed as unworkable for the tenanted sector and likely to prevent equal access to the scheme for the sector. It was also highlighted that SFS proposals for universal actions to be delivered via five year multi-annual contracts did not reflect the on-the-ground realities and the range of land tenure that exists in Wales. These range from full lifetime Agriculture Holdings Tenancies through to land farmed on annual rolling farm business tenancy arrangements and short term lets. It was highlighted that proposals for multi-annual contracts were a significant change from the BPS, which requires having management control of the land on 15 May each year, and being responsible for cross compliance on that land for the calendar year. The amendments within the Agriculture (Wales) Bill to the Agricultural Holdings Act to provide tenants with a dispute resolution was seen as a step forward. However, those attending the meetings agreed that he government needed to recognise the cost of dispute resolution could be prohibitive for some tenants and the process may not be successful. Disappointment was also expressed that similar provisions did not exist for farm business tenancy tenants. Elwyn Evans, NFU Cymru Tenants Representative, said it was vital for the Welsh government to recognise that the tenant farming sector was central to the delivery of its environmental objectives. "A vibrant thriving tenanted sector is also integral in providing opportunities for new entrants and young farmers," he explained. "NFU Cymru welcomes Welsh governments commitment to establish a working group to look at the specific issues for tenant farmers as new schemes are developed. "There is a need to look at the proposed SFS again to ensure that farmers who do not own the land that they farm are not disadvantaged and are able to access the scheme on equal terms. Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions enter here to gain access. If you are not a Current Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you! Tunisias revenues from textile and clothing exports increased by 11.9 per cent from January-September, 2022, compared to the corresponding period in 2021, to reach 6,135.25 million dinars (around $1902.41 million). However, the quantities of goods exported by the country fell to 99,250.97 tons, a decrease of 27.24 per cent year-on-year (YoY). Knitwear exports grew by 24.49 per cent in tons and 34.85 per cent in dinars between January to September 2022. Exports of clothing in warp and weft jumped 12.82 per cent in tons and 18 per cent in dinars during January to September 2022 when compared to the corresponding period in 2021, according to a monthly assessment of foreign trade textile/clothing by the Technical Center for Textiles (CETTEX). Tunisia's revenues from textile and clothing exports increased by 11.9 per cent from January-September, 2022, compared to the corresponding period in 2021, to reach 6,135.25 million dinars (around $1902.41 million). However, the quantities of goods exported by the country fell to 99,250.97 tons, a decrease of 27.24 per cent year-on-year (YoY). There was development in value and weight for clothing exports in warp and weft concerning the main markets Germany (+28.23 per cent in weight and +34.02 per cent in dinars), Italy (+10.17 per cent in weight and +21.33 per cent in dinars), and France (+4.40 per cent in weight and +12.94 per cent in dinars). Exports of Tunisias textile sector dropped 50.33 per cent in tons and 34.03 per cent in dinars. While the African nations textile exports to France dropped by 52 per cent, exports to Italy rose by 13.65 per cent. Textile and clothing imports grew by 29.22 per cent by the end of September 2022 in comparison to the corresponding period of 2021 and are valued at 5,511.15 million dinars (about $1708.89 million). However, quantities of imports dipped to 235,885,56 tons, a decrease of 16.06 per cent. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2022) - NV Gold Corporation (TSXV: NVX) (OTCQB: NVGLF) will be participating in the TAKESTOCK Calgary Investor Forum, which will take place on November 2 at the Calgary Petroleum Club. CEO John Seaberg will be speaking between 12:40 PM MT on November 2. Interested parties can register to attend here. Members of the NV Gold management team will also be taking meetings throughout the day. Take advantage of the opportunity and meet your favorite industry executives. Come meet senior management from companies across a wide range of industries: tech, industrial, finance and services. Market caps from $1M to $1B. Choose from a selection of presentations to help inform your investment choices. To register and access, please follow this link. About NV Gold Corporation NV Gold is a well-financed exploration company with ~80 million shares issued. The Company is focused on delivering value through mineral discoveries in Nevada, USA. Leveraging its expansive property portfolio, its highly experienced in-house technical team, and its extensive geological data library, 2022 - 2023 promises to be highly productive for NV Gold. About the TAKESTOCK Investor Series TakeStock Investor Series is the ideal forum for investors to connect with high growth companies. Its mission is to connect public and emerging private companies with key influencers and investors, providing a platform for networking, education and growth. The series of forums take place each year, providing an excellent opportunity for a select group of companies to tell their story in greater detail. The forum features companies drawn from a wide range of sectors. For further Information: Contact: Freeform Communications Inc. Tel: 604-245-0054 info@nvgoldcorp.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142361 SINGAPORE, Oct 31, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - SMI Vantage Limited, an investment and management company listed on the mainboard of the SGX, today announced it has entered into a binding multi-year franchise agreement with Dutch Oriental Restaurant LLC, to open Robochef F&B outlets in Singapore.This breakthrough AI-driven Robochef will feature machines that will prepare and cook meals that are freshly made on the spot, fast and hassle-free, and importantly, consistent in taste every single time. It will be introduced to malls and residential locations across Singapore and will feature 10-15 rice, noodles, meat and vegetarian dishes to cater to a wide variety of tastes. The menu will be constantly refreshed, depending on the availability of fresh local ingredients, responding to the needs and requirement of local consumers.Artificial Intelligence plays a significant role in the way the dishes are prepared, providing precise cooking times, temperature control, ingredient selection and seasoning, all programmed to produce the perfect dish each time."I am delighted that we are moving forward with this powerful F&B concept, which I believe will excite the marketplace and is entirely consistent with the announcements made on SMI Vantage's new business direction," said Mark Bedingham, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This will be a platform, building on the extensive F&B knowledge and experience within SMI Vantage, and will offer the opportunity for us to grow this business from our Singapore base. In a high labour-cost environment such as Singapore, Robochef is able to keep running costs down and help alleviate manpower constraints and is thus an ideal solution for both customer-facing outlets as well as for central kitchen operations." he added."We are honoured to be in partnership with SMI for our AI Robochef. SMI's strong market and business network would enable our rapid expansion into key markets in Asia Pacific starting with Singapore. Robochef is the world's first Artificial Intelligence-enabled Cloud based system. It not only stores famous creations from global celebrity chefs; but learns, adapts and personalises different cooking styles for localisation. Simply, imagine digital music app store, download your favourite recipe anytime and anywhere to whip up a freshly cooked dish at a touch of a button in no time," said Sandy Tan, Vice President (Asia Pacific), Robochef AI Tech, Dutch Oriental Group of Companies.About SMI VantageSMI Vantage Limited is an investment and management company focused on capitalising on strong trends in the new economy including technology-based SaaS services and other high-tech platforms. Listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange, SMI Vantage Limited has a highly capable and experienced management team with a proven track record in building strong business partnerships and alliances. https://www.smivantage.com/About Dutch OrientalHeadquartered in Dubai, Dutch Oriental is focused on Robotics, AI Technology in hospitality and F&B. Dutch Oriental is also the Builder and Operator of the Largest & Most Luxurious Mega Yachts, Super Yachts and Cultural Boat Fleets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). https://dutchoriental.com/For media queries, please reach out to:Waterbrooks Consultants Pte LtdWayne Koo - wayne.koo@waterbrooks.com.sg +65 9338-8166Derek Yeo - derek@waterbrooks.com.sg +65 9791-4707Proud Investor Relations partner:https://www.waterbrooks.com.sg/ and https://www.shareinvestorholdings.com/Source: SMI VantageCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Take bolder action to prevent recurrence An unprecedented deadly crowd crush has sent shockwaves throughout the country. The tragedy occurred in Itaewon, a popular Seoul nightlife district, on Saturday night when huge crowds of partygoers gathered for Halloween celebrations. It killed at least 154 people, mostly in their late teens and 20s. Twenty-six foreign nationals from 14 countries including China, Iran, Russia, the U.S., France, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Thailand are among the victims. The disaster is South Korea's deadliest since the 2014 ferry Sewol sinking that killed 304 people, mostly high school students who were on a field trip to Jeju Island. It was the first major Halloween in Seoul since November 2019. It came after the country lifted most COVID-19 social distancing rules and other restrictions including the outdoor mask requirements. The crowd crush became deadly particularly as hundreds of people packed into a narrow, inclined alley next to Hamilton Hotel. The festive scene turned into mayhem suddenly as people fell and toppled into one another "like dominos." The death toll is likely to rise further as many of the 133 injured are in critical condition. President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning lasting until Nov. 5. He extended his condolences over the deaths and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families. We also hope that the nation will soon recover from the shock, pain and sorrow of the tragic accident. The government designated Itaewon as a special disaster zone. Thus, it should mobilize all possible means, including emergency medical services, to treat the injured and help the victims' families heal their trauma. It is also urgent to identify over 3,500 people who are still reported missing. Most of all, the authorities should pull out all the stops to minimize the aftermath of the accident. The tragedy is a clear reminder that the nation is ill-prepared to prevent such deadly incidents. It is shameful to see that the authorities have failed to protect people's lives and ensure their safety following repeated deadly accidents. The Sewol sinking showed how vulnerable the country was to safety-related mishaps. Many people can still vividly remember the 1995 collapse of Sampoong Department Store in southern Seoul which claimed 502 lives. A segment of Seongsu Bridge over the Han River collapsed in 1994, killing 32 people. Whenever such accidents took place, the authorities vowed to take all possible measures to prevent further tragedies. Yet critics complain that nothing has changed and that a better system has not yet been put in place to strengthen safety rules. A question is raised over whether the authorities had taken proper precautions for the Halloween event, which drew as many as 130,000 people. The government and law enforce agencies should conduct a thorough investigation of the case to find its exact cause. And then it must work out comprehensive and fundamental measures to prevent such a thing from happening again. Policymakers and local officials need to keep in mind that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Invest more in training and education programs to prevent further tragedies. SINGAPORE, Oct 31, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Kitchen Culture Holdings Ltd. ("Kitchen Culture" or the "Company") said today that a group of 8 shareholders ("the requisitioners") seeking to remove 5 of 6 directors has caused confusion among shareholders and the public by publishing a newspaper advertisement calling off the Extraordinary General Meeting ("EGM") with 1 working day's notice before it was due to be held.The Company said it was made aware of a relatively small advertisement published by the requisitioners in The Business Times on 29 October 2022 (Saturday) to 'postpone' the EGM - originally proposed for 9.00 am on 1 November 2022 (Tuesday) at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel - even though the requisitioners had not communicated this to the Board of Directors ("the Board").While the requisitioners had published a significantly larger advertisement in The Sunday Times - a different newspaper - on 16 October 2022 calling for the EGM and had issued a press release via ACN newswire 8 days later urging shareholders to attend, they now "... appear, suddenly and without giving any explanation, to have diametrically changed their minds with just 1 working day before 1 November 2022," Kitchen Culture said.The Company said that some shareholders may not be aware of the latest advertisement by the requisitioners whose conduct has continued to cause confusion. Kitchen Culture has been receiving calls from shareholders expressing confusion and frustration as they had not received the Purported Notices and proxy forms in the days leading up to the EGM.OOWAY Group Ltd. ("OOWAY") and 7 individuals who own an aggregate of 21.71% of the Company's shares had issued Purported Notices issued under Section 177 of the Companies Act 1967 - on 30 September 2022 and 14 October 2022 - to remove the 5 directors.Kitchen Culture has said that 2 law firms have advised that Purported Notices were defective and that any resolutions passed on 1 November 2022 would be invalid.The Company reminded shareholders today that based on the requisitioners' advertisement on 29 October 2022, the intended EGM tomorrow will not be proceeding, and that they should not show up in person nor provide proxy forms.Kitchen Culture also stressed that, as advised by its lawyers, it is incorrect for the requisitioners to state in the advertisement that they are "postponing" the intended EGM or to "announce" another date "in due course". The Company will write to the requisitioners for clarifications and confirmations on this and other relevant points, as appropriate.Kitchen Culture's Board, with the exception of Madam Hao Dongting, has said that there are no grounds to justify the resignations of the 5 directors - Mr Lim Wee Li (Executive Director), Mr Lau Kay Heng (Non-Executive Director and Vice-Chairman), and 3 Independent Directors, Mr Ang Lian Kiat, Mr William Teo Choon Kow and Mr Peter Lim King Soon.Mr Lau Kay Heng and Mr Peter Lim King Soon were named as new directors to the SGX Catalist-listed provider of solutions and products for kitchens and wardrobes on 15 July 2022, the same day that Mr Lincoln Teo, an OOWAY representative and former Interim CEO of Kitchen Culture, ceased to be Executive Director.The Company stressed that OOWAY had in fact supported the re-appointments of Mr William Teo Choon Kow and Mr Ang Lian Kiat at the Annual General Meeting held on 18 March 2022.Kitchen Culture shares have been suspended from trading since July 2021. Its Board has seen several changes since the involvement of OOWAY in October 2020.Issued by:Kitchen Culture Holdings Ltd.9 Raffles Place, #52-02, Republic PlazaSingapore 048619Tel: +65 6471 6776, Fax: +65 6472 6776Media & Investor ContactWhatsapp (Text): +65 9748 0688kitchenculture@wer1.netThis press release has been reviewed by the Company's sponsor, SAC Capital Private Limited (the "Sponsor"). It has not been examined or approved by the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the "SGX-ST") and the SGX-ST assumes no responsibility for the contents of this press release, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this press release.The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms. Lee Khai Yinn (Tel +65 6232 3210), at 1 Robinson Road, #21-00 AIA Tower, Singapore 048542.Kitchen Culture Holdings Ltd. [SGX: 5TI] [BBG: KCH:SP] [RIC: KCHL.SI] https://kcholdings.com.sgSource: Kitchen Culture Holdings LtdCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. THE DIRECTORS OF IMC EXPLORATION GROUP PLC CONSIDER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO CONTAIN INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF 16 APRIL 2014 ON MARKET ABUSE AS IT FORMS PART OF RETAINED EU LAW AS DEFINED IN THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 (THE "MARKET ABUSE REGULATION"). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THE INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. IMC Exploration Group Public Limited Company ("IMC" or the "Company") Proposed Acquisition of Karaberd Mine - Update IMC Exploration Group plc ("IMC"), the London-listed exploration company based in Ireland, is pleased to announce the following update in relation to the previously announced (15thApril 2021) Framework Agreement dealing with the proposed acquisition from MVI Invests ("MVI") of MVI Ireland s.r.o. ("MVI Ireland"), a special purpose company established to own 100% of Assat LLC ("Assat"), an Armenian-registered company that holds the mining licence for the Karaberd Mine, located in Lori Marz, northern Armenia (the "Acquisition"). This transaction, as previously announced, is classified as a reverse takeover ("RTO") pursuant to the Listing Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom ("FCA") (the "Listing Rules") to which the Company is subject, and under the Irish Takeover Panel Act 1997, Takeover Rules 2013 (the "Takeover Rules"). Following delays attributable primarily to the Covid-19 pandemic, MVI decided early in 2021 to commence the preparation works for mining operations at the Karaberd Mine. These works included preparation of 450m of new soil road, cleaning and servicing of a further 1,300m of soil roads and 140,000m3 of stripping work. It had become apparent that, also as a result of disruptions caused by Covid-19, the building of a production facility for extraction of metals including gold and silver with 100,000 tons' per annum capacity, which MVI had earlier negotiated, would be severely delayed. Assat therefore negotiated interim arrangements with a local refiner to process ore from the Karaberd Mine. During the year ended 31stDecember 2021, a total of 46.2 kg of 0.999 purity fine gold had been extracted at that plant from Karaberd Mine crushed ore output. At the beginning of 2022 Assat, satisfied that there were in place economically mineable quantities of gold and silver at the Karaberd Mine, decided to start stockpiling its crushed ore for processing in the new production facility discussed above, which is expected to be completed by May or June of 2023. This policy should yield a higher marginal return and will also allow for the extraction of silver from mined ore. Currently, there are over 20,000 tons of crushed ore stockpiled and the rate of ore-crushing will increase once the production facility is completed. Although the developments described above are positive from IMC's perspective, they have meant that the character of the Acquisition has changed from that originally conceived. IMC, rather than acquiring a company possessed of a mining licence, is now acquiring the owner of an operating gold mine. The restrictions on international movements imposed as a result of Covid-19 meant that IMC's first possibility to visit the Karaberd Mine site at Lori Marz arose in August of last year. The altered character of the Acquisition, the attenuation of timetables owing to factors beyond the control of IMC and MVI and the recent emergence of new geological data from additional exploration works, both on the Company's extant licence areas in Ireland and on Assat's Karaberd licence in Armenia, led IMC and MVI to agree on the necessity for more recent, audited financial information and for the updating and positive revision of the Competent Persons' Reports on their respective assets. The FCA in December 2021 increased the market capitalisation threshold from 700,000 to 30,000,000 for companies being listed on the standard segment of the FCA's Official List. For this reason, IMC and MVI decided it would be prudent to commission in advance an independent valuation of the enlarged Company's combined assets post- RTO in order to assist in meeting this threshold. This process is now underway. For the avoidance of doubt, the Acquisition remains on the terms of the Framework Agreement announced on 15thApril 2021 with the exceptions of extensions already announced to the long-stop dates and of the share 'clawback' clause requiring a specified quantity of gold to have been refined after a 'Karaberd Commencement of Mining'. This clause, already having been satisfied, has accordingly fallen away. IMC would like to thank shareholders for their patience in supporting the Company during the protracted progress of the Acquisition. Further updates will be issued as and when required. Eamon P. O'Brien, Executive Chairman, Dublin, 28thOctober 2022 The Directors of IMC, after due and careful enquiry, accept responsibility for the content of this announcement. REGULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT ENDS. Enquiries : Keith, Bayley, Rogers & Co. Limited Graham Atthill-Beck: +44 7506 43 41 07 / Graham.Atthill-Beck@kbrl.co.uk; blackpearladvisers@gmail.com Brinsley Holman: +44 7776 30 22 28/ Brinsley.Holman@kbrl.co.uk IMC Exploration Group plc Kathryn Byrne: +353 85 233 6033 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2022) - Defence Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: DTC) (FSE: DTC) (OTC Pink: DTCFF) ("Defence" or the "Company"), a Canadian biopharmaceutical company specialized in the development of immune-oncology vaccines and drug delivery technologies, is initiating a new research and development program designed to exploit the AccumTM technology in engineering messenger (m)RNA vaccines targeting cancer. AccumTM is designed for intracellular accumulation with capabilities to deliver an increased drug delivery to the targeted cells. According to Precedence Research, the mRNA therapeutics market size is projected to surpass around USD 128.14 billion by 2030 and growing at a registered CAGR of 13.03% from 2022 to 2030. The use of the mRNA technology in the formulation of new vaccines has been at the center of focus for many pharmaceutical companies following the successful halting of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna's mRNA vaccines. This new therapeutic modality is currently facing many challenges that may impede its potency. Some of these obstacles include: i) structural complexity of some very large mRNA molecules, ii) the intrinsic instability of mRNA molecules, and more importantly, iii) mRNA sensitivity to degradation by nucleases. Although some of these challenges have been partially solved by means of chemical modification strategies, efficient intracellular delivery of mRNA still represents a major hurdle, which highlights the need of future perspectives/strategies to potentiate this promising new type of medicine. "The use of mRNA vaccines to combat the SARS-CoV2 pandemic has definitely sparked a major line of interest in the use of this technology for other diseases such as cancer. The success of these mRNA anti-cancer vaccines relies primarily on their ability to escape endosomes to reach the cytoplasm of the cell where the final protein product is generated," says Mr. Plouffe, the CEO of Defence Therapeutics. With its impressive pre-clinical success on protein- and antibody-based drugs/vaccines, Defence Therapeutics now intends to incorporate its versatile AccumTM technology in the design of anti-cancer vaccines. Defence and its scientific team see that the application of AccumTM makes perfect sense as this platform is specially designed to overcome one "global and limiting step" for any molecular biopharmaceutical: endosomal escape. "By linking AccumTM to an mRNA molecule, we can ensure that the vaccine is not only delivered to the right cellular compartment, but also accumulates in large amounts to prime an immune response that is at least 50-100-fold higher than standard naked RNA molecules," adds Mr. Plouffe. The Defence team recently initiated an Accum-mRNA anti-cancer vaccine program targeting solid lymphoma. When completed, the company intends to share its successful story with all major players in the field as it believes that the technology should be exploited in every mRNA vaccine currently in development by the pharmaceutical industry. About Defence: Defence Therapeutics is a publicly-traded biotechnology company working on engineering the next generation vaccines and ADC products using its proprietary platform. The core of Defence Therapeutics platform is the ACCUMTM technology, which enables precision delivery of vaccine antigens or ADCs in their intact form to target cells. As a result, increased efficacy and potency can be reached against catastrophic illness such as cancer and infectious diseases. For further information: Sebastien Plouffe, President, CEO and Director P: (514) 947-2272 Splouffe@defencetherapeutics.com www.defencetherapeutics.com Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Neither the CSE nor its market regulator, as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142143 Compact 3,6,9 Channel, Micro Power, 12-bit Color Resolution with Pattern Sequencing MILPITAS, Calif., Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lumissil Microsystems, a division of Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. (ISSI), announced its latest family of multi-channel LED drivers designed to meet today's energy efficient requirements. The newly announced IS31FL3293, IS31FL3296, and IS31FL3299 offer best in class low power consumption, high color resolution, pre-established pattern sequences and space-saving package options. These devices are designed to address the needs of battery powered IoT applications such as wearables, Bluetooth appliances, AI speakers, personal grooming, and medical devices. The IS31FL3293/6/9 devices address the critical challenges of minimal board space and low power consumption required by IoT devices. They consume less than 200uA when fully operational and only 0.3uA when placed into sleep mode, making them ideal for applications requiring long battery life. The LED channel currents can sink up to 40mA with an accuracy of 5% between channels and between parts. Device registers can further fine tune the channel currents. A 6-bit global current register will adjust all the channel currents to a value lower than the default 40mA. An 8-bit register will individually tune each Red, Green or Blue LED current for an added level of current control. Furthermore, a 12-bit register can be programmed to output a precise PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) on each LED channel yielding the best possible color mixing for the Red, Green and Blue LEDs. The IS31FL3293/6/9 serve as a technology refresh for the popular IS31FL3193/6/9 devices which remain in volume production. "ISSI/Lumissil has been a leading supplier of multichannel LEDs for the past 10 years," said Ven Shan, Lumissil's Vice President of Analog Marketing. "Our strategy is to continuously update our LED drivers to keep them relevant for our growing customer base. The IS31FL3293/6/9 devices are an example of integrating advanced technology into already popular product offerings." Key Features and Benefits Power Saving: The devices take advantage of latest silicon design processes to dramatically reduce operating current from 3mA (previous generation) to 0.2mA; a greater than 10x reduction. Device shutdown current is also reduced from 2A (previous generation) to 0.3A; a 6x reduction. High Resolution: The devices integrate programming registers that result in high resolution color mixing. A programmable 12-bit, 23 kHz PWM generator operating above the human-audible frequency, along with an 8-bit per channel current register enable brightness and contrast adjustments for vivid color reproduction and zero audible noise. Programmable Patterns: The devices integrate an "auto breath" engine to simplify software coding when creating LED fade in and out color pattern sequences. A gamma corrected fade ON/Off is automatically created for a register defined duration to create smooth color transition cycles for a specific period of time or indefinitely. Ordering Part Package Type Number of Channels Operating Current (typ) Shutdown Current (typ) Default Channel Current IS31FL3293-UTLS4-TR UTQFN-9 3 100A 0.3A 20mA IS31FL3296-QFLS4-TR QFN-20 6 200A 0.3A 40mA IS31FL3299-QFLS4-TR QFN-20 9 200A 0.3A 40mA Availability and Pricing The IS31FL3293/6/9 devices are available now in production quantities. The IS31FL3293 is priced at $0.29 each in 10K pcs quantities. The IS31FL3296 is priced at $0.37 each in 10K pcs quantities. The IS31FL3299 is priced at $0.40 each in 10K pcs quantities. About Lumissil Microsystems Lumissil Microsystems is a division of ISSI specializing in analog/mixed-signal products for automotive, communications, industrial, and consumer markets. Lumissil's primary products are LED drivers for low to mid-power RGB color mixing and high-power lighting applications. Other products include audio, sensors, high-speed wired communications, optical networking and application-specific microcontrollers. ISSI and Lumissil Microsystems have worldwide offices in the US, Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore, mainland China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, and Korea. Website: http://www.lumissil.com/ About Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. CONTACT: Lumissil Microsystems Ven Shan 408.969.4622 vshan@lumissil.com Allan Chan 408.969.5129 allan_chan@lumissil.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6a5515be-be2e-4316-b0f9-c8a849a0b36f Testing of the LT Series Disc Pump has surpassed 17,000 running hours Milestone result equates to two years' continuous operation LT Series pumps offer up to 270 mbar(g) pressure, -220 mbar(g) vacuum and 1.2 L/min free flow LEE Ventus (formerly known as TTP Ventus), manufacturer of the Disc Pump range of award-winning micropumps, announces a milestone in durability testing of its LT Series Disc Pump. The product line, optimised for long service life, has now surpassed 17,000 hours' operation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221031005024/en/ LEE Ventus' long life pump exceeds 1 trillion cycles, surpassing 17,000+ running hours. This milestone result equates to two years' continuous operation. (Graphic: Business Wire) This extended service life means that LT Series pumps can serve ever more-demanding applications, with the pump able to support 2 years of continuous use. Burag Yaglioglu, Reliability and Data Analytics Lead at LEE Ventus, commented: "During testing, pumps are driven in an elevated environmental temperature of 40 C (104 F) and against a restrictive load that limits the amount of airflow (and therefore cooling) through the pump. These conditions are intended to accelerate the wear processes to ensure that we put the pump through its paces." "In this test, the pumps ran at 0.6 W-or about 60% of their rated power-without significant change in their performance for 17,000 hours-as the pump operates 21,000 times per second, this equates to around 1.3 trillion cycles. We've been able to deliver this exceptional result through advancements in valve technology." Tom Harrison, Managing Director, added: "When we introduced the LT Series with a lifetime of 5,000 hours, we emphasised our commitment to driving further improvements over time. We are delighted to deliver on this ambition and to broaden the range of applications that can take advantage of the technology." LEE Ventus' Disc Pump platform delivers exceptional pressure and flow, silent operation, millisecond-response time, precision controllability and pulsation-free flow. These features enable product designers to drive innovation, across applications from air quality monitoring through wearable medical devices. LEE Ventus will be attending Compamed 2022, Hall 8A Booth H23. Please do come and visit us to discuss further. You can also find out more about our LT Series and download accompanying datasheets here. About LEE Ventus-www.ttpventus.com LEE Ventus (formerly known as TTP Ventus) manufactures the Disc Pump range of award-winning micropumps. The pumps deliver high pressure and flow, silent operation, rapid response time, accuracy, infinite turn-down ratio and ultra-smooth flow all in a tiny package, to support product innovations through wearability, portability, and simplicity. Disc Pumps excite a high-frequency acoustic standing wave in a fixed-volume cavity. A patented ultra-fast valve technology rectifies this standing wave to deliver pumped flow. LEE Ventus is based in Cambridge, UK and is focused on the manufacture and supply of the Disc Pump range. The company was recently acquired by The Lee Company (https://www.theleeco.com), a world leader in miniature precision fluid control products. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221031005024/en/ Contacts: Emma Wilson, LEE Ventus Tel: +44 (0)1763 262626 Email: emma.wilson@ttpventus.com To opt-out from receiving press releases from LEE Ventus, please email enquiries@ttpventus.com. North America's demand for nylon is boosted by the increasing use of thermoplastics in automotive, aerospace, and electrical and electronics industries. North America is expected to be the most opportunistic Nylon-6 market, accumulating 23.8% revenue in 2022. NEWARK, Del., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global nylon-6 market is expected to exhibit a stable CAGR of 5.9% over the projection period from 2022 to 2032. The global market is expected to secure around US$ 26,040.9 Million in 2032 and is likely to hold a valuation of around US$ 14,679 Million in 2022. The growth in the market is attributed to the surging concern about the environment as well as the demand for nylon-6 in the emerging textile market will make nylon-6 a more attractive product in the market. The inclusion of PA 6 and PA 6, 6 into 3-D printing systems is expected to lead to market growth for nylon-6 in the market. From 2016-2021, the market displayed a growth rate of 5.1%. The nylon-6 is known to be a polyamide that is semi-crystalline and is commonly known as polyamide -6 (PA6). When polymerization takes place of the caprolactam, it leads to the production of polyamide 6. Attributing to its unique properties, several industries value its strength, durability, and elasticity in the market. As a result of its high pressure, heat, and corrosion resistance, it is highly regarded in the manufacturing industry. In addition to its phenomenal properties, the nylon-6 polyamide is an engineered thermoplastic that comprises good flow properties, moldability, extrusion capability, chemical resistance, and morphological properties. It has diverse applications which involve fused filament fabrication (FFF), and nylon 6 is considered a promising candidate in future markets. Request a Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1291 Nyon-6 is known for its characterization of physical and chemical properties that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. Approximately 60% of the global production of polyamides is composed of nylon 6. Around 6.6 million metric tons of nylon-6 were globally produced in 2013. In a huge variety of applications, both nylon 6 and nylon 66 can be used interchangeably depending on the local availability and the applications that require them in a particular environment. It becomes evident that nylon 66 and nylon 6 have different properties for industrial uses. Key Takeaways Nylon-6's versatility and its diverse application in various sectors is the major driving factor within the global market. Nylon-6 is used in various end-use industries such as automotive, packaging, electronics & electrical, wires & cables, textiles, films & coating, and others. As a result, the market is expected to benefit from an increase in demand for applications in the above sectors. Nylon 6 (PA-6) is anticipated to see a surge in demand attributed to its usage in the healthcare sector and musical instruments. In addition to that, the nylon-6 market growth continues to prosper over the assessment period through increased capital investments, higher productivity, and a growing product portfolio. Even though nylon-6 (PA6) is an ideal material due to its physical and chemical properties, some features may inhibit its use, like its tendency to shrink in molded sections. The lightweight advantages of nylon 6 result in a significant reduction in fuel emissions along with improved fuel efficiency. Transportation is widely becoming dependent on plastics over recent years. Furthermore, films and coatings are also emerging as a major driver in the food industry where films and coatings are being used to produce flexible packaging with a longer shelf life, such as meat packaging. This sector is dominated by low-cost plastic packaging such as PP, PE, and PVC. Attributing to its high dielectric resistance, nylon 6 is known to be the most preferred polyamide in applications subjected to thermal and mechanical stress. The potential uses of nylon 6 have increased due to the emergence of polymer technologies. Browse Full Report @https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/polyamide-6-market Competitive Landscape Key players in the global nylon-6 market are expected to focus on mergers and acquisitions. The global market is fragmented due to the presence of regional and local players spread across the globe. In order to gain a competitive advantage in the market, prominent market players are inclining towards technological advancements in order to cater to consumer preferences. Key Segments Profiled in the Global Nylon-6 Market By Type: Nylon-6 (PA6) Fiber Nylon-6 (PA6) Resin By Application: Transportation Electrical and Electronics Textiles Industrial Application Other (include music, healthcare, coating sector) By Region: North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa More Insights into the Nylon-6 Market According to the FMI predictions, the global nylon 6 market will continue to dominate the North American region specifically within the transportation sector. According to the forecast, this region is expected to account for 23.8% of the global market share by 2022. Automotive, aerospace and other key manufacturing markets in North America drive the nylon industry. Ask an Analyst @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-1291 Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Background 4. Global Nylon-6 Market Analysis 2016-2021 and Forecast, 2022-2032 To be continued! Have a Look at Related Reports of Chemicals & Materials Domain Nylon 4-6 Market Growth: Increasing industrial investment and high GDP growth in the emerging economies of India and China is among foremost factors driving demand for nylon 4-6 in Asia Pacific. U.S. & Canada Pre-painted Steel Roofing and Cladding Market Type: FMI estimates the U.S. and Canada Pre-Painted Steel Roofing and Cladding market to reach a value of US$ 1,765.9 Mn by the year 2022. Organic Pigments Market Analysis Forecast: The global organic pigments market is projected to have a moderate-paced CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period. Ceramic Tiles Market Sale: Ceramic tiles demand uptick is on card in response to the expansion in the residential, commercial, and construction sectors. As per FMI analysis, the Ceramic Tiles Market will exhibit 7.20% CAGR between 2022 and 2032. Recycled Scrap Metal Market Value: Demand for recycled scrap metal in the automotive, shipbuilding, building, construction and infrastructure sectors is expected to expand. ABOUT FUTURE MARKET INSIGHTS, INC. Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries. Contact: Future Market Insights Inc.? Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA? T: +1-845-579-5705? For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com ?? Browse latest Market Reports: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/FMI_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nylon-6-market-is-set-to-surpass-revenue-of-us-26-1-mn-is-estimated-to-reach-by-2032-end-at-a-steady-cagr--data-analysis-by-future-market-insights-inc-301663180.html Depiction of Electric Axle TOKYO, Oct 31, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - As a global leader in electrification, Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. will provide inverters and motors to JATCO Ltd (henceforth, JATCO), which will supply e-Axles to Nissan's future e-POWER* and battery electric vehicles.For Nissan's electric axles, of which JATCO will be responsible as a Tier 1 systems integrator, Hitachi Astemo will deliver highly efficient, low-loss motors that use a square wire, as well as highly efficient inverters.A number of countries around the world have been expressing their commitment to achieving carbon neutrality, and automakers are accelerating the launch of environmentally friendly vehicles, which include electrified vehicles. Demand is expected to rise for e-Axles that are not only lightweight, compact and efficient, but also more efficient to manufacture, with lower cost through a reduced number of parts. To this end, Hitachi Astemo will respond to the rapidly expanding e-Axle demand by expanding sales of its in-house developed electric axles to various automobile manufacturers globally. It will also supply motors and inverters for electric axles assembled by automobile and gearbox manufacturers.Moving forward, Hitachi Astemo will strengthen its position as a global leader in electrification. This will be achieved by leveraging synergies from the 2021 merger of Hitachi Automotive Systems with Keihin, Showa and Nissin Kogyo to form Hitachi Astemo, taking advantage of the integrated technologies and resources while further enhancing its global production bases. Specifically for the electrification business, it is aiming to invest 300 billion yen including R&D until fiscal 2025, increase sales revenue to over 400 billion yen in fiscal 2025 and more than double sales revenue by fiscal 2030.Hitachi Astemo in cooperation with Hitachi's R&D Group boasts an inverter with industry-leading power density, thanks to its unique cooling power module and small, thin, highly heat-dissipating insulation mounting technology. Motors are Hitachi's founding product, and Hitachi Astemo has established a competitive advantage in torque density through the technologies it has cultivated over the years--which include material development, analysis, sound-reducing and manufacturing technologies to develop the magnetic circuits comprised of magnets, electromagnetic steel sheets, and windings. Hitachi Astemo also shows its strengths as a systems integrator, which includes optimization control software for motors and gears. At the same time, JATCO leverages its accumulated expertise from the development and mass production of transmissions to produce compact and quiet gearboxes. This combined with Hitachi Astemo's motors and inverters is a total e-Axle package for Nissan, boasting industry- leading efficiency, low vibration, low noise and modular design.Hitachi Astemo is committed to strengthening its business and delivering technological innovation through a strategic business portfolio, which consists of the Powertrain & Safety Systems business, Chassis business, Motorcycle business, Software business and Aftermarket business. Aiming for a better environment globally and growth around the pillars of "green," "digital," and "innovation," Hitachi Astemo will deliver highly efficient internal combustion engine systems; electric systems that reduce emissions; autonomous driving for improved safety and comfort; advanced driver assistance systems; and advanced chassis systems. Through such advanced mobility solutions, Hitachi Astemo will contribute to realizing a sustainable society and provide enhanced corporate value for our customers.*e-POWER: Nissan trademark. Gasoline engine charges the battery while the vehicle runs 100% on the electric motor.About Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.Head Office: New Otemachi Building, Otemachi 2-chome, 2-1, Chiyoda-ku, TokyoBusiness: Development, manufacture, sales and service of machinery and equipment and systems for automotive parts and transportation and industrial useFor more information, please visit the Hitachi Astemo website: www.hitachiastemo.com/en/Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. TAIPEI, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aleees (TWSE: 5227), the Taiwan-based lithium-iron phosphate ("LFP") cathode battery material manufacturer will provide state-of-the-art LFP process technology to ICL,a leading global specialty minerals company to develop a $400 million lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode active material (CAM) manufacturing plant in St. Louis. This is expected to be the first large-scale LFP material manufacturing plant in the United States. The company was awarded $197 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, which is subject to the completion of negotiations with the Department of Energy. The plant is expected to be operational by 2024 and will produce high-quality LFP material for the global lithium battery industry, using primarily a domestic supply chain. The LFP plant represents a significant expansion of ICL's energy storage portfolio and demonstrates the company's commitment to developing high-quality specialty products for agricultural, food and industrial applications. While the demand for lithium batteries continues to grow, currently there are no large-scale manufacturers of LFP material in the United States. By 2025, the share of LFP batteries is expected to reach more than 30% of all battery shipments. Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is a key driver for the LFP battery market, as this industry and others - such as stationary grid storage and EV charging infrastructure - continue to look for more sustainable, safer and cost-effective solutions. By 2030, Cairn ERA forecasts global demand for the Li-ion battery market will reach more than 2,725 GWh, for a market value of more than $240 billion. "LFP is a critical solution for the U.S. energy-storage, mobility and infrastructure market," said Phil Brown, president of Phosphate Specialties and managing director of North America for ICL. "The $197 million investment from the Department of Energy is crucial to building a domestic manufacturer, which can compete globally while providing a much-needed safety net for American manufacturers in the EV, battery and energy-storage industries." ICL's 120,000-square-foot LFP plant is expected to have two production lines built in two phases under a single roof. Each production line will be capable of producing 15,000 metric tons of LFP material per year. Phase one is expected to be complete by 2024, and full production of 30,000 metric tons is expected by 2025. The new plant will be located on ICL's existing Carondelet campus in St. Louis. ICL partners for the project will include Aleees, which will provide the state-of-the-art LFP process technology, and McCarthy, which will oversee the management of general contracting and is also based in St. Louis. The local community will benefit not only through more than 150 high-paying union and professional jobs, but also as ICL expands its active role in developing the next generation of ICL employees. About the Funding from the Department of Energy ICL is a recipient of the first set of projects funded by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and the electrical grid and for materials and components currently imported from other countries. Responsible and sustainable domestic sourcing and processing of the critical materials used to make lithium-ion batteries will strengthen American supply chains, accelerate battery production to meet increased demand, and secure the nation's economic competitiveness, energy independence, and national security. The funding by the Department of Energy is the first phase of over $7 billion in total provided by the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the battery supply chain. DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) is responsible for strengthening and securing manufacturing and energy supply chains needed to modernize the nation's energy infrastructure and support a clean and equitable energy transition. MESC will manage the portfolio of projects with support from DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office. About Aleees Aleees (TWSE: 5227), founded in 2005 with main office and factory located in Taiwan, is a lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery material manufacturer with longest history as well as an IP licensor in the world, and is also one of the few companies outside Mainland China with [complete] LFP battery material manufacturing technology and patents. Aleees Taiwan owns more than 120 exclusive patents worldwide, with customers including world-renowned energy storage battery and EV battery customers across Europe, U.S., Japan, Korea, and Asia. At present Aleees co-develops various types of LFP, LFMP products with more than 40 global customers, and produces high-quality, low-cost, and long-life cycle LFP cathode materials. In the 17 years since its establishment, it has accumulated more than 15,000 tons of LFP product shipments totally from Taiwan facility. For more information, please visit www.aleees.com. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/aleees-to-support-icl-on-its-in-cathode-active-material-manufacturing-facility-in-st-louis-funded-by-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-for-the-battery-supply-chain-301663195.html LENZING, Austria, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainability lives in the DNA of the TENCEL brand. As consumers become more skeptical about environmental claims due to greenwashing practices, it has been TENCEL's mission to increase transparency across the supply chain, so that not only the interest of value chain partners and consumer brands are protected, but consumers will always be able to purchase the best sustainable products. In celebration of TENCEL's 30th anniversary this year, while Lenzing's growth of product licensing numbers remain on track, Lenzing is committed to working closely with our valued partners to overcome any hurdles that comes it way. Some latest TENCEL brand updates include: Timberland partners with TENCEL to launch new eco-friendly collection Well-known footwear brand Timberland has incorporated TENCEL branded lyocell fibers with REFIBRA technology in their latest collection, TIMBERLAND EARTHKEEPERS BY RAEBURN. The collection, designed by Christopher Raeburn, combines Timberland's outdoor heritage with TENCEL's commitment to creating a circular economy in the textiles industry. Jacaranda and TENCEL launch carbon zero carpet and rug collection UK-based luxury carpet and rugs brand Jacaranda launched the world's first collection of handwoven carpets and rugs made from 100% carbon-zero TENCEL branded lyocell fibers. Named "Seoni", the collection has raised the sustainability standard of home furnishings and decorations. As the TENCEL brand continues its 'True Carbon Zero' journey, Jacaranda is also committed to becoming net zero by 2040 as part of its pledge to the UN's 'Race to Zero' initiative. Lenzing addresses copyright infringement and counterfeiting with Red Points partnership Lenzing has partnered with Red Points, an online IP infringement detection and removal company, to fight copyright infringement and counterfeiting. Harold Weghorst, Global Vice President of Marketing and Branding at Lenzing, indicated that the partnership will boost transparency and traceability within the supply chain. The collaboration also helps address growing concerns from consumers, who are interested to know the entire production process of the products they purchase and more aware of issues such as greenwashing. Empower consumer brands with TENCEL Consumers and retail brands believe in TENCEL's brand values and trust the sustainability and quality of its fiber products. To maintain the integrity of the brand, Lenzing AG protects the TENCEL trademark by proactively detecting and enforcing against infringements and misuse, supported by a fiber verification system. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tenceltm-strives-to-increase-textile-supply-chain-transparency-as-collaborations-with-consumer-brands-grow-301663199.html A police box at Seodaemun in the early 1900s. Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff In the early 1890s, one British visitor to the Korean Peninsula declared that "the chief sources of expense to a [Korean] man lie in his clothes and his pipe." Pipe smoking was an integral part of Korean society enjoyed not only by men, but also women and even children. Tobacco soothed the troubled-spirit, aided in the treatment of diseases and injuries and was even figuratively used to "reckon time by the number of pipes smoked." An example given in an 1893 article was: "He only stopped long enough to smoke one pipe" which indicated a very short time. A Korean gentleman enjoying his pipe in the early 1900s. Robert Neff Collection Pipes were expensive and prized especially the long-stemmed pipes which were seen as status symbols. Thus, it isn't too surprising to learn that when a law prohibiting smoking long pipes in the streets was enacted, it enraged a large number of people. It was the custom of the yangban (gentry) and the affluent (as well as posers) to smoke tobacco using long pipes the longer the pipe the more affluent the smoker. It must have really chaffed these Joseon-era influencers to be harangued by the police especially when the police were often criticized in the local paper for doing nothing but "smoking pipes in their boxes and saluting certain yangban who pass by." The government claimed that the ban on these long pipes was for safety reasons. Sometimes, while walking and smoking, the pipes were inadvertently bumped by passersby causing them to piece the throats of their hapless smoker. According to one early visitor, this was a fairly common accident. "The commonest surgical operation in Korea, the medical missionaries say, is to pull a two or three foot pipe stem out of the back of a Korean neck; by accidents in wheeling around corners or by falling down when intoxicated, these pipe stems are jammed downwards or backwards, ad infinitum." However, not all of these incidents occurred while the smoker was walking. In March 1897, The Independent the local newspaper reported: "Pak Changsik of Nitong, while standing in front of a Chinese mans store recently on that street with a long pipe in his mouth, was struck by a Chinese man named Yu Kebup. The blow caused the pipe to pierce the throat of the Korean. The injured man attempted to hit the Chinese man, but before he could strike him, two other Chinese men rushed at the Korean and threw him to the ground. A Korean policeman interfered and arrested the Chinesemen. They were locked up in the Chinese jail by the Chinese police, and were made to pay the Korean for the damage which he sustained." In January 1898, a Korean soldier a member of the Imperial Guard had the audacity to smoke a long pipe as he passed by a police box. The policeman scolded the soldier and told him to put the pipe out as it was against the law. Defiantly, the soldier informed the policeman that he was "not under the police law and he did not care to observe it" and went on puffing on his pipe. The situation quickly deteriorated into a general melee as the policeman tried to physically enforce the law and the soldier with the same amount of determination physically defended his independence from the law. A number of passing soldiers and policemen joined into the fight. Fortunately for all, a police sergeant arrived before swords and knives could be drawn and restored peace. A good meal followed by a good smoke in the early 20th century. Robert Neff Collection 6,002 m drill program completed in 2022 expanded potential for uranium mineralisation Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2022) - GoviEx Uranium Inc. (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQX: GVXXF) ("GoviEx" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the 2022 drilling program at its 100% owned polymetallic copper-silver-uranium Falea Project in Mali. The Falea Project located in western Mali contains 31 Mlb U3O8, and also reports an average copper and silver grades of 0.2% and 42 g/t respectively.1, 2 The Falea Project includes three exploration licenses, namely Falea, Bala and Madini, with current mineral resources being solely within the Falea license. The Falea Project is positioned on strike with two major gold trends. During the first and second quarters of 2022, the Company undertook a diamond drilling program that totalled 6,002 meters of NQ sized diamond core over 12 drill holes. A total of 10 drill holes, totalling 5,201 meters were completed on the Falea licence and 2 drill holes for 800 meters on the Bala licence. Highlights from the drilling program include: Potential to expand uranium mineralisation Copper mineralisation expands beyond uranium mineralisation into higher sediments structures IP defines structures that drive uranium-copper mineralisation providing a better targeting tool Gold mineralisation in the Birimian but limited zone next to the Road Fault Commenting on the results, Govind Friedland, Executive Chairman, said, "We are extremely excited with the results from our 2022 drilling program at our Falea Project, which continues to show promising potential. The IP data, analyzed by Computational Geosciences - the global leader in geophysical data interpretation, shows targets with a strong correlation with known uranium mineralization, which means we now have a clear roadmap of targets for our next drilling program. Falea is clearly a compelling and highly prospective assetI and we look forward to expanding our exploration program, particularly now that we can focus our efforts in the most prospective areas." The drill program was designed to target mineralisation in the Birimian rocks below the sedimentary mineralisation based on Induced Polarisation (IP) targets, and evidence from historical drill cores already reported copper and gold mineralisation. Within Falea license three separate structural targets, were defined (see figure1): Zone 1 (DF923 - DF926) targeted the Road Fault in the Falea North Zone 2 (DF927 - DF930) targeted the North West trend Zone 3 (DF931 - DF932) focused on Road Fault between Falea North and Central The results from Zone 1 intersected the Road Fault and highlighted the faulting and repetition of the geology in the area. The results show: The potential gold mineralisation along and close to the Road Fault, with a number to interesting assay results including 1.62 meters at 3.30 g/t, 1 meter at 2.32 meters at 2.32 g/t and 2 meters at 1.08 g/t (see table). Uranium results confirmed mineralisation in the Upper North and North Deep deposits Strong correlation between copper and uranium mineralisation within the sedimentary sequence. Historical and hence current practices have only started sampling from just above the Kania Sandstone (KS) formation which hosts most of the uranium mineralisation. The potential for copper in the overlying ASK and underlying VC formations needs to be considered in future work, and this may expand the thickness of the mineralised zone. The results from Zones 2 and 3 are very interesting from the perspective of future uranium exploration on the Falea licence, although they did not intersect any major mineralization in the Birimian. These results show that the gradient IP can be useful for mapping the major structures that support uranium and copper mineralisation. There is a strong correlation of copper mineralisation with high IP response, and consequently with uranium, as copper and uranium tend to occur together over most of the Falea deposit (see figure 2). Several target zones have been identified based on this relationship, which will be taken into consideration for the Company's next drilling campaign. In Zone 3 the drilling results and the gradient IP clearly show that the Road Faults positioning has historically been misinterpreted and that it should expected to be positioned between the recent drill holes DF-931 and DF-932, with the later drill hole reporting 2 meters at 7,260 ppm copper and 42 g/t silver. As a result of this finding, the exploration potential of this area will be re-assessed, with the potential to connect the Falea North and Central deposits. The two drill holes completed over the Bala licence (see figure 4) were drilled along the IP section, and the drill holes were orientated westward targeting expected structures that were assumed to be in a similar orientation to the Road Fault. The results from Zone 2 and 3 indicate that future Bala exploration should consist of expanding the IP survey area and target future drilling onto the IP highs. Figure 1: Drill hole location map and outline of mineral resources To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/142436_183949e9a4fa7a4b_002full.jpg Figure 2: Section DF-923 and DF-925 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/142436_183949e9a4fa7a4b_003full.jpg Figure 3: Falea Drill holes, gradient IP and copper grade thickness contours To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/142436_183949e9a4fa7a4b_004full.jpg Figure 4: Bala gradient IP and drill holes To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5017/142436_183949e9a4fa7a4b_005full.jpg Drilling Mineralization highlights Hole Number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) U (ppm) Cu (ppm) Ag (g/t) Au (ppm) Rock Type Zone 1 DF-923 222 223 1 2160 ASK DF-923 225 226 1 489 DF-923 226 227 1 2430 KS DF-923 228 229 1 5440 KI/VC DF-923 246 247 1 0,54 Schist DF-923 269,5 271,12 1.62 3,30 Schist DF-923 283 284 1 3270 ASK DF-923 284 285 1 4160 ASK/KS DF-923 298 299 1 4440 ASK DF-923 299 300 1 2220 ASK/KS DF-923 305 306 1 4540 KS/KI DF-924 210 211 1 6640 ASK DF-924 211 212 1 2310 ASK/KS DF-924 274 275 1 2,32 Greywacke DF-924 279 280 1 0,59 Greywacke DF-925 214 215 1 2920 KS DF-925 267 269 1 1,08 Greywacke DF-926 202 203 1 3620 ASK DF-926 203 204 1 3020 42,9 KS DF-926 210 211 1 411 KS DF-926 352 353 1 0,50 Schist Zone 2 DF-927 197 198 1 3930 ASK DF-927 198 199 1 3370 ASK/KS DF-927 200 201 1 996 322 KS DF-927 201 202 1 586 28,7 KS DF-927 218 219 1 0,68 Greywacke DF-927 207 207,5 0,5 866 5220 496 KS/KI DF-927 207,5 208,5 1 4950 28,9 KI/VC DF-928 204 205 1 5040 ASK DF-928 213 214 1 6920 KI DF-929 250 251 1 0,58 Schist DF-930 233 234 1 500 KS DF-930 235 236 1 347 Ks Zone 3 DF-931 249 250 1 9790 52.6 VC DF-931 250 251 1 4730 30.8 VC Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Mr. Jerome Randabel, MAIG, Chief Geologist of the Company, a Qualified Person as defined in Canadian National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" ("NI 43-101"). Technical Notes All cores were geologically logged by the Company's geologists at the Falea Project using geological best practice. The core intervals of interest within the Taoudeni Basin sequence were selected based on the presence of radioactivity measured using a RS120 scintillometer. The usual core length of 1 meter was selected, with minimum core length of 0.5 meter where applicable. For the Birimian sequence, the entire length was selected for sampling and analysis. The samples were halved using a core saw, labelled, and put into plastic bags to be sent to ALS laboratories in Bamako, Mali for prepping. The pulps were then sent to the ALS laboratories in Johannesburg, RSA for 48 element analysis using ICP-MS (ME-MS61) and to their laboratories in Burkina Faso for gold assays using fire assay (AU-AA26). QAQC methodology was followed by introducing Blanks, duplicates and Standards at regular intervals. Drill hole locations Hole ID East North RL(m) Azimuth Dip Depth (m) DF-923 250945 1360197 467 270 -75 400 DF-924 250980 1360324 493 270 -75 500,38 DF-925 251001 1360197 463 270 -75 500 DF-926 251029 1360322 470 270 -75 500 DF-927 251285 1360483 488 150 -75 600 DF-928 251431 1360370 482 150 -75 500 DF-929 251547 1359951 491 330 -75 500,33 DF-930 251736 1360064 521 330 -75 600 DF-931 251234 1359401 483 250 -75 550,33 DF-932 250859 1359267 476 250 -75 550,45 BF-023 253719 1353401 304 240 -75 400,16 BF-024 253382 1353193 324 240 -75 400,23 Notes: (1) See the technical report titled, "Technical Report on the Falea Uranium, Silver and Copper Deposit, Mali, West Africa" prepared by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. for Denison Mines Corp., October 26, 2015. (2) Falea Mineral Resources as at October 26, 2015: Tonnes U3O8 Cu Ag U3O8 Cu Ag Category (MT) (%) (%) (g/t) (Mlbs) (Mlbs) (Moz) Indicated 6.88 0.115 0.161 72.8 17.4 24.4 16.11 Inferred 8.78 0.069 0.200 17.3 13.4 38.7 4.9 The Company's mineral resources as at October 26, 2015, are classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Definition Standards - For Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" in accordance with NI 43-101. Mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates reflect the Company's reasonable expectation that all necessary permits and approvals will be obtained and maintained. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have to demonstrate economic viability. Mineral resources are subject to infill drilling, permitting, mine planning, mining dilution and recovery losses, among other things, to be converted into mineral reserves. Due to the uncertainty associated with inferred mineral resources, it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to indicated or measured mineral resources, including as a result of continued exploration. The Mineral Resource Statement was prepared Mark Mathisen, C.P.G., Senior Geologist, of Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is a Qualified Persons as defined by the CIM Code. Source: Technical Report titled "Technical Report on the Falea Uranium, Silver and Copper Deposit, Mali, West Africa" prepared by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. for Denison Mines Corp., October 26, 2015. Notes: CIM definitions followed for classification of Mineral Resources. Reported above a cut-off grade of 0.03% U308, based on a uranium price of US$75/lb. Bulk density is 2.65 t/m3. Numbers may not add due to rounding. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About GoviEx Uranium Inc. GoviEx is a mineral resource company focused on the exploration and development of uranium properties in Africa. GoviEx's principal objective is to become a significant uranium producer through the continued exploration and development of its flagship mine-permitted Madaouela Project in Niger, its mine-permitted Mutanga Project in Zambia, and its multi-element Falea Project in Mali. Contact Information Isabel Vilela Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Tel:+1-604-681-5529 Email: info@goviex.com Web: www.goviex.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All information and statements other than statements of current or historical facts contained in this news release are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in GoviEx's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward- looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. Forward-looking statements include those related to: (i) potential to expand uranium mineralisation on the Falea Project; (ii) the IP defined structures that drive uranium-copper mineralisation providing a better targeting tool and a clear roadmap of targets for GoviEx's next drilling program; (iii) the expansion of the Company's exploration program on the Falea Project's ;most prospective areas; (iv) the potential to connect the Falea North and Central deposits; (v) strong correlation of copper mineralisation with high IP response will be taken into consideration for the Company's next drilling campaign; (vi) consideration of the potential for copper in the overlying ASK and underlying VC formations in future work, which may expand the thickness of the mineralised zone; and (vii) future Bala exploration to consist of expanding the IP survey area and target future drilling onto the IP highs. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include the following: (i) that the Company will be successful in its exploration and development plans for all its projects; (ii) that all planned exploration programme on the Falea Project will be completed as planned and meet GoviEx's objectives; and (iii) that the price of uranium will remain sufficiently high and the costs of advancing the Company's projects will remain sufficiently low so as to permit GoviEx to implement its business plans in a profitable manner. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include (i) the inability of the Company to successfully complete the exploration and development plans; (ii) potential delays due to COVID-19 restrictions; (iii) the failure of the Company's projects, for technical, logistical, labour-relations, or other reasons; (iv) a decrease in the price of uranium below what is necessary to sustain the Company's operations; (v) an increase in the Company's operating costs above what is necessary to sustain its operations; (vi) accidents, labour disputes, or the materialization of similar risks; (vii) a deterioration in capital market conditions that prevents the Company from raising the funds it requires on a timely basis; and (viii) generally, the Company's inability to develop and implement a successful business plan for any reason. In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risks Factors" in the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2021, of GoviEx, which is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this news release. Although GoviEx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward- looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance, or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances, or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this news release will transpire or occur, or, if any of them do so, what benefits that GoviEx will derive therefrom. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and GoviEx disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142436 REGINA, SK / ACCESSWIRE / October 31, 2022 / ROK Resources Inc. ("ROK" or the "Company") (TSXV:ROK) is pleased to announce that it has added Tom MacInnis as a director of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. MacInnis is an independent businessman, currently CEO and Director of Southern Pacific Resource Corp., and a member of the advisory committee for Lex Energy Partners Funds III, IV and V. Mr. MacInnis brings a wealth of energy capital markets and transactional experience, as previous Head of Financial Markets, Energy and Head of Energy Investment Banking for National Bank Financial Markets and prior thereto Managing Director of Investment Banking for Tristone Capital Inc. Mr. MacInnis was the board chairman of Crestwynd Exploration Ltd. prior to its sale in 2022, along with previous board of director roles with Bellatrix Exploration Ltd. (and Interim CEO) and Canadian Premium Sand Inc. Mr. MacInnis holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Saint Mary's University, a diploma in Petroleum Engineering from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, a Masters of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and holds ICD.D certification from the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors. Mr. MacInnis is also a significant shareholder of the Company, holding approximately 3.7 million common shares in the capital of the Company and warrants exercisable into an additional 1.5 million common shares, which, when exercised and together with the common shares, would represent approximately 2.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company. In connection with the foregoing, Mr. MacInnis has been issued a total of 800,000 stock options with an exercise price of $0.35, vesting as to one third immediately, one third in the first anniversary date of the date of grant and the final one third on the second anniversary of the date of grant and expiring five years from the date of issuance. Mr. MacInnis's appointment as a director of the Company will be subject to a vote of the shareholders of the Company, along with all of the other current directors of the Company, at the annual general and special meeting of shareholders to be held on December 15, 2022 at 10 a.m. (Calgary time). Details of this meeting, including materials relating to same, will be sent during the month of November and filed under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com in due course. About ROK ROK is primarily engaged in exploring for petroleum and natural gas development activities in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Its head office is located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and ROK's common shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol "ROK". For further information, please contact: Cameron Taylor, Chairman and CEO Bryden Wright, COO Jared Lukomski, Senior Vice President, Land & Business Development Phone: (306) 522-0011 Email: investor@rokresources.ca Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to pursuing the objectives and the expectations regarding the expected results thereof. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to general business, economic and social uncertainties; litigation, legislative, environmental, and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals; those additional risks set out in ROK's public documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; and other matters discussed in this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility of the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: ROK Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/723000/ROK-Resources-Announces-Addition-of-New-Director BRASILIA (dpa-AFX) - Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made a stunning comeback in Brazil's politics by winning the presidential election. He defeated far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro in the second round by winning 50.9 percent of the votes. The election headed to a run off after both the candidates failed to win a clear majority in the first round held earlier this month. The Opposition candidate's win marks the return of the left into power in Latin America's largest country after nearly four years under the rule of far-right leader Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro was elected President in January 2019 as the candidate of the conservative Social Liberal Party, and joined the Liberal Party in November 2021. Lula, who was President for two consecutive terms during 2003-2010, was jailed for 580 days over a series of corruption scandals. The Supreme Court annulled the charges against him in 2021, paving the way for the 76-year-old leader to run again for presidency. 'They tried to bury me alive and I'm here,' he told supporters in a victory speech Sunday evening. He described the win as his political 'resurrection.' Lula Da Silva is assuming office at a time Brazil finds it difficult to recover from the effects of Covid-19. The pandemic worsened the country's poverty rate. The country is also facing rampant deforestation in the Amazon. Lula had vowed to take measures to protect the Amazon rain forest if he wins the presidency. U.S. President Joe Biden congratulated Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil. He termed the elections 'free, fair, and credible.' In a message congratulating the incoming President on Twitter, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrote, 'I look forward to working together on the issues that matter to the UK and Brazil, from growing the global economy to protecting the planet's natural resources and promoting democratic values.' Lula's win marks the latest in a series of pro-left wave across Latin America, following Argentina, Colombia and Chile. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de KBRA Affirms AA+ Financial Strength Ratings of Assured Guaranty's U.S., U.K. and European Insurance Subsidiaries Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO) (together with its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty) announced that Kroll Bond Rating Agency LLC (KBRA) has affirmed the AA+ insurance financial strength rating of Assured Guaranty Corp. (AGC), Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. (AGM) and AGM's U.K. and European subsidiaries Assured Guaranty UK Limited (AGUK) and Assured Guaranty (Europe) SA (AGE). All the ratings have Stable Outlooks. In its October surveillance report affirming the AA+ ratings of AGM and its U.K. and European subsidiaries, KBRA wrote: "AGM's rating reflects its substantial claims paying resources, skilled management team and ability to withstand KBRA's conservative stress scenario losses as applied across the company's insured portfolio." KBRA noted AGM's "[e]xperienced management team which operates with a mature and high-functioning operating platform supported by strong governance and risk management systems." "Municipal market insured penetration has increased and is currently at its highest levels since 2009." "AGM's exposure to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, long a key area of focus for KBRA, has materially decreased as the Commonwealth's plan of adjustment was confirmed and consummated in early 2022. A resolution of Highway and Transportation Authority (HTA) bonds, which is expected in late 2022, will leave Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) as the only remaining material Puerto Rico exposure within the portfolio yet to be resolved." "KBRA notes that Assured's financial position has become significantly less vulnerable to unfavorable outcomes with respect to Puerto Rico and that ultimate resolution at a level which is favorable when compared to KBRA's conservative stress case would, all things equal, have a positive impact on AGM's capital position under KBRA's cash flow analysis." "AGUK and AGE benefit from extensive intra-group financial support agreements." In its October surveillance report affirming the AA+ ratings of AGC, KBRA noted that: "AGC's rating reflects its strong capital position and claims paying resources relative to conservative stress scenario losses, skilled management team and ability to withstand KBRA's conservative stress scenario losses as applied across the company's insured portfolio." "[T]here are signs of increased activity in certain structured finance sectors as well as international infrastructure." "A resolution of Highway and Transportation Authority (HTA) bonds, which is expected in late 2022, will leave Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) as the only remaining material Puerto Rico exposure within the portfolio yet to be resolved." "The insured portfolio remains substantially smaller since the credit crisis and leverage metrics remain historically low. AGC is a strategically important entity within the Assured platform and has historically been used as the vehicle for portfolio acquisitions." In commenting on the COVID-19 pandemic, KBRA wrote: "KBRA has viewed the COVID-19 pandemic primarily as a liquidity event in the near-term as financial guaranty policies only cover scheduled principal and interest. Economic recovery from the pandemic has generally exceeded expectations with the influx of federal aid and stimulus monies. KBRA observes that the Federal response was highly effective for most municipal creditors." In response to the report, Dominic Frederico, President and CEO of Assured Guaranty said: "We are pleased with the affirmation of our AA+ (Stable Outlook) rating for AGC, AGM and AGM's U.K. and European subsidiaries. Our company has remained well capitalized and performed well during the pandemic, and we have now achieved a long sought-after resolution to these Puerto Rico credits, as referenced in the report. Insured penetration over the last two years has increased relative to historical levels post the global financial crisis, and we believe we are well positioned for new business opportunities while maintaining our prudent credit and risk management processes. As KBRA noted in their report, we have a proven management team and a well-developed governance framework on which to do so." Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect Assured Guaranty's current views with respect to future events and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, difficulties executing Assured Guaranty's business strategy; those risks and uncertainties resulting from changes in rating agency models or opinions; the development, course and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the governmental and private actions taken in response, and the global consequences of the pandemic and such actions; adverse credit developments in Puerto Rico or other portions of Assured Guaranty's insured portfolio and the impact of those developments on rating agency models and opinions; insured losses in excess of those expected by Assured Guaranty or the failure of Assured Guaranty to realize loss recoveries that are assumed in its expected loss estimates for insurance exposures, including as a result of the failure to resolve Assured Guaranty's Puerto Rico exposure in a manner substantially consistent with the support agreements signed to date; other risks and uncertainties that have not been identified at this time, management's response to these factors, and other risk factors identified in Assured Guaranty's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made as of October 31, 2022. Assured Guaranty undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a publicly traded (NYSE: AGO) Bermuda-based holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty provides credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets, and also provides asset management services. More information on Assured Guaranty Ltd. and its subsidiaries can be found at AssuredGuaranty.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221031005262/en/ Contacts: Robert Tucker, 212-339-0861 Senior Managing Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications rtucker@agltd.com Media: Ashweeta Durani, 212-408-6042 Vice President, Corporate Communications adurani@agltd.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2022) - Southern Silver Exploration Corp. (TSXV: SSV) ("Southern Silver") reported assay results from its final four drill holes on the North Felsite - North Skarn targets which continues to confirm and extend silver-polymetallic mineralization on the Cerro Las Minitas project, Durango, Mexico. Drilling tested an eastern projection of the North Skarn target at approximately 400 metres below surface. Mineralization remains open both laterally to the east and at depth and demonstrates continuity with previously drilled mineralization in the Skarn Front deposit. Drilling also tested gaps within the current drill pattern around hole 21CLM-175 (1.9m of 1530g/t AgEq; see NR-19-21). Highlight intercepts from the four drill holes include: a 0.8 metre interval (0.6 metre est. TT.) averaging 746g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au, 0.2% Cu, 17.1% Pb and 13.2% Zn (1904g/t AgEq) within a 2.6 metre interval (2.0 metre est. TT.) averaging 336g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au, 0.2% Cu, 6.5% Pb and 4.7% Zn (780g/t AgEq) from drill hole 22CLM-194; and averaging 0.1g/t Au, 0.2% Cu, and 13.2% Zn within averaging 0.1g/t Au, 0.2% Cu, from drill hole a 3.4 metre interval (3.0 metre est. TT.) averaging 219g/t Ag, 2.5% Pb and 0.6% Zn (333g/t AgEq) from drill hole 22CLM-193; Drilling on these targets, which started in September 2021, has now tested a 400 metre strike-length of mineralization which wraps around the eastern and northern perimeter of the Central Intrusion and links previously identified mineralization in the Mina La Bocona and Skarn Front deposits. Twenty-five holes totaling 11,275 metres were completed in the two target areas to depths of up to 450 metres below surface. Vice President of Exploration Rob Macdonald states: "Drilling over the last 15 months has helped confirm the projection and continuity of new mineralization between the Mina La Bocona and Skarn Front deposits. Work has now started on modelling the data which will be used in an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the project with the results anticipated in Q1 2023. Current engineering suggests that new Mineral Resources can be processed in the current Life-of-Mine design as described in the Company's PEA on the Cerro Las Minitas Project, available on SEDAR and as described in NR-07-22; August 29, 2022. The Company continues to work on these and other engineering upgrades to the project." Figure 1: Plan Map of the Area of the Cerro showing the distribution of the CLM deposits at the North Felsite and North Skarn targets. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5344/142083_333e93af84c6f8e3_002full.jpg Figure 2: Longitudinal Section looking south of the North Felsite target area showing the distribution of Southern Silver's most recent drill holes. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5344/142083_333e93af84c6f8e3_003full.jpg Oro Project, New Mexico, USA. Drilling continues on the Oro project, designed to test several copper-molybdenum porphyry and copper-gold skarn targets within a broad phyllic alteration zone, interpreted to overlie an unexposed porphyry center. Initial drilling and assays have identified thick zones of strongly anomalous copper mineralization, classic porphyry geochemical and alteration zonation, increasing molybdenum and copper at depth and several unexposed hydrothermal diatreme breccias. Three holes totaling 2,926m have been completed; a fourth hole is now in progress. Assays have been returned from two of the holes. Logging and sampling continue with assays pending from one of the completed holes and the current hole in progress. Table 1a: Select Assay Intervals from North Felsite - North Skarn Target Area. Hole # From To Interval Est. Tr. Thck. Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq ZnEq (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (%) New Assays: North Felsite - North Skarn 22CLM-192 408.6 411.0 2.4 1.2 181 0.01 0.39 1.5 1.5 338 8.2 22CLM-193 409.7 416.0 6.3 5.6 124 0.02 0.03 1.4 0.4 195 4.7 inc. 409.7 413.0 3.4 3.0 219 0.02 0.04 2.5 0.6 333 8.1 22CLM-194 81.2 84.7 3.5 2.3 140 0.04 0.01 1.9 0.1 212 5.2 22CLM-194 289.5 290.4 0.9 0.7 386 0.17 0.25 6.0 4.7 827 20.1 22CLM-194 306.2 308.8 2.6 2.0 336 0.14 0.16 6.5 4.7 780 18.9 inc. 306.2 307.0 0.8 0.6 746 0.09 0.22 17.1 13.2 1904 46.3 22CLM-195 NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV NSV Previously Reported Assays: North Felsite - North Skarn 21CLM-172 210.5 211.2 0.7 0.4 313 0.25 0.07 7.0 1.3 610 15.5 21CLM-173 328.0 329.6 1.6 0.9 5 0.46 0.22 0.0 1.2 113 2.9 21CLM-174 157.1 157.6 0.5 0.3 147 0.02 0.00 2.1 0.1 217 5.5 21CLM-175 224.0 226.7 2.7 1.9 599 0.08 0.03 16.9 10.2 1530 38.8 inc. 224.0 225.2 1.2 0.8 760 0.07 0.03 23.2 17.4 2169 55.0 21CLM-176 291.3 295.1 3.8 2.6 78 1.1 0.0 1.1 0.4 223 5.6 inc. 291.3 291.6 0.4 0.2 24 11.2 0.0 0.3 0.1 965 24.5 21CLM-176 362.7 371.1 8.5 5.8 151 0.1 0.1 3.1 1.0 308 7.8 inc. 362.7 363.7 1.1 0.7 487 0.2 0.2 12.9 3.0 1040 26.4 21CLM-177 294.9 296.8 1.9 1.5 194 0.2 0.0 4.3 2.5 443 11.2 inc. 295.8 296.3 0.5 0.4 515 0.4 0.1 12.0 6.8 1190 30.2 and 303.2 318.0 14.8 11.8 185 0.2 0.1 2.8 1.0 336 8.5 inc. 303.2 307.0 3.8 3.0 354 0.7 0.1 6.1 2.6 713 18.1 21CLM-178 245.2 250.2 5.0 4.6 63 2.0 0.1 0.8 0.5 288 7.3 inc. 245.2 246.3 1.1 1.0 21 5.3 0.0 0.1 0.1 471 11.9 21CLM-179 256.4 259.3 2.9 2.6 140 0.9 0.1 3.6 5.7 561 14.2 inc. 257.8 258.3 0.5 0.4 219 2.6 0.1 4.5 11.5 1028 26.1 and 345.7 348.0 2.4 2.1 109 0.0 0.0 1.9 1.4 228 5.8 inc. 347.6 348.0 0.4 0.4 165 0.1 0.0 3.6 7.3 573 14.5 Analyzed by FA/AA for gold and ICP-AES by ALS Laboratories, North Vancouver, BC. Silver (>100ppm), copper, lead and zinc (>1%) overlimits assayed by ore grade ICP analysis, High silver overlimits (>1500g/t Ag) and gold overlimits (>10g/t Au) re-assayed with FA-Grav. High Pb (>20%) and Zn (>30%) overlimits assayed by titration. AgEq and ZnEq were calculated using average metal prices of: US$20/oz silver, US$1650/oz gold, US$3.25/lbs copper and US$0.9/lbs lead and US$1.15/lbs zinc. AgEq and ZnEq calculations did not account for relative metallurgical recoveries of the metals. Ore-grade composites are calculated using a 80g/t AgEq cut-off in sulphide and 0.5g/t AuEq in the oxide gold zone Composites have <20% internal dilution, except where noted; anomalous intercepts are calculated using a 10g/t AgEq cut-off. Table 1b: Select Assay Intervals from North Felsite - North Skarn Target Area. Hole # From To Interval Est. Tr. Thck. Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq ZnEq (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (%) Previously Reported Assays: North Felsite - North Skarn con't 21CLM-180 400.3 400.9 0.6 0.4 1430 1.2 1.2 9.7 11.5 2419 61.3 and 404.0 405.8 1.8 1.2 79 0.1 0.4 0.2 5.1 337 8.6 inc. 405.3 405.8 0.6 0.4 129 0.1 1.1 0.2 13.8 812 20.6 21CLM-181 321.9 327.0 5.1 3.7 174 0.5 0.1 1.5 0.9 310 7.9 inc. 324.9 325.6 0.7 0.5 914 2.1 1.0 7.2 4.8 1604 40.7 21CLM-181 468.0 476.0 8.0 5.7 234 0.1 0.3 1.1 2.0 384 9.7 inc. 470.3 474.8 4.4 3.2 379 0.1 0.5 1.7 2.6 595 15.1 21CLM-181 482.9 484.2 1.3 0.9 280 0.1 0.1 3.8 4.5 600 15.2 inc. 483.4 483.8 0.4 0.3 852 0.3 0.4 11.0 14.8 1846 46.8 22CLM-182 333.8 351.1 17.3 14.1 55 0.7 0.1 0.4 0.7 162 4.1 inc. 346.5 347.3 0.8 0.7 451 1.1 0.0 2.0 1.2 651 16.5 22CLM-182 497.7 500.9 3.2 2.6 195 0.1 0.1 0.6 2.5 328 8.3 inc. 499.3 500.9 1.6 1.3 368 0.0 0.1 1.1 3.7 568 14.4 22CLM-183 535.4 538.4 3.0 2.2 85 0.0 0.0 1.6 3.6 278 7.1 inc. 537.7 538.4 0.7 0.5 115 0.1 0.0 2.2 5.7 413 10.5 22CLM-184 378.8 396.3 17.5 11.7 7 1.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 112 2.8 inc. 384.5 385.9 1.4 1.0 19 5.6 0.0 0.3 0.1 495 12.5 22CLM-184 418.3 427.3 8.9 6.0 117 0.1 0.1 1.1 1.0 213 5.4 inc. 422.2 423.3 1.2 0.8 302 0.2 0.4 2.9 0.7 485 12.3 22CLM-185 472.2 474.5 2.3 1.8 1001 0.3 0.8 2.4 3.3 1321 33.5 inc. 473.3 474.5 1.2 1.0 1785 0.5 1.4 3.1 5.9 2309 58.6 22CLM-186 410.2 411.0 0.8 0.6 107 7.0 0.0 7.6 4.9 1116 28.3 22CLM-186 481.0 481.6 0.6 0.5 649 0.1 0.9 5.1 4.4 1088 27.6 22CLM-187 494.7 496.9 2.2 1.9 162 0.6 0.3 1.5 0.6 314 8.0 inc. 494.7 495.4 0.7 0.6 499 0.1 0.4 4.6 1.5 759 19.2 22CLM-188 441.8 457.8 16.0 12.7 128 0.0 0.0 0.8 1.1 202 5.1 inc. 455.6 457.2 1.6 1.3 675 0.0 0.3 5.5 3.4 1008 25.6 22CLM-189 469.5 470.0 0.5 0.4 1130 0.1 2.1 9.8 11.9 2143 54.3 22CLM-190A 342.6 343.4 0.8 0.6 462 0.0 0.1 11.1 3.0 937 23.8 22CLM-191 453.2 460.4 7.2 4.7 123 0.0 0.8 0.4 0.6 251 6.4 inc. 455.6 456.2 0.6 0.4 848 0.0 5.6 0.7 2.6 1596 40.5 22CLM-191 474.7 478.7 4.0 2.6 77 0.0 4.4 0.2 0.9 617 15.6 inc. 474.7 476.2 1.5 1.0 165 0.1 11.5 0.1 0.4 1463 37.1 Analyzed by FA/AA for gold and ICP-AES by ALS Laboratories, North Vancouver, BC. Silver (>100ppm), copper, lead and zinc (>1%) overlimits assayed by ore grade ICP analysis, High silver overlimits (>1500g/t Ag) and gold overlimits (>10g/t Au) re-assayed with FA-Grav. High Pb (>20%) and Zn (>30%) overlimits assayed by titration. AgEq and ZnEq were calculated using average metal prices of: US$20/oz silver, US$1650/oz gold, US$3.25/lbs copper and US$0.9/lbs lead and US$1.15/lbs zinc. AgEq and ZnEq calculations did not account for relative metallurgical recoveries of the metals. Ore-grade composites are calculated using a 80g/t AgEq cut-off in sulphide and 0.5g/t AuEq in the oxide gold zone Composites have <20% internal dilution, except where noted; anomalous intercepts are calculated using a 10g/t AgEq cut-off. Cerro Las Minitas Project Southern Silver continues to advance the Cerro Las Minitas project as one of the world's largest undeveloped silver/lead/zinc resources, through advanced exploration, pre-production metallurgical and engineering work, and economic assessment. The CLM Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu Skarn system is well located in southern Durango, Mexico, in a safe jurisdiction, surrounded by producing mining companies, with easy access and strong community support. A total of 226 drill holes for 96,411 metres has been completed on the CLM Project with exploration expenditures of over US$35.0 million equating to exploration discovery costs of approximately C$0.09 per AgEq ounce. About Southern Silver Exploration Corp. Southern Silver Exploration Corp. is an exploration and development company with a focus on the identification of world-class mineral deposits in major jurisdictions, advancing them either directly or through joint-venture relationships. Our specific emphasis is on advancing the 100% owned Cerro Las Minitas project, one of the world's largest undeveloped silver-lead-zinc deposits, to a production decision. Southern has assembled a team of highly experienced technical, operational and transactional professionals to support our efforts in developing (recent robust PEA) the Cerro Las Minitas project into a premier, high-grade, silver-lead-zinc mine. Our property portfolio also includes the Oro porphyry copper-gold project where a diamond drill program is underway and the Hermanas gold-silver vein project where permitting applications for the conduct of a drill program is underway; both are located in southern New Mexico, USA. The scientific and technical content of this news release was compiled, reviewed and approved by Robert Macdonald, MSc. P.Geo, VP. Exploration, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Page" Lawrence Page, K.C. President & Director, Southern Silver Exploration Corp. For further information, please visit Southern Silver's website at https://www.southernsilverexploration.com or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Southern Silver Exploration Corp. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142083 CHICAGO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Military radars market is projected to grow from USD 13.5 billion in 2022 to USD 17.1 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The components of a military radar are a transmitter, a receiver, and a sending radio wire. The reach, speed, and height of objects are determined by these sensors using electromagnetic waves. In order to provide more information to military clients that require the best capacity in small, efficient packages, modern radar systems now feature advanced materials, strong state modules, computerized signal processors, and complicated A-D converters. Modern fighting vehicles, aircraft, and marine transport vessels all incorporate military radar systems into crucial ways. It is expected that initiatives and programs like the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) program and the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) program will spur growth in the regional market. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=51422570 Browse in-depth TOC on "Military Radars Market" 250 - Tables 60 - Figures 400 - Pages Based on the application, the air & missile defense segment is expected to lead the military radars market share during the forecast period. The demand for early warning threat detection systems, ongoing mine detection systems, and equipment by the US military to address conflicts in the Middle East and Asia Pacific will propel the market for air & missile defense radars, globally. These factors will also contribute to the growth of the air & missile defense radars market. Under Platform segment, Naval subsegment is estimated to be the largest and fastest-growing market According to forecasts, the military radars markets largest and fastest-growing category is the naval platform. Increased effectiveness and greater precision of ship-based naval radar systems are what are driving this segments rise. The development of ship-based naval radars is being driven by the need for efficient weapon guidance systems for military ships. The development of ship-based radar systems is receiving increasing funding from Asian nations, which is further accelerating the sectors expansion. The market for naval radars will be driven by nations like China, Japan, and South Korea, which account for more than half of all shipbuilding activities worldwide. Based on the product type, the surveillance and early airborne warning radar segment is expected to lead the military radars market share during the forecast period. According to forecasts, the market share of the surveillance and early airborne warning radar category is the highest. Additional factors anticipated to propel the market for surveillance and early airborne warning radars during the forecast period include ongoing military modernization, the replacement of outdated radars, the introduction of digital signal processing, and solid-state modules. Early airborne warning radar systems are in greater demand as a result of meticulously formed fighters being created by a number of major manufacturers in developed nations, which significantly reduces the detection range of these systems. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=51422570 Raytheon Technologies Corporation (US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), Israel Aerospace Industries (Israel), Thales Group (France), and Leonardo S.P.A. (Italy) are some of the leading players operating in the military radars market. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=51422570 Browse Adjacent Market: Aerospace and Defence Market Research Reports &Consulting Related Reports: Surveillance Radars Market by Application (Commercial, National Security, Defense & Space), Platform (Land, Airborne, Naval, Space), Frequency Band (HF, UHF & VHF; L; S; C; X; Ku; Ka; Multi-bands), Dimension, Component, Region (2020-2025) Military Antenna Market by Component (Reflectors, Feed Horn, Feed Networks, Low Noise Block Converter (LNB)), Frequency Band (HF, VHF, UHF SHF, AND EHF), End Use (OEM and Aftermarket), Type, Application, Platform and Region (2021-2026) Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) Market by Range (Short, Medium, Long & Strategic System), Application (Ballistic Missile Defense, Conventional), Platform (Ground Based, Naval, Airborne) & by Region - Global Forecast to 2021 X-Band Radar Market by Application (Defense, Government, and Commercial), Type (Mobile, and Sea-based X-band Radar), Array (Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021 Aircraft Cabin Lighting Market by Light Type (Reading Lights, Ceiling & Wall, Signage, Floor Path Lighting, Lavatory Lights), Aircraft Type (Narrow Body, Wide Body, Very Large Aircraft), End-User (OEM and Aftermarket), & Region (2017-2022) About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. 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Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/military-radar-market.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/military-radar.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/military-radars-market-worth-17-1-billion-by-2027---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-301663157.html LONDON, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA) for the second time working with Banco Improsa, secures this US$20M facility from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) - AECID (advised by COFIDES). Commenting on the transaction, Felix Alpizar, General Manager of BANCO IMPROSA, said: "Banco Improsa is very honored to be recognized by AECID and COFIDES for both its track record and programs to finance and support Costa Rican micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). With this credit we will continue our contribution to the economic and social development of the country." EMGA's Head of Investment Banking Sajeev Chakkalakal said, "A pleasure again to facilitate Banco Improsa's continued vision of supporting SMEs within Costa Rica and complete this funding solution with AECID (advised by COFIDES)." Jose Luis Curbelo, chairman and CEO of COFIDES, stated that "we are pleased to support AECID in its first impact project with EMGA and IMPROSA in the Central American region. The transaction will be used to finance small and medium enterprises in Costa Rica, which will contribute to the creation and maintenance of quality jobs and reducing inequalities. We look forward to continuing these strategic partnerships, which enhance economic growth in developing countries by strengthening the private sector through sound financial support." Carlos Jimenez Aguirre, General Manager of FONPRODE and Head AECID's Financial Cooperation Department expressed that "the formalization of this transaction reflects Spanish Cooperation's aims to contribute to expand the financial support for Costa Rican micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as MSMEs play a key role in creating and maintaining decent jobs and reducing inequalities. Our intention is to expand this kind of support to other Central American countries in providing access to finance to MSMEs, with a special focus on mainstreaming gender and climate change strategies in private sector activities." Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP, based in London, helps emerging market based financial institutions and corporates seeking new debt or equity capital. Banco Improsa was founded in 1995 and is a niche bank with a specialization in providing financial solutions and services to MSMEs, which account for most of its portfolio. It has an extensive track record in providing support and advisory services to MSMEs. Banco Improsa's key success factor lies in its commitment to high standards of personalized, agile, and flexible service, which, together with customized financial solutions, have enabled it to achieve a solid position in these segments. Banco Improsa is part of Grupo Financiero Improsa (GFI). Fund for the Promotion of Development (FONPRODE), managed by Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) with the support of COFIDES (Spanish Development Finance Institution). AECID is the main management body of Spanish Cooperation and is oriented towards the fight against poverty and the promotion of sustainable development. COFIDES provides support management for FONPRODE with reimbursable financing operations that promote social and economic development of partner countries through investments or transfers of economic resources with a reimbursable nature. FONPRODE may finance non-reimbursable and reimbursable debt and equity. Examples of refundable financing offered by FONPRODE are loans to financial service providers aimed at financial inclusion. COFIDES, a state-owned company engaging in the management of State and third-party as well as its own funds, pursues several aims; internationalization of Spain's economy, furtherance of economic development and fortification of the solvency of companies affected by COVID-19. In addition to the Spanish State, its shareholders include Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Sabadell and Development Bank of Latin America (CAF). Jeremy Dobson info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com As per DelveInsight analysis in the biologics market, the growing prevalence diseases of various etiologies such as autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, genetic disorders among others as well as latest product innovation with respect to biologics are some of the prominent factors that are responsible for the growth of biologics market. LAS VEGAS, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Biologics Market Insights report provides the current and forecast market, forthcoming therapies, individual leading companies' market shares, challenges, biologics market drivers, barriers, and trends, and key biologics companies in the market. Key Takeaways from the Biologics Market Report As per DelveInsight estimates, North America is anticipated to dominate the global biologics market during the forecast period. is anticipated to dominate the global biologics market during the forecast period. Key biologics companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly & Company, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, AbbVie Inc., Amgen Inc, Sanofi, Merck & Co., Inc, Novo Nordisk, Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH., Genentech, Inc, Biogen., bluebird bio, Inc, Janssen Global Services, LLC,., Cellitron Group , and several others are currently dominating the biologics market. , and several others are currently dominating the biologics market. In October 15, 2021 , the US FDA approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq) by Genentech, Inc. for adjuvant treatment following resection and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with stage II to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). the US FDA approved for adjuvant treatment following resection and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with stage II to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In August 2021 , Bristol Myers Squibbs received conditional marketing authorization for Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel) by the European Commission for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. It is a first-in-class B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy. received conditional marketing authorization for Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel) by the European Commission for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. It is a first-in-class B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy. In June 2021 , the US FDA granted product approval to Biogen Inc's Aduhelm (aducanumab) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in an accelerated approval pathway. the US FDA granted product approval to Biogen Inc's Aduhelm (aducanumab) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in an accelerated approval pathway. Thus, owing to the launch of such devices, rapid growth will be observed in the biologics market during the forecast period. To read more about the latest highlights related to the biologics market, get a snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Global Biologics Market Report Biologics Overview Biologics are products that are produced from living organisms or contain components of living organisms. There are several biologic drugs, including blood, blood components, vaccines, cells, genes, allergens, tissues, and recombinant proteins. Biologics holds a lot of potential in many therapeutic areas, such as cancer treatment, rare diseases, and other severe illnesses which have been difficult to treat using conventional small-molecule drugs. Biologics Market Insights Geographically, the global biologics market is studied for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. In terms of the largest market share, North America dominated the global biologics market and will continue to maintain its dominance in revenue generation in the optical biologics market during the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the high focus on therapy development for rare diseases with orphan designations, the rising prevalence of cancers, and a supportive regulatory environment, among other factors in the region. Furthermore, high disposable income, sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, and increased awareness regarding new treatments coupled with extensive insurance coverage for these treatments are also expected to aid in the biologics market growth in this region. However, the superiority of North America will be majorly challenged by the European biologics market. One of the key supporting factors for the growth of the North American biologics market is the increasing focus on developing therapies for rare diseases in North American countries, particularly in the United States. Moreover, the growth prospects of the biologics market also appear promising in other countries such as India and China, owing to the increasing patient population in these countries as well as the growing focus of the respective governments in improving the healthcare infrastructure, services, and access pertaining to severe illnesses in effective treatment of certain diseases. To know more about why North America is leading the market growth in the biologics market, get a snapshot of the report Biologics Market Outlook Biologics Market Dynamics The global biologics market is expected to witness significant growth owing to the increasing prevalence of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, growing geriatric population base, rising prevalence of infectious diseases, cancers, and genetic disorders, along with increasing product development activities with respect to biologics. However, the challenging manufacturing process, high cost of biologics, and availability of biosimilars may prove to be a major deterrent to biologics market growth. Furthermore, the biologics market was one of the few that experienced positive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the fact that lockdown restrictions severely impacted production capacities in a variety of industries around the world, the urgency of developing vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 virus presented enormous growth opportunities for biopharmaceutical manufacturers. The development and emergency approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine (the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine) in late December 2020 accelerated the development and approval of such vaccines around the world. This resulted in numerous collaborations and partnerships among pharmaceutical companies and contract manufacturing organizations in order to meet the global supply of these vaccines in time, presenting a positive outlook for the biologics market despite supply chain disruption, among other factors. Get a sneak peek of the Biologics market @Biologics Market Trends Report Metrics Details Coverage Global Study Period 2019-2027 Base Year 2021 Market CAGR 9.59 % Projected Biologics Market Size by 2027 USD 577.03 Billion Key Biologics Companies GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly & Company, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, AbbVie Inc., Amgen Inc, Sanofi, Merck & Co., Inc, Novo Nordisk, Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH., Genentech, Inc, Biogen., bluebird bio, Inc, Janssen Global Services, LLC,., Cellitron Group, among others Biologics Market Assessment Biologics Market Segmentation Market Segmentation By Product Type: Cell-Based Biologics, Gene-Based Biologics, Monoclonal Antibodies, Vaccines, Recombinant Protiens, and Others Cell-Based Biologics, Gene-Based Biologics, Monoclonal Antibodies, Vaccines, Recombinant Protiens, and Others Market Segmentation By Application: Oncology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Neurological Diseases, and Others Oncology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Neurological Diseases, and Others Market Segmentation By Manufacturing Type: In-House and Outsourced In-House and Outsourced Market Segmentation By Geography : North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and Rest of World : , , , and Rest of World Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Product Profiles, Case Studies, KOL's Views, Analyst's View Which key players in the biologics market are set to emerge as the trendsetter explore @Biologics Companies Table of Contents 1 Report Introduction 2 Executive summary 3 Regulatory and Patent Analysis 4 Key Factors Analysis 5 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 6 COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Biologics Market 7 Biologics Market Layout 8 Global Company Share Analysis - Key 3-5 Companies 9 Company and Product Profiles 10 Project Approach 11. 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It supports Pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Contact Us Shruti Thakur info@delveinsight.com +1(919)321-6187 https://www.delveinsight.com/medical-devices Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082265/DelveInsight_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-global-biologics-market-size-to-surpass-usd-577-billion-by-2027--delveinsight-301663235.html NEW YORK and BERLIN, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ada Health ('Ada'), the global digital health company focused on improving human health at scale, today announces that it has integrated digital triage into the ground-breaking mental health support service, Scout by Sutter Health for young people in the United States, to help users better understand their mental health symptoms and services available to them, helping more young people than ever before access personalized support. Young people across the United States are struggling with their mental health. Over 15% of American youths experienced a major depressive episode in the last year, a number exacerbated in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, access to appropriate mental health services is limited, with over one third of Americans living in areas lacking mental health professionals. As many as half of all mental disorders have begun by age 14. However, mental health concerns in young people are often stigmatized, with many experiencing difficulties in identifying and communicating distress and anticipating that help will be difficult to access. This can lead to a preference for self-reliance which, in turn, can create worse health outcomes later in life, and a greater long-term stress on healthcare services. Earlier this year, the White House argued that reducing barriers to mental health care would not only reduce the economic burden of unmet mental health needs but also increase the productive capacity of the economy moving forward, while researchers are increasingly pointing to the benefits of early intervention strategies in youth mental health. Ada's powerful AI-based health assessment platform helps users better understand their mental and physical symptoms through a thorough series of non-judgmental questions based on clinically validated AI and protocols, and based on their responses, navigate them to available services and support. Ada's technology is available to tens of millions of users around the world through enterprise partnerships and Ada's free consumer app. The platform's medical knowledge covers an industry-leading range of symptoms and conditions, including mental health, while the platform itself prioritizes user safety and accuracy. Ada's assessment flow can also highlight potential 'red flags', indications of a more serious mental health concern, and offer more immediate support for those users. Scout by Sutter Health is an early intervention and prevention focused digital experience that delivers evidence-based tips, tools, and activities to help teens and young adults build resilience and manage their everyday mental health. Co-designed with young people and clinical experts, the program offers personalized support to those aged 12-26. Scout offers mental health literacy, builds resilience and emotional health, and provides timely redirects to clinical care when needed. Participants receive weekly check-ins and are connected to non-clinical guides who support engagement. Scout is also available for caregivers who can enroll to receive information and tools designed to help them understand, support, and connect with their loved ones as they work through their mental health journey. Users now completing an Ada assessment via Sutter's website and who meet the appropriate acuity and eligibility criteria may now be provided information about Scout by Sutter Health as a possible care option and presented with a dedicated sign-up page. Those under 16 years old are required to have an assessment completed on their behalf by a parent or caregiver. The Scout by Sutter Health and Ada collaboration marks the first time the tool has been integrated into a consumer-facing symptom assessment solution; using Ada's assessment will increase reach, exposure and ultimately uptake among a high-need group. Jeff Cutler, Chief Commercial Officer (US) at Ada Health, said: "We're seeing a structural healthcare shift away from a reactive care model to a preventative one, where early intervention enables better outcomes for patients - this is just as true in the mental health space as it is with physical health. Making Scout by Sutter Health available from the Ada platform is an exciting step in our journey to provide users with inclusive support while also creating efficiencies for healthcare providers and systems, and we're thrilled that Sutter has chosen to further leverage our platform to make this vital service more widely available for young people." Dr. Tam Nguyen, director of ambulatory care of Sutter's Mental Health and Addiction Care team, added: "We're firm believers in the potential of digital health support improving continuous access to whole-person care. Scout by Sutter Health represents our commitment to supporting everyday youth mental health by meeting teens and young adults in the places where they live, work and play, with a solution that they have co-designed. We're excited to have the opportunity to bring the Scout by Sutter Health experience to more young people and caregivers through this innovative collaboration." This integration marks the latest activation in a long-standing collaboration between Ada and Sutter Health. Ada's AI-powered symptom assessment and care navigation platform was integrated into Sutter Health's website and My Health Online patient portal in 2019. About Ada Ada is a global health company founded by doctors, scientists, and industry pioneers to create new possibilities for personal health and transform knowledge into better outcomes. Its core system connects medical knowledge with intelligent technology to help people actively manage their health and health systems to deliver more effective care. The company works with leading health providers, organizations, and governments to carry out this vision. Used by millions of people around the world, Ada is setting new standards for AI in healthcare. To learn more, visit www.ada.com . About Sutter Health Sutter Health's integrated, not-for-profit network of aligned clinicians, employees and volunteers support more than 3 million Northern Californians in communities across 22 counties. Headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., the Sutter Health system provides access to high quality, affordable care for through its network of hospitals, medical foundations, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent and walk-in care centers, telehealth, home health and hospice services. For more information about the Sutter Health network visit: sutterhealth.org | facebook.com/sutterhealth | youtube.com/sutterhealth | twitter.com/sutterhealth . View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ada-integrates-scout-by-sutter-health-to-help-expand-the-award-winning-mental-health-support-platform-nationally-301663588.html Dynamic monitoring of the intestinal barrier with Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy demonstrated to be far superior to endoscopic and histologic biomarkers as predictors of long-term remission Intestinal Barrier Healing emerges as a new key therapeutic endpoint for IBD Regulatory News: Mauna Kea Technologies (Euronext: MKEA) (Paris:MKEA) (OTCQX:MKEAY), inventor of Cellvizio, the multi-disciplinary probe and needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (p/nCLE) platform, today announced the success of a long term prospective clinical study on the prediction of major adverse outcomes for patients suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) using Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy with Cellvizio. Final results of the ERIca trial (Erlangen Remission in IBD, clinicaltrials.gov NCT05157750) are now published in the peer-reviewed journal Gastroenterology, the flagship journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, in the article "Intestinal barrier healing is superior to endoscopic and histologic remission for predicting major adverse outcomes in IBD: the prospective ERIca trial"1 Endoscopy is the key technique for the surveillance of patients suffering from IBD, with patients undergoing surveillance colonoscopy every one to two years. Endoscopic and histologic remission, characterized by visual assessment of the colon and analysis of random biopsies, have emerged as key therapeutic goals in the management of IBD that are associated with favorable long-term disease outcomes. In this study, the authors prospectively compared the predictive value of intestinal barrier healing visualized dynamically and functionally in real time with Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (Cellvizio) versus endoscopic and histologic remission for predicting long-term disease behavior in a large cohort of IBD patients in clinical remission. Prof. Dr. med. Timo Rath, Head of the Ludwig Demling Endoscopy Center of Excellence at the University Hospital Erlangen, said: "Our data clearly show that intestinal barrier healing, as assessed by dynamic and functional visualization with Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy is a prognostic parameter that by far outcompetes endoscopic and histologic remission, or their combination, in the forecasting of the occurrence of major clinical events in both Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease patients. This has far-reaching consequences on the way patients suffering from these debilitating diseases should be monitored during remission." "The importance of these new clinical results for the 6 to 8 million people who suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease globally could not be overstated as they are paving the way to a much improved management of their condition, and in particular how the colonoscopies they are undergoing every one to two years are being conducted", said Sacha Loiseau, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Mauna Kea Technologies. "This remarkable clinical study, led by some of the world's authorities on IBD, further exemplifies Cellvizio's differentiated value proposition as the unique advanced imaging solution providing real-time, dynamic and functional cellular imaging of tissues. This publication in the leading peer-reviewed journal in the field of gastroenterology confirms the essential role that Cellvizio can play in the way physicians monitor and treat their patients with IBD and how new therapeutic targets can be designed." Key clinical results: Between 2017 and 2019, a total of 296 IBD patients were screened for eligibility. Out of these, 181 IBD patients (100 with Crohn's Disease (CD) and 81 with Ulcerative Colitis (UC)) patients were finally eligible and included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 25 months for UC and 35 months for CD. Endoscopic and histologic disease activity as well as barrier healing were prospectively assessed along established scores. During subsequent follow-up, patients were closely monitored for clinical disease activity and the occurrence of major adverse outcomes (MAO): disease flares, IBD-related hospitalization or surgery, initiation or dose escalation of systemic steroids, immunosuppressants, small molecules or biological therapy. The authors found that Barrier Healing assessed with Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy was far superior to endoscopic and histologic remission for predicting MAO-free survival in both UC and CD: For patients suffering from UC and with Barrier Healing in the Colon confirmed with Cellvizio, the MAO-free survival probability was 81% compared to 47.7% 64.7% for all other predictors. For patients suffering from CD and with Barrier Healing in the Colon confirmed with Cellvizio, the MAO-free survival probability was 70.4% compared to 43.9% 50% for all other endoscopic and histologic predictors. When Barrier Healing was confirmed in the Ileum, this probability reached 100% compared to 43.9% 50% for all other predictors. About Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term for two conditions (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) that are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Prolonged inflammation results in damage to the GI tract and possibly cancer. More than 6-8 million people globally including 2 million Europeans and 3 million North Americans have IBD, with the majority of health-care costs driven by medication. The cause of IBD is unknown, but it is considered to be the result of an inappropriate immune response against environmental factors, including luminal and microbial antigens, in genetically susceptible hosts. About Mauna Kea Technologies Mauna Kea Technologies is a global medical device company that manufactures and markets Cellvizio, the real-time in vivo cell imaging platform. This technology provides unique in vivo cellular visualization that allows physicians to monitor disease progression over time, assess responses as they occur, classify areas of uncertainty and guide surgical interventions. The Cellvizio platform is used in many countries around the world and in several medical specialties and is transforming the way physicians diagnose and treat patients. For more information, visit www.maunakeatech.com. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements about Mauna Kea Technologies and its business. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Mauna Kea Techonologies' financial condition, business, strategies, plans and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. Mauna Kea Technologies believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, no assurance can be given that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements will be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described in Chapter 3 of Mauna Kea Technologies' 2021 Universal Registration Document filed with the Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) on October 18, 2022 under number D-22-0773, which is available on the Company's website (www.maunakeatech.fr ), as well as the risks associated with changes in economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Mauna Kea Technologies operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks that are unknown to Mauna Kea Technologies or that Mauna Kea Technologies does not currently consider material. The occurrence of some or all of these risks could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Mauna Kea Technologies to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or the solicitation of an order to buy or subscribe for, shares of Mauna Kea Technologies in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release may be restricted in certain jurisdictions by local law. Persons into whose possession this document comes are required to comply with all local regulations applicable to this document. 1 https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(22)01192-1/fulltext View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221031005612/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations NewCap Financial communication Thomas Grojean +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 maunakea@newcap.eu Watching the road in the 1890s Daniel Gifford, "Everyday life in Korea," public domain By Robert Neff It is that time of year again when scary ghosts, zombies, vampires and witches compete with beautiful princesses, heroic characters of modern lore and cute whimsical creatures lifted from the pages of comic books for treats and praise it is, of course, Halloween. Halloween in Korea is generally believed to be a recently introduced event perhaps as recent as the 1980s when it first became possible for the average Korean to travel abroad for pleasure. There were, of course, exceptions. Halloween parties were often held on American military installations and were generally confined to military personnel and their families. There were, however, even earlier Halloween parties the participants were Americans but they were not military personnel they were missionaries and their families. On Oct. 31, 1908, Ethel Mills, a missionary, groused that it was "Halloween night and nothing to do in Korea." She concluded that "evidently they [it isn't clear if she was talking about her fellow missionaries or her Korean neighbors] have not all the barbarian ideas in vogue." Almost, in a backhanded way, she expressed appreciation that she was not stationed in Pyongyang for the winter. But if it was Halloween she desired, then Pyongyang was the place to be. In 1913, the missionaries in Pyongyang held a large Halloween party to which all the children of the community were invited. It was a festive event. One adult participant recalled: "We got the cookies and chestnuts and popcorn and pumpkin lights all ready. Someone sent a lot of ice cream and someone else a great bowl of marshmallows which we toasted from the end on long sticks." A hauntingly beautiful Christmas card from the 1930s Robert Neff Collection Samuel Austin Moffett, "the leading missionary of the station and a fine strong man," was definitely the star attraction at the spooky event. Wanting to entertain and mystify his two sons James (8) and Charles (5) as well as the other children, he dressed up as a witch "and told fortunes to perfection." "A landmark of exorcism," circa early 1900s Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection I want to believe Korean children members of the congregation were also invited to this spooky fest and it is a shame that we do not have their impressions of this quaint tradition of chasing away malevolent spirits with scary masks and jack-o-lanterns. Considering young Joseon boys made lanterns out of turnips and radishes in the late autumn, I imagine jack-o-lanterns would not have impressed the Korean children. I am, however, still surprised that many years ago I was visited one night by the local police who wanted an explanation as to why I had a jack-o-lantern in front of my door. Apparently my elderly neighbor who had a tendency to wander around at night and benignly look into windows was startled by my pitiful jack-o-lantern (it was a very small pumpkin) and reported it to the police; she believed it was a goblin. I am not sure what Halloween games the missionary children played in Pyongyang but their Korean peers could have probably taught them a few. According to Stewart Culin, a 19th-century expert on games, there was a game Korean children placed called "searching for the corpse." While the name may have sounded ominous and morbid, it was rather benign. The 'seeker' was blindfolded and then his peers would hide a small object a stone or small trinket under the mats, behind a piece of furniture or in a hole in the ground. Once the item was hidden, the seeker would then ask, "Did you bury it?" When he received an affirmative answer, he would begin to search for it. "The general of the lower earth and his spouse," circa 1910 Robert Neff Collection Young men are prone to heroic acts when alcohol is involved and it wasn't uncommon in the past, as in the present, for a teen to be coerced by peer pressure to prove his bravery. Muriel Morris, the daughter of a missionary living in Wonju in the early 1920s, recalled: "Koreans were really afraid to come up to our yard at night because they figured it was haunted, having formerly been a cemetery. So one night a bunch of young blades were out on the town drinking and they dared this fellow to go up there and pound a stake in the ground to let the devils out. And he did. When he tried to leave, he could not move something was gripping him. He fainted, he was so scared. The next morning when his friends went up to see what had happened to him, they found him there lying on the ground. He had pounded the stake right through his long coat." It was in Wonju, many many years ago when I was a young soldier, that I heard my first tales of Korean ghosts. The tale that horrified me the most did not involve supernatural entities but pitiful mortals desperate for a cure. One day, my friend's grandmother gave me a small packet of powdered chili peppers and told me to keep it with me at all times. My friend explained patiently he did not speak much English and I spoke very little Korean that his grandmother thought I was a good-looking boy and she worried about me walking too close to the cornfields. In the past, people suffering from leprosy (Hansen's disease) sometimes were driven out of desperation to abduct small children and kill them so that they could eat their livers in the mistaken belief it would cure their disease. Corn fields were ideal locations for these acts. The powdered chili pepper was to be thrown into the eyes of my would-be killer. In the past, cats had a rather dark role in Korean society. Cats were sometimes horribly killed in order to make health tonics. According to one folklorist, they could also be used to fight crime: "A thief will become crippled if his footprint is stabbed with a knife. A criminal will die if a cat is boiled inside a cauldron. A criminal will become blind if the eye of a snail is pricked with a needle." But cats were also feared if a cat ran into the heating flues it meant that someone presumably within the house, would soon die. Cats could even torment the dead. According to Edward Morse, who conducted interviews with Koreans while living in Japan in the 1880s: "Among the Korean superstitions are a dislike to have a cat approach a dead person. If such an accident happens the corpse will stand upright and the body had to be knocked down with a broom." The long path home, circa 1930s Robert Neff Collection Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2022) - Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) (OTCQB: VGGIF) (FSE: 77i) ("Boosh" or the "Company") a premier plant-based brand in the "better for you" food sector, is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Hall as a special advisor for Corporate Development. Mr. Hall brings over 20 years of management experience of private and public Companies. Through his vast network of business associates, he has raised significant seed funding and provided working capital for the expansion of large scale projects. Mr. Hall has held and performed a variety of executive roles focused on operations, corporate finance, marketing and sales. He advises an array of public and private companies across multiple industries, where he is able to utilize his entrepreneurship skills and experience in capital markets. Robert Hall To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7944/142513_rob%20hall%20photo.jpg "I am very excited to be joining the Boosh team," said Robert Hall. "I believe Boosh has a great business model and talented team that uniquely positions it to capitalize on the expanding "better for you" food sector. As the sector continues to evolve, our product lines will create a profitable, sustainable company." Mr Hall will focus most of his efforts on Investor relations and capital raising. "As the demand for Beanfields continues to grow it is imperative we have a team member in house that is able to focus on relaying information to our shareholders and continue to seek growth capital for the coming months," explains Connie Marples, Founder/CEO of Boosh plant based brands. "His connections and experience make him a strong addition to our growing team!" Mr Hall can be reached at 604 900 3386 or investorrelations@booshfood.com Connie Marples Founder/CEO connie@booshfood.com Telephone: 778 840 1700 www.Booshfood.com About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.: Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food (www.booshfood.com) offers high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. Through a separate subsidiary, Beautiful Beanfields, (www.beanfields.com) the Company owns Beanfields, a plant-based chip brand sold in over 7,000 stores throughout North America. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth. The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations concerning the size of the Financing, its ability to close the Financing in whole or in part or at all and its plan for the proceeds of the Financing. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142513 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2022) - IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE: IAG) (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") plans to release its third quarter 2022 financial results after market hours on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Senior management will host a conference call to discuss the operating performance and financial results on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Listeners may access the conference call via webcast or through the following dial-in numbers: Toll free (North America): 1 (800) 319-4610 International: +1 (604) 638-5340 Webcast: www.iamgold.com An online archive of the webcast will be available by accessing the Company's website at www.iamgold.com. A telephone replay will be available for one month following the call by dialing toll free 1 (800) 319-6413 within North America or +1 (604) 638-9010 from international locations and entering the passcode: 9533. About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD is a mid-tier gold mining company operating in North America, South America and West Africa. The Company has three operating mines: Essakane (Burkina Faso), Rosebel (Suriname) and Westwood (Canada), and is building the large-scale, long life Cote Gold project (Canada) which is expected to commence production in early 2024. In addition, the Company has a robust development and exploration portfolio within high potential mining districts in the Americas and West Africa. IAMGOLD employs approximately 5,000 people and is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm, in every aspect of its business. IAMGOLD is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG) and is one of the companies on the Jantzi Social Index ("JSI"), a socially screened market capitalization-weighted consisting of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria. IAMGOLD Contact Information Graeme Jennings, Vice President, Investor Relations Tel: 416 360 4743 | Mobile: 416 388 6883 Philip Rabenok, Manager, Investor Relations Tel: 416 933 5783 | Mobile: 647 967 9942 Toll-free: 1 888 464 9999 info@iamgold.com This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov. Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142472 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2022) - Whitehorse Gold Corp. (TSXV: WHG) (OTCQX: WHGDF) ("Whitehorse Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that assay results of its first confirmation drill hole (DDH-SF-001) for the SF Tin Project, located in the Oruro Department, Bolivia. This is one of the two drill holes to confirm two historical holes reportedly drilled by Rio Tinto. The assay results for the second confirmation hole are pending. Hole DDH-SF-001 was drilled at the same azimuth and dipping angle as (azimuth of 90 and -60 dip) as the historical hole ESF001 but was collared 15 meters apart (Figure 1). DDH-SF-001 intersected 200.7 meters grading 0.4% tin, 1.28% zinc, and 12 g/t silver from 139.2 m to 339.9 m (Table 1), comparing with the 200 m grading 0.44% tin, 1.22% zinc and 13 g/t silver for the historical hole ESF001. DDH-SF-001 intercept also includes a higher grade sub-interval of 68 m grading 0.62% tin, 1.69% zinc and 13 g/t silver; comparing with 68 m grading 0.49% tin, 1.22 zinc, and 9.3 g/t silver (Figure 1). In addition, DH-SF-001 has also intercepted a two-meter interval from 30.20 m to 32.20 m grading 79.8 g/t silver and 0.67% lead. The company is satisfied that the hole DDH-SF-001 has confirmed the historical drill hole ESF001. Gordon Neal, CEO & Director commented, "We are very encouraged by the close comparison between our first confirmation drill hole and the historical hole. This is an important step for us to proceed with the completion of our final acquisition of the SF Tin Project." Based on the option agreement signed (news release dated August 25, 2022), subject to satisfactory confirmation drill results, the company will proceed to acquire 100-per-cent interest in the SF Tin project by paying a total of $3.65 million (U.S.) over two years. Table 1. Composite analytical results for hole DDH-SF-001 Hole ID From m To m Length m Sn % Zn % Pb % Ag g/t DDH-SF-001 30.20 32.20 2.0 0.04 1.41 0.67 79.80 DDH-SF-001 139.2 339.9 200.7 0.40 1.28 0.06 12.48 Incl. 161.2 229.2 68.0 0.62 1.69 0.03 13.24 Notes: 1. Drill intercepts are core lengths, and grades are length weighted. True width of mineralization is unknown at this time. Mineralization intersected in hole DDH-SF-001 is hosted in fine to medium-grain sandstone of a blackish-gray color (greywacke) with clusters of multiple veins/veinlets (< 1cm thick, Figure 2) which contain pyrite, sphalerite, galena, cassiterite (SnO2), and trace amount of stannite (Cu2FeSnS4). Figure 1. Cross section (looking North), showing the historic hole ESF001 and the Company's verification hole: DDH-SF-001. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7553/142510_302402ee9424eaa6_004full.jpg Figure 2. Polymetallic mineralization in core hole DDH-SF-001, from 200.20 m to 207.10 m. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7553/142510_302402ee9424eaa6_005full.jpg Quality Assurance and Quality Control All SF core samples were collected by staff geologists and were shipped in securely sealed bags by Company staff in the Company's vehicles, directly from the field to AHK Bolivia Ltd., in Oruro, Bolivia for preparation, and AHK Peru laboratory in Lima, Peru for geochemical analysis. AHK is an independent ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 accredited laboratory and also UKAS ACCREDITED TESTING LABORATORY 1543, 1765 and 8738. All samples are first analyzed by a multi-element ICP package and FUS/ICP (peroxide fusion) for tin. Two types of certified reference materials, coarse blank samples and duplicate samples are inserted to normal drill core sample sequences prior to delivery to the laboratory for preparation and analysis. The overall ratio of quality control samples in sample sequences is minimum eight percent. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alex Zhang, P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration of New Pacific Metals who is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Resources ("NI 43-101"). The qualified person has visited this property and has verified the scientific information disclosed herein and is not aware of any significant risks and uncertainties that could be expected to affect the reliability or confidence in the information discussed herein. About Whitehorse Gold Whitehorse Gold is a mineral exploration and development company focusing on tin projects in Bolivia and a gold project near Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. The Company has recently signed agreement to acquire 100% the Porvenir Tin Project and SF Tin Project, which are 70 km southeast of Oruro, Bolivia. The Company 100% owned Skukum Gold Project is approximately 55 km from Whitehorse by road. A mineral resource estimate update is expected for the project based on drilling conducted in 2020 and 2021. From 1986 to 1988, the project produced approximately 80,000 ounces of gold. On Behalf of Whitehorse Gold Corp. signed "Gordon Neal" Gordon Neal, CEO & Director For further information please contact: Investor Relations, Whitehorse Gold Corp., Phone: +1 (604) 336-5919 Email: info@whitehorsegold.ca www.whitehorsegold.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collective, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the expected commencement of trading of the Company's common shares on the TSXV, future plans with respect to the Skukum Gold Project and other future plans of Company, and objectives or expectations of the Company are forward-looking statements. Estimates of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources are also forward-looking information because they incorporate estimates of future developments including future mineral prices, costs and expenses and the amount of minerals that will be encountered if a property is developed. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. The opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices; that there are no significant disruptions affecting operations, including labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, security disruptions, damage to or loss of equipment, whether due to flooding, political changes, title issues, intervention by local landowners, environmental concerns, pandemics (including COVID-19) or otherwise; that the Company will be able to obtain and maintain governmental approvals, permits and licenses in connection with its current and planned operations, development and exploration activities, including at the Skukum Gold Project; that the Company will be able to meet its current and future obligations; that the Company will be able to comply with environmental, health and safety laws; and the assumptions underlying Mineral Resource estimates and the realization of such estimates. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others: social and economic impacts of COVID-19; actual exploration results; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; results of future Mineral Resource estimates; future metal prices; availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms; general economic, market or business conditions; uninsured risks; regulatory changes; defects in title; availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis; accidents or equipment breakdowns; delays in receiving government approvals; unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same; and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. Cautionary Note to US Investors The technical and scientific information contained herein has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, which differs from the standards adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Accordingly, the technical and scientific information contained herein, including any estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources, may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies subject to the disclosure requirements of the SEC. Additional information relating to the Company, including the Company's Annual Information Form, can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's website at www.whitehorsegold.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/142510 In the fight for top ranking in the search results, SEO specialists use both white and black methods of project promotion. Search engines, in turn, fight against aggressive promotion methods and put restrictions in the form of captcha or IP blocking on any mass actions, such as search results parsing, multi-threaded surfing, etc. Therefore, without the use of the USA rotating proxies, SEO specialists cannot make high-quality promotion. And this applies not only to SEO but also to SMM. The role of the USA rotating proxies in online marketing For specialists in the field of social marketing and search promotion, proxies solve a wide range of tasks, such as: collection of keywords; analysis of competitors; parsing sites and any information; running social network pages; crowd marketing; mass registration of profiles in social networks, websites, forums, and blogs. In general, a proxy server is a necessary tool for raising websites to the top of search engines and promoting goods and services in social networks. Case study on using proxies in SEO SEO is a set of tools, the use of which is aimed at increasing the visibility of a site on the Internet. The main tool for promotion is the semantic core of the site, which must be correctly compiled. The semantic core is a set of target phrases for which the site will be promoted in search engines. And just in order to find it, SEO specialists use multi-threaded programs that parse keywords from various resources. Without the use of a proxy, these programs will not work, since for multi-threaded work, it is very important that each thread works on its own unique IP address, which changes to a new one after a certain number of requests. Otherwise, search engines or any other sites will perceive the actions as suspicious. Then they will either block access or severely restrict possible actions. The USA rotating proxies act as an intermediary between you and the site and help to bypass any restrictions and blocking. All actions will be carried out each time with a new IP address, and if the proxy is blocked, you can very easily change it. What if we refuse to use this service? Specifically, in this case, you can do without a proxy, but then you will have to abandon multi-threaded work and programs. All information would be collected manually. Just imagine that the semantic core will consist of 100,000 key phrases. The program can run in 100 threads and collect this amount in about half an hour. It would take a specialist several days to manually collect the same amount of data. Therefore, the proxy is also the key to fast and efficient work. So is it worth using a proxy for SEO and SMM? This is just one of the dozens or even hundreds of cases in which proxies are simply necessary for the fast and high-quality work of SEO and SMM specialists. They help us save time, effort, and costs. Lazzaro Medical, a Boulder, CO-based medical device company, received a $1M in strategic investment. Northwell Health made the investment. The company intends to use the funds to prepare its 510K FDA submission and support its forthcoming commercial launch. Founded by Dr. Richard Lazzaro and Rob Israel, Lazzaro Medical is a medical device company on a mission to restore healthy breathing in millions of people suffering from tracheal and bronchial maladies with a platform of non-invasive, robotic procedures, devices, and diagnostics. The company intends to help people breathe easily again by bringing awareness to TBM as a largely under or misdiagnosed disease and offer a less invasive and risky repair option to those suffering from this degenerative condition that causes the collapse of the airway due to the softening of cartilage in the trachea. With Northwells strategic investment, Lazzaro Medical has raised a total of $2 million from investors, including a $250,000 grant from the Global Business Development division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program. Bolstering Lazzaro Medicals remaining $3.5 million convertible note offering is an investment commitment from another strategic partner. These strategic partner investments help further validate Lazzaro Medicals mission of helping people breathe better again. Subsequent rounds will support the companys platform expansion, which includes a diagnostic endoscope, comprehensive training programs for thoracic surgeons and additional devices to further simplify the procedure. FinSMEs 31/10/2022 Newtrul, a Chicago, IL-based digital freight matching platform that integrates with freight brokers to share available loads with carriers digitally in real-time, raised $5m in funding. Lead investors include SignalFire and Flex Capital as well as previously unannounced investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, Crowley, Oren Zaslansky, CEO of Flock Freight, John Larkin, and Brad Hollister. The company intends to use the funds to to refine the communication, CRM and onboarding functions of its platform. Led by Ed Stockman, co-founder and CEO, Newtrul provides a carrier platform that allows trucking companies to search for the best shipment across multiple customers for each truck. By investing in relationship tools, the platform collects, optimizes, and returns data that helps brokers easily identify the best truck for a shipment. A one-click setup process gives trucking companies the ability to onboard with new brokers, unlocking billions of dollars of freight in less than 10 seconds and helping ensure compliance alignment to avoid lost bookings. Over the past year, Newtrul has added more than 10,000 active carrier users of all sizes to its platform and is currently working with nearly 75 customers. FinSMEs 31/10/2022 SD Worx, a Brussels, Belgium-based HR solutions platform provider, acquired Intelligo, a Wicklow, nearby Dublin, Ireland-based supplier of HR and Payroll Software and Outsourcing Services. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. With the acquisition, SD Worx will further expand its presence in the Irish market and will strengthen its portfolio of own payroll and HR software. Founded by Padraig Gill and John Kellegher, Intelligo provides payroll solutions that enable companies to accurately manage and pay their people, on time, every time. Established 26 years ago, the company has been a payroll partner for many leading brands across Ireland and beyond. Its solutions and services portfolio MegaPay, MegaHR and MegaPay Outsourced all provide innovative solutions to every major industry in the private and public sector from telco, Big 4 advisory firms, government departments, retail and more, with companies ranging in size from 200 to over 40,000 employees. Intelligo processes almost 40,000 payslips each month. Led by CEO Kobe Verdonck, SD Worx delivers people solutions across the entire employee lifecycle, from paying employees to attracting, rewarding and developing the talent who make businesses succeed. The company powers performance through four core capabilities: technology, outsourcing, expertise and data-driven insights. More than 80,000 small and large organisations across the globe use SD Worx. The company offers its people solutions in 150 countries, calculates the salaries of approximately 5 million employees and ranks among the top five worldwide. The 6,550 employees operate in nineteen countries: Belgium (HQ), Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. In 2021, SD Worx achieved a consolidated turnover of more than 858m (pro forma). FinSMEs 31/10/2022 Dorothy FireCloud, NPS Native American Affairs Liaison, to speak at Flagler College Flagler College and the National Park Service, with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, announce a Native American Heritage Month program. On November 16 and 17, 2022, special events will take place to remember and honor the Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors imprisoned at Fort Marion (Castillo de San Marcos) from 1875-1878. The events feature memorial ceremonies, remembrances, and educational sessions. Dorothy FireCloud, NPS Native American Affairs Liaison, will close the events with a keynote address. on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 7 p.m. in Flagler Colleges Lewis Auditorium, 14 Granada Street. Lewis Auditorium will open at 6 p.m. on a first come, first served, basis for security screening before the program which is FREE and open to the public. In October, 2020, FireCloud became the Native American Affairs Liaison and Assistant to the Director in the National Park Service (NPS). Her responsibilities include ensuring the NPS meets the requirements of the Department of the Interiors Policy on Consultation with Tribal Nations, and supporting the Director on issues impacting Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. From 2012 to 2020, FireCloud served as Superintendent at two Puebloan NPS sites, Montezuma Castle National Monument and Tuzigoot National Monument in the Verde Valley of Arizona. She joined the National Park Service in 2006 as Superintendent of Devils Tower National Monument, a site of significant spiritual connection to her tribe. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the New Mexico School of Law and has been a member of the New Mexico State Bar since 1991. Program Events FREE and Open to the Public Throughout the two days of events, educational sessions will be presented. Topics will include history of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the long-lasting impacts and intergenerational trauma of imprisonments and assimilation efforts, Native American prisoner of war burials in St. Augustine, and the importance and impact of art in recording and preserving Tribal heritage. For more detailed information, please visit www.flagler.edu/castillo. Castillo de San Marcos: Interpreting Tribal Heritage at Fort Marion Fort Marion (now Castillo de San Marcos) was used as a prison for Native Americans during conflicts in the 19th Century (1837, 1870s, and 1880s). The National Park Service, in coordination with Flagler College, continues to learn and develop new ways to interpret these significant periods in the history of Castillo de San Marcos. Together, the National Park Service and Flagler College have worked closely with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma to explore the much-needed perspective of the descendants of those imprisoned. ### About Flagler College Flagler College, ranked #2 Best Regional College in the south by U.S. News & World Report, encourages students within its 33 majors and 41 minors to think boldly- embrace their futures with confidence, knowledge and enlightened perspectives. Located in the heart of St. Augustine, Fla., Flaglers 2,400 students live in a small town with big adventures. Flagler College was founded in 1968 within the Hotel Ponce de Leon, a National Historic Landmark built by Henry Flagler, Standard Oil co-founder and visionary behind the Florida East Coast Railway. St. Augustines history and culture, including the legacy Henry Flagler left to the campus, encourages lifelong inquiry, creativity and expanded self-awareness. For more information about Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu. About the National Park Service Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections. To learn about the Castillo, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/casa. Follow the Castillo on Facebook (CastilloNPS) and Instagram (castillonps). Follow Fort Matanzas on Facebook (FortMatanzasNPS) and Instagram (fortmatanzasnps). Thank you to the following organizations for their support to make these events possible. City of St. Augustine Casa Monica Resort and Spa Old Town Trolley Tours St. Augustine Ponte Vedra Visitors and Convention Bureau Double Tree by Hilton Tagged As Usdin Speaker Raymond P. Scheindlin, Presenting, Wine, Women, and Death: The Worldly Pleasures of the Courtier-Rabbis of Islamic Spain Flagler College will host Dr. Raymond Scheindlin as a part of the Usdin Lecture series to present on the worldly pleasures of Courtier-Rabbis of Islamic Spain. Scheindlin will speak on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Virginia Room, on the second floor of the Student Center. This lecture is free and open to the public. As a scholar, author, and translator, Scheindlin will focus his presentation on the content of his book titled Wine, Women, and Death: Medieval Hebrew Poems on the Good Life. The book explores original Hebrew poetry from the 12th century which was informed by the dominant Arabic-Islamic culture of the time and Jewish religious and literary traditions. Scheindlin received his masters in Hebrew letters degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1963 and went on to earn a doctorate in Arabic literature from Columbia University in 1971. He is a professor emeritus of Medieval Hebrew Literature at his alma mater of the Jewish Theological Seminary and retired director of the Seminarys Shalom Spiegel Institute of Medieval Hebrew Poetry. In addition to his academic accreditation, Scheindlin has received multiple awards for his dedication to his religious studies. These include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Cultural Achievement Award of the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, and the Cullman Fellowship from the New York Public Library. Scheindlin is also a prolific author, translator, and contributing writer. Some of his well-known writings include: A Short History of the Jewish People, 501 Arabic Verbs: Fully Conjugated in all Forms, 201 Arabic Verbs, The Chronicles of the Jewish People, The Song of the Distant Dove: Judah Halevis Pilgrimage, and Kabbalat Shabbat: The Grand Unification: At the Sabbath Table. ### About the Usdin Lecture Series The Cecile & Gene Usdin Judeo-Christian Lecture Series is funded by a substantial donation to the College from Gene Usdin, a former president of the American Psychiatric Association and a clinical professor of psychiatry at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. In the past, the Usdin lecture series has hosted speakers like Fr. Michael Patella, professor of New Testament at the St. Johns School of Theology, and Father Columba, an American Benedictine monk, scholar, and the executive director of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library. Tagged As By Scott Shepherd Last month I wrote a piece for the Korea Times in which I argued that the New Jeans song "Cookie" contains strong sexual connotations and is therefore inappropriate for minors to be singing. When I sent it to my editor, I asked if she thought there would be any legal trouble considering the sensitive nature of the topic. She told me that she thought the article seemed fine but that she'd double check. The disclaimer at the bottom of this article is true, by the way. There are no political or ideological hoops to jump through: I really just write my opinion. The Korea Times has never asked me to follow a particular line or argue in favor or against anything, and I've always had a good working relationship with my editors. From what I can tell, their changes are usually limited to amending various words from their British (i.e. correct) spellings to the Americanized (wrong) versions. However, in this case the editors were worried. They didn't feel my article was in itself libelous, but ADOR, the company I had written about, had released several strong statements threatening legal action against critics, meaning that my article might lead to a lawsuit. And so, for the first time in the two years that I've been writing for them, the Korea Times asked me to change my article. While I was waiting to hear back, I took the opportunity to find out a bit more about the laws regarding defamation in Korea. I found to my shock that Korean law treats defamation not just as a civil matter but as a criminal one. Worse still is that the truth alone is not seen as a sufficient defense. A person stating a verifiable fact still faces the threat of up to three years in prison and if you publicly allege "false facts" (i.e. lies) you're looking at up to five years in prison, which goes up to seven whole years in prison if the "crime" is committed "by means of newspaper, magazine, radio, or other publication". The one small mercy is that the law states that "the act shall not be punishable" if "the facts alleged [] are true and solely for the public interest". I don't believe that my article in any of its forms constituted defamation at all, and I feel certain that my article was indeed written "solely for the public interest": I have no connections with any of the parties involved and I do believe any judge would agree. However, I'm no legal expert and it's impossible to predict the future. So if ADOR took offence at my article and things went really bad for me in court, at the very worst I might face seven years in prison. That's 2,556 days in prison. I repeat: seven years in prison for defamation. I can't imagine what terrible skeletons were in the closet of whoever decided on such draconian punishments back when it was first drafted, but it's high time this was rectified. Korea's defamation law clearly needs to be reformed. A quick look at shows how inconsistent the criminal law is: the maximum sentence for causing death by negligence is two years' imprisonment, and someone who compels a child to perform hard and dangerous labor faces a maximum of five years in prison. A journalist revealing these crimes would face a longer potential maximum sentence than the people committing the offences in the first place. This is manifestly wrong. It's wrong in its own sake: it's against the principles of justice, fairness and a free society. And it has a terrible stifling effect on those who want to speak out; there are, alas, examples of people being accused of crimes who then use this law to attack their accusers. The rich and powerful will always benefit from this kind of repressive law simply because they can afford the financial costs involved. And even if whistle-blowers prosecuted through this law win their case, they have still had to go through the stress and financial burden of standing trial in a criminal court, all for the price of speaking out. Of course, the wildly disproportionate punishments for defamation go a long way to explaining the editors' worries about my article. I care strongly about the topic, but I certainly don't want to receive a criminal record and put a complete end to my career not to mention the minor point of languishing in prison for the best part of a decade. So in my case, I felt I had three options: I could give up the topic entirely, I could edit my article and pray that I wouldn't get sued, or I could take the piece to another publisher. After a discussion with my wife, we decided it was worth the risk and that I should make some minor changes to the article so that it could be published. I didn't make any substantive changes and I certainly didn't change my position, but I did rephrase a few sentences and add a disclaimer. I sent it back to the Korea Times, and it was indeed . Ultimately, I think my changes were for the better and I should have made them without the newspaper's prompting. And I'm very glad to say that so far I haven't received any sinister legal letters in the post. Some might say, therefore, that the law did no harm: I still published my views freely and I've faced no negative consequences. In this case indeed, the worst the law did was push back the publication of an article by a week. But there are plenty of far more serious instances where the law impedes natural justice and damages the strength of Korea's democracy. Frankly, Korea still lags behind when it comes to holding powerful people to account, demonstrated nicely by the recent hullaballoo (in my view a clever piece which fully deserved its prize). To be fair to the current government though, it's only right to point out that both major parties have poor form when it comes to repression and surveillance of critics. Of course, when a country has a very real military threat on its borders, as South Korea has, there is a strong argument to be made in favor of the government restricting some speech for the purposes of national security. Moreover, cases do exist where some limited restriction of speech seems fair: incitements to violence, for example, or false allegations leading to real harm. But this criminal law performs no such useful function. Rather, it's an unpleasant reminder of Korea's fraught history when free speech was repressed, a throwback to the dark days before democratic reform came to this land. In the past decades, Korea has rapidly bloomed as a successful modern democracy, and it's time to shed these last anachronistic remnants of a bygone era of suppression and tyranny. Dr. Scott Shepherd (scottshepherd@chongshin.ac.kr) is a British-American academic. He has taught in universities in the U.K. and Korea, and is currently an assistant professor of English at Chongshin University in Seoul. The views expressed in the article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times. The 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be held via video link on November 1. Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang will host the meeting in Beijing. The heads of government and representatives of SCO member states and observer states, heads of SCO permanent organs, the SCO Entrepreneurs Committee and the SCO Interbank Consortium, and representatives of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and other international institutions and organizations will attend the meeting upon invitation. At the invitation of Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Vice Premier of the State Council Han Zheng will visit Singapore from November 1 to 2 and co-chair with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat the 18th China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation Meeting, the 23rd China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council Meeting, the 14th China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council Meeting and the 6th China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council Meeting. Xinhua News Agency: You just announced that Premier Li Keqiang will host the Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government. What are Chinas expectations for the meeting? Zhao Lijian: Since its founding, the SCO has followed the Shanghai Spirit, promoted good neighborliness and friendship among its members, deepened cooperation in various areas, and played an important role in maintaining the security and stability of the Eurasian continent and boosting the development and prosperity of regional countries. The SCO summit in Samarkand in September this year produced fruitful outcomes. President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered an important speech, and had an in-depth exchange of views and reached a number of important common understandings with other leaders on SCO cooperation in various areas and major international and regional issues. This has pointed the way forward for SCO development. The world is facing changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century and a sluggish economy. It is regional countries hope that the SCO can demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and contribute even more to protecting national security and development interests. Against this backdrop, Premier Li Keqiang will have an in-depth exchange of views with other leaders on implementing the outcomes of the summit in September and on advancing SCO security, economic and cultural cooperation, and explore new ideas and measures to expand mutually beneficial cooperation of the SCO. We believe this upcoming meeting will play an active part in helping countries respond to all kinds of risks and challenges and in promoting economic recovery and development, and deliver more tangible benefits to the countries and peoples in the region. CGTN: The China-Singapore Bilateral Cooperation Mechanism Meetings are to be held in an in-person format for the first time in three years. How significant are these meetings to China-Singapore relations? Zhao Lijian: China and Singapore are high-quality cooperation partners and our bilateral relations have maintained excellent growth. In February this year, President Xi Jinping met with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, who came to China to attend the Beijing Olympics, and they reached important consensus on further growing bilateral ties. Singapore has actively participated in Chinas endeavor to foster a new development paradigm. Both sides have made new progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advancing the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and broadening cooperation on new fronts including the digital economy and green development. Our cooperation is forward-looking, strategic and demonstrative. The China-Singapore bilateral cooperation mechanisms have over the years played an important role in coordinating and advancing across-the-board cooperation between the two countries. They are deeply valued by both sides. This is the first time in three years that these meetings will be held in an in-person format. It will offer an important opportunity for face-to-face discussions, which will help us form stronger synergy between development strategies in the new era, upgrade high-quality cooperation and boost prosperity and growth for both China and Singapore and the wider region. Apart from co-chairing the meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Vice Premier Han Zheng will meet with President Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, and renew friendship with old and new friends with a focus on future advancement of China-Singapore cooperation. Bloomberg: A story in Vanity Fair has revived debate over the theory that COVID-19 was the result of a lab accident in Wuhan. What is the ministrys response to that? Zhao Lijian: Chinas position on the origins-tracing of the coronavirus is consistent. China has always supported and participated in global science-based origins-tracing. At the same time, we firmly oppose all forms of political manipulation. We have made clear on multiple occasions that the lab leak theory is nothing but a lie fabricated by anti-China forces for political purposes and has nothing to do with science. The US politicians, driven by ill intentions, rehashed the lab leak theory to smear China in disregard of facts. This will only hamper science-based origins-tracing of the virus and undermine international anti-COVID cooperation. Dragon TV: A stampede in Seouls Itaewon on October 29 resulted in mass casualties. Four Chinese citizens lost their lives. Can you share more information? Zhao Lijian: China takes the accident very seriously. On October 30, President Xi Jinping conveyed a message of sympathies to ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol, and extended deep condolences for the deceased and sincere sympathies to the families of the deceased and those injured on behalf of the Chinese government and people. Premier Li Keqiang expressed sympathies to ROK Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. In the wake of the accident, the Chinese foreign ministry immediately activated the contingency mechanism of consular protection, instructed our embassy in the ROK to verify the situation, and coordinated with the ROK side to make the best effort possible to provide treatment and assistance for Chinese citizens. So far, our embassy has got into contact with the relatives in China of the individuals involved in the accident and actively provided help. The ROK side has agreed to provide them with facilitation. We would also like to remind Chinese nationals overseas to take extra safety precautions and avoid crowded places. In case of an emergency, please contact the police immediately and get in touch with the Chinese embassy or consulate there to seek help. CCTV: We have noted that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is about to visit China, had an interview with Chinese media. He spoke highly of Chinas development achievements, China-Pakistan relations and the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and said hes looking forward to the visit after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: We deeply appreciate Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs remarks. We believe they show the importance he attaches to his visit to China, the high quality of China-Pakistan relations and the deep friendship between the two peoples. No matter how the international or domestic situations have evolved, China-Pakistan friendship has been carried on from generation to generation, and our two countries have always supported each other on issues concerning our respective major interests, and have stood together and helped each other in the face of major natural disasters. We would also like to take this opportunity to commend the major outcomes of CPEC. As a flagship program of the Belt and Road Initiative, CPEC has become a landmark of China-Pakistan cooperation. It has effectively boosted economic development, improved peoples livelihood, and generated positive socioeconomic effects in Pakistan. The recent 11th meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee of CPEC was a success. Multiple common understandings were reached about CPECs future development. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs visit to China will begin tomorrow. China warmly welcomes him and looks forward to further advancing our high-level strategic cooperation and bringing more fruitful outcomes from our friendship to the benefit of the two peoples. AFP: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will start his official visit to China this week. Could you offer more information on that? What does China plan to discuss with the German side? Zhao Lijian: China has put out the announcement of the visit. There will be more details in due course. Please check back for updates. China Daily: Recently, Jorg Wuttke, President of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, said that Chinas development is closely related to globalization, China is interlinked with markets of many countries, and it is difficult for Western countries to decouple with China. In the meantime, he also claimed that China is closing its door to the outside world to some extent. What is Chinas comment? Zhao Lijian: Opening-up is Chinas fundamental national policy. The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China announced that we will promote high-standard opening-up and pointed out that we will improve the level and quality of trade and investment cooperation, steadily expand institutional opening-up with regard to rules, regulations, management, and standards, and foster a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. This fully demonstrates Chinas resolve to advance a high-level opening-up and charts the course for wider openness. Recently, Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying posted four pictures on Twitter showing figures about Chinas opening-up achievement, including Chinas ranking as the worlds first in trading, second in FDI use, third in FDI abroad, and having held four CIIEs. The figures fully demonstrate that China is a doer in pursuing high-level opening-up. Not long ago, China launched 15 policy measures for expanding foreign investment inflow and stabilizing the scale of foreign investment and released the 2022 edition of Catalogue of Industries Encouraged for Foreign Investment. The catalogue stresses that we will continue to boost foreign investment in industries including advanced manufacturing and modern services and competitive industries in central, western and northeastern regions. These measures will further boost foreign investors confidence and elevate Chinas opening-up. China will not tread the old path of isolation and rigidity and will only open its door even wider to the outside world. Our high-quality development and high-level opening-up will be a sustainable source of impetus for global economic recovery and growth. Bloomberg: Id like to ask if theres any more information about a possible in-person meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden. Do you have any details on that? How are the preparations going with that in mind? Can you confirm that there will be an in-person meeting in the coming weeks? Zhao Lijian: I have no information to offer at the moment. Shenzhen TV: On October 30, at least 141 people were killed and 50 injured after a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed in the Indian state of Gujarat, according to local officials. What is Chinas comment? Zhao Lijian: We have taken note of what happened. We mourn for the loss of lives and extend sympathies to the bereaved families and those who were injured in the accident. Reuters: The United States is planning to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to an air base in northern Australia. Whats Chinas comment? Zhao Lijian: All countries defense and security cooperation needs to contribute to regional peace and stability and must not target any third party or undermine their interests. Such a move by the US and Australia escalates regional tensions, gravely undermines regional peace and stability, and may trigger an arms race in the region. China urges parties concerned to abandon the outdated Cold War zero-sum mentality and narrow geopolitical mindset, and do more things that are good for regional peace and stability and mutual trust among all parties. Global Times: According to reports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview that regarding China, It is a worry to us because its been a few years. Were seeing...more aggression on the outside, including on Taiwan...So if theres a crisis, it will be bad for the entire world, so we need to maintain security. We need to resolve issues in a peaceful way. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: Taiwan is Chinas Taiwan. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese, a matter that must be resolved by the Chinese. We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary. This is directed solely at interference by outside forces and the few separatists seeking Taiwan independence and their separatist activities. The real root cause of the current tensions across the Taiwan Strait is that the DPP authorities have been soliciting the USs support for independence and some people in the US have been using Taiwan to contain China. The remarks confound right with wrong. Its characterization of Taiwan as part of Chinas outside and of China as being aggressive towards Taiwan is not only inconsistent with the basic fact that Taiwan is part of China, but also seriously contrary to the USs own political commitments made to China on the Taiwan question. China is firmly against this. If the US truly does not want to see a crisis in the Taiwan Strait, it needs to act on its statement of not supporting Taiwan independence, put an immediate end to irresponsible rhetoric and action, and reject and curb Taiwan independence with China. O Globo: Brazil had the results of the presidential elections yesterday. Id like to hear your comments about the results and also what China considers the priorities should be in the bilateral relations with the new government? Zhao Lijian: Warm congratulations to Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on being elected again as Brazils president. We wish Brazil new success in its national development. China and Brazil are both major developing countries and important emerging economies and each others comprehensive strategic partners. For 48 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Brazil relations have enjoyed sound and steady growth with fruitful cooperation in various areas. China views and advances its relations with Brazil from a strategic and overall perspective. We look forward to working with Mr. Lula da Silva and the new Brazilian government led by him to bring China-Brazil comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, deliver more benefits to the two countries and peoples and make our due contribution to regional and world peace and stability and common prosperity. NHK: Cambodia released information today that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will visit the country from November 8 to 11. Can you confirm this? Zhao Lijian: I have nothing to announce at the moment. If there is something to release, we will let you know in due course. Bloomberg: There was an editorial in the Wall Street Journal in recent days that accuses China of mistreating or even abusing American diplomats in the past. This is in relation to COVID-19 restrictions and measures. Does the foreign ministry have a point of view on this editorial? Zhao Lijian: This report and its accusations against China cannot be more far-fetched. Chinas COVID containment methods are science-based and effective. They are applied to Chinese and foreign nationals coming to China alike. Our COVID policy is based on openness and transparency. All regular US travelers, US officials paying short-term visits, and personnel of the US embassy and consulates in China have come to China after having learned about and accepted Chinas COVID measures including pre-departure protocols and post-entry medical observation and health monitoring. They experienced no such thing as restrictions. Eligible Foxtel customers who sign up to a participating Foxtel plan between 16 September and 16 November 2022 will be offered a 12-month subscription to Disney+. For a list of participating Foxtel plans and how to purchase visit foxtel.com.au/disneyoffer or for more help get in touch with us here . This offer must be redeemed and Disney+ account activated by 30 June 2023 at 11:59PM AEST or it will thereafter expire. At the end of the promo period, Disney+ auto-renews into a monthly Disney+ subscription at the then-current monthly retail price and Disney+ subscribers will be billed directly by Disney on a monthly basis, unless cancelled prior to renewal. To learn more about Disney+ pricing, visit www.DisneyPlus.com/Foxtel . A bird's-eye view of the country's first nuclear power plant decommissioning research institute in Ulsan. Courtesy of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power By Lee Kyung-min The government has begun the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant decommissioning research institute in Ulsan, the energy ministry said Monday. The Institute will develop technologies to ensure safe permanent suspension of nuclear power plants and function as a comprehensive platform to advance radioactive waste analysis. The construction of a similar institute to decommission pressurized heavy-water reactors will begin in the first half of next year in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said about 313 billion won ($219 million) will be spent to build the institute by 2026 in Ulju, a small county of Ulsan that borders Busan, on a 22,500-square-meter site. Over 87 billion won will be drawn from the ministry, followed by 193.4 billion won from state-run energy firms including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), and 32.2 billion won from the municipalities of Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongju and North Gyeongsang Province. Trade, Industry and Energy Deputy Minister Cheon Young-gil, seventh from left, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) CEO Whang Joo-ho eight from left, attend a groundbreaking ceremony in Ulsan, Monday. Courtesy of KHNP By Kim Jae-heun Hyundai Oilbank is pursuing various eco-friendly projects to strengthen its carbon reduction policies in Korea and abroad as part of efforts to deal with the climate crisis. In particular, the refiner has taken full-fledged steps to produce eco-friendly chemicals, together with its petrochemical affiliate Hyundai Chemical. In the first half of this year, Hyundai Chemical started operating its heavy-feed petrochemical complex (HPC) plant, an ultra-large petrochemical facility jointly invested by Hyundai Oilbank and Lotte Chemical. The plant is built on 660,000 square meters of land in Daesan, South Chungcheong Province, and can produce 850,000 tons of ethylene and 500,000 tons of propylene annually. Hyundai Oilbank aims to lay the foundation for its future green business in chemical materials through the HPC project. The company's production capacity of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), a solar panel material, stands at 300,000 tons, which is the largest for any single production line in Korea. Demand for EVA has recently been increasing rapidly. The oil company plans to further expand its petrochemical downstream business in the future by focusing on eco-friendly chemical materials such as energy, secondary batteries and bio materials. Hyundai Oilbank is also building a system of reusing plastic through its HPC plant. Hyundai Chemical signed a memorandum of understanding with Lotte Chemical and LG Household & Health Care on Oct. 17 to promote the eco-friendly plastic business. The three companies will cooperate under the contract to introduce green plastic products utilizing 100 percent of waste plastic through the pyrolysis process. Pyrolysis refers to decomposition of solid materials through heat. "Despite the serious ecosystem damage caused by incineration and waste plastics that are difficult to recycle, plastic usage is continuing to increase. We can reduce environmental pollution by replacing existing plastic with bioplastics," a Hyundai Oilbank official said. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. A nuclear power plant in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province Korea Times file By Lee Kyung-min A group of energy authorities and business executives from Poland signed a letter of intent (LOI) and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with their Korean counterparts, Monday, for cooperation on a construction project for a nuclear power plant in Patnow, central Poland, the energy ministry said. They are officials of Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE), a state-owned public power firm in Poland, ZE PAK, the country's largest solar power plant, Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). Monday's agreements are for a private sector-led project that is much less appreciated compared to the one signed recently between Poland and the U.S.' Westinghouse Electric Company. Poland chose the American firm over KHNP, Oct. 28 (local time), to lead the construction of its first nuclear power station. The American firm winning the bid was influenced in part by a lawsuit it filed in the U.S. against two Korean state-run counterparts KHNP and Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) over intellectual property violations. Westinghouse said that Korea's two state-run entities should not be able to export the APR-1400, a Korea-developed nuclear reactor that uses key Westinghouse technologies, unless it is approved by the firm and the U.S. Department of Energy. Many said the desperate last-minute maneuvering by the American nuclear power firm was designed only to undercut Korea's bids to win nuclear power plant construction projects in Poland and the Czech Republic. Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang, left, and Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin shake hands after signing a memorandum of understanding at The Plaza Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Ministry of Trade, Industry MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Renovating a home and updating decor can be a very exciting time for homeowners, but the costs tend to stack up quickly. Edwards Pavers, Australia's premier destination for bluestone pavers, urges renovators not to shy away from DIY-ing projects, which can save a lot of money and time. For beginner renovators, the stone experts recommend starting with a simple task, like removing tiles. They share their best advice for removing tiles at home. Edwards Pavers explains that all a renovator will need to remove existing tiles is safety goggles, safety gloves, a dust mask, a scraper, a hammer and a mallet, dust sheets and a masonry chisel. Most homeowners already have many of these items at home, but the items they don't have can be purchased at a low price from a hardware store or online marketplace like Amazon. Before beginning the process of removing tiles, Edwards Pavers reminds renovators to cover any surfaces or furniture they don't want to get dusty and to cover arms, hands, legs and feet. The best place to start removing tiles is with any tiles that are already loose or cracked; once the first tile is removed, ripping up the remaining tiles will be much easier. Simply situate the chisel under the tile and use the mallet to hit the end of the chisel until the tile lifts. Once the tiles have all been lifted, remove any remaining tile adhesive from the floor using the chisel. Lastly, sweep or vacuum up the dust to ready the floor for new tiles to be laid. To find the perfect new tiles, Edwards Pavers invites renovators to view their range of natural stone tiles - their customer service team can offer expert advice on the best types of tiles for any room or outdoor space. Contact Information: Edwards Pavers Founder sales@edwardspavers.com.au 03 9544 9544 Related Images Image 1: Edwards Pavers Edwards Pavers This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) between April 14, 2022 and September 28, 2022, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than December 19, 2022. SO WHAT: If you purchased Rite Aid securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Rite Aid class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9388 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than December 19, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) despite representations to the contrary, the number of new members (i.e., lives) that Elixirs (a subsidiary of the Company) pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services business was adding during the selling season ending on January 1, 2023 was in material decline; (2) Rite Aid was likely to recognize a significant charge for the impairment of goodwill related to Elixir due to a decrease in lives covered by Elixirs PBM services business; and (3) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Rite Aid class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=9388 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com NEWARK, Del, Oct. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global wet pet food market is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 36 Bn by 2032, with sales growing at a moderate CAGR of 5.3% from 2022 to 2032. The sales for the wet pet food market accounted for 19.2% of the overall pet foods market sales in 2021. It is estimated that the target market will continue to exhibit this growth during 2022-2032. Driven by rising pet adoption as well as a growing inclination among pet owners to give wet food to their pets, the target market will reach an estimated US$ 21.5 Bn in 2022. The several benefits of wet pet food as compared to dry pet food will propel the global sales of the wet pet food market during the forecast period. Wet pet food possesses higher water content (about 70-80%), and is the softest of the three forms of pet food. It is typically made by grinding the protein sources or meat ingredients together followed by a gravy that comprises of minerals, vitamins, and grains. In the last step, this mixed batter of food ingredients is cooked and sterilized to produce the final canned product. Request a Sample: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-12081 In the past couple of years, owing to the growing consumer awareness regarding the different benefits of wet food, the market for the same has registered a heightened demand. Wet food helps pet animals to stay hydrated and avoid urinary tract infection as it contains a higher moisture content. Likewise, wet pet foods also has lower carbohydrate content and is able to prevent weight gain in pets. Furthermore, more and more pet owners are increasingly inclined to purchase premium quality products for their pets This is because pet owners want to ensure that their pets receive the best nutrition and care. This aspect, by itself, is a major growth-inducer for the target market. Again, with the rise in the number of nuclear families and couples with pets, the market for wet pet food is also expected to thrive. All of these considerations foster growth of the wet pet food market during the forecast period. A heightened demand for nutritious and quality pet food is likely to augment the global growth of the wet pet food market over the forecast period, says an FMI analyst. Key Takeaways: Prevailing pet humanization trends fuel the growth of the wet pet food market in the United States. High demand for natural pet food along with advancing e-commerce will propel the target market in China. Emphasis on better pet health fuels the target market growth in India. By pet type, escalation in adoption of pet dogs will supplement the overall market growth. Popularity of organic packaged wet food is predicted to augment the global sales of the target market. Competitive Landscape PURINA, MONGE SPA, Blue Buffalo Co., Ltd., Harringtons Foods, Wellness, PetGuard, C&D Foods, Darling Ingredients Inc., Simmons Pet Food, and NaturPak Pet among others are some of the major players in the wet pet food market profiled in the full version of the report. Leading market players are focusing on product innovation and development to increase their revenue share. These organizations also engage in partnerships, acquisitions, and mergers along with expansion of manufacturing and distribution facilities to strengthen their market position. More Insights into Wet Pet Food Market Report According to the latest FMI reports, based on segmentation, wet pet food market registers highest demand from the pet dog segment. Puppies with no teeth are expected to boost the overall sales in this market. In terms of nature, organic packaged wet pet food is gaining traction due to rising concerns among pet owners about their animals health. Based on region, the wet pet food market in the United States is anticipated to present significant growth during 2022-2032. An upsurge in pet ownership coupled with prevailing pet humanization trends will bolster the market prospects in this country. Pet owners in the U.S. are highly concerned about their pets health and take a serious interest in pet food ingredients. All of these aspects propel the target market growth in this country. Apart from the U.S., India and China are two other nations which demonstrate promising potential in the wet pet food market during the forecast period. Browse Full Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/wet-pet-food-market Wet Pet Food Market by Category By Pet Type: Cat Kitten Senior Dog Puppy Adult Senior Others By Nature: Organic Conventional By Source: Animal Derived Plant Derived Insect Derived By Sales Channel: Offline Sales Channel Supermarkets/Hypermarkets Pet Stores Convenience Store Other Sales Channel Online Sales Channel Company Website E-commerce Platform By Region: North America Latin America Europe East Asia South Asia Oceania Middle East and Africa Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations Get In Touch With Our Team For 20% Flat Discount: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-12081 Have a Look at More Valuable Insights of Food and Beverage Grape Seed Extract in Pet Food Application Market Size is growing due to the rising demand of dietary supplements for animals Fish Based Pet Food Market Share was valued at US$ 10.0 Bn in 2022, exhibiting growth at a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period (2022-2032) Pet Food Microalgae Market Demand is expected to total US$ 22.2 Mn in 2021, exhibiting year on year growth of nearly 7%, according to Future Market Insights (FMI) Pet Food Ingredients Market Growth was valued at US$ 11.49 Bn in 2021 and is projected to grow at a steady CAGR of 5.4% between 2022 and 2032 Pet Food Processing Market Forecast is estimated to be valued at USD 5.0 Billion in 2022 and projected to reach USD 8.4 Billion by 2032, which record a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period from 20222032 About Future Market Insights, Inc. Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries. Contact Us: Future Market Insights, Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 31 October 2022 Vast Resources plc (Vast or the Company) Final Results Vast Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company, is pleased to announce its audited final results for the 12-month period ended 30 April 2022. A copy of the annual report will be available on the Companys website at www.vastplc.com and printed copies are being posted to shareholders. For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources plc Andrew Prelea (CEO) Andrew Hall (CCO) www.vastplc.com +44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish Financial & Nominated Advisor Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited Joint Broker Toby Gibbs / James Thomas (Corporate Advisory) www.shorecapmarkets.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7408 4050 Axis Capital Markets Limited Joint Broker Kamran Hussain www.axcap247.com +44 (0) 20 3206 0320 St Brides Partners Limited Susie Geliher / Charlotte Page www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 ANNUAL REPORT OVERVIEW OF THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2022 Vast Resources plc (Vast or the Group or the Company) is focused on key mining opportunities in Romania, Zimbabwe and Tajikistan. These opportunities comprise the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine (BPPM) in Romania, the Groups anticipated diamond opportunity in Zimbabwe, and participation in a joint venture in Tajikistan which was concluded after the year end. The Group continued to hold the Manaila Polymetallic Mine (MPM) on care and maintenance during the reporting period and is in discussions with potential funders. BPPM produced concentrate throughout the year and the Company continued to invest in BPPM to support the transition to mechanised mining. Long-hole stopping was successfully introduced in calendar Q3 2022 as the necessary step to significantly increase production volumes. The Company also entered into an agreement during the period to provide services to upgrade and optimise the processing plant at the operating fluorite and galena mine in Tajikistan. Discussions continue regarding the conclusion of the Companys diamond agreement with its Zimbabwe stakeholders in line with previous expectations, save on timing. Financial An increase in revenues in the year ended 30 April 2022 (US$3.8 million) compared to the year ended 30 April 2021 (US$ 0.9 million). 6.6% increase in other administrative and overhead expenses for the year ended 30 April 2022 (US$4.5 million) compared to the year ended 30 April 2021 (US$4.2 million). Foreign exchange losses of US$3.8 million for the year ended 30 April 2022 compared to gains of US$2.6 million for the year ended 30 April 2021. These losses arise from the Companys USD denominated funding of its Romanian Lei functional currency subsidiaries and are partly compensated by foreign exchange translation gains of US$2.2 million. The Company funds its Romanian businesses in USD given this funding will ultimately be repaid from USD denominated sales. An increase in losses after taxation in the year ended 30 April 2022 (US$15.5 million) compared to the year ended 30 April 2021 (US$7.7 million). Eliminating the effects of foreign exchange gains and losses, the loss for the period has increased 14% from US$10.3 million for the year ended 30 April 2021 to US$11.7 million for the year ended 30 April 2022. Cash balances at the end of the period US$0.130 million compared to US$1.385 million at 30 April 2021. Operational Development The Company continued to invest in BPPM to support the transition to mechanised mining and the implementation of long hole stoping with the procurement of two Mantis CMR4 Jumbo drilling rigs and an Aramine miniLoader L130D with remote control capability. Mill feed production at BPPM increased from 14,452 tonnes for the year ended 30 April 2021 to 38,108 tonnes for the year ended 30 April 2022. As announced on 1 October 2021, the Company confirmed the suitability of X-Ray Sorting Technology (XRT) to optimise MPMs production profile resulting in a substantial improvement in the economics of the mine. The test results conducted by TOMRA indicate that an XRT machine can substantially reduce transportation and production costs. It is for these reasons that the Company is planning to recommence production which will be dependent upon obtaining financing which will be sought at the project level. The Company acquired an interest in a Tajikistan mining project under which Vast is providing the necessary services for the upgrade of the processing plant associated with a fluorite and galena mine. Vast is responsible for the management and execution of the project and, through its interest in the venture, will receive the equivalent of 12.25% royalty on sales of non-ferrous concentrate. Under the project agreements, the mine is to produce approximately 7,000 tonnes per month of ore containing no less than 1.5-2% lead, 1.2-1.4% zinc and 27% fluoride. Historically the Mine contained 30g/t silver and 1-2g/t gold in situ. Continued discussions to conclude the agreement with Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (Pvt) Ltd (ZCDC) regarding the right to mine diamonds for the Company at the community diamond concession. Post reporting date: The Company commenced long-hole stoping at BPPM in calendar Q3 2022. A second milling circuit was completed at the processing plant at BPPM at the end of June 2022. BPPM commenced molybdenum concentrate production in August 2022. An official opening ceremony for the processing plant of the Tajikistan mine took place on 15 August 2022. Funding Equity: Fundraising share issues during the year (gross proceeds before cost of issue): $ Shares Issued Issued to 2,886,940 3,927,568 78,395,870 Placing with investors 645,600 855,428 53,580,952 Subscription by investors 1,057,884 1,400,000 145,366,144 Settle debt 4,590,424 6,182,996 277,342,966 Post reporting date: $ Shares Issued Issued to 2,156,000 2,556,500 378,285,715 Placing with investors 1,743,325 2,121,265 249,046,446 Subscription by investors 1,420,845 1,750,000 511,963,302 Settle debt 5,320,170 6,427,765 1,139,295,463 On 6 May 2021 the Company concluded a capital reorganisation which comprised two distinct parts, firstly a consolidation of the existing Ordinary Shares on a 1 for 100 basis, and then a subdivision of each resulting ordinary share of 10p into one new Ordinary Share and eleven new Deferred Shares. The effect of this reorganisation was to reduce the number of ordinary shares in issue by a factor of 100. Where relevant, comparative figures have been adjusted to reflect the capital reorganisation. Debt: During the period the Company repaid US$1,400,000 of principal of the first tranche of the Atlas facility through the issuance of shares. Year end secured debt stood at US$ 10.075 million, comprising the Atlas facility of US$5.1 million and the Mercuria facility of US$4.975 million. Post reporting date: On 16 May 2022, the Company repaid in full the outstanding bonds owed to Atlas and subsequently made a US$1 million debt reduction to the amount owed to Mercuria. These repayments were in part financed by a US$4 million asset backed debt facility from A&T Investments SARL. Management Appointment of Nigel Wyatt as independent Non-executive Director on 23 August 2021. Appointment of Andrew Hall as Commercial Director on 7 December 2021. Roy Tucker relinquished his executive functions and remains a Non-Executive Director. Political and Covid-19 Covid-19 restrictions eased during the period but still continue to create additional costs and inefficiencies to business activities. The conflict in Ukraine has not had any direct adverse impact on Vasts operations but has impacted commodity markets. CHAIRMANS REPORT The easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions was met by heightened geopolitical risks. While the conflict in Ukraine has not directly impacted the running of our operations in Romania, the uncertainty regarding economic global growth has contributed to copper prices being off their recent highs and impacted fuel, energy and transport costs generally. We believe that the fundamental value of our Romanian businesses remains unchanged and that, in the short term, the revenue diversification arising from the polymetallic composition of our deposits will provide some mitigation for the depressed copper price. Despite these challenges the Company successfully refinanced the Atlas bond facility in May 2022. Romania Production at the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine (BPPM) increased over last year, and the Company made good progress in transitioning to a mechanised mining methodology, culminating in the commencement of long-hole stopping in calendar Q3 2022. This together with the completion of a second milling circuit in June 2022, will allow a significant increase in production at the mine. The many priorities and challenges during the period prevented us from working more extensively on the recommencement of production at the Manaila Polymetallic Mine (MPM). The Company conducted an evaluation of the economics of the mine, and as part of this process, has assessed the suitability of X-Ray Sorting Technology (XRT) to optimise the mines production profile. The assessment indicates that the implementation of XRT equipment would significantly improve the economics of MPM by reducing transportation and production expenses and the Company is actively engaging with potential new investors at the project level to support the re-start. Zimbabwe The Company continues discussions to conclude the agreement with Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (Pvt) Ltd (ZCDC) regarding the right to mine diamonds for the Company at the community diamond concession. All stakeholders continue to express their support and the Company anticipates that an agreement will be finalised in due course. Tajikistan The Companys participation in a mining joint venture in Tajikistan marks an exciting development for the Company and is anticipated to provide an attractive income stream from the future sale of non-ferrous concentrates and other metals produced. Directors and management Executive management On 7 December 2021, Andrew Hall was appointed to the Board as Commercial Director. Andrew Hall has spent the last fourteen years working in natural resources and finance linked businesses. Before joining the Company in December 2018, Mr Hall previously worked at a natural resource-focussed merchant bank where he established and managed the alternative finance distribution business covering asset managers, private equity, investment banks, family offices and trading houses. Non-Executive Directors On 23 August 2021, Nigel Wyatt was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director of the Company. Nigel Wyatt is a Chartered Engineer, and a graduate of the Camborne School of Mines. He has held senior positions in several mining and engineering companies primarily in Southern Africa. Nigel has wide ranging experience in ore and diamond recovery technologies and the manufacture of electronic sorting equipment. His experience includes the design and erection of ore sorting and treatment plants. Funding On 16 May 2022, the Company repaid in full the outstanding bonds owed to Atlas and subsequently made a US$1 million debt reduction to the amount owed to Mercuria. These repayments were part financed by a US$4 million asset backed debt facility from A&T Investments SARL. The debt facility has a maturity of one year. Share Capital In May 2021 the Companys ordinary share capital was reorganised and consolidated so that the number of ordinary shares in issue was reduced by a factor of 100. The capital reorganisation comprised two distinct parts, firstly a consolidation of the existing Ordinary Shares on a 1 for 100 basis, and then a subdivision of each resulting ordinary share of 10p into one new Ordinary Share of 0.1p and eleven new Deferred Shares of 0.9p each. Corporate Governance As stated in the Strategic Report, the Company has adopted the Quoted Company Alliance (QCA) code on Corporate Governance. The Board strives to promote a corporate culture based on sound ethical values and behaviours. The Company maintains a strict anti-corruption and whistle blowing policy and the Directors are not aware of any event in any jurisdiction in which it operates that might be considered to be a breach of this policy. The Company has formally adopted Code of Conduct, Health and Safety, Environmental, and Human Rights policies which clearly articulate the Boards expectations and strengthen the control environment of the organisation. The Company continues to operate a code for Directors and employees dealings in securities which is appropriate for a company whose securities are traded on AIM and is in accordance with the requirements of the Market Abuse Regulation which came into effect in 2016. The Company is also committed to maintaining open dialogue with shareholders, employees and other stakeholders. Appreciation The continued support and resolve of shareholders and other stakeholders through times that have been challenging is much appreciated. To fellow directors, thank you for your advice and support, and to management and staff both in Romania and Zimbabwe for their continued effort on behalf of the Company. Above all we wish all our stakeholders well in these difficult times and remain committed to safeguarding the safety of our employees and the communities in which we operate. Brian Moritz Chairman STRATEGIC REPORT Principal activities, review of business and future developments Vision The vision of the Group continues to be to become a mid-tier mining group, one of the largest polymetallic (copper, zinc, silver, and gold) producers in Romania, and a major player in the re-emergence of the mining industry in Tajikistan and in Zimbabwe, where the Group now has a major focus on its diamond interests. The Group is also looking to expand its polymetallic and diamond footprint further afield to complement its Romanian and Zimbabwe strategy, and has recently entered into a joint venture in Tajikistan with a fluorite and galena mine to produce and market non-ferrous concentrate. Principal activities In Romania the Group has focused on operating the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine (BPPM) which commenced production in October 2020. The Manaila Polymetallic Mine (MPM) has remained on care-and-maintenance during the period and the Company is actively engaged with new investors to support the restart. In Zimbabwe, the Group continues to focus on concluding the agreement with Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (Pvt) Ltd (ZCDC) regarding the right to mine diamonds for the Company at the community diamond concession. In Tajikistan, the Group entered into a joint venture in Tajikistan with a fluorite and galena mine to produce and market non-ferrous concentrate and other metals. In both Romania and Zimbabwe, the Group holds further mining claims or other interests which are under appraisal. Review of business Romania BPPM (100% interest) Operations The Company established a new mechanised plan at BPPM in March 2021 but experienced complications and delays in Q2 of year ended 30 April 2022 due to encountering friable ground at the faces that required extra tunnelling to come back into the resource. Despite these challenges, mill feed production at BPPM has increased from 14,452 tonnes for the year ended 30 April 2021 to 38,108 tonnes for the year ended 30 April 2022. The Company has continued to invest time and resources to fully implement the transition to mechanised mining and successfully began long-hole stoping in calendar Q3 2022 following the deliveries of two Mantis CMR4 Jumbo drilling rigs and an Aramine miniLoader L130D with remote control capability. This represents a major achievement for the Company and will support significantly increased production volumes going forward. We continue to hold MPM on care-and-maintenance and are actively engaged with new investors to support the restart of MPM. Resources The JORC compliant Resource & Reserve Report for BPPM comprises an Indicated & Inferred mineral resource of 608,000 tonnes at 2.58% copper equivalent based on a copper metal price of US$ 6,655/tonne. Under JORC an exploration target has been identified, which includes an historical mineral resource of between 1.8 million to 3 million tonnes with a copper grade range of 0.502.00%, gold range of 0.200.80 g/t and silver range of 40-80g/t. Subsequent to the publication of the JORC assessment, and following an analysis of historical data records, the exploration targets previously reported under the JORC were increased from 1.8 million 3.0 million tonnes to 3.2 million - 5.8 million tonnes with copper grades in the range 0.50-2.00%, lead range 0.10-2.00%, zinc range 0.10-2.00%, gold range 0.20-0.80g/t, and silver range 40-80g/t further reinforcing the value of BPPM. The mineral resource estimate underpins the initial mine production life of approximately 3-4 years and the Company is in the process of conducting a drilling campaign in anticipation of increasing the JORC resource. MPM (100% interest) The Manaila Carlibaba exploitation perimeter contains a JORC-2012 compliant Indicated Mineral Resource of 3.6 million tonnes grading 0.93% copper, 0.29% lead, 0.63% zinc, 0.23g/t gold and 24.9g/t silver with Inferred Mineral Resources of 1.0 million tonnes grading 1.10% copper, 0.40% lead, 0.84% zinc, 0.24g/t gold and 29.2g/t silver. Under JORC underground exploration targets identified are 7.9 million 23.6 million tonnes with copper grades in range of 0.4-1.3%, lead range 0.2-0.7%, zinc range 0.3-1.1%, and open pit exploration targets of 1.1 million 3.2 million tonnes with copper grades in range of 0.4-1.1%, lead 0.1-0.4%, and zinc range 0.2-0.6%. The Company was granted the Manaila Carlibaba Exploitation License to 29 October 2025. The increase in demand for copper together with production efficiencies confirmed by the assessment of the suitability of X-Ray Sorting Technology (XRT) to optimise the mines production profile results in a substantial improvement in the economics of MPM. The test results conducted by TOMRA indicate that an XRT machine can substantially reduce transportation and production costs. It is for these reasons that the Company is engaged with potential new investors at the project level to support the restart of MPM. Blueberry Polymetallic Gold Project (`Blueberry) (29.41% effective interest). The Group has an effective 29.41% economic interest in Blueberry through EMA Resources Ltd (EMA) in a brown field perimeter located at Baia de Aries in the Golden Quadrilateral of Western Romania on which historic work has demonstrated prospectivity for gold and polymetallic minerals. The Group has completed a drilling programme on the perimeter which has established sufficient information to support a maiden JORC resource. The Company has completed procedural and reporting requirements with the Romanian authorities. These have now been accepted and will allow the Company to apply for an exploitation licence. The results and net assets of the Blueberry project are immaterial to the Group and therefore have not been included in the Group financial statements under the equity method of accounting. Other Romanian prospects Given the Companys focus on BPPM, the application for an Exploration Licence for our current claims at Magura Neagra and Piciorul Zimbrului (collectively known as Zagra) has been placed on hold and will recommence once internal resources are available. The Group continues to believe that exploitation of the many mining opportunities that have become dormant in Romania over the last two decades will be an attractive prospect for global mining players seeking to capitalize on the projected increase in demand globally for copper occasioned by the global transition to clean energy and electric vehicles.The Groups first mover position in Romania has attracted interest in resuscitating the large-scale polymetallic resource projects in Romania. Zimbabwe The Group has now focused its Zimbabwe strategy on mining its anticpated diamond concession in Zimbabwe. This opportunity potentially offers high and near term positive cashflow and is unrestrained by tight currency controls. Discussions with the various Zimbabwe stakeholders remain in line with previous expectations, other than on timing, and we anticipate that we will be able to commence our mining operations in due course. Tajikistan The Company, as one of a collective group of partners, entered into a new joint venture project (the Project) in Tajikistan with Open Joint Stock Company Korkhonai Boygardonii Takob (Takob). The interest in the Project has been acquired as a result of the acquisition by a recently incorporated UK company, Central Asia Investments Ltd, in which Vast has a 49 percent interest of a 50 percent interest in Central Asia Minerals and Metals Ore Trading FZCO (CAMM) which has an agreement with Takob (the Master Agreement). Vast has an effective 24.5 percent indirect interest in the Project. Takob, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Tajikistan Open Joint Stock Company TALCO, the countrys largest group of companies, is the owner of the operating Takob fluorite and galena mine (the Mine) in Tajikistan where the strategic fluoride concentrate is sold to TALCOs chemical division (TALCO Chemical LLC), for the production of essential raw materials required for primary aluminium production. Under the Master Agreement the Mine is to produce approximately 7,000 tonnes per month of ore containing no less than 1.5-2% lead, 1.2-1.4% zinc and 27% fluoride. Under the Master Agreement CAMM is to provide equipment, technology and technical expertise to upgrade and optimise the processing plant at the Mine, and will undertake the responsibility for the management and execution of the Project. Takob will continue to mine ore at the Mine and produce fluoride concentrate. Takob has undertaken to supply no less than 1,000,000 tonnes of ore to be processed in line with the Project that is anticipated to run with the current Resource statement for 12 years. CAMM has also under the Master Agreement been appointed as exclusive agent for Takob to market and sell all non- ferrous concentrates and precious metals from Takobs Mine including but not limited to lead, zinc, gold and silver. CAMM has secured financing and is fully funded for the Project. In consideration for CAMMs financing obligations and provision of services under the Master Agreement CAMM will be entitled to receive 50 percent of net revenue from the sale of non-ferrous concentrate and precious metals. In order for CAMM to provide the expertise required to fulfil its services and marketing obligations under the Master Agreement CAMM has entered a services agreement with Vast to provide the services required. Under this agreement Vast is entitled to charge for the services provided on the basis that 24.5 percent of the fees earned will be left outstanding until they can be financed from revenue arising from the Project. In addition to fees receiveable under the services agreement with CAMM Vast will receive the equivalent of 12.25 percent royalty of all sales of the non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced for its participation in the collective group. As announced on 24 May 2022, CAMM executed a Memoradum of Undertstanding (MoU) with Open Joint Stock Company TALCO linked to processing the tailings produced by the Takob Mine processing facility. During the initial soil sampling phase the company reported visible signs of Lead, Zinc and precious metals, including Gold, Silver & Platinum Group Metals, in the tailings facility. Initial surface survey results show that there is a minimum of 1 million tons and up to 3.3 million tons. Over the past 40 years of mining the processing plant was focused on Calcium Fluoride recoveries, not on extraction of non-ferrous or precious metals. Corporate During the period the Company repaid US$1,400,000 of principal of the first tranche of the Atlas facility through the issuance of shares. On 16 May 2022, the Company repaid in full the outstanding bonds owed to Atlas and subsequently made a US$1 million debt reduction to the amount owed to Mercuria. These repayments were in part financed by a US$4 million asset backed debt facility from A&T Investments SARL with maturity of one year. Strategy The Groups strategy is to: Attract ongoing funding for the Group including from institutional investment Attract appropriate joint venture partners and public institutions to invest in the Group and projects of mutual interest Grow into a mid-tier mining company both organically and through acquisitions financed principally by third parties Optimise operations to produce positive cashflows Add value to operations by increasing resources and reserves If expedient, hold significant minority stakes in new ventures operationally managed by the Group Finance growth, where possible in a non-dilutive manner Maintain exposure to Romania and Zimbabwe where the Group has acquired in-depth country knowledge Develop the Companys existing relationship in Tajikistan with Talco with a view to expanding its portfolio within the country Expand the Companys polymetallic and diamond footprint further afield to complement its Romanian and Zimbabwe strategy Continue to work with Government and local communities in Zimbabwe in the diamond sector, and to develop the diamond business in a transparent way for the benefit of all stake holders Key performance indicators In executing its strategy, the Board considers the Groups key performance indicators to be: Cash cost per tonne milled Cash cost per tonne is derived from aggregate cash costs divided by tonnes milled and measures productivity. BPPM cash cost per tonne was US$180 for the year (2021: US$201) and is derived from aggregate cash costs divided by tonnes milled and measures productivity. There has been no production at MPM this and last year given the mine was on care and maintenance. Cash costs per tonne of concentrate Cash cost per tonne produced is calculated by dividing aggregate cash cost by concentrate tonnes produced and measures productivity. BPPM cash cost per tonne was US$7,654 for the year (2021: US$5,184) and is derived from aggregate cash costs divided by the tonnes produced. The increase this financial year is due to spiral development costs incurred to access higher grade resource to be mined. These costs have not been capitalised given their short useful economic life. There has been no production at MPM this year given the mine has been on care and maintenance. Plant production volumes as a measure of asset utilisation BPPM processed mill feed of 38,108 tonnes (2021: 14,452 tonnes). There has been no production at MPM this and last year given the mine was on care and maintenance. Total resources and reserves These indicators measure our ability to discover and develop new ore bodies, including through acquisition of new mines, and to replace and extend the life of our operating mines. We have published JORC-2012 compliant resource estimates for both BPPM and MPM which are described above. The alluvial diamond interest in Zimbabwe where there is an expectation of a right to mine is considered very prospective, but by its nature is not susceptible to the estimation of a JORC resource. The rate of utilization of the Groups cash resources. This is discussed further below. Cash resources The Groups year end position was US$0.103 million (2021: US$1.385 million). During the year cash used in operations were US$3.562 million, with a significant portion of the balance directly related to developing, supporting and maintaining our mining assets. Cash outflows from investing activities were US$1.844 million comprising additions to property, plant, and equipment of $1.467 million in the Groups Romanian operations and a $0.417 million investment in the Companys associate, CAMM. Cash net inflows from funding activities were US$ 4.164 million, comprising the net of the proceeds from the issuance of shares of US$4.528 million less repayment of loans and borrowings and finance expenses of US$0.364 million. The Directors monitor the cash position of the Group closely to plan sufficient funds within the business to allow the Group to meet is commitments and continue the development of assets. As part of this process, the Directors closely monitor capital expenditure and the regulatory requirements of the licences to ensure they continue in good standing. Principal risks and uncertainties Risk Going concern The Group will require funding to make further debt reductions to the Mercuria loan, and to refinance the Alpha debt facility which becomes due on 13 May 2023, and to provide general working capital. BPPM is currently producing and is expected to be operationally profitable within the financial year to 30 April 2023. The Directors are confident that the Company will be able to obtain funds for such requirements from debt providers and investors given the fundamental value of its assets and project pipeline, supported by expectations for strong demand for copper, and production at BPPM. However, while the Company is in discussions with potential investors and debt providers, no binding funding agreement is in place at the date of this Report. These conditions indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the Group's and Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include the adjustment that would result if the Group and Company were unable to continue as a going concern. Mitigation/Comments The Company is in discussions for financing that is better suited to its current operational and risk profile. This includes medium-term financing at prices reflecting the reduced financial risk profile of the Company. The Board will also continue to engage with providers of commodity trade finance, potential joint venture and other investors in order for them to understand the fundamental strength of the Groups business and attract additional funding when required. The Board also will, whenever possible, retain sufficient cash margin to offset contingencies. The Groups diamond investments would not be subject to remittance restrictions as the Group is advised that foreign currency regulations will allow export proceeds not required to meet costs in Zimbabwe to be retained offshore. Risk Mining Mining of natural resources involves significant risk. Drilling and operating risks include geological, geotechnical, seismic factors, industrial and mechanical incidents, technical failures, labour disputes and environmental hazards. Mitigation/Comments Use of strong technical management together with modern technology and electronic tools assist in reducing risk in this area. Good employee relations are also key in reducing the exposure to labour disputes. The Group is committed to following sound environmental guidelines and is keenly aware of the issues surrounding each individual project. Risk - Commodity prices Commodity prices are subject to fluctuation in world markets and are dependent on such factors as mineral output and demand, global economic trends and geo-political stability. Mitigation/Comments The Groups management constantly monitors mineral grades mined, cost of production, and commodity diversity to ensure that mining output becomes or remains economic. The anticipated marginal contributions going forward at both BPPM and the Zimbabwe diamond project opportunity are high versus fixed costs which provides a degree of liquidity protection in the event prices decline significantly. Risk Management and Retention of Key Personnel The successful achievement of the Group's strategies, business plans and objectives depend upon its ability to attract and retain certain key personnel. Mitigation/Comments The Groups policy is to foster a management culture where management is empowered and where innovation and creativity in the workplace are encouraged. The Group has in place a Share Appreciation Rights Scheme for Directors and senior executives to provide incentives based on the success of the business and continues to consult third party benchmarks for remuneration. It has also introduced more specific incentive arrangements for the Groups diamond business in Zimbabwe. Risk - Country and Political The Groups activities are based in Romania, Zimbabwe and Tajikistan. Emerging market economies could be subject to greater risks, including legal, regulatory, economic, bribery and political risks, and are potentially subject to rapid change. In addition, there are risks particular to Zimbabwe arising from a scarcity of foreign exchange, difficulty with foreign remittances of funds and the, now albeit very substantially mitigated, risk of indigenisation. Mitigation/Comments The Groups management team is experienced in its areas of operation and skilled at operating within the framework of the local culture in Romania and Zimbabwe to progress its objectives. The Group routinely monitors political and regulatory developments in each of its countries of operation. In addition, the Group actively engages in dialogue with relevant government representatives to keep abreast of all key legal and regulatory developments applicable to its operations. The Group has several internal processes and checks in place to ensure that it is wholly compliant with all relevant regulations to maintain its mining or exploration licences within each country of operation. Risk - Social, Safety and Environmental The Group's success may depend upon its social, safety and environmental performance, as failures can lead to delays or suspension of its mining activities. Mitigation/Comments The Group takes its responsibilities in these areas seriously and monitors its performance across these areas on a regular basis. The Group has adopted and obtained ISO 9001:2015 for Quality, ISO 45001: 2018 for Safety, and ISO 140001: 2015 for Environment. The Group adheres to all Covid-19 rules, regulations, and guidelines in preventing transmission of the infection through the workforce. Corporate Governance The Company has adopted the QCA (Quoted Company Alliance) Code on corporate governance. Details of how the Company complies with this are set out on the Companys website. Principles which are required to be dealt with under the Code in the Companys Annual Report are set out below. Business model and strategy This is described above under Strategy and elsewhere in this Report. Risk Management In addition to its other roles and responsibilities, the Audit and Compliance Committee is responsible to the Board for ensuring that procedures are in place and are being implemented effectively to identify, evaluate and manage the significant risks faced by the Company. The Directors have established procedures, as represented by this statement, for the purpose of providing a system of internal control. An internal audit function is not considered necessary or practical due to the size of the Company and the close day to day control exercised by the Executive Directors. The Board works closely with and has regular ongoing dialogue with the Company Financial Director and other Executive Directors and has established appropriate reporting and control mechanisms to ensure the effectiveness of its control systems. The risks facing the Company are detailed above. The Board seeks to mitigate such risks so far as it is able to, as explained above, but certain important risks cannot be controlled. The CEO is primarily responsible to the Board for risk management. In particular, the products the Company mines and is seeking to identify are traded globally at prices reflecting supply and demand rather than the cost of production. In Romania, the Company seeks to protect its cash flow by means of a long-term offtake agreement, but it does not hedge future production. Maintenance of a well-functioning Board of Directors led by the Chairman Membership of the Board at the date hereof is as follows: Name Role Appointed Brian Moritz Non-executive Chairman 3 October 2016 Andrew Prelea Chief Executive Officer 1 March 2018 Roy Tucker Non-Executive Director 5 April 2005 Paul Fletcher Finance Director 6 November 2019 Craig Harvey Chief Operating Officer 1 March 2018 Nick Hatch Non-Executive Director 9 May 2018 Nigel Wyatt Non-Executive Director 23 August 2021 Andrew Hall Commercial Director 7 December 2021 The Non-executive Directors other than Roy Tucker are considered to be independent. All the Directors are subject to re-election at intervals of no more than three years. The table illustrates the success of the Board in refreshing its membership. The Board is well balanced both in its skill sets and in the domicile of its members. Of the Executive Directors, Andrew Prelea is resident in Romania, Andrew Hall and Paul Fletcher in the UK, and Craig Harvey splits his time between Romania and Southern Africa, with the majority of his time now spent in Romania. All the Non-Executive Directors are resident in the UK. Non-executive Directors are committed to devote 3 days per month to the Company. Executive Directors devote substantially the whole of their time to the Company. Where possible Directors are physically present at board meetings. However, due to the wide divergence of locations, Directors may be present by telephone. The position is also impacted currently by the Covid-19 situation. During the year ended 30 April 2022 there were 17 board meetings of the Company which save for the absence by one Director on one occasion were attended by all the Directors. There were a further 10 meetings of a formal nature. There was also one General Meeting in addition to the Annual General Meeting. Appropriate skills and experience of the Directors The CVs of the Directors - four executives and four non-executives - as disclosed on the website, are set out below. In addition, the Company has employed the outsourced services of Ben Harber of Shakespeare Martineau as company secretary. Andrew Prelea Chief Executive Officer Andrew has been involved in the mining sector for 10 years and with Vast since 2013. He has spearheaded the development of the Companys Romanian portfolio. Beginning his career in the early 1990s as a bulk iron ore and steel trader in Romania, he then went on to develop his career in the property and earthmoving sector in Australia before returning to Romania in 2003, initially to focus on the development of properties for the Romanian Ministry of Defence and latterly, private sector developments. Throughout his 29 year career, Andrew has developed extensive investor and public relations experience and has advised the Romanian government on wide ranging high-level topics including social housing and economic policy. He has built a strong network of contacts across the mining and metals industries and Europe and southern Africa, in addition to policy makers and governmental authorities in both Romania and Zimbabwe. Brian Moritz - Chairman Brian is a Chartered Accountant and former Senior Partner of Grant Thornton UK LLP, London; he formed Grant Thorntons Capital Markets Team which floated over 100 companies on AIM under his chairmanship. In December 2004, he retired from Grant Thornton UK LLP to concentrate on bringing new companies to the market. He specialises in natural resources companies, primarily in Africa, and was formerly chairman of Metal Bulletin plc, African Platinum plc and Chromex Mining plc as well as currently being chairman of several junior mining companies. Roy Tucker Non-Executive Director Roy is a Chartered Accountant with some 50 years of high level and broad spectrum professional and business experience. He has been the founder of a London banking group, served on bank boards and had a position as a major shareholder of a substantial London commodity house. He is also the founder of Legend Golf and Safari Resort in South Africa. He has substantial investment in the Romanian property sector. Paul Fletcher Finance Director Paul is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers with 30 years experience working in the commodity and financial services industries. He has held a variety of senior international finance and operational roles in trading, processing, and financial businesses in the US, Europe, and Asia. Andrew Hall Commercial Director Andrew has spent the last fourteen years working in natural resources and finance linked businesses. Before joining the Company in December 2018, Andrew previously worked at a natural resources focussed merchant bank where he established and managed the alternative finance distribution business covering asset managers, private equity, investment banks, family offices and trading houses. Craig Harvey Chief Operating Officer Craig began his career with Gold Fields of SA in 1988 as a bursary student in Economic Geology where he worked on various gold, platinum, coal and exploration projects. At Harmony Gold he managed the mineral resources on various operations and was involved in due diligence on acquisitions. He joined Simmer and Jack with a focus on shallow hydro-thermal gold deposits in the Eastern Transvaal and later moved into a corporate role managing and auditing the mineral resource process across all gold and uranium operations. Craig spent 3 years in a Principal Consultant role for Ravensgate based in Perth, Australia, where he conducted numerous resource estimations, valuations and technical reports mainly in gold, uranium, copper and iron ore. Craig joined Vast Resources as a consultant in 2013 and became Chief Operating Officer in March 2017. During his tenure with Vast Resources, he has been heavily involved in both Zimbabwe and Romania. Nick Hatch Non-Executive Director Nick has more than 36 years experience in mining investment banking, primarily as a mining analyst and in managing mining & metals research and equities teams. He was most recently Director of Mining Equity Research at Canaccord Genuity in London. Nicks experience includes researching and advising on mining companies and projects across the globe and across the commodity spectrum and includes companies of all sizes. Nick left investment banking in 2017, and has set up his own company, Nick Hatch Mining Advisory Ltd, to provide mining research, business development and financing advice. He holds a degree in Mining Geology and is a Chartered Engineer. Nigel Wyatt Non-Executive Director Nigel is a Chartered Engineer, a graduate of the Camborne School of Mines. He has held senior positions in several mining and engineering companies primarily in Southern Africa. These include CEO of Chromex Mining Plc, group marketing director of a De Beers subsidiary group supplying specialised, materials, engineering and technology to the mining and industrial sectors, and commercial director of Dunlop Industrial Products (Pty) Ltd, South Africa. He has wide ranging experience in ore and diamond recovery technologies and the manufacture of electronic sorting equipment. His experience includes the design and erection of ore sorting and treatment plants. The Company believes that the current balance of skills on the Board, as a whole, reflects the broad range of commercial and professional skills that the Company requires. Among the Executive Directors, Andrew Prelea is experienced in general management, including identifying and negotiating new business opportunities; Paul Fletcher is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Association of Corporate Treasurers with broad international and financial management experience in the commodity sector, Craig Harvey is a qualified geologist experienced in constructing and operating mines, and Andrew Hall is experienced in natural resource and finance linked businesses. Among the Non-executives Brian Moritz is a Chartered Accountant with senior experience. In addition to his financial skills he has former experience as a Registered Nominated Adviser. Roy Tucker is a Chartered Accountant with many years experience in general executive management. Nick Hatch is a qualified geologist with experience in evaluating mining companies and natural resource projects. Nigel Wyatt is a Chartered Engineer, a graduate of the Camborne School of Mines with wide ranging experience in the commercial aspects of mining and in ore and diamond recovery technologies. Importantly, three Directors without geological qualifications have significant experience with junior companies in the natural resources sector. Evaluation of Board Performance The Group is in the process of fast evolution and at this stage in the Companys development it is not deemed necessary to adopt formal procedures for evaluation of the Board or of the individual Directors. There is frequent informal communication between members of the Board and peer appraisal takes place on an ongoing basis in the normal course of events. However, the Board will keep this under review and may consider formalised independent evaluation reviews at a later stage in the Companys development. Given the size of the Company, the whole Board is involved in the identification and appointment of new Directors and as a result, a Nominations Committee is not considered necessary at this stage. The importance of refreshing membership of the Board is recognised and has been implemented. In 2018 Andrew Prelea was appointed to replace Roy Pitchford as CEO, and Nick Hatch replaced Brian Basham as a Non-executive Director. In November 2019, Paul Fletcher was appointed to the Board as Finance Director, and in 2021 Nigel Wyatt was appointed to replace Eric Diack as Non-executive Director, and Andrew Hall appointed to the Board as Commercial Director. Nevertheless, it is envisaged that the Board will be strengthened in due course as and when new projects are operated by the Company. Maintenance of Governance Structures and Processes The corporate governance structures which the Company is able to operate are limited by the size of the Board, which is itself dictated by the current size and geographical spread of the Companys operations, with Directors resident in the UK, Romania and Southern Africa. With this limitation, the Board is dedicated to upholding the highest possible standards of governance and probity. The Chairman, Brian Moritz: leads the Board and is primarily responsible for the effective working of the Board; in consultation with the Board ensures good corporate governance and sets clear expectations with regards to Company culture, values and behaviour; sets the Boards agenda and ensures that all Directors are encouraged to participate fully in the activities and decision-making process of the Board. The CEO, Andrew Prelea: is primarily responsible for developing Vasts strategy in consultation with the Board, for its implementation and for the operational management of the business; is primarily responsible for new projects and expansion; in conjunction with the CFO and Commercial Director is responsible for attracting finance and equity for the Company; runs the Company on a day-to-day basis; implements the decisions of the Board; monitors, reviews and manages key risks; The Chief Operating Officer, Craig Harvey: is responsible for operational improvements and efficiency of mining operations in Romania; is responsible for expansion and exploration of projects at the mine level; is responsible for the Baita Plai mine ramp-up; assists and advises on the operation and expansion of other operations and projects; provides technical input on new projects. The Finance Director, Paul Fletcher: is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the Group; oversees the accounting and treasury function of all Group companies; in conjunction with the CEO, is responsible for the financial risk management of the Company; is responsible for financial modelling to support fund raising initiatives and structuring trade related funding; is responsible for financial planning and analysis; deals with all matters relating to the independent audit; The Commercial Director, Andrew Hall: works with the CEO on the Companys strategic business initiatives and capital raising; is responsible for offtake relationships; is responsible for leading the Companys external and investor communications; is the main point of contact with the Companys Nomad Roy Tucker has assumed the role of Non-Executive Director during the year. Through a period of transition, Roy also provides legal, consultancy and compliance services to the Company. The Remuneration Committee is currently chaired by Nick Hatch and comprises Nick Hatch, Brian Moritz and Nigel Wyatt. The Remuneration Committee is responsible for establishing a formal and transparent procedure for developing policy on executive remuneration and to set the remuneration packages of individual Directors. The Committees policy is to provide a remuneration package which will attract and retain Directors and management with the ability and experience required to manage the Company and to provide superior long-term performance. The Audit and Compliance Committee is currently chaired by Brain and comprises Brian Moritz and Nick Hatch. It normally meets twice per annum to inter alia, consider the interim and final results. In the latter case the auditors are present and the meeting considers and takes action on any matters raised by the auditors arising from their audit. Matters reserved for the Board include: Vision and strategy Production and trading results Financial statements and reporting Financing strategy, including debt and other external financing sources Budgets, acquisitions and expansion projects, divestments and capital expenditure and business plans Corporate governance and compliance Risk management and internal controls Appointments and succession plans Directors remuneration Shareholder Communication The Board is committed to maintaining effective communication and having constructive dialogue with its shareholders in accordance with Principle Two of the Quoted Companies Alliance Code as adopted by the Company. The Company is desirous of obtaining an institutional shareholder base, and institutional shareholders and analysts will have the opportunity to discuss issues and provide feedback at meetings with the Company. The Investors section of the Companys website provides all required regulatory information as well as additional information shareholders may find helpful including: information on Board members, advisors and significant shareholdings, a historical list of the Companys Announcements, its corporate governance information, the Companys publications including historic annual reports and notices of annual general meetings, together with share price information. The results of shareholder meetings will be publicly announced through the regulatory system and displayed on the Companys website with suitable explanations of any actions undertaken as a result of any significant votes against resolutions. Section 172 (1) Statement The Directors of the Company must act in accordance with a set of general duties. These duties are detailed in section 172 of the UK Companies Act 2006. This Section 172 statement explains how the Directors fulfil these duties. Each Director must act in a way that they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the Companys success for the benefit of its members as a whole, and in doing so have regard (among other matters) to: S172(1) (a) The likely consequences of any decision in the long term The Board has focused its resources primarily on two key mining opportunities in Romania and Zimbabwe. These opportunities comprise BPPM in Romania, and the Groups expected diamond concession in Zimbabwe. The Board is also looking to expand the Companys polymetallic and diamond footprint further afield to complement its Romanian and Zimbabwe strategies. For further details on the Companys strategy and the key performance indicators, please see page 9 and 10 of the annual report. The Board has implemented processes to identify, measure, manage, and mitigate risks and uncertainties arising from the implementation of its strategy. These risks and uncertainties are highlighted on pages 10, 11 and 12 of the annual report and the processes by which they are managed are highlighted under the Risk Management principles set out on the Corporate Governance section on page 12 of the annual report. S172(1) (b) The interests of the Companys employees The successful achievement of the Group's strategies, business plans and objectives depend upon its ability to attract, motivate, and protect the safety of its employees. Health and Safety, and Human Rights policies clearly articulate the Boards expectations and safeguard the interests of the Companys employees. The Groups policy is to foster a management culture where management is empowered and where innovation and creativity in the workplace are encouraged and rewarded. This is reflected in the performance programs that the Company has implemented. S172(1) (c) The need to foster the companys business relationships with suppliers, customers and others The Company has ongoing dialogue with its customers and suppliers and ensures that a strong relationship is maintained at the level of senior management. This ensures alignment with the Companys business objectives and promotes strong collaboration. As mentioned on page 16 of the annual report, under Shareholder Communication, the Board maintains effective communication with its shareholders and provides updates and information through public announcements on the regulatory system and on the Company website. S172(1) (d) The impact of the companys operations on the community and the environment As mentioned on page 11 of the annual report, under Risk Social, Safety and Environmental, the Group monitors its performance across these areas on a regular basis. The Group has adopted and obtained ISO 9001:2015 for Quality, ISO 45001: 2018 for Safety, and ISO 140001: 2015 for Environment. The Group adheres to all Covid-19 rules, regulations, and guidelines in preventing transmission of the infection through the workforce. As mentioned in the Chairmans Report on pages 5 and 6 of the annual report, the Company has also implemented formal policies on these areas. S172(1) (e) The desirability of the company maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct As more fully explained on pages 5 and 6 of the Chairmans Report and under the Corporate Governance section on page 12 of the annual report the Board strives to promote a culture based on high business conduct standards. S172(1) (f) The need to act fairly as between members of the company Having assessed all necessary factors, and as supported by the processes described above, the Directors consider the best approach to delivering on the Companys strategy. This is done after assessing the impact on all stakeholders and is performed in such a manner so as to act fairly as between the Companys members. Outlook The Company has continued to invest time and resources to implement the full transition to mechanised mining and successfully began long hole stoping in calendar Q3 2022 following the deliveries of two Mantis CMR4 Jumbo drilling rigs and an Aramine miniLoader L130D with remote control capability. This represents a major achievement for the Company and will support significantly increased production volumes going forward. MPM continues to hold significant value for the Company, supported by strong demand for copper and improved production techniques. The priorities this year prevented the team from devoting time to realising the value of the asset and we are re-engaging with investors to support at the project level the restart of MPM. In Zimbabwe, we continue to anticipate that we will be able to conclude our mining agreement despite the delays; and in Tajikistan we see near term opportunity to develop our position in the country in polymetallics. The economic fundamentals for the Companys polymetallic business are strong. Increased demand for copper and tightness in supply have significantly lifted copper prices, despite recent declines due to the conflict in Ukraine. The forecast global growth in electric vehicles remains likely to create, over the next decade, a shortage of copper as producers struggle to meet demand as a consequence of declining grades, water supply issues and community resistance holding back discovery and exploitation of new resources. Management believes that the business environment in Zimbabwe will improve as the government seeks to establish an attractive base for sustainable foreign investment, and that the Group, having established production at BPPM and having acquired significant first mover know-how, will begin to see traction on its other Romanian opportunities. Management believes that a combination of a bullish outlook on polymetallics together with a reduction in Romanian and Zimbabwean country risk premiums has the potential to provide significant medium-term growth in the share price and the financial performance of these businesses. Many thanks to fellow Board members and management for the commitment and hard work that has been put into the Group. I also thank all our stakeholders for their support through these challenging times. On behalf of the Board, Andrew Prelea Group Chief Executive Officer REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS for the year ended 30 April 2022 The Directors present their report together with the audited financial statements for the twelve-month period ended 30 April 2022. Results and dividends The Group statement of comprehensive income is set out on page 28 of the annual report and shows the profit for the period. The Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend (2021: nil). Financial instruments Details of the use of financial instruments by the Company and its subsidiary undertakings are contained in note 21 of the financial statements. Directors The Directors who served during the period and up to the date hereof were as follows: - Date of Appointment Roy Tucker 5 April 2005 Brian Moritz 3 October 2016 Andrew Prelea 1 March 2018 Craig Harvey 1 March 2018 Nick Hatch 9 May 2018 Paul Fletcher 6 November 2019 Nigel Wyatt 23 August 2021 Andrew Hall 7 December 2021 Directors interests The interests in the shares of the Company of the Directors who served during the period were as follows: 30 April 2022 30 April 2021 Ordinary Shares New Ordinary Shares Andrew Hall 115,550 115,550 Nigel Wyatt - - Paul Fletcher 705,481 340,481 Craig Harvey 56,500 56,500 Nick Hatch - - Brian Moritz 250,000 250,000 Andrew Prelea 16,065,147 16,065,147 Roy Tucker 2,945,757 2,945,757 Total 20,138,435 19,773,435 Cash-settled share rights The following rights are held by Directors in a cash-settled share rights performance programme: Subscription price Outstanding at 30 April 2021 Exercised during last 12 months Lapsed during last 12 months Outstanding at 30 April 2022 Roy Tucker 6.00 27,500 - (27,500) - Total 27,500 - (27,500) - See note 23 for further details of this programme. Share Appreciation Rights Scheme The following Directors have been granted rights under the Companys Share Appreciation Rights Scheme: In issue at Grant date Awarded during period Exercised / lapsed during period In issue at Vesting period 30 April 2021 30 April 2022 Start Finish Paul 50,000 04-Nov-19 50,000 04-Nov-19 03-Nov-22 Fletcher 50,000 04-Nov-19 50,000 04-Nov-19 31-Mar-23 175,000 24-Nov-20 175,000 24-Nov-20 23-Nov-23 175,000 24-Nov-20 175,000 31-Mar-21 31-Mar-24 05-Jul-21 2,000,000 2,000,000 31-Dec-22 31-Dec-25 Nick 50,000 24-Nov-20 50,000 24-Nov-20 23-Nov-23 Hatch 50,000 24-Nov-20 50,000 31-Mar-21 31-Mar-24 Craig 90,000 01-Mar-18 (90,000) 0 31-Mar-19 31-Mar-22 Harvey 90,000 01-Mar-18 90,000 31-Mar-20 31-Mar-23 90,000 04-Nov-19 90,000 04-Nov-19 03-Nov-22 90,000 04-Nov-19 90,000 04-Nov-19 31-Mar-23 100,000 24-Nov-20 100,000 24-Nov-20 23-Nov-23 100,000 24-Nov-20 100,000 31-Mar-21 31-Mar-24 05-Jul-21 2,000,000 2,000,000 31-Dec-22 31-Dec-25 Andrew 180,000 01-Mar-18 (180,000) 0 31-Mar-19 31-Mar-22 Prelea 180,000 01-Mar-18 180,000 31-Mar-20 31-Mar-23 180,000 04-Nov-19 180,000 04-Nov-19 03-Nov-22 180,000 04-Nov-19 180,000 04-Nov-19 31-Mar-23 05-Jul-21 2,000,000 2,000,000 31-Dec-22 31-Dec-25 Roy 90,000 01-Mar-18 (90,000) 0 31-Mar-19 31-Mar-22 Tucker 90,000 01-Mar-18 90,000 31-Mar-20 31-Mar-23 90,000 04-Nov-19 90,000 04-Nov-19 03-Nov-22 90,000 04-Nov-19 90,000 04-Nov-19 31-Mar-23 112,500 24-Nov-20 112,500 24-Nov-20 23-Nov-23 112,500 24-Nov-20 112,500 31-Mar-21 31-Mar-24 05-Jul-21 2,000,000 2,000,000 31-Dec-22 31-Dec-25 Andrew 50,000 04-Nov-19 50,000 04-Nov-19 03-Nov-22 Hall 50,000 04-Nov-19 50,000 04-Nov-19 31-Mar-23 100,000 24-Nov-20 100,000 24-Nov-20 23-Nov-23 100,000 24-Nov-20 100,000 31-Mar-21 31-Mar-24 05-Jul-21 2,000,000 2,000,000 31-Dec-22 31-Dec-25 2,715,000 10,000,000 (360,000) 12,355,000 See note 23 for further details of the SARS. Directors remuneration 2022 2021 Salary/Fees Other Total Salary/Fees Other Total $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 Nigel Wyatt 20 - 20 - - - Paul Fletcher 193 7 200 132 3 135 Craig Harvey 192 - 192 180 - 180 Nick Hatch 30 - 30 29 - 29 Brian Moritz 31 - 31 29 - 29 Andrew Prelea 258 - 258 227 - 227 Roy Tucker 135 - 135 150 - 150 Andrew Hall 75 10 85 - - - Total 934 17 951 747 3 750 * The Company has developed a practice of deferring payment of varying proportions of sums earned by Directors until the Company liquidity position improves. As at 30 April 2022 a total of US$647,230 was owed to Directors (Brian Moritz US$88,442, Nick Hatch US$78,040, Roy Tucker US$222,463, Nigel Wyatt US$20,095, Paul Fletcher US$90,453, Andrew Prelea US$83,059, Craig Harvey US$56,960, and Andrew Hall US$US$7,718). As at 30 April 2021 a total of US$346,646 was owed to the Directors (Brain Moritz - US$55,086, Nick Hatch US$56,185, Eric Diack US$47,876, and Roy Tucker US$187,499). Future developments The Companys plans for future developments are more fully set down in the Strategic Report, on pages 7 to 17 of the annual report. Research and development The Company has assessed the suitability of X-Ray Sorting Technology (XRT) to optimise the production profile of both BPPM and MPM. The test results received from TOMRA indicate that the implementation of XRT equipment significantly improves the economics of both mines, and in the case of MPM the improvement is particularly significant. Disabled employees The Group gives full consideration to applications for employment from disabled persons where the candidates particular aptitudes and abilities are consistent with adequately meeting the requirements of the job. Opportunities are available to disabled employees for training, career development and promotion. Where existing employees become disabled, it is the Companys policy to provide continuing employment wherever practicable in the same or an alternative position and to provide appropriate training to achieve this aim. Auditors All of the current Directors have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any information needed by the Group's auditors for the purposes of their audit and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information. The Directors are not aware of any relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware. Vasts auditor, Crowe U.K. LLP, was initially appointed on 25 April 2016 and it is proposed by the Board that they be reappointed as auditors at the forthcoming AGM. Events after the reporting date These are more fully disclosed in Note 27. By order of the Board Ben Harber Secretary 29 October 2022 Statement of Directors' responsibilities The Directors are responsible for preparing the Strategic Report, the Directors' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards and applicable law. Under company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and the group and of the profit or loss of the group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to: * select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; * make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; * state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; * prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Groups transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. They are further responsible for ensuring that the Strategic Report and the Report of the Directors and other information included in the Annual Report and Financial Statements is prepared in accordance with applicable law in the United Kingdom. The maintenance and integrity of the Groups website is the responsibility of the Directors. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of the accounts and the other information included in annual reports may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF VAST RESOURCES PLC Opinion We have audited the financial statements of Vast Resources plc (the Parent Company) and its subsidiaries (the Group) for the year ended 30 April 2022, which comprise: the Group statement of comprehensive income for the year ended 30 April 2022; the Group and Parent Company statement of changes in equity for the year ended 30 April 2022; the Group and Parent Company statements of financial position as at 30 April 2022; the Group and Parent Company statements of cash flows for the year then ended; and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the preparation of the financial statements is applicable law and UK-adopted International Accounting Standards. In our opinion the financial statements: give a true and fair view of the state of the Groups and of the Parent Company's affairs as at 30 April 2022 and of the Groups loss for the period then ended; have been properly prepared in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards; and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. Basis for opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Group and the Parent Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRCs Ethical Standard as applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. Material uncertainty related to going concern We draw attention to the basis of preparation and going concern assessment note on page 33 in the financial statements of the annual report, which indicates that the group will require the receipt of additional funds from either debt providers, investors or royalty financiers and whilst discussions are on-going no binding agreements are in place. As stated in this note, these events or conditions, along with the other matters as set forth in the note, indicate that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the companys and groups ability to continue as a going concern. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter. In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Our evaluation of the directors assessment of the group and companys ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting included: Obtaining managements going concern assessment and testing the mathematical accuracy of the model; Considering the key assumptions into the model including metal prices, operating expenditure and production volumes and agreeing to forecast data; Reviewing the disclosures made in the financial statements relating to going concern and agreeing it is consistent with managements assessment; and Performing our own sensitivity analysis having regard to the risk that key financing events are delayed or do not occur. This included assessing the ability of management to raise finance in the past, and the current progress in any new financing negotiations. Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. Overview of our audit approach Materiality In planning and performing our audit we applied the concept of materiality. An item is considered material if it could reasonably be expected to change the economic decisions of a user of the financial statements. We used the concept of materiality to both focus our testing and to evaluate the impact of misstatements identified. Based on our professional judgement, we determined overall materiality for the Group financial statements as a whole to be $210,000 (2021: $230,000), based on approximately 1% of the Groups assets. Materiality for the Parent Company financial statements as a whole was set at $125,000 (2021: $140,000). We use a different level of materiality (performance materiality) to determine the extent of our testing for the audit of the financial statements. Performance materiality is set based on the audit materiality as adjusted for the judgements made as to the entity risk and our evaluation of the specific risk of each audit area having regard to the internal control environment. This is set at $140,000 (2021: $172,000) for the Group and $87,500 (2021: $105,000) for the Parent Company. Where considered appropriate performance materiality may be reduced to a lower level, such as, for related party transactions and directors remuneration. We agreed with the Audit Committee to report to it all identified errors in excess of $6,000. Errors below that threshold would also be reported to it if, in our opinion as auditor, disclosure was required on qualitative grounds. Overview of the scope of our audit Of the Groups reporting components, in addition to the Parent Company, we identified two entities comprising one component requiring audit procedures to be performed for group reporting purposes, the component is located in Romania. The components within the scope of our work accounted for 100% of the groups total assets and 100% of the result for the period. The work on these components was performed by local auditors under our direction and review. We issued instructions to the local auditors which included details of the significant areas to be covered, including the key audit matters detailed below, and the information required to be reported back. We reviewed the audit work performed by the component auditors, communicated our findings therefrom and any further work required by us was then performed by the local auditor. Key Audit Matters Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) that we identified. These matters included those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. In addition to the matter described in the Material uncertainty related to going concern section, we have determined the following key audit matters. This is not a complete list of all risks identified by our audit. Key audit matter How the scope of our audit addressed the key audit matter Carrying value of property, plant and equipment At 30 April 2022 the group had property, plant and equipment of $16.2million (2021: $17.3million). The group incurred a loss from operations of $12.9million and therefore there could be evidence that these assets are impaired. We reviewed managements assessment as to whether there is any indication of impairment to the assets in line with IAS 36 Impairment of assets. That assessment concluded that there whilst there were indications of impairment in relation to the reduction of market capitalisation of the business, as well as an operating loss, this was due to the assets either being under care and maintenance until resources are available to put them into production or the assets being in their early stage of production following a period of additional capital expenditure. In particular, we had regard to: whether there was any evidence that the estimates of reserves had changed during the year; whether metal prices had decreased indicating that the value of those reserves could be less than the carrying amount of the assets; managements plans for the development of the assets in the current year and also for commercialisation of the assets in future periods; and the adequacy of disclosures made in the financial statements in relation to the property plant and equipment. Carrying value of investments and intercompany receivables Parent Company The carrying value of investments in subsidiaries in the Parent Company financial statements at 30 April 2022 was $23.3million as well as intercompany receivables of $25.2million. The valuation of these investments and the recovery of the intercompany receivables are almost entirely dependent on the successful execution of the business plan. Failure to execute the business plan would likely result in an impairment to the carrying value of the investments in loans to subsidiaries. We obtained managements assessment of the impairment of investment in subsidiaries and the intercompany receivables. This is intrinsically linked to the assessment to the carrying value of property, plant and equipment. In addition to the work undertaken on that account area, we considered the following matters: The reasonableness of the assumptions used by management in assessing the forecast cashflows of the underlying assets in the subsidiary and thus the ability of the subsidiaries to generate profit and ultimately remit that to the Parent Company; and Sensitivity analysis on these cashflows. Our audit procedures in relation to these matters were designed in the context of our audit opinion as a whole. They were not designed to enable us to express an opinion on these matters individually and we express no such opinion. Other information The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditors report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 In our opinion based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and the strategic report and the directors report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Matters on which we are required to report by exception In light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion: adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. Responsibilities of the directors for the financial statements As explained more fully in the directors responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the Groups and Parent Companys ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or the Parent Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. Auditors responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below: We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks within which the Group operates, focusing on those laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The laws and regulations we considered in this context were relevant company law and taxation legislation in the UK and Romania being the principal jurisdictions in which the Group operates. We identified the greatest risk of material impact on the financial statements from irregularities, including fraud, to be the override of controls by management. Our audit procedures to respond to these risks included enquiries of management about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, sample testing on the posting of journals and reviewing accounting estimates for biases in particular where significant judgements are involved (see Key Audit Matters above). Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that some material misstatements of the financial statements may not be detected, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance with the ISAs (UK). The potential effects of inherent limitations are particularly significant in the case of misstatement resulting from fraud because fraud may involve sophisticated and carefully organised schemes designed to conceal it, including deliberate failure to record transactions, collusion or intentional misrepresentations being made to us. A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Councils website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditors report. Use of our report This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. John Glasby (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Crowe U.K. LLP Statutory Auditor London 29 October 2022 Group statement of comprehensive income for the year ended 30 April 2022 30 Apr 2022 30 Apr 2021 12 Months 12 Months Group Group Note $000 $000 Revenue 3,781 896 Cost of sales (7,403) (2,642) Gross loss (3,622) (1,746) Overhead expenses (9,380) (2,439) Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 2 (812) (724) Profit / (loss) on sale of property, plant and equipment - 2 Share option and warrant expense 2, 23 (356) (178) Sundry income 59 88 Exchange gain / (loss) 2 (3,754) 2,612 Other administrative and overhead expenses (4,517) (4,239) Fair value movement in available for sale investments (3) (29) Loss from operations (13,005) (4,214) Finance income 4 - 4 Finance expense 4 (2,487) (3,509) Loss before taxation from continuing operations (15,492) (7,719) Taxation charge 5 - - Total (loss) taxation for the period (15,492) (7,719) Other comprehensive income Items that may be subsequently reclassified to either profit or loss Exchange gain /(loss) on translation of foreign operations 2,219 (1,740) Total comprehensive expense for the period (13,273) (9,459) Total profit / (loss) attributable to: - the equity holders of the parent company (15,492) (7,755) - non-controlling interests - 36 (15,492) (7,719) Total comprehensive profit / (loss) attributable to: - the equity holders of the parent company (13,273) (9,495) - non-controlling interests - 36 (13,273) (9,459) (Loss) per share - basic and diluted US$ cents 8 (5.73) (4.90) The accompanying accounting policies and notes on pages 33 to 64 of the annual report form an integral part of these financial statements. Group statement of changes in equity for the year ended 30 April 2022 Share capital Share premium Share option reserve Foreign currency translation reserve Retained deficit Total Non-controlling interests $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 At 30 April 2020 27,096 82,997 2,983 (855) (107,377) 4,844 (349) Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - (1,740) (7,755) (9,495) 36 Share option and warrant charges - - 178 - - 178 - Share options and warrants lapsed - - (179) - 179 - - VBP NCI acquisition - - - - (6,756) (6,756) 313 Shares issued: - - for cash consideration 9,674 3,582 - - - 13,256 - - for NCI acquisition 3,790 2,653 - - - 6,443 - - to settle liabilities 532 116 - - - 648 - At 30 April 2021 41,092 89,348 2,982 (2,595) (121,709) 9,118 - Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - 2,219 (15,492) (13,273) - Share option and warrant charges - - 356 - - 356 - Share options and warrants lapsed - - (967) - 967 - - Share warrants issued under share issuance - (203) 203 - - - - Shares issued: - for cash consideration 175 4,353 - - 4,528 - - to settle liabilities 191 1,209 - - - 1,400 - At 30 April 2022 41,458 94,707 2,574 (376) (136,234) 2,129 - The accompanying accounting policies and notes on pages 33 to 64 of the annual report form an integral part of these financial statements. Company statement of changes in equity for the year ended 30 April 2022 Share capital Share premium Share option reserve Foreign currency translation reserve Retained deficit Total $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 $000 At 30 April 2020 27,096 82,997 2,983 (4,954) (83,494) 24,628 Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - - (4,464) (4,464) Share option and warrant charges - - 178 - - 178 Share options and warrants lapsed - - (179) - 179 - Shares issued: - for cash consideration 9,674 3,582 - - - 13,256 - for NCI acquisition 3,790 2,653 - - - 6,443 - to settle liabilities 532 116 - - - 648 At 30 April 2021 41,092 89,348 2,982 (4,954) (87,779) 40,689 Total comprehensive loss for the period - - - - (3,448) (3,448) Share option and warrant charges - - 356 - - 356 Share options and warrants lapsed - - (967) - 967 - Share warrants issued under share issuance - (203) 203 - - - Shares issued: - for cash consideration 175 4,353 - - - 4,528 - to settle liabilities 191 1,209 - - - 1,400 At 30 April 2022 41,458 94,707 2,574 (4,954) (90,260) 43,525 The accompanying accounting policies and notes on pages 33 to 64 of the annual report form an integral part of these financial statements. Group and Company statements of financial position As at 30 April 2022 30 Apr 2022 30 Apr 2021 30 Apr 2022 30 Apr 2021 Group Group Company Company $000 $000 $000 $000 Assets Note Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 10 16,212 17,284 3 4 Available for sale investments 16 891 891 891 891 Investment in subsidiaries 11 - - 23,302 23,302 Investment in associates 12 417 417 Loans to group companies 13 - - 25,402 20,373 17,520 18,175 50,015 44,570 Current assets Inventory 14 839 936 - - Receivables 15 2,834 3,207 648 499 Cash and cash equivalents 103 1,385 86 1,315 Total current assets 3,776 5,528 734 1,814 Total Assets 21,296 23,703 50,749 46,384 Equity and Liabilities Capital and reserves attributable to equity holders of the Parent Share capital 22 41,458 41,092 41,458 41,092 Share premium 22 94,707 89,348 94,707 89,348 Share option reserve 2,574 2,982 2,574 2,982 Foreign currency translation reserve (376) (2,595) (4,954) (4,954) Retained deficit (136,234) (121,709) (90,260) (87,779) 2,129 9,118 43,525 40,689 Non-controlling interests - - - - Total equity 2,129 9,118 43,525 40,689 Non-current liabilities Loans and borrowings 17 - - - - Provisions 19 1,145 1,206 - - Trade and other payables 20 1,954 - - - 3,099 1,206 - - Current liabilities Loans and borrowings 17 10,316 9,593 5,300 5,064 Trade and other payables 18 5,752 3,786 1,924 631 Total current liabilities 16,068 13,379 7,224 5,695 Total liabilities 19,167 14,585 7,224 5,695 Total Equity and Liabilities 21,296 23,703 50,749 46,384 The accompanying accounting policies and notes on pages 33 to 64 of the annual report form an integral part of these financial statements. The parent Company reported a loss after taxation for the year of US$ 3.448 million (2021: US$ 4.464 million loss). The financial statements on pages 28 to 64 of the annual report were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 29 October 2022 and were signed on its behalf by: Paul Fletcher Registered number 5414325 Director 29 October 2022 Group and Company statements of cash flow for the year ended 30 April 2022 30 Apr 2022 30 Apr 2021 30 Apr 2022 30 Apr 2021 Group Group Company Company $000 $000 $000 $000 CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Loss before taxation for the period (15,492) (7,719) (3,448) (4,464) Adjustments for: Depreciation and impairment charges 812 724 - - Profit on sale of property, plant, and equipment - (2) - - Share option expense 356 178 356 178 Finance expense 2,487 3,509 1,979 2,969 Unrealised foreign currency exchange loss / (gain) 3,946 (2,623) - - (7,891) (5,933) (1,113) (1,317) Changes in working capital: Decrease (increase) in receivables 373 (683) (149) (171) Decrease (increase) in inventories 97 (469) - - Increase (decrease) in payables 3,859 1,128 1,294 (317) 4,329 (24) 1,145 (488) Taxation paid - - - - Cash (used in) / generated by operations (3,562) (5,957) 32 (1,805) Investing activities: Payments to acquire property, plant and equipment (1,467) (4,391) - (3) Proceeds on disposal of property, plant and equipment - 2 - - Payments to acquire investments in associates (417) - (417) - (Increase) decrease in loans to group companies - - (5,029) (8,677) . Total cash used in investing activities (1,884) (4,389) (5,446) (8,680) Financing Activities: Proceeds from the issue of ordinary shares 4,528 13,256 4,528 13,256 Repayment of loans and borrowings (364) (2,003) (343) (1,846) Total proceeds from financing activities 4,164 11,253 4,185 11,410 Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (1,282) 907 (1,229) 925 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 1,385 478 1,315 390 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 103 1,385 86 1,315 The accompanying notes and accounting policies on pages 33 to 64 of the annual report form an integral part of these financial statements. Statement of accounting policies for the year ended 30 April 2022 General information Vast Resources plc and its subsidiaries (together the Group) are engaged principally in the exploration for and development of mineral projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe. Since incorporation the Group has built an extensive and interesting portfolio of projects in these jurisdictions, and has this year invested in a mineral joint venture in Central Asia. The Companys ordinary shares are listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. Vast Resources plc was incorporated as a public limited company under UK Company Law with registered number 05414325. It is domiciled in England and Wales with its registered office at 60 Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 0HR. Basis of preparation and going concern assessment The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial information are set out below. The policies have been consistently applied throughout the current year and prior year, unless otherwise stated. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention on a going concern basis. In certain prescribed circumstances the use of fair value accounting has been adopted. The Group made a loss for the year of $15.49 million (2021: $7.72 million). The Group recorded net cash used in operating activities of $3.56 million (2021: $5.96 million). At the reporting date the group held cash and cash equivalents of $0.1 million (2021: $1.39 million) and had net current liabilities of $12.29 million (2021: $7.85 million). Subsequent to the year end, the Company raised approximate $6.4million from the placing of new shares to part settle debts owed to Atlas and Mercuria and the remaining balance used for mine operations, capital expenditure and general working capital. The Group will require funding to make further debt reductions to the Mercuria loan and to refinance the Alpha debt facility which becomes due on 13 May 2023, and to provide general working capital. BPPM is currently producing and is expected to be operationally profitable within the financial year to 30 April 2023. The Directors are confident that the Company will be able to obtain funds for such requirements from debt providers and investors given the fundamental value of its assets and project pipeline, supported by expectations for strong demand for copper, and production at BPPM. However, while the Company is in discussions with potential investors and debt providers, no binding funding agreement is in place at the date of this Report. These conditions indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the Group's and Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include the adjustment that would result if the Group and Company were unable to continue as a going concern. Changes in Accounting Policies At the date of authorisation of these financial statements, a number of Standards and Interpretations were in issue but were not yet effective. The Directors do not anticipate that the adoption of these standards and interpretations, or any of the amendments made to existing standards as a result of the annual improvements cycle, will have a material effect on the financial statements in the year of initial application. Areas of estimates and judgement The preparation of the Group financial statements in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although these estimates are based on managements best knowledge of current events and actions, actual results may ultimately differ from those estimates. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities in the next financial year are discussed below: Accounting estimates a) Impairment of mining assets The Group reviews, on an annual basis, whether deferred exploration costs, acquired either as intangible assets, as property, plant and equipment, or as mining options or licence acquisition costs, have suffered any impairment. The recoverable amounts are determined based on an assessment of the economically recoverable mineral reserves, the ability of the Group to obtain the necessary financing to complete the development of the reserves and future profitable production or proceeds from the disposition of recoverable reserves. The Company uses discounted cash flow techniques (DCF) and, as relevant industry benchmarks, to assess whether any impairment is necessary. Revenue projections used in DCF are based on production plans associated with the Companys estimate of economically recoverable mineral reserves and are modelled using prevailing commodity market prices with an appropriate down stress applied. Production cost inputs used in DCF are referenced to observable inputs in accordance with the production plan and are applied conservatively. The Company applies a discount rate of 12.5% in its DCF modelling, reflecting its assessment of the market cost of capital for such assets under the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). The results of these assessments indicate that the fair value of the Companys mining assets is significantly more than their carry value. There have been no fundamental changes in the quality and condition of these assets versus the previous year. b) Estimates of fair value The Group will, from time to time, enter into financial instruments, which are required by IFRS to be recorded at fair value within the financial statements. In determining the fair value of such instruments, the Directors are required to apply accounting estimates in selecting the inputs used in valuation models such as the Black Scholes or Monte Carlo models. Inputs over which the Directors may be required to form judgements relate to volatility, vesting periods, risk free interest rates, commodity price assumptions and discount rates. In addition, where a valuation requires more complex fair value considerations the Directors may appoint third party advisers to assist in the determination of fair value. c) Provisions The Group is required to estimate the cost of its obligations to realise and rehabilitate its mining properties. The estimation of the cost of complying with the Groups obligations at future dates and in economically unpredictable regions, and the application of appropriate discount rates thereto, gives rise to significant estimation uncertainties. Accounting judgements d) Going concern and Inter-company loan recoverability The recoverability of inter-Company loans advanced by the Company to subsidiaries depends also on the subsidiaries realising their cash flow projections. The going concern considerations are highlighted above. The carrying value of these loans are assessed for impairment by Company by using DCF techniques as mentioned earlier. The results of these assessments indicate that the fair value of the Companys loans to its subsidiaries are significantly more than their carry value. e) VAT recoverable In countries where the Group has productive mining operations carried out by its subsidiaries those subsidiaries are registered for Value Added Tax (VAT) with their respective local taxation authorities and, as their outputs are predominantly zero-rated for VAT, receive net refunds of VAT in respect of input tax borne on their inputs. This amount is carried as a receivable until refunded by the State The amount carried as a receivable is determined in accordance with the returns submitted to the taxation authorities. Basis of consolidation Where the Company has control over an investee, it is classified as a subsidiary. The Company controls an Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 31 October 2022 Vast Resources plc (Vast or the Company) Placing to raise 1,467,000 Vast Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company, announces that it has raised 1,467,000 gross through a placing (the Placing) of 652,000,000 ordinary shares of 0.1p in the Company (Ordinary Shares) at a price of 0.225p per Ordinary Share (the Placing Shares). The Placing was undertaken by the Companys joint broker, Axis Capital Markets Ltd (Axis). The net cash raised from the Placing will ensure sufficient levels of working capital are maintained to meet the Companys corporate obligations as well as cover certain transaction costs linked to possible new opportunities the Company is investigating as referred to in the Notice of General Meeting on 7 October 2022. The Company will make further updates to the market on these new opportunities if and when it is appropriate. The Company would also like to inform the market that production at its Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania has continued to increase, as indicated in the announcement made on 21 October 2022. As per the announcement made on 27 October 2022, a sale of concentrate will be made this month and the Company is currently planning another sale in the middle of November 2022. Following receipt of the Placing proceeds, the Company expects to have cash of approximately 1,556,948 and near-term liabilities of 933,020. The Board is confident it will have sufficient operating cashflow and/or resources and will have access to further funding in the future as required to meet its ongoing liabilities. Admission of the Placing Shares & Total Voting Rights Application will be made to AIM for the Placing Shares, which will rank pari passu with existing Ordinary Shares, to be admitted to trading on AIM (Admission). It is expected that Admission will become effective and dealing will commence on or around 14 November 2022. Following Admission, the total issued share capital of the Company will be 2,281,643,324. The Company does not hold any Ordinary Shares in Treasury and accordingly the above figure of 2,281,643,324 may then be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in Vast under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rule. Important Notices This announcement contains 'forward-looking statements' concerning the Company that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Generally, the words 'will', 'may', 'should', 'continue', 'believes', 'targets', 'plans', 'expects', 'aims', 'intends', 'anticipates' or similar expressions or negatives thereof identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond the Company's ability to control or estimate precisely. The Company cannot give any assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the forward-looking statements set out herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (UK MAR) until the release of this announcement. **ENDS** For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources plc Andrew Prelea (CEO) Andrew Hall (CCO) www.vastplc.com +44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish Financial & Nominated Advisor Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited Joint Broker Toby Gibbs / James Thomas (Corporate Advisory) www.shorecapmarkets.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7408 4050 Axis Capital Markets Limited Joint Broker Kamran Hussain www.axcap247.com +44 (0) 20 3206 0320 St Brides Partners Limited Susie Geliher / Charlotte Page www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 ABOUT VAST RESOURCES PLC Vast Resources plc is a United Kingdom AIM listed mining company with mines, development projects and mining interests in Romania, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe. In Romania, the Company is focused on the rapid advancement of high-quality projects by recommencing production at previously producing mines. The Company's Romanian portfolio includes 100% interest in Vast Baita Plai SAs producing Polymetallic Mine, located in the Apuseni Mountains, Transylvania, an area which hosts Romania's largest polymetallic mines. The mine has a JORC compliant Reserve & Resource Report which underpins the initial mine production life of approximately 3-4 years with an in-situ total mineral resource of 15,695 tonnes copper equivalent with a further 1.8M-3M tonnes exploration target. The Company is now working on confirming an enlarged exploration target of up to 5.8M tonnes. The Company also owns the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which the Company is looking to bring back into production following a period of care and maintenance. The Company has also been granted the Manaila Carlibaba Extended Exploitation Licence that will allow the Company to re-examine the exploitation of the mineral resources within the larger Manaila Carlibaba licence area. Vast has an interest in a joint venture company which provides a share of revenue generated from the Takob Mine processing facility in Tajikistan. The Takob Mine opportunity, which is 100% financed, will provide Vast with a 12.25 percent royalty over all sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced. In Zimbabwe, the Company is focused on the commencement of the joint venture mining agreement on the Community Diamond Concession, Chiadzwa, in the Marange Diamond Fields. Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 31 October 2022 Vast Resources plc (Vast or the Company) Shareholder Q&A Vast Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company, is pleased to provide the market with answers to a number of questions submitted by shareholders ahead of and during the recent General Meeting held on 24 October 2022. General 1. Is the GM called for 24 Oct 2022 (asking for increased share issue authorities) a result of any other operational issues not disclosed by the Board prior to the GM voting? All price sensitive information was announced prior to the General Meeting. 2. Why is the Board asking for "exactly 40%" of current issued shares authorities or c.652m shares (ie 651,857 at par nominal value)? The decision was not geared around a specific percentage but on the monetary value at par nominal value. The Company gave the percentage information to provide shareholders with a relative scale to link to shareholdings. 3. Are the Board going to introduce share price hurdles (SPHs) whenever issuing new shares under the proposed authorities so that over time the company leverages new share issues at optimal market prices? New share issuances at premium prices in the current economic environment will prevent the Company from raising capital and this will ultimately not be in the best interests of the Company. 4. How can you possibly have mismanaged cashflow predictions over such a short period of time? The Company conducts thorough cashflow management and forecasting, but naturally there are certain things outside of the Companys control, such as shipping availability, which affects forecasting. The Company is in a capex intensive period with the ramp up in production at its Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania (Baita Plai), so any deviation to cashflows such as delayed shipments of concentrate create liquidity requirements. 5. How can you as a board be trusted long term when you cant manage assets in a 4-month window? This question was submitted prior to the Company announcing Q3 production data at its Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine which highlights achievements made at the mine over a 3-month window. The Company announced, as part of the Q3 production announcement, that it has increased production via the utilisation of the Mantis rigs. This resulted in a significant increase in tonnes mined and the quality of the concentrate produced from an average of 16% in July and August, to over 22% with peaks of 28.5%. September 2022 was the most successful month of underground production at Baita Plai with the mine producing 7,900 tons of ore, accounting for 50% of underground production in Q3 2022. Board/Management 6. Why have the Company Management not cut their salaries by 60-70% as have other companies for share options (such as Block Energy) for example given the poor performance to date and current market conditions? The entire Board have significant deferred salary amounts owed to them. These will be detailed in the upcoming annual report. The board have continued to defer salaries post the reporting period. 7. On what basis are salaries set - what is the renumeration methodology? Salaries are set by market tested benchmarking. The last benchmarking exercise showed the Board renumeration is set at the lower quartile in comparison to companies of a similar size and stage. 8. Why do management have "Insignificant" shareholdings only amounting in aggregate to 20,138,435 ordinary shares representing approximately 1.24% of the ordinary shares of the Company (with Andrew Prelea holding just over 16m of those shares alone). Management purchased its current shareholding at significantly higher prices and the current shareholdings are held at a significant loss and have been in closed periods throughout much of this year 9. Why are management not buying more shares on the open market? In accordance with FCA regulation, management are currently in a closed period and are unable to buy shares. 10. Why are management not substituting their salaries for share options to demonstrate their confidence in the company's future even if they do not want to purchase shares on the open market? As per the above, in accordance with FCA regulation management are currently in a closed period and are unable to purchase shares. 11. Can the Board please explain the lack of Board Diversity (ie lack of ethnic minorities and women) and therefore as a consequence if this has resulted in lack of management performance and whether the two are interlinked? The Board maintains an open and inclusive hiring policy across all hiring levels within the Company. The Company hires people based on merit and experience and availability at the time of hiring. Diversity remains a focus for the Company. Operations 12. I assume that one of the main causes of the cash shortage is the late start to long hole stoping. We were led to believe that the first Mantis drill was in use at the production face in early July, why did it take so long to start long hole stoping? As per the announcement on 21 October 2022, production at Baita Plai in July and August 2022 was affected by a requirement to change the working faces to enable the implementation of Long Hole Stoping. The initial downward perforation strategy for Long Hole Stoping was subsequently adjusted to vertical drilling in Level 17, to mitigate against the deflection of the drilling rods and this effective drilling strategy will now be maintained. 13. Surely one of the main benefits of a mechanised approach is to reduce manpower, so why has the workforce increased from 280 in June to 360 today? What are these people doing and how much extra do they cost? As announced, the mine is currently working in four separate high productivity mining areas utilising Long Hole Stope methodology in addition to continuing production on two working faces with room and pillar mining method of extraction. Accordingly, underground production is expected to continue its growth into Q1 2023. The completion of Spiral number 3 will further increase the volume of underground ore production, which is intended to ensure the longevity of the mine from Q2 2023. The room and pillar mining method and the spiral development require additional workforce over and above the requirements to operate the Mantis Rigs. The additional activity is planned to maintain the ramp up in production. 14. Can the Board confirm the staff strikes involving 300 workers and was this material disclosure according to stated FCA and AIM listing rules on disclosure and transparency? The staff strike was an illegal strike consisting of 100 workers and this was quickly disbanded with no adverse effect on production levels at Baita Plai. There was no material disclosure required. The events mentioned in the press were not true or correct. 15. What is the latest with the molybdenum flotation line installed at Baita Plai; is a molybdenum concentrate now being produced? Molybdenum production continues at Baita Plai. The Company will update the market when it has achieved volumes sufficient for commercial sale. **ENDS** For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact: Vast Resources plc Andrew Prelea (CEO) Andrew Hall (CCO) www.vastplc.com +44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish Financial & Nominated Advisor Roland Cornish James Biddle www.beaumontcornish.com +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 Axis Capital Markets Limited Joint Broker Kamran Hussain www.axcap247.com +44 (0) 20 3206 0320 St Brides Partners Limited Susie Geliher / Charlotte Page www.stbridespartners.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 ABOUT VAST RESOURCES PLC Vast Resources plc is a United Kingdom AIM listed mining company with mines, development projects and mining interests in Romania, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe. In Romania, the Company is focused on the rapid advancement of high-quality projects by recommencing production at previously producing mines. The Company's Romanian portfolio includes 100% interest in Vast Baita Plai SAs producing Polymetallic Mine, located in the Apuseni Mountains, Transylvania, an area which hosts Romania's largest polymetallic mines. The mine has a JORC compliant Reserve & Resource Report which underpins the initial mine production life of approximately 3-4 years with an in-situ total mineral resource of 15,695 tonnes copper equivalent with a further 1.8M-3M tonnes exploration target. The Company is now working on confirming an enlarged exploration target of up to 5.8M tonnes. The Company also owns the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which the Company is looking to bring back into production following a period of care and maintenance. The Company has also been granted the Manaila Carlibaba Extended Exploitation Licence that will allow the Company to re-examine the exploitation of the mineral resources within the larger Manaila Carlibaba licence area. Vast has an interest in a joint venture company which provides a share of revenue generated from the Takob Mine processing facility in Tajikistan. The Takob Mine opportunity, which is 100% financed, will provide Vast with a 12.25 percent royalty over all sales of non-ferrous concentrate and any other metals produced. In Zimbabwe, the Company is focused on the commencement of the joint venture mining agreement on the Community Diamond Concession, Chiadzwa, in the Marange Diamond Fields. Pune, India, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global computer-aided engineering market size was valued at USD 5.75 billion in 2021. The market is projected to grow from USD 6.25 billion in 2022 to USD 12.16 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.0% during the forecast period. Fortune Business Insights, present this information in its report titled, Computer-aided Engineering Market Forecast, 2022-2029. Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/computer-aided-engineering-market-106891 Report Scope & Segmentation Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022 to 2029 Forecast Period 2022 to 2029 CAGR 10% 2029 Value Projection USD 12.16 Billion Base Year 2021 Computer-aided Engineering Market Size in 2021 USD 5.75 Million Historical Data for 2018 to 2020 No. of Pages 150 Segments covered Deployment, Type, End-user and Geography Declined Demand for CAE Software from Several Industries to Hinder Market Growth Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people and businesses had to re-evaluate their plans and objectives. It has been demonstrated that these advancements fuel technical development and innovation. A complete and integrated set of computer-aided engineering solutions has been developed, promoted, sold, and supported by businesses. Although sales have been consistent, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a modest reduction in the rate of sales growth in 2020. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this Market: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/computer-aided-engineering-market-106891 Segmentation: Cloud Segment to Lead Owing to Swift Digital Transformation Based on deployment, the market is divided into cloud and on-premise. Amongst them, the cloud holds the highest market share and is also expected to grow at the highest CAGR in forecast period as cloud-based deployment enables quicker distribution, decrease in cost, minimal maintenance, and increase in scalability. Finite Element Analysis Segment to Generate Highest Share in Order to Prevent Failures Based on type, market is classified into finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), thermal analysis, multibody dynamics, and others. Automotive to Produce Maximum Revenue Owing to Increase in Need for Evaluating Real Modules Based on end-user, the market is bifurcated into automotive, medical devices, industrial equipment, defense & aerospace, electronics, and others. Automotive to gain maximum segment share during the forecast period. Geographically, the market is divided into five key regions: North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. They are further categorized into countries. Report Coverage: The report provides insightful information gleaned from extensive research carried out by our researchers. The anticipated market size for computer-aided engineering was determined through comprehensive study. In-depth interviews with several stakeholders provide the information used to project the shares for various segments at the national, regional, and global levels. Additionally, in order to provide accurate information and facilitate your business investment decisions, we have secured access to a number of regional and international premium databases. Drivers and Restraints: Surge in Implementation of IoT and 3D Printing to Navigate Market The increased use of digital technologies in product design, including the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), automation, cloud, and others, contributes to improving the quality and longevity of the final product. Additionally, customers are implementing computer-aided engineering solutions, which are anticipated to fuel market expansion, in order to reduce the time and cost associated with product creation. This is expected to boost the computer-aided engineering market growth during the upcoming period. Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/computer-aided-engineering-market-106891 Regional Insights: Europe to Dominate Backed by Improving Battery Technologies Due to the growing worries about greenhouse gas emissions and the predicted growth of the European regional market, Europe held the largest computer-aided engineering market share in 2021. The Asia Pacific area is anticipated to have significant growth throughout the forecast period as a result of rising government investments in the growth of the manufacturing sector and increasing the capacity for the production of renewable energy. To increase market income, South American nations including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia are revising their industrial policies. To promote regional industrialization, the nations are also expanding foreign investment. Competitive Landscape: Partnerships among Companies to Secure Their Brand Values in Global Market Market leaders regularly choose efficient tactics to advertise their goods and fortify their positions in the industry. One such tactic is to collaborate with other businesses to launch new products in order to reach more end users. Key Industry Development: June 2022: A collaboration between Ansys and SoftInWay, a provider of analysis and design software for 1D-2D designs, has made it easier to build multi-stage, single-stage, and multi-module turbomachinery. List of Key Players Mentioned in the Report: ESI Group (France) Siemens AG (Germany) Hexagon AB (Sweden) Aveva Group (U.K.) SimScale (Germany) ANSYS, Inc. (U.S.) Altair Engineering Inc. (U.S.) Autodesk, Inc. (Germany) Bentley Systems, Inc. (U.S.) Dassault Systemes (U.S.) Quick Buy Computer-aided Engineering Market Research Report https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/106891 Major Table of Contents: Global Computer-aided Engineering Market Size Estimates and Forecasts, By Segments, 2018-2029 Key Findings By Deployment (USD) Cloud On-premise By Type (USD) Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Thermal Analysis Multibody Dynamics Others (Mechanical Event Simulation, etc.) By End-user (USD) Automotive Medical devices Industrial equipment Defense & Aerospace Electronics Others (Energy, Consumer Goods, etc.) By Region (USD) North America South America Europe Middle East & Africa Asia Pacific North America Computer-aided Engineering Market Size Estimates and Forecasts, By Segments, 2018-2029 Key Findings By Deployment (USD) Cloud On-premise By Type (USD) Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Thermal Analysis Multibody Dynamics Others (Mechanical Event Simulation, etc.) By End-user (USD) Automotive Medical devices Industrial equipment Defense & Aerospace Electronics Others (Energy, Consumer Goods, etc.) By Country (USD) United States By End-user Canada By End-user Mexico By End-user South America Computer-aided Engineering Market Size Estimates and Forecasts, By Segments, 2018-2029 Key Findings By Deployment (USD) Cloud On-premise By Type (USD) Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Thermal Analysis Multibody Dynamics Others (Mechanical Event Simulation, etc.) By End-user (USD) Automotive Medical devices Industrial equipment Defense & Aerospace Electronics Others (Energy, Consumer Goods, etc.) By Country (USD) Brazil Argentina Rest of South America TOC Continued! About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Google Korea Country Manager Kim Kyoung-hoon, left, takes an oath during the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Korea Communications Commission at the National Assembly building in Seoul, Oct. 21. Yonhap By Park Jae-hyuk Google Korea Country Director Kim Kyoung-hoon was referred to prosecutors late on Monday after being accused of perjury during last week's National Assembly audit. When Kim was called last Friday as a witness to testify at the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit of the Korea Communications Commission, Kim drew criticism from lawmakers for avoiding to comment on Google's revenues in Korea and the company's stance on proposed bills for network usage fees. When both ruling and opposition lawmakers suspected him of making false statements, Kim said, "I will check the matter," and "I'm not well aware of the issue." Rep. Park Chan-dae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) reprimanded Kim, asking him why he decided to appear at the National Assembly audit without any knowledge about his company. Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the DPK, who chairs the science committee, described Kim's remarks as being "sly" and "infuriating." The country manager was especially criticized for his response to his company's alleged tax evasion. Rep. Kim Young-joo of the DPK pointed out that Google Korea posted 200 billion won ($140 million) in sales during fiscal years 2020 and 2021, even though data from Korea's seven credit card issuers showed the tech firm's local subsidiary earned 2 trillion won annually through its Google Play mobile app store. In response, Kim explained that Google Play's earnings in Korea are collected by Google Asia Pacific located in Singapore. "We make our profits in Korea from ads and sales of hardware," he said. The Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly specifies that if a witness who took an oath makes a false statement, he or she can face up to 10 years in prison. In addition, prosecutors must conclude the investigation within two months after an accusation and the prosecutor general has to submit a written report to the National Assembly immediately after finishing the investigation. Lawmakers had also planned to refer Netflix Services Korea Director Chung Kyo-hwa to prosecutors for her alleged perjury, because she answered that Netflix does not pay access fees to U.S. internet service providers. Chung, who appeared at the National Assembly audit as a witness with the Google Korea head, however, was able to avoid the allegation, as she corrected her response later. "As I did not listen to the question carefully, I could not give a correct answer," she said. "Netflix has paid internet access fees to U.S. internet service providers." ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland and Labrador, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF), announces a $1.1 million purchase order from an unnamed customer for several of our AquaPix synthetic aperture sonars (SAS). These systems will be integrated to Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for delivery to two distinct NATO navies. Delivery is expected in the first half of 2023. Krakens AquaPix is an off the shelf, configurable SAS that replaces high end sidescan systems at an affordable price, while delivering higher resolution, range, and area coverage rates (ACR). The increased range, resolution, and therefore higher useable ACR of SAS over traditional Side Scan Sonar systems significantly expand the capabilities of naval, scientific, and commercial applications. Krakens AquaPix is capable of 2 cm x 2 cm Ultra High-Definition SAS imaging at long ranges. AquaPix is uniquely positioned within the industry to bring this capability to the increasingly popular small, man-portable vehicle class. AquaPix is modular and has been integrated and deployed on over 20 different underwater vehicle platforms from shallow water to full ocean depth. Krakens SAS is modular and versatile, demonstrated by being one of only two companies in the world that has sold and integrated SAS into small, man portable vehicles, towed systems, and deep-water vehicles. This ability to cross several platforms enables military customers to streamline their Post Mission Analysis by having the same sonar resolution and ATR performance across their entire fleet of vehicles and mission requirements. LINKS www.krakenrobotics.com SOCIAL MEDIA LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/krakenrobotics Twitter www.twitter.com/krakenrobotics Facebook www.facebook.com/krakenroboticsinc YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMyaMQnneTeIr71HYgrT2A Instagram www.instagram.com/krakenrobotics ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC. Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX.V:PNG) (OTCQB: KRKNF) is a marine technology company dedicated to the production and sale of software-centric sensors, subsea batteries, and underwater robotic systems. The company is headquartered in Newfoundland with offices in Canada, U.S., Germany, Denmark, and Brazil. In July 2021, Kraken acquired PanGeo Subsea, a leading services company specializing in high-resolution 3D acoustic imaging solutions for the sub-seabed used to mitigate risk in offshore installations. PanGeo with offices in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Kraken. Kraken is ranked as a Top 100 marine technology company by Marine Technology Reporter. Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the OTCQB has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. For further information: Jack North, Media Contact, Marketing Specialist jnorth@krakenrobotics.com Joe MacKay, Chief Financial Officer (416) 303-0605 jmackay@krakenrobotics.com Greg Reid, Chief Operating Officer (416) 818-9822 greid@krakenrobotics.com Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations (647) 955-1274 sean@sophiccapital.com TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EV Technology Group Ltd. (the Company or EV Technology Group) (NEO: EVTG, OTCQB: EVTGF, DE: B96A) announces today that CEO Wouter Witvoet will attend the Miami World Strategic Forum - Investing In Trust Conference on October 31 and November 1. Witvoet will participate in a live panel discussion with various industry leaders on global supply chain from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, under the general theme: TAKING ACTION FOR A RESILIENT GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN. The Miami World Strategic Forum, presented by Miami Dade College, is one of the five conferences hosted by the International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA). Its mission is to address the major governance challenges of the new world economic order. The objective of the World Strategic Forum is to foster a better understanding of opportunities and challenges at stake in the global market. The World Strategic Forum also seeks to provide a platform for business meetings in a broad spectrum of sectors and to foster sustainable economic development. Bringing together the worlds leaders and legislators, economists, Fortune 500 CEOs and world-class experts, the World Strategic Forum is an active and effective platform for dialogue, corporate insight and collaboration on the central issues affecting the worlds economy today. In-person attendees will have the opportunity to attend sessions at the Biltmore Hotel, network with speakers, partners and other attendees on-site as well as access exclusive participant lounges. Virtual attendees will have the opportunity to witness the conversations live through the IEFA event platform, which will also provide an array of networking opportunities including meetings with other participants. Wouter Witvoet, CEO of EV Technology Group said, It is a great opportunity to be able to join the panel with so many prominent guests. Sustainably addressing global supply chain bottlenecks is becoming critical across all industries. However, in no industry is this more prominent than in the electric vehicle space - and it is a privilege to share our experience in bringing the Electric MOKE to market this year. EV Technology Group EV Technology Group was founded in 2021 with the vision to electrify iconic brands and the mission to redefine the joy of motoring for the electric age. By acquiring iconic brands and bringing beloved motoring experiences to the electric age, EV Technology Group is driving the EV revolution forward. Backed by a diversified team of passionate entrepreneurs, engineers and driving enthusiasts, EV Technology Group creates value for its customers by owning the total customer experience acquiring and partnering with iconic brands with significant growth potential in unique markets, and controlling end-to-end capabilities. To learn more visit: https://evtgroup.com/ Media Rachael DAmore rachael@talkshopmedia.com +1519-564-9850 Investor Relations Dave Gentry dave@redchip.com +14074914498 EV Technology Group Wouter Witvoet CEO and Chairman of the Board wouter@evtgroup.com Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to: the Companys participation at the Miami World Strategic Forum and the business and strategic plans of the Company. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as estimated, potential, open, future, assumed, projected, used, detailed, has been, gain, planned, reflecting, will, containing, remaining, to be, or statements that events, could or should occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements, including those factors discussed under Risk Factors in the filing statement and the annual information form of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except where required by law. There can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. THE NEO STOCK EXCHANGE DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3bdfe508-92e8-4a89-aac0-ea6ede597e41 WHITEHORSE, Yukon, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX-VGCX) (Victoria or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has filed a technical report prepared in accordance with 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) on the Raven Gold Deposit, located approximately 15 kilometers (km) east of the Eagle Gold Mine. The October 26, 2022 technical report, titled Technical Report on the Raven Mineral Deposit, Mayo Mining District Yukon Territory, Canada, with an effective date of September 15, 2022, can be found on the Companys website at www.vgcx.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Initial MRE comprises a total Inferred Mineral Resource of 1,070,239 ounces of gold for the near-surface Raven Deposit. Table 1: Pit-Constrained Inferred Mineral Resources at a 0.50 g/t Au Cut-Off Effective September 15, 2022 Raven Deposit Au Cut-off Grade g/t Classification Tonnage tonnes Average Au Grade g/t Au Content oz 0.50 Inferred 19,956,934 1.67 1,070,239 Notes: The effective date for the Mineral Resource is September 15, 2022. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The CIM definitions were followed for classification of Mineral Resources. The quantity and grade of reported inferred Mineral Resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these inferred Mineral Resources as an indicated Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured Mineral Resource category. Mineral Resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.50 g/t Au, within a Lerchs-Grossman pit shell using a gold price of US$1,700/ounce and a US$/CAN$ exchange rate of 0.75. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul D. Gray, P.Geo., as the Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About the Dublin Gulch Property Victoria Gold's 100%-owned Dublin Gulch gold property (the Property) is situated in central Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 375 kilometers north of the capital city of Whitehorse, and approximately 85 kilometers from the town of Mayo. The Property is accessible by road year-round, and is located within Yukon Energy's electrical grid. The Property covers an area of approximately 555 square kilometers, and is the site of the Company's Eagle and Olive Gold Deposits. The Company issued a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Eagle Gold Mine dated December 3, 2019 (the 2019 Eagle Technical Report). Since the date of the 2019 Eagle Technical Report, the Company has produced gold from its Eagle Mine. Based on the 2019 Eagle Technical Report and after adjusting for depletion through December 31, 2021, the Eagle and Olive deposits include Proven and Probable Reserves of 2.7 million ounces of gold from 133 million tonnes of ore with a grade of 0.64 grams of gold per tonne. Based on the 2019 Eagle Technical Report and after adjusting for depletion through December 31, 2021, the Mineral Resource for the Eagle and Olive deposits has been estimated to host 207 million tonnes averaging 0.63 grams of gold per tonne, containing 4.2 million ounces of gold in the "Measured and Indicated" category, inclusive of Proven and Probable Reserves, and a further 28 million tonnes averaging 0.61 grams of gold per tonne, containing 0.6 million ounces of gold in the "Inferred" category. Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Except for statements of historical fact relating to Victoria, information contained herein constitutes forward-looking information, including any information related to Victoria's strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as plan, expect, budget, target, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may, will, could or should occur, and includes any guidance and forecasts set out herein (including, but not limited to, production and operational guidance of the Corporation). In order to give such forward-looking information, the Corporation has made certain assumptions about its business, operations, the economy and the mineral exploration industry in general, in particular in light of the impact of the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease (COVID-19) on each of the foregoing. In this respect, the Corporation has assumed that production levels will remain consistent with managements expectations, contracted parties provide goods and services on agreed timeframes, equipment works as anticipated, required regulatory approvals are received, no unusual geological or technical problems occur, no material adverse change in the price of gold occurs and no significant events occur outside of the Corporation's normal course of business. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking information. These factors include the impact of general business and economic conditions, risks related to COVID-19 on the Company, global liquidity and credit availability on the timing of cash flows and the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future conditions, anticipated metal production, fluctuating metal prices, currency exchange rates, estimated ore grades, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in accounting policies, changes in Victoria's corporate resources, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, changes in development and production time frames, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainty of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labour and other consumables contributing to higher costs and general risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, final pricing for metal sales, unanticipated results of future studies, seasonality and unanticipated weather changes, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, requirements for additional capital, permitting time lines, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, limitations on insurance coverage and timing and possible outcomes of pending litigation and labour disputes, risks related to remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure, fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations. Although Victoria has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding Victoria's expected financial and operational performance and Victoria's plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. All forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof, as the case may be, and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management of the Corporation as at the date hereof. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information contained herein and the documents incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. For Further Information Contact: John McConnell President & CEO Victoria Gold Corp. Tel: 604-696-6605 ceo@vgcx.com Highlights Osino receives Preparedness to Grant confirmation from Namibian Ministry of Mines & Energy for 20-year mining license for Osinos Twin Hills gold project. Positive review of Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) received, confirming no fatal project flaws. The mining license is subject to fulfilment of a number of customary conditions which include adherence to an agreed work program, conclusion of environmental authorization, implementation of a 5% carried interest for local shareholders and the submission of a strategy for adherence to the Namibian governments poverty alleviation and socio-economic upliftment strategy of especially disadvantaged population groups. Granting of the conditional mining license and progress with environmental authorization de-risks the permitting timeline and confirms Namibian regulatory support for the rapid advancement of Osinos Twin Hills Gold Project into the development phase. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osino Resources Corp. (TSXV:OSI) (FSE:RSR1) (OTCQX:OSIIF) ("Osino or the Company) is pleased to report on significant progress achieved to-date on the permitting process for its wholly owned Twin Hills Gold Project (Twin Hills or the Project) in Namibia. Osino recently released a pre-feasibility (PFS) study for Twin Hills based on 2.15 Moz in reserves, outlining a 13-year open-pit mine life with an average annual gold production rate of 169koz per annum at all-in sustaining costs of US$930/oz in the 10 years of operation. The granting of the mining license confirms Twin Hills position as a rapidly advancing, partially permitted, top-tier project in a premier jurisdiction. Heye Daun, Osinos co-founder, President & CEO commented: We are very pleased to have received confirmation from Namibias Ministry of Mines and Energy for the Preparedness to Grant of a 20-year mining license for the Twin Hills Gold Project subject to the fulfilment of some remaining conditions which are customary under Namibias regulatory regime. Receipt of the mining license is a major endorsement of the progress Osino has made with the advancement of the Twin Hills Gold Project and confirms the support of the Namibian government for the ongoing development of the project. Twin Hillss stature as one of Namibias most exciting mining development projects continues to grow and we are very appreciative of the partnership shown by all Namibian permitting authorities throughout this process. Mining License The Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has now completed their review of the Mining License application, which was submitted in August 2021, and subsequently issued a Mining License for Twin Hills subject to certain customary conditions. These conditions include (i) fulfilling an employment quota for certain disadvantaged Namibian groups, (ii) making available a 5% carried interest (not free-carried interest) by certain disadvantaged Namibian groups, (iii) issuance of the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) by the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Fisheries and Tourism (MEFT), and (iv) obtaining the remaining secondary permits to operate the mine. Osino is very pleased with the partnership shown by various Namibian permitting authorities to-date and is confident that it will fulfil the remaining conditions for the full grant of the Mining License in conjunction with the ongoing advancement of the project. Environmental Approvals In conjunction with the Mining License application process, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was completed. The ESIA included full baseline specialist studies and extensive stakeholder engagement which took place during most of 2021 and early in 2022. The completed ESIA and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) were submitted to the MEFT in March 2022, who reviewed the full impact assessment documentation and have found no fatal flaws. The review and issuance of the ECC is in its final stages. One of the outstanding aspects is the conclusion of an appropriate engagement, documentation, and management process for the relocation of historic graves at the Twin Hills project site. Stakeholders have agreed to the relocation of the graves to a new site to be agreed upon. Osino is currently preparing to submit a final report to Namibias National Heritage Council (NHC) including recently completed stakeholder engagements and mitigation measures. Following this, the NHC is expected to submit its recommendation to the MEFT with respect to the issuance of the ECC for the Twin Hills project. Now that Twin Hills is rapidly progressing into the development phase, Osinos Project team is also engaging with relevant Namibian line ministries for the necessary secondary site-specific licenses which the Company needs to conclude, prior to entering the construction and operating phase. These include the following approvals: Accessory works permit Bulk fuel storage permit License for explosives magazine License to use explosives and burn packaging Borehole water abstraction permit Tailings waste disposal permit Wastewater discharge permit River diversion permit Land clearing permit Emission stacks and towers permit Osino continues to adhere to Namibian due process and is working with all the relevant Namibian authorities forTwin Hills to be fully permitted as soon as possible, and well within the Projects development timeframe. Qualified Persons Statement David Underwood, BSc. (Hons) is Vice President Exploration of Osino Resources Corp. and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No.400323/11) and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. About Osino Resources Osino is a Canadian gold exploration and development company focused on the fast-tracked advancement of our wholly owned Twin Hills Gold Project (Twin Hills) in central Namibia. Since its grassroots discovery by Osino in August 2019 the Company has completed more than 220,000m of drilling and advanced technical studies on the Project, culminating in the recently published Twin Hills PFS. Osino has a commanding ground position of approximately 6,900km2 located within Namibias prospective Damara sedimentary mineral belt, mostly in proximity to and along strike of the producing Navachab and Otjikoto Gold Mines. The Company is actively exploring a range of gold prospects and targets along the belt by utilizing a portfolio approach geared towards discovery, targeting gold mineralization that fits the broad orogenic gold model. Our core projects are favorably located north and north-west of Namibias capital city Windhoek. By virtue of their location, the projects benefit significantly from Namibias well-established infrastructure with paved highways, railway, power and water in close proximity. Namibia is mining-friendly and lauded as one of the continents most politically and socially stable jurisdictions. Osino continues to evaluate new ground with a view to expanding our Namibian portfolio. Further details are available on the Company's website at https://osinoresources.com/. On Behalf of The Board of Directors Heye Daun Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director CONTACT INFORMATION Osino Resources Corp. Julia Becker: Investor Relations Manager Tel: +1 (604) 785 0850 jbecker@osinoresources.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's future plans or prospects of the Company, including prospects for economic recoverability of mineral resources. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company does not undertake to update any forward- looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cullinan Metals Corp. (CSE: CMT), (OTC: CMTNF), (FWB: 7KO) ("Cullinan" or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement (the Agreement) to acquire a 100% interest in the Smiley Lithium Property (the Property) located 55 km north of Thunder Bay, Ontario (Figure 1). The Property consists of 5 mineral claims in one contiguous block covering approximately 1,902 hectares. Provincial highway 527 transects the Property with excellent secondary road access with Thunder Bay providing excellent rail and port facilities. Figure 1. Regional location of the Smiley Lithium Property. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1661b0ec-0760-4179-93cb-3c50d00474aa Commentary Marc Enright-Morin, CEO, states, We are excited to be entering the lithium space in northwestern Ontario where the exploration and advancement of several lithium deposits are occurring at a rapid pace. Northwestern Ontario is receiving a lot of attention for its lithium potential from companies around the world providing a low-risk mining friendly jurisdiction with accessible infrastructure and government support. As the world gets closer to zero-carbon emission mandates, lithium remains a key mineral in the electric vehicle (EV) and battery mineral needs. We look forward to the results of our upcoming exploration efforts. Northwestern Ontario Lithium The Smiley Lithium Property is located in northwestern Ontario where several lithium deposits and occurrences are at different stages of exploration and development (Figure 2). Avalon Advanced Materials (TSX:AVL) is preparing to install a dense media separation (DMS) plant at its Separation Rapids Lithium Deposit north of Kenora, Ontario and continues progress towards acquisition of an industrial site in Thunder Bay for a lithium battery minerals refinery (press release dated August 17, 2022). Green Metals Technology (ASX:GT1) announced a 24,000 m drilling program at their Root Lithium Deposit aimed at resource definition and extensional and step-out drilling (press release dated August 8, 2022) and baseline studies at their Seymour Lithium Deposit (press release dated July 19, 2022). GT1 also announced a strategic collaboration with Lithium Americas (NYSE:LAC) on GT1s Canadian assets to build an integrated lithium chemicals business in North America (press release dated September 20, 2022). Frontier Lithium is advancing their PAC and Spark Lithium Project in the Electric Avenue where recent drilling results returned 326.6 m of 1.92% Li 2 O (press release dated October 11, 2022). Lithium deposits and occurrences are integrally related to subprovince boundaries in northwestern Ontario (Breaks et al., 20031). Figure 2. Lithium deposits and occurrences of northwestern Ontario within geological subprovinces. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f6a9c4b7-e1f8-4291-a227-b58cbeff9835 The Property The Smiley Lithium Property has numerous indications of potential lithium-bearing pegmatites ((LCT-pegmatites) Li, Cs, Ta) that make this Property of high merit. These include: 1) Property is hosted within a muscovite-bearing S-type peraluminous granite in contact with metasediments. Peraluminous granites are fertile and associated with many lithium deposits in northwestern Ontario and metasediments are common hosts to lithium-bearing pegmatites in the aureole of a fertile granite (Breaks et al., 20031) (Figure 3). 2) Straddles the subprovince boundary between the Marmion and Quetico Subprovinces. 3) OGS mapped muscovite-tourmaline granite pegmatites. Muscovite and tourmaline are good mineralogical indications of fertile parental granite fractionation of lithium-bearing pegmatites ((Breaks et al., 20031). 4) Fault and fracture systems conducive for pathways for granitic fractionating melts. 5) Drilling just southwest of the Property by HTX Minerals (HTX) in 2011 intersected several quartz-feldspar mica pegmatites up to 3.4m downhole hosted within metasediments. At the time HTX was exploring for rift related ultra-mafic mineralization. Drill logs describe greenish feldspar (this could be possible spodumene as spodumene can be greenish and have a feldspar-like crystal appearance), a blue-transparent angular crystals (possible beryl), coarse muscovite and tourmaline or columbite-tantalite minerals (assessment file 20000009203). These are all good mineralogical indications of LCT-pegmatites (Breaks et al., 20031). 6) Analysis of one of two holes that intersected pegmatites returned elevated Cs (cesium) values up to 40.5 ppm, Rb (rubidium) values up to 206 ppm and Ta (tantalum) values up to 16.8 ppm. Lithium or beryllium was not analyzed for. All the above elements are well elevated and anomalous beyond average crustal levels (Breaks et al., 20031). 7) Elevated lithium lake sediment results conducted by the OGS on and proximal to the Property. Figure 3. Regional geology and structure of the Smiley Lithium Property. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9cbacbe2-4bdb-4dac-a64b-8ccc69d762ab Figure 4. Lithium lake sediment results of the Smiley Lithium Property. Source OGS. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0187bc2b-2ef9-4b61-8206-6b2ead34942d The Transaction The Company has the right to earn a 100% interest in the Smiley Lithium Property by paying the vendors $2,388,000 over a 3-year period and issuing $175,000 worth of stock of Cullinan Metals. The vendors will retain a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty (NSR) of which, the Company can buyback 0.5% of the NSR for $500,000. Qualified Person Mike Kilbourne, P. Geo, a Qualified Person (the QP) as defined in National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Neither the QP nor the Company has completed sufficient work to verify the historic information on the claims comprising the Smiley Lithium Property, particularly the historical exploration, neighbouring companies and government geological work. References Breaks, F.W., Selway, J.B. and Tindle, A.G. 2003. Fertile peraluminous granites and related rare-element mineralization in pegmatites, Superior Province, northwest and northeast Ontario: Operation Treasure Hunt; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6099, 179p. On Behalf of the Company, CULLINAN METALS CORP. Marc Enright-Morin CEO (604) 669-9788 About Cullinan Metals Corp. Cullinan Metals Corp. is a Canadian mining and exploration company focused on the development of energy metals. Cullinan is focused on key energy resources such as the development of copper, graphite and lithium assets around the world. Forward-looking statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Statements contained in this news release that are not historic facts are forward-looking information that involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the potential future exercise of the Option. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "has proven", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "potential", "appears", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "at least", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to the state of financial markets, risks related to regulatory approval, risks related to the uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources; commodity prices; changes in general economic conditions; market sentiment; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to raise funds through equity financings; risks inherent in mineral exploration; future prices of metals; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; title disputes or claims; and limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, do not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements are made as of the date of this news release and the Company is under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. Pune, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fiber Laser Market In 2022 (Short Description) : Quasi-continuous wave (QCW) fiber lasers are ideally suited for numerous industrial applications requiring a long pulse duration and high peak power such as spot welding, seam welding and drilling. "Fiber Laser Market" Insights 2022 By Types, Applications, Regions and Forecast to 2028. The global Fiber Laser market size is projected to reach multimillion USD by 2028, in comparison to 2022, with unexpected CAGR during the forecast period, the Fiber Laser Market Report Contains 104 Pages with Full TOC, Tables & Figures, and Chart with In-depth Analysis Pre & Post COVID-19 Market Outbreak Impact Analysis & Situation by Region. Fiber Laser Market - Covid-19 Impact and Recovery Analysis: We have been tracking the direct impact of COVID-19 on this market, as well as the indirect impact from other industries. This report analyzes the impact of the pandemic on the Fiber Laser market from a Global and Regional perspective. The report outlines the market size, market characteristics, and market growth for Fiber Laser industry, categorized by type, application, and consumer sector. In addition, it provides a comprehensive analysis of aspects involved in market development before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Report also conducted a PESTEL analysis in the industry to study key influencers and barriers to entry. Final Report will add the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on this industry. TO UNDERSTAND HOW COVID-19 IMPACT IS COVERED IN THIS REPORT - REQUEST SAMPLE It also provides accurate information and cutting-edge analysis that is necessary to formulate an ideal business plan, and to define the right path for rapid growth for all involved industry players. With this information, stakeholders will be more capable of developing new strategies, which focus on market opportunities that will benefit them, making their business endeavors profitable in the process. Get a Sample PDF of report - https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample/21859785 Fiber Laser Market - Competitive and Segmentation Analysis: This Fiber Laser Market report offers detailed analysis supported by reliable statistics on sale and revenue by players for the period 2017-2022. The report also includes company description, major business, Fiber Laser product introduction, recent developments and Fiber Laser sales by region, type, application and by sales channel. The major players covered in the Fiber Laser market report are: IPG Photonics Lumentum Fujian CAS Laser Co.,Ltd COHERENT (Paladin, DILAS) Wuxi Yuanqing Ruiguang Laser Ltd (Spearlux) Shenzhen Hanwei Laser Wuhan Raycus Fiber Laser Technologies Co.,Ltd Shenzhen Maxphotonics Co.,Ltd Short Summery About Fiber Laser Market : The Global Fiber Laser market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2022 and 2028. In 2021, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon. Report Overview Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine War Influence, the global market for Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers estimated at US$ million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$ million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of % during the forecast period 2022-2028. The USA market for Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers is estimated to increase from $ million in 2022 to reach $ million by 2028, at a CAGR of % during the forecast period of 2023 through 2028. The China market for Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers is estimated to increase from $ million in 2022 to reach $ million by 2028, at a CAGR of % during the forecast period of 2023 through 2028. The Europe market for Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers is estimated to increase from $ million in 2022 to reach $ million by 2028, at a CAGR of % during the forecast period of 2023 through 2028. The global key manufacturers of Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers include IPG Photonics, Lumentum, Fujian CAS Laser Co.,Ltd, COHERENT (Paladin, DILAS), Wuxi Yuanqing Ruiguang Laser Ltd (Spearlux), Shenzhen Hanwei Laser, Wuhan Raycus Fiber Laser Technologies Co.,Ltd and Shenzhen Maxphotonics Co.,Ltd, etc. In 2021, the global top five players had a share approximately % in terms of revenue. In terms of production side, this report researches the Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers production, growth rate, market share by manufacturers and by region (region level and country level), from 2017 to 2022, and forecast to 2028. In terms of sales side, this report focuses on the sales of Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers by region (region level and country level), by company, by Type and by Application. from 2017 to 2022 and forecast to 2028. Get a Sample Copy of the Fiber Laser Market Report 2022 Report further studies the market development status and future Fiber Laser Market trend across the world. Also, it splits Fiber Laser market Segmentation by Type and by Applications to fully and deeply research and reveal market profile and prospects. On the basis of product type this report displays the production, revenue, price and market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into: Up to 1500W Up to 3000W Up to 4500W Others Quasi Continuous Wave (QCW) Fiber Lasers On the basis of the end users/applications this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including: Spot Welding Cutting Seam Welding Drilling Others Fiber Laser Market - Regional Analysis: Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Fiber Laser in these regions, from 2015 to 2028, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa) Some of the key questions answered in this report: What is the global ( North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa ) sales value, production value, consumption value, import and export of Fiber Laser? ) sales value, production value, consumption value, import and export of Fiber Laser? Who are the global key manufacturers of the Fiber Laser Industry? How is their operating situation (capacity, production, sales, price, cost, gross, and revenue)? What are the Fiber Laser market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Fiber Laser Industry? Which application/end-user or product type may seek incremental growth prospects? What is the market share of each type and application? What focused approach and constraints are holding the Fiber Laser market? What are the different sales, marketing, and distribution channels in the global industry? What are the upstream raw materials and manufacturing equipment of Fiber Laser along with the manufacturing process of Fiber Laser? What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Fiber Laser market? Economic impact on the Fiber Laser industry and development trend of the Fiber Laser industry. What are the market opportunities, market risk, and market overview of the Fiber Laser market? What are the key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges of the Fiber Laser market, and how they are expected to impact the market? What is the Fiber Laser market size at the regional and country-level? Our research analysts will help you to get customized details for your report, which can be modified in terms of a specific region, application or any statistical details. In addition, we are always willing to comply with the study, which triangulated with your own data to make the market research more comprehensive in your perspective. Inquire more and share questions if any before the purchase on this report at -https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/21859785 Detailed TOC of Global Fiber Laser Market Research Report 2022 1 Fiber Laser Market Overview 1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fiber Laser 1.2 Fiber Laser Segment by Type 1.2.1 Global Fiber Laser Market Size Growth Rate Analysis by Type 2022 VS 2028 1.3 Fiber Laser Segment by Application 1.3.1 Global Fiber Laser Consumption Comparison by Application: 2022 VS 2028 1.4 Global Market Growth Prospects 1.4.1 Global Fiber Laser Revenue Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 1.4.2 Global Fiber Laser Production Capacity Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 1.4.3 Global Fiber Laser Production Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 1.5 Global Market Size by Region 1.5.1 Global Fiber Laser Market Size Estimates and Forecasts by Region: 2017 VS 2021 VS 2028 1.5.2 North America Fiber Laser Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 1.5.3 Europe Fiber Laser Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 1.5.4 China Fiber Laser Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 1.5.5 Japan Fiber Laser Estimates and Forecasts (2017-2028) 2 Market Competition by Manufacturers 2.1 Global Fiber Laser Production Capacity Market Share by Manufacturers (2017-2022) 2.2 Global Fiber Laser Revenue Market Share by Manufacturers (2017-2022) 2.3 Fiber Laser Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) 2.4 Global Fiber Laser Average Price by Manufacturers (2017-2022) 2.5 Manufacturers Fiber Laser Production Sites, Area Served, Product Types 2.6 Fiber Laser Market Competitive Situation and Trends 2.6.1 Fiber Laser Market Concentration Rate 2.6.2 Global 5 and 10 Largest Fiber Laser Players Market Share by Revenue 2.6.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 3 Production Capacity by Region 3.1 Global Production Capacity of Fiber Laser Market Share by Region (2017-2022) 3.2 Global Fiber Laser Revenue Market Share by Region (2017-2022) 3.3 Global Fiber Laser Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2017-2022) 3.4 North America Fiber Laser Production 3.4.1 North America Fiber Laser Production Growth Rate (2017-2022) 3.4.2 North America Fiber Laser Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2017-2022) 3.5 Europe Fiber Laser Production 3.5.1 Europe Fiber Laser Production Growth Rate (2017-2022) 3.5.2 Europe Fiber Laser Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2017-2022) 3.6 China Fiber Laser Production 3.6.1 China Fiber Laser Production Growth Rate (2017-2022) 3.6.2 China Fiber Laser Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2017-2022) 3.7 Japan Fiber Laser Production 3.7.1 Japan Fiber Laser Production Growth Rate (2017-2022) 3.7.2 Japan Fiber Laser Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2017-2022) 4 Global Fiber Laser Consumption by Region 4.1 Global Fiber Laser Consumption by Region 4.1.1 Global Fiber Laser Consumption by Region 4.1.2 Global Fiber Laser Consumption Market Share by Region 4.2 North America 4.2.1 North America Fiber Laser Consumption by Country 4.2.2 United States 4.2.3 Canada 4.3 Europe 4.3.1 Europe Fiber Laser Consumption by Country 4.3.2 Germany 4.3.3 France 4.3.4 U.K. 4.3.5 Italy 4.3.6 Russia 4.4 Asia Pacific 4.4.1 Asia Pacific Fiber Laser Consumption by Region 4.4.2 China 4.4.3 Japan 4.4.4 South Korea 4.4.5 China Taiwan 4.4.6 Southeast Asia 4.4.7 India 4.4.8 Australia 4.5 Latin America 4.5.1 Latin America Fiber Laser Consumption by Country 4.5.2 Mexico 4.5.3 Brazil Get a Sample Copy of the Fiber Laser Market Report 2022 5 Segment by Type 5.1 Global Fiber Laser Production Market Share by Type (2017-2022) 5.2 Global Fiber Laser Revenue Market Share by Type (2017-2022) 5.3 Global Fiber Laser Price by Type (2017-2022) 6 Segment by Application 6.1 Global Fiber Laser Production Market Share by Application (2017-2022) 6.2 Global Fiber Laser Revenue Market Share by Application (2017-2022) 6.3 Global Fiber Laser Price by Application (2017-2022) 7 Key Companies Profiled 7.1 Company 7.1.1 Fiber Laser Corporation Information 7.1.2 Fiber Laser Product Portfolio 7.1. CFiber Laser Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2017-2022) 7.1.4 Companys Main Business and Markets Served 7.1.5 Companys Recent Developments/Updates 8 Fiber Laser Manufacturing Cost Analysis 8.1 Fiber Laser Key Raw Materials Analysis 8.1.1 Key Raw Materials 8.1.2 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials 8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure 8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Fiber Laser 8.4 Fiber Laser Industrial Chain Analysis 9 Marketing Channel, Distributors and Customers 9.1 Marketing Channel 9.2 Fiber Laser Distributors List 9.3 Fiber Laser Customers 10 Market Dynamics 10.1 Fiber Laser Industry Trends 10.2 Fiber Laser Market Drivers 10.3 Fiber Laser Market Challenges 10.4 Fiber Laser Market Restraints 11 Production and Supply Forecast 11.1 Global Forecasted Production of Fiber Laser by Region (2023-2028) 11.2 North America Fiber Laser Production, Revenue Forecast (2023-2028) 11.3 Europe Fiber Laser Production, Revenue Forecast (2023-2028) 11.4 China Fiber Laser Production, Revenue Forecast (2023-2028) 11.5 Japan Fiber Laser Production, Revenue Forecast (2023-2028) 12 Consumption and Demand Forecast 12.1 Global Forecasted Demand Analysis of Fiber Laser 12.2 North America Forecasted Consumption of Fiber Laser by Country 12.3 Europe Market Forecasted Consumption of Fiber Laser by Country 12.4 Asia Pacific Market Forecasted Consumption of Fiber Laser by Region 12.5 Latin America Forecasted Consumption of Fiber Laser by Country 13 Forecast by Type and by Application (2023-2028) 13.1 Global Production, Revenue and Price Forecast by Type (2023-2028) 13.1.1 Global Forecasted Production of Fiber Laser by Type (2023-2028) 13.1.2 Global Forecasted Revenue of Fiber Laser by Type (2023-2028) 13.1.3 Global Forecasted Price of Fiber Laser by Type (2023-2028) 13.2 Global Forecasted Consumption of Fiber Laser by Application (2023-2028) 13.2.1 Global Forecasted Production of Fiber Laser by Application (2023-2028) 13.2.2 Global Forecasted Revenue of Fiber Laser by Application (2023-2028) 13.2.3 Global Forecasted Price of Fiber Laser by Application (2023-2028) 14 Research Finding and Conclusion 15 Methodology and Data Source 15.1 Methodology/Research Approach 15.1.1 Research Programs/Design 15.1.2 Market Size Estimation 15.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation 15.2 Data Source 15.2.1 Secondary Sources 15.2.2 Primary Sources 15.3 Author List 15.4 Disclaimer Continued. 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SULPHUR, La., Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fastwyre Broadband (Fastwyre or the Company), a premier broadband and internet service provider with the mission of delivering affordable, reliable, high-speed internet services to cities and towns across America, today announced an expansion plan that will supply a robust fiber-optic broadband network to nine new markets across the country. The state-of-the-art fiber network, delivering up to 1 Gbps of high-speed internet, will serve residential and business customers in Louisiana, Missouri and Nebraska. In Louisiana, locations include: DeRidder; Leesville; Oakdale. In Missouri: Knob Noster; La Monte; Nevada; Sedalia; Warrensburg. In Nebraska: Bellevue. These projects highlight Fastwyres growth trajectory and reinforce our commitment to expanding our fiber network and services to create greater access to high-quality internet service, said Chris Eldredge, Fastwyre CEO. We are dedicated to a future of partnering with communities to provide affordable, accessible, fast and reliable internet in addition to best-in-class service to their residents and businesses. Responding to the increasing need for connection and service upgrades, Fastwyre is committed to strategic growth objectives that include opportunities for organic expansion and acquisition initiatives. In September 2022, Fastwyre announced it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Moundville Communications, Inc., a leading telecommunications provider in Central Alabama. Fastwyre continues to build its customer base in Westlake, La., after announcing earlier this year an expansion of its high-speed, fiber-optic broadband network to serve the Southwest Louisiana community. We are committed to expansion and will extend our coverage areas in addition to entering new markets through adding locations in the near future, said Eldredge. We look forward to partnering in the growth and vitality of the communities we serve. The nine new buildouts announced today widen Fastwyres footprint and further strengthen its expansion capabilities. Fastwyre Broadband remains at the industry forefront in innovation, continuously investing in a rapidly growing, state-of-the-art fiber network. About Fastwyre Broadband American Broadband Holding Company dba Fastwyre Broadband is a premier provider of broadband services delivering affordable, reliable, high-speed internet services to communities across America. Fastwyre Broadband provides internet services, phone access lines and video to customers in a wide array of locations including Alaska, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas and soon to be Alabama. Fastwyre partners in the growth and economic vitality of its communities by providing broadband and other advanced services through supporting new business activity and job growth. Fastwyre Broadband is a portfolio company of Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, a leading private equity firm based in Chicago, and Catania ABC Partners. More information about Fastwyre Broadband can be found at www.Fastwyre.com. Media Contact: Jon Nyatawa jnyatawa@lukaspartners.com MONTREAL, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Inc. (HPQ or the Company) (TSX VENTURE:HPQ)(FRANKFURT:O08)(OTC:HPQFF), an innovative silicon solutions and technology development company, would like to inform shareholders that it also recently observed unusual trading of its common stocks. HPQ does not usually opine on stock price and or trading activity. However, given last week's unusual market activity combined with inquiries from investorsasking for clarification on the identity of a seller; after anonymous individuals on social media made claims that the seller was PyroGenesis, HPQ management felt it had no other option but to: Confirm that everything material has been disclosed by the company in either its press releases or quarterly reports, and Inform shareholders that PyroGenesis Canada Inc. was not the seller behind last weeks unusual trading activity, contrary to the allegations made on social media. HPQ contacted PyroGenesis about the sales, and they confirmed that they were not the seller of the said HPQ shares, and that PyroGenesis does not have, and never had any brokerage accounts at Scotia, the brokerage house from which a bulk of the unusual trading activity was made. PyroGenesis made the following statement regarding their strategic investment in HPQ: Let there be no doubt that PyroGenesis views its strategic investment in HPQ as one that we wish to build upon over time, stated Mr. P. Peter Pascali, CEO of PyroGenesis Canada Inc. Although we may from time to time be buyers or sellers in the marketplace of HPQ stock, our strategic position is to add to our position when appropriate. Having said that, we wish to confirm that we do not have any brokerage accounts at Scotia and, as such, could not have been behind the trading activity described above. HYDROGEN UPDATE Further to our December 8, 2021, release, HPQ would like to inform shareholders that the HPQ validation team at Novacium, our France based R&D team, completed two separate EBH 2 validation tests over the last few months. Unfortunately, the results of both tests did not allow the validation of EBH 2 key claims but does demonstrate the utility of our new business venture with Novacium (see September 15, 2022 release). As a result, HPQ is no longer pursuing the venture with EBH 2 as described in our August 24, 2021, release. We may revisit this opportunity if EBH2 has more success with the new generation generator they are developing. Novaciums technical expertise in hydrogen R&D and their adherence to scientific processes guided a due diligence report which based on its conclusion allowed HPQ to terminate the EBH 2 venture as it did not meet criteria set in the agreement. Commented Bernard Tourillon, President, and CEO of HPQ Silicon Inc. In regard to the rigorous processes that Pyrogenesis has applied to the QRR project, while it may have taken more time than anticipated to get where we are now, the rigorous scientific approach will soon reap benefits and our future has never looked so bright. The fact is that HPQ Silicon is advancing on all its projects, and we have de-risked the Company over the years and going forward we will continue to do so." About HPQ Silicon HPQ Silicon Inc. ( TSX-V: HPQ ) , is a Quebec-based innovative silicon solutions company that offers silica (SiO 2 ) and silicon (Si) based solutions and is developing a unique portfolio of high value-added silicon (Si) products sought after by battery and electric vehicle manufacturers, among other industries. On July 21, 2022, HPQ started trading as a Tier 1 Industrial Issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange. Silicon (Si), also known as silicon metal, is one of todays key strategic materials needed for the decarbonization of the economy and the Renewable Energy Revolution (RER). However, silicon does not exist in its pure state and must be extracted from quartz (SiO 2 ) in what has historically been a capital and energy-intensive process. With PyroGenesis Canada Inc. ( TSX: PYR ) ( NASDAQ: PYR ) , HPQ is developing: the PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactors (QRR), an innovative process (patent granted in the United States and pending in other jurisdictions), which will permit the one-step transformation of quartz (SiO 2 ) into high purity silicon (Si) at reduced costs, energy input, and carbon footprint that will propagate its considerable renewable energy potential. Through its 100% owned subsidiary, HPQ NANO Silicon Powders Inc., the PUREVAPTM Nano Silicon Reactor (NSiR) is a new proprietary process that can use material produced by the QRR as feedstock, to make a wide range of nano/micro spherical powders and nanowires of different sizes. Through its second 100% owned subsidiary, HPQ Silica POLVERE Inc., HPQ is developing a new plasma-based process that allows a direct Quartz to Fumed silica transformation, removing the usage of hazardous chemicals in the making of Fumed silica and eliminating the Hydrogen Chloride Gas (HCI) associated with its manufacturing. HPQ is also a technology development company interested in developing hydrogen-based ventures, that could be complementary to the QRR efforts. Currently, HPQ is working with Novacium developing processes for making hydrogen via hydrolysis of silicon and other materials. For more information, please visit HPQ Silicon web site . Disclaimers: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's ongoing filings with the securitys regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This News Release is available on the company's CEO Verified Discussion Forum , a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. Source: HPQ Silicon Inc. TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stroud Resources Ltd. (TSXV-SDR) (Stroud or Company) is pleased to announce the results of its Annual General Meeting and the conversion of debt into common shares of the corporation. The Company held an annual general meeting of shareholders on October 28, 2022 (the Meeting) and at that Meeting all motions brought before the shareholders were approved. In particular Jeff Kennedy, Scott Jobin-Bevans and Mirsad Jakubovic were all re-elected to the Board of Directors. The Company would like to thank Howard Atkinson, who did not stand for re-election, for his many contributions to Stroud over the last 10 years. The Company would also like to announce that it intends to issue 1,518,750 Common Shares in settlement of debt of US$180,000 owing to third party service providers from the recent drilling campaign. The issuance remains subject to TSX-V approval. About Stroud Resources Ltd. Stroud Resources is a TSX-V listed company focused on the exploration and development of its Santo Domingo epithermal silver project in central Mexico. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF STROUD RESOURCES LTD. Mirsad Jakubovic CFO and Director For more information, please visit www.stroudsilver.com or contact Mirsad Jakubovic, Chief Financial Officer, Stroud Resources Ltd., Tel: 1-416-888-8731, mirsad@cpamba.ca. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. DUBAI, Arab Emirates, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ikigai Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund of industry insiders, today announced a strategic partnership with 3air, the startup aiming to connect billions of users to Web3 by combining high-speed broadband Internet with a blockchain-based platform. Under this partnership, Ikigai Ventures will help grow 3air, ensuring underserved communities can truly be connected to the global economy, enabling more users to enter the blockchain and DeFi space. What is 3air? 3air is a blockchain-based platform with the goal of bringing broadband connectivity and financial inclusion to the next billion users. Using proprietary K3 Last Mile technology, 3air delivers affordable, high-speed, and stable broadband internet, digital TV, and IP telephony to users. Once connected, 3air's blockchain platform empowers users to become financially independent with easy access to digital services, identity management, payments, credit lines, and micro-loans. What the Partnership Enables The partnership will help 3air's existing ecosystem bridge the gap between unconnected users and the global Web3 ecosystem. Through this partnership, more users will have access to a high-speed Internet subscription via a Connectivity NFT that can be shared, transferred, and used at any 3air-compatible location. Once connected, 3air's blockchain platform offers users access to the Web3 world of NFTs and DeFi. Users can own unique digital identities, create wallets, access micro-loans, and participate in reward-generating activities. Sandi Bitenc, CEO of 3air said the following: "We're glad to be backed by Ikigai Ventures and join their portfolio. They willingly share their experience and network, make significant introductions and bring worldwide exposure to 3air. The support received from Ikigai is invaluable and we look forward to our journey together." About Ikigai Ventures Ikigai Ventures is a fund of industry insiders investing in early stage startups in gaming, e-sports, blockchain, fintech, and psychedelics. After creating and operating multiple international event franchises featuring over 10,000 companies from 5 core industries, Ikigai Ventures was created to help the best start-ups in their fields gain traction through their expert network. Eman Pulis, Founder of SiGMA Group & Ikigai Ventures said the following: "We are very excited to be working with 3air, and are confident that Sandi can drive this forward towards success. The project's platform is a game changer - and we believe the project has the potential to become an industry leader. We look forward to supporting it through our platform, both through our network and our shows." 3air Socials Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn | Telegram | Discord | TikTok Contact Information: Bitcoin PR Buzz press@bitcoinprbuzz.com Related Images Image 1 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment For the first 9 months of 2022, the loss of BH Meraki UAB before taxation was equal to EUR 583.036 (Q1 Q3 2021: loss of EUR 271.640) and net loss of the company was equal to EUR 501.075 (Q1 Q3 2021: loss of EUR 232.250). As of 30 September 2022 and 31 December 2021, the authorised capital of the company comprised of 2.000.000 ordinary shares at a nominal value of 1 EUR. As of 30 September 2022 and 31 December 2021, the companys sole shareholder was Baltic Horizon Fund (Estonia). As of 30 September 2022, the total assets of the company increased to EUR 19.841.636 (31 December 2021: EUR 14.193.354). As of 30 September 2022, the total liabilities of the company increased to EUR 18.999.021 (31 December 2021: EUR 12.848.614). The company finished the construction of the first Meraki office building tower in September 2022. The first tenants moved into the building during September. The building will start generating cash flow from rental activities all opened units in October 2022. For more information, please contact: Tarmo Karotam Baltic Horizon Fund manager E-Mail: tarmo.karotam@nh-cap.com www.baltichorizon.com Attachment Miami, USA, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- P3 Network, a leading blockchain thought leadership platform focused on global dialogue, will host the P3 U.S. - Africa Summit (P3-USAS) in Washington, D.C., on December 13 and 14. African dignitaries, US government officials, CEOs, and private enterprises will attend, establishing cross-country dialogue and lasting partnerships. The two-day event is expected to take place at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington DC on December 13-14, 2022 via a series of roundtables, meetings, and networking activities. The opportunity for a private-public partnership with the African Leadership at this event aims to deliver a sustainable future for the continent's technology development. - Yordanos Fesshaye, Executive Director, Africa Global Solutions. The P3-USAS will be a milestone for both the public and private sectors. This most momentous occasion gathers political, and business leaders and experts on digital assets to showcase how digital transformation can support economies and businesses. P3 Network members will have the opportunity to share valuable insights about their existing projects across Africa. We look forward to engaging with leaders of the continent to further the dialogue on their efforts currently underway in energy and blockchain infrastructure projects along with critical supply chain programs. The US - Africa Summit will allow us to build on our common goals of blockchain and technology adoption - Jonathan Leigh, CEO, P3 Network. P3 Networks mission as a thought leadership platform is to be an access point for stakeholders to provide guidance on the regulatory and policy landscape across the blockchain. ThirdEye, the software company leader in immersive technology development that supports the U.S Military, is one of the key contributors to the assignment. ThirdEye is excited to collaborate with African leadership and P3 Network in expanding Web3.0 & Metaverse augmented reality use cases for education & telehealth in the region. - Nick Cherikuri, CEO, ThirdEye. About P3-USAS: P3 US Africa Summit is a series of roundtables and private meetings that will serve as a gathering for P3 Network Members and government dignitaries from the African continent & the United States to create an environment for a prosperous Africa and build back a better world within each region. About P3 Network: P3 is a global business & policy group developing an ecosystem that incubates and accelerates viable projects around the world. They merge investment and network access as a unified platform to securely manage a companys lifecycle, offering companies higher success probabilities and lowering customer acquisition costs (CAC). Website - Twitter - Linkedin About ThirdEye: ThirdEye Gen, Inc. is a leader in developing hands-free augmented reality/mixed reality smart glasses and enterprise-grade software platforms. From their strong background of supporting the U.S. Military, they have the singular focus of helping solve real-world problems and providing their customers with a best-value total solution. Lead Sponsors: P3 Capital, First Wall Street MENA Gold Sponsors: Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo, ThirdEye, Fluent Finance, Africa Global Solutions, and AKEBULAN Media Partner: Luna PR Follow P3 Network on social media: www.linkedin.com/company/p3networkglobal twitter.com/p3networkglobal Washington, D.C., Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New Civil Liberties Alliance, a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group, has filed an amicus curiae brief in Greenberg v. Lehocky, et al. NCLA opposes Pennsylvania officials attempt to revive a rule that would use overly vague language to govern objectionable speech by members of the legal profession. Pennsylvanias Rule 8.4(g) exposes attorneys to disciplineincluding sanctions that deprive lawyers of the ability to earn a livelihoodif, while in the practice of law, they knowingly communicate in a manner constituting harassment or discrimination. The Rule creates an unwarranted speech code for lawyers. Both the Supreme Court and the Third Circuit have repeatedly stated that speech restrictions that discriminate on the basis of content or viewpoint expressed are constitutionally impermissible. Pennsylvania has a long history of regulating both the conduct and speech of attorneys, where necessary, to maintain the integrity of the judicial system. Before Pennsylvania adopted Rule 8.4(g) of the Rules of Professional Conduct in 2020, it did not engage in viewpoint discrimination when regulating attorney speech. As the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania readily concedes, Rule 8.4(g) imposes viewpoint-based restrictions on speech: it prohibits speech that expresses disparaging views of another on the basis of any of eleven listed characteristics but permits laudatory comments on the same subjects. Zachary Greenberg filed suit shortly before Rule 8.4(g) was scheduled to take effect in December 2020, alleging that the new rule violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments because it imposed content- and viewpoint-based speech restrictions and was void for vagueness. On December 7, 2020, the district court preliminarily enjoined enforcement of the Rule. In March 2022, the district court granted Greenbergs motion for summary judgment and permanently enjoined a revised rule, holding that Greenberg had demonstrated a chilling effect on his speech. In the district court proceedings, the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania denied engaging in content- and viewpoint-based discrimination. Now, in a change of tack before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, they boldly assert that the Rule is not subject to normal First Amendment constraints when restricting attorney speech, arguing that First Amendment rules against viewpoint and content discrimination do not apply when the government regulates the practice of law. But the First Amendment analysis does not change simply because the speech restriction is imposed on a lawyer. The Rules broad definition of harassment will inevitably lead to the chilling of attorney speech, NCLA argues, including speech on behalf of ones clients. An attorney will be less likely to speak out on topics related to the eleven protected categories if he or she knows that doing so could jeopardize his or her law licenseand hence career. NCLA also represents two Connecticut attorneys who have filed a First Amendment challenge to a Connecticut rule of professional conduct that is similar to Pennsylvanias Rule 8.4(g). NCLA released the following statement: Bar authorities are attempting to create a Constitution-free zone in Pennsylvania, a zone that, per Rule 8.4(g), encompasses not only courthouses, law offices, and client communications but even continuing legal education seminars and bar association activities. But the Supreme Court has held explicitly that lawyers are entitled to the same First Amendment rights enjoyed by all other citizens. Rich Samp, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA For more information visit the amicus page here. ABOUT NCLA NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights. ### HOUSTON, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transwestern Investment Group (TIG) announces it has named Gary Jaye Executive Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. Jaye will direct overall investments for TIG, including the Transwestern Strategic Partners Fund series and various separate accounts, as well as lead a team of investment professionals who are pursuing exceptional real estate investment and development opportunities nationwide. TIG continues to expand both its market presence and its investor relationships, which require a scrupulous understanding of real estate market fundamentals, capital markets and the overall investment environment, said Charles Hazen, President of TIG. Gary possesses an outstanding track record when it comes to sourcing investment opportunities, capital formation and nurturing relationships with investors, advisors and developers. Our team and the investors we serve will benefit greatly from his experience and insight, and we are very pleased to welcome him to Transwestern. Jaye comes to TIG from CBRE Investment Management where he served as Head of Logistics for the Americas Division. In this role, he was responsible for the sourcing, underwriting, negotiating, due diligence, closing and asset management of logistics assets. Jayes previous roles with the firm include Head of Commercial Transaction Management for the Americas as well as for the U.S. Core Investment Platform. During his career, he completed more than $22 billion of direct investments and more than $7 billion in structured transactions, joint ventures and development projects. Transwestern Investment Group is a highly respected brand with a strong, collaborative culture, and its market-leading returns speak for themselves, Jaye said. As part of an integrated, full-service commercial real estate organization, there is tremendous opportunity to extend our reach geographically and further diversify our institutional investor relationships. I look forwarding supporting and accelerating the excellent work underway at TIG. TIG recently announced it had raised $325 million for Transwestern Strategic Partners Fund III to pursue diversified value-add investment and development opportunities in markets and locations within the U.S. that are driven by strong job growth and global supply chains. The fund will leverage the Transwestern operating platform to capitalize on opportunities offered in real estate sectors with secular tailwinds, such as industrial and multifamily, as well as those more dependent on cyclical economic trends. Jaye earned a bachelors degree from Central Connecticut State University and an MBA from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Headshot available for download here. About Transwestern Investment Group Transwestern Investment Group (TIG) is a real estate investment adviser with $5.3 billion of assets under management. The firm serves a broad range of institutional and high-net-worth investors with its full-service investment management and Transwesterns integrated operating platform. The privately held Transwestern companies have been delivering a higher level of personalized service and innovative real estate solutions since 1978. Through an integrated, customized approach that begins with good ideas, the firm drives value for investors across commercial real estate services, development. investment management and opportunistic programs for high-net-worth investors. Operating from 33 U.S. offices, Transwestern extends its platform capabilities globally through strategic alliance partners whose unique geographic, cultural, and business expertise fuels creative solutions. Learn more at transwestern.com and @Transwestern. This document does not constitute an offer, solicitation or recommendation to sell or an offer to buy any securities, investment products or investment advisory services. Any offer or solicitation will be made only pursuant to a confidential private placement memorandum and subscription documents (the Offering Materials) and will be subject to the terms and conditions contained in such Offering Materials. The investors included in this press release were not selected based on performance, but because they are some of the largest well-known investors with similar strategic alliances. It is not known whether these investors approve or disapprove of TIG or the services or products it provides. # # # Attachment A way to get solar energy no rooftop panels required is making headway in Illinois Tragedy of disappearing old lady exposes crisis of missing Indigenous women in U.S. 09:44, October 31, 2022 By Peter Mertz ( Xinhua DENVER, the United States, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) offered earlier this week a reward of 5,000 U.S. dollars over the disappearance of an old Native American woman who has been missing since June 2021. Ella Mae Begay, 64, came from the Navajo Nation, the largest land area held by a Native American tribe in the country. According to the FBI, Begay was reported missing after her truck was seen driven away from her home before daybreak. On the anniversary of Begay's disappearance this summer, her niece, Seraphine Warren, started walking on foot some 3,700 km from the Navajo Nation to Washington D.C. to bring attention to the case, which has turned out to be not at all isolated. In fact, Begay's disappearance has reflected a broader problem in the United States concerning the country's Indigenous peoples, especially Native American women and girls. For decades, Native American communities have struggled with high rates of assault, abduction and murder of women. No one knows for sure how many Indigenous women and girls have gone missing in recent years, as there is no reliable single source of such information. According to the National Crime Information Center, in 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. However, the U.S. Department of Justice's federal missing persons database only logged 116. The matriarchal Navajo Nation, home to around 170,000 tribal members, has seen increasing disappearances and probable abductions, reaching as many as 200 in the past decade, CNN reported recently. "Every day it just seems like there's somebody missing again, and it's getting frustrating not just only for me now it's a lot of families that have experienced it," Warren told reporters during her walk. "I lost hope many times because of the amount of time a lot of these families are waiting for justice, and missing loved ones." On hearing the new reward in Begay's case, Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton from Arizona, sent an emailed statement to local TV 12News, urging the federal government to "do more to solve this epidemic," as "the crisis of missing Indigenous women is an enduring tragedy." Native American women are the most raped, stalked and murdered in the country. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the murder rate for women living on reservations is 10 times higher than the national average. Family members, including Warren, whose lives have been torn apart by the abduction, murder, or outright disappearance of loved ones, have grown desperate in their attempts to seek accountability and action. They have pointed the finger of blame at both their tribal police departments and the federal government for failing to act. "Everything's at a standstill," the Arizona Republic newspaper said last week of "the search for Ella Mae Begay." Warren's criticism of law enforcement, including local police and the FBI, shed light on her experiences with law enforcement agencies, which seemed to work separately from one another, creating more obstacles when it comes to missing-persons cases. The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people has spurred the U.S. government and other institutions into action by creating databases of missing Native Americans. However, due to a combination of multiple reasons including inaccurate and incomplete information about the missing people, the lack of awareness and investigation, and the long-time neglect by the government, there is still a long way ahead to solve the problem. "The crisis is centuries in the making, and it will take a focused effort and time to unravel the many threads that contribute to the alarming rates," said U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares attends the 2022 Paris Auto Show in Paris, France, October 17, 2022. Reuters-Yonhap The joint venture that makes Jeeps in China will file for bankruptcy, partners Stellantis and Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) said on Monday, after a long decline for the oldest foreign auto brand in the world's largest car market. The move comes after Stellantis' surprise decision in July to end the venture with GAC, only months after saying it would raise its stake to 75% from 50%. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares at the time blamed the growing "political influence" in doing business with partners in China, while GAC said it was "deeply shocked" by Stellantis' decision. Stellantis has since said it would pursue an import-based business model in China and there would be no major long-term impact from the break with GAC. Importing means more tariffs. Tavares added this month a similar strategy could be followed with Peugeot and Citroen, the other brands Stellantis sells in China, meaning it could pull completely out of manufacturing in the country. Sales for the GAC venture, which sold the Jeep Cherokee SUV and the Compass crossover, have been in sharp decline for the past four years. They plunged 50% in 2021 from the previous year to 20,396 vehicles. For 2022, it has sold fewer than 2,000 vehicles, and in May reported selling just a single vehicle. Stellantis' U-turn leaves question marks over its ability to thrive in China, where it is getting pummelled by international and local rivals. "No global car company can afford not to be in the largest car market in the world," Tavares said in late 2020, just before completing the merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA that created Stellantis. The group is aiming for revenues in China to reach 20 billion euros ($19.8 billion) by 2030, or 7% of the expected total - a steep jump from the 3.9 billion euros of turnover in China, India and Asia Pacific in 2021. Bill Russo, head of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility Ltd and a former Chrysler executive, said the Jeep venture had failed to keep up with changes in the Chinese market. "It had every right to be successful in a market that embraced sport-utility vehicles," he said. "But you can't be running a 1980s business model when the 21st century has arrived." Stellantis said on Monday it had fully impaired the value of its investment in the GAC venture in its first half results, which it previously estimated at about 297 million euros. GAC, which approved the bankruptcy filing, said the venture had liabilities of almost 111% of its assets of 7.3 billion yuan ($1 billion). The bankruptcy would not have a significant impact on its operations, the Chinese company added. Criticising both Europe's automotive market and Beijing's commercial policies - in contrast with a more cautious stance by Western competitors - Tavares said this month Chinese automakers should be subject to the same tariffs when exporting cars to Europe as European brands face when exporting to China. Foreign automakers have been under growing pressure in China, where the market has shifted quickly to battery-electric vehicles and domestic brands have been taking market share. Foreign manufacturers' share of China's auto market dropped 5.5 percentage points last year to 45.6%, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Chee-Kiang Lim, managing director China at Detroit-based consultancy Urban Science, said the joint venture model which China had insisted on to ensure foreign brands shared technology with local automakers - was under threat. Chinese automakers are more "confident that they have closed the gaps with or even surpassed their foreign partners", so "we have to expect more JVs to unwind in the coming years", he said. The bankruptcy is the latest chapter in a turbulent history for the Jeep brand in China. The former AMC invested in a Beijing Jeep joint venture in 1984, the first such deal for vehicle production in China by an American brand. It then went through ownership changes after AMC was acquired by Chrysler and then Chrysler was bought by Fiat, which became Stellantis in 2021 after the merger with PSA. Tesla is the only global automaker that was granted a waiver to produce cars in China without a joint venture. (Reuters) Workers use machinery to remove the debris of a pedestrian bridge that collapsed in Morbi town of western state Gujarat, India, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. The century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into the river Sunday evening, sending hundreds plunging in the water in one of the country's worst accidents in years. AP-Yonhap At least 137 people died in western India when a colonial-era pedestrian bridge packed with revelers collapsed into the river below, police said Monday. Authorities said nearly 500 people were celebrating the last day of the Diwali festival on and around the nearly 150-year-old suspension bridge in Morbi when supporting cables snapped after dark on Sunday. CCTV footage showed the structure in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat swaying with a few people apparently deliberately rocking it before it suddenly gave way. The walkway and one fence crashed into the river, leaving the other side dangling in mid-air and hundreds of people in the water. "I saw the bridge collapse before my eyes," said one witness who worked all night on rescue efforts, without giving his name. "It was traumatic when a woman showed me a photo of her daughter and asked if I had rescued her. I could not tell her that her daughter had died." Supran, another witness, said the bridge was "jam-packed"."The cables snapped and the bridge came down in a split second. People fell on each other and into the river," he told local media. News reports showed footage of people clinging onto the twisted remains of the bridge or trying to swim to safety in the dark. Many Indians cannot swim and another Morbi resident, Ranjanbhai Patel, said he helped pull out those who had been able to reach the banks." As most of the people had fallen into the river, we were not able to save them," he said. Local police chief P. Dekavadiya said that by Monday afternoon that the death toll had risen to 137. They included around 50 children, the youngest being a two-year-old boy. One local MP, Kalyanji Kundariya, told media he had lost 12 family members in the accident, including five children. The bridge over the Machchhu river, a popular tourist spot, had only reopened several days earlier, after months of repairs. 'No certificate' Authorities launched a rescue operation following the collapse, with boats and divers searching the river all night and on Monday. The bridge, 233 meters (764 feet) long and 1.5 meters wide, was inaugurated in 1880 by British colonial authorities and made with materials shipped from England, reports said. The Gujarat tourist department describes the "grand suspension bridge" about 200 kilometers (120 miles) west of the state's main city, Ahmedabad, as an "artistic and technological marvel". Sandeepsinh Jhala, Morbi municipality's chief officer, said the bridge had not been issued a safety certificate after the renovations. Police on Monday detained several people for questioning from the firm that carried out the repairs, Morbi superintendent Rahul Tripathi said. Reports named the firm as a unit of the Gujarat-based Oreva group, which describes itself as the world's largest clock manufacturer, and also makes lighting products and e-bikes. The company could not immediately be reached for comment. Modi, who was due to visit the site on Tuesday, said that he "may rarely have experienced so much pain in my life". Moscow and New Delhi have enjoyed close relations for decades and the Kremlin said in a statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he was "deeply saddened" while Nepal, Bhutan, Britain and France also sent messages of support. Accidents from old and poorly maintained infrastructure, including bridges, are common in India. In 2016, the collapse of a flyover onto a busy street in Kolkata killed at least 26 people. Five years earlier, at least 32 people perished when a packed bridge collapsed in the hill resort of Darjeeling. (AFP) IDTechExs latest master electric vehicle report Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea & Air 2022-2042 finds 35.7 million electric vehicles (EV) were sold in 2021 and predicts this will rise to more than 74 million by 2030. While electric cars will remain the largest electric vehicle market for the foreseeable future in terms of battery demand and market revenue generation, most transport sectors are facing a transition. IDTechEx calculates that non-automotive EV sectors in 2021 demanded approximately 31 GWh globally in 2021; for reference, battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars demanded approximately 280 GWh globally in 2021. Battery Demand From Non-automotive EV Sectors in 2021. Source: IDTechEx - Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea & Air 2022-2042 Electric Air Taxis/ Electric Vertical Take-off & Landing (eVTOL) - <<1 GWh. The future of electric air taxis, or electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), is perhaps the most uncertain due to high regulatory barriers as well as technical. This is a low-volume, high-value market where aircraft will rely on high-cost and cutting-edge technologies to reach new heights with regard to performance and safety. For example, IDTechEx expects that lithium-metal and solid-state batteries, axial flux motors, and carbon fiber materials will play an important role in eVTOL markets. From IDTechExs review of the most promising eVTOL companies, 21 have presented timeline information about when they are looking to begin commercial eVTOL production, plans which are highly dependent on flight certification. Several companies have said they are a couple of years into what they think will be a five-year certification process. However, the certification standards are not yet fully in place, and significant technological and funding issues create uncertainty. Most eVTOL manufacturers are targeting 2023 for the start of commercial operations, and the IDTechEx report provides forecasts in unit sales and battery demand through 2042. Electric & Hybrid Marine - <1 GWh. In the commercial marine sector, batteries are starting to saturate early adopter segments, such as ferries, and reach their limitations in others, such as the short and deep-sea vessels (which produce the majority of the sectors emissions). While battery demand will still grow the addition of a battery to any powertrain for load management is generally beneficialit cannot be the sole solution in seagoing sectors. Meanwhile, policy focus is shifting from localized emissions to greenhouse gases, with new technical and operational ship requirements coming in from 2023. Upcoming IMO policy includes an Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). EEXI ensures a ship is taking technical steps, in terms of how it is equipped and retrofitted, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. CII is a measure of the carbon emissions per amount of cargo carried per mile and targets reducing emissions operationally. The measures are expected to become mandatory from 2023, with the first ship ratings given in 2024. The new regulations are driving interest in e-fuels, ammonia, and hydrogen as the industry scrambles to find multiple silver bullets. Indeed, fuel cell projects are gathering momentum, with system deliveries ranging up to 3.2 MW and some potential supplier order pipelines reaching 200 MW. Most projects thus far have been for inland vessels and some short-sea vessels. The greatest challenge is the same as that which is plaguing the adoption of fuel cells in the automotive marketthe buildout of low-cost green hydrogen infrastructure. Electric Vehicles in Construction - 1 GWh. There are relatively few strong market drivers for electric vehicles in construction. Broader commitments to climate change are spurring some countries, like Norway and Holland, or companies, like Volvo, to set their own targets. Health and safety concerns, like the impact of diesel particulate exhaust emissions on construction worker health, and noise, could be equally important drivers. Yet, much of the early electric construction vehicle development has been through retrofitting, a necessary development phase but not an economically sustainable strategy in the long term. OEMs need to design large EVs from scratch and manufacture at volume to realize economy-of-scale savings. The largest construction machine market sectors in twenty years are Mini-Excavators, Excavators, and Loaders, but electrification development is initially focused on smaller compact machines (mini-excavators/compact loaders). These have comparatively short operating hours and low energy consumption, which explains the relatively low battery demand today (~1GWh). Like maritime markets, overall, most emissions are generated by the heavy excavator segment, which is, therefore, an important sector to electrify. Electric Trucks - 4.3 GWh. Tesla, Daimler, VW, and Volvo are all investing heavily in battery-electric trucks. Tesla is famous for announcing a battery-electric long-haul class 8 truck, with CEO Elon Musk recently stating that its first deliveries will be to Pepsi by the end of 2022. While there are far fewer trucks than cars globally to convert to electric, they use much larger batteries (several hundred kWh) and accounted for 4.3 GWh annually in 2021. A smaller minorityToyota, Hyundai, and Nikolahave chosen to focus their efforts on fuel cell trucks as the powertrain of the future. Despite issues with the efficiency and cost of hydrogen as a fuel, FCEV remains in the conversation as a technology for long-haul trucking applications, where a greater range is required, though the viability of this technology is dependent on the production of low-cost green hydrogen. Today, city trucks in China are predominantly hitting the roads as Chinese manufacturers leverage their experience in electric buses and battery production. Given the Chinese governments strong support for the entire EV industry, it is likely that this is where the most significant deployment of EV trucks will be seen in the following years. As the increasing numbers of cities and nations around the world phase out of diesel and gasoline-fueled vehicles by 2030 and the cost benefit and ability of the technology to deliver the required daily duty cycles are demonstrated, the electrification of truck fleets is likely to happen rapidly. Electric Two-wheelers - 9 GWh. Sales of electric two-wheelers have long been dominated by the approximately 25-30 million annual unit sales of low powered lead-acid battery electric two-wheelers in China, but this is a saturated market. Historic growth outside of China is driven by Europe and India, markets affected by the pandemic in 2020 but which recovered in 2021. Often, two-wheelers are the low-hanging fruit when it comes to electrification. With small batteries typically under 4 kWh (compared to more than 50 kWh for a battery-electric car), they have a relatively low upfront cost to consumers and lend themselves to new business models such as battery swapping. Electrification of two-wheeler markets, for example, of the 15 million annual motorcycle sales in India, is key to reducing pollution in countries where the car is not the dominant transportation mode. Overall, Li-ion battery demand for electric two-wheelers in 2021 was 9 GWh, and IDTechEx expects this to grow rapidly as China transitions from lead-acid and growth accelerates in other parts of the world. Electric Buses - 12 GWh. Tier 1 cities in China were the first to adopt electric buses, driving rapid growth between 2012-2016, but now many of these markets are saturated. In 2018, Beijing and Shanghai had 9,368 pure electric buses constituting 55% of the combined fleet, all initially powered by a 50% purchase subsidy. The saturation of Tier 1 cities in China has caused global electric bus sales to decline for the past five years, offset only slightly by growth from Tier 2 and 3 cities in China. Today, subsidies have been greatly reduced. Future growth in the near term is driven by Europe. The European electric bus market is highly fragmented and, over the past few years, has relied on Chinese OEMs, which still accounted for a quarter of unit sales in 2021in fact, BYD and Yutong have consistently been market leaders since 2019. A local supply chain underpinned by European OEMs will be key and will slowly drive mid-term growth in global electric bus markets up from 12 GWh. Members of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guams Sector Boarding Team prepare to disembark from the 370-foot Tuvalu-flagged motor vessel Kenyo to a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from U.S. Coast Guard Station Apra Harbor following a security boarding 13 miles offshore of Guam on Oct. 18, 2022. This was the Kenyos first visit to a U.S. port, meaning it must be boarded and assessed prior to arriving in port. Seven more people were approved Monday as responsible officials for the islands recreational cannabis industry, including the first applicant for a testing lab, Pacific Analytical Services. Cannabis retail stores cannot legally sell cannabis unless it has been tested by an approved and licensed lab. I do want to say a special thanks to the lab applicant, because as you folks all know, we cannot move in this industry unless the lab is in place, said Cannabis Control Board board member Theresa Arriola, director of the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center. Im particularly concerned about content and lab passage of product because, as much as we want to be responsible, promote responsible use, I specifically am concerned about children getting their hands on products that have not been tested. The board on Monday approved the issuance of responsible official identification cards to: Vic Lin Wang, for retail store Wang Brother Holding; Rong Sou Stephen Chen, for retail store High 9; Marley Jose V. Cruz, for retail store Marleys Pot Shop; Jimmy Hsieh, for retail store Hsieh Group; Darlene Cruz, for retail store Rooted Industries; Stephen Marcel Biscoe, for type 1 cultivator Greenland Farms; and Shintaro Okada, for testing lab Pacific Analytical Services. According to board Chairwoman Dafne Shimizu, Greenland Farms would operate the smallest allowed cultivation facility, with a canopy area of 500 square feet or less. We have been advising all our applicants that there is no testing lab at this time, so were happy that we are actually finally seeing an application for a testing laboratory, said Shimizu, director of the Department of Revenue and Taxation. Shimizu said Rev and Tax hasnt rejected any of the responsible official applicants. There is a 10th application, she said, but it still is being reviewed by Rev and Tax and couldnt be presented at Mondays board meeting. Law, licenses A 2019 law legalized recreational cannabis in Guam, and the industrys rules and regulations took effect May 29. Its legal for eligible adults to grow, possess and consume cannabis, but it is illegal to sell it or trade it for anything of value unless it is a licensed and permitted cannabis establishment. There are different licenses for cultivators, manufacturers, testing labs and retail stores. Residents are prohibited from owning more than one type of cannabis business. A cannabis establishment cant get a license or an operating permit unless there is a government-approved responsible official in charge and it will need government-approved designated transporters to move cannabis and cannabis products around the island. Application form Although there are now nine approved responsible officials one cultivator, one testing lab and seven retail they cant take the next step of applying for a cannabis establishment license because the government still is working on the application form. The cannabis establishment license application is currently in draft form, and we have provided that to the AGs office for their review, Shimizu said, adding there will be a public announcement when the application is available. The final step for cannabis businesses is a permit to operate, issued by Rev and Tax, for applicants who submit site plans and who receive clearance from several government of Guam regulatory agencies. Guam law also requires the recreational cannabis industry to be tracked by a government-operated seed-to-sale system, through the Department of Public Health and Social Services. According to Public Health, the system is ready to be used when applicants receive their establishment license. Shimizu said there is no update on the issue of whether banks in Guam are willing to accept money from the sale of cannabis. As it stands, Rev and Tax is able to bank only the application fees from proposed cannabis businesses and responsible officials. The Department of Public Health and Social Services is hoping to recruit more doctors to help expectant mothers with limited access to health care. What Public Health is going to be trying to do in coordination with Guam Memorial Hospital is to try to get more obstetricians on island to help with getting more access for prenatal care, especially those that are having either no insurance or Medicaid, Public Health acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bob Leon Guerrero said during a recent media brief. The effort is part of a larger push to try and address the islands high rates of infant and maternal mortality on Guam. If we look at the trends, its much higher than the US, Territorial Epidemiologist Ann Pobutsky said. Its CHamoru women, Chuukese women who are disproportionately affected. We do see over a 25-year period, a few Filipinas, occasionally some others, but those are the groups that stand out. So theres something going on in those two populations where theyre either not seeking prenatal care, or they have access issues. Theres no definitive answer to that question yet, but Public Health will be establishing a review committee to pore over data on local maternal deaths going back over the past 10 years, Pobutsky said. The island recently received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prenatal care Leon Guerrero said the gut feeling is that women arent getting the prenatal care they need, especially mothers from other islands in Micronesia. Typically at home, when theyre back in their islands, they dont usually seek care. They just go to the hospital when she has to deliver, and basically thats all the care that they have, he said. The other part is that we do have issues where people have comorbidities like diabetes and high blood pressure, and theyre not taking good care of themselves, and then they get pregnant. So the combination of that and no prenatal care, or very little prenatal care plays a role. Medicaid Dr. Hoa Nguyen, who has been outspoken about the islands drought of obstetrician/gynecologists in recent months, told the newspaper that insurance is a big part of the problem. He said his pregnant patients have been straining to find prenatal care due to the shortage, and private clinics do not accept Medicaid patients. So basically, theres two standards of care: One for the rich and one for the poor. If you are pregnant and you have Medicaid, nobody will check you. Slow payments from the government of Guam to health care providers have discouraged many local providers from accepting Medicaid, the PDN reported last year. Unlike the states, where the amount of money the federal government provides for Medicaid is open-ended and based on per-capita income, Guam historically had funding capped at $20 million annually, and has to pay $0.45 for every dollar spent on Medicaid. GovGuam, which is mandated to pay Medicaid even if funds run out, can leave providers waiting until the next fiscal year for payment. About 22,405 women on Guam are covered by Medicaid, according to Public Healths Medicaid and MIP Expenditure and Demographics Report for the second quarter of fiscal year 2022. The two demographic groups with the most enrollees in the program also happen to be the two groups that Public Health says have the highest infant and maternal mortality rates: CHamoru and Chuukese people. The island has enjoyed higher Medicaid matching rates and funding from the federal government in recent years, in part because of the national COVID-19 health emergency. Nguyen, who operates American Medical Center in Mangilao, said money isnt the problem at this moment, Medicaid pays well right now, they pay on time yeah its not a big issue its an access issue. Local pregnancy care clinics should be able to recoup their costs, he said. One complication for birth will be a burden for the family the entire life of the baby, and a burden for the taxpayer. But its unclear whether or not GovGuam will be able to support the timely payments moving forward, as the increased federal support thats allowed it is set to expire on Dec. 16. Bureau of Budget and Management Research Director Lester Carlson told lawmakers last week that a shortfall on local Medicaid funding is possible, as the current fiscal year budget hasnt fully accounted for a possible reset to the older, worse rates. In a strange turn of fate, Medicaid recipients could actually benefit if new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus cause problems nationally. Thankfully, theyre not quite as deadly, but I dont believe that were out of the woods just yet. And there may be a continuation of the subsidization of Medicaid, particularly since the entire nations in not too good fiscal health. Haiti - FLASH : Gangs risk taking control of Haiti warns Ambassador Bocchit Edmond Bocchit Edmond, the Ambassador of Haiti in Washington called on the international community to accelerate talks on the deployment of an armed intervention in Haiti, while efforts to ratify a UN resolution supporting such a force seem to be at the dead point. He recalls that the United States and Canada held urgent talks on ways and means to get the country out of the impasse. "It's important to see how we can move fast and make sure we put these armed gangs out of harm's way, because if we don't urgently, it's a matter of time, for they are taking over the whole country" adding "It will not be in the interest of all our closest neighbors if we allow such a thing to happen [...]" "I understand there have been mistakes and I'm sure we've learned from them, and we can see how we can do things differently [...] But the one thing I'll say is that just look at the situation in Haiti, you have a population that is defenseless against armed gangs, which have far superior firepower to the national police," said Ambassador Edmond "Four million children can no longer go to school. Not everyone who needs care in a hospital can access it; you have a cholera epidemic; the drinking water companies cannot operate because the fuel terminal is blocked by gangs [...] Look at this landscape and make your own judgment [...]" SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Insecurity : 96,000 Haitians displaced by urban guerrillas The number of people displaced by gang and urban guerrilla violence in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has tripled in the past five months, according to a report released last week by the International Organization for migration (IOM). The assessment, conducted between June and August 2022, identified 96,000 people who fled insecurity in the metropolitan area, due to inter-gang violence, racketeering, kidnappings and broader criminal acts on the population https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37890-haiti-flash-sexual-violence-a-weapon-used-by-gangs-to-instill-fear-report.html An early warning system on forced displacement set up by the DTM shows that almost a fifth of neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince were affected by widespread violence in July. "Thousands of women, children and men have been forced from their homes to seek refuge from violence and destruction," said Ulrika Richardson, UN Resident Coordinator in Haiti. "The United Nations is working hard, hand in hand with humanitarian, government and local partners to help alleviate the hardships faced by many of the most vulnerable families." The report was produced by IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), in coordination with the Haitian Directorate General of Civil Defence. DTM assessments provide accurate and regular data on internally displaced populations to inform evidence-based humanitarian action "This data collection represents a critical contribution to the humanitarian response in Haiti," said Michele Klein Solomon, Regional Director of IOM for Central and North America and the Caribbean, adding "This provides insight into the scale, scope and patterns of displacement, which is essential to inform the planning and implementation of evidence-based responses on evidence." Let's recall that IOM's interventions include the distribution of relief items and medical kits, health consultations and personalized assistance to people with disabilities, as well as a free telephone line offering psychosocial support and orientation services. migrants and internally displaced persons. Additionally, IOM has assisted over 6,400 families with relocation and relocation allowances. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Brazil : PM congratulates President Lula "I congratulate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [77 years old], on the occasion of his re-election [1st time 2003-2011] as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil. I would like to send him, on behalf of my Government and the Haitian people, my wishes for success in this new mission, while hoping for the strengthening of relations of friendship and solidarity between Haiti and Brazil." USA and China discuss the situation in Haiti The Secretary of State of the United States (USA), Antony Blinken, spoke by telephone with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi, with whom he discussed, among other things, the humanitarian situation and deteriorating security situation in Haiti. Latortue against any foreign intervention Youri Latortue, National Coordinator of the Ayiti Ann Aksyon (AAA) party, confirms having expressed to the Canadian delegation his disapproval of foreign intervention in the country and pleaded preferably for technical assistance to the National Polici8e d'Haiti (PNH) and to the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) so that they can dismantle the gangs. BRH : Automated Transfer System The Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) with the accompaniment of "Montran Corp.", organized a training which ended on October 27 for executives from the operational departments of commercial banks on the Automated Transfer System (ATS). At the opening of this training, Governor Jean Baden Dubois intervened to recall the importance of this system which will ensure in real time the settlement of banking transactions on the one hand and on the other hand the electronic clearing of checks. The Spanish Embassy condemns The Embassy of Spain in Haiti is appalled by the death of journalist Tess Garry (Radio Lebon FM) and by the attack on journalist Roberson Alphonse https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37976-haiti-flash-attempted-kidnapping-and-assassination-of-journalist-roberson-alphonse.html , to whom she wishes a speedy recovery. Spain strongly condemns the criminal acts in Haiti and publicly reaffirms its firm support for freedom of the press, an essential element in the construction of any functioning democracy. South-East : Plan International signs 2 agreements Plan International Haiti and the Association of Journalists of the Southeast (AJSE) have signed two partnership agreements. The first for the promotion of human rights more particularly the rights of girls in the media of the South-East. The second with the Haitian Movement for Rural Development (MHDR) for the socio-economic empowerment of young people in the Southeast. The duration of its two agreements is three years. HL/ HaitiLibre Photographs by David Arnold and H. Bradford Washburn The breathtaking aerial photographs of mountains and glaciers shot by H. Bradford Washburn Jr. 33, A.M. 60, L.H.D. 75, during a lifetime of exploratory cartography captured a frozen wilderness that none but the most adventurous explorers could ever hope to see. This magazine published a portfolio of his work, Sixty Years on High, in 1993. Here, Washburns dramatic vistas take on a new role, documenting the effects of climate change. The dazzling rivers of ice and snow-topped mountains he photographed from the 1930s through the 1960s are melting. Last summer, photographer David Arnold 71 set out to shoot a few of these places from the same angles, positions, and altitudes used by Washburn. He hired bush planes and a helicopter and waited out weeks of bad weather to create this remarkable before-and-after series, a visual record of the changes wrought by rising global temperatures. Glacier Bay National Park will have no glaciers by 2030, experts predict, and the North Pole in summer will soon be nothing but a vast expanse of ocean. Worldwide, the melting has already increased the earths tendency to absorb the suns heat, which snow and ice would have reflected back into space. In the grand scheme of things, the water melting from mountain glaciers such as these will raise global sea levels only a little. But the changes seen here are portents of what will come. The continental ice sheets in Greenland and western Antarctica contain enough water to raise the oceans by more than 40 feet. Today, they are sliding and melting into the ocean faster than scientists thought possible just one year ago. Washburn couldnt have realized he was photographing frozen landscapes that no one, not even the most intrepid adventurer, will ever see again. ~J.S.S. Photographs David Arnold and Bradford Washburn / Courtesy Panopticon Gallery, Waltham, Massachusetts (Above) In August 1938, when Bradford Washburn photographed the Nunatak Glacier in Alaska, it was actively calving icebergs. By June 2005, when David Arnold shot the same scene, the glacier had retreated far from the sea (below); more snow appears on the mountaintops in 2005 because the image was made considerably earlier in the summer. (Above) The annual bands created as this glacier flows in and then out of an hourglass of rock caught Washburns eye in 1938. In 2002, he wrote Alaskan officials, pleading that they name the glacier, though hed not seen it in 64 years: Its a very important little geological feature. Now thinned and broken (below), it may be gone before it gets a name. (Above) The Matterhorn, icon of the Alps, straddles the Swiss-Italian border. Washburns photograph, taken in August 1960, shows a thick mantle of snow and ice, largely melted by 2005 (below). In 2003, permafrost on the upper slopes melted for the first time, releasing a series of massive rock slides, says Arnold: 70 climbers had to be evacuated by helicopter, one of the biggest mass rescues in mountaineering history. (Above) The Hugh Miller Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park as seen in 1940 was no longer visible at the time of Arnolds 2005 visit only a mud flat remained. Temperatures in this area have risen almost five degrees Fahrenheit, coaxing trees to spring up and thrive. The detention request was granted on Sunday by the District Court of Helsinki. A SENIOR OFFICIAL at the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Olli Sorainen , has been detained on suspicion of aggravated acceptance of a bribe and aggravated abuse of public office in connection with a human trafficking case revolving around a berry processing company called Polarica, reports Helsingin Sanomat. Two other people have been detained earlier in the pre-trial investigation on suspicion of aggravated trafficking in human beings. The suspicion in the pre-trial investigation is that the bribes have significantly benefited and facilitated official processes related to operating a berry-picking business, Teemu Mantyniemi, the detective chief inspector in charge of the pre-trial investigation at the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP), stated on Thursday. Helsingin Sanomat on Friday reported that Sorainen has had a key role in planning measures to combat labour exploitation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. He served as the chairperson of a ministry-appointed negotiating committee on preventing exploitation and took part in drafting the act adopted last year to improve the position of foreign berry pickers in Finland. While the act has enabled occupational safety authorities to monitor the working conditions of berry pickers, it has also been criticised for being insufficient. As Sorainen was detained on suspicion rather than for probable cause of the offences, the investigators will have to issue another request to the district court in order to extend the detention beyond one week. The suspected offences took place between early 2019 and Wednesday, 26 October 2022, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Kimmo Nuotio, a professor of criminal law at the University of Helsinki, on Friday told the newspaper that it is very unusual for a high-ranking ministry official to be suspected of aggravated acceptance of a bribe and aggravated abuse of public office in Finland. Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen (SDP) on Saturday similarly described the suspicions as serious in an e-mail to the newspaper. Were talking about relatively serious suspicions. Im very sorry and sad about them, she wrote. Weve done a lot of work during the current electoral term to prevent the exploitation of foreign labour. Well have to continue that work with even more determination. The other two suspects are Jukka Kristo, the managing director of Polarica, and the owner of the company that recruited pickers for Polarica in Thailand. Both of them have been in pre-trial detention since the beginning of the month, initially on suspicion of human trafficking and later of aggravated human trafficking. The companies are believed to have engaged in human trafficking by deceiving, exploiting and subjecting the berry pickers to forced labour-like work. The pickers are believed to have been dependent on the employer and, for example, accommodated in poor conditions. Mantyniemi revealed earlier that the number of victims is believed to be dozens, although not all of them necessarily know or recognise that they have been victims of human trafficking. The pre-trial investigation has been conducted in co-operation with law enforcement authorities in Thailand and Sweden. SVT, the public broadcasting company of Sweden, reported earlier this month that police had been notified about the suspicious operations by the Swedish Migration Agency. Founded in 1972, Polarica is one of the largest companies in the wild berry industry of Finland. It operates also in Poland, Russia and Sweden. Aleksi Teivainen HT The Finnish man is suspected of aggravated computer break-in, attempted aggravated extortion and aggravated dissemination of information violating personal privacy. Investigators at the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) are also looking into his possible ties to extorting and disseminating information on victims of the hacking. THE DISTRICT COURT of Helsinki on Friday detained a 25-year-old man in absentia on suspicion of breaking into the patient register of Psychotherapy Centre Vastaamo. The man is believed to be living abroad and an international warrant for his arrest has been issued, according to a press release issued by KRP on Friday. Our understanding is that he was living abroad when the extortion took place. But where he was when the data breach itself happened at the turn of 2018 and 2019, we dont have a clear understanding of that, Marko Leponen, the officer in charge of the pre-trial inquiry at KRP, told YLE on Friday. Although the man was identified as a possible suspect relatively early in the large-scale inquiry, the investigators had to rule out a number of other names that emerged during the inquiry. The probable cause for which he was detained in absentia wasnt confirmed until very recently, revealed Leponen. The investigators have yet to determine how much the suspect profited from the offence because not nearly all of the victims have reported the offence to police. Leponen said the number of offences reported in the case stands presently at roughly 10,000 low compared to the 33,000 clients whose personal and patient details were reportedly obtained in the breaches. We dont have a precise understanding of the victims who paid ransom to the perpetrator, he added. Were talking about pretty marginal sums, though. Our findings suggest that about 2030 people paid ransom. He declined to comment on whether the inquiry has uncovered other possible crimes, citing ongoing investigations by foreign authorities. Psychotherapy Centre Vastaamo was declared bankrupt in early 2021, a couple of months after first reports of the large-scale data breach had emerged. The service provider has stated that its patient database was infiltrated first in November 2018 and then in March 2019. Ville Tapio, a former chief executive of Vastaamo, has been charged with data protection offence over the vulnerabilities that resulted in the leak and publication of sensitive information on thousands of patients. Prosecutors have described the state of information security at the company as chaotic. Helsingin Sanomat on Friday wrote that the man suspected of hacking into the patient database has an exceptional criminal record with offences dating back to his teens. The District Court of Espoo in 2015 found the man guilty of 50,700 counts of aggravated computer break-in, aggravated interference with communications, aggravated fraud, aggravated message interception and computer break-in, handing him a suspended prison sentence of two years. In 2020, he was convicted for making false police reports to send law enforcement authorities to private residences in the US and reporting an unfounded bomb threat to American Airlines. The man has appealed against the ruling. Aleksi Teivainen HT A RUNNER from Sonning Common has been called up to represent England in the British and Irish Masters cross-country international in Dublin on November 12. Ben Paviour earned his England vest running as a V45 in a qualifying race in Derby last weekend but will turn out for his country as a V50. Paviour celebrates his 50th birthday a couple of days before the Dublin race. Paviour, who lives in Reades Lane, runs for both Herne Hill Harriers and Reading Roadrunners. AN environmental campaigner from Caversham is on a mission to remove rubbish from the banks of the River Thames. Graham Bates, 66, is pushing for the authorities to clean up two sections of the river where litter and debris has built up. The freelance journalist from Lower Caversham believes both Reading Borough Council and the Environment Agency could be doing more to keep Cavershams waterways clean. He said: They dont seem that bothered with the general rubbish that is being chucked in the river. They know about it but choose not to deal with it. One problem site he has identified is at Caversham lock where it meets the footpath crossing Caversham weir and there is a build-up of discarded fishing equipment. The rubbish is on Environment Agency land that is fenced off and has been slipping into the river for years. Mr Bates said: There is fly-tipping on the bank which you cannot access unless you climb over the security fencing. It is from fishermen who have left bags and buckets for years but everyone just ignores it. Its not so obtrusive apart from when it falls in the river when the weather is bad. Bits and pieces have been falling in over the last couple of years. Last summer I spotted a pink bucket and an orange Sainsburys bag floating in the water. Mr Bates asked the lock-keeper for permission to go on the land and pick up the rubbish himself but was refused. He said: The Environment Agency doesnt consider it relevant. I have sent a string of emails to a particular address I was given but they havent replied. An Environment Agency spokesman said: It is frustrating that litter is left behind by individuals, creating an eyesore and pollution for others to clean up. Unfortunately, this location is only accessible by water and we will have to deal with it when undertaking our next routine inspection. We ask people to respect the environment when visiting the river and use litter bins or take their rubbish home with them to dispose of. The other stretch of the river where Mr Bates has spotted a build-up of rubbish is by Mill Green, which he first noticed in February 2021 when the water froze. There were icebergs of polystyrene floating among the ice, he said. I tried to get the Environment Agency to remove them before they dissolved but nothing was done. Building waste has begun to appear on the banks of the stretch of river as the water level dropped. Mr Bates said: For more than 18 months Ive been in conversation with Reading Borough Council and councillors about fly-tipping thats ended up on the riverbank. He has collected rubbish in and around the river with litter-picking group Keep Caversham Tidy. While he believes that the authorities should do a better job, he says the issue is about people not discarding rubbish carelessly in the first place. The solution is personal responsibility and people having better awareness, said Mr Bates. When I was a boy we had a campaign called Keep Britain Tidy, which is still running, as well as public information films on the TV telling you to pick up litter. People ignore plastic, which builds up and goes into the water and will last decades. The waste in question is on land not owned by Reading Borough Council so is the responsibility of the landowner. A council spokesman said: The council takes a dim view of the dumping of waste which impacts our local environment and residents. The waste is on land which is not owned by the council but we have contacted the landowner and requested that the land is cleared as soon as possible. If it is not cleared within a reasonable period of time, we will look to proceed with enforcement action. HENLEY Symphony Orchestra will perform a piece from the cello repertoire as part of its autumn concert at St Marys Church in Henley next month. Schumanns Cello Concerto was written by the composer in just a fortnight in his later years and was first performed posthumously (he died at the age of 46). The orchestra will also perform Beethovens Coriolan Overture, which is taken from Shakespeares tragedy Coriolanus and follows the Roman leaders path from brutality to tenderness. The final piece will be Sibeliuss Symphony No. 5, which is said to have one of the greatest finales of all time. The work was premiered by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra on the Finnish composers 50th birthday. The orchestra will be joined by Swedish professional cellist Lydia Hillerudh. The 29-year-old is the oldest of seven sisters, all of whom play the instrument. Lydia, who lives in London, says: My second sister and I are professionals. The fourth and fifth sisters are at conservatoires now and the youngest two are at music school. The cello was not her first choice as a child. Lydia recalls: When I was five my mum said I was too little to have music lessons so I tried to teach myself the piano. When I was seven, my parents realised I had to have some kind of music lessons but there was a long waiting list for piano. They said, Well, no one wants to try cello would you mind giving it a go? I didnt even know what a cello was but I liked it. Then, when I got my second full-sized cello I think I must have been 14 I played just one note and there was something that just clicked in me. I said, I must be a cellist. I just love the sound of the instrument so much and this is what I need to do for the rest of my life. I still feel that. I open my cello case every day and Im like, I love this, Im lucky to do what I love. Lydia won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with a distinction in 2017. She says: I felt at home there and London has just been a really wonderful, nurturing musical environment. While she has settled in the capital, Lydia remains close to her family and often returns home to Sweden. She says: My sisters are my best friends, all of them. We grew up in a suburb outside Stockholm and the family grew faster than the flat we had a triple bunk bed for a while. You might think that with everyone playing the same instrument it might get competitive but really everyone was just happy for each individuals success. Lydia is delighted to be performing Schumanns Cello Concerto. She says: For me, it feels a bit like coming full circle. Schumann was the first concerto I did with a local chamber orchestra in Stockholm when I was a teenager, so its really nice to go back and do it properly. When you play a piece, you remember people youve met and played with and it has so many happy memories for me, so its joyful to practise it. The orchestra will have a guest conductor in Jacques Cohen, who is based in London and is music director and principal conductor of the Cohen Ensemble. He also conducted the orchestra at Shiplake College in 2016 and is pleased to be doing so again. I feel like weve got a good rapport, he says. I havent worked with Lydia before but I understand that shes very good and the concerto is a fantastic piece. There arent that many concertos for cello because its a low instrument and doesnt tend to carry well over the orchestra but some composers have found ingenious ways to make sure you can hear it. Of Sibeliuss symphony, he says: It has an amazing ending, its just incredible with the textures he gets out of the orchestra and its very uplifting. Henley Symphony Orchestras autumn concert is at St Marys Church, Henley, on Sunday, November 13 at 5pm. Tickets cost 20 unreserved, 8 under-16s and students. For more information, call 07726 459261, email hsoboxoffice@gmail.com or visit www.henleysymphonyorchestra.co.uk Chishui sun vinegar gains new life with traditional making process in SW China Xinhua) 10:03, October 31, 2022 Workers prepare raw materials for vinegar making at a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A worker prepares raw materials for vinegar making at a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A worker checks the maturity of vinegar in process at a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) This aerial photo taken on Oct. 28, 2022 shows workers operating at the sunning field of a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) This aerial photo taken on Oct. 28, 2022 shows the sunning field of a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A worker moves bottled vinegar at a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Workers move raw materials at the sunning field of a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A worker displays mature vinegar at a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Photo by Wang Changyu/Xinhua) Two women promote vinegar products via livestreaming at a vinegar factory in Chishui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Oct. 28, 2022. Chishui is celebrated for its sun vinegar, which has maintained a traditional making process. The production techniques of the Chishui vinegar, featuring the sunning process, was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou in 2009, and a national one in 2021. The vinegar is noted for its unique flavor also because of its time-tested recipe that include some herbal medicines. The local government pins great importance to the inheritance of vinegar making skills as well as the publicity of their products. Through "on-line + off-line" information and sales campaigns, Chishui sun vinegar has gained a new life in this mountainous city. (Photo by Wang Changyu/Xinhua) (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) THE opposition Citizens Coalitions for Change (CCC) has proposed that the country must craft a national peace pledge targeting political parties before next years polls to ensure they are peaceful. Zimbabwe has since the March 26 by-elections and others that followed been experiencing violence during the campaign period. In March, CCC activist Mboneni Ncube was murdered by suspected Zanu PF activists at a rally addressed by party leader Nelson Chamisa in Kwekwe. CCC proportional representation MP Jasmine Toffa was also brutally attacked by suspected Zanu PF supporters while campaigning for the opposition in Insiza, Matabeleland North last week. CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Siziba yesterday told NewsDay that the proposed peace pledge would help to achieve peaceful polls next year. Our president Nelson Chamisa is proposing a national peace pledge targeting different stakeholders who will be involved in electoral processes. We are targeting everyone including observers and electoral watchdogs, Siziba said. But the ruling Zanu PF party rubbished CCC suggestions saying the party led by Chamisa must first concede 2018 presidential election defeat before talking about peace pledges. Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said: As Zanu PF, we have always loved peace. On CCCs suggestions of a national peace pledge, I dont think we will be part of it unless they concede defeat in the 2018 Presidential elections that is the only sticking point. They should just concede defeat. In 2018, Chamisa refused to concede electoral defeat to Zanu PF candidate President Emmerson Mnangagwa claiming that the elections were rigged. MDC-Alliance spokesperson Witness Dube said the national peace pledge was appropriate. The national peace pledge is in line with our thinking. We have said any political party or stakeholders that want to come up with a national peace pledge we are willing to join them for the sake of peaceful elections, Dube said. National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) spokesperson Obert Gutu said: Whenever people talk about peace, we are always happy. We have launched the national peace pledge before, which targeted various stakeholders. We appreciate political parties which always advocate for peace because peace building is our constitutional mandate as NPRC. Our priority is to target political players. Newsday Seychelles national and bringing more than eight years of culinary experience, Marcus Freminot has joined the forces of Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel. Strategically located in the heart of the world's heritage city, the resort is iconic, complemented by 53 rooms, and features a signature outlet dining - Main Street Bar & Grill. He will also oversee the city's most luxurious boats, the Mekong Kingdoms which has curated sensational itineraries for worldwide travelers. Determine to elevate the town's dining scene, Chef Marcus will continue to emphasize the local ingredients and its sustainability narrative on the international stage. Freminot began his career in his home country as a Chef de Cuisine at French Embassy. While he showcased Creole cuisines, he enriched his passion with different products, methods of cooking, and inspirational local components that brought him to broader audiences. As a result, Freminot was a representative for the Seychellois - Korean Cuisine & Culture Exchange Master Chef Class in South Korea. He prepared a special five-course Creole meal for over 100 guests, including media and travel trade representatives, which gained the highest praise at the event. His first leadership started at Avani Seychelles as the Executive Chef for almost three years. In 2021 he was relocated to Avani Muscat, Oman oversaw the cuisine operation that successfully brought different elements to the property. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Leftover streaming mechanicals will be up for discussion [Chris Castle] Many of the companies involved have market capitalizations greater than the gross national product of some countries. by CHRIS CASTLE of Music Tech Policy You may have noticed that a cost of living adjustment for statutory royalties was front and center in the recent (and still ongoing) physical mechanicals rate setting. Unfortunately, the idea of a COLA seems to have disappeared in the streaming mechanicals proceeding. Note that its different music users on the physical mechanicals than on streaming. The physical mechanicals are paid by record companies and streaming mechanicals are paid by some of the biggest corporations in history, namely Amazon, Apple and Google and other public companies like Spotify and Pandora/SiriusXM. All these companies have market capitalizations greater than the gross national product of some countries. You may have also noticed that after years of frozen subscription rates, Apple is the first of the streaming subscription services to raise rates by $1 on several of its services including Apple Music. Tim Ingham is asking if Spotify will follow (you know, one of those price fixing agreements inferred from conduct). Who knows, but whats interesting about this is the effect it will have on streaming mechanical rates, or more pointedly the effect that the cartel would like you to think it will have. The calculation for streaming mechanicals is absurdly complicated. About the only thing that is certain is that the negotiation of that rate every five years and appeals occasionally guarantees employment for lots of lawyers and lobbyists. The rates are so bizarre that the Copyright Royalty Judges seem to have lost trust in the process and have issued two separate orders instructing the participants in the streaming mechanical proceedings to either disclose or certify that they have come clean with the Judges as to any side deals that may have artificially lowered the ratesthe second order makes for interesting reading. One thing that is clear, however, is that any argument that a COLA is not necessary with streaming mechanicals because the rate is theoretically based on increases or decreases in revenue is a particularly insulting form of trickle down gaslighting. It must be said that the record company group of music users that pays the physical mechanical rate voluntarily agreed a COLA on their rates that is currently pending approval by the Judges. There really is no excuse for the streaming services to rely on the discredited trickle down theory to pawn off their Rube Goldberg royalty structure on songwriters. Share on: Spotify is closing all its offices this week, so Im closing Spotify Spotify is closing all offices this week, so Im closing Spotify. My personal week-long boycott of Spotify is not a protest. In fact, Wellness Week, which offers Spotify employees the opportunity to put some extra focus on their own wellness, is something more companies need to copy. With this extra week of paid time off, its our hope that our employees around the world can take the time they need for themselves, and return to work revitalized, refreshed, and energized, wrote Spotifys Katarina Berg on the streamers HR blog. Spotify is closed this week, so I am closing Spotify As I did last year, Im closing my Spotify app to learn more about the myriad of other music streaming services available. As a heavy Spotify user, I know less than I should about its competitors. Thats not an acceptable knowledge gap for anyone (aka everyone, including artists) in the music business who is concerned with music marketing, discovery, consumption, or monetization. I dont expect to cause a noticeable drop in Spotifys MAUs, but I urge you to join me in spending time on other services. Tidal, Soundcloud, and Audius each have free tiers. Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Napster, and other Spotify Alternatives all offer free trials ranging from 30 90 days. Right now, Im listening to Bostons WUMB and rediscovering the joys of live hand-curated radio from my home in Roanoke, Virginia, using the free version of the TuneIn app. Next up, WXPN from Philadelphia Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown, which acquired both publications in 2019. He is also President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music. Share on: Maria Sekowski is closing her store, Maria's European Delights, after nine years on North Street. Maria's European Delights To Close in Pittsfield PITTSFIELD, Mass. The smell of homemade soup, stuffed cabbage, and kielbasa fill the small yet lively Eastern European deli as patrons send Maria Sekowski off on her journey in retirement. Sekowski announced on her Facebook page in early October that she would be closing her doors at the end of the year with plans to retire. Patrons expressed their congratulations but were greatly saddened by this loss to the community. Many customers said they are going to miss her welcoming and energetic personality. The curtains will close on Sekowski's impromptu musical numbers and karaoke sessions. Music by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Michael Buble, and many others are fading and her new symphony into retirement begins. Although Sekowski is going to miss her customers she is looking forward to spending time with her family. She is making plans to visit her daughter, who lives now in Kansas City, Mo., and her brother in New Jersey. Her son is also expecting another child so she plans on helping him take care of her grandson as well as continuing to fulfill her responsibilities as the legal guardian of a 12-year old. Unless the store receives an offer to buy the business, there will be another empty storefront on North Street. "The store will close unless there's someone that would be interested in buying the business," Sekowski said in the post. "I want to thank you all for supporting my business throughout the years. Please support your local small businesses as there are too many empty storefronts. Although someone had inquired about purchasing the store, she had not heard back earlier last week so its fate is unclear. Although the idea of saving the store from closure is nice, she said there is nothing drawing people to North Street aside from the few popular attractions. Foot traffic is not the only obstacle North Street business owners have to face, she said. Parking is a major issue that drives away patrons who become frustrated and give up after being unable to find a space. Those who are able to find a parking space on North Street then have to avoid walking into the flowerbeds, she said. In December 2007, Sekowski's husband, Krzysztof "Kris" opened Maria's European Delights in Great Barrington after being let go from Rising Paper Co., where he worked as a beater operator for 20 years. During this time she continued working at Brazabra Corp. in Lee and would help out on weekends until May of 2008. She quit her job and joined him. The duo ran the restaurant together building relationships with customers and, in 2013, they moved the business to Pittsfield. Kris died a year later. Since then, Sekowski has been running the business on her own. ici Haiti - Delmas 33 : A journalist fatally injured by a projectile in the courtyard of the police station Sunday, October 30, 2022, journalist Romelo Vilsaint was fatally injured in the courtyard of the Delmas 33 police station, during a solidarity movement to demand the release of Robest Dimanche, a reporter of Radio Tele Zenith, who was brutally arrested earlier in the day by the police for "disturbing public order and rebellion". Movement quickly repressed by the National Police of Haiti (PNH) which made intensive use of tear gas and live ammunition warning shots causing a situation of panic and great confusion. According to diverging testimonies, Romelo Vilsaint was shot in the head by the police. At the hospital where he was taken to the emergency room, the conclusions of the neurosurgeon, reported by Agence France Presse, the journalist Romelo Vilsaint was fatally hit in the head by a tear gas canister. Divisional Inspector Garry Desrosiers Spokesperson for the National Police of Haiti (PNH) confirmed to the "Associated Press" (AP) that journalist Vilsaint had been killed, but refused to comment on the event. Emmelie Prophete Milce, the Minister of Communication on her Twitter account "deplores the tragedy that occurred on Sunday October 30, at the Delmas 33 police station, which caused the sudden death of journalist Romelo Vilsaint. The Minister is confident that an investigation will be opened to determine the circumstances in order to identify and prosecute the author or authors of this regrettable act." S/ iciHaiti ETHIOPIAN Airlines yesterday made its maiden flight to Bulawayo as it landed at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, a key development in the aviation industry that will boost the tourism sector and ease international travel. The airline arrived on schedule to a spectacular traditional water cannon salute. The airline, which already flies into Zimbabwe through Harare and Victoria Falls, is set to provide service four times a week from Addis Ababa to Bulawayo through Victoria Falls. The coming of more international airlines is testimony to the positive impact of Zimbabwes Open Skies Policy, which enhances the countrys attractiveness to potential investors. When the Second Republic came into being in 2017, just three airlines were utilising the countrys airspace. Now more than 18 airlines are flying into the country. Vintage cars escorted the Ethiopian Airline soon after landing for the first time at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo yesterday Speaking at the welcome ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Theodius Chinyanga said the Ethiopian Airline will aid in increasing economic growth in the country. We are cognisant of the critical role that air transport plays in the economic development of our country. The coming in of Ethiopian Airlines to JM International Airport will, without a doubt, spur on and encourage more exciting ground-breaking investment and trade ventures in other downstream sectors of our economy to the benefit of the nation. He stressed the need to embrace and utilise the opportunity provided by Ethiopian Airlines to grow tourism, trade, attract foreign direct investments, and create beneficial business relationships with the world. The permanent secretary said the ministry will endeavour to increase connectivity, not only with the continent of Africa but with the rest of the world in line with the Governments National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) focusing on the realisation of the countrys vision of transforming Zimbabwe into an Upper-Middle Income Economy by 2030. Before Ethiopian Airlines came to Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, the only other international flight in and out of the airport was to Johannesburg in South Africa, which is operated by Airlink. Therefore, with the coming in of this flight from Addis Ababa, we now have increased the connectivity between Bulawayo and the rest of the continent and the world at large, said the permanent secretary. The airlines chief commercial officer, Mr Lemma Yadesga Gudeta expressed confidence that the airline will facilitate easy international access by increasing connectivity. Our new flight to Bulawayo creates even stronger socio-economic ties between Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. It also has a significant role in international accessibility and boosts the countrys tourism sector. In a statement, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr Mesfin Tasew, said the Bulawayo route will enhance international connectivity and facilitate trade within Africa and beyond. The commencement of flights to Bulawayo is crucial in connecting Southern Africa to the world with our 130 destinations in five continents. We are glad to serve Bulawayo, the industrial hub of Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, accelerating trade with our cargo and passenger services. Our flights to multiple cities in a country indicate our solid commitment to serve our customers and support our continent as the best pan-African carrier, said Mr Tasew. He said Ethiopian Airlines growing connectivity is backing the utilisation of the huge potential of the continents tourism industry. The new flight to Bulawayo will add convenience to travellers, thereby activating the trade activities in the industrial hub of southern Africa. Recently, Ethiopian Airlines was the official carrier for the international buyers and journalists who attended this years Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, after they entered into a partnership with Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA). Chronicle iciHaiti - PNH : important meeting around the Basket Fund program Friday, October 28, 2022, Frantz Elbe, Director General a.i. of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) organized an important workshop attended by Representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP - Haiti), of the Office Integrated United Nations in Haiti (BINUH), members of the High Command and Heads of various services of the PNH. This workshop provided an opportunity to discuss the "Basket Fund" program, the common fund financed by the international community whose management is provided by the UNDP, which aims to support projects that meet the priorities and immediate needs of the PNH. Indeed, as part of the implementation of this program, rehabilitation and construction of police infrastructure is planned. The Police Station of Miragoane as well as the Departmental Direction of Nippes are among the buildings to be built in order to create a safe, healthy and pleasant environment for law enforcement officers who must provide better service to the public. During the exchanges between Nick Rene Hartmann, the UNDP Representative in Haiti and senior PNH officials, the needs revolving around the priority areas for the PNH were discussed such as background checks of police officers, rehabilitation and construction of infrastructure, training and reinforcement in the field of information and technology. Let's remember that this common fund is in the process of being set up by countries that have already made their contributions, such as Canada ($10 million), the United States ($3 million), Japan and other countries that are on the point of joining this fund to better help the PNH to face new security challenges. IH/ iciHaiti TWO Indians, one Latvian, 23.7 kilogrammes of heroin seized at the RGM International Airport in Harare, in just ONE MONTH. The numbers are just staggering and, in a graphic way, illustrate the growing drugs problem, which is now facing this country. When one considers there is a likelihood part of the contraband slipped through the scrutiny of the security forces, whose vigilance has to be commended, the situation becomes even more frightening. What cannot be denied is that Zimbabwe has probably become a key transit point for these drug barons who are using the same routes, a flight to Addis Ababa and then off to India. On Friday, an Indian man appeared in court after being allegedly found in possession of 7kgs of heroin. Ronald Florentius Paes, 66, was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Taurai Manuwere, who remanded him in custody. Earlier last week, another Indian man, Gowda Nabin Chandra, 61, was also arrested and appeared in court after being found in possession of 7.7kgs of heroin. The court heard that on Wednesday last week, detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics Unit received a tip-off that Paes was in possession of heroin, which he intended to smuggle to India. The detectives waylaid Paes at the RGM International Airport and intercepted him during check-in time. They observed Paes was carrying a red bag, a black suitcase and a backpack. Paes did all the check-in formalities and handed over the red bag to be loaded as baggage. The police then approached him and requested to have the bag scanned. The bag was taken to the aviation security scanner which detected that it had suspicious content. The bag was opened in his presence and the police allegedly recovered two transparent bags of heroin glued to the bottom side of the bag. Upon arrest, the police established that Paes had an Indian passport and had boarding passes to Addis Ababa en-route to India. They recovered 7.3kgs of heroin. His Indian counterpart, Chandra, was found in possession of 7.7kgs of heroin. He has already appeared in court. Chandra, 61, was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Taurai Manuwere. He was remanded in custody. The court heard that last Sunday, cops from the CID Narcotics Unit received information that Chandra was in possession of a navy-blue suitcase, which had suspicious contents, at the RGM International Airport. They went to the screening area, where he had completed immigration and customs formalities, to board an Ethiopia Airways flight. He was summoned to the scanning point where his suitcase was searched and the police recovered the heroin stuffed in the lining of the bag. The contraband was tightly wrapped with brown adhesive tape packed in a transparent polythene pack. Chandra was arrested and it was established that he had an Indian passport and an air ticket to Addis Ababa, en-route to India. A preliminary field test was done on the contraband in his presence and it tested positive for heroin. Earlier this month, a Latvian man, Vitalis Kudrjasovs, was also arrested at the same airport and appeared in court over similar drug charges. H Metro In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we provide readers with an overview of Indias education industry ... Countries with more developed FinTech ecosystems showed stronger resilience against disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic, with better economic growth and employment, a new study that looked at 86 economies worldwide to evaluate the impact of FinTech on economic resilience has found. In collaboration with Ant Group, the Centre for Sustainable Finance Innovation (CSFI) at the Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), conducted this study, titled Economic Resilience during Covid-19 Pandemic the Role and Significance of FinTech. Using GDP growth and unemployment rate as measures for economic resilience, the study found that countries and regions with more advanced FinTech development experienced a faster rebound in GDP growth rate and recorded stronger employment recovery during the pandemic. The findings suggest that FinTech has a positive influence on economic resilience and may be used as a tool to cushion against shocks and to accelerate recovery in times of crisis. FinTech makes the delivery and use of financial services easy and convenient through platforms like mobile phone applications and other digital mediums, which is crucial to help mitigate the disruptions caused by lockdowns and other virus-control measures limiting physical movement, according to the study. FinTech and economic resilience The study weighed FinTech development against a total of 17 factors covering a countrys economic, social, political, and healthcare indicators. For example, trade levels, population size, and education development. The results showed that FinTech had a strong positive impact on GDP growth across all countries surveyed. Similarly, the more developed the FinTech ecosystem of the country, the lower the unemployment rate. Other factors that also have a sway over positive employment rates include pre-pandemic GDP per capita, the stringency of social distancing policies, and population size. One example of a country in Asia that achieved strong GDP growth resilience is Singapore. As a country with one of the most developed FinTech ecosystem in Southeast Asia, Singapores funding landscape has been less volatile compared to other countries in the region, which have largely suffered from a fall in FinTech funding caused by the pandemic. In the case of Singapore, despite an initial dip in funding, the investments in FinTech quickly rebounded by the second quarter of 2020. The fact that Singapore has suffered less significantly compared to the rest is testament to the unrivalled confidence investors and entrepreneurs have in the country as a regional FinTech hub. This confidence stems from active regulatory support, tax treatise, political stability, adherence to free market economics, and availability of talent, the study said. Mobile payments The study also found that different aspects of FinTech caused varied impact on economic resilience. Mobile payments, which comprise common payment tools like digital wallets, impacted both GDP growth and employment positively. Digital investments were conducive to GDP growth rates, while digital banking accelerated employment growth. An analysis of global Google search data between 2017 and 2022 showed a sharp rise in searches for FinTech-related terms following the Covid-19 outbreak and the trend has remained since. These terms include mobile wallet, digital banking, and online investment. This finding reflects a persistent high-level of interest in FinTech services since the start of the pandemic. Notably, mobile payments are the main driver of the interest. In Southeast Asia, there was a 50% increase in demand for FinTech services from 2019 and 2020, coinciding with the outbreak of the pandemic. Of this demand, interest in mobile payments recorded an 80% rise in line with global trend observed in the FinTech services sector. Notwithstanding lockdown protocols, people continued to have access to daily necessities through online channels. It is thus no surprise that more people turned to mobile payments and FinTech services to regain some level of normalcy during the pandemic. As a result, Covid-19 has fundamentally reshaped consumption habits and accelerated the development of the digital economy, the study stated. Please visit here for the full report: https://bit.ly/3SPOGVy View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221030005051/en/ On Monday, the manufacturer of automotive components Minda Corporation announced a partnership with the South Korean company Daesung Eltec to provide India's next-generation solutions for advanced driver assistance systems. On October 28, 2022, a technological licence and assistance deal was signed between the two businesses, according to a statement from Minda Corporation. The partners will provide advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for passenger, commercial, and off-road vehicle segments through their partnership. These include lane departure warning systems, driver monitoring systems, around view monitoring systems, and front collision warning systems (FCWS). He added that the agreement will allow Minda to be one of the early movers providing localised solutions in the sector. Daesung Eltec delivers more than four decades of deep knowledge to the automotive electronics industry. When the contract was signed, Won Ghee Yang, CEO of Daesung Eltec, said: "Autonomous vehicles will soon be a regular sight thanks to the steady advancement of the Indian auto sector, making ADAS both necessary and important. We firmly feel that this partnership is an excellent first step in combining the advantages of the two businesses." According to the announcement, as part of the partnership, Daesung Eltec will assist Minda with product design, development, and validation as well as play a significant role in process design, validation, and manufacturing line setup for ADAS systems. For feedback and suggestions, write to us at editorial@iifl.com Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors. KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary. No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account." www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. Domestic benchmark indices in a super rally today led by IT and Auto stocks outperforming. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks were higher 1% each amid positive global cues gleaming all over the market. On the sectoral front, metal index was under selling pressure while auto and IT stocks skyrocketed over 136 and 351 points respectively to drive the market sentiments. At around 2:00 PM, Sensex was trading at 60,658.74 higher by 698.89 points or 1.17%. Nifty 50 traded at 17,979.50 higher 192.70 points or 1.08%. . Top Bulls on Nifty 50 are: Ultra Cement (+3.71%), Sun Pharma (+2.95%), HDFC Bank (+2.49%) supported by Grasim (+2.48%) and HDFC (+2.14%). Meanwhile, top losers on Nifty 50 are: NTPC (-1.87%), Apollo Hospitals (-0.74%), Dr Reddy's (-0.72%), Tata Steel (-0.49%) and BPCL (-0.33%). Meanwhile, Bengaluru-based DCX Systems' IPO opened for bidding today. The Company plans to raise Rs500 crore fund, with a fresh issue of Rs400 crore and the rest being an offer for sale. The price band for the issue is set at Rs197-207 per share. For feedback and suggestions, write to us at editorial@iifl.com CANDIGARH: Another three Hindu girls were abducted in the Sindh state of Pakistan by Muslim desperadoes last week and forced to marry them after they were converted to Islam. According to media reports emanating from Sindh, Guddi Kolhi, Ria Bheel, and Rekha Kolhi were abducted and converted to Islam. They have been married to their kidnappers at a local Dargah (Mosque). Guddi Kolhi, a resident of Sagir colony in Mirpur Khas township was abducted at gunpoint by one Gul Rahim and taken to Pir Bharchundi Sharif Dargah where she was married to her kidnapper in the presence of so-called Sufi Pir Ayub Jaan Sirhandi. Ria Bheel, a mother of three children and daughter of Nazir Bheel residing in Garibabad town of Kandhkot district was kidnapped by Ali Hassan Lashori Baloch. She was converted and married to her abductor by the mullahs. A minor Rekha Kolhi resident of Kunri Shehar township was kidnapped by an already-married Muslim man three times her age whose name could not be immediately known. Advocate Sarwan Kumar based in Sindh has taken up the matter with the National Human Rights Conference and sought protection for the Hindu minority. He also raised the issue of another Hindu girl Chanda who was abducted a few months ago by Shaman Magsi Baloch. She was recovered by the police from Karachi and sent to a womens protection home where she recorded her statement against her kidnapper seeking punishment for him. Even after being raped repeatedly for a number of days, Chanda refused to get converted to Islam. The horrifying incidents come close on the heels of the abduction of three Hindu girls in Sindh on October 17 which shows that such abductions of girls from the minority community are continuing unabated in Pakistan. There are around 40 lakh Hindus living in Sindh. The bond between superstar Sridevi's daughters Janhvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor has grown stronger even more after their mothers demise. The sisters have found solace in each other after their loss and Janhvi Kapoor being the eldest one has been feeling maternally for Khushi. Instagram In a recent interview, Janhvi Kapoor revealed that on Khushis first day at the shoot for Netflixs The Archies, she went along with her but couldnt wait until Khushi could give her first shot. ##JUMPLINK## In an episode of Mashable Indias The Bombay Journey, the Roohi actress said, I was there for Khushis first day of the shoot but I had to leave before she could take her first shot. I was there for her hair and make-up. I had to leave because I had to reach Lucknow to shoot Bawaal and I have cried and cried and cried. I was like, Kaisi Behen hoon main, what does it all even mean, I wasnt able to be there for her, for her first day of shoot and I was just like in the worst mood. DNA I was like acting ho gaya mera, main chod rahi hoon, I have to be there for my sister. I need to make sure everything is good. Mom (Sridevi) used to say this. I remember she was shooting English Vinglish and she missed Khushis birthday and she called us howling like I never want to act again, I just want to be there for my kids. I was like Mom, youve been there always. Its fine, well be there, in 10 days well see you. And I never understood that feeling but now I do. screengrab Now I did some shoot in Chennai and I couldnt spend time with dad and I had to leave quickly, I barely got five minutes with him and I saw him after a month and I called him from the airport howling. I was just like, Oh god, I miss you,'" Janhvi added. On the work front, Janhvi is currently gearing up for her next, Mili. Produced by Boney Kapoor, Mili is a remake of 2019s Malayalam film Helen. Recently Jahnvi also addressed the rumours of her and Khushi dating the same guy . In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, she was asked about the worst thing she read about herself to which she responded, That I was dating Akshat Rajan, who is my childhood best friend, and then I broke up with him and now Khushi is dating him. Janhvi later clarified that neither sister has dated Akshat, who they have known since they were kids. None of us ever dated him. He has just been our bestest friend since we were babies. Instagram/Khushi Kapoor (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) Recently, the US government announced the finalization of protections for the emperor penguin under the US Endangered Species Act, warning that the species faces extinction owing to melting sea ice and rising global temperatures. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, emperor penguins should be legally protected since they establish colonies and raise their young on Antarctic ice that is at risk from climate change. What are Emperor penguins like? Explainer on Emperor Penguin | Getty Images Emperor penguins are among the biggest birds in the world and the largest of the 18 species of penguins currently existing today. Although their weight varies greatly over the year, they are roughly 40 kg in weight and stand at a height of 120 cm (almost the same as a six-year-old child). While they have colourful feathers on their heads and necks, they are not quite as colourful as king penguins, which are around the same size. However, as the two species' distributions in Antarctica are highly distinct, there is little to no chance that the two might be confused. Emperor penguins are creatures of the deep south, but king penguins are a sub-Antarctic species that live on islands scattered around the continent. They are never discovered in a group. King penguins have orange ear spots that are "closed" by a bar of black feathers, in contrast to the yellow ear patches that are "open" and fade into the white of the breast feathers on emperor penguins. Emperor penguin chicks have unusual colouring and a noticeable white patch on their faces. Emperor penguins can only be found in Antarctica in the wild. The majority of the time, they breed and rear their young on "fast ice," a frozen ocean platform that is linked to the land or to ice shelves. Although very seldom vagrants have been discovered off the coast of New Zealand, they spend their entire lives in and near the Antarctic ice from the moment they are born. antarctic-logistics.com The emperor penguin population was estimated to be 595,000 when 46 colonies with 238,000 breeding pairs were discovered in a 2009 satellite image analysis. But a WWF report claims that because of a dearth of research, there is still a great deal that the public does not know about these wonderful polar species. This has an additional effect on their defence against climate change. Current status of emperor penguins According to federal officials, the declining sea ice habitat of emperor penguins has led to the species' listing as vulnerable under the Endangered Species Act. Without considerably lowering carbon pollution, experts project that 99 per cent of the world's emperor penguin population will vanish by the year 2100. The sea ice in Antarctica, where penguins spend most of the year, is in trouble. The ice is melting and disintegrating due to heat-trapping gases created by humans' usage of fossil fuels. The creatures must reproduce, raise their young, and flee from predators on the ice in order to survive. File Photo The U.S. Geological Survey defines "endangered" as the possibility of a species going extinct across all or a significant portion of its range. A species is said to be "threatened" if it is about to become extinct. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that there are between 625,000 and 650,000 emperor penguins, or 270,000 to 280,000 breeding pairs, in the wild. The designation, according to the service's director, Martha Williams, highlighted the "increasing extinction threat." Williams stated that combating climate change is a priority for the administration because it is having a significant impact on species all around the world. The emperor penguin's inclusion is both a warning and a call to action, according to the author. The designation, which arrives more than a year after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to protect the birds, adds penguins to the list of a few dozen species that the federal government deems to be threatened by climate change, along with polar bears, two types of seals, and 20 different kinds of coral. The Endangered Species Act According to a press release from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a research centre in Massachusetts, the Endangered Species Act is the strictest environmental regulation in the world and is meant to stop extinction and promote the recovery of at-risk species. Even though the species is not found in the United States, government agencies now have to make sure that their initiatives that emit significant amounts of carbon pollution do not endanger the penguin or its environment. A listing under the act inspires international cooperation in conservation efforts. Stephanie Jenouvrier, an associate scientist and seabird ecologist at Woods Hole said, "Emperor penguins, like many species found on earth, have a very uncertain future, which depends on people working together to minimise carbon pollution." "We should take our lead from the penguins themselves; just as they can only withstand the toughest environment on Earth as a group, so too can we only face a challenging climatic future as a group." A pair of Adelie penguins are pictured at Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay, East Antarctica. (Image: Reuters) The Center for Biological Diversity requested the Fish and Wildlife Service to list the emperor penguin as an endangered species more than ten years ago, according to a press statement. The organisation acknowledged that the species might be in danger of extinction due to climate change in 2014 but did nothing about it. The centre filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration five years after the petition was submitted for action. There are 18 different kinds of penguins, and the emperor penguin, at almost four feet tall, is the tallest. The only penguins that are native to Antarctica are this one and the Adelie, a medium-sized penguin with a white ring around its eyes. Emperor penguins are a crucial link in the food chain in the Antarctic, where they consume squid and other tiny fish before being eaten by larger predators like leopard seals and killer whales. On land, emperor penguins struggle. They are susceptible to hot weather and strong winds, and they cannot scale snowy cliffs. After a period of strong winds and record-low sea ice in 2016, the second-largest colony of the birds in the Antarctic lost more than 10,000 chicks before they had developed feathers. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. Verification on Twitter might start costing users, if reports are to be believed. Elon Musk recently took charge of Twitter, firing top executives immediately after assuming the role of "Chief Twit." It appears that Musk has asked Twitter employees to introduce paid verification on Twitter before his deadline or to leave the company. Reuters Monetising Twitter blue ticks As part of the plan, Musk wants to change how Twitter Blue operates. Currently, Twitter Blue is an optional $4.99 (Rs. 411) a month subscription that offers additional features. Now, Musk wants to convert it into a more expensive subscription that also verifies users, The Verge reported. Twitter could charge as much as $19.99 (Rs. 1,648) for the new Twitter Blue subscription. Verified users would have 90 days to subscribe to Twitter Blue or to lose their verified status. We have a feeling that this move might backfire, but Musk is looking for quick ways to generate revenue for Twitter. Reuters Also read: Twitter Founder Jack Dorsey's Rival Social Media Platform To Begin Testing Soon On Sunday, Twitter employees were told to meet a deadline of November 7 to launch the new feature, or they will be fired. On Sunday, Musk Tweeted - "The whole verification process is being revamped right now." The whole verification process is being revamped right now Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 30, 2022 Reuters In addition, Musk has been vocal about how he plans to change the way Twitter handles bot accounts. Internally, Musk is planning to revamp how Twitter functions - with a lot of layoffs expected in the coming weeks. Also read: The Bird Is Free: Why Elon Musk Fired Twitter's Top Executives Soon After Company's Takeover Currently, Twitter Blue is available only to Twitter users in the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. Would you pay a monthly fee to retain your verified tick on Elon Musk's Twitter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. References Heath, A. (2022, October 31). Twitter to start charging $20 per month for verification. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/30/23431931/twitter-paid-verification-elon-musk-blue-monthly-subscription Almost half of Earth's vital signs are now "code red," scientists say. A new report sheds light on the severity of the situation, with 16 out of 35 "vital signs" that are measured to track climate change now "code red." These signs are now setting new records in terms of extremity. The report comes from a coalition of international scientists who say that the number of climate-related disasters are escalating. iStock Code Red: A warning by scientists With natural disasters becoming more frequent and erratic weather patterns the new normal, scientists are urging governments and people around the world to take climate change more seriously - implying its effects in the near-future will become more pronounced. "As we can see by the annual surges in climate disasters, we are now in the midst of a major climate crisis, with far worse to come if we keep doing things the way we've been doing them," Science Alert quoted ecologist Christopher Wolf from Oregon State University. Also read: Climate Change Turning Arctic Ocean Into Acidic Soup Where No Marine Life Can Thrive iStock The team of scientists refers to issues including increased frequency of extreme heat events, loss of global tree cover, and more cases of the dengue virus. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are now at their highest since records began - at 418 parts per million. Other vital signs that were tracked by scientists include ice mass change in Antarctica, ocean acidity, surface temperature inconsistencies, and recent major flooding in the US. The report also makes references to climate change-related events in 2022. "To avoid more untold human suffering, we need to protect nature, eliminate most fossil fuel emissions and support socially just climate adaptations with a focus on low-income areas that are most vulnerable," Science Alert quoted sustainability scientist Saleemul Huq from Independent University, Bangladesh. iStock Also read: Helping Phytoplankton Grow In Oceans Could Fight Climate Change: Here's How By 2100, scientists predict a rise of 3 degree Celsius in terms of global warming. This type of temperature rise hasn't been witnessed by Earth in about 3 million years. Scientists have also put together a 35-minute documentary called The Scientist's Warning to raise awareness about climate change. Their research was published in BioScience. What do you think about the level of seriousness we accord to climate change? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com. References Nield, D. (2022, October 28). Almost Half of Earth's Vital Signs Are Now 'Code Red', Scientists Warn : ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/almost-half-of-earths-vital-signs-are-now-code-red-scientists-warn Helium, the lighter-than-air gas that helps our balloon fly up, has drastically reduced in quantity and this is worrying the doctors since its crucial for the functioning of MRI machines, reveals an NBC News report. Unsplash Helium is a non-renewable element thats found in the earths crust. In an MRI machine, the gas with its extremely cold nature keeps the magnets cool for its appropriate functioning. Helium has already been a volatile commodity for years, especially in the US and now it has only gotten worse. Moreover, the US, until this year, was counting on Russia to help bridge the supply gap, but the Russia-Ukraine war has stopped trade entirely between the two nations. Helium rates have been rising at an alarming rate -- around 30 percent and suppliers in the US are allocating helium to be only used for medical purposes. How does an MRI machine work Unlike X-rays which emit harmful radiation to look inside the body, MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves. When the patient lies still in the tube-shaped cavity, the magnetic field allows for the bodys atoms to align with strong magnetic currents. Radio wave pulses then tell the machines sensors the placement of tissues, allowing the device to render the images. An MRIs magnetic field can only remain superconductive if it doesn't get too hot. Thats where helium comes in -- it only boils at a temperature of minus -268 degrees celsius. Pumping helium in the MRI machine allows the current to travel without any resistance. An MRI machine can contain on average around 2,000 litres of liquid helium and they need to replenish the helium that boils off. According to Mahadevappa Mahesh, professor of radiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore, in a conversation with NBC News, an MRI machine uses about 10,000 litres of liquid helium in its lifespan, (which as per GE Healthcare is around 12.8 years). Unsplash Nothing can replace the helium Sadly, this problem doesnt have a proper fix. No other element is cold enough for the MRI machines than helium. MRI machine makers like GE Healthcare and Siemens Healthineers have acknowledged the shortage and are working on newer technologies/MRI machines that consume less liquid helium. Siemens developed one that requires just 0.7 litres of liquid helium, whereas one recently released by GE is 1.4 times more efficient than previous models. However, replacing the entire worlds MRI machines isnt really a quick fix. Keep visiting Indiatimes.com for the latest science and technology news. (Trigger Warning: This story anxiety and mental health issues. If you feel suicidal or know someone in distress, please reach out to them with kindness or reach out to local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs) Stress and anxiety are mental health disorders that more and more people today are struggling with. Adding to the everyday uncertainty and stress is the hustle culture, that forces people to go beyond their mental and physical capacity and achieve results in every aspect of their lives. Unsplash A Russian company has created a unique solution to alleviate anxiety. However, the idea may throw many people off the roof, as this solution is no less than a horror story. Anxiety patients can be buried alive for an hour courtesy of a Russian company called Prekated Academy. Although it may appear terrifying, the company is confident it will help people overcome their fears and anxieties. But there is a price to pay for the "psychic therapy" technique. For the exorbitant price of Rs 47 lakh, the company will bury you in the ground after placing you in a casket. The entire procedure will take place in St. Petersburg, Russia. The company also provides a less expensive option package. An online version of the second package is priced at Rs 12 lakh. The person who buys the package can view their funeral online, filled with funeral music and candles. Even the person's will can be written. Prekated Academy advises the first burial technique for best results. Screengrab The company's founder, Yekaterina Preobrazhenskaya, maintained that the burial technique is entirely secure. He continued by saying that the firm's top priority is the safety of its customers. A person's will to live will be restored after burial with an overall awareness process. The business stated that the therapy would aid in developing some psychic talents and assist in reducing anxiety. (For the latest trending stories, keep reading Indiatimes) The news comes almost two months after Wilson returned to Brit as CEO in September 2022 after a leave of absence to undergo treatment for a rare form of blood cancer. In a Press release, Brit noted that by stepping down as chief executive, he will be able to prioritize his health and spend more time with his family. Wilson first joined Brit in 1999, becoming group CEO in 2018 and is credited as having been pivotal in creating its inclusive, innovative and underwriting-centric culture which culminated in the formation of the first algorithmically underwritten syndicate in Lloyds, Ki. As a passionate advocate of Lloyds, he also served on the board of the LMA from 2011 to 2022. Thompson, who was appointed interim group CEO during Wilsons leave of absence, takes the reins once more as a highly experienced leader in the insurance sector who previously served as president & CEO of RSA Canada before joining the Fairfax Group in 2021. Commenting on his decision to step down as CEO, Wilson said that in his 23 years at Brit, this is one of the hardest decisions he has ever had to make. No one was more determined than I was to continue as CEO, but it is with huge regret that I have chosen to step down so that I can focus on my family and my health, he said. Brit is a truly special company, but what makes it so special are its amazing people. I will miss every one of them. Wilson said it is Brits team that gives him great confidence in his future and that he is sure its culture will ensure that the company continues to lead the way in both who we are and what we do. He added that he is pleased to remain within the Fairfax Group and that while he is stepping away from Brit, he will remain the companys greatest champion. Prem Watsa, chairman and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings, cited Wilsons role in driving Brits reputation for being forward-thinking and inclusive and said he leaves a lasting legacy of success across the whole organization. He will always be a friend to Brit, he said, and I am pleased that we will benefit from his insight as an executive advisory director for Fairfax. Watsa added: Martin is an outstanding insurance leader and demonstrated this when asked by Matthew to step in as interim CEO at such short notice last year, ensuring stability and enabling Brit to maintain its focus. He knows the business, its people and its culture extremely well and this, alongside his leadership skills, means we can deliver both a smooth succession and the right CEO to take Brit forward. Thompson also commented on the news and said: It is an honour to succeed Matthew as CEO. Having spent a year experiencing Brits culture and getting to know its talented people, I know what a unique business this is. Matthews departure is a sad moment for Brit, but he leaves a business that is in great shape; I am excited about our potential and how much more we have to achieve. Read more: Brit CEO takes leave of absence, interim CEO announced The news comes almost two months after Wilson returned to Brit as CEO in September 2022 after a leave of absence to undergo treatment for a rare form of blood cancer. In a Press release, Brit noted that by stepping down as chief executive, he will be able to prioritize his health and spend more time with his family. Wilson first joined Brit in 1999, becoming group CEO in 2018 and is credited as having been pivotal in creating its inclusive, innovative and underwriting-centric culture which culminated in the formation of the first algorithmically underwritten syndicate in Lloyds, Ki. As a passionate advocate of Lloyds, he also served on the board of the LMA from 2011 to 2022. Thompson, who was appointed interim group CEO during Wilsons leave of absence, takes the reins once more as a highly experienced leader in the insurance sector who previously served as president & CEO of RSA Canada before joining the Fairfax Group in 2021. Commenting on his decision to step down as CEO, Wilson said that in his 23 years at Brit, this is one of the hardest decisions he has ever had to make. No one was more determined than I was to continue as CEO, but it is with huge regret that I have chosen to step down so that I can focus on my family and my health, he said. Brit is a truly special company, but what makes it so special are its amazing people. I will miss every one of them. Wilson said it is Brits team that gives him great confidence in his future and that he is sure its culture will ensure that the company continues to lead the way in both who we are and what we do. He added that he is pleased to remain within the Fairfax Group and that while he is stepping away from Brit, he will remain the companys greatest champion. Prem Watsa, chairman and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings, cited Wilsons role in driving Brits reputation for being forward-thinking and inclusive and said he leaves a lasting legacy of success across the whole organization. He will always be a friend to Brit, he said, and I am pleased that we will benefit from his insight as an executive advisory director for Fairfax. Watsa added: Martin is an outstanding insurance leader and demonstrated this when asked by Matthew to step in as interim CEO at such short notice last year, ensuring stability and enabling Brit to maintain its focus. He knows the business, its people and its culture extremely well and this, alongside his leadership skills, means we can deliver both a smooth succession and the right CEO to take Brit forward. Thompson also commented on the news and said: It is an honor to succeed Matthew as CEO. Having spent a year experiencing Brits culture and getting to know its talented people, I know what a unique business this is. Matthews departure is a sad moment for Brit, but he leaves a business that is in great shape; I am excited about our potential and how much more we have to achieve. According to Toups plea agreement, participants in the scheme stole about $2 million in payments from fraudulent claims submitted to the Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance Program (TSGLI). Toups personally siphoned about $400,000 in fraudulent claims from the program. The TSGLI program was administered by Prudential for the Navy and funded by service members and the Department of the Navy. It provided financial assistance to service members recovering from traumatic injuries. In his plea agreement, Toups admitted that from 2012 to at least December 2015, he conspired with his then-spouse Kelen McGrath, Navy doctor Michael Villarroel, and others to defraud money from the United States by making claims for life insurance payments based on exaggerated or entirely fictional injuries and disabilities. The theft of military healthcare dollars directly harms service members and taxpayers, said US Attorney Randy Grossman. This fraud was costly for the US Navy, and now for this defendant. Fraudulently filing claims for unearned TSGLI benefits diverts compensation from deserving service members who suffered serious and debilitating injuries while on active duty, said Rebeccalynn Staples, special agent in charge of the Western Field Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. Worse yet, this defendant actively recruited others into the scheme to feed his greed for compensation he did not deserve. This guilty plea is a testament to the VA OIGs commitment to investigating those who would defraud benefits programs administered by VA. Read next: Trucking company owner indicted for scamming insurer According to the plea agreement, in addition to his submitting his own phony TSGLI claims, Toups encouraged numerous current and former Navy service members to submit claims of their own, sometimes telling them to provide medical records to McGrath, who was a nurse. McGrath then falsified or doctored records to exaggerate or fake injuries. Villarroel certified that he reviewed the records and determined that the service members daily living was impaired consistently with the claimed injuries. At times, Villarroel supported that certification by falsely stating that he had interviewed the claimant, the DOJ said. At times, Villarroel provided others medical records for McGrath to use in fabricating claims. Toups admitted to the court that he encouraged recipients of claim payments to give him part of the money, calling it a processing fee. McGrath and Villarroel also received part of the kickback, depending on their level of involvement in the phony claim. Two of Toups other co-conspirators in the scheme, Ronald Olmsted and Anthony Coco, each pleaded guilty earlier in the year. Olmsted was sentenced to four months in prison followed by four months of home detention to be served as part of three years of supervised release. Coco was sentenced to four months of home detention to be served as part of three years of probation. The DOJ alleges that Toups, MCGrath and Villarroel were at the center of the wide-ranging scam, which netted nearly $2 million. Toups is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3. Data from the association has also shown that the countrys leading commercial auto insurance providers wrote almost $45.8 billion in premiums in 2020, slightly above the $45.1 billion generated in 2019 but considerably more than the $42.9 billion written for the line in 2018. Industry experts attributed the continued ascent to the upswing in premiums prices, which has been consistent in the past few years. The latest commercial lines insurance pricing survey (CLIPS) from WTW revealed that the commercial auto insurance segment reported rate increases near or above double digits for the eighteenth consecutive quarter between April and June. The insurance giant expects the upward trend to continue for the rest of the year. How does commercial auto insurance work? As the name suggests, commercial auto insurance is a type of car policy designed for vehicles driven for business purposes. It works similarly to personal auto insurance in terms of protection but covers mainly company cars and commercial trucks and vans. But due to the heightened risks associated with business-use vehicles, commercial car insurance premiums generally cost higher compared to the rates for personal auto policies. Prices for commercial auto insurance coverage are also influenced by the number of vehicles insured, coverage limits and deductibles, the businesss location, and even the drivers travel radius. Read more: America's top car insurers in 2022 a region-by-region breakdown What does commercial auto insurance cover? Auto insurance for business vehicles has the same coverage types as those in a personal car policy. These include: Bodily injury liability: This covers injuries the driver causes another person and legal fees if they are sued over the accident. Property damage liability: This pays out if the businesss vehicle damages another persons property and legal defence costs incurred in a lawsuit. Combined single limit (CSL) liability: This provides one overall limit for bodily injury and property damage claims against the business rather than having two separate limits. Personal injury protection (PIP): This covers medical expenses for the driver and the passengers, resulting from accidents covered by the policy. PIP is mandatory in no-fault insurance states. Collision insurance: This pays for damage to the commercial vehicle in the event it hits or gets hit by another car or object. Comprehensive insurance: This provides coverage for damages to the commercial vehicle, resulting from fire, flood, theft, vandalism, and covered perils. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage: This pays out for injuries the driver and their passengers suffer if they are hit by an uninsured driver. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage: This covers medical expenses incurred when the driver or passengers of a commercial vehicle are hit by someone whose policy is not enough to cover all the costs. Some states allow commercial vehicle drivers to purchase UM and UIM coverage separately. They can also find business-specific coverage, including those for lost business income. Read more: Revealed US states that require uninsured motorist coverage What are the top commercial auto insurers in the US? The countrys 25 largest commercial auto insurance providers controlled more than two-thirds (67%) of the market by the end of 2021, according to the NAICs latest annual property/casualty market share report. Collectively, the top 10 insurers accounted for almost half, or $24.4 billion, of the companies direct premiums written. Heres the list of the 10 leading commercial auto insurance firms in the US, according to the report. 1. Progressive Headquarters: Mayfield Village, Ohio Direct written premiums: $8.67 billion Market share: 16.2% The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies (Progressive) is one of the most popular insurance brands in the US. The insurance juggernaut is among the largest auto insurers and the number one motorcycle and specialty RV insurer in the country. Progressive writes more than 13 million auto policies per year, including those for commercial vehicles, selling insurance directly to the consumer or via independent agents. Progressives agency business, meanwhile, sells through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies across the US. 2. Travelers Headquarters: New York, New York Direct written premiums: $2.97 billion Market share: 5.6% Travelers provides personal, business, and specialty insurance in North America and Europe through 13,500 independent agents and brokers. The insurer also employs an estimated 30,000 staff. Travelers commercial automobile policies cover liability, physical damage, and UM and UIM coverage for both small and large fleets. 3. Liberty Mutual Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts Direct written premiums: $2.05 billion Market share: 3.8% Liberty Mutual Holdings Company Inc. is the sixth-largest P&C insurer globally and fourth in the US based on NAIC's 2021 data. The mutual insurer delivers personal insurance products through its Liberty Mutual and Safeco brands and works with independent agents, brokers, and benefits consultants across the country to provide business insurance solutions to clients. Its commercial auto insurance policy comes with risk control tools. 4. Old Republic Headquarters: Greensburg, Pennsylvania Direct written premiums: $2.02 billion Market share: 3.8% The Old Republic General Insurance Group is the Old Republic International Corporations largest business segment, specializing in the P&C market. Its 15 specialty companies operate with the same core values. Several of these companies offer commercial auto coverage, including BITCO Insurance Companies, Great West Casualty Company, Old Republic Contractors Insurance Group, Old Republic Risk Management, Old Republic Specialty Insurance Underwriters, and PMA Companies. 5. Nationwide Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio Direct written premiums: $1.68 billion Market share: 3.1% Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company is a Fortune 100 firm that provides a full range of insurance and financial services products across the US. Its insurance portfolio includes car, motorcycle, homeowners, pet, farm, life, and commercial policies. The company also offers annuities, mutual funds, retirement, plans and specialty health services. The insurers commercial auto insurance plans cover liability and medical payments, and offer collision, comprehensive, and UM/UIM protection. Read more: Revealed - the most and least expensive states for car insurance in 2022 6. Berkshire Hathaway Headquarters: Omaha, Nebraska Direct written premiums: $1.68 billion Market share: 3.1% Berkshire Hathaway is a conglomerate consisting of several insurance and reinsurance, utilities and energy, freight rail transportation, manufacturing, and retailing businesses. The companys insurance business is considered one of its four giants, which account for a significant chunk of the firms value. Berkshire Hathaway owns 100% of its insurance operations, with a massive float value of $147 billion. Its commercial insurance policies are offered through subsidiaries, including Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Insurance Company, BHHC Special Risks Insurance Company, Continental Divide Insurance Company, Cypress Insurance Company, Oak River Insurance Company, and Redwood Fire and Casualty Insurance Company. 7. Zurich Headquarters: Schaumburg, Illinois (US office) Direct written premiums: $1.61 billion Market share: 3.0% Zurich Insurance Group is a multi-line insurer that serves customers in more than 210 countries and territories. Zurichs commercial insurance specialty lines include automotive, corporate accident and business travel, credit risk, cybersecurity and privacy, D&O liability, management or professional liability, marine, and political risk. For its automotive solutions, Zurich offers both conventional and non-conventional motor insurance, with the latter including deductible programs and captive fronting and reinsurance. 8. Auto-Owners Headquarters: Lansing, Michigan Direct written premiums: $1.68 billion Market share: 2.6% Auto-Owners Insurance Group is a Fortune 500 mutual insurance business consisting of numerous companies, including Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company, Concord Group Insurance Companies, and Capital Insurance Group. The firm insures several types of vehicles, including motorcycles, motorhomes, RVs, boats, trailers, and ATVs. It offers collision, comprehensive, and UM/UIM coverages to commercial vehicle owners in more than 20 states. 9. Allstate Headquarters: Northbrook, Illinois Direct written premiums: $1.15 billion Market share: 2.1% The Allstate Corporation is the largest publicly held personal lines insurer in the US. In 2021, the insurer ranked number 70 on the Fortune 500 list of the largest US corporations by total revenue. Allstates major businesses are auto and homeowners insurance, primarily offered through agencies. These products are marketed under the Allstate, Encompass, and Esurance brands. 10. W.R. Berkley Headquarters: Greenwich, Connecticut Direct written premiums: $1.1 billion Market share: 2.1% W. R. Berkley Corporation is an international commercial lines property and casualty insurance provider operating in two segments insurance and reinsurance. Each of its operating units participates in a niche market requiring specialised knowledge about a product or territory. Berkleys insurance segment underwrites commercial insurance business, with some operating units in this segment writing excess and surplus lines to cover complex risks with unique exposures. Other units, meanwhile, offer admitted insurance products and services to support a distinct regional group or the specialty risks of a particular type of customer. Here are the rest of the top 25 commercial auto insurers in the US. Rank Insurer DWP Market share 11 Chubb $1.03 billion 1.94% 12 The Hartford $911 million 1.71% 13 AIG $899 million 1.69% 14 American Financial $880 million 1.65% 15 State Farm $834 million 1.57% 16 Cincinnati Financial $813 million 1.53% 17 Farmers $806 million 1.51% 18 Tokio Marine $805 million 1.51% 19 Selective Insurance $791 million 1.49% 20 Sentry $785 million 1.47% 21 Erie Insurance $746 million 1.36% 22 Markel Corp. $698 million 1.31% 23 Fairfax Financial $689 million 1.31% 24 Acuity $680 million 1.28% 25 CAN Insurance $634 million 1.28% Source: NAIC Property/Casualty Market Share Report 2021 Kahlbaugh was referring to former CEO and executive chairman of General Electric, Jack Welch, who Fortune named manager of the [last] century. Welch, who stepped away from General Electric in 2001 and died in 2020 aged 84, advocated for regularly cutting the bottom performing 10% of an organizations workforce. Nicknamed Neutron Jack by some, Welch made upwards of 100,000 layoffs during his first few years leading General Electric, according to reports. The business superstar, as he has been called by the New York Times, referred to underperformers as C players who he saw as more focused on procrastination than delivery. I don't believe in that at all; I believe that, if you're well suited for Fortegra, I want you to come work for me for your whole career. Work for the family, Kahlbaugh said. The insurance industry is grappling with natural catastrophes, looming reinsurance renewals, and a gloomy economic outlook, but for Kahlbaugh, its biggest challenge remains talent. The industry may be much more dynamic today than insurance of yesteryear, but it has not done a good job of communicating that. We've done a poor job, as an industry, in attracting people especially younger people to insurance, Kahlbaugh said. They think of it as the old Fuller Brush Box [associated with door-to-door sales in North America] and somebody's walking around selling life insurance policies out of his briefcase nobody wants to do that. In the US alone, nearly 400,000 insurance workers could be set to retire within the next few years, according to frequently cited data from the US Census Bureau. That's going to be a tough one to swallow as an industry, Kahlbaugh said. And I think that's by far our biggest challenge. Read more: What's the answer to the insurance talent shortage? Like all businesses, Fortegra has its own approach to talent, and it does not always follow prescribed norms. Fortegra like many of its peers is investing heavily in technologies like artificial intelligence and data science, and this has added to the importance of attracting the right people. Over the long haul, the better underwriters just are better analysts, because they're seeing those correlations of risk that others aren't seeing, Kahlbaugh said. Now, with machine learning, data science, artificial intelligence, we're trying to program all that, we're trying to unlock those hidden correlations that aren't obvious to the professional actuaries or the professional underwriters. New technologies require enhanced skillsets, and it was in conversation with a professor at Columbia University who teaches data science that Kahlbaugh got a definitive answer on what the business should be looking for in terms of talent. Read more: Talent is the secret sauce to insurances makeover [I was told that] what I really should be looking for is someone with an economics background, an engineering background, a banking background, somebody who [worked previously in] private equity, for example, who has nothing to do with insurance, but they know how to solve a problem and they'll keep digging in the data and looking around for those little gems of information that might unlock a secret for us that will help price risks more consistently, Kahlbaugh said. If you can price risk more consistently, there is value to the insured in continuity and consistency and pricing no one likes a cost to go up and down, up and down, up and down it's very difficult for most people to run a commercial enterprise when a healthy percentage of their fixed costs are very unpredictable. Insurance has its nuances, and the vocabulary can be challenging at first, but in Kahlbaughs view this should not put individuals who are able to be critical thinkers off. I'm a lawyer by training and education, so I'm not necessarily qualified for any of this, Kahlbaugh, who joined Fortegra in 2003 as chief operating officer and is the former CEO and president of Volvos global insurance group, said. If you looked at my resume, you might wonder what the heck I'm doing here but I do believe that it's how you process data, how you process information, whether you're a company, whether you're an agency, whether you're an individual, it's that the analytical skills that separate one from the other. Paul: [00:00:29] Hello, everyone, and welcome to the latest edition of Insurance Business TV, a cyber special in association with Tokio Marine HCC Cyber and Professional Lines Group. Cyber, it seems, is one of those topics that's really out of the news no matter where you are in the world. Over in Australia, for example, our sister website recently reported on an insurer itself being breached while here in the US, the LA School district recently reported a massive database hack. With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine adding to fears of politically motivated cyber incidents, it seems there's just no getting away from the subject. But how can you actually get ahead of a topic that is constantly changing and developing? Well, in association with Tokio Marine HCC, Cyber and Professional Lines Group, we've brought together three of the top experts on the subject to discuss everything from prevention methods to cyber responses. So let's welcome them. They are Alex Bovicelli, director of Threat Intelligence. Richard Savage, director of Cyber Incident Response. And Cameron Tognetti, senior Underwriter, Cyber and Tech. So gents, welcome to IBTV and I talked to the top there about changes. The cyber risk landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years, dare I mention a certain pandemic? So Cameron, I'm going to start with you. What type of controls does a cyber underwriter look for in today's market? Cameron: [00:02:07] Yeah. Thanks, Paul. Our underwriters are looking for controls that help mitigate three types of incidents in the cyber space business email, compromise, data breach and ransomware. All three of these really are not letting up. And ransomware in particular continues to heavily impact businesses of all sizes across the country. Some of these controls and procedures that really can impact insureds. Safety is multi-factor authentication, commonly known as MFA. This is an incredibly important line of defense and should be implemented and enforced for all employee email access, remote network access and admin accounts. MFA is really key mitigating bad actors ability to use an employee's credentials, whether they obtained through phishing or other means. And because there is no silver bullet, it's important to have additions to MFA, which could be endpoint protection or response. And an insurance defense is penetrated. We like to see strong backups that are immutable or encrypted as well. Paul: [00:03:08] Yeah. Thank you, Cameron and Alex and Richard, if I can bring you both in. Talk to us about the prevention methods for ransomware and the other types of cyber attacks. Of course, as well. It's going to be vital to mitigate those risks, isn't it? Alex, I'll come to you first. Alex: [00:03:24] Yes. Like any attack, the best preventative tactic is really to ensure a security in depth approach. And what we mean by that is an approach that is multilayered and that it would actually prevent unauthorized access to the network, but also expedite a potential response to a breach. So this this security depth approach is really made out, made up of the things that we ask in the application process. So as Cameron mentioned, MFA for privileged access, but also a good patching cadence to take care of vulnerabilities that are Internet facing that could be exploited. Also, a good asset inventory is very important. We look for that. We want our customers to really understand their perimeter and their exposure. We want to limit remote access exposure and also good network segmentation, good monitoring. And as Cameron mentioned, a well configured EDR and antivirus solution is extremely important. And finally, of course, it's secure backups, right? If all of the above fail. Paul: [00:04:37] Okay, so it seems like a multi layered approach is vital. Richard, would you agree? Richard: [00:04:42] Absolutely. In addition to what Alex said, I think ensuring that although a robust EDR solution or detection and response solution is in place, actually having someone monitor that solution, keeping eyes on alerts and responding actively to those alerts is super important. We've seen plenty of entities who have appropriate protections in place, still have incidents or issues because folks weren't looking where they could have been or should have been at those times. Prevention in addition, training employees to not maybe click on certain things or be aware of threats is super important and things that businesses sometimes get away from in responding to things. So just to tie off of what you said there. Paul: [00:05:22] And of course, when we're talking about sort of getting ahead of those threats, we have to think about your cyber threat intelligence team as well. Alex, can you give us a little bit more detail about that team and who they interact with? Alex: [00:05:35] Our main goal is essentially to prevent large compromises. And we do this by alerting customers at risk before these opportunities are actually exploited by the threat actors. And we provide a lot of remediation support as well. So we walk the client through the different steps on how to mitigate that exposure. We obviously track threat trends and we use proprietary tools to detect these very specific exposures that are currently being exploited by threat actors. We alert effective insureds, provide the remediation support, but also provide a continuous awareness of these threats. So it's an ongoing process. It's a very involved process. Our team is comprised of threat intelligence professionals that come from different backgrounds and they have a diverse experience in the field. We also rely on multiple partners and methodologies of collecting intelligence on these threats and how we can possibly detect them. So we have multiple collection methodologies for these for this, and we rely on a variety of partners. This is not just the vulnerability scanning issue, which is something that the industry has been aware of for a while. But there is a wide range of what we call TTPs tactic, techniques and procedures through which threat actors actually gain initial access to a network. And we essentially have to be constantly on alert and be able to to advise and detect those exposures. So it's not just the vulnerability scanning, right? It's all the initial access vectors, right? So there's phishing, there is brute forcing, there is certain malware types. So it's a variety of again, it's a layered approach. We rely heavily also on our incident response team. I mean, they're extremely valuable, Richard's team, right? Because once they tell us how that compromise happened on that particular customer, we can then leverage that technical information to detect that exposure on additional customers and alert them and support them in remediating that exposure. So that's how we prevent these sort of large scale compromises. We also interact a lot with our underwriting team. As Cameron will probably tell you. We provide a lot of on demand technical support. We also automate the process for them. So we want to make sure that all these different tools and processes that we use are automated so they can be used seamlessly within their risk selection process. Paul: [00:08:20] Well, let's talk a little bit, if we can, about that highly valued cyber incident response team. Richard, when a cyber attack occurs, I guess you need to think about the needs not just of the clients but brokers as well. So give us some insights there and tell us a little bit about the the technical expertise of the team. Richard: [00:08:40] Absolutely. So fundamentally, availability is key, right? We have to be in a position to be available to our insureds it's in the wake of a cyber incident and we're available 24 seven 365 to assist our insurance with whatever they might be going through. And I think by being immediately available, we're in a position to really assess the situation, assess the insurance situation from a technical perspective, and then be able to leverage our experience to assist with whatever response needs to occur in vendor engagement, in some cases, restoration advisement or assistance, disaster recovery assistance. And we can really be in a position to assess the insurance critical infrastructure their needs and help them respond as quickly as possible. We have a team of i.t. Focused individuals, people that have been working in information technology throughout their careers in various phases. So network administration, forensics, even managed services provider experience. We take those various backgrounds and can apply them in different ways and assisting our insurance throughout the lifecycle of an active cyber incident. And because of that availability and the level of involvement that we have, we can minimize the downtime our insurance are experiencing in the wake of an attack, which of course on the on the back end of that hopefully helps to minimize business income loss and exposure. We have that opportunity to just respond in real time and. Engage vendors that can actively assist. Further to what Alex mentioned, we have the opportunity because we are essentially on the front lines to in real time share sort of active threat intelligence. What kinds of things are affecting our insureds and how can we then be in a position to implement protections or communicate with other insureds and minimize further exposure down the line? Paul: [00:10:31] Obviously a fantastic team and set up there. I just want to take advantage of having your time for a little bit longer, if you don't mind, with one last question that I'm going to throw at each of you. That is quite simply, do you have a final tip or a key takeaway for brokers that are looking to have success in the cyber market? Alex, I'll throw it at you first. Alex: [00:10:53] Thank you, Paul. I think that the possibly the most important thing is to understand that cyber risk and threats are not going to go away and they're going to keep developing and morphing into possibly more complex or wide ranging risk. So the important thing to understand, if I had one suggestion, I would basically suggest for brokers and underwriters to really to really inform themselves of the different cyber threats and trends and the different industries that might be affected by what in order to really assess risk properly. Paul: [00:11:31] Okay. I know a good place where they can keep on top of those trends. Cameron, I'll come to you next. Cameron: [00:11:37] Yeah. Piggybacking off of Alex, it can be complex and it's probably going to get more complex over time. So it's my job to help. Speak of that in layman's terms. So call an underwriter, talk through the issues, talk through the markets. That's what we're here for. And hopefully we can make it pretty simple for you. Paul: [00:11:57] All right. Great stuff. Cameron is ready to answer our questions. Richard, let's get a tip from you. Richard: [00:12:02] Well, my thinking about piggybacking off of what they just said, having conversations with insurance about the kinds of risks that are out there and the kind of coverages that exist to help protect against those risks, at the very least, can allow them to start thinking about mitigating their own cyber exposures, perhaps putting some minor at the very least protections in place, but really understanding that these threats are real and inevitably attacks are going to occur as we move forward. So bringing that awareness up, I think is what's super important. Paul: [00:12:33] Yeah, And hopefully you've helped to raise some awareness today. Gents, that's been fantastic. I really appreciate your time and for shedding some light on such a complex topic. Many thanks to Alex, Cameron and to Richard and of course to Tokio Marine HCC, Cyber and Professional Lines Group for all of the insights. No doubt we'll have more cyber coverage for you soon. This news isn't going to go away. So stay tuned right here on Insurance Business TV. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Three Maryland State Police officers have filed a proposed federal class-action lawsuit against the department, alleging widespread racial discrimination in the agency. The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, alleges that the state police disciplines officers of color more harshly than white officers. The 36-page complaint alleges that the state police agency, or MSP, also denied promotions and retaliated against officers of color who spoke out against how they are treated. It also alleges that the agency maintained a hostile work environment by subjecting officers of color to racist comments and symbols such as using a paper training dummy at a MSP shooting range with a black face and `Afro wig for officers to shoot at. The force is currently under investigation. The U.S. Department of Justice announced in July that it was conducting a probe of whether the agencys hiring and promotion practices are racially discriminatory. The lawsuit proposes a class made up of officers of color who were disciplined, denied promotions or otherwise discriminated against from October 2019 to the present day. A judge would have to approve the group before the lawsuit could move forward as class action litigation. The plaintiffs are Byron Tribue and Matin Dunlap, Black men who are currently officers with the agency, and Analisse Diaz, a Black Puerto Rican woman who was terminated by the department in 2019. In a statement, the police agency said the complaint is under legal review and the department cannot share information about the allegations in the lawsuit. The Maryland Department of State Police remains committed to providing the highest quality of law enforcement services to the people of Maryland, while ensuring the fair and equitable treatment of all employees, the department said. Significant actions have been taken and are continuing to address even the perception of racism or unfair treatment of any kind. The complaint alleges that Tribue, who is Black, has been subjected to discrimination and retaliation by the department, including being suspended for 301 days for an alleged one-hour error in recording his time card, and being denied promotions during the course of his employment with the agency. The court filing also alleges that the department retaliated against Dunlap, who is Black, after he complained that a white corporal placed a banana on his work vehicle. The corporal was not disciplined and has been repeatedly promoted, according to the complaint. The complaint alleges that Diaz, who is a Black Puerto Rican woman, has been subjected to discrimination, including her termination after eight years as a state trooper. Throughout her time at MSP, Officer Diaz faced a work environment permeated with racism, the complaint said. For example, Officer Diazs First Sergeant told her that he did not think it was a `big deal to say the `n-word or words to that effect. The complaint cited another occasion when Diaz was cleaning something in a barrack, when she was told that the state police should hire her as the cleaning staff. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement Maryland New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! After Superstorm Sandy struck the northeast U.S. in 2012, an unprecedented effort began to fortify the densely populated coastline against the next big storm. Thousands of homes were raised on pilings. Concrete and steel walls meant to help hold back the sea were hidden beneath rebuilt dunes and beach boardwalks. Tunnels near New Yorks harbor were equipped with giant flood doors. Then, last year, the region learned that even all those precautions might not be enough in an age of more powerful storms. Flash floods killed at least 58 people from Maryland to Connecticut when the remnants of Hurricane Ida blew into the northeast after first striking the Gulf Coast. In New York and New Jersey, people drowned in basement apartments far from any ocean or bay. In the suburbs, motorists were swept away trying to escape flooded inland roadways. The two deadly storms, nearly a decade apart, left public officials and residents alike contemplating what more needs to be done. And today, 10 years after Sandy and with billions of dollars already spent, the most ambitious and comprehensive protections are years away from completion, with some still in early stages or even unfunded. Experts say Ida showed the area was not ready for another storm _ and they worry about what will happen when the next one hits. We must be more prepared than we are now, said Shawn LaTourette, New Jerseys environmental protection commissioner. We have done a lot of work since Sandy developing the dune system, the buildings raised and the flood control infrastructure. Were still not ready. Forever Nervous Residents echo his concerns. I will be forever nervous because of Sandy, said Liz Ndoye, whose Hoboken home flooded. I will never feel safe. We can mitigate, but we will never stop the city from flooding. Every time it rains, I worry. We are in a climate crisis. She watched Hurricane Ian devastate the Florida coast weeks ago. This is coming for all of us, she said of future storm fears. Experts nationwide say hurricanes like Ian set off a familiar cycle: Another round of evaluations follows each storm, adding to the list of needed work, from the overhaul of aging inland stormwater management systems to infrastructure projects to address climate change concerns. We have to think of more sustainable ways to live along the coast, said Greg Tolley, executive director of the Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University. We have to do things differently. The so-called 100-year storms and the Category 4 and 5 hurricanes are happening more frequently. When Sandy made landfall just north of Atlantic City on Oct. 29, 2012, it touched off a rethinking on not just rebuilding the region, but on the effect of a warming planet and rising seas for all plans. Raising East River In New York, work began last year on a $1.5 billion effort to protect Manhattans Lower East Side by raising the East River shoreline about 8 feet. The project involves bulldozing around 1,000 trees and a waterfront park, then rebuilding it and a 1.2-mile-long (1.9 kilometer) floodwall on top of tons of fill. Its one phase of a ring of planned flood barriers and levees dubbed The Big U. Completion isnt expected for years. The project proceeded despite criticism that it cut too many mature trees. Its a common concern among environmental advocates and other experts: Each project may offer a solution to a singular issue while creating new problems, especially where climate change is involved. Because the challenges we face are very widespread and can vary they might deal with something like long-term sea level rise or being prepared for a big storm shock like Sandy I think were at real risk of it showing up in a slightly different way, and we wont have the defenses in place to handle that, said Andrew Salkin, who co-founded New York-based nonprofit Resilient Cities Catalyst. Solely relying on hard infrastructure and gray infrastructure, like concrete and steel, to erect things to keep out nature is challenging, he said. Over time, nature tends to win. Last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unveiled a $52 billion proposal to build tidal gates and storm surge barriers to protect parts of New York and northern New Jersey. Construction would start in 2030 at the earliest, with projected completion in 2044 if all is approved and funded. The Army Corps has a separate $16 billion plan to build gates that could stop storm tides from surging up inlets and bays behind the Jersey Shore. It would be one of the costliest flood-prevention projects any state has undertaken, and theres no guarantee Congress will pay for any of it. Some projects launched after Sandy are complete. A 4-mile (6.4 kilometer) steel wall is buried under the sand of replenished beaches in Mantoloking and Brick at the Jersey Shore, where storm surge cut a coastal highway in half and swept dozens of homes into Barnegat Bay. The Jet Star roller coaster whose collapse into the ocean at Seaside Heights, New Jersey, became an iconic Sandy image _has been replaced with a new ride, built on the beach instead of over water. A New Jersey train station where floodwater gushed in through an elevator shaft has been rebuilt with aquarium glass and flood doors that can be slammed and locked in less than a minute. And billions of dollars have been spent hardening power infrastructure, ringing water and sewage treatment plants with better storm barriers, and elevating home electrical, heating and cooling equipment. Not Enough Officials admit the scope of that work is vast but say its a fraction of what remains. Are we better off than we were before Sandy? No question, said LaTourette, the New Jersey official. But its not enough. Complicating the calculus of storm protection was Hurricane Ida _ a humongous wakeup call, said Amy Chester, managing director of Rebuild by Design, an organization that worked with federal officials to jump-start post-Sandy resiliency projects. It showed us that every single community can flood, not just those in flood plains, she said. The group says urban areas need to be transformed from concrete jungles into sponges by creating resiliency parks designed to flood during storms. The parks capture water that would otherwise flow into streets and sewer systems. The city of Hoboken built two such parks after Sandy, with three more to come. They can hold millions of gallons of stormwater, some via large underground cisterns, one of which is the size of a city block. New York has begun some work to improve inland drainage, including spending $2.5 billion to upgrade antiquated sewers, though many billions more in spending would be needed to make the system capable of handling storms like either Sandy or Ida. In the Bronx, the city hopes to take a brook diverted into the citys sewer system a century ago and bring it back above ground. That might help avoid a repeat of issues during Ida: The brook, swollen beyond capacity of the sewer pipes, ran onto a major city expressway and submerged cars. Other work that began after Sandy and continues today includes six projects sponsored by Rebuild by Design and funded in part by nearly $1 billion in federal seed money given in 2014. The Big U is among them. So is a resilient energy generation project in the Bronx and a plan to lessen flooding in northern New Jerseys Meadowlands. Other projects are in Hoboken and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Some aspects of the largest projects could be completed next year, while others will take years more to finish. Am I happy with the pace? No, Chester of Rebuild by Design said. But it is reality that its going to take time to get our cities prepared for future storms. One thing we quickly realized is just how complex these projects are. At a groundbreaking Wednesday for one segment of The Big U, New York Mayor Eric Adams asked the federal government for another $8.5 billion for future storm-protection projects. Sandy wasnt just a storm; it was a warning, he said, echoing officials comments over the past decade. Another storm could hit our city at any time. And each storm is likely to bring more plans and adaptations. Florida has been forced repeatedly to rethink its resiliency goals, from stronger construction codes adopted after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 to a $1 billion plan approved last year to help communities build barriers, elevate roads, improve drainage and protect wetlands. Tolley, the Florida educator, said Ian proved the need for urgency in all states plans: We need to have that conversation now about what we have to do and what things should look like 20, 30, 40 years from now. In New Jersey, LaTourette agrees. The Sandys and the Idas will keep coming and theyll keep getting worse, he said. We have to get better at doing what we always say well do: Look at things from the perspective of what we leave our kids. We decide whether the barrier islands are still there for them in their retirement, LaTourette said. Were deciding that now. AP writer Bobby Caina Calvan in New York contributed to this story. Photo: This photo shows a view of Brooklyns Gowanus Canal, July 5, 2016, in New York. A decade after Superstorm Sandy pummeled New York and New Jersey in one of the costliest storms in U.S. history, the federal government is proposing a $52 billion plan to build movable barriers and gates across bays, rivers and other waterways in the two states hardest-hit by the storm. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Windstorm New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF), the states largest workers compensation insurer, announced that it will extend coverage to out-of-state employees for the first time. Under the initiative, any New York-based employer that has at least 50% of its workforce based in the state can offer its out-of-state employees NYSIF workers compensation coverage. This means these employers will not have to buy a policy from another insurer for out of state employees. New NYSIF customers with satellite offices or remote workers out of state are also eligible for the program. The new program stems from legislation passed in 2021 permitting NYSIF to provide coverage for its policyholders employees across the United States. NYSIFs new out-of-state coverage does not apply to disability or paid family leave policies. With nearly 200,000 policyholders, $1.9 billion in annual premiums, and over $20 billion in invested assets, NYSIF is the largest workers compensation insurer in New York State and among the 10 largest nationwide. Related: Topics Workers' Compensation New York Talent A swathe of hacks on some of Australias biggest companies has made the country a target for copycat attacks just as a skills shortage leaves an understaffed, overworked cybersecurity workforce ill-equipped to stop it, technology experts said. As Monday saw the disclosure of another potential breach of sensitive data a on a communication platform for military personnel cybersecurity experts put a wave of high-profile breaches down to a common factor: human error. Between Australias No. 2 telecoms company Optus, which is owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., and the countrys biggest health insurer, Medibank Private Ltd., some 14 million customer accounts have had data hacked equivalent to 56% of the population since Sept. 22 alone. The workforce weakness assertion points to a problem with no quick fix. After COVID-19 border closures which ended in late 2021, Australian immigration officials say they are still working through one million visa applications from people seeking to work in the country, many in technology and cybersecurity jobs for employers looking to fill vacancies abroad. They dont have enough trained people to take it seriously and do what is needed, said Sanjay Jha, chief scientist at the University of New South Wales institute for cybersecurity. Sometimes youre ticking a box in an Excel spreadsheet and you dont understand what youre doing, and then the outcome is not going to be great. You need people who are really skilled and trained properly. With hacking software easier to acquire online and the shift to working from home leaving more weak spots in company networks, the number of data breaches has tripled globally in two years, according to cybersecurity industry research. This week 37 countries, including Australia, will meet at the White House with the goal of tackling ransomware and other cyber crime. The uptick has sent shockwaves through corporate Australia in particular due to the high visibility of targets and the sensitivity of their data, including millions of medical records. Experts said a steady stream of smaller breach notifications may be the result of hackers seeking to match others success. Big Target Government agency the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) said the number of breach notifications rose 13% to be worth a total A$33 billion ($21 billion) in the year to June 2021, the most recent available figures. The agency is expected to show another increase when it publishes 2022 figures in the coming weeks. Australian cybersecurity insurance premiums rose by an average of 56% year-on-year in the second quarter, said broker Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. Its a rich country, a first-world country that does a lot of business, that has a lot of data, so therefore it is targeted, said Win-Li Toh, principal at actuary firm Taylor Fry, who specializes in cybersecurity risk. Trying to employ people to defend your assets is getting harder because there just arent enough people coming out, and education will take one to two years. Companies are offering premiums of up to 50% on starting salary offers for cybersecurity workers due to a deep talent deficit, said Nicole Gorton, a director at specialist recruiter Robert Half. The average Australian cybersecurity base salary is A$105,000, according to jobs website Glassdoor. Neil Curtis, an Australian cybersecurity executive of U.S. technology contractor DXC Technology Co., who runs a program retraining military veterans in cybersecurity, said he had requests for about 300 trained personnel in the next six months. Curtis said an official at DXC Technology had recently relayed to him a private request for cybersecurity staff for one of Australias biggest companies. I said, How many do you want?, he told Reuters by phone. They said, Well take everybody youve got. ($1 = 1.5584 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Byron Kaye and Lewis Jackson; editing by Alasdair Pal and Kenneth Maxwell) Topics Cyber Australia Aurubis, Europes biggest copper smelter, said on Friday it had been targeted as part of a wider cyberattack on the metals and mining industry which had forced it to shut down its IT systems and disconnect them from the internet. Germanys BSI cybersecurity agency warned earlier this week that cyber risks were the greatest they had ever been, with high levels of cyber crime and risks related to the Ukraine conflict. BSI said, however, that there did not appear to be any overarching campaign against German targets. The attack was apparently part of a larger attack on the metals and mining industry, said Aurubis, without naming any other companies. Aurubis said it was able to largely maintain production even though it was forced to shut down numerous systems at its sites and disconnect them from the internet as a precaution. The production and environmental protection facilities at the smelter sites are running, and incoming and outgoing goods are also being maintained manually, Aurubis said on Friday. The extent of the impact is being assessed, said Aurubis, adding that it was working with investigating authorities. Shares in Aurubis, which did not provide any further details, fell more than 4% on the news. Earlier this year, a cyberattack on a satellite communications company knocked out remote control of thousands of wind turbines in central Europe. And a German subsidiary of Russias Rosneft was in March the target of a cyberattack by what BSI called hacktivists at Anonymous Germany. (Reporting by Maria Sheahan; writing by Miranda Murray; editing by Matthias Williams and Alexander Smith) Topics Cyber Europe Ships brought grain from Ukrainian ports on Monday, suggesting Moscow had stopped short of reimposing a blockade that might have caused world hunger, despite suspending its participation in a U.N. program to safely export grain from the war zone. Air raid sirens blared across Ukraine and explosions rang out in Kyiv, sending black smoke into the sky as Russia rained missiles down in renewed air attacks. Ukrainian officials said energy infrastructure was hit including at hydro-electric dams, knocking out power, heat and water supplies. Ukraines military said it had shot down 44 of 50 Russian missiles. But strikes left 80% of Kyiv without running water, authorities said, adding they hoped to restore it quickly. Two people were reported injured in the Kyiv region. Still, the resumption of food exports from Ukrainian ports suggested that at least one dire scenario had been averted for now. International officials had feared that Moscow would reimpose a blockade on Ukrainian grain, after Russia announced on Saturday that it was suspending its role in the U.N.-backed program that escorts cargo ships through the Black Sea. Civilian cargo ships can never be a military target or held hostage. The food must flow, tweeted Amir Abdullah, the U.N. official who coordinates the program. Shortly afterwards, Ukraine confirmed that 12 ships had set sail. The 354,500 tonnes of grain they carried was the most in a day since the program began, suggesting a backlog was being cleared after exports were interrupted on Sunday. Update: Lloyds Insurer Ascot Pauses Writing New Cover for Ukrainian Grain Shipments But shipments could be interrupted again, not least if insurers stop underwriting them. Chris McGill, head of cargo at Lloyds of London insurer Ascot, which has underwritten many of the shipments so far, told Reuters his company was writing new cover for shipments from Monday until we better understand the situation. Insurance previously issued still stands, he said. Most policies must be renewed on a seven-day basis. Missile Strikes Russias missile strikes during the Monday morning rush hour repeated a tactic it has pursued this month of targeting Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, especially power stations. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. Dont justify these attacks by calling them a response. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians. The U.S. ambassador to Kyiv, Bridget Brink, tweeted: Like millions of Ukrainians, our @USEmbassyKyiv team is once again taking shelter as Russia continues its callous and barbaric missile strikes on the people of Ukraine in an effort to leave the country cold and dark as we approach winter. For the past three weeks, Russia has been conducting a campaign of attacks on Ukrainian civil infrastructure using expensive long range missiles and cheap Iranian-made suicide drones that fly at a target and detonate. Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said 18 targets, mostly energy infrastructure, were hit in missile and drone strikes on 10 Ukrainian regions on Monday. In Ukraines second largest city Kharkiv, the strikes had caused a blackout that left trolleybus driver Ihor Polovikov stranded in his electric cable-powered vehicle on the roadside. He was fed up, he said, adding: But nobody will give up just like that. We got used to it, its the ninth month. Everyone has understood that this is necessary. Hunger Averted Moscow said it was forced to pull out of the Black Sea grain shipping deal after blaming Kyiv for blasts that damaged Russian navy ships in the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Saturday. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the explosions that hit the Crimea base of Russias Black Sea Fleet, but says Russias navy is a legitimate military target. Moscow said the blasts were caused by a wave of sea and air drones. After Russia suspended its participation in the grain shipping program, the United States accused Russia of using food as a weapon. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow was blackmailing the world with hunger. Russia denies that is its aim. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the U.N.-brokered deal was hardly feasible since Russia could no longer guarantee the safety of shipping. He did not specify why shipments would now be unsafe, and declined to say under what conditions Moscow might rejoin the arrangement. But Mondays resumption of Ukrainian grain shipments suggested that Moscow was stopping short of attempting to impose a new blockade. Ukraine and Russia are both among the worlds largest exporters of food. For three months, the U.N.-backed deal has guaranteed Ukrainian exports can reach markets, lifting a Russian de facto blockade on Ukraine. The news that Moscow was pulling out of the deal had sent global wheat prices soaring by more than 5% on Monday morning. The ships that sailed on Monday included one hired by the U.N. World Food Programme to bring 40,000 tonnes of grain to drought-hit Africa. Even if Russia behaves hesitantly because it didnt receive the same benefits, we will continue decisively our efforts to serve humanity, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who helped mediate the grain deal, said in a speech. Our effort to deliver this wheat to countries facing the threat of starvation is evident. With the joint mechanism that we established in Istanbul, we contributed to the relief of a global food crisis, he said. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux, additional reporting by Jonathan Saul in London; writing by Peter Graff; editing by Gareth Jones) Photograph: Bulk carrier M/V Razoni, carrying a cargo of 26,000 tonnes of corn, leaves Ukraines Port of Odesa, en route to Tripoli in Lebanon, on Aug. 1, 2022. Photo credit: Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP/Getty Images Related: Topics Ukraine LANSING, Mich. (AP) A judge has dismissed part of a lawsuit filed by eight women alleging sexual harassment and assault by a former University of Michigan lecturer. Judge Thomas Cameron of the Michigan Court of Claims ruled Friday that the plaintiffs failed to file timely notices of intent to sue the University of Michigan, its board of regents and Bruce Conforth as required by law, The Detroit News reported. This is a final order that resolves the last pending claim and closes the case, Cameron wrote. Attorney Daniel Barnett, whose firm represents the women, said the decision only dismisses the case against the university and its regents. A portion of the lawsuit filed in Washtenaw County Circuit Court against Conforth remains, Barnett said, as does a state civil rights claim against the university and its board by the women. Barnett said he plans to appeal the ruling. The Associated Press left phone messages and sent emails Saturday requesting comment from a university spokeswoman and an attorney representing Conforth. Conforth taught American culture at the university. He resigned in 2017, university officials said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Legislation Michigan SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) South Dakota has seen a rapid rise in people registering to use medical marijuana in recent months, as many obtain their patient cards through temporary consultation sites rather than their regular medical providers, a state health official told lawmakers Tuesday. Chris Qualm, who administers the states medical pot program, told a legislative oversight committee that there are now more than 4,000 people registered to use the drug. Thats a rapid rise from this summer, when the state tracked several hundred people registering each month. Many of those cardholders are getting certified to use medical marijuana at so-called pop-up clinics where physicians certify they have a medical condition that qualifies them for medical pot use. The quick consultations _ sometimes lasting as little as five minutes _ prompted some members of the legislative committee to voice concern that the process was not thorough enough. Advocates for medical marijuana access said patients were turning to the temporary consultation sites because established health care systems have not embraced the drug. The problem is not pop-up clinics, said Melissa Mentele, who organized the 2020 ballot initiative that legalized medical cannabis. Its our health systems refusing to participate in the program. The health care systems are operating in a legal gray area because the federal government has not legalized pot for medical use, said state Sen. Erin Tobin, the Republican chair of the committee. Meanwhile, the committee on Tuesday approved a bill proposed by the Department of Health that would list specific medical conditions that would qualify someone for a medical marijuana card. It also would strike a provision that allows residents to petition the Department of Health to add specific medical conditions to the list of qualifying conditions. Lawmakers on the committee unanimously approved the bill, but medical cannabis advocates voiced opposition. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! As cyber threat actors continue to innovate and find new ways to increase their odds of success, panelists at the 2022 Advisen Cyber Risk Insights Conference urged underwriters to raise the stakes when assessing insureds cyber exposure. One specific area of cybersecurity that has taken the spotlight with underwriters recently is multi-factor authentication, or MFA. But experts said most underwriters arent asking the right questions. When we ask people, Hey, hows your MFA? we also ask about exceptions. [We ask], Who is exempt from this?' said Eric Skinner, vice president of market strategy at TrendMicro. And you may not be surprised to hear that frequently its executives who say, Oh, I dont want the inconvenience. Of course, theyre the ones who probably need it the most. So, with these broad questions in the insurance questionnaires asking, Do you have MFA? Yes or no? we found there was a whole big gray area in between the yeses and the nos. MFA means that a technology user needs to have two methods of verifying their identity before gaining access to a systemit could be a password, a biometric scan, a code texted to another device or something else. Although MFA has been touted more and more as a No. 1 security recommendation that insureds should enable for Internet accessible accounts, many are not implementing it correctly, said Preston Miller, director of Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks. What I often see from a responder perspective is that they have it turned on, but its not fully configured, he said. Or they allow alternative methods of authenticating for accounts that dont support multi-factor authentication, so youre giving threat actors another avenue to access your data and bypassing the security control youre hoping to implement in the first place. Part of the problem could be a lack of understanding, particularly in the small and medium-sized enterprise space, as a Global Small Business Multi-Factor Authentication Study released by the Cyber Readiness Institute in July found that 55 percent of SMEs reported not being very aware of MFA and its security benefits. Another 54 percent of survey respondents said they do not use it for their business. Of those businesses that have not implemented MFA, 47 percent noted they either didnt understand it or didnt see its value. In addition, nearly 60 percent of small and medium-sized business owners reported that they have not discussed MFA with their employees. So, yes, multi-factor is important, but its also equally important how its implemented, Miller went on to explain. Its great if you have all the latest and greatest technology in your environment, but its only as good as the people you have who are configuring it and monitoring it. That said, John Merchant, executive vice president of cyber and technology E&O at Falcon Risk Services, said that underwriters have some challenges when trying to dive deeper into assessing their clients MFA use. If you are writing at volume, you do have to have a bit of a cutoff, and sometimes that cutoff is as blunt as, Do you have this in place? Is it implemented? Yes. Thats kind of, unfortunately, as far as you can go oftentimes, he said. So, we are stuck with the reality of this situation, which is if you dont have MFA in place, you either dont get insurance or you do. Or you dont have MFA in place, but we continually monitor, and then if you improve next year, well revisit it. Thats where I see this evolving. If insurers are increasingly paying continuous attention to how insureds evolve their cybersecurity efforts in order to grant more coverage, that means insureds have to do continuous work, too, Merchant said. Its no different than if you stay healthy, and you agree with your health insurer to wear some sort of monitor that keeps track of you all the time, and the incentive is to get better premiums next year, he said. The problem is that smaller businesses in particular dont always have that bandwidth, he said. Not everybody listens, he said. I know, in reality, theyre running their own business. So, we do have to look at it from a kind of stepped-back situation. Maybe theres this company that makes widgets, and thats what theyre focused on all the time, and insurance is something that, to them, is sold once a year. Then they move on. So, how can insurers get their insureds to care about managing their cybersecurity more than once a year when their policy renews? Emma Werth Fekkas, regional vice president of underwriting for the East region at Cowbell Cyber, said it means insurers will have to do some work to educate policyholders. A lot of times, [smaller] companies dont have a large budget. They dont have the wherewithal to get the knowledge, she said. We have our own risk engineering team that will get on calls with our insureds throughout the policy period and kind of educate them. Theyll let them know with their budget what they can do, what they should put first, and put an implementation plan together for them. Thats become a really critical piece for us. She said that in working to educate insureds, she sees risk evaluation throughout the policy year becoming a critical change for cyber insurance culture. This isnt something we look at once a year. This is something were monitoring throughout the year to make sure that risk is continuously improving and that [insureds] are doing their part, she said. Thats something that we have to get insureds to really think aboutdont just put this in place, send it to bed, walk away. Its something youre constantly looking at, constantly working with. As insureds work to improve their cybersecurity and make sure theyre using systems like MFA correctly, its important for them to also make sure that IT staff has a seat at the table with leadership, Werth Fekkas said. I think thats something that weve seen change in the past couple of years as the cyber insurance market hardened. You saw more and more conversation about ITbudgets going up, more questions on our side about cyber governance and how far up does that trickle with what software you have in place, what offices do you have, what controls, what risk management, she said. I think were going to see more of that. I think were going to see more partnership between vendors and the carriers on the insurance side as well. Panelists cautioned that as long as cyber risks are constantly evolving, insureds and insurers alike will need to evolve with them. It becomes education and diligence, Werth Fekkas said. You know, we help them educate, we become a partner, and then we and the insured both become more diligent. Those are kind of the two key pieces for us: education and diligence. Miller agreed. Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, so you as defenders or organizations cant just sit and say, Yes, I have a solution I deployed. I configured it well. Were good to go there,' he said. You have to continually revisit it and make sure that its still meeting your needs and hasnt devolved. [Otherwise], youre not protecting yourself. Topics Cyber Commercial Lines Business Insurance Underwriting New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Starbucks Corp. interim Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz made comments during an April meeting with employees that US labor officials view as an illegal anti-union threat, according to a complaint Friday. In that meeting, an employee asked Schultz about retaliation against union supporters. He told the worker, Im sensing a lot of anger from you about Starbucks, and If you hate Starbucks so much, why dont you work somewhere else? The employee later resigned from the company. US labor board prosecutors alleged in a complaint filed Friday that Schultz threatened employees with discharge by inviting employees to quit their employment because they engaged in union and/or protected concerted activities. Starbucks to Rehire 7 Workers Fired During Tennessee Unionization Effort The complaint was filed by the agencys acting Los Angeles regional director on behalf of the National Labor Relations Boards general counsel. It seeks to force Schultz to attend a meeting with Starbucks employees at which either he or a representative of the labor board would read a notice about workers rights. Starbucks has denied wrongdoing and has said repeatedly that any claims of anti-union activity on its part are categorically false. Schultz aimed to bring the focus of the meeting to the task at hand after the activist attempted to divert it, the company said previously. Our Focus Our focus right now is on working side-by-side with our partners to listen, learn and reinvent the Starbucks experience, Starbucks spokesperson Andrew Trull said in an emailed statement on Friday. Our hope is the union would respect our right to listen to, collaborate with and share the facts with our partners just as we respect their right to do so. Because of Schultzs total control over working conditions and the tone in which he spoke, his comments constituted an implied threat to retaliate against workers who try to organize, the unions attorney Gabe Frumkin said in an interview Friday. For employees watching the interaction, he said, Schultzs dressing down of the employee shows that they can either change the terms of your work relationship, or end it entirely based on the fact that a worker has voiced support for a union. NLRB regional directors across the country have issued dozens of complaints accusing Starbucks of unlawfully trying to defeat the union drive spreading through its stores, including through illegal surveillance, threats and retaliation against pro-union staff. Agency judges recently issued rulings on two of those complaints, ordering Starbucks to reinstate fired activists in Michigan and Kansas. In another case, which an agency judge considered at a trial this week in Seattle, NLRB prosecutors contend that Schultz threatened employees when he said on a video call that new perks being granted elsewhere would have to be withheld from unionized stores. Complaints issued by labor board prosecutors are considered by administrative law judges, whose rulings can be appealed to NLRB members in Washington and from there to federal court. The agency can order companies to change policies that conflict with the law, but generally cannot hold executives personally liable or issue punitive damages for violations. The union, Starbucks Workers United, has prevailed in elections at around 250 of Starbucks 9,000 company-run US cafes over the past year, though the pace of new unionization petitions has slowed in recent months. Photograph: Howard Schultz, interim chief executive officer, of Starbucks. Photo credit: Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics USA BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (AP) Eight people were found dead in a burning Tulsa-area house in what was being investigated as multiple homicides, police said. The fire was reported about 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 in a quiet residential area of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, 13 miles (20 kilometers) southeast of Tulsa. Broken Arrow police said that although the fire and the deaths were being investigated as homicides, they did not believe an immediate threat to the public existed. Police spokesman Ethan Hutchins said the scene was complex with a lot of moving parts, so no other information was being released immediately. Witnesses told police that a family of eight had lived in the house, two adults and six children, but the bodies have not been positively identified, Hutchins said. Understandably, this is a shock to Broken Arrow. Its a safe city. Broken Arrow doesnt have this kind of situation every day, Hutchins said. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assisting in the investigation, he said. Catelin Powers said she was driving with her children nearby when she saw a column of smoke near her house, so she drove past to investigate. When I got closer to the house, I saw smoke pouring out from the very top of the house, which looked like maybe the attic, she told The Associated Press. Two men and a woman on her phone were standing in front of the house, Powers said, when another man emerged from the front door dragging an apparently unconscious, unresponsive woman. Her arms were flopped to her sides, she said. She was in either very short shorts or underwear and a tight shirt, Power said. She described the woman as having a tan complexion and looked maybe to be mid-twenties. Suspecting the woman was dead, Powers said she drove on so her children would be spared the sight. Tragedy has struck before Broken Arrow, which is Tulsas biggest suburb with almost 115,000 residents. In 2015, two teenaged brothers killed their mother, father, two younger brothers and 5-year-old sister at their home _ which was about 6 miles (10 kilometers) south of Thursdays fatal fire. The home where the 2015 killings occurred was later demolished and the site was transformed into a community park. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Oklahoma New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Federal prosecutors have said that Bradley Reifler, a New York-based investment manager, contributed greatly to the demise of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co., the oldest black-owned insurance company in the United States. Last week, a judge sentenced Reifler to five years in prison for his role in bilking the insurer out of an estimated $34 million. U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles said that Reifler had abused the trust that NC Mutual had placed in him, by misappropriating funds that were intended to go toward reinsurance for the 125-year-old insurer, according to court records and local news reports. As a result of Reiflers schemes, prosecutors said, NC Mutual was able to recoup only a portion of the money it lost and was unable to pay some of its claims. Reifler signed a plea agreement in 2021, pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud. He could have received more than 20 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, the plea agreement shows. The sentencing is the latest in the saga of NC Mutual, which in October was placed into receivership and will soon be liquidated. The company began in 1898, providing burial insurance for African Americans. It later became one of the largest black-owned life insurance companies and a powerhouse business in the region. The firm and its high-rise office building became emblematic of what was known as the Black Wall Street, in Durham, North Carolina. The firm was largely a life insurance carrier, but it also owned a regional insurance agency and brokerage that sold property/casualty, health and other insurance products, according to the companys website. By the late 2010s, the company had run into trouble. Reports have said that the firm failed to keep up with technology, customer service and growth opportunities, and later was crippled by the misappropriation. North Carolinas insurance commissioner asked that the firm be placed into rehabilitation in 2018, but the financial picture did not improve. Reifler and his investment firms were factors in the deterioration, said North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. For over 125 years, NC Mutual weathered countless storms, but it could not survive Mr. Reiflers fraud, Causey said in a statement Friday. His crimes left the company in a dire financial condition, and proved to be the death nail for NC Mutual. The 2020 indictment of Reifler outlined the alleged fraud. In 2015, NC Mutual ceded some $34 million in premium to a reinsurance company, unnamed in the indictment. About the same time, Reiflers Stamford Brook Capital entered into an agreement to be the investment advisor for the reinsurance firm. The court document did not explain how Reiflers firm came to be the advisor. To protect the mutual companys assets, restrictions were placed on investments, requiring them to meet North Carolina insurance statutes and to have a favorable rating from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Instead of following the guidelines, Reifler used the millions to repay other investors, to pay overhead at his other firm, Forefront Capital Holdings, and to invest in high-risk junk securities and in self-dealing investments, the indictment said. In 2016, the state Department of Insurance ran a routine audit of NC Mutuals finances and found some issues. To cover his tracks, Reifler provided falsified documents to create the appearance that his investments complied with the restrictions, prosecutors said. As a result of Reiflers fraudulent scheme, NC Mutual was unable to recoup most of the trust assets; was instead left with low-grade, illiquid securities in their investment portfolio; suffered substantial financial losses; and was placed in rehabilitation, a court document reads. Reifler has said that he was not fully aware of the investment restrictions, and that he felt he was making good investments with the insurance money, according to the Triangle Business Journal. His lawyer has said that the man did not intend to enrich himself but was using the money in part to buy time to save his companies. The implosion of NC Mutual and Reiflers actions will be felt for some time to come, said Causey, who submitted a statement to the court ahead of the sentencing, about the impact on victims. The economic consequences of his actions will be felt by state guaranty associations, other insurance companies, and, ultimately, taxpayers, Causey said. Innocent people are left to pick up the tab, but we will work to ensure NC Mutuals policyholders claims are appropriately settled. Topics Fraud North Carolina New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Universal Insurance Holdings Inc., the parent company of Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co., Floridas second-largest carrier, posted a $72 million loss for the third quarter of this year. Thats in contrast to a $20 million profit for Q3 2021. The publicly traded company (UVE on NYSE) said in a statement that the losses are largely the result of Hurricane Ian, which struck southwest Florida two days before the quarter ended. The $110 million in Ian losses were offset by Universals lowered expense ratio and higher investment income and commission revenue. The company reiterated that total storm losses were not expected to be more than $1 billion, less than some in Florida had expected, because Universal writes only about 3.8% of the market (by value) in four of the hardest-hit counties. By comparison, Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-created insurer of last resort and the largest P/C carrier in the state, expects about $2.6 billion in insured losses from Ian. As we recently disclosed, our portfolio is underweight in the most impacted regions and is further cushioned by our high proportion of condo unit and renters policies, which provide interior and contents coverage, not roof and exterior structure coverage, Universal CEO Stephen Donaghy said Thursday. So far, claims volume from Hurricane Ian reflects about 50% of Hurricane Irmas volume that the insurer had received at this point in 2017. Through mid-October, Universal had received about 18,000 claims from Ian. The firm also said it maintains a $3 billion reinsurance tower, providing protection should another named storm hit the state. Our consolidated retention would be meaningfully lower, highlighting the strength and breadth of our catastrophe reinsurance program, the company statement noted. Unlike a number of other Florida property insurance executives, which have fretted about the rising cost of reinsurance, Donaghy appeared less concerned. He noted that the company has protection through catastrophe bonds, through the Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders, known as the RAP fund that was created by the Legislature earlier this year, and from other sources. Coupled with our 90% participation in the FHCF (Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund), we estimate that the vast majority of our first-event 2023 catastrophe reinsurance program will be insulated from open-market pricing dynamics, he said. Overall, Universal, which has worked to shed policies in the last 12 months, said it had 872,926 policies in force at the end of the third quarter, down almost 10% from a year ago. But it also had $501 million in direct premiums written up 16% from this time in 2021. Total revenues for the carrier for the nine months that ended Sept. 30 were more than $892 million, a 7.6% increase from the first nine months of 2021. Top photo: Satellite image of Hurricane Ian, taken Sept. 28, just before landfall. (NOAA via AP) Topics Profit Loss Reinsurance Property Casualty Facebook parent company Meta has been ordered to pay $10.5 million in legal fees to Washington state atop a nearly $25 million fine for repeated and intentional violations of campaign finance disclosure laws. King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North issued the legal-fee order Friday, two days after he hit the social media giant with what is believed to be the largest campaign finance fine in U.S. history, The Seattle Times reported. North ordered the company to pay by wire transfer, check or money order within 30 days. The money is to go to the state Public Disclosure Commission, which enforces campaign finance laws. North imposed the maximum fine allowed for more than 800 violations of Washingtons Fair Campaign Practices Act, passed by voters in 1972 and later strengthened by the Legislature. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson argued that the maximum was appropriate considering his office previously sued Facebook in 2018 for violating the same law. Meta, based in Menlo Park, California, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, the newspaper reported. The company previously said it was assessing its options with respect to the ruling. Washingtons transparency law requires ad sellers such as Meta to keep and make public the names and addresses of those who buy political ads, the target of such ads, how the ads were paid for and the total number of views of each ad. Ad sellers must provide the information to anyone who requests it. Television stations and newspapers have complied with the law for decades. But Meta has repeatedly objected to the requirements, arguing unsuccessfully in court that the law is unconstitutional because it unduly burdens political speech and is virtually impossible to fully comply with. While Facebook does keep an archive of political ads that run on the platform, the archive does not disclose all the information required under Washingtons law. In 2018, following Fergusons first lawsuit, Facebook agreed to pay $238,000 and committed to transparency in campaign finance and political advertising. It subsequently said it would stop selling political ads in the state rather than comply with the requirements. Nevertheless, the company continued selling political ads, and Ferguson sued again in 2020. Meta, one of the worlds wealthiest companies, reported quarterly earnings Wednesday of $4.4 billion, or $1.64 per share, on revenue of nearly $28 billion, in the three month period that ended Sept. 30. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Washington A wildfire that destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and businesses in suburban Denver last winter caused more than $2 billion in losses, making it by far the costliest in Colorado history, the state insurance commissioner said. Commissioner Michael Conway provided the updated estimate last week during a meeting with residents who lost homes to the so-called Marshall Fire in Boulder County and other Colorado wildfires in recent years, The Denver Post reported Thursday. The Boulder County fire broke out unusually late in December following months of drought and is blamed for at least one death. Official estimates released days after the fire put the losses at more than $500 million. Experts say the winter grassland fire that blew up along Colorados Front Range was rare but that similar events will be more common in the coming years as climate change warms the planet, sucking the moisture out of plants, and as suburbs grow in fire-prone areas. Conway said additional insurance claims and assessments of the scope of rebuilding from the wildfire prompted the new estimate. Were estimating now it will be $2 billion in claims if not more, he told residents last Friday. Investigators have yet to determine what caused the Dec. 30 fire, which was fed by winds up to 100 mph and raced from the Rocky Mountain foothills eastward through unincorporated Boulder County and into the cities of Superior and Louisville. Another 149 homes and 30 businesses were damaged. According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association, the states costliest wildfire had been the 2020 East Troublesome Fire in Grand County, which destroyed 366 homes and caused $543 million in property damage. The association also says the Marshall Fire ranks 10th on a list of costliest wildfires in the nation. That list is led by the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California, which it says caused $10 billion in property losses. The Camp Fire killed 85 people, destroyed nearly 19,000 homes, businesses and other buildings and virtually razed the town of Paradise. A Colorado Division of Insurance analysis found that 67% of homeowners who lost their homes in Boulder County didnt have enough insurance to replace them, the newspaper reported. Following the wildfire, lawmakers passed several bills boosting firefighting resources and mitigation planning for fires that, owing to climate change and the Wests megadrought, have become a year-round threat in Colorado. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Profit Loss Wildfire Colorado A federal judge has ruled against the family of a pilot killed in 2016 who sought more than $6.5 million from in a lawsuit that blamed air traffic controllers for a fatal plane crash near Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The widow and two children of John Brown filed the suit in 2019 after the National Transportation Safety Board concluded miscommunication between Brown and the control tower likely contributed to the small planes crash during an attempted landing, killing Brown and a passenger. Brown, an experienced pilot and professional flight instructor who was 73 years old, apparently was unable to recover from wake turbulence caused by nearby aircraft, the NTSB said. The board also cited the pilots judgment, alertness and fatigue as factors in the crash. U.S. District Judge Miranda Du agreed with the governments lawyers who argued that final responsibility for the safety of the aircraft during the landing approach rested with the pilot. Browns negligence was the sole cause of the crash, she said in the ruling dismissing the case. The lawsuit had argued that the air traffic controllers were negligent because they failed to make clear there were two Boeing 757s, a UPS cargo plane and a FedEx cargo plane, cleared to land ahead of Browns single-engine Beechcraft A-36 Bonanza. Brown thought there was only one, the lawsuit said. His plane hit the second cargo planes turbulence and crashed in a recreational vehicle park in Sparks about one-half mile (0.8 kilometer) from the airport runway on Aug. 30, 2016. A passenger, James Elliker, also died in the crash of the plane, which took off from Henderson Executive Airport outside Las Vegas about 4 p.m. that day. Elliker, 50, was a co-founder and president of Victory Woodworks in Sparks. The lawsuit argued that the air traffic controllers should have realized during an exchange of radio conversations with Brown that he had mistaken one of the 757 cargo planes for the other one. Judge Du disagreed. Browns failure to avoid the wake turbulence generated by FedEx Flight 1359 was the sole, proximate cause of the accident, Du wrote in the 20-page ruling. Had Brown exercised the standard of care expected of a pilot, particularly one of his experience and qualifications, and adhered to standard wake turbulence avoidance procedures, the accident would not have happened, she said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Legislation Protesters have taken to the streets in Dublin to demand abortion law reform on the tenth anniversary of the death of a woman refused a termination while miscarrying. Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar, 31, died in a Galway hospital in 2012 and her death was one of the catalysts for abortion reform in Ireland. The Irish electorate voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment in a 2018 referendum, ushering in a major liberalisation of Irelands abortion law and ending what was effectively a constitutional ban on abortion. A medical abortion is available up to 12 weeks but abortions thereafter are only allowed if there is a serious threat to the life or health of the mother, or where two clinicians agree there is a fatal foetal abnormality. Speakers at a march in Dublin called for what they termed the removal of barriers that are forcing some pregnant women to travel to access abortion. Savita Halappanavar died in 2012. There has also been a call to create a permanent memorial to Ms Halappanavar. The march, which started at the Garden of Remembrance before proceeding across the city centre to Leinster House, was organised by a number of organisations. Orla OConnor, director of the National Womens Council, said Ms Halappanavars death was a turning point in Ireland. While abortion is now provided, it remains unfinished business as women and couples continue to travel as they cannot access abortion at home, she said. Our legislation goes against the recommendations of the World Health Organisation and situates abortion outside the normal range of healthcare which women need. Urgent reform is needed to decriminalise abortion, remove the three-day wait period and the 12-week limit to enable abortion on request up to viability. Ruth Coppinger, a former TD and member of the ROSA Socialist Feminist Movement, said: A campaign for a permanent memorial to Savita will be launched from the march as a fitting reminder that never again should religious views hold sway over human rights. Those who fought for repeal are marching today but so too are young people who dont remember Savita, but who see the rights of women and LGBT+ people dismantled in the US and see schoolgirls bravely taking on religious dictatorship in Iran. Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilis Mulroy said it is unfair and disingenuous for the tenth anniversary of Ms Halappanavars death to see calls for an even more extreme expansion of the Irish abortion law. Whilst her tragic death was the result of medical oversight, it was not caused by the Eighth Amendment as campaigners for abortion have incessantly claimed, she said. Mismanaged sepsis was the cause of Savitas death, as backed up by several independent reports, and not the denial of an abortion. Ten years on from her death, it is highly inappropriate for campaigners and pro-abortion politicians to continue leaning on myths and mistruths to push for a radical expansion of Irelands already extreme abortion law. A man in his 20s is to appear in court today following being charged in connection with an attack on a priest in Waterford. The assault took place at approximately 9.30am on Sunday, in the Ardkeen area of Waterford city. The arrested man is to appear before Waterford District Court this morning at 11.15am. A bishop has asked people to pray for the priest who was stabbed, and for the man who attacked him. The priest, who is in his 30s, was treated in hospital throughout the day for what were described as serious but not life-threatening injuries but was well enough to return home later to continue his recovery. In a statement, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan, said: I wish to thank all for their concern and ask that people remember him (the priest) in their prayers at this time as well as the person who perpetrated this crime." The circumstances of and motive for the attack are unclear but the alarm was raised and the priest was taken to Waterford University Hospital for treatment for what are believed to have been stab or slash injuries. The man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, told police he wanted to hold the House Speaker hostage and break her kneecaps, authorities said on Monday. David DePape, 42, confronted a sleeping Paul Pelosi in the couples San Francisco bedroom early on Friday morning, according to a federal affidavit filed in court on Monday. Burma After Repeated Crackdowns, Myanmar Junta Officially Bans The Irrawaddy The Irrawaddy's Facebook cover. Myanmars military regime officially ordered the closure of The Irrawaddy and revoked its publication license last week, the latest in a series of lawsuits, raids, arrests and other moves targeting the independent news agency since the coup last year. The junta-controlled Ministry of Information announced via state media on Saturday that the news outlet has been banned and its license revoked since Wednesday, accusing it of damaging state security, rule of law and public tranquility through its reporting. Since the military takeover in February last year, The Irrawaddy has been at the forefront of reporting on the regimes bloody crackdowns on peaceful anti-junta protesters and its atrocities against civiliansincluding daily extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, air strikes on residential areas and torching of civilian propertieswhile exposing the network of crony businessmen who enjoy shady links with the regime both at home and abroad. The regimes Saturday statement was the first to publicly acknowledge its efforts to clamp down on The Irrawaddy, though it has taken several unannounced actions against the news agency since the coup. The Irrawaddys website was already banned by the regime inside Myanmar. In March last year, the military regime sued the news outlet under Article 505 (a) for disregarding the armed forces in reporting on the anti-regime protests that were occurring at the time. The police opened a case against The Irrawaddy as a whole rather than individual employees, making it the first news outlet to be sued by the regime after the coup. On two occasions later that year, The Irrawaddys office in downtown Yangon was raided by security forces. No one was arrested during the raids, as The Irrawaddy ceased its operation inside Myanmar following the coup. Several weeks before officially shutting the news agency down, the regime arrested its publisher, U Thaung Win, who remains in custody. A former photojournalist who once worked for The Irrawaddy, Zaw Zaw, was sentenced to three years in prison under incitement charges in August this year. One staff member was temporarily detained early this year, and the home of one of the news organizations editors was recently raided. Founded in Thailand in 1993, The Irrawaddy has been an enemy of successive Myanmar regimes for its reporting on efforts to promote democracy, press freedom and human rights in the country. When Myanmar was opened up, it moved its operations inside the country in 2012 to report on Myanmars transition until the coup last year. The official shutdown followed the regimes announcement earlier this month that it would take legal action against The Irrawaddy under the Communications Law, News Media Law and other laws for reporting that security forces opened fire on pilgrims at the Golden Rock pagoda in Mon State, failing to parrot its official account of the incident. The junta also said it would sue the BBC Burmese Service on the same charges over the same incident. It was also learned that the regimes No. 2 man Soe Win and senior junta advisers were behind the juntas decision to take legal action against The Irrawaddy and the BBC for their reporting on the fatal shooting. The official ban on The Irrawaddy came a few weeks after the advisers calls. Myanmar has become the worlds second-biggest jailer of journalists since last years military takeover, with more than 140 detained. Over 60 remain behind bars and four have died in custody. Burma Exiled Myanmar Buddhist Leader Dies Demanding Tolerance and Democracy Sayadaw U Arriyawuntha at a Mandalay court. / The Irrawaddy Sayadaw Ashin Arriyawuntha Biwunsa, a prominent Buddhist leader and vocal critic of Myanmars junta, died on Thursday of a heart attack in the Thai border town of Mae Sot. The 71-year-old abbot of Myawaddy Mingyi monastery in Mandalay Region fled this year to avoid being re-arrested. The well-respected religious leader was detained during the coup on February 1, 2021, along with elected leaders and political activists when junta troops raided his monastery within hours of seizing power. U Arriyawuntha was disrobed following the arrest and forced to wear civilian clothes. He was accused of incitement against state stability and jailed in Obo Prison for six months. The abbot was released in August last year but junta forces tried to rearrest him after he condemned military rule. He told the media that as a member of the Sangha it was his duty to point out wrongdoings whether done by soldiers or monks and it would be wrong for the Sangha to keep quiet because of fear. Dharma democracy Ashin Min Thunya, one of U Arriyawunthas disciples who joined him in exile, said the monk wanted dharma or true democracy to flourish in Myanmar. In his last address, he urged people to remain united and work hard to make Myanmar a dharma democracy where there is no place for ah dharma or injustice. Another Buddhist monk Ashin Tezananda said the monk always worried about peoples suffering. Sayadaw said our citizens deserve true democracy. He strongly and consistently condemned the oppressors. He resisted oppression and gave us a lot of strength in the resistance movement, he said. U Arriyawuntha was also a vocal critic of the Buddhist nationalist movement. In 2019, he was sued by the army for criticizing military donations of around 30 million kyats to the hardline Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, saying the military was funding ultranationalist monks preaching hatred. He said Ma Ba Tha defied Buddhist rules. He publicly criticized influential Sitagu Sayadaw, who has close ties to junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, for his discriminatory remarks against other religions and for failing to condemn the militarys killings of civilians. After the coup, the abbot also opposed regime attempts to exploit religion after finding allies among high-profile monks, including Sitagu Sayadaw. Ashin Min Thunya described U Arriyawuntha as a rare scholarly monk. Sayadaw scared ultranationalist monks as provided well-constructed criticism that accords with Buddhist philosophy, the disciple said. Born in Myingyan, Mandalay Region, U Arriyawuntha joined the monkhood after finishing high school with excellent grades and achieved the title of Buddhist scholar at 26. Only 11 monks achieved the same title during the 20th century. He earned widespread admiration for his philanthropic work and collaboration with different religious groups for interfaith harmony. Irreplaceable loss Messages have arrived from across the globe. The civilian National Unity Government said he performed outstanding religious tasks and stood with the people against successive military dictatorships since 1988, showing the right path. It said the whole nation mourned. The Spring Revolution Muslim Network said the abbots death was a huge and irreplaceable loss, not only for the revolution but also for the country. It said Myanmars Muslims will always remember and respect the monk for standing up for minority rights and against radical nationalism. We vow to continue the revolution until a federal democratic country that the Sayadaw wished to see is established, the group said. Condolences from various organizations were read at Mondays funeral and the service was followed by prayers. The Independent Catholics for Justice in Myanmar said it was a great loss for the country and for those who fight for truth and dharma. He was a courageous advocate who preached for truth and dharma and guided the people since before the military coup, the group said. Benedict Rogers of the International human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide said the death was a terrible loss for all who care about interfaith dialogue and harmony, freedom of religion and beliefs and human rights. Burma Myanmar Junta Border Forces Visit Bangladesh to Boost Ties Bangladeshi Border Guard delegation hand flowers to the delegation representing Myanmars junta in Teknaf on Sunday. / BGB DHAKA Border forces from Bangladesh and Myanmars junta on Sunday pledged to improve bilateral relations after shells landed in Bangladesh amid attacks on the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State. We are committed to helping each other in any necessity. We have also decided to work together to keep the border communities on both sides peaceful, Bangladeshi Border Guard (BGB) Lieutenant Colonel Sheikh Khalid Muhammad Iftekhar told a press conference after the five-hour meeting in Coxs Bazar. He said the meeting stressed the need to boost mutual confidence and trust between the border forces of the two friendly countries. Bangladesh protested against bullets, shells, landmines and helicopters crossing the Bangladesh border. Col Iftekhar, who led an eight-member Bangladeshi delegation, said the regime regretted the incidents, especially the loss of life and damage to property. We have assured them that Bangladesh never allows its territory to be used by anyone for illegal activities. They are satisfied with our assurance, he added. The regime has been battling the AA near the Bangladeshi border in northern Rakhine State. The seven-member delegation from Myanmar led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ye Yai Soe said it would solve its problems in Rakhine State, according to the Bangladeshi delegation. Col Iftekhar said the juntas delegation was told that drug smuggling was causing problems in Bangladesh and the visitors promised to address the issue. The BGBs Colonel Azizur Rouf thanked the visitors for responding to Bangladeshs calls for a meeting, which would build relations to a new height. On September 16, a Rohingya teenager was killed and five people injured when a regime mortar exploded at a Rohingya camp along the border. Last week, the regimes special operations commander, Lieutenant General Phone Myat, visited Bangladeshs army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed in Dhaka in an apparent attempt to improve relations and boost regional security. Bangladesh has filed diplomatic complaints since August about fighter jet and drone flights over its territory and mortars and machine gun rounds landing across the border. Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Star reported that Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told parliament on Sunday that he blamed the incidents on the conflict with the AA. Bangladesh had remained patient as it wanted peaceful coexistence with Myanmar, Momen said. The foreign ministry is trying to resolve the ongoing problem regarding Myanmars recent behavior through diplomatic initiatives, he told parliament Retired Lieutenant General Md Mainul Islam, who commanded the BGB between 2009 and 2010, told The Irrawaddy that many rebel groups crossed the border in the past. Does Myanmar want to improve their relations with Bangladesh only when it faces trouble and not because of the trouble which Bangladesh faces? he said. The retired general suggested that before building trust, Bangladeshi intelligence must have information about the junta and Dhaka should learn from how India and Thailand maintain their borders with Myanmar. Burma Myanmar Junta Generals Retire to Take Top Roles in Proxy Party From left, Lieutenant General Myo Zaw Thein, Union Solidarity and Development Party chairman Khin Yi, USDP General Secretary U Thaung Aye and Lieutenant General Aung Soe Two Myanmar junta generals have recently stepped down to take senior positions in the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Lieutenant General Myo Zaw Thein was selected as vice-chair and Lieutenant General Aung Soe was appointed head of the partys external relations committee on Friday, according to U Maung Myint, a central executive committee (CEC) member. The military and party are not strangers to each other. They have just arrived but they will quickly grow accustomed to the party. There is no problem, he said. CEC member U Thaung Aye was elected as party general, another key position, said U Maung Myint. U Thaung Aye ran for the Lower House in Pyawbwe Township in the 2020 general election but lost to the National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate, Dr. Win Maung. He took a lead role in alleging voter fraud and sent supposed proof of voter-list errors to the military. He served in the Lower House from 2010 to 2020 after retiring as a lieutenant general. He was nominated as Lower House speaker under the NLD government but lost to T Khun Myat. U Thaung Aye served as the chief minister in Shan and Rakhine states under the previous junta, the State Peace and Development Council. Myo Zaw Thein was the militarys adjutant general, Yangon commander and commanded the Bureau of Special Operations 5. Aung Soe was deputy home affairs minister and served as chief of the Bureau of Special Operations 4 and commanded operations in Karen State after the 2021 coup. Junta Watch: Leader Wants to Be King; Spokesman Justifies Air Attack on Concert; and More War Against the Junta Over 160 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Just Over a Week of Resistance Attacks -- At least 162 Myanmar junta soldiers were reportedly killed and many other injured in the last nine days as the Peoples Defense Forces (PDFs) and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) conducted attacks including raids on regime bases and police outposts across the country. Incidents were reported in Kachin and Kayah states and Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe, Bago and Tanintharyi regions. The Irrawaddy has collected the following reports of significant attacks and clashes between regime forces and resistance groups. Some regime casualties could not be independently verified. Over 80 soldiers killed in a series of clashes in Kachin KIA and PDF troops collect weapons from dead soldiers and search their backpacks in Momauk Township on Sunday. / Kachin News Group Around 80 regime soldiers were reportedly killed during eight days of firefights with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and allied PDF groups in Momauk Township, Kachin State, according to local media reports quoting KIA sources. Since Oct. 22, fierce clashes have occurred on Lon Jar Bon mountain in the township and regime aircraft and nearby military Infantry Battalion 437 have bombed and shelled the clash area daily. On Saturday, heavy fighting continued on the mountain and many regime forces were killed. A video shows KIA troops collecting weapons from dead soldiers and searching equipment and backpacks abandoned by junta soldiers. 30 junta soldiers killed in Magwe Thirty military regime troops were killed and many injured in Tilin Township, Magwe Region last Tuesday when five local PDF groups ambushed a military detachment near a village, claimed Yaw Defense Force-Tilin on Saturday. Some 100 regime troops were attacked from close range as they were leaving Htan Pin Kone Village after burning houses. In the clash, YDF-Tilin member Ko Wai Yan Min, 20, was killed, the PDF group said. 11 junta police killed in PDF raid on police station in Mandalay PDF fighters raid a police outpost in Ngathayouk Town in Nyaung-U Township on Saturday. / TTA Guerilla Force Eleven junta police including the chief of the local police station were killed in Nyaung-U township, Mandalay Region on Saturday when seven PDF groups from Natogyi, Taungtha, Mingyin and Nyaung-U townships raided the station in the small town of Ngathayouk. In the raid, a PDF fighter was also killed. A PDF video shows PDF fighters attacking and occupying the police station. Seven weapons were seized from junta police, the PDF groups said. A pro-regime Telegram channel reported that 10 police officers including the chief of the police station and one of their family members were killed in the PDF raid. Nine junta police killed in PDF raid in Mandalay Nine regime police officers including Police Captain Yarzar Win Mying, the chief of a police outpost, were killed in Ngazun Township, Mandalay Region on Saturday when six PDF groups attacked regime police officers who were drinking and singing at a KTV room in the township, according to the PDF groups. In the raid, a PDF fighter suffered minor injuries when the police responded with small arms fire. Four regime troops killed in intense clashes in Sagaing Four regime forces were killed in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region last Friday when local PDF groups attacked junta aircraft and regime forces at the police outpost in the township, the Civil Defense and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM) said on Sunday. Early Friday, a junta helicopter gunship attacked Parain Mar Village when regime forces dropped by two helicopters raided the village accompanied by another military detachment. In response to the junta raid, PDF groups attacked the helicopters and used three 40-mm bombs to attack the nearby police station in Kyaukyit Village, said CDSOM. In the attacks, three regime personnel stationed at the police outpost were killed. A PDF fighter was killed and two others injured, according to the resistance groups. On that morning, another firefight occurred when PDF fighters attacked regime forces from the police station as they were patrolling. A junta soldier was killed in the clash, the PDF group said. Six regime troops killed in Sagaing The PDF group Myanmars Royal Dragon Army (MRDA) claimed to have killed six junta soldiers with grenades in an attack on regime patrols in the town of Monywa, Sagaing Region on Sunday. The PDF group said they abandoned their attempt to seize weapons from the regime forces when other regime forces nearby attacked them. 20 regime soldiers killed in PDF ambush in Tanintharyi An exchange of gunfire occurs after a military convoy was ambushed with land mines in Palaw Township last Friday. / King Cobra Force Twenty junta soldiers were killed and 10 others injured in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region last Friday when the PDF group King Cobra Force ambushed a military convoy of 13 vehicles traveling from Dawei to Myeik Township, the PDF group claimed. A PDF video shows an exchange of gunfire after the convoy was ambushed with land mines. Two military vehicles were damaged in the ambush, the PDF group said. Junta-appointed ward administrator killed in Sagaing The PDF group Myingyan Black Tiger (MBT) from Mandalay Region claimed on Sunday that it and another PDF group managed to kill junta-appointed ward administrator Myat Noe Kyaw on Saturday morning while he was at the junta-controlled immigration office in the town of Monywa, Sagaing Region. The administrator was also a chief of Pyu Saw Htee pro-regime militia leaders in the township, the PDF group said. In the assassination, a resistance fighter was injured as the ward administrator responded with two grenades. Regime forces ambushed in Bago Region At least four regime troops were injured in Paungde Township, Bago Region on Sunday afternoon when Pyay District PDF Battalion 3602 used land mines to ambush 36 regime forces searching a resistance camp in the forest, said Bago Region PDF. After the ambush, PDF fighters escaped from the area without any casualties when regime forces responded with both heavy explosives and firearms. On Saturday morning, Pyay District PDF Battalion 3601 ambushed junta police on six motorbikes on a road in Paungde Township using land mines. In the attack, some junta police were injured and two motorbikes were damaged. Junta outpost attacked in Kayah The Karenni Army (KA) and allied resistance group the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) attacked a junta outpost near Pon Chaung Village in Shadaw Township, Kayah State last Thursday, KNDF Battalion 14, which joined the attack, said on Sunday. In the 40-minute clash, resistance groups managed to hit their targets in the junta outpost, the resistance group said. However, military casualties were unknown. A house in Pon Chuang Village was destroyed by the juntas heavy explosives. War Against the Junta Yangon Guerrilla Group Vows to Fight on Against Myanmar Junta Despite Arrests Former Brigadier-General Ohn Thwin was shot dead by the Inya Urban Force in Yangon in September. Guest Column The Long Strange Story of the (Disappearing) Railway from Myanmar to Southern China The Gokteik Viaduct after the end of World War II (c. 1947), showing damage from aerial bombings sustained during the Burma Campaign. / The authors collection Railway history in Myanmar is a strange story. For more than a century, influential businesspeople have sought to tie Myanmar by rail to the rest of the world. Except for a brief two-year period during and right after World War II when the Japanese used prisoners of war to build the Death Railway between Bangkok and Rangoon (as Yangon was then known), the countrys rail system has remained isolated from the rest of the world. Myanmar has plenty of railway tracks in its lowlands, and beyond, but none cross a border. It is as if Myanmar were an island, rather than a nation sharing borders with five other countries. An abundance of historic records show that the absence of a rail connection to the broader world is certainly not due to a lack of interest. This is particularly the case for a connection which would create a link between China and the Indian Ocean. But even after 120 years of various efforts to expand railway access from northern Shan State into China, a short link between the Chinese border (completed in 2022), and the railhead at Lashio (completed in 1901) remains unfinished. It seems that Burmas highlands are no match for the engineers of the world, whether they came from the companies of British capitalists, the Myanmar military, or those of the Peoples Republic of China. What is the problem? Perhaps it is because whether they are from capitalist Britain, independent Myanmar, or Communist China, large capital projects like railways are planned using a high modernist point of view. The high modernist point of view means that people are reduced to being wage laborers for the railway, citizens of a larger nation-state, and farmers serving the global marketplaces. Myanmars highlands are notorious for producing small groups which avoid such discipline and subordination of labor markets or state capture, even though on the surface the modern governments label these groups as poor and regard their militias as weak. This is perhaps part of the reason why for the last 120 years the high modernist planners, with all their engineering skills, money, and enthusiasm have been frustrated irrespective of which high modernist flavor they bring to the task of railway construction. Britains 19th-century capitalists plan big The government of British India was the first to attempt to install the Rangoon to Kunming railway. In the late 1890s, British capitalists, intent on gaining market access to the highlands of southern China, successfully convinced British Parliament to ram through funding for the railway. The line was intended to extend from Mandalay to Kunming. The biggest challenge, it was thought, was to be in its engineering; the Gokteik Defile would require that the largest railway bridge in the world be constructed in a remote corner of a country which had been annexed by Britain only 15 years previously. The solution, which exists today as the Gokteik Viaduct, was completed in just nine months in 1900-1901 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company from America under British contract. The line was then pushed through to Lashio where it was abruptly stopped as it remains today. The Lashio line did prove profitable for at least some capitalists. The Burma Mining Company, which was owned by the American engineer Herbert C. Hoover (later to serve as president of the United States from 1929-33) was perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the underutilized line. Hoovers company established a short spur to the Bawdwin mines in Shan State, where generations of Chinese silver miners had packed out silver on pack-horses, discarding the bulky slag from their mines. This discarded slag was rich in lead ore which was economically shipped out via the new railway, generating a fortune for Hoover who became one of the richest engineers in the world. Hoovers profitable use of the British-funded railway irritated British officials so much that he was served an ultimatum to either sell his mining business in Burma or become a British citizen. As for the railway and the Bawdwin mines, they would fall into disuse. The mines were closed during the Great Depression, and the railway continued to be operated as a local service line for Lashio. World War II conquerors dream of railways British military planners started casting their eyes northwards on the eve of World War II in the 1930s, wary of Japanese designs on China and India. Instead of a railway, the Burma Road was built in 1937-38 so the British could supply the Chinese, who were isolated by the Japanese blockade of their Pacific coast. The Japanese shut this route, and the Allies began supplying southern China with an expensive air route over the hump of the Himalayas of northern Burma and southern China. As victory neared for the Allies, American and British planners revived dreams of a northern railway line as a way of taking the war to southern China. But they were frustrated, too. A rough road for motor vehicles was finished, but extensions of the Burmese railway system never came to fruition. As for the rough road, even that became overgrown and unusable after World War II ended. When the post-war independence governments of Burma looked northwards they saw Chinese threat, not opportunity. Neither the northern railway, nor other international lines were developed by the independent Burmese governments, even while new rail lines were developed in the lowlands. Further planning of a railway to southern China awaited Chinese interest, which emerged again early in the 21st century, as an economically powerful China looked outward, seeking direct access to the Indian Ocean. The Mandalay-Kunming Railway was again on the engineering drawing boards by the turn of the century. Today it is a dream for Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. 21st-century Chinese plan railways, Too From a Chinese perspective, it is well known that the Myanmar port in Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State, would give China a port on the Indian Ocean. Myanmars military government established a port and Special Economic Zone there in the early 2000s, and both a gas pipeline and an oil pipeline to Kunming were completed in 2013-14, permitting easier delivery of Middle Eastern gas and oil to southern China. A planned railway that would use the same Kyaukphyu port as the pipeline has proven more difficult for the Chinese to complete, despite their engineering capacity to build an extensive network of high-speed railways in China. The railway from Kunming to Kyaukphyu port, despite extensive planning, is yet to be completed. As was the case for British capitalists and Allied military planners, the stretch in northern Burma frustrates planners. Indeed, in 2021, a high-speed rail was finally completed from Kunming to Ruili, right on the Myanmar border at Muse. Construction remains stopped there, having come face-to-face with the military dictatorship, which is again confronted by a landscape in which it cannot operate public education, schools, roads, customs or justice systems, much less a new high-speed railway sending goods to and from China. The revived military dictatorship is undoubtedly a difficult partner for the Chinese diplomats seeking secure railway rights-of-way across northern Burma. The continuing high modernist railway dreams for northern Burma Modernists, whether they were British capitalists, Allied militarists, or Chinese Communists have all tried to establish a rail link to southern China. As with the canceled Myitsone dam construction and disassembled Bangkok-Rangoon Railway, major infrastructure projects often remain incomplete in Myanmars highlands. On the one hand this may reflect a healthy skepticism of foreign-funded infrastructure that enriches capitalists like Hoover and business interests of China. Such investors are focused on generating profits for their home markets, leaving little local development in their wake. But this reluctance to engage with international capital also perhaps reflects a more general unease with the modern institutions that railroads represent. Lowlanders and businesspeople in general see only capital and profits when they cast their eyes across northern Myanmar. This tendency seems to apply to companies from Europe, China and even Naypyitaw. But perhaps the people of northern Myanmar also see something elsea world which they are not a part of. The response to outside investment seemingly creates political conditions that make the dreams of large capital projects like railways, dams, and mines so uncertain that they are never built or completed. Inevitably this is done with the weapons of the weak, which in the case of northern Myanmar are the proliferation of polities, which from the perspective of modernizing lowlanders are disorganized. But together they have great capacity to frustrate the modernist ambitions of lowlanders. The Tatmadaw (Myanmars military), which is so unsuccessful at subduing highland militia, are again learning about those weapons of the weak the hard way, as they expand their war throughout northern Myanmar. But this is really an old lesson. The current regime and its predecessors including the British mercantile colonizers, Japanese militarists and Chinese businesses interests never seem quite able to finish the last bit of railway that connects Kunming to Kyaukphyu. Tony Waters is a Guest Professor of Cultural Studies at Leuphana University in Germany, and formerly with Payap University Thailand, and California State University Chico. He frequently comments on Myanmar issues in The Irrawaddy, and academic journals. Email address [email protected] David Wohlers has worked as a Civil Engineer in the United States, and has been involved with engineering education in Myanmar. Sources Wohlers, David C. (2022). Potential Structural Deficiencies Within the Gokteik Viaduct Railway Bridge in Upper Burma. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Engineering History and Heritage 175: 4247. Wohlers, David, and Tony Waters (2022). The Gokteik Viaduct: A Tale of Gentlemanly Capitalists, Unseen People, and a Bridge to Nowhere Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(10), 440; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11100440 The external provider affected in the ransomware attack on ForceNet, a service used by the Australian Department of Defence, is Dialog Information Technology, a company owned by Singtel. Dialog was hit by an attack which used the Agenda ransomware that runs only on Windows. The group behind the attack announced it on the dark web on 19 September. According to the company's website, ICEMEDIA recently launched an app for ForceNet. ICEMEDIA's parent, Dialog Information Technology, was listed by a ransomware operation called Qilin last month. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/1DeH0XtuY6 Brett Callow (@BrettCallow) October 31, 2022 The defence department has been contacted for comment. Emsisoft threat researcher Brett Callow tweeted on Monday that digital services company ICEMEDIA had recently launched an app for ForceNet. "ICEMEDIA's parent, Dialog Information Technology, was listed by a ransomware operation called Qilin last month," he said, adding that Qilin was also known as Agenda. Among Dialog's other customers in Australia are the NSW Electoral Commission, the Department of Human Services, Queensland Health, Virgin Australia, NAB, Suncorp, Alfred Health, University of Tasmania, and Rio Tinto. The company was bought by Singtel in April for $325 million and employs more than a thousand IT specialists. ForceNet's DNS records refer to Dialog. 2/3 pic.twitter.com/g4jxd4FBWm Brett Callow (@BrettCallow) October 31, 2022 Apart from Defence, ICEMEDIA lists the Australian Taxation Office, the Digital Transformation Agency, Transport NSW and the Local Government Association of Queensland as clients. Callow also provided a graphic showing that ForceNet's DNS record referred to Dialog. A defence spokesperson said: "Defence has recently been informed a 2018 ForceNet dataset (the dataset), containing personal information of current and former Australian Defence Force Members (ADF) and Australian Public Servants (APS), may have been part of a ransomware attack on an external ICT service provider (the provider). "This is not an attack on Defence ICT or the ForceNet application. The announcement on the dark web about the Dialog breach. "Defence is taking this matter very seriously and is working with the provider to determine the extent of the attack. "Initial discussions with the service provider indicate there is no evidence that the data of current and former APS staff and ADF personnel has been compromised. "Defence is examining the contents of the 2018 ForceNet dataset and what personal information it contains." Australia has recently witnessed nine data breaches in a little over a month, these being at Optus, Telstra, G4S, Costa Group, Dialog, MyDeal, EnergyAustralia, Medibank Group and Medlab. Facebook's parent company Meta has been accused of resorting to "robber-baron" tactics in Canada by threatening to block sharing of news feeds if Ottawa legislates to force it to pay news outlets for their content. The accusation was made by Liberal MP Chris Bittle during a parliamentary hearing on Friday. Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather and Lisa Hepfner also subjected Meta Canada Media Partnerships chief Marc Dinsdale and global policy director Kevin Chan to tough questioning. First, some housekeeping up front by MP to establish when Facebook flipped out by blog post last Friday night by claiming it was never given an opportunity to testify and then threatened to block all news in Canada, it turns out Facebook never even requested to testify. /2 pic.twitter.com/LgnkaYmWTo Jason Kint (@jason_kint) October 29, 2022 But Meta had an ally in Conservative MP Rachael Thomas who sought, on numerous occasions, to raise points of order in a vain bid to get the Meta officials off the hook. Bittle, in particular, was quite ferocious, asking Dinsdale if Meta, the parent company of Facebook, intended to cut off vital information to Canadian citizens in the way it had done in Australia. He accused Meta of having no respect for parliamentary process. Another MP steps in, Facebook once again nailed down for whining about not being asked to testify then showing up and failing to answer legitimate questions of trust. Interruption midway by MP clearly running interference for Facebook (Conservative, more shortly). /6 pic.twitter.com/n9SRWMm9xh Jason Kint (@jason_kint) October 29, 2022 This was after Housefather had pointed out that the Australian action had been taken after a number of NDAs had been signed by Facebook staffers in Australia. Asked about this, Dinsdale did not offer a direct response. As iTWire reported, Dinsdale had warned in a blog post on Friday that "faced with adverse legislation that is based on false assumptions that defy the logic of how Facebook works, we feel it is important to be transparent about the possibility that we may be forced to consider whether we continue to allow the sharing of news content in Canada". He claimed that Facebook had never been invited to give its point of view on the Canadian law. But Housefather raised doubts over whether Dinsdale or anyone else from the company had contacted the head of the committee inquiring into the law to schedule an appearance. Again, Dinsdale did not answer the query directly and this pattern continued throughout the session. And a third MP steps up and again dives into the brutal details of the Wall Street Journal whistleblower report on Australia commending the importance of this good journalism up top. ?? /9 pic.twitter.com/BlfGzrlEMY Jason Kint (@jason_kint) October 29, 2022 In 2021, when the Australian Government tried to push through a News Media Bargaining Code, digital platforms, chiefly Facebook and Google, lined up in opposition. The code was derived from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Digital Platforms Inquiry report which was handed to the government in June 2019. Negotiations between digital platforms and news organisations went on for a while, with the provisions for the code being passed into law in February 2021. But there was plenty of resistance from the digital platforms and though Google took a more low-key stance, Facebook upped the ante and blocked the ingress of news content into Australia. The government bent over backwards Facebook and made numerous changes to the legislation after which the social media company reversed its block on content. Housefather also noted that Facebook had been very quick to restore all the feeds as soon as the Australian legislation was changed to suit its demands. Most of the questions were directed to Dinsdale attempts by Chan to jump in were cut off but he generally talked around the queries. When Bittle asked Chan whether Meta also intended to threaten people in the US in the same way it had threatened Canadians, the lawyer had no answer. A similar bill to that introduced in Ottawa is working its way through the US Congress. Last year, the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles called The Facebook Files, based on internal company documents, research reports, online employee discussions and drafts of presentations to senior management. The Canadian MPs made a number of references to this investigation during their grilling of Dinsdale and Chan. GUEST OPINION Today marks the last day of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and what a month its been. Thanks to the ongoing fallout from a high-profile spate of cyber-attacks in Australia during October, cybersecurity awareness has perhaps never been higher among the public and anyone who relies on the web for their work. The big theme of this years Cybersecurity Awareness Month was Have You Been Hacked?: an important campaign telling consumers the vital steps they need to take to protect themselves such as turning on automatic software updates, to backing up devices, switching on multi-factor authentication, and watching out for cyber scams. But, as the big cyber-attacks have highlighted all too clearly, the question Have You Been Hacked? is just as pressing for businesses and organisations. The incidents have served as a stark reminder for Boards, Chief Technology Officers, and Chief Security Officers that they not only need to know how to answer the question of have you been hacked? but also what are you going to do about it when you are? As many a company today will attest, the cost of a data breach is huge, resulting in financial loss, business disruption, and damage to reputation, which can result in stringent regulatory actions. But, as fatalistic as it sounds, letting go of the idea that you can prevent every attack is the first step toward optimising your ability to recover when every second counts. Indeed, if this is truly to be the reckoning Boards needed to fully confront the issue head on, their biggest need is to develop what we call cyber resilience. Here are four simple steps to make a start: The need of the hour is, firstly, to identify your crown jewels, in other words, which technology infrastructure is vital to operate as a minimally viable company, and then monitor it as the top priority. Any modernisation projects, be it adding an application, API integrations, or moving to the cloud, must factor in the security and cyber resilience up front and not after the fact. You must define your cyber recovery point objective (the maximum amount of data you can afford to lose, for instance, only ten minutes worth of data) and your recovery time objective (how long can your business afford to be down for business). You must run a business impact analysis and risk analysis on your service level agreements (SLAs) with your IT and security providers to distinguish between disaster recovery such as a flood knocking out your primary data centre in Sydney and switching to one in Milton and recovery from cyber-attacks. Many people wrongly think disaster recovery mechanisms will protect them from severe cyber-attacks, but they may not. A cyber-attack is different; it is likely a malicious activity that means your data is still available but that it has been compromised and is of no use. For many years, the industry has focused on risk identification, prevention, detection, and response. Because of this, many industry professionals, never wanted to admit that we couldnt achieve 100% protection, that recovery was inevitable. The evolution to resilience creates a risk pragmatism that is long overdue. We cant protect everything and we should not want to. We should make 2022 the year that the business community and policymakers collectively embrace cyber resilience principles and prepare our economy and democratic institutions to survive and thrive despite the threats that await us. What better time to start than today, the last day of Cybersecurity Awareness Month? Indian news portal The Wire has filed a complaint against one of its own reporters over a story that claimed Facebook parent Meta was allowing a member of the ruling party to censor social media posts. It was alleged that the journalist had allegedly fabricated documents for the story. The case against Devesh Kumar was filed with the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing a day after the cops themselves filed a first investigation report against the portal, the Indian Express reported on Sunday. It is somewhat strange when a journalistic organisation does not stand behind its own reporting, preferring instead to hang a reporter out to dry. India has been ruled since 2014 by the Bharatiya Janata Party, not exactly a political entity that believes in a free press. Last year, Amnesty International, which is claimed to the world's biggest democracy: "The authorities used repressive laws to silence critics by curbing freedom of expression both offline and online. "Human rights defenders, including activists, journalists, students, lawyers and actors, continued to face intimidation and harassment. Independent investigations revealed a massive unlawful surveillance apparatus being used by the government against human rights defenders, violating their rights to privacy, non-discrimination and data protection." Thus it came as no surprise that Amit Malviya, a ruling party member who was said to have censored posts on Facebook, filed a complaint against four staffers of The Wire: founder Siddharth Vardarajan, and editors Siddharth Bhatia, M.K. Venu and Jahnavi Sen. The complaint was filed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, one of the great bureaucratic leftovers of the British Raj expanded no end by India: 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery with the purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for harming reputation), 471 (using forged document), 500 (defamation), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention). The Wire issued a rather strange statement: Journalists rely on sources for stories and do their best to verify the material they receive. Technological evidence is more complicated and the usual due diligence may not always reveal the fraud perpetrated upon a publication. "This is what happened to us. In the life of any publication, an occasion may come when it is misinformed Whether the person who brought all the material to The Wire deceived us at anyone elses behest or acted on his own is a matter that will be subjected to judicial process in due course. The malintent to discredit The Wire is obvious. The initial report claimed Malviya had been given special privileges by Facebook through its XCheck program allowing him to take down any posts that were critical of the BJP. The report was claimed to be based on material supplied by an insider at Meta. It went a bit deeper than that after Meta called the source document a fake. The Wire then ran a number of stories citing so-called "internal emails" from Meta all of which turned out to be fakes. Only after that did The Wire retract the story and offer a mea culpa to its readers. A personal perspective: reporting in India is fraught with danger as individuals and organisations file lawsuits at the drop of a hat. This writer was hit with a lawsuit back in 1983 after revealing a scam by a travel agency that was promising to send people to the Persian Gulf for jobs. Fortunately, the very day after the suit was filed, the company owner was arrested on a complaint of fraud. His case, thus, broke down. Things are a hundred times worse now and a majority of the media indulge in cash-for-comment with no shame at all. Anyone who files something that is not liked by a company or a politician has to tread with extreme care. Former Liberal prime minister John Howard used to be often contemptuously referred to as the deputy sheriff for the US in the Pacific region when George W. Bush was in power. Given the news that the US is now preparing to send six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Australia, one would be totally justified if the same title was applied to Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The ABC's Four Corners program on Monday focused on the build-up of these nuclear-capable planes, and the level of jingoism in the report was quite easy to detect. The US and its allies have been spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt about China for years and this step is apparently aimed at keeping the region safe. The ABC's Angus Grigg interviewed people from a number of American neoliberal think-tanks, all of whom seemed supremely confident that Washington would defeat Beijing in the event that a war was fought over Taiwan. Some months ago, Professor Hugh White, an academic, provided a different perspective in an issue of the Quarterly Essay which was titled Sleepwalk to war. But Four Corners had no time for such wimpish thinking. But Grigg failed to discuss one important aspect of this kind of threatening build-up: the fact that China is still Australia's biggest export market. What would be the impact on Australia if it lost most of its exports? What would Australia do if China attacked obvious war resources like the Pine Gap intelligence base? The Americans are well-known for making other nations serve as cannon fodder for their imperial adventures. The most recent examples of this are Iraq and Afghanistan where Washington picked fights that it ended up losing. But the Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who also functions as defence minister. seems to be following the Harold Holt doctrine: all the way with LBJ. Only this time it is not LBJ, but another doddering Democrat. What happens if, as widely expected, the Republicans take over in 2024? For starters, there are predictions that they will control the US Congress after the mid-term elections on 8 November. Four Corners did not canvass this aspect, though one should, ideally, think a little ahead when committing to policies that could have an adverse effect on the country. The whole theme of the program seemed to be: "The B-52s are coming and that is good for Australia." Grigg blithely waltzed over calling China's take on matters "propaganda" while forgetting that the Americans are the masters of this dark art. He referred to China doubling its defence budget in recent times, but failed to mention that the American defence budget is close to US$800 billion. Who said the ABC does not provide a balanced perspective? Nobody from the Australian Government issued so much as a statement about nuclear weapons being deployed on Australian soil. It is shameful that all the big talkers in Canberra stayed silent. Australians are prone to poke fun at New Zealand, but that small country appears to have more cojones than this entire nation. It continues to stand against nuclear weapons being deployed on its land or waters. Even the famed nuclear submarines that Australia has found itself locked into will not be allowed into New Zealand's territorial waters. As an Australian passport-holder, one cannot but hang one's head in shame. Highlights of foreign congratulatory messages on Xi's election as general secretary of CPC Central Committee (15) Xinhua) 10:06, October 31, 2022 This photo taken on Oct. 22, 2022 shows the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of political parties and governments as well as heads of state worldwide have sent congratulations to Xi Jinping on his election as general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Calling China a close friend and reliable development partner for the Maldives, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said he believes that under Xi's leadership, the friendship and close cooperation between the two countries, which have lasted for half a century, will be further strengthened and better benefit both countries and their people. Iraq-China cooperation has been fruitful and will make new contributions to both countries' efforts to realize development and stability and improve the well-being of their people, said Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid. President of Cape Verde Jose Maria Neves expressed his willingness to work with Xi to continuously and firmly push forward the development of the friendly and cooperative relations between Cape Verde and China. Xi's election fully reflects the Chinese people's deep pride in the great achievements China has made in the new era and their complete trust in him, said President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera. Xi's election demonstrates that he has the full trust of the CPC members and the Chinese people, and enjoys full recognition for his great leadership and outstanding contributions, said Chad's Transitional President Mahamat Idriss Deby. Commending Xi's outstanding capability, courage to take responsibility, perseverance and selfless work, Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh said Xi has led China to become a global model of development in all aspects. Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde expressed her firm belief that under the strong and wise leadership of the CPC, the major decisions made at the 20th CPC National Congress will be successfully implemented and that China's goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects will surely be achieved, with positive influence on the world. Extending his sincerest and warmest congratulations to Xi on his election, Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo wished Xi success in leading the new historical journey of China. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) 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. In a landmark decision, Kenyan prosecutors said on Friday they would charge police officers with crimes against humanity over a deadly crackdown on post-election protests in 2017. The charges cover rape, murder and torture and include the case of a six-month-old baby girl whose death became a symbol of police brutality during the bloody election aftermath. "This is the first case of crimes against humanity charged under Kenyan domestic law using the International Crimes Act and also the first criminal prosecution of electoral-related sexual violence," the director of public prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji said. An official at the prosecutor's office said 12 mainly senior police officers were facing charges. The police crackdown following the disputed presidential election in August 2017 saw dozens of people killed over a four-month period. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights documented 94 deaths during the crisis as well as 201 cases of sexual violence and over 300 injuries -- the majority of which were attributed to security forces. "The attacks were planned, coordinated and not random," the DPP statement said, saying various offences such as torture, rape and sexual violence "were committed by or under the authority of senior national police officers". The baby, Samantha Pendo, died after being beaten by police during a raid on her house as protests flared in the western city of Kisumu. Officers fired tear gas into their house and battered down the door before raining blows on the couple with batons while the mother held Samantha in her arms. An autopsy had shown that Samantha had suffered acute head injuries, her scalp cracking as a result of brutal force by the police. A Kenyan inquest in 2019 had found five police commanders liable for her death and although they were later convicted they have never served time behind bars. Extra-judicial killings are rife in Kenya, and justice is rare with few examples of police being held to account. 'Groundbreaking' decision The new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, welcomed the Kenyan prosecutor's "groundbreaking" decision, saying it was "an important advance towards accountability for gross human rights violations in Kenya." It "is a positive step towards justice and accountability for survivors and families of victims, including in the context of electoral violence, and can strengthen prevention of future violations," Turk said in a statement. Haji said on Friday that several people had been subjected to untold incidents of pain and suffering during the protest suppression. "The operation had a well-organised command structure with sector commanders and was executed according to a consistent pattern," he said. Kenyan police are often accused by rights groups of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings, especially in poor neighbourhoods. They have also been accused in the past of running hit squads targeting those -- including activists and lawyers -- investigating alleged rights abuses by police. Earlier this month, new President William Ruto disbanded a feared 20-year-old police unit accused of extrajudicial killings and vowed an overhaul of the security sector. The 2017 protests erupted after victory was declared for then president Uhuru Kenyatta, angering supporters of his rival, the veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga. The result was annulled by the Supreme Court after a challenge by Odinga, but he boycotted the rerun which was won by Kenyatta. According to Missing Voices, a campaign group focused on extrajudicial killings in Kenya, there have been 1,264 deaths at the hands of police since it began collecting data in 2017. The Wall Street Journal recently reported, A new wave of robots is coming business leaders are more excited than ever to welcome them to a laborless world, which is a cause for concern both inside and outside the industry. According to the report, there is good reason to believe that robots will continue to evolve in the face of chronic labor shortages and changing demographics in the world due to the aging of the workforce and other factors. are service robots applied in a variety of scenarios Categorized according to the application areas of robots, they can be roughly classified into industrial robots and service robots, of which industrial robots are mainly manufactured by industrial users, while service robots are mainly used for personal, private and public purposes. Compared to industrial robots, the areas of application of service robots have expanded in recent years, especially in the areas of education, medical rehabilitation and home service. Meanwhile, the types of service robots are increasing, including sweeping robots, mopping robots, pan robots, attendant robots. According to statistics, more than 1,000 companies worldwide produce service robots, which is ten times as many as industrial robotics companies. In 2021, at least 121,000 service robots were installed, although this number was certainly underestimated. says Dr. Susanne Bieller, Secretary General of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). Between 2020 and 2021, the number of service robots installed worldwide increased by 37% annually, which is above the average annual growth of 31% for industrial robots installed over the same period. Intelligent development upgrades service robots The rapid development of 5G, AI and IoT further promotes the technological upgrading of the service robot industry, reduces costs and contributes to the continuous expansion of the application fields of robots. At the same time, with the advancement of robot intelligence and automation Multiple blasts rocked Kyiv on Monday, days after Russia blamed Ukraine for drone strikes on its Crimean fleet in the Black Sea. At least five explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital between 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) and 8:20 a.m., according to AFP journalists. Kyiv had already been hit by drones on October 10th and 17th. After Mondays explosions, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a Telegram message: Following the Russian strikes, one area of ??Kyiv is without electricity and certain areas without water. The attack on the Ukrainian capital on Monday comes after Russia withdrew from a landmark deal that allowed vital grain shipments across a maritime security corridor. The July grain export unlock deal signed between warring nations Russia and Ukraine and brokered by Turkey and the United Nations is crucial to alleviating the global food crisis caused by the conflict. (A) bulk carrier loaded with 40 tons of grain was scheduled to leave the Ukrainian port today, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted. This food was intended for Ethiopians who are on the brink of famine. But due to Russias blocking of the grain corridor, export is impossible, said the Ukrainian minister. The deal, which established a corridor through which ships could sail to Istanbul for inspections, had already enabled the export of more than nine million tons of Ukrainian grain and was due to be renewed on November 19. But Russia announced on Saturday it would pull out of the deal after accusing Kyiv of a massive drone attack on its Black Sea fleet, which Ukraine called a false pretext. US President Joe Biden called the move purely outrageous, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Moscow was weaponizing food. Russias Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday the attack drones had Canadian-made navigation modules and they moved within the safe zone of the grain corridor. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday expressed deep concern about the situation, his spokesman said, postponing his departure for an Arab League summit in Algiers by a day to focus on the issue. The EU urged Russia on Sunday to reverse its decision. Enough grain to feed millions The center, which coordinates the stores logistics, said in a statement that no traffic would move through the security corridor on Sunday. A joint agreement was not reached for the movement of inbound and outbound vessels on October 30, it said. There are more than 10 outbound and inbound ships waiting to enter the corridor. Turkeys Defense Ministry later on Sunday said ships would not leave Ukraine during this period but that Turkey would continue inspections of ships in Istanbul transporting Ukrainian grain today and tomorrow. It also said Russia had officially notified Turkey of its suspension, but Russian personnel remained at the coordination center in Istanbul. The Istanbul-based Joint Coordination Center (JCC) announced later Sunday that Russia had also suspended its participation in grain inspections. Ninety-seven loaded ships were awaiting clearance off Istanbuls coast on Sunday, the United Nations, which coordinates the JCC, said in a statement, adding it proposes to reopen the maritime humanitarian corridor to about a dozen ships on Monday . In his evening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 2 million tons of food was at sea but was stalled by Russias actions. This is an absolutely transparent intention of Russia to bring the threat of great famine back to Africa and Asia, he added. Pedaling False Claims Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea has come under repeated attacks in recent months and serves as the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet and a logistical hub for operations in Ukraine. Russias army claimed to have destroyed nine air drones and seven sea drones in an attack on the port early Saturday. It claimed that British specialists in the southern Ukrainian city of Ochakiv helped prepare and train Kyiv to conduct the strike. In further highlighting from Britain which Moscow sees as one of the unfriendliest western countries Russia said the same British entity was involved in explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month. Britain firmly denied both claims, saying Russias Defense Ministry resorts to spreading false claims of epic proportions. Moscows military said ships targeting their base in Crimea were involved in the grain deal. Major attack Russia recently criticized the agreement, saying its own grain exports had suffered under Western sanctions. Mikhail Razvozhayev, Moscows acting governor of Sevastopol, said Saturdays drone attack was the most massive the peninsula has ever seen. Attacks on Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, have escalated recently as Kyiv mounts a counter-offensive in the south to retake Moscow-held territory. In early October, Moscows Key Bridge, which connects Crimea to mainland Russia, was damaged in an explosion that President Vladimir Putin blamed on Ukraine. Kyiv said on Sunday its troops in the south were holding their positions and beating the enemy to create conditions for further offensive action. Congratulations poured in from around the world for Brazils leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after announcing his narrow victory over far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. Shortly after Lula was declared the winner, US President Joe Biden said, I congratulate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election as the next President of Brazil after free, fair and credible elections. French leader Emmanuel Macron also expressed his good wishes, saying the poll opened a new page in Brazils history. Together we will join forces to face the many common challenges and renew the bonds of friendship between our two countries, said the French President minutes after the results were announced. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a heartfelt Congratulations, Lula! and said, The people of Brazil have spoken. Trudeau said he looks forward to working with Lula, who served as Brazils president from 2003 to 2010, to advance common priorities like protecting the environment. All eyes in western capitals were on the impact of the election on the future of the Amazon rainforest and the global climate emergency. Left wins President Alberto Fernandez of neighboring Argentina said Lulas victory opens a new era in Latin American history. A time of hope and future that begins today. After so many injustices you went through, the Brazilian people elected you and democracy triumphed, he added in a tweet. After leaving office, Lula was jailed for 18 months on controversial and now debunked corruption charges. Lulas return to power in Brazil follows a string of leftist victories in Latin America. Gustavo Petro, who became Colombias first left-wing president after his election this summer, tweeted: Long live Lula. He later shared a map showing that the majority of Latin American countries are now run by left-wing governments. Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also from the left wing, tweeted: Lula won, blessed people of Brazil. There will be equality and humanism. And Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro offered Lula a big hug, saying in a tweet: Long live the peoples determined to be free, sovereign and independent! Democracy triumphed in Brazil today. BRICS reacts Congratulations were also given by other members of the BRICS group of emerging countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped for constructive cooperation. Please accept my sincere congratulations the election results have confirmed your impressive political authority, Putin said in a telegram to Lula. Chinese President Xi Jinping wished the country new successes. I am willing to work with President-elect Lula to create joint plans of strategic magnitude and long-term perspective, and elevate the China-Brazil comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, he said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he looks forward to working closely together to further deepen and expand our bilateral ties. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also said his country looks forward to working with the Brazilian government led by Mr da Silva. The European Unions chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, joined the international chorus. Brazilian citizens went to the polls to elect their new president in a peaceful and well-organized election. Borrell was followed by other European well-wishers, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Congratulations Lula on your victory Lets work together for social justice, equality and against climate change, Sanchez tweeted. Baerbock said Brazils democracy was the biggest winner after the hard-fought election. Another big winner is the worlds climate, she said. San Francisco, CA, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Vedder Price scored a significant victory when a California court ruled in favor of his clients in connection with lawsuits filed against them for failing to provide senior citizens with affordable housing. Vedder Price represented Melvin Lee, former San Francisco Redevelopment Agency (SFRA) commissioner, and Teresa Wong, the owner of The Avenue Assisted Living, in the breach of contract and unfair business practice lawsuits brought against them by the San Francisco City Attorneys Office for breach of contract A 2006 agreement to provide a total of 25 below-market housing units for low-income seniors. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Curtis EA Karnow ruled in favor of the defendants that they had failed to provide affordable housing for senior citizens and concluded that there is no substantial evidence that the defendants had a authorized person have rejected. The courts ruling in favor of our clients demonstrates that the claims made against them were without merit and Mr. Lee and Ms. Wong are understandably delighted to be confirmed, said Vedder Price shareholder Michelle Landry, who led the team. The widespread allegation that they have withheld low-income housing from needy seniors has done them great damage, both personally and professionally. The City and County of San Francisco filed lawsuits against Vedder Prices clients in 2018, with additional lawsuits alleging failure to submit annual monitoring reports, violations of building codes, and issues related to public nuisance. In addition to Landry, Vedder Prices team also included attorneys Mindy Wong and Peter Walrod. About Vedder Price: Vedder Price is a thriving law firm with eight offices in major global cities including Chicago, New York, Washington, DC, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore and Dallas. The firm offers a unique and sophisticated blend of finance, corporate, labor and employment, and litigation We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Colin Thatcher, former MLA of Saskatchewan and convicted murderer, walks out of the chamber after the speech from the throne at the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina, on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. Premier Scott Moe has removed a member of the legislature's duties after Lyle Stewart invited a notorious killer to watch the government's throne speech. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu Kennesaw State researchers say new election system may better serve Georgians KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 31, 2022 A team of Kennesaw State researchers say Georgia voters may be better served by a new kind of general election runoff system than the one the state has used for nearly two decades. Georgia has in the past decided general elections by a plurality vote, meaning the candidate with the most votes won outright. But in 2005, the general election runoff system was reintroduced, forcing an additional election between the top two vote-getters, if no candidate won 50% plus one vote. Georgia is the only state in the nation to use the runoff system in both the primary and the general election, though Mississippi adopted it in 2020, but hasnt had a general election runoff since the law went into effect. Statewide were paying millions of dollars to have this general election runoff when many fewer people participate in it, so is it serving the citizens of Georgia well? Is it worth keeping, or should we look at making some changes, said Kerwin Swint, director of the School of Government and International Affairs and professor of political science. Swint, along with J. Benjamin Taylor, associate professor of political science and government, and international affairs student Ayla McGinnis collected election turnout data from 59 of Georgias 159 counties and analyzed the financial and logistical burdens of runoff elections on the state, as well as the effect of campaign rhetoric on voter attitudes. Kerwin Swint, Ayla McGinnis, J. Benjamin Taylor Based on feedback from 59 counties, the Kennesaw State researchers estimate the cost of the recent 2020 Senatorial election runoff is about $75 million statewide. The extra expenses tend to be a bigger burden for the least populated counties with their smaller budgets, while larger counties face extra expenses and logistical challenges to staff voting locations. Turnout statewide is nearly always significantly lower in runoffs. Beyond the added costs and burdens to local elections offices, researchers say voter fatigue and campaigns that trend more negative in runoffs than in general elections play a significant role in voter attitudes and further decrease turnout. According to the researchers, a better solution is a system that is already being used successfully in other states: instant runoff voting. Instant runoff voting (IRV) asks voters to rank their choice of candidates from top to bottom. If no majority winner is found during tabulation, the lowest vote-getter is dropped from counting and the voters next choice is tabulated. This happens until a majority winner is identified. You can accomplish the same thing with instant runoff voting as with a general election runoff without conducting a whole separate election. Thats the beauty of it. Its quick, its cheap, it does the same thing, so its something Georgia should take a look at, Swint said. The other thing Georgia could take a look at is just eliminating runoffs altogether and moving to a plurality vote. Among those in support of the IRV system is former state Rep. Scot Turner, who helped fund Swints research with a $7,000 grant through his organization, Eternal Vigilance Action Inc. Turner said the organizations board is made up of Republicans, Libertarians and Democrats who are former legislators, activists and academics. Turner said he believes IRV is a system that better serves Georgians and favors no political party. I was elected in a runoff and have always felt that the drop-off in turnout was simply awful and made the vote unrepresentative of the general population. It was also expensive for the taxpayers and created a full month-long period where my House district went unrepresented during an active legislative session, Turner said. Instant runoffs save time, money, and increase turnout and are therefore more reflective of the will of the people. Bill Bozarth of Better Ballot Georgia said he was impressed with the research by Swints team and believes it confirmed Better Ballots own findings that a change to IRV would better represent the will of more Georgians, reduce voter fatigue, encourage candidates to move from polarized rhetoric to a broader mandate and in addition, save millions of taxpayer dollars. Researchers said a change to IRV would require education of the public and convincing of state legislators, who would have to introduce a bill to change the system. Meanwhile, Swints team is continuing its research and hopes of receiving feedback from more Georgia counties. The team, led by McGinnis, will present its findings at the Nov. 9 Georgia Political Science Association annual meeting in Savannah. By Thomas Hartwell Photos by Darnell Wilburn Related Stories A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 43,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. VERONA Six Kenosha Unified students performed in the Wisconsin School Music Association middle-level honors band and orchestra on Saturday at the Verona Area High School Performing Arts Center. Kilie Kruse, Alivia Uttech, Alexandria Shea, Bella Shea, Joshua Susmilch and Elise Brown were selected to perform in the middle-level honors groups on Saturday. Over 850 middle and junior high school students across the state of Wisconsin, but only 304 were selected to perform in the honor band, orchestra or choir. Kenosha Unified band and orchestra directors said they were excited to see the hard work of their students pay off. Its a pretty elite group to get into, said Matt Maccari, band teacher at Lance Middle School. Theres a lot of individual preparation that goes into the audition. Some of the preparation includes practicing site reading and preparing a solo from the class A or B list, A being the highest class within solo and ensemble festival. Helen Breitenbach, orchestra teacher at Tremper High School, taught private lessons to twins Bella and Alexandria Shea, and both students were selected to be in the middle-level honors orchestra. Im proud of them and their hard work, Breitenbach said. Its exciting to see them represent Kenosha and KUSD in the orchestra. Id also like to give credit to the Lance orchestra director who encouraged them to audition. Auditions for the group were held in April, both virtually and in person. Students were asked to perform a prepared solo, memorized scales and sight-reading exercises as part of the audition. Students who performed Saturday worked under the direction of out-of-state conductors including Erica Neidlinger, who directed the band; Frank M. Diaz, who directed the orchestra; and Jabarie Glass, who directed the choir. Im proud of their dedication and hard work, Breitenbach said. 1 Shares Share Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Despite the terror of the Soviets, it was clear that not even their mighty tanks could eradicate the social tides that now, like a tsunami, could not be turned back. The power of the movement forced Erno Gero, just a few months into his rule, to step down the next day and communist officials appointed Imre Nagy as Prime Minister. Despite this acquiescence, the violence only escalated. The Soviets were intent on crushing the movement with as much brute force as possible, killing and arresting protestors en masse, sending more and more dying and critically injured young people to the hospital where Ervin and his team worked in a constant state of shock. Robert J. Wolf is a neuroradiologist. He shares his story and discusses his book, Not A Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Mans Fight for Freedom. SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RATE AND REVIEW https://www.kevinmd.com/rate FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/kevinphomd FOLLOW ON TIKTOK https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinphomd GET CME FOR THIS EPISODE https://earnc.me/8gynsk Powered by CMEfy a seamless way for busy clinician learners to discover Internet Point-of-Care Learning opportunities that reward AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Learn more at about.cmefy.com/cme-info 37 Shares Share When I was in high school, I read George Orwells 1984, a novel about a dystopian future where the government (a.k.a. Big Brother) monitors everything the citizenry says or thinks. Anyone deviating from government doublespeak is swiftly and severely punished. I recall my horror as the main character, Winston, a former government official who joins the anti-Big Brother underground, is arrested by the thought police. His mind is then reprogrammed into right thinking in a terrifying scene worthy of any horror movie. Now, Californias Assembly Bill 2098, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, aims to punish physicians who interpret scientific facts differently from state or federal health care officials. This bill allows the California state medical board to censure doctors who share COVID-19 views that are contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus and delivered with malicious intent or an intent to mislead. Who will decide whether a physician intends to mislead or is expressing their analysis of the data? Will government officials urge patients to report contrarian doctors to the thought police? Perhaps California plans to monitor patient-doctor conversations by bugging exam rooms. It makes me think about the plight of Ignaz Semmelweiss, the 19th-century father of infection control, who lost his career and died in a public insane asylum because his colleagues were outraged by his claim that handwashing could prevent infection. But what bothers me the most is that while this bill purports to prevent doctors from spreading misinformation, life sciences companies have been spreading misinformation for decades with few repercussions and effective regulations. As a former pharmaceutical advertising writer, I helped these companies spread medical misinformation. My job was to spin their pharma facts into compelling stories to sell drugs. As a result, drug, device, and diagnostic companies dominate our medical information ecosystem with an organized and coordinated flow of misinformation into conferences, scientific journals, clinical guidelines, and TV ads for prescription medications. Life sciences companies spend $30 billion yearly promoting their version of science. Science and marketing communicators like myself are employed by medical ad agencies, PR firms, and medical communication companies that ghostwrite journal articles and develop pharma-favorable CME programs. Drug and device companies twist selective scientific data into compelling doublespeak to persuade clinicians to use their products. The most notorious example is the case of Purdue Frederick (now Purdue Pharma), claiming that Oxycontin was non-addictive based on no evidence. American television audiences are subject to a constant stream of prescription drug ads spouting scientific half-truths and lies of omission. For example, you can listen to commercials where drug companies claim superiority for expensive stroke medications based on non-inferiority trial designs. Likewise, ads for cancer drugs talk about progression-free survival but fail to disclose that the medications fail to increase the patients overall survival. Meanwhile, ads for diabetes drugs urge patients to achieve a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) less than 7 percent, even though intensive glucose control and hypoglycemia contribute to 100,000 ER visits and 30,000 hospitalizations annually. And let us not ignore those prescription drugs that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans: Vioxx, Tambocor, and prescription opioids. It saddens me that we allow industry medical misinformation to harm patients but pass legislation threatening individual doctors speech. Before we condemn COVID-19 contrarians, lets address the lies and half-truths baked into life sciences marketing. Why allow drug, device, and diagnostic companies to manipulate scientific evidence while punishing medical experts who wish to engage in the scientific debate about the evidence behind health care policies such as masking, boosters for teens, or school closings? I fear the answer lies in an American health care system dominated by industry instead of medical experts. Lydia Green is a pharmacist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Kilkenny features in a newly-published book which reveals some of the countrys top wild swimming spots. From the authors of The Art of Wild Swimming: Scotland and England and Wales comes the brilliant, expert guide on wild swimming adventures in Ireland. Filled to the brim with passion and advice from seasoned swimmers, The Art of Wild Swimming: Ireland features over 100 amazing locations across the country. The Weir Pool in Thomastown, the River Barrow in Graignamanagh and the Bleach Weir swimming area in Kilkenny City. The River Barrow in Graignamanagh is described as an idyllic spot on Irelands largest river and the authors also recommend the eight kilometre walk along the towpath to St Mullins before taking a splash! The Weir Pool, which was created by the Thomastown Community River Trust is a particularly safe and lovely stretch for river swimming. Those who want to experience more of the rivers flow, however can find spots in the main river, all of which are lifeguarded during the summer months, including at BishopsMeadows in Kilkenny City and at Inistioge. The swimming area at the Bleach Weir is also mentioned in the book and there is parking as well as an area to leave your gear while you dip. The area has beautiful views and wildlife and is described as a peaceful idyll, the perfect place to take a few minutes and reflect. Anna Deacon and Vicky Allan have shared the voices of the communities across Ireland and Northern Ireland who offer their expertise on the experience and how to safely enjoy it, with the mentioned places picked as favorites by local swimmers. Showcasing stunning locations such as Portally Cove, Bishops Pool in Mullaghmore, Sandycove Island and Tourmakeady Waterfall in Co. Mayo, this book will allow you to fully experience the best rivers, loughs, waterfalls and beaches that Ireland has to offer. A map of all listed spots is also included, accessible through a provided QR code, to better plan your adventures. Whether a beginner or regular wild swimmer, The Art of Wild Swimming: Ireland has everything to provide you with the best experience. From managing different bodies of water, tips on what to wear and to be environmentally conscious. This joyous book is an essential part of your kitbag, a gift for swimmers from the community itself. Anna Deacon has worked as a photographer for over a decade, following a career in the music industry. Her photographic and written work has been published in many magazines and newspapers including The Guardian, The Scotsman & Glamour. Her travel book Wild Guide Balearic Islands came out in 2022. She hosts the popular Instagram account @wildswimmingstories. Vicky Allan is an award-winning journalist and author. A staff writer for the Glasgow Herald, specialising in stories about wellbeing and the environment. As well as her book collaborations with Anna, she is also author of a taboo-busting collection of frank real-life menopause stories, Still Hot! (co-authored with broadcaster Kaye Adams) and a novel, Stray. 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. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 38F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 38F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close This photo provided by the National Museum of Korea shows a book of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe on display at a special exhibition set to open at the museum on Nov. 1. Yonhap The National Museum of Korea said Monday it will open a special exhibition of Uigwe, manuscripts for royal protocols during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), this week to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its return from France after 145 years. Titled "Pinnacle of Propriety: The Uigwe, Records of the State Rites of the Joseon Dynasty," the exhibition will run from Tuesday to March 19 at the museum in central Seoul. It will feature some 460 items, including the 297 Uigwe books retrieved from France. The museum said the event will introduce the results of the past 10 years of research on Uigwe in a general perspective. Uigwe is a collection of royal protocols that recorded and illustrated the entire procedures of important state rituals, such as weddings, funerals and banquets, after their completion. It was registered as the UNESCO Memory of the World in 2007 for its rarity and historical significance. It began to be produced in the early Joseon Dynasty, but many were burned during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century. The 297 volumes on display are specifically called Oegyujanggak Uigwe, because they had been preserved at a royal library annex called Oegyujanggak on Ganghwa Island off South Korea's west coast before being taken out of the country during the 19th-century French invasion of Korea. They were returned to Korea from France on a five-year renewable lease in 2011. Of all the Uigwe books, the Oegyujanggak Uigwe has special historical value, as most volumes were created exclusively for the king and many of them are the only extant copies of each record in and out of the country. For information, each book had up to nine copies, but only one of them, made of the finest materials and bound with great care by the best painters and artisans of Joseon, was presented for the king's review. Most of the books for the king then were preserved at Oegyujanggak or Gyujanggak at a royal palace in today's Seoul. The exhibition begins highlighting the great value of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe, known as "books for the king," and the essence of the archival culture of the Joseon period, captured from the detailed and accurate records as well as vivid illustrations in the books. The presentation gives an instance of King Heongjong's transfer of the royal tomb of his father, King Ikjong (Crown Prince Hyomyeong), in 1846. The incident was recorded in a text of just three lines in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, but Uigwe documented its detailed procedures in a total of nine books with colorful, vivid illustrations of the royal procession and items used for the ceremony. This photo provided by the National Museum of Korea shows a book of the Oegyujanggak Uigwe on display at a special exhibition set to open at the museum on Nov. 1. Yonhap F-35A fighters from the South Korean and U.S. air forces conduct a joint exercise over South Korea between July 11 and 14, 2022. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense By Kang Seung-woo The South Korean and U.S. air forces kicked off a five-day combined air exercise, Monday, amid growing concerns of North Korea conducting its seventh nuclear test soon. According to the South Korean military, Vigilant Storm, which will run through Friday, is aimed at enhancing the operational and tactical capabilities of combined air operations and bolstering the allies' combined defense posture. The exercise involves around 240 aircraft and thousands of service members from the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Army as well as the two nations' air forces. Alongside the armed forces of South Korea and the United States, the Australian Air Force also decided to participate in the exercise by deploying a KC-30A air refueler. The annual aerial exercise formerly known as Vigilant Ace comes as expectations are running high that North Korea will detonate another nuclear device before the U.S. midterm elections, Nov. 8, based on its past track record of causing trouble around U.S. election time. In addition, the two countries are scheduled to hold the Security Consultative Meeting in Washington, D.C., Thursday (local time), and are expected to discuss joint deterrence against the evolving threats from North Korea. During the combined exercise, the South Korean and U.S. air forces are set to work together to perform major air missions, such as close air support, defensive counter air and emergency air operations 24 hours a day. Support forces on the ground will also train their base defense procedures and survivability in case of attacks. The two sides plan to perform approximately 1,600 sorties the largest number ever for this annual event and the Korean Air Operations Center plans to operate and control the combined forces in real time and hone their wartime capabilities, according to the U.S. Seventh Air Force. The exercise carries extra significance, as it will feature the U.S. Marine Corps' F-35Bs that are coming from Iwakuni, Japan, for the first time in nearly five years for such a training event. The F-35B is a short take-off and vertical landing variant of the F-35A stealth fighter. Alongside the F-35Bs, the South Korean Air Force's F-35As and both air forces' fourth-generation fighter jets will participate in Vigilant Storm. "Through this training event, the ROK and U.S. air forces will improve interoperability between the fifth-generation and fourth-generation jets. Both ROKAF and USAF will fly fourth-generation jets, and will train with ROKAF F-35As and the USMC's F-35Bs, giving airmen and marines the cross-service, combined experience that is crucial to combat readiness," the U.S. Seventh Air Force said in a statement. Given that the combined exercise is a show of force against North Korea's possible nuclear test, the Kim Jong-un regime may respond to it with another military provocation. Last week, Arirang Meari, a North Korean mouthpiece, criticized the combined exercise, claiming that the current tensions on the peninsula are due to a combination of the U.S. hostile policy toward North Korea and the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's maneuvers to confront Pyongyang. North Korea has been critical of any combined exercises between Seoul and Washington, calling them a rehearsal for invasion. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Friday told Washington's top envoy to Beijing that China and U.S. would not be able to "change each other" and warned the U.S. not to attempt to contain the country's development. In his first official meeting with Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Wang relayed Chinese President Xi Jinping's call for both countries to uphold what he called the basic principles of "mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation". "China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture," Wang said, according to the Chinese government's readout of the meeting between the two diplomats. "The international community, in general, expects to see stable development of this relationship." "As two major countries, China and the U.S. will not be able to change each other," he added. "The U.S. should not attempt to communicate with China from a position of strength or to attempt in suppressing and containing China's development. "As an ambassador to China, [we] hope that you can be a bridge in linking China and the U.S." The Chinese statement cited Burns as saying that the U.S. was willing to "strengthen communication, manage disputes and push for cooperation with China". The U.S. State Department did not immediately comment on the meeting. Burns arrived in Beijing as ambassador in March this year to fill the position that had been vacant since October 2020, when Terry Branstad the previous ambassador to China, appointed by former President Donald Trump stepped down. Burns arrived when U.S.-China tensions were boiling over owing to Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accusations by the U.S. government that the Chinese government had taken Russia's side in the conflict. Bilateral ties have frayed further since Burns assumed his position, most notably because of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August, a move that prompted Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Xie Feng to summon the U.S. envoy to accuse Washington of orchestrating "a deliberate provocation". Beijing followed up on the incident with several days of unprecedented live-fire military drills that all but encircled Taiwan and, together with Pelosi's visit, appeared to interrupt work towards an in-person summit between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden. In contrast to Wang's meeting with Burns, the Chinese official who is expected to replace Yang Jiechi as Xi's top foreign policy aide told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that Beijing would continue to support Moscow in the international arena as a major power. Any attempt to block the advancement of China and Russia would never succeed, Wang told Lavrov during a phone call on Thursday, less than a week after the 20th Communist Party congress unveiled a new top Chinese leadership and gave a groundbreaking third term to Xi. Readouts from Washington and Beijing after Biden and Xi held a virtual summit days before Pelosi's visit to Taipei said that they intended to establish a working group tasked with setting up the meeting. This led to expectations that the summit might take place during the two-day G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia in less than three weeks. Neither side has confirmed plans for such a meeting. (SCMP) Read the at SCMP Members of Garretts Railroader Regiment are shown in a competition earlier this season. The band competed Saturday at the ISSMA Open Class C semi-state at Decatur Central but was unable to advance to the state finals. Fiji to hold general elections in December Xinhua) 10:42, October 31, 2022 SUVA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The South Pacific island nation of Fiji will hold general elections on Dec. 14, the government said. While confirming the date for the polls, the Fijian government said on its Facebook page that Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama advised President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere Sunday morning to hold the general elections on Dec. 14 and to dissolve the Parliament from Oct. 30 this year. The next step will see Ratu Wiliame announce the writ of election, then candidate nominations will open and close 12 days after the writ has been announced. Currently, the total number of registered voters in Fiji stands at 691,824 and nine registered parties, including the ruling FijiFirst, will participate in the forthcoming general elections. Fiji, an island nation with a population of around 900,000, held its last general elections in 2018. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming) Tokyo [Japan], October 31 (ANI): Nobody likes having biopsies done or undergoing countless tests, even if they are required for keeping track of their health. A novel method that could significantly reduce the invasiveness of cancer testing has recently been developed, according to researchers from Japan. Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have unveiled a new method for determining the cancer-related marker utilising breast cancer cell lines in a study that was published in September in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Also Read | Mario Kart Most Stressful Game, Playing It Can Increase Your Heart Rate, Finds Study. Finding cancer-related indicators is a highly effective method for determining diagnosis, prognosis, and response to treatment. These markers may now be found in patient samples like blood and urine thanks to modern technology, offering a non-invasive way to monitor and assess patients. "Circulating tumour cells (CTCs), which are cancer cells found in the blood, are one of the main targets used to evaluate cancer patients' blood samples," states Miyuki Tabata, first author of the study. "However, it can be challenging to isolate these cells from the blood, and current approaches do not adequately detect both epithelial cell and mesenchymal cell markers, which are important for determining the stage of cancer." Also Read | Flesh-Eating Bacteria Necrotizing Fasciitis Claims Life of 44-Year-Old Man in Kolkata, Know All About the Rare Infection. The researchers employed a device known as an ion-sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET), which is a small electrical circuit that is activated by a change in pH, to develop a system that can swiftly and readily identify cancer-related markers on CTCs (and maybe other elements in the blood). These transistors were coated with breast cancer cells, and an antibody connected to a chemical reporter that changes pH when the antibody binds to the cells was then added. "We found that the chemical reporter glucose oxidase successfully detected the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a marker of poor cancer prognosis, on CTC membranes," says Yuji Miyahara, senior author of the study. "Furthermore, the strength of the chemical signal correlated with the amount of EGFR expressed by the cells." Importantly, these outcomes lined up with the EGFR levels found using other methods, showing that the ISFET strategy correctly detects the expression of cancer-related markers on cells. "These results provide proof of concept that an ISFET-based system can be used to assess patient cancer status based on liquid biopsy samples efficiently," states Tabata. This technology can enable high-throughput analysis of cancer cells at single-cell resolution due to the ability to make ISFETs that are the size of a single cell and assemble them into enormous arrays. Additionally, the simultaneous examination of numerous cancer-related indicators may be made possible by the use of various antibodies for the chemical enzyme detection phase. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Policewoman MR Ramya and her family in the centre after being felicitated (Photo: ANI) Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 31: Kerala Police Chief Anil Kant on Monday felicitated policewoman MR Ramya for breastfeeding an infant separated from the mother. Kozhikode Chevayur Police Station Civil Police Officer MR Ramya and her family were invited to the police headquarters and she was honoured with a certificate of appreciation. The police chief said that this act of compassion in treating the famished infant had enhanced the reputation of the police force. National Unity Day 2022: Dogs of Indian Breed Put Up Spectacular Show at Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade (Watch Video). Touched by her service, High Court judge Devan Ramachandran, who has seen her spontaneity to save the famished infant, had also written a letter to the police chief appreciating her work. She was also presented with certificate from the judge by the police chief. The certificate mentioned that she represents the best face of the police force. On Saturday morning, a 22-year-old woman, the mother of the infant, lodged a complaint with the Chevayur police station that her baby was missing. Due to a family dispute, the infant had been taken away from the mother. Upon the information that father may have gone with the infant to Bengaluru on his way to work, police stations were informed along Wayanad border. The Sultan Batheri Police found and detained the father travelling with the infant while checking vehicles along the border. The police rushed the famished and exhausted newborn to a hospital. Doctors found the infant's sugar level was low. When Ramya reached the hospital, she informed the doctors that she was a lactating mother and she fed the infant. Assam Man Purchases Dream Bike With Sack Full of Savings in Coins in Karimganj (See Pics). And in the evening, the infant was united with the mother. Ramya is a native of Chingapuram, Kozhikode, who joined the police force four years ago. She had completed her training in the second batch of the women's battalion and served in the fourth squad of the Armed Police Battalion. She had joined the Chevayur police station after her maternity leave. Ramya, a mother of two, is wife of schoolteacher Ashwant Viswan VR. (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, October 31: Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson RP Singh has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting the establishment of a "Truth Commission" to expose the conspiracy behind the 1984 Sikh pogrom and take cognizance against the "real culprits". RP Singh has also requested Home Minister to declassify all the documents pertaining to the period leading up to Operation Blue Star and the Sikh pogrom later that year. In his letter to the Home Minister, RP Singh expressed gratitude to him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing justice to the Sikhs by sentencing one of the key conspirators, Sajjan Kumar behind the bars. 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Former Congress Leader Sajjan Kumar Gets Bail in Murder Case. BJP Leader RP Singh's Tweet Request to Shri @AmitShah ji Honourable Home Minister of India to declassify all documents relating to 1984 Pogrom and Operation Blue Star & form a 'Truth Commission' to expose the conspiracy and nail the real culprits. pic.twitter.com/WDFdUhLGNp RP Singh National Spokesperson BJP (@rpsinghkhalsa) October 30, 2022 Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar has been lodged in jail after conviction by the Delhi High Court in 2018 in another riots-related case. The High Court awarded him a life jail sentence. Earlier he was acquitted by Karkardooma Court. 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case: Senior Advocate HS Phoolka Receives Death Threat. "However, full justice is not yet delivered. Many more like Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath are still roaming scot-free. It has been known earlier as well and has also been authenticated by former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer, GBS Sidhu in his book-- The Khalistan Conspiracy-- that a conspiracy for Operation Blue Star and Sikh Carnage was hatched in Delhi much before the time of its execution and that these both were planned in the wake of 1985 general elections," BJP national spokesperson RP Singh said in his letter to Amit Shah. In the letter, he further said that no Congressman or any other government functionaries of that time have challenged or denied it so far; hence, it is important that killers and conspirators of the 1984 Delhi pogrom be punished. He said that it is even more important to know who all were involved in this conspiracy and understand how and why the most patriotic minority of the country was painted as anti-national, solely with the intention to garner the majority vote for political gains. "The massacre of Sikhs was condoned by none other than the former PM Rajiv Gandhi who sent the message 'job well done' to his party workers and executors of the conspiracy in which the Sikhs were killed. This took place along with explicit instructions to the police to turn a blind eye and not take any action against the killers," Singh said further adding that it clearly indicated that he (Rajiv Gandhi) was leading the team which was monitoring the pogrom. The letter further read that over the last 38 years, four enquiry commissions, nine committees and two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) were formed but they still failed to dig deeper and reveal the real conspiracy. Everybody knows that the names of certain "high and mighty" people have come to the fore in this heinous crime, he asserted. "It is also known that there was a separate team functioning and monitoring from 1, Akbar Road which was above the Government and this fact was proven true during the first week of November as the carnage unfolded and the then Home Minister Narasimha Rao ji expressed his helplessness and inability to Shri I K Gujral ji when the latter met him and urged to call the Army for bringing the situation under control," he said further. RP Singh further stated that Justice Dhingra had mentioned in his reporte that "an invisible hand orchestrated the carnage and managed the coverup thereafter". "Even Justice Dhingra in his report mentions an invisible hand orchestrating the gruesome carnage and managing the coverup thereafter. I would like to bring to your attention that the government is yet to file an action taken report on the said commission's finding. It would be highly appreciated if action is taken on the same at the earliest," he said further. The letter directed to the Home Minister also said that there are a lot of classified documents which will provide details of how the then Home Minister (Narasimha Rao) overlooked the carnage. "I request you to please de-classify all files related to 1984 and let people know the real truth about what actually happened," it read. Declassification would aid in unlocking and bringing to the forefront the "invisible hand", which was mentioned in Justice Dhingra's report, it added. He said that the note which was written by the then security advisor to Indira Gandhi, RN Kao also needs to be declassified. This note is currently in the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and pertains to the assassination of India's first female Prime Minister. "In conclusion, a lot needs to come into public domain regarding 1984 for which I further suggest the formation of a 'Truth Commission', so that the members of 1, Akbar Road Team, who conceived and executed 1984 Operation Blue Star and anti-Sikh pogrom of November 1984 in Delhi and other cities and towns for electoral gains should be exposed. The list includes leaders like Arun Singh and Kamal Nath who worked under the instructions of Sanjay Gandhi and later Rajiv Gandhi," RP Singh said in the letter. He further said that the police officers of that time-- Gautam Kaul, Nikhil Kumar, and Maxwell Pereira and journalists like Sanjay Suri and others should also be brought under the ambit of this Commission. He also mentioned that the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former President Giani Zail Singh, Tarlochan Singh should also be asked to "share the details of what transpired between the President of India and the then Government, Home Minister in specific." "Sir, time is running out. Action needs to be taken at the earliest before the truth gets buried with people who were privy to the events," he added exuding that the formation of the Truth Commission will heal the psyche of Sikhs hurt since 1980. Singh further requested Shah and expected diligent action by the Home Minister's highest offices in declassifying vital documents along besides forming the Truth Commission. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Itanagar, Oct 31 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday said that the state's decades-old border problem with Assam is likely to be resolved by the end of November. Khandu held a meeting during the day with a high-level delegation from Assam including Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora and senior officials. Also Read | Maharashtra: One Farmer Commits Suicide Every 8 Hours, Claims State Congress Chief Nana Patole; Seeks Dismissal of Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis Govt. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Khandu said that this meeting could be termed the penultimate one in the series of deliberations held between the two northeastern neighbours to solve the boundary issue. One more meeting is to be held between me and my Assam counterpart Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for a final agreement and permanent solution. Both of us are determined to resolve all our differences by the end of November, he said. Also Read | Gujarat Bridge Collapse: PM Narendra Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting To Review Situation in Morbi, Briefed on Rescue and Relief Operations. Sarma and Khandu on July 15 signed an agreement at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh to end border issues between the two states and decided to restrict the number of disputed villages to 86 instead of 123. Khandu said that following the Namsai Declaration, 12 committees each headed by a cabinet minister were formed by the two states. These committees jointly visited the disputed areas, took feedback from people of both sides and submitted their reports to their respective state governments. Today we discussed these reports district-wise in depth. I am happy that all reports are positive in effect and the committees of both the states have sincerely and jointly worked to find a permanent solution to this boundary issue, he said. The chief minister pointed out that if there is a strong political will, no issue can remain unresolved for decades. I have to especially thank Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for personally coming forward to resolve the boundary row not only with Arunachal Pradesh but with all other northeastern states that share boundaries with Assam, Khandu said. The two states share an 804.1 km-long border. The grievance of Arunachal Pradesh which was made a union territory in 1972 is that several forested tracts in the plains that had traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam. After Arunachal Pradesh achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee was appointed which recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal. Assam contested this and the matter is in the Supreme Court. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, Oct 31 (PTI) The ruling BJP in poll-bound Karnataka received a shot in the arm as the party won 17 out of 35 seats in the Vijayapura municipal elections and emerged as the single largest party. The party also performed well in the Kollegal city municipal council bypoll by winning six out of seven seats. Also Read | Humanity Is Still Alive! MR Ramya, Kerala Cop Breastfeeds Infant Separated From Mother; Gets Felicitated by Police Chief (See Pic). Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai congratulated Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and party workers for achieving an "unprecedented feat" in the municipal polls. According to officials, the Congress won 10 seats, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) two, and the JD(S) one while five Independents also emerged victorious in Vijayapura (earlier known as Bijapur) in north Karnataka. Also Read | Sedition Law: Something May Happen in Next Parliament Session, AG R Venkataramani Tells Supreme Court on Pleas Against Section 124A. The municipal elections in Vijayapura and Kollegal were held on October 28 and the results were announced on Monday. Polls were held in Vijayapura after a gap of six years and it was the first election since the city municipality was upgraded to a corporation. Sources in the BJP said the party is confident of coming to power in Vijayapura with the support of independents. The bypolls in Kollegal in Chamarajanagar district was necessitated after seven Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) councillors joined the BJP. These seven councillors were the supporters of MLA N Mahesh, who was expelled from the BSP after he, along with a few others from the Congress and JD(S), helped the saffron party come to power in Karnataka. Following the bypoll results, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 13 seats, Congress came second with 11 and BSP two while there are four independents in the 31-member Kollegal CMC. Bommai said, "By winning 17 seats out of 35 seats in the Vijayapura Municipal Corporation elections, our party has achieved an unprecedented feat. My heartiest congratulations to every member who ensured our victory. I thank from the bottom of my heart to the Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and dedicated party workers who toiled hard for the BJP." Regarding the Kollegal bypoll results, the Chief Minister thanked the expelled BSP MLA Mahesh, the candidates and the party workers for their victory. Bommai also thanked the voters who liked the "policies and achievements" of the governing party. (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/Shimla, Oct 31 (PTI) Days ahead of Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, the ruling BJP on Monday suspended five of its rebel leaders from the primary membership of the party for contesting the election as Independents. Those suspended include former MLAs -- Tejwant Singh Negi (Kinnaur), Kishori Lal (Anni), Manohar Dhiman (Indora), K L Thakur (Nalagarh) -- and the BJP's Himachal unit vice-president Kripal Parmar. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. All these leaders are contesting the polls as Independents from their respective constituencies after the BJP denied ticket to them. Parmar is contesting as an Independent from Fatehpur constituency. Also Read | ITBP Recruitment 2022: Applications Begin for Over 180 Posts of Constable, Head Constable At recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in; Here's How to Apply. "BJP's state unit president Suresh Kashyap has suspended the workers from the primary membership of the party for six years for contesting the elections as Independents against the party's official candidate," the statement reads. With more than a dozen BJP leaders contesting as Independents, the party is in a tough spot ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on November 12. (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], October 31 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Monday slammed Congress leaders for their remarks on the Morbi incident and said that the grand old party is doing the work of "rubbing salt on the wounds of Gujarat". While talking to ANI, Hussain said, "The Morbi incident is a very sad incident not only for Gujarat but also for the entire country. Many people have lost their lives. But the Congress party is doing the work of rubbing salt on the wounds of Gujarat in this hour of sorrow." Also Read | Workforce Reduction: Overall Job Cuts No More Than 5% To Avoid Role Duplication, Says BYJU's CEO Raveendran. The Congress party is not deterring from its actions. It seems that the Congress party is waiting for such events to happen so that it can come running with a sack of salt. This is unfortunate. They should rise above politics in such incidents, Hussain further said. Hussain also slammed Aam Admi Party and said, "The leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party should not make such statements. Salt should not be sprinkled on the wounds of Gujarat." Also Read | Mario Kart Most Stressful Game, Playing It Can Increase Your Heart Rate, Finds Study. He further said that the Centre is taking necessary steps to pacify the situation. rescue operation is underway, many injured are being treated. Personnel of SDRF and SDRF have left no stone unturned in restoring the situation, he added. "The Chief Minister of Gujarat and the Home Minister of Gujarat are monitoring the situation. The Prime Minister is also keeping a close eye on the situation," he further added. Congress leader Digvijay Singh expressed grief over the incident but has also put questions to PM Modi in his tweets. He blamed the Gujarat government for the mishap, Hussain stated. Hussain questioned Digvijay Singh asking how much did Digvijay Singh spend on repairing the bridge? Earlier today, Digvijay Singh in a series of tweets criticized BJP and Gujarat Government for the Morbi incident. The Congress leader tweeted, "The BJP Minister, BJP MP, Collector, and SP were present at some BJP meeting when the bridge collapsed. The meeting continued regardless of the bridge collapse." "These are the following questions that arise: When was the contract signed with this company by Morbi Municipal Committee? What are the conditions of the contract? What was the maximum limit of visitors allowed on the bridge? How many tickets were issued by the contractor yesterday? What was the charge for an individual ticket? Did the contractor take permission from the Municipal Committee for starting the bridge?" Singh tweeted. Did the contractor inform the District Administration? Was SP Morbi informed by the contractor? 'Was the District/PS police present at the site when the bridge collapsed? Why did the police allow more entry tickets to be issued than the capacity? He asked. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday held a review meeting as well as took stock of the ongoing rescue operation after the suspension bridge over Machchhu river collapsed on Sunday. According to the latest estimates, at least 132 people, including women and children, were killed and over 100 are receiving treatment for their injuries sustained after a cable suspension bridge in Morbi town collapsed on Sunday, plunging people into the Machchhu River. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi in Gujarat on Tuesday, the state chief minister's office announced today. Prime Minister Modi, who is in Kevadia, said that rescue operations were underway and there would be no laxity in rescue and relief efforts. "The Gujarat Government has been carrying out relief and rescue operations since yesterday. Centre too is extending all help to the State Government," PM Modi said. Earlier on Monday evening, the suspension bridge above the Machchhu River in the Morbi district had collapsed last evening. Visuals showed people falling into the river below. The Gujarat Police has filed a First Information Report under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in the bridge collapse tragedy. The Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee to probe the bridge collapse incident. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) The Centre on Monday decided to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and currently living in two districts of Gujarat under the Citizenship Act, 1955. The move to grant citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and not the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) bears significance. Also Read | Supreme Court Says Giving Money With Intent of Bribe an Activity Connected With the Proceeds of Crime. The CAA also provides for granting Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, but as the rules under the Act have not been framed by the government yet, no one so far could be granted citizenship under it. According to a Union home ministry notification, those Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians residing in the districts of Anand and Mehsana in Gujarat will be allowed registration as a citizen of India under section 5 or will be granted certificate of naturalisation under section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Rules, 2009. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Man Shoots Girlfriend Dead After She Breaks Up With Him; Accused Arrested. Such people living in the two districts of Gujarat have to submit their applications online which will then be verified by the collector at the district level. The application and reports thereon shall be simultaneously made accessible online to the central government, the notification read. The collector may make such inquiry as he considers necessary for ascertaining the suitability of the applicant and for that purpose forwards the application online to such agencies for verification and comments as may be required for completing such an inquiry, it said. After completing the entire process, the collector, being satisfied with the suitability of the applicant, grants him or her the citizenship of India by registration or naturalisation and issues a certificate of registration or naturalisation, as the case may be, the notification said. The Narendra Modi government wants to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians -- from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who had come to India till December 31, 2014. There were massive protests in some parts of the country after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and the subsequent presidential nod. Over a hundred people lost their lives during the protests. However, the CAA has not been implemented so far as rules under it are yet to be framed. According to the Manual on Parliamentary Work, the rules for any legislation should have been framed within six months of presidential assent or seek extension from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In January 2020, the home ministry notified that the Act would come into force from January 10, 2020, but it later requested the parliamentary committees in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha to give it some more time to implement rules as the country was going through its worst ever health crisis due to the Covid pandemic. Last fortnight, the Union home ministry had been granted yet another extension by the Parliamentary Committees on Subordinate Legislation in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha to frame the rules of the CAA. While the permission has been granted from the Rajya Sabha till December 31, 2022, the Lok Sabha has granted time till January 9, 2023. This was the seventh extension given to the home ministry to frame the rules under the CAA. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) Heroin worth nearly Rs 70 crore was seized from the possession of a Belize national at the international airport here, the Customs department said on Monday. The accused was intercepted after his arrival from Doha on Sunday, it said. Also Read | Gujarat Bridge Collapse: PM Narendra Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting To Review Situation in Morbi, Briefed on Rescue and Relief Operations. Subsequently, on thorough checking of the baggage of the accused, certain material was found in the false bottom and top of his trolley bag, the department said in a statement. This led to the recovery of 9.95 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 69.95 crore in the international market, it said. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. The Customs department said the passenger has been arrested and the narcotic seized. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) The two-day Chhath Puja celebrations concluded on Monday with devotees offering prayers to the rising Sun at several ghats in the national capital. The women, holding a 36-hour-long fast, performed the rituals in knee-deep waters and gave arghya of cow milk and water to the rising Sun. Also Read | Punjab State Dear Diwali Bumper Lottery 2022 Result: Know Prize Money and Other Details; Check Punjab Lottery Live Draw Winners List Here. Thousands of devotees thronged ghats and makeshift ponds in Delhi to worship the Sun God on the final day of the festival. After two years of Covid-induced restrictions, Chhath Puja saw a lot of enthusiasm among the devotees, more so among people from Purvanchal where the festival takes its root. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Boy Dies at Home While Enacting Hanging of Shaheed Bhagat Singh for School Event in Chitradurga. Chhath puja is celebrated on the sixth day after Diwali and is also known as Surya Sashthi as it is dedicated to the Sun God. It is one of the most popular festivals in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The Delhi government made 1,100 ghats for Chhath Puja across the city this year and a budget of Rs 25 crore was earmarked for the preparations for the festival. (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], October 31 (ANI): BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain lashed out at former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday asking her not to shed "crocodile tears" for the Kashmiri Pandits who are leaving the valley in fear of targeted killings. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Center over the recent targeted killings in the region and said Kashmiri Pandits are forced to migrate despite the fact that the BJP is ruling at the Centre. Also Read | Workforce Reduction: Overall Job Cuts No More Than 5% To Avoid Role Duplication, Says BYJU's CEO Raveendran. Murfi said, "A list of target killings are being seen in Kashmir valley since October last year. Kashmiri Pandits are being targeted, whose government is it? Kashmiri Pandits have been protesting in Jammu for the last 6 months. Today, neither Farooq Abdullah nor I are in power. There is a BJP government at the centre. Why are Kashmiri Pandits forced to migrate?" "It doesn't suit Mehbooba Mufti to talk about Kashmiri Pandits. Mehbooba Mufti is the leader of the party that forced Kashmiri Pandits to leave their homeland. She has done nothing for the Kashmiri Pandits except forcing them to leave Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress, PDP, NC all were part of it," said Hussain. Also Read | Mario Kart Most Stressful Game, Playing It Can Increase Your Heart Rate, Finds Study. "Mehbooba Mufti should not shed crocodile tears. Everyone is aware of the fact that she used to empathize with the terrorist when they were killed when she was chief minister. She used to go and attend their funeral. The whole world knows about Burhan Wani. Mehbooba Mufti and her party PDP continued to support terrorists. It's the political parties like PDP and National Conference, who worked to spoil the atmosphere in Kashmir." "Today, our government is working for the Kashmiri Pandits and we are also targetting the terrorists. These people do politics using Pakistan-backed terrorists and create fear in the mind of Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley. But it is the commitment of our government that we will protect Kashmiri Pandits on every condition," he added. "One or two incidents that happened here is unfortunate. Action is being taken on it. We have led "Operation All Out" and killed many terrorists. Those few who are left and want to spoil the atmosphere in Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference, and Congress are trying to be sympathizers of Kashmiri Pandits now, while they themselves are responsible for the migration. They gave the orders to the Kashmiri Pandits to leave the valley," he claimed. "Where was the Mufti family then, where was Farooq Abdullah, where was Rajiv Gandhi of the Congress party who was the Prime Minister at that time and how was he forced to leave his homeland despite being the Prime Minister? Today they are shedding tears for the Kashmiri Pandits. The Central Government has pledged to protect the Kashmiri Pandits and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is working day and night for them to instill confidence in them to return to their homes in the valley," he added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) The Delhi University has released the second list of seat allocation for undergraduate programmes and a total of 145 candidates on it have already accepted the college and programme allotted to them, an official said Monday. "We released the list around 1 am on Monday. Students can go to their dashboard to accept the seat they have been allotted," Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta told PTI over the phone. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Criminal Complaint Lodged Against Contractor, Agency. "As many as 145 students have already accepted the seat allotted to them by 4 am," he said. Candidates have until November 1 to accept the allotted seats. Also Read | Punjab State Dear Diwali Bumper Lottery 2022 Result: Know Prize Money and Other Details; Check Punjab Lottery Live Draw Winners List Here. As many as 59,100 candidates secured admission in DU's first round of seat allocations. Following the conclusion of the first round, the university displayed vacant seats for the second round. The candidates were given a two-day window to opt for an upgrade and reorder their preferences. Nearly 60 per cent of them opted for an upgrade to their higher 'programme+college combination' preference, a university official said earlier. More than 25 per cent of the 59,100 candidates have frozen their seats, 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], October 31 (ANI): Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that social media platforms do self-proclaim that they have content display policies but they also have the "algorithm power" in play. "More early or deeper red flagging of fake news based on known modus operandi and genres." His remarks came while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the two-day international conference on the theme 'Role, Framework and Capacity of Election Management Bodies'. Also Read | Google Fined for Anti-Competitive Practices: Know How Three Young Informants Made Tech Giant Cough Up Rs 1,338 Crore Fine. Kumar stressed the intersection of EMBs functioning with social media platforms. He added that social media platforms do self-proclaim that they have content display policies but they also have the "algorithm power" in play. "More early or deeper red flagging of fake news based on known modus operandi and genres is not an unfair expectation from the EMBs", he underscored. Kumar added that such a proactive approach to counter fake news will facilitate credible electoral outcomes that will help preserve the 'freedoms', that social media platforms require to thrive. Also Read | China Successfully Launches 2nd Lab Module Mengtian for Its Space Station, Spacecraft Reaches Intended Orbit. In his keynote address at the inaugural ceremony, the CEC said that "Free, fair, inclusive, accessible and inducement-free elections being a cornerstone of a democratic polity, is a precondition to peace and developmental dividends. These threshold concepts embody the understanding that sovereignty belongs to and flows from the people of a country." He added that inclusivity also means adjusting inequalities, especially for women, persons with Disabilities, senior citizens, young voters, and marginalized populations. Kumar while highlighting the idea of democracy in India said that democracy has always been a part of Indian ethos, a way of life. Diverse opinions, Dialogue, Discussions, accommodation, and non-aggression have been an intrinsic part of our culture. He added that people's faith in the results of elections is the most fundamental precept of a healthy democracy. While stressing on the significance of the theme of the conference, he said that 'Role, Framework and Capacity of Election Management Bodies' are the core building block for 'elections integrity' as it covers both the foundational and the functional aspects of any electoral democracy. CEC Rajiv Kumar offered ECI's expertise in Election Management to world democracies to take forward the Summit's commitments to real outcomes. Addressing the conference, Elizabeth Jones, Charge d'Affaires, United States said the relationship with India is most consequential. She added that the partnership is going stronger to address global challenges and to cooperate to bring peace, security and prosperity across the world. She emphasised both US & India have significantly contributed in building up democratic institutions. She said ECI has made critical achievements in fostering democratic principles while delving on challenges. " India's Election Commission is a testament of a well run election management body overseeing electoral processes. The United States is gratified by your leadership and sharing your expertise with other democracies. Administration of Indian elections has set standards for democracies worldwide", she added. She also highlighted various emerging challenges in the conduct of elections including manipulation of the information environment, barriers in participation of women and marginalized communities, narrowing civic spaces and systemic corruption undermining electoral integrity." DG IIIDEM and Senior DEC Shri Dharmendra Sharma welcomed the delegates to the two-day conference. Mohd. Irfan Abdool Rahman, Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, AggelikiBarouta, Head of Deptt Elections and Pol. Parties, Ministry of Interior, Greece, Anthony Banbury, President & CEO, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Kevin Casas- Zamora, Secretary General, International IDEA, representatives from UNDP EMBs including Armenia, Mauritius, Nepal, Cabo Verde, Australia, Chile, Federal States of Micronesia, Greece, Philippines, Excellencies, Ambassadors/High Commissioners and other members of Diplomatic Corps from Costa Rica, Ghana, Jamaica, Albania, Nepal, Greece, Montenegro, Spain, officials from ECI and Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India are attending the two day Conference. The latest edition of ECI magazine "Voice International" on the theme 'Collaboration and Partnerships for Voter Education and Awareness' showcasing the best initiatives of EMBs was also unveiled on the occasion. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Oct 31: The Reserve Bank said the first pilot of the Central Bank Digital Currency -- Digital Rupee (Wholesale segment) will be launched on Tuesday for transactions in government securities. The use case for the pilot is settlement of secondary market transactions in government securities, the RBI said in a statement on Monday. Karnataka High Court Tells School Teachers, Staff To Treat Children Without Bias and With Sensitivity; Directs Parents To Behave in Civilized Manner. Nine banks -- State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank and HSBC -- have been identified for participation in the pilot. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Urges Ombudsman to Be Sensitive, Judicious While Redressing Customers' Grievances The RBI also said the first pilot of Digital Rupee - Retail segment is planned for launch within a month in select locations in closed user groups comprising customers and merchants. (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], October 31 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday expressed his grief over the loss of lives when the pedestrian suspension Morbi bridge collapsed on the Machchu river collapsed and over 130 people were killed. "Several people lost their lives in yesterday's incident in Gujarat. First of all, I express condolences to the families of all those who died in the unfortunate incident. May all those who died, rest in peace," said Shah. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 135, Gujarat Town To Observe Bandh To Mourn Deceased. The Union Home Minister Shah's remarks came as he attended an event in the national capital where President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary today. The death toll in the newly renovated suspension bridge collapse incident increased to 132, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said today. Also Read | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Birth Anniversary 2022: President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Amit Shah Pay Tributes To 'Iron Man of India'. The Gujarat Home Minister further informed that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident. "An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP," Sanghavi said. Everyone worked all through the night. The Navy, NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force), Air Force and Army arrived at the spot quickly. More than 200 persons have worked the entire night for search and rescue operations," Sanghavi said. Teams including Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF, and Fire Brigade conducted a search operation throughout the night to find the Garkaw victims in Macchu river after the bridge collapsed, as per officials. After the incident, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister of State for Home Affairs Harshbhai Sanghvi, Minister Brijeshbhai Merja, and Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani reached the incident spot at midnight and personally observed the rescue operation and gave directions. According to the details from the district administration, after the mishap, the system was immediately activated and rescue operations started with the help of locals. Besides this, teams from other places also started arriving at the spot. Around 40 doctors from various health centres, Rajkot PDU Hospital and Surendranagar Civil Hospital started emergency treatment of the injured at the Morbi Civil Hospital. After the collapse of the bridge, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation boat and rescue materials including life jackets reached Morbi and started the rescue operation. Emergency ambulances from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh Metropolitan Municipality and Morbi Municipality were running throughout the night to bring the injured to the hospital immediately. Several private ambulances were also involved in the rescue operation. Army team from Surendranagar joined with its three ambulances and equipment, informed the officials. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) The Congress on Monday demanded a probe headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge into the Morbi suspension bridge collapse in Gujarat. The Opposition party also sought financial and medical assistance from the government to all those affected. Also Read | Morbi Bridge Incident: 132 People Died in the Cable Bridge Collapse Incident in Morbi, Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. Over 130 people have died in the bridge collapse. The more than a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed Sunday evening. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge paid homage to those killed in the tragedy, and said that may God give the strength to the families who have lost their loved ones to bear the loss. Also Read | LVM3-M3 Mission: ISRO Gearing Up for Launching 2nd Set of 36 OneWeb Satellites in January 2023. Speaking with reporters here, he said the reasons for the collapse of the bridge that reopened five days ago, ought to be known. "Why were so many people allowed. There should be an inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge," Kharge said. The bereaved families and those affected should be provided all assistance and given compensation by the government, he said. Those injured should be provided all assistance in medical treatment by the government, he added. "Our (Congress) leaders have reached there. Ashok Gehlot is also reaching. We will try to help out as much as possible. We don't want to indulge in any politics over it or blame anyone at this point of time. Blame can be established only when the report of the probe is out," he said. According to the latest information, 132 people lost their lives in the tragedy and two are still missing. Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British-era hanging bridge when it snapped, plunging them into the water below. Some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its big wires, an eyewitness said, adding that the bridge may have collapsed due to the huge crowd on it. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sirohi (Rajasthan) [India], October 31 (ANI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat and demanded a fair investigation into the matter. CM Gehlot called the incident of the bridge collapse in Morbi very tragic. Also Read | Crypto Fraud: 36-Year-Old Held for Cheating Man of Rs 17 Lakh on Pretext of Investing in Cryptocurrency. "The government should do a fair investigation and find out how the bridge collapsed after being open after renovation a few days ago and punish the culprits. Good treatment should be provided to the injured and the families of the deceased should be given compensation," said CM Gehlot. Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat even as he raised questions on the collapse of the bridge that was opened last week. The Congress chief also demanded an inquiry into the mishap. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Mother of 2 Elopes With Paramour in Mysuru, Husband Dies by Suicide. "I offer my condolences. An inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge should be done as to how the bridge collapsed after five to six days after it was inaugurated and who allowed so many people there. All necessary help including compensation should be provided to victims," said Kharge. Kharge who took charge of the Congress Party last week said that leaders from his party will be reaching Morbi and will offer their assistance. "Congress leaders have reached there. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also reaching there. We will try to help. We do not want to do any politics in this and we do not want to blame anyone right now. When the inquiry report comes out we will see when that happens," Kharge said. According to the latest reports, the death toll in the mishap had gone up to 132 on Monday morning. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident. "An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP," Sanghavi said. Everyone worked all through the night. The Navy, NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force), Air Force and Army arrived at the spot quickly. More than 200 persons have worked the entire night for search and rescue operations," Sanghavi said. Teams including Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF, and Fire Brigade conducted a search operation throughout the night to rescue people who had fallen into the Macchu river after the bridge collapsed, as per officials. After the incident, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister of State for Home Affairs Harshbhai Sanghvi, Minister Brijeshbhai Merja, and Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani reached the incident spot at midnight and personally observed the rescue operation and gave directions. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 31 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is in Telangana for "Bharat Jodo Yatra" took a dig at the BJP-led Central government saying that the "judiciary, bureaucracy and media are under attack" and will be freed from RSS' grasp after Congress comes to power in India. "There has been a systemic attack on various institutions. Judiciary, bureaucracy and media are under attack. When Congress returns to power,we'll ensure that these institutions are freed from the grasp of RSS and independence is maintained in these institutions," said Rahul Gandhi. Also Read | Supreme Court Says Giving Money With Intent of Bribe an Activity Connected With the Proceeds of Crime. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday paid tribute to his grandmother and former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. He took to Twitter and said he would not let her "sacrifice for the country go in vain". "I carry your love and teachings in my heart. I won't let your sacrifices for India go in vain," he tweeted in Hindi captioning the video he posted to pay homage. The video had a number of video clips combined which showed Indira Gandhi delivering her speech and one from her funeral. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Man Shoots Girlfriend Dead After She Breaks Up With Him; Accused Arrested. Continuing his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Telangana, Gandhi also paid floral tributes to Indira Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Congress' initiative to unite the country-- Bharat Jodo Yatra has its leg currently in Telangana.It started at 6 am from the camp at Shadnagar Bus Depot and is scheduled to take its first break by halting at Papyrus Port in Kothur. The march will then resume at 4 pm to take another break near Pedda Shapur Cross in Muchintal prior to the 'yatris' night stay behind a Zilla Parishad School in Shamshabad's Thondapalli. The yatra will cover 19 Assembly and 7 Parliamentary constituencies spanning a total distance of 375 km in the state, before entering Maharashtra on November 7.Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari, will cover a further distance of 2,355 km in its 3,570-km march. The yatra will end in Kashmir next year. It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress claimed earlier in a statement. The yatra has already covered parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, after having been flagged off in Tamil Nadu. The next leg of the yatra will take place in Maharashtra. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) The National Conference on Monday said the three years of Jammu and Kashmir as a union territory have come as a "huge disappointment" to the people and claimed the security situation has deteriorated. On August 5, 2019, the Centre had abrogated Article 370, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which came into existence on October 31 that year. Also Read | Karnataka High Court Tells School Teachers, Staff To Treat Children Without Bias and With Sensitivity; Directs Parents To Behave in Civilized Manner. "Last three years have seen huge disappointments and discontentment amongst the people. Jammu and Kashmir has hardly seen any improvement in any major sectors and instead conditions have worsened," National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq told PTI. Sadiq alleged that the security situation has deteriorated to such a point that common people are not feeling safe anymore. "They (the government) have failed to provide a sense of security to not only the common people but to minorities as well," he said. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Lays Foundation Stones for Water Projects in Tharad, Gets Emotional During Speech. No recruitment has taken place since the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was repealed and the state was turned into two union territories, the NC spokesperson said. "There has been no fresh recruitment and instead the ones, which were in the pipeline during the time of an elected government, were shelved for frivolous reasons," he said. The power sector has seen no improvement and no new projects have been started, Sadiq claimed. "Roads are in dilapidated condition. The economic condition of an average citizen has worsened and the most unfortunate is the absence of a democratic setup in Jammu and Kashmir where people cannot get their grievance redressed. So its been a saga of sad stories," he said. Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, however, saw the situation differently and said that there was peace and calm on the ground. "In the last three years, we have seen that there is peace and calm on the ground. Whether it is in the hearts of the people, one cannot be sure," he said. The former minister said that the tourism sector also saw a boom with visitors returning to Valley in numbers this year. "However, we continue to be denied the right to a democracy and people do not have their representatives to tend to their issues," Bukhari said. On the development scenario, he said construction of roads and buildings was a usual practice of all types of governments and there was nothing special about it in the past three years as well. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Morbi (Gujarat) [India], October 31 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday held a review meeting as well as took stock of the ongoing rescue operation after the suspension bridge over Machchhu river collapsed on Sunday. According to the latest estimates, at least 132 people, including women and children, were killed and over 100 are receiving treatment for their injuries sustained after a cable suspension bridge in Morbi town collapsed on Sunday, plunging people, into the Machchhu River. Also Read | Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022: Rahul Gandhi Says 'Congress Will Win; AAP Only in Air, Not on Ground'. Later he reached the Macchu River operation site to oversee the rescue operations being conducted by the NDRF. He was accompanied by state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. The CM gathered necessary details from the Head of the rescue team, informed the Chief Minister's Office today. Also Read | DoT Extends PLI Scheme for Telecom and Networking Products to 42 Beneficiaries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi in Gujarat on Tuesday, the state chief minister's office announced today. Prime Minister Modi, who is in Kevadia said that rescue operations were underway and there would be no laxity in rescue and relief efforts. "The Gujarat Government has been carrying out relief and rescue operations since yesterday. Centre too is extending all help to the State Government," PM Modi said. The suspension bridge above the Machchhu River in the Morbi district had collapsed last evening. Visuals showed people falling into the river below. The Gujarat Police has filed a First Information Report under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in the bridge collapse tragedy. Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee headed to probe the bridge collapse incident. "An FIR has been registered against the maintenance and management agencies of the bridge, under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and 114 (abettor present when offense is committed) of the India Penal Code," said Morbi B Division Police Inspector, Prakashbhai Dekavadiya. Briefing mediapersons here, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said, "The death toll in the Morbi hanging bridge collapse incident has gone up to 132. The Chief Minister has constituted a high power committee yesterday itself while leaving Ahmedabad. All officers, posted at different locations, were asked to report at Morbi by 2 am. The investigation is going on." The Gujarat Home Minister further informed that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident. "An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP," Sanghavi said. Everyone worked all through the night. The Navy, NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force), Air Force and Army arrived at the spot quickly. More than 200 persons have worked the entire night for search and rescue operations," Sanghavi said. Teams including Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF and Fire Brigade conducted a search operation throughout the night to find the victims who fell into the Macchu river after the bridge collapsed, as per officials. Indian Army teams deployed in Morbi, Gujarat carried out search and rescue operations for survivors of the mishap. All three defence services have deployed their teams for search operations. Three Indian Coast Guard teams consisting of divers, equipment, boats and other material have been deployed on-site at Morbi since last night, said Defence Ministry officials. After the incident, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister of State for Home Affairs Harshbhai Sanghvi, Minister Brijeshbhai Merja, and Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani reached the incident spot at midnight and personally observed the rescue operation and gave directions. According to the details from the district administration, after the mishap, the system was immediately activated and rescue operations started with the help of locals. Besides this, teams from other places also started arriving at the spot. Around 40 doctors from various health centres, Rajkot PDU Hospital and Surendranagar Civil Hospital started emergency treatment of the injured at the Morbi Civil Hospital. After the collapse of the bridge, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation boat and rescue materials including life jackets reached Morbi and started the rescue operation. Emergency ambulances from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh Metropolitan Municipality and Morbi Municipality were running throughout the night to bring the injured to the hospital immediately. Several private ambulances were also involved in the rescue operation. Army team from Surendranagar joined with its three ambulances and equipment, informed the officials. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Morbi (Gujarat) [India], October 31 (ANI): The death toll has risen to 68 till now in Gujarat's Morbi cable bridge collapse that occurred in Gujarat, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi confirmed on Monday. "The death toll is 68 at present. Recuse operation is on and I will give an update on the number soon," said state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 77, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel Announces Compensation. It was reported that over 60 persons had lost their lives in the unfortunate incident, and the death toll has risen to 68. Sanhavi said that the investigation would be done very seriously and all necessary actions would be taken. Also Read | Methamphetamine Tablets Worth More Than Rs 3 Crore Seized From Mizoram. "CM Bhupendra Patel is monitoring the situation. Government agencies are working on it. NDRF, Navy and Air Force will be here. The investigation will be done very seriously and we will take all necessary actions," said state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi. State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi assured that a case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the management team of the Morbi bridge after the traffic incident. "Cases under sections 304, 308 and 114 of IPC have been registered on the management team of the bridge," he said. State Home Minister Sanghavi informed that the SDRF and Police are already at the site for the rescue operation. "Prime Minister's Office has extended massive support to carry out the rescue operation. SDRF and Police are already at the site," he said in the press conference. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi also inspected the incident site in Morbi on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held at the Morbi District Collector's office to analyse the situation of the accident comprehensively. Earlier, The Indian Naval Station Valsura in Jamnagar, Gujarat sent a team of more than 40 personnel for rescue operations including marine commandos and seamen in Morbi after the cable bridge collapsed. The defence officials further informed that an Indian Army team from an artillery brigade near Dhrangdhra, including doctors and paramedical staff, has already reached the accident site in Morbi. "An Indian Army team from an artillery brigade near Dhrangdhra including doctors & paramedical staff has already reached the accident site in Morbi & taking part in rescue & relief ops. Another Army team with doctors and other relief materials is reaching the site shortly," said the defence officials. The Indian Air Force plane, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team, will take off for the relief operation in Morbi after the cable bridge collapse incident that took place in Gujarat on Sunday evening, informed the defence officials. "Helicopters have been put on standby for rescue operations in Jamnagar and other nearby locations. Garud commandos have been sent from Bhuj and other locations for Morbi," said Defence officials. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata, Oct 31 (PTI) In the backdrop of the collapse of the bridge at Morbi in Gujarat, the West Bengal government on Monday sought the health reports of cable-stayed bridges from the administrations of the districts where they are located, a senior official said here. Also Read | ITBP Recruitment 2022: Applications Begin for Over 180 Posts of Constable, Head Constable At recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in; Here's How to Apply. Also Read | Red Light on Gaadi off: Delhi Govt Resubmits File 'With Evidence' for LG Vinai Kumar Saxena's Nod. Engineers of the state public works department were asked to send reports on the health of the bridges within 24 hours to the state secretariat, he said. State PWD minister Pulak Roy will hold a meeting with departmental engineers on Tuesday on the health of the bridges, the official said. "We cannot take any chances and must take precautionary measures so that there is no repetition of the Gujarat mishap. The PWD minister has asked the engineers to file a report regarding the health of the cable stayed bridges in different districts," he said. At least 134 persons died in the collapse of the bridge over Machchhu river in Gujarat. Roy, when contacted told PTI that the meeting is a part of the "review" his department conducts annually. "This is a review meeting and I will talk to the engineers. I will talk to them and seek a report and take necessary action in case it is needed," Roy said. Bengal has witnessed three major bridge collapses since 2011 in which the lives of several people were claimed. On October 22 in 2011, 32 people were killed and over 60 injured at Bijanbari in Darjeeling district when an old wooden footbridge over a spring gave way during a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha meeting. About five years later on 31 March 2016, a 150-m steel span of under-construction Vivekananda Road flyover in the city collapsed killing 27 people and 50 others injured. Two and half years later on September 4, 2018, three persons were killed and 24 were injured after a portion of an over-50-year-old Majerhat bridge caved in following heavy rainfall in the city. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, Oct 31 (PTI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Monday sought to dispel misgivings arising out of his boss Nitish Kumar's absence in the RJD campaigns for the upcoming by-polls to two seats. The RJD heir apparent asserted that the chief minister was staying away from campaigns because of an injury though the latter's JD(U) was helping the RJD in the by-elections to Mokama and Gopalganj assembly seats. Also Read | Had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Been India's First PM, Many Problems Would Not Have Occurred, Says Amit Shah on Former Home Ministers Birth Anniversary. "Nitish Kumar ji is the leader of the Mahagathbandhan and both RJD candidates are in the fray on behalf of the coalition. He may not be in touch with them physically but his blessings (unka sandesh) keep reaching them," said Yadav. He was responding to queries about the BJP's claim that Kumar was staying away from campaign because he had grown "asahaj" (uncomfortable) in the Grand Alliance which he joined two months ago after quitting NDA. Also Read | Tripura Shocker: Woman Gang-Raped in Moving Car, Husband Accomplice in Horrific Act; Claims Cops Refused to Register FIR. The CM is nursing injuries he had sustained a fortnight ago while riding a steamer which crashed into a pillar of a bridge over the river Ganges. The RJD leader said "the BJP is jittery, the party knows that it stands no chance in either seat. That is why its leaders from across the state, and even outside, are touring the two constituencies". He also disclosed that he has three rallies lined up for the two assembly segments where the campaign will come to a close on Tuesday and voting is scheduled on Thursday. "JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan and parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha are among those who will accompany me to the three rallies - two at Mokama and one in Gopalganj," said Yadav. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, Oct 31 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday trained his guns at his former ally, the BJP over his bete noire Chirag Paswan joining its campaign for by-polls to two assembly seats in the state. Also Read | Mario Kart Most Stressful Game, Playing It Can Increase Your Heart Rate, Finds Study. Also Read | Allahabad High Court Recruitment 2022: Vacancies Notified for 3932 Stenographer and Other Posts, Apply Online at recruitment.nta.nic.in. The JD(U) leader sarcastically remarked that Paswan was doing the "right thing" (theek kar raha hai) by coming out in the open in support of BJP. "Everybody remembers what had happened to us during the last assembly polls," he said when asked by journalists about Paswan's announcement here the previous day. In the 2020 state assembly poll JD(U)'s tally had plummeted to 43 from 71 five years earlier. One of the major factors responsible for its drubbing was the rebellion of Paswan, who then headed the LJP founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan. Vowing to dislodge Kumar from power and help BJP form its own government, though it was fighting the polls as an ally of the chief minister, Paswan had fielded his own candidates, many of them saffron party rebels, in all seats contested by the JD(U). "I had such a long association with his father, had supported him at critical junctures," remarked Kumar, indirectly rubbishing Paswan's repeated charge that the chief minister had been disrespectful towards his late father. Kumar had proposed that Paswan become the chief minister when in February, 2005, the Bihar assembly poll threw up a hung house and the LJP had won a number of seats that were sizeable enough to help the NDA form the government. Paswan, who was then a minister in the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, had, however, balked at the suggestion and President's rule was imposed in Bihar after the assembly got dissolved on the then Governor Buta Singh's recommendation. In the election that followed, NDA got a majority and Kumar went on to make history. The longest-serving CM, who first broke his alliance with BJP in 2013, and again in August this year, reiterated that he has burnt his bridges with the saffron party, calling the realignment in 2017 a "mistake" (galti ho gayi thi). Turning towards young RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who is back as his deputy, the septuagenarian Kumar said "We now have to nurture him" (ab isko badhava dena hai). The chief minister said that though injuries in a recent mishap were keeping him away from campaigning for the by-polls to Gopalganj and Mokama he is receiving feedback. "The RJD is going to win both seats comfortably". He also expressed grief over the bridge collapse at Morbi in Gujarat that killed at least 134 people. "Such an incident has been unheard of. The government of that state must look into it," the Bihar chief minister 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, Oct 31 (PTI) The National Restaurant Association of India on Monday welcomed Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena's decision to form a committee to ease licensing processes for hotels and restaurants. NRAI treasurer Manpreet Singh said they had met the LG last month and shared with him various issues faced by the industry in procuring licenses. Also Read | Gujarat Bridge Collapse: PM Narendra Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting To Review Situation in Morbi, Briefed on Rescue and Relief Operations. "We had told him that there are difficulties in procuring clearances from police and the fire department. This is a welcome move by him. There are grey areas in the law and it is hoped that these will be addressed," he told PTI. Saxena has set up a high-power committee to ease licensing processes and requirements for restaurants and hotels, a move officials said will provide a fillip to the hospitality sector and make way for dining till late hours and on terraces. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. The committee will be headed by the principal secretary for home and comprise senior representatives from the Income Tax Department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), according to officials. The LG has directed the committee to submit its report and recommendations within 15 days, they said. The licensing processes and requirements are often found to be outdated, unnecessarily restrictive, coercive and discretionary. "They have often led to complaints of harassment and corruption as well, resulting in the fact that unlike other global and Indian cities, Delhi's hospitality sector has yet not achieved its full potential," an official said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hisar, Oct 31 (PTI) Past political rivalry between the Bhajan Lal and Devi Lal families notwithstanding, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Monday campaigned for BJP leader Kuldeep Bishnoi's son Bhavya for the November 3 Adampur bypolls. Chautala addressed a rally in Balsamand village in Adampur here and appealed people to vote for Bhavya and make him victorious with a big margin. He assured the villagers that more momentum will be brought in the development of the area in the coming days. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Indian Youth Congress Takes Out Candle March To Pay Tribute to Victims. The bypoll was necessitated after Kuldeep Bishnoi, the younger son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, resigned as MLA from the seat and switched sides from the Congress to the BJP in August. His son had also quit the Congress and joined the BJP. The deputy chief minister also said that the opposition only does politics of "illusion, lies and deception". Also Read | Maharashtra: One Farmer Commits Suicide Every 8 Hours, Claims State Congress Chief Nana Patole; Seeks Dismissal of Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis Govt. On the Congress, he said everyone knows its state of affairs and that the people of Adampur will ensure its heavy defeat in the bypolls. Later, interacting with the media in Balsamand, Chautala said Congress leaders are talking about Bharat Jodo, but first they should "unite their party which is in complete disarray". Everyone knows about factionalism in the Congress, he said while referring to the party unit in Haryana. "Factionalism has come to the fore in the Adampur by-election too. Where are Congress leaders Kumari Selja, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Kiran Choudhary?They still have not come to Adampur to campaign for the Congress candidate," he said. Chautala also took a dig at former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his MP son Deepender Singh Hooda, saying the Congress in Haryana has now become a "father-son party". On the occasion, Bhavya Bishnoi said Dushyant Chautala has achieved success in political arena due to his dedication, hard work and positive thinking. He said he is inspired by the JJP leader and urged all youth to take inspiration from him. Notably, Kuldeep Bishnoi was recently quizzed about the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) not seen engaged in campaigning and whether there was any strain in the BJP-JJP alliance. To this question, Kuldeep had replied, No, there is no such thing. Our alliance is very good and there is no strain... we are fighting this election jointly and we will win." While Kuldeep Bishnoi is the younger son of former Haryana chief minister late Bhajan Lal, JJP leader Dushyant Chautala is former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's great grandson. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Hisar, Brijendra Singh, son of a senior BJP leader, JJP's Dushyant Chautala and Bhavya, who was then in the Congress, contested against each other. Brijendra had won the seat as the BJP swept all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the parliamentary polls. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh, Oct 31 (PTI) The 16-member team of Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Punjab Police has been awarded the Union Home Minister's Special Operation Medal for 2022, an official statement said. The awardees include AGTF chief Additional Director General of Police Promod Ban and his team members -- Deputy Inspector General Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Assistant IG Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, AIG Sandeep Goel, Deputy Superintendent of Police Bikramjit Singh Brar and other cops of sub inspector and assistant sub inspector ranks. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. The AGTF headed by Ban was constituted on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to stamp out gangsters and anti-social elements from the state using intelligence-based inputs and coordinating with field units of Punjab Police, said the statement. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav has been personally supervising the functioning of the AGTF, it said. Also Read | ITBP Recruitment 2022: Applications Begin for Over 180 Posts of Constable, Head Constable At recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in; Here's How to Apply. Yadav, while congratulating the AGTF team, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Home Affairs for recognising the services of the officers. "This recognition will boost the morale of entire Punjab Police force and encourage them to work with more dedication and devotion, he said. Since the constitution of the AGTF, the force has excelled in several courageous operations resulting in neutralising and arresting many gangsters, while forcing numerous anti-social elements to leave the state, it said. These special operations by the AGTF led to the neutralisation of two dreaded gangsters and the timely arrest of 12 gangsters, besides, the recovery of 24 weapons, 1.05 kg heroin and Rs 79.27 lakh cash and 11 vehicles and a police uniform from their possession. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh, Oct 31 (PTI) In a major spike in stubble burning incidents, Punjab on Monday reported 2,131 farm fires, the highest so far this season, with Sangrur accounting for 330. With the fresh incidents of stubble burning, the cumulative farm fire cases between September 15 and October 31 reached 16,004, according to Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data. Also Read | Gujarat Bridge Collapse: PM Narendra Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting To Review Situation in Morbi, Briefed on Rescue and Relief Operations. During the same period in 2020 and 2021, the state had recorded 29,615 and 13,124 stubble burning incidents, respectively. Of the total 2,131 stubble burning incidents on Monday, Sangrur witnessed the highest number of cases at 330, followed by 250 in Ferozepur, 202 in Patiala, 178 in Bathinda, 174 in Tarn Taran, 126 in Barnala, 123 in Mansa and 112 in Jalandhar. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. Despite a massive awareness exercise by the state government to dissuade farmers from setting crop residue on fire, the growers continue to burn paddy straw to clear their fields for sowing the next crop -- wheat and vegetables. Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua took stock of the incidents of stubble burning with secretary in-charges of various districts. Janjua instructed the secretary in-charges to determine the responsibility of 'nambardars' (revenue record keepers in villages) to prevent paddy stubble burning incidents, saying that they should be tasked with sensitising farmers against burning crop residue. Accountability of the 'nambardars' should be fixed if any fire incidents take place in their concerned villages, the chief secretary said in an official release here. He also directed the officials to pay more attention during the next few days to prevent incidents of stubble burning and control farm fires. "There should be more focus on hotspots of stubble burning and the administration should be more vigilant in the villages, where cases of fire have been reported in the last few years," Janjua said. Expressing concern over the difference in the number of stubble burning incidents detected through physical and satellite verification, he asked the officials to focus on areas captured by optical satellite data analysis by the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre (PRSC). He said that stubble burning on government land on lease will not be tolerated at any cost. Janjua lauded the Gurdaspur district administration for utilising fire tenders to douse farm fires and instructed all deputy commissioners to rope in fire tenders in their respective districts for the job. Taking stock of the in-situ and ex-situ management of crop residue, the CS directed the officials to explore the possibility of setting up paddy straw bale plants at the cluster level in villages, adding that this will help in immediate management of stubble. He also said that the deputy commissioners should specially honour such farmers at the district level who shun the practice of stubble burning. Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is one of the reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November. As the window for sowing rabi crop wheat after paddy harvest is very short, farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear the crop residue. Punjab generates around 180 lakh tonnes of paddy straw annually. The state recorded 71,304 farm fires in 2021, 76,590 in 2020, 55,210 in 2019, 50,590 in 2018, 45,384 in 2017 and 81,042 in 2016. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jodhpur, October 31: Police on Monday said they have arrested the son of BJP legislator Jogeshwar Garg in a dowry harassment case. Prakash surrendered before the police on Sunday evening after the high court vacated the stay on his arrest, they said. Prakash's wife Mamta, who is also the daughter of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLD) legislator Pukhraj Garg, had filed the complaint against him and his parents in 2020. The case had been investigated by CIB-CB, women's police station in-charge Kiran Godara said. BJP Corporator Baddam Prem Maheswar Reddy Arrested for Kidnapping Political Rivals Son in Hyderabad. "Prakash had moved the high court seeking a stay on the arrest and it was granted. On September 11, the court vacated the stay," Godara said. Prakash was produced in court on Monday and was remanded in two-day police custody, the official said. BJP MP Hari Manjhi's Son Arrested For Consuming Liquor in Dry State Bihar. Jogeshwar Garg and wife Kamla are out on bail. Prakash and Mamta got married on February 7, 2007, but their relationship strained soon after. In her complaint, Mamta alleged that she suffered four miscarriages as her husband and in-laws used to beat her up indiscriminately. She said she also suffered head injuries during one such assault and had to undergo treatment in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. Mamta also alleged that Prakash was a womaniser and that he used to force her to consume liquor and smoke cigarettes. She claimed that she refrained from lodging a complaint for many years because of societal pressure. Further, she said Prakash had taken huge sums of money from her father. Jogeshwar Garg is an MLA from Jalore and a BJP whip in Rajasthan Assembly, while Mamta's father Pukhraj Garg won his maiden election from Jodhpur's Bhopalgarh constituency on RLD ticket in 2018. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) The Congress on Monday paid tributes to India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, with former party chief Rahul Gandhi saying the most fitting tribute to him would be to keep the flame of unity he ignited shining brighter than ever. Patel is considered the chief architect of integration of the erstwhile princely states with the Union of India. Also Read | Following the Ideals of Sardar Patel, We Need to Stand Together to Fight the Evils of Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's ironclad will united India. The most fitting tribute to him would be to keep the flame of unity he ignited shining brighter than ever," Gandhi said in a tweet. The Congress, from its official Twitter handle, said, "We pay our heartfelt tributes to the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on his birth anniversary. It was for his iron will that the nation was weaved into a union." Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Boy Dies at Home While Enacting Hanging of Shaheed Bhagat Singh for School Event in Chitradurga. "A great son of Bharat Mata, he continues to inspire us to fight the forces of hate & division," the party said. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hailed Patel on his 147th birth anniversary. "In October 2011, I was privileged to deliver the Sardar Patel Memorial lecture in which I presented a side of his that is not very well know - his wit and humour," Ramesh tweeted. "Irrespective of whatever the Distorians peddle, Patel and Nehru former an unique jugalbandhi for almost 30 years that shaped modern India," he said and shared a photograph of Nehru and Patel together. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday quashed a criminal defamation complaint against India Today Chairperson Aroon Purie over an article published in the magazine in 2007 but denied relief to its author. The apex court, which observed that nothing specific has been attributed to Purie in the allegations made in the complaint, also allowed the appeals filed by three public servants against the April 2021 judgement of the Delhi High Court. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. The HC had dismissed their pleas seeking quashing of the summoning order passed by a magisterial court. A bench comprising Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi, however, rejected the appeal by the journalist who had authored the alleged defamatory article. Also Read | ITBP Recruitment 2022: Applications Begin for Over 180 Posts of Constable, Head Constable At recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in; Here's How to Apply. In light of these principles, if we consider the assertions and allegations made in the complaint, we find that nothing specific has been attributed to A-1 (Purie), Editor-in-Chief. "He cannot, therefore, be held liable for the acts committed by the author of the article, namely, A-2. The allegations made in the complaint completely fall short of making out any case against A-1, the bench said in its 17-page judgement. The defamation complaint was filed over a news article Mission Misconduct' published in the magazine in April 2007 and it reported allegations against an Indian Mission official then posted in Edinburgh. The news article had referred to some allegations against an Indian official allegedly seeking some favours and financial irregularities. In its verdict, the apex court said that with regard to the role ascribed to the author of the article, it must be stated at this stage that as an author of the article his case stands on a different footing. Whether what he did was an act which was justified or not would be a question of fact to be gone into only at the stage of the trial, it said. The bench said insofar as the public servants are concerned, they are not primarily responsible for the article and their responsibility, if at all, is only to the extent that they either reported something touching upon the complaint made by A-12 or in their capacity as public servants, reported something to their seniors. Referring to a previous judgement delivered by the apex court, the bench said going by the law laid down by the top court, their (public servants') actions are completely protected. In the circumstances, we accept the appeals insofar as A-1 and the public servants (A-3, A-4 and A-8) are concerned and set aside the summoning order, as well as, quash complaint... lodged against them. We, however, reject the appeal preferred by A-2, the apex court said. A trial court here had in April 2013 found sufficient material to proceed against six persons for the alleged commission of offences punishable under some sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including section 500 (punishment for defamation). Aggrieved by the summoning order, Purie as well as the author of the article and some public servants had approached the high court seeking quashing of the summoning order as well as the complaint filed against them. The high court had dismissed these petitions. In its verdict, the top court noted the question whether the benefit of any of the exceptions to section 499 of the IPC can be availed of and on the strength of such exceptions, the proceedings can be quashed at the stage when an application moved under section 482 of the Code is considered? Section 499 of the IPC pertains to defamation, while section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure deals with inherent powers of the high court. It is thus clear that in a given case, if the facts so justify, the benefit of an exception to section 499 of the IPC has been extended and it is not taken to be a rigid principle that the benefit of the exception can only be afforded at the stage of the trial, said the bench, which referred to some previous judgements delivered by the apex court. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the appeal of India Today Chairperson Aroon Purie against a criminal defamation complaint filed against him for an alleged defamatory article published in the magazine in 2007. A bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, however, refused to allow the plea of the journalist who had authored the alleged defamatory article in the India Today magazine. Also Read | Bestiality Horror in Mumbai: Man Sexually Assaults Stray Dog Behind Heera Panna Mall in Powai, Arrested. We have accepted the appeal preferred by Poorie and dismissed the appeal by the journalist. We have allowed the appeal by public servants as well, said the CJI while pronouncing the verdict. The defamation complaint was filed over a news article Mission Misconduct" published in the magazine and it has reported allegations against an Indian Mission official then posted in Edinburgh. Also Read | LVM3-M3 Mission: ISRO Gearing Up for Launching 2nd Set of 36 OneWeb Satellites in January 2023. The new article had referred to some allegations against an Indian official allegedly seeking some favours and financial irregularities. (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], October 31 (ANI): The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to the Centre on a plea challenging the government's decision to enable Aadhaar-Voter Card linkage. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka sought a response from the Centre and tagged the petition filed by former Major General SG Vombatkere with a similar pending matter. Also Read | Red Light on Gaadi off: Delhi Govt Resubmits File 'With Evidence' for LG Vinai Kumar Saxena's Nod. The plea challenged the power of the Election Commission of India to use the Aadhaar database in the process of deletion and updation of entries in the electoral roll. It challenged the constitutional vires of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 and amended Section 23 and Section 28 of the Representation of People's Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2022 and two notifications regarding Aadhaar-Voter Card linkage. Also Read | Workforce Reduction: Overall Job Cuts No More Than 5% To Avoid Role Duplication, Says BYJU's CEO Raveendran. Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench that the right to vote is one of the most sacred rights and it should not be denied if an individual lacks Aadhaar. Divan argued that as per the Supreme Court judgment which upheld the Aadhaar Act 2016, an Aadhaar card could be used only for providing benefits and cannot be insisted on when a citizen is exercising rights. Earlier, the Centre had amended the Registration of Electors Rules to allow linking Aadhaar details with a voters list to weed out duplicate entries and make election law gender-neutral for service voters. As per the petition, the exercise sanctioned under the Act, Rules and the notifications pose a major threat to the independence of the Election Commission as the preparation of electoral rolls is made dependent on the processes and systems of Aadhaar/UIDAI that it has no control over. It further stated that through the Act and Rules issued by the Central government, the Election Commission of India seeks to mandate people to link their Aadhaar numbers to the electoral rolls. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata, Oct 31 (PTI) Former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee's judicial custody was extended separately by two special courts on prayers by the CBI and the ED in connection with their investigation into the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam. A special PMLA court here, before which Chatterjee was produced over a virtual platform, granted the plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and extended his judicial custody till November 30. Praying for his bail before the court, Chatterjee's lawyers submitted that he is an aged person with several ailments and has been in custody for 99 days. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. They claimed that no evidence has been collected by the investigating agency to establish the allegations levelled against Chatterjee. The ED arrested Chatterjee on July 23 in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in the recruitment scam. The CBI later took him in its remand, on a court order, for questioning. Also Read | ITBP Recruitment 2022: Applications Begin for Over 180 Posts of Constable, Head Constable At recruitment.itbpolice.nic.in; Here's How to Apply. Thereafter, he has been in judicial custody in connection with the CBI and the ED cases. His alleged close associate Arpita Mukherjee was also arrested on the same day by the ED after Rs 49.80 crore in cash, apart from bullion, jewellery and property deeds, were seized by the agency from two apartments owned by her in Kolkata. Opposing the bail prayer, ED counsel submitted that Chatterjee and Mukherjee have been found to be involved in money laundering and claimed that ED has traced more than 100 bank accounts used for such acts. The counsel claimed that ED is in the process of examining these accounts. The court also extended the judicial remand of Mukherjee, who did not move any bail prayer. Earlier in the day, the judge of the special CBI court here, before whom Chatterjee was produced physically, too, rejected a bail prayer of the former minister and further remanded him in judicial custody till November 14. Answering queries from the media on whether he still owed allegiance to the Trinamool Congress, Chatterjee, while being taken out of the special CBI court at Alipore, said, "I am with my party." Chatterjee was relieved of his ministerial duties by the Mamata Banerjee government following his arrest by the ED. He held the parliamentary affairs, and industry and commerce portfolios when he was arrested. The ruling TMC also removed him from all posts he held in the party, including that of its secretary general. Chatterjee held the education portfolio when irregularities in appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and -aided schools took place in 2014, allegedly on the recommendations of the SSC. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Morbi, October 31: More than 100 deaths have been reported till early morning in Morbi hanging bridge collapse incident case. Around 177 people have been rescued after the disaster. Around 19 people are under treatment, as per Gujarat Information Department. On the other hand, teams including Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF, and Fire Brigade conducted a search operation throughout the night to find the Garkaw victims in Macchu river after the bridge collapsed, as per officials. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 77, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel Announces Compensation. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister of State for Home Affairs Harshbhai Sanghvi, Minister Brijeshbhai Merja, and Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani reached the incident spot at midnight and personally observed the rescue operation and gave directions. According to the details from the district administration, after the suspension bridge mishap, the system was immediately activated and rescue operations started with the help of local people. Besides this, teams from other places also started reaching the spot. On the other hand, around 40 doctors from various health centres, Rajkot PDU Hospital and Surendranagar Civil Hospital started emergency treatment at Morbi Civil Hospital. After the collapse of the bridge, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation boat and rescue materials including life jackets reached Morbi and started the rescue operation. 25 to 108 emergency ambulances from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh Metropolitan Municipality and Morbi Municipality were running throughout the night to bring the injured to the hospital immediately. Several private ambulances were also involved in the rescue operation. Army team from Surendranagar joined with its three ambulances and equipment, informed the officials. Apart from this, three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Vadodara and two teams from Gandhinagar together with 110 members of five teams reached the spot by air and land and speeded up the rescue work. While two platoons of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Jamnagar, and 3 platoons each from Gondal and Vadodara, a total of 149 members also reached the spot, informed defence officials. A team of Jamnagar Garuda Commando and two companies from Surandnagar and Bhuj were also on foot for this rescue operation. Seven teams of the Rajkot Fire Brigade reached 10 boats. 50 divers from 2 teams of nine armies from Jamnagar and Porbandar joined the operation to find the missing persons in the Machu river, as per officials. The search operation was conducted throughout the night by the teams involved in the rescue work and the officers who were on foot. Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Bridge Opened for Public Without Issuance of Fitness Certificate, Says Civic Official. Meanwhile, Commissioner of Municipalities Rajkumar Beniwal, Morbi District Collector G.T. Pandya, Rajkot District Collector Arun Mahesh Babu, Regional Commissioner of Rajkot District Municipalities Dhimant Vyas, Morbi District Development Officer Parag Bhagdev, Morbi District Police Chief Rahul Tripathi along with the convoy of officials and employees remained on foot all night. Moreover, the local people were also helping in the functioning of the system. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, Oct 31 (PTI) The High Court of Karnataka has quashed a case against an alleged Campus Front of India (CFI) member, who shouted slogans against the Supreme Court judgement in the Babri Masjid case, because the police had failed to seek sanction from the government before charging him under Section 153A of IPC. However, the court has said that shouting slogans against the judgement amounted to spreading hatred among communities which cannot be taken lightly. Also Read | Instagram Down: Photo-Sharing App Suffers Global Outage Including India, Second Time in Past 7 Days. The court noted that the accused Safwan "went along with the others with the banner of CFI and protested against the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court delivered in Ayodhya-Babri Masjid case which is nothing but promoting enmity between two groups on the ground of religion." This is an act which is prejudicial to maintenance of harmony in Mangaluru area, where the accused persons agitated against the judgment, and it cannot be taken lightly, the court further said. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Indian Youth Congress Takes Out Candle March To Pay Tribute to Victims. Safwan was charged under Section 153A read with Section 149 of Indian Penal Code and Section 3 of Karnataka Open Space Disfigurement Act by the Konaje police in Mangaluru. Section 153A of IPC states "whoever commits an offence specified in sub-section (1) in any place of worship or in any assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine." But under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code, sanction of the government is necessary to file a case under Section 153A of IPC. It was alleged that on November 17, 2019, Safwan and other accused had shouted slogans near the Mangaluru University and "also affixed the posters in public places near the Badria Jumma Masjid, Deralakatte with a caption "all should awake against refusal and for justice and to raise slogan" and also in the university campus at Mangaluru calling the public, especially, the Muslim community to raise slogans against the violation of justice in respect of the judgment delivered in Ayodhya-Babri Masjid case by the Hon'ble Supreme Court." Justice K Natarajan quashed the case pending against Safwan on October 14. Last month, the central government banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliate organisations, including the Campus Front of India, for five years over alleged links to terrorism. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) Chief Justice of India (CJI) U U Lalit on Monday said late jurist Soli Sorabjee was a true legal and constitutional philosopher as well as a social engineer. Speaking at the release of a book titled "Soli Sorabjee - A Great Maestro", the CJI said he worked as a junior lawyer in Sorabji's chambers for about five-and-a-half years and every case that the renowned jurist argued set an example for his juniors. Also Read | Gujarat Bridge Collapse: PM Narendra Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting To Review Situation in Morbi, Briefed on Rescue and Relief Operations. "All his cases bring goosebumps to me. These cases were milestones in my career. I have spent five-and-a-half years with this legendary man, who was a true legal and constitutional philosopher, a social engineer. Whenever an opportunity came by, he never lost it and utilised the most of it," the CJI said. Justice D Y Chandrachud also spoke on the occasion and said Sorabjee brought a joyous zest of human experience to the solemnity of law. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 People Suffocate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank. "It is said that the fields of mimicry, jazz music suffered a great loss when Sorabjee decided to join law," Justice Chandrachud said. Sorabji's voice was an important one in the constitutionalisation of Indian administrative law, he added. "It is a widely reported perception that judgments are a product of the craftsmanship of the judges who author them and they are the sole torch-bearers of creating a just constitutional order. "The role of lawyers in creating a just socio-political order is often focused on their contribution outside courts through their social and political movements. Due regard and appreciation is not given to lawyers, who build the jurisprudence through their submissions in the courts," Justice Chandrachud said. During his long and illustrious career, Sorabjee donned many roles and robes, Justice Chandrachud said, adding that he was an excellent jurist and a defender of human rights. "But the story would remain incomplete without a preview into Sorabjee's role as an extraordinary mentor who trained many of us at the bar and bench. We not only honed our legal craft at his chambers, but also learnt by example that our fidelity to the Constitution must not be compromised," he said. "Soli Sorabjee - A Great Maestro" has been written by lawyer V Sudhish Pai. Former chief justice of India M N Venkatachaliah, Attorney General R Venkataramani, former attorney general K K Venugopal and senior advocate Fali S Nariman also spoke on the occasion. Sorabjee had served as the attorney general from 1989 to 1990 and then, from 1998 to 2004. He died on April 30, 2021 at the age of 91. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Oct 31 (PTI) Amid a row over Tata-Airbus picking Gujarat to set up the aircraft manufacturing project, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said officials of the consortium had last year rued the "lack of conducive" atmosphere in the state. Also Read | Had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Been India's First PM, Many Problems Would Not Have Occurred, Says Amit Shah on Former Home Ministers Birth Anniversary. Amid a row, he claimed the decision to shift the project was taken when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister. Also Read | Tripura Shocker: Woman Gang-Raped in Moving Car, Husband Accomplice in Horrific Act; Claims Cops Refused to Register FIR. The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was in power in Maharashtra from November 2019 to June 2022. Fadnavis' revelation came amid a tussle between the ruling Eknath Shinde dispensation and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)-led opposition over the Rs 22,000 crore project to manufacture C-295 military transport aircraft moving from Maharashtra to Vadodara in Gujarat. "I had personally invited the chiefs of the Tata Airbus Defence projects on April 24, 2021, at my residence 'Sagar', despite being a leader of opposition in the state. I spoke to them and told them as a senior leader I will speak with the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to keep the project in Maharashtra. "However, they told me 'yahan ka mahol investment jaise nahi hai, Devendraji' (the atmosphere in the state is not worth an investment)," he told reporters. Fadnavis, who was the chief minister from 2014 to 2019, said he was following up with the companies since 2016 and kept doing it till 2019. "After the new government (Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi) was formed, I noticed some decisions taken earlier were being changed," he alleged. Fadnavis said, in one of the early meetings with officials of the companies (Tata-Airbus consortium), he had offered extra facilities to ensure the project remains in Maharashtra, but the state government that took over (in late 2019) did nothing to retain the project. "I had even passed a message in 2021 to then (state nodal investment promotion agency) MIDC CEO to pass it on to state industries minister and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. However, no action was taken. Not a single letter was sent to keep the project here. "The MoU signing and the decision to shift the project to Gujarat was taken during Thackeray's tenure as chief minister of Maharashtra," Fadnavis said. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader went on to allege the project was possibly opposed (by the then state government) as it was coming to Nagpur, which is his home district. "Some kind of fake narrative is being pushed in society by the opposition which wasted its two-and-half-year tenure only in criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "French (aviation) firm Safran opened its (aircraft MRO) facility in Hyderabad in Telangana in 2021. But the opposition is blaming us (Shinde-BJP dispensation) for losing that project," 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) Kanker, Oct 31 (PTI) Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Monday, a police official said. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 135, Gujarat Town To Observe Bandh To Mourn Deceased. The gunfight took place at around 4 am in a forest surrounding Kadme village under Siksod police station limits when separate teams of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Border Security Force (BSF) were out on an anti-Maoist operation, he said. Also Read | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Birth Anniversary 2022: President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Amit Shah Pay Tributes To 'Iron Man of India'. Some Maoists opened fire on the DRG's patrolling team following which the gun-battle broke out in the forest, located around 150 km from state capital Raipur, the official said. After guns fell silent, bodies of two Maoists were recovered from the spot, the official said, adding that their identity was yet to be ascertained. A search operation was underway in the nearby areas, 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) Budaun, October 31: In a suspected case of political rivalry, a village head and two members of his family were shot dead by unidentified assailants at their residence here on Monday, police said. The deceased have been identified as Rakesh Gupta (58), the village head of Sathra, his wife Sharda Devi (54) and his mother Shanti Devi (80). Earlier, Gupta was also a block pramukh and a member of the zila panchayat, they said. UP Shocker: Dying Man Cries for Help As Bystanders Film Him in Lakhimpur Kheri. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) O P Singh said he received information at around 6 pm about the triple murder in Sathra village under the Ushait police station area. According to initial findings, four unidentified attackers came on two motorcycles and entered Gupta's house from the rear door, he said. UP Shocker: SP Leader Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Wife, and Mother Found Dead in House in Badauns Satra Village. Gupta, his wife and his mother were asleep at the time of the incident, the police said. Family members of the deceased suspect political rivalry to be the motive behind the killings, they said. The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination, and a case will be registered on a complaint by the family members of the deceased. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thane, Oct 31 (PTI) A 32-year-old woman allegedly killed her two minor children and then tried to commit suicide in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 135, Gujarat Town To Observe Bandh To Mourn Deceased. The incident took place in Ghansoli area on Sunday and the reason behind it was yet to be ascertained, an official from Airoli police station said. Also Read | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Birth Anniversary 2022: President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Amit Shah Pay Tributes To 'Iron Man of India'. The woman's husband was out for work when she allegedly slit the throats of her four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son at their home, he said. When her husband returned at around 4 pm, he found the two children dead and his wife lying with her wrist slit, the official said. The woman was admitted to a local hospital and the bodies were sent to a government hospital for post-mortem, he said. The family was planning to go to their native place in Uttar Pradesh in a few days, the official said. The police have registered a case against the woman, who is still in the hospital, on the charge of murder and other relevant provisions, 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) Mumbai, Oct 31 (PTI) Diversified firm Jaidka Group-backed Stella Moto on Monday announced its entry into the domestic electric two-wheeler space and said it plans to launch first electric scooter 'Buzz' next month. The group already has its presence in both the passenger and cargo (L3 category) electric three-wheeler (L3) segments. Also Read | China Successfully Launches 2nd Lab Module Mengtian for Its Space Station, Spacecraft Reaches Intended Orbit. The Bengaluru-based Jaidka Group, which has presence in transport, automobile and logistics segments, has two manufacturing units -- at Howrah in West Bengal and at Hosur in Tamil Nadu -- with a cumulative capacity to produce 20,000 vehicles per annum. With the entry into the two-wheeler industry, Jaidka strengthens and intensifies its hold in the domestic EV space, the company said in a statement. Also Read | Tamil Nadu Foundation Day 2022 Date: History and Significance of Tamil Nadu Dhinam To Celebrate the Day It Became an Independent State. Stella also said it is looking at rolling out high-speed e-scooters and bikes, the plans for which will be announced in the coming months. These vehicles will be produced at the Hosur production facility, it added. "We have spent the last few years developing a strong R&D and technology infrastructure to create EVs. We are now prepared to introduce these vehicles with the best range, among others. "We've been watching the EV space evolve over the last few years and have identified some gaps, which we intend to fill with our new product offerings," said Gopal K Jaidka, director at Jaidka Group. The company said it plans to close this fiscal with sales of over 10,000 vehicles, and is looking to ramp up its capacity to 1,00,000 units. Stella also said that it intends to open retail outlets in key cities and has already appointed 55 authorised dealers, with the target to have 200 in the coming year. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], October 30 (ANI): Seismologists have developed a new method to scan the deep interior of planets in our solar system to confirm whether they have a core at the heart of their existence. The scanning method, which works in a similar way to an ultrasound scan using sound waves to generate images of a patient's body, requires only a single seismometer on a planet's surface in order to work. It can also be used to confirm the size of a planet's core. The research is published in Nature Astronomy. Also Read | IND vs SA, T20 World Cup 2022 Stat Highlights: Bowlers, David Miller and Aiden Markram Guide South Africa to Five-Wicket Win Over India. Using the ANU model to scan the entirety of Mars' interior, the researchers confirmed the Red Planet has a large core at its centre -- a theory first confirmed by a team of scientists in 2021. Study co-author Professor Hrvoje Tkalcic, from ANU, said based on data collected using the ANU technique, the researchers determined that the Martian core, which is smaller than Earth's, is about 3,620 kilometres in diameter. Also Read | Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Collapsed 143-Year-Old British-Era Cable Bridge Had Reopened Last Week on Gujarati New Year After Renovation. "Our research presents an innovative method using a single instrument to scan the interior of any planet in a way that's never been done before," he said. Confirming the existence of a planetary core, which the researchers refer to as the "engine room" of all planets, can help scientists learn more about a planet's past and evolution. It can also help scientists determine at what point in a planet's history a magnetic field formed and ceased to exist. The core plays an active role in sustaining a planet's magnetic field. In the case of Mars, it could help explain why, unlike Earth, the Red Planet no longer has a magnetic field -- something that is critical to sustaining all life forms. "Modelling suggests that the Martian core is liquid and while it is made up of mostly iron and nickel, it could also contain traces of lighter elements such as hydrogen and sulphur. These elements can alter the ability of the core to transport heat," lead author Dr Sheng Wang, who is also from ANU, said. "A magnetic field is important because it shields us from cosmic radiation, which is why life on Earth is possible." Using a single seismometer on Mars' surface, the ANU team measured specific types of seismic waves. The seismic waves, which were triggered by marsquakes, give off a spectrum of signals, or "echoes," that change over time as they reverberate throughout the Martian interior. These seismic waves pierce through and bounce off the Martian core. Professor Tkalcic said researchers are interested in the "late" and "weaker" signals that can survive hours after they are emitted from quakes, meteoroid impacts and other sources. "Although these late signals appear to be noisy and not useful, the similarity between these weak signals recorded at various locations on Mars manifests itself as a new signal that reveals the presence of a large core in the Red Planet's heart," Professor Tkalcic said. "We can determine how far these seismic waves travel to reach the Martian core but also the speed at which they travel through Mars' interior. This data helps us make estimations about the size of Mars' core." The researchers say their method of using a single seismometer to confirm the presence of a planetary core is also a "cost-effective solution." "There is a single seismic station on Mars. There were four of them on the Moon in 1970s. The situation of having a limited number of instruments is unlikely to change in the coming decades or even this century due to high cost," Dr Wang said. "We need an approach right now to use only a single seismometer to study planetary interiors." The researchers hope this new ANU-developed technique involving a single seismometer could be used to help scientists learn more about our other planetary neighbours, including the moon. "The US and China plan to send seismometers to the moon, and Australia also has ambitions to participate in future missions, so there's potential for further studies using new and more sophisticated instruments," Professor Tkalcic said. Dr Wang said: "Although there are many studies on planetary cores, the images we have of planetary interiors are still very blurry. But with new instruments and methods like ours we'll be able to get sharper images which will help us answer questions such as how big the cores are and whether they take a solid or liquid form. "Our method could even be used to analyse the Jupiter moons and the outer solar system planets that are solid." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kinshasa, October 31: Eleven people, including two police officers, were killed Sunday in a packed stadium in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Kinshasa. The stampede led to casualties as the stadium was packed beyond its volume of 80,000. As a result, when some of the crowd forced their way into the VIP and reserved sections, the situation turned ugly, Al Jazeera reported. The incident took place in the stadium where a massive concert of Africa's leading musician, 44-year-old Fally Ipupa was happening. However, the chaotic rush later forced the security officials to fire tear gas in order to disperse violent crowds in the streets outside the stadium. Stampede in South Korea: US President Joe Biden Expresses Grief Over Death of Two Americans in Crowd Crush at Halloween Party in Seoul. Video of Stadium: WATCH: #BNNCongoDR Reports. According to a police source, a stampede occurred on Saturday during the concert of Congolese superstar Fally Ipupa in the largest stadium in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was packed to the gills. #social pic.twitter.com/3OPEUZPRXC Gurbaksh Singh Chahal (@gchahal) October 30, 2022 People were gathered in huge numbers to witness the Kinshasa-born Ipupa, however, the situation turned nasty after the deadly crowd rush, Al Jazeera reported. In a separate incident, at least 26 foreign nationals from 14 countries were killed in Saturday's crowd crush in Itaewon, Seoul, taking the death toll to 153. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed an investigation. Stampede in Itaewon: S Jaishankar Expresses Grief Over Deadly Seoul Halloween Crowd Crush, Says India Stands in Solidarity With South Korea During This Difficult Time. "We will have relevant ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety conduct emergency inspections not only for Halloween events but also for local festivals and thoroughly manage them so they are conducted in an orderly and safe manner," Yoon said in a television statement on Sunday. At least 1,00,000 people were celebrating Halloween in Itaewon, central Seoul, popular for its nightlife. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Beijing, Oct 31 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will arrive here on Tuesday on his maiden two-day visit to China to felicitate President Xi Jinping on his re-election, amid turmoil at home and Beijing's increasing concerns over recurring attacks against the Chinese workers in the country. Sharif will be the first head of the government to felicitate 69-year-old Xi in person for securing an unprecedented third five-year term at the recently held Communist Party Congress, becoming the first leader after party founder Mao Zedong to continue in power after 10-year tenure. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rejects Imran Khan's Proposal on Appointment of Next Army Chief. All of Xi's predecessors retired after 10 years in office and considering his firming grip on the party and military, Xi like Mao is widely expected to continue in power for life. "I would like to express my heartiest felicitations to my brother General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China for starting a New Era of China's progress; and I say with complete confidence that it heralds the dawn of a brighter era of China-Pakistan friendship," Sharif said in an article published in the state-run Global Times here on Monday. Also Read | Russian Strikes Hit Critical Infrastructure in Ukraine, Most of Kyiv Without Water. Sharif along with some of the world leaders is visiting Beijing to greet Xi. Vietnam's Communist Party leader Phu Trong is the first guest honour invited by Xi. On Monday, Trong held talks with Xi who has announced plans to make China a modern socialist state. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will arrive in China on November 4 to meet Xi while Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, will come ahead of him on November 2 to felicitate the Chinese President. Besides Xi, Sharif will meet Premier Li Keqiang and Li Zhanshu, the Chairman of China's Parliament - the National People's Congress, to discuss the all-weather ties. Both Li Keqiang and Li Zhanshu are set to retire after March next year as a new set of leaders and officials will take over the party and government headed by Xi in his third five-year term. Ahead of Sharif's visit, Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the trip is also "expected to advance the wide-ranging bilateral cooperation agenda with the conclusion of a number of MoUs/Agreements in diverse areas, and consolidate the momentum of CPEC cooperation in the wake of the 11th meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on October 27, 2022." On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian lauded Sharif's praise for the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of Xi's pet initiative of the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India has objected to the CPEC as it is being laid through the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). "We highly appreciate Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remarks. We believe they show the importance he attaches to the visit to China," Zhao said. He also referred to the Kashmir issue in his article. "We seek friendly relations with our neighbouring countries on the basis of mutual respect and spirit of cooperation, and desire peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes including Kashmir issue through dialogue and diplomacy based on UN charter and resolutions," he said. This will be Sharif's second meeting with Xi after he assumed office in April 2022. He met Xi last month on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan. Sharif's visit is taking place amid political impasse in his country as former prime minister Imran Khan queered the pitch to press for elections with Long March and the deepening economic crisis. His trip to China comes at a time when cash-strapped Pakistan is making all efforts to arrange billions of dollars for payment of debts and bridge trade deficit. Pakistan owes Paris Club countries a combined sum of around USD 10.7 billion. Sharif is expected to make a case for Beijing to provide more help for his government to shore up the balance of payments position to avert a crisis similar to Sri Lanka. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan's total non-Paris Club bilateral debt currently stands at about USD 27 billion, of which Chinese debt is about USD 23 billion. Besides routine platitudes by Chinese officials like "all-weather friends" and "iron brothers", recent reports spoke of Beijing's increasing dissatisfaction over Pakistan's failure to deliver on a number of fronts including its failure to stop the recurring attacks on Chinese personnel by the militant groups. In his Samarkand meeting with Sharif, Xi had called for providing solid protection for hundreds of Chinese working on the CPEC projects. With recurring attacks on its workers, China is reportedly pressing Pakistan to permit the Chinese security agencies to provide security for their personnel which, according to press reports, Islamabad is resisting as it meant boots on the ground for Chinese armed forces. The issue is expected to figure again during Sharif's meeting here with Xi. China is also unhappy over the delays in the projects of the CPEC, which is the flagship scheme of Xi's multibillion-dollar pet project BRI, resulting in cost overruns and discontentment among Chinese investors. Last month, Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa held talks with Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe in a surprise visit to China ahead of his retirement amid reports that China is also concerned over Pakistan warming up to the US, the reported use of Pakistan air bases by American drones to conduct attack in Afghanistan. Chinese observers say that China is also increasingly worried about the continued political turmoil in Pakistan resulting in the weakening of its public institutions, especially the erosion of the influence of its military, over which Beijing banked on to sustain the close ties. About concerns over recurring attacks on Chinese in Pakistan, Sharif in the article said their protection is his top priority. "Safety and security of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan remains our top priority. The loss of precious Chinese lives in Pakistan is our loss. We would not let anyone damage our close friendship and strong economic partnership. My government would spare no effort to bring to justice the perpetrators of these reprehensible acts," he said. He also praised the CPEC, saying it is a "game changer." "As a game-changer for Pakistan and subsequently for the broader region, the CPEC is the central pillar of my government's development agenda. Under its rubric, the successful completion of energy and transport infrastructure projects have set the stage for Pakistan's economic revitalization and for laying a solid foundation for cooperation in diverse sectors, 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) Beijing [China], October 31 (ANI): Chinese leader Xi Jinping led members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau when they paid a visit to Yan'an, an old revolutionary base in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, state media reported. Xi, the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Thursday, was accompanied by other members of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee, Xinhua news agency reported. Also Read | Shanghai Disney Shuts Over COVID-19 Safety Measures, Visitors Unable to Leave Without Negative Report. They visited the site where the 7th CPC National Congress was held, a former residence of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, and an exhibition at the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall, which features the history of the 13 years during which the CPC Central Committee was based in Yan'an. A report published in The Washington Post described this visit as a symbolic field trip of his newly appointed top lieutenants to the base of Yan'an, the cradle of Mao Zedong's Communist Party takeover of the nation. Also Read | Instagram Down: Photo-Sharing App Suffers Global Outage Including India, Second Time in Past 7 Days. "Standing in the cave from which Mao led his Red Army troops, China's most powerful leader in decades delivered a warning about the need for loyalty, hard work and sacrifice. The party, Xi told the assembled leaders, must carry forward the Yan'an spirit," the American newspaper added. Guoguang Wu, a senior research scholar at the Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, said Xi is emphasizing that he succeeds the tradition of Mao. "Under his leadership, just like under Mao's leadership in the 1940s, the party will be able to gain whatever they would like to," he added. At the 20th National Congress, Communist Party Xi Jinping presented the Party's new central leadership at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where he secured a historic third term as the country's top leader. Top aides of Xi were promoted in CPC's Politburo Standing Committee to the top leadership. Through the 20th National Congress, CCP has demonstrated that Chairman Xi Jinping is the nucleus of power in China and that none can dare stand against him. Xi Jinping's historic third term as China's President will likely see more hardline policies out of Beijing on the economy, foreign relations and human rights, analysts told Washington-based Radio Free Asia (RFA). Xi had packed the Politburo Standing Committee with his close allies showing that he can now act as he pleases, according to Germany-based ethnic Mongolian rights activist Xi Haiming. "This is the last madness," Xi Haiming told a recent political forum in Taiwan. He said, "Xi has emerged, naked, as Emperor Xi, as a dictator." According to Wu Guoguang, Xi has more say over who gets to be premier -- his second-in-command Li Qiang -- than late supreme leader Mao Zedong did. "Xi Jinping wields greater power to appoint his preferred premier than Mao Zedong did," Wu told RFA. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By John Solomou Nicosia [Cyprus] October 31 (ANI): President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a speech made last Friday in Ankara which was presented as Erdogan's vision for Turkey in the next century but was generally seen as his election campaign manifesto for the coming elections next June, promised a new constitution that would guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens. Also Read | Pigeons Turn Into Zombie! Highly Infectious Disease Leaves Pigeons With Twisted Necks in UK, Terrifying Video Goes Viral. "The shelf life of the constitution of the Sept. 12 drafted after the military coup in 1980 has already expired," Erdogan declared. The Turkish President said that the new constitution would strengthen "the rule of law, pluralism and equality", even though in recent years his increasingly autocratic rule has seriously weakened all the above as shown by the relevant rankings of international organizations. Also Read | Cryptocurrency Fraud: Sri Lanka CID Arrest Chinese Couple for Over LKR 14 Billion Fraud. It should be noted that in The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index for 2021, which evaluates the rule of law in 139 countries or jurisdictions, Turkey ranked 117th out of 139 countries on the rule of law. In the 2022 World Press Freedom Index, prepared by Reporters Without Borders, Turkey ranked 149th among 180 countries. The relevant report warned that authoritarianism in Turkey was rising, and media pluralism was declining, while all possible means are used to undermine critics. Furthermore, according to the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2022, Turkey ranks 124th out of 146 countries, with respect to inequalities between men and women. One of the main causes for this is that women's income, on average was just 47 per cent of that of men. On October 28, Erdogan declared the "Century of Turkey vision." He claimed that on the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey next year - "the Century of Turkey" will start. "We want to make the 100th anniversary of our Republic the turning point of a new era that will change politics in Turkey with its style, functioning and results," he said. Continuing, Erdogan said: "Bringing a new constitution as a product of the national will, is one of the first goals of our Century of Turkey vision. We are determined to implement it with the approval of our parliament and the approval of our nation. It is the most fundamental right of our nation, which has paid the price of protecting its homeland for a thousand years, its Republic for a century, its democracy for 80 years, and its independence on July 15 (because of the failed coup attempt), to have such a constitution." Erdogan failed to mention that the constitution passed in 1982 was amended 19 times, and three referendums for the constitutional amendments were held in 2007, 2010 and 2017 under the ruling AKP. The constitutional referendum, held under a state of emergency in April 2017 (following the failed military coup attempt in 2016), brought by AKP and its ultra-right wing partner the MHP party, passed 18 amendments to the Turkish constitution which abolished the office of the Prime Minister and replaced the parliamentary system with an executive presidency and a presidential system, without meaningful checks and balances. The President was given sweeping new powers and is now head of state and Government. Moreover, he can exercise extensive control over appointments to the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), further weakening the independence of the justice system. In his speech, Erdogan said: "We are trying to save our country from the shame of the coup constitution and have a completely new, civil, democratic and libertarian constitution. The fact that we have pioneered many constitutional amendments during our governments does not prevent us from seeing and lamenting the ongoing deficiency in this matter." Continuing, he said that draft constitutional amendments would be submitted next week that would ensure "the education and employment rights of all our girls and sisters whether they wear headscarves or are uncovered, as well as protect our family institution from the threat of perverted currents." Erdogan and his ally Devlet Bahceli want to change the constitution in a way that suits their own election aims, but they do not have the necessary votes to do it. Bahceli wants to lower the election threshold from 10 to 7 per cent, as polls show that he has lost a sizeable part of his followers. Political observers expressed the view that Erdogan wants to get rid of an electoral rule that a presidential candidate must garner more than 50 per cent of the vote to avoid a second round of elections. The Erdogan-Bahceli alliance simply does not have the numbers required to achieve its aim. For a new constitution, 400 votes (of the 600-member Grand National Assembly) are required, while for a referendum there is a need for 360 votes. Currently, the AKP has 288 seats and MHP 48, that is the two parties jointly control 336 votes in the Parliament. They need at least 24 more to put the referendum to the public vote and so they must reach an agreement with some of the opposition parties. It is interesting to note that opposition parties are strongly in favour of changing the constitution, albeit for different reasons than those of Erdogan. On 28 last February, six opposition parties signed a long joint manifesto for the abolition of the executive presidential system and the restoration of civil liberties and the rule of law under a strengthened parliamentary system. They want to do away with the concentration of power into the hands of the president and want the president to merely have symbolic powers, while the executive power will be exercised by the council of ministers led by the prime minister. Their main problem is if they succeed in agreeing on a pre-electoral alliance for the upcoming elections and on a joint candidate that will be able to defeat Erdogan. Turkish journalist Murat Yetkin, in an article published several months ago, pointed out that "Erdogan could face two main problems. At first, what will he suggest to the opposition? What kind of articles Erdogan can place in his new draft that could please the opposition block, and how will he guarantee those articles will not be changed at the last minute during the Grand National Assembly vote? (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, Oct 31 (PTI) Imran Khan on Monday targeted the chief of the Election Commission of Pakistan and announced that he will file a Rs 10 billion defamation suit against him for destroying his reputation by disqualifying him, as the ousted premier addressed his supporters at the start of the fourth day of his long march. Khan has announced that his objective was to gain Haqeeqi Azadi (real freedom) through the march to Islamabad which in his words was possible if free and fair elections are held immediately. Also Read | Sriram Krishnan Helping Elon Musk with Changes At Twitter; Here's Everything You Need to Know About The Indian-Origin Techie. Khan, 70, was earlier this month disqualified from membership of the current National Assembly by a five-member panel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which was headed by its chief Sikandar Sultan Raja. Sikandar Sultan, I will take you to court so that in the future, you do not destroy anyone's reputation on someone else's instructions, Khan said while addressing PTI supporters at Kamonki at the start of the fourth day of his long march. Also Read | COVID-19 Lockdown in China: Apple Supply Chain Disrupted After Panicked Workers Flee Foxconn Factory in Zhengzhou (Watch Video). He alleged that the ECP's decisions against him in Toshakhana and prohibited funding cases were given on the instructions of the incumbent imported government. You (Sikandar) are friends of thieves and action will be taken, he said. According to Pakistan's law, any gift received from dignitaries of a foreign state must be put in the state depository or the Toshakhana. The former prime minister had earlier announced that he would file a defamation case against Raja. The former premier made the announcement while speaking to a private news channel. I will file a defamation lawsuit against CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja in Toshakhana reference and foreign funding case, Khan said in an interview and reiterated his demand for free and fair elections in the country under the new ECP chief. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief also said he would back out himself if any allegations against him in the cases were to be proven true. "Whenever courts against me prove that I have done an illegal thing, I will not wait for the court's decision to be issued and will back out on my own," Khan said. He also targeted the powerful establishment, saying that a country's establishment never stands against the nation. To those who let this group of robbers (an obvious reference to the country's rulers) impose on us, I am giving a message with due respect: For God's sake, listen to the nation's voice, he urged. Talking about his criticism of the Pakistan Army, Khan said he criticised them as a Pakistani who lives in and would die in Pakistan. Khan, who also won a national assembly seat in a by-election held on Sunday in Kurram district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, said: See where the nation is standing. He said the country would be strengthened when its institutions were strengthened. He kept up his trademark vitriolic attack against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and alleged that his opponent "polished the boots of those who were powerful and oppressed those who were weak". Earlier, he took to social media to say that he had witnessed a revolution taking over the country. The sea of people along our March on the GT Road. For 6 months, I have been witnessing a revolution taking over the country. The only question is will it be a soft one through the ballot box or a destructive one through bloodshed? he tweeted. Khan's convoy of vehicles was slowly moving towards Islamabad. The organisers have announced to stay at Gujranwala overnight to relaunch the march the next day. Before Gujranwala, Khan is expected to make a brief stopover at More Eminabad and address his supporters. Khan has been demanding early elections and he is leading the long march towards Islamabad to force his demands. The term of the National Assembly will end in August 2023 and fresh elections should be held within 60 days. Khan, who was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, has talked about a 'threat letter' from the US and claimed that it was part of a foreign conspiracy to remove him as he was not acceptable for following an independent foreign policy. The US has bluntly rejected the allegations. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Berlin [Germany], October 31 (ANI): Germany is re-evaluating its relationship with China after the outcome of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) - tough stand on Taiwan, industrial espionage, human rights violations in Xinjiang, and unfair competition. This move has irked China which has out-rightly rejected Germany's charges, urging later to view its ties with Beijing objectively, reported Voices Against Autocracy. Also Read | In a First, the Diwali Festival Celebration To Be Held in the Parliament House of Frankfurt, Germany. Moreover, at the 20th National Congress in China, the last few sensible leaders in CCP have been removed and Xi Jinping tightened his authoritarian rule and surrounded himself with only "yes men", pushing Germany to re-calibrate its relations with China. While efforts are on to prepare Germany's first China strategy document next year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that violence must be banned from international relations while commenting on the Taiwan question, reported Voices Against Autocracy. Also Read | Lockdown in China: Droves of Migrant Workers Flee From iPhone Factory in Coronavirus-Hit Zhengzhou, Videos Go Viral. The three-way coalition government that took office in December, is due to publish Germany's first China strategy document next year. Out of three, the Greens and Free Democrats, are more hawkish than Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), who want to avoid triggering a US-style Cold war with China. His remarks on Taiwan have to be seen in the context of the fact that China is Germany's most important trading partner. If Berlin takes a clear stand against Chinese efforts to retake Taiwan, this could risk serious conflict, above all in economic terms. However, the German leadership has decided to reduce its trade dependence on China. Currently, it is dependent on Chinese raw materials, batteries and semiconductors, reported Voices Against Autocracy. This could be one of the reasons why the Chancellor might approve the Chinese take-over of the German chip manufacturing firm Elmos. The semiconductor production of Dortmund-based Elmos is being taken over by Sweden's Silex, a wholly owned subsidiary of China's Sai Microelectronics. The said approval is being granted despite strong advice against the same by the German intelligence agency and warnings from the EU, besides warning from six of his own federal ministries, including Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, reported Voices Against Autocracy. Last month, Germany's economy minister Robert Habeck stated that the government was working on a new trade policy with China to reduce dependence on China, promising "no more naivety" in trade dealings with Beijing. Habeck said that China was a welcome trading partner, but Germany could not allow Beijing's protectionism to distort competition and would not hold back criticism of human rights violations under threat of losing business. This was the first time the Minister has made clear that this tougher line was being translated into policy measures, reported Voices Against Autocracy. The Green Party, which runs the ministry, has long advocated taking a harder line on China with Habeck announcing that Germany would adopt a tougher approach on trade. Available reports from Berlin suggested that politicians and executives in Germany have broadly come to agree that the country needs to reduce its economic dependence on China, given their concerns about industrial espionage, unfair competition, or human rights violations - concerns that Beijing has strongly rejected as being unfounded, reported Voices Against Autocracy. Besides taking measures economically, Germany has also raised its guard against China militarily. Germany sent a record 13 military aircraft to join Exercise Pitch Black 2022, a military drill involving the US, Australia and 15 other countries, which is seen as a collective effort led by Washington in order to form an anti-China frontline and to pressure China over the Taiwan question, reported Voices Against Autocracy. Moreover, Germany is increasingly joining other Western allies in flexing more muscle in the Indo-Pacific region, citing so-called growing alarm over Beijing's territorial ambitions. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ramallah (West Bank), Oct 31 (PTI) India presented a cheque of USD 2.5 million, the second tranche of the pledged USD 5 million annual support, to a UN agency on Monday that will go directly to serve the schools, health centres and other basic services run by the organisation to support Palestinian refugees. India has given USD 22.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) since 2018. UNRWA is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rejects Imran Khan's Proposal on Appointment of Next Army Chief. "The Government of India presented USD 2.5 million (second tranche of a total contribution of USD 5 million for the Financial Year 2022-2023) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in support of the Agency's core programmes and services, including education, healthcare, relief and social services," the Representative Office of India (ROI) in Ramallah said in a statement. "The financial contribution was presented to Ms. Xuran Wu, Associate Donor Relations and Projects Officer, Department of External Relations, UNRWA at the Representative Office of India in Ramallah, Palestine," it added. Also Read | Russian Strikes Hit Critical Infrastructure in Ukraine, Most of Kyiv Without Water. During an Extraordinary Virtual Ministerial Pledging Conference for UNRWA held on June 23, 2020, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan announced that India will contribute USD 10 million US to UNRWA over the next two years. UNRWA is facing increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. It is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.6 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection, and microfinance among Palestinian refugees. During the first-ever Prime Ministerial visit to Palestine by Narendra Modi in February 2018, India increased its annual financial contribution fourfold to the UNRWA core budget, from USD 1.25 million to USD 5 million. India has also made a strong appeal to other traditional donors of UNRWA to consider enhancing their contributions as well as to non-donor member states to consider contributing to the agency in solidarity with the Palestine refugees. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Colombo, October 31: President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said his government will appoint a committee to seek how best to integrate the Indian-origin Tamil workers in the hill plantation regions further into the Sri Lankan society. Wickremesinghe's remarks came on Sunday during an event in Colombo to accept a consignment of medicine donated by the Union Territory of Puducherry at the request of Ceylon Worker's Congress (CWC), a leading political party representing the Indian-origin Tamils in the Central Province. While some of the Tamils of Hill Country origin had integrated successfully into the Sri Lankan society, some have failed and measures would be taken to assist them to do so, he said. Brazil President Election Result 2022: Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva Defeats Jair Bolsonaro. Wickremesinghe said that the government will appoint a committee to seek how best to integrate the Tamils of Hill Country origin further into the Sri Lankan Society. The President recalled the Sirimalwatte-Shastri Pact between the then Indian and Sri Lankan leaders under which some of the Indian-origin plantation Tamils were repatriated. The pact was signed on October 30, 1964 between the then Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka and India - Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Lal Bahadur Shastri. It was a significant agreement in determining the status and future of people of Indian origin in Ceylon. Wickremesinghe recalled that it was the Ceylon Workers Congress founder the late Saumyamurthi Thondaman who had obtained citizenship for some people who should have gone under Srima-Shastri Pact but decided to stay back in Sri Lanka. The government is also encouraging the building of houses and issuing lands to the people of Indian origin in the Hill Country because they must have their own lands and a place to live in just like other groups in the hill country, he said. Steps would be taken to review the plantation economy that could be affected by people leaving the plantation areas after being educated. As people are being educated, more and more are leaving the plantation sector. The government has to find jobs for them as well as for other Sinhalese and Muslims who leave their areas to settle elsewhere, Wickremesinghe said. Hill Country Tamils descended from workers sent from South India to Sri Lanka in the 19th and 20th centuries to work in coffee, tea and rubber plantations in the country. He was hopeful of resolving the ethnic problem in the island nation. The Sri Lankan government became aggressive against Tamilian groups following its war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE ran a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009 after the Sri Lankan Army killed its supreme leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. Lockdown in China: Droves of Migrant Workers Flee From iPhone Factory in Coronavirus-Hit Zhengzhou, Videos Go Viral. According to the Lankan government figures, over 20,000 people are missing due to various conflicts including the three-decade brutal war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed at least 100,000 lives. International rights groups claim at least 40,000 ethnic Tamil civilians were killed in the final stages of the war, but the Sri Lankan government has disputed the figures. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, Oct 31 (PTI) The Pakistan government on Monday formed a three-member commission to "ascertain the facts" of the death of journalist Arshad Sharif, who was shot dead in Kenya by the local police under mysterious circumstances. Sharif, 49, a former reporter and TV anchor with ARY TV, and known for his proximity to former prime minister Imran Khan, had fled to Kenya after he was booked on charges of sedition and peddling an anti-state narrative by Pakistan's security agencies earlier this year. Also Read | Instagram Down: Photo-Sharing App Suffers Global Outage Including India, Second Time in Past 7 Days. He was shot dead at a police checkpoint at an hour's distance from Nairobi on October 23, creating a storm in the country. The Kenyan police later said it was a case of mistaken identity during a search for a similar car involved in a child abduction case. The decision to form the commission was taken on the request of the Ministry of Defence, according to an official notification. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rejects Imran Khan's Proposal on Appointment of Next Army Chief. The commission formed under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017 would be led by Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha. Additional Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director General Omar Shahid Hamid are other members of the commission. The Ministry of Defence proposed a "highest-level inquiry" into the incident in collaboration with the government of Kenya to "ascertain the facts", the notification read. "Moreover, post this incident, unnecessary rumour-mongering, virulent speculations and smear campaign has been launched against the armed forces," it stated. The commission will submit its report to the government within 30 days and be provided with "secretarial support" by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed that a commission be formed to probe the killing. The latest development came after the powerful military requested the government to conduct a "high-level investigation into the accidental killing. The army spokesman in a press conference last week had said that the military had requested the government to officially probe the death. "We have requested the government to hold a high-level investigation so that all the speculations can be put to rest." Separately, a two-member team was formed last week to probe the killing. It comprised Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director Athar Wahid and IB's Omar Shahid Hamid. The team is currently in Kenya to probe the killing. Dawn reported that the team in Kenya met Khurram Ahmed, who was driving the vehicle carrying the slain journalist and his brother Waqar Ahmed in the Kenyan capital at the time of the killing. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], October 31 (ANI): Taliban crackdown on Afghan women and girls continues as one of the Taliban guards barred female students from entering the campus for not wearing a Burqa on Sunday. The incident occurred at the Badakhshan University in northeastern Afghanistan. The Afghan girls were forced to remain outside the entry gate as the students were not following the norms of the Taliban's preferred attires, Khaama Press reported. Also Read | Pigeons Turn Into Zombie! Highly Infectious Disease Leaves Pigeons With Twisted Necks in UK, Terrifying Video Goes Viral. Taliban's restriction on women's freedom of movement, speech, expression, work opportunities, and attire does not just end here. The group has also barred girls from attending school from sixth grade since taking control of war-torn Afghanistan. Khaama Press reported quoting the president of Badakhshan University, Naqibullah Qazizada who said that the terror outfit's violence and unlawful conduct toward the students will be taken care of and the student's request would be realized. Also Read | Cryptocurrency Fraud: Sri Lanka CID Arrest Chinese Couple for Over LKR 14 Billion Fraud. After the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, they immediately began rolling back the rights of women and girls. Women began to protest on the streets since Taliban's first week in power, despite the grave risks they faced in doing so. By early September, women-led protests were taking place in Herat province in western Afghanistan and quickly spread across multiple provinces. According to Human Rights Watch, the Taliban response was brutal from the beginning, beating protesters, disrupting protests, and detaining and torturing journalists covering the demonstrations. The Taliban also banned unauthorized protests. Over time, the Taliban's abusive responses escalated, with a particularly brutal response to a protest on January 16 in Kabul, when Taliban members threatened, intimidated, and physically assaulted protesters, using pepper spray and electric shock devices. Notably, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year. Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated, especially against women and minorities. Besides this, the continuously soaring prices of food products in the country have emerged as a new challenge for Afghans. In a short span of fewer than three months, food prices have almost doubled, reported Khaama Press. (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, Oct 31 (PTI) Tata Steel's future course of action with respect to its UK business will be based on the British government's response to the company's proposal seeking financial support to sustain the business there, CEO T V Narendran said Monday. Tata Steel owns the UK's largest steelworks at Port Talbot in South Wales and employs around 8,000 people across all its operations in the country. The company is seeking 1.5 billion pounds from the UK government to execute its decarbonisation plans. Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rejects Imran Khan's Proposal on Appointment of Next Army Chief. On a conference call, Narendran said, "Obviously plans are being made in case we don't get the support that we seek form the (UK) government, but it's too early to talk about (it), but again a lot of conversations are going on internally to how we plan for all situations." He made the remarks in reply to a question on the company's plan in case the UK government does not accept the Tata Steel's proposal. Also Read | Russian Strikes Hit Critical Infrastructure in Ukraine, Most of Kyiv Without Water. Tata Steel is seeking support from the UK government in two forms. In policy terms by encouraging the transition to green steel and ensuring a cost competitive landscape, and partnership in financing of the project given the size of investment and the financially constrained position of the UK business. When asked if a decision to engage with a buyer will be taken after the response of the government, Narendran replied in affirmative. "Absolutely, whatever we do we will decide based on the response of the UK government," he said. Narendran further said the company has performed well in India and the Netherlands during the quarter ended September 30, 2022. Compared to the two operations, UK business faces "some challenges," 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) Visakhapatnam [Andhra Pradesh], October 31 (ANI): US Consul General Jennifer Larson travelled to Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam for the first time and visited Andhra University on Monday to promote bilateral ties with the southern state. "Today I visited @AndhraUnversity, which graciously hosts our American Corner in #Vizag, a cultural outreach center that promotes #USIndia ties in AP. I also got to meet students from WISTM & speak w/ Exchange Alumni from US govt programs. Thanks to all for the hospitality!" Larson tweeted. Also Read | Instagram Down: Photo-Sharing App Suffers Global Outage Including India, Second Time in Past 7 Days. During her stay, she visited Saint Joseph's College for Women, met with students and alumni of U.S.-government cultural programs at the American Corner on the Andhra University campus, viewed the Vizag city skyline and the Bay of Bengal from Kailasagiri, and attended a reception onboard the HMAS Adelaide, an Australian naval vessel. "Visakhapatnam represents so much of the dynamism of the US-India partnership," said Consul General Larson. "We're sponsoring English classes at Saint Joseph's, we're organizing cultural and educational programs at the American Corner on the Andhra University campus, and our militaries regularly conduct joint exercises based out of Eastern Naval Command. It's a great illustration of the depth and breadth of U.S.-India relations." Also Read | Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Rejects Imran Khan's Proposal on Appointment of Next Army Chief. Consul General Larson began her trip to Visakhapatnam with a visit to Saint Joseph's College for Women, which has hosted a U.S. government-sponsored English Language Fellow since 2019. The U.S. Department of State funds the English Language Fellow program, an initiative wherein highly qualified U.S. educators participate in extended fellowships at academic institutions throughout the world. After Saint Joseph's College for Women, Consul General Larson traveled to Andhra University, where she met with Vice Chancellor Prasad Reddy. Andhra University hosts an American Corner, a cultural outreach center that features guest speakers, movie screenings, English language classes, book clubs, education advising for U.S. universities, and celebrations of American holidays. Consul General Larson visited the American Corner, which opened in 2021, and met with students and alumni of various US-government-sponsored exchanges. Consul General Larson then took a drive up to Kailasagiri for a view of the Visakhapatnam skyline and the Bay of Bengal. She concluded her trip by attending a reception onboard the HMAS Adelaide, a Canberra-class landing helicopter dock ship. Adelaide is visiting Visakhapatnam as part of Indo-Pacific Endeavor, an initiative coordinated by the Australian Defence Force to strengthen engagement and partnerships with regional security forces. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Oct 31 (PTI) US President Joe Biden on Monday extended his deepest condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives in a bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi city. The more than a-century-old bridge, which had reopened five days back after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed on Sunday evening. Over 130 people have died so far in the accident. Also Read | Shanghai Disney Shuts Over COVID-19 Safety Measures, Visitors Unable to Leave Without Negative Report. "Today, our hearts are with India. Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the bridge collapse, and join the people of Gujarat in mourning the loss of too many lives cut short," Biden said in a statement. "The United States and India are indispensable partners, with deep bonds between our citizens. In this difficult hour, we will continue to stand with and support the Indian people," he said. Also Read | Instagram Down: Photo-Sharing App Suffers Global Outage Including India, Second Time in Past 7 Days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured. The Gujarat government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, October 31: In an unfortunate incident that took place in Kolkata, a man succumbed to an infection which was triggered by a flesh-eating bacteria. Reportedly, the man breathed his last on Friday night at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) in Kolkata. According to reports, the flesh-eating bacteria is a rare infection which affects the skin and the tissues below it. Also called necrotizing fasciitis, the infection spreads rapidly and can kill a person if not diagnosed and treated on time. According to a report in the Times of India, the deceased has been identified as Mrinmoy Roy. Police officials said that the deceased sustained an injury a few ago when he fell from a train. Pigeons Turn Into 'Zombie'! Highly Infectious Disease Leaves Pigeons With Twisted Necks in UK, Terrifying Video Goes Viral. During the incident, an iron rod has gashed the man's lower hip region. Roy, who was undergoing treatment was rushed to RGKMCH when his condition deteriorated. However, doctors said it was too late as his had become worse. Himansu Roy, surgery professor said, "The patient was in severe respiratory distress and in a very toxic condition. We immediately admitted him in the surgery intensive care unit (SICU), put him on ventilation and started treatment without any delay." The doctor conducted a thorough investigation which confirmed that the patient had necrotizing fasciitis. Shockingly, the flesh-eating bacteria had already eaten his lower limb and the genital region. "By the time we got the patient, the deadly bacteria had already infected him severely. The organisms had already entered the soft tissues through the breach in the skin. Despite the best of antibiotics and other supportive therapy, he did not survive," Roy added. Dolphins, Which Started Disappearing From Ganga River in Uttar Pradesh Due to Pollution, Come Back As Water Quality Improves. The doctor also said necrotizing fasciitis attacks the blood vessels which causing thrombosis which then leads to obstruction of blood supply to the tissues, fascia and muscles. He said that the flesh-eating bacteria is so severe that it cuts off complete blood supply in the body. Doctors also said that since the deceased was an alcoholic, he had a poor immunity. Speaking to the TOI, microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri said that the rare infection triggers local inflammation which compresses the capillaries supplying blood (carrying oxygen) to the tissues. "This results in cell death and tissue damage or necrosis. This may involve the muscles, too, and it seems that the bacteria are 'eating' through the flesh. Hence, those are sometimes termed as 'flesh eating bacteria'." he added. Notably, the death certificate of the deceased stated that he died due to multi-organ failure in a case of sepsis that was caused by necrotizing fasciitis. So the question is what is Necrotizing Fasciitis and how does it spread. Houdini, Escaped 7-Foot-Long King Cobra, Crawls Back by Itself to Its Home in Swedish Zoo. What Is Necrotizing Fasciitis? All You Need To Know In simple terms Necrotizing Fasciitis is rare infection which quickly spread in the body and can cause death if not treated quickly. In medical terms, an accurate diagnosis, rapid antibiotic treatment, and prompt surgery are some of the ways in which the infection can be stopped from spreading in the body. Its symptoms include red, warm, or swollen skin. Besides, acute pain after after an injury or surgery could also be a symptom of necrotizing fasciitis. The bacteria can easily enter the body if there are breaks in the skin which could be due to cuts, scrapes, burns, an insect bite or even punctured or surgical wounds. Interestingly, the symptoms of the rare infection can often be confusing as the disease spreads quickly. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 31, 2022 02:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Kothur, October 31: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday exuded confidence that his party will win the Gujarat assembly elections, contending that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has only created a buzz in the state purely on the basis of advertisements and had no support on the ground. Addressing a press conference here, Gandhi said there was a massive anti-incumbency against the BJP-led government in the state. Congress is contesting the Gujarat elections effectively. AAP is only in the air. It has nothing on the ground. Congress is a solid party in Gujarat, he told reporters here to questions on his party's prospects in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022: Congress Takes Out Rally in Saurashtra Region to Woo Patidar Community. There is massive anti-incumbency. The media has created a buzz based on the advertisements given by AAP. Congress party is a solid party in Gujarat. Congress party is going to win the election there, he said. Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022: Deep Rooted Infighting in Congress Party Demoralising Workers Ahead of Polls. Gandhi refused to comment on the tragedy in Morbi where a bridge collapsed leaving more than 130 dead, saying he did not wish to politicise the incident. The former Congress president also ruled out any possibility of a tie up with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. There is absolutely no possibility of any relationship between the TRS and the Congress, he said. Gandhi said the TRS was diametrically opposite to what the Congress stood for. The corruption, the approach, the attitude of TRS is not acceptable to us. We are diametrically opposite to what they are doing, he said. Asked about TRS founder K Chandrasekhar Rao's move to rename his party as the Bharath Rashtra Samithi, Gandhi said the Telangana chief minister was free to imagine that he was leading a national or even an international party. New Delhi, October 31: The country would not have faced the many problems it is confronted with today had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been made India's first prime minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said here on Monday. Addressing students of the Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Shah also said the Modi government has worked to deepen constitutional and democratic values, and has strengthened the security of the country so no one can now dare cast an evil eye on India's borders. 1984 Anti-Sikh Pogrom: BJP Leader RP Singh Writes to Amit Shah Seeking Formation of Truth Commission. "Never leave your language. Learn all other languages from around the world but don't leave your native language. Language is a form of expression and not of your intelligence. No one should have inferiority complex in not knowing English. You will have to keep your mother tongue alive," he told the gathering which also included teachers and guardians. In his address on the occasion of Patel's 147th birth anniversary, Shah strongly advocated the propagation of Indian languages and asked parents to speak to their children at home only in their mother tongue. Talking about Patel, India's first home minister, he said, "A man who is remembered long after his death can only be called great, that was Sardar... There is a public opinion in the country that if Sardar Patel was made the first prime minister of India, the country would not have faced the many problems it is facing today." Shah also recalled Patel's role in bringing together and merging more than 500 princely states to the Union of Indian after Independence. The home minister said students and children should read up on Patel to know about his vision for a united India with deep democratic roots. "Sardar Patel was not only a man of imagination but he worked very hard to implement his vision... he was a 'karmayogi'," Shah said. He said Patel was the inspiration behind the Amul cooperative model, and it was the former home minister who worked to implement the cooperative movement on the ground in the country. "Had Sardar Patel not been there, India's map would not have been like it is today...he brought Lakshadweep, Jodhpur, Junagadh, Hyderabad and Kashmir together," Shah said. Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: PM Narendra Modi Announces Ex-Gratia, Amit Shah Says NDRF En Route For Rescue Operation. The home minister said the idea of a united India would not have fructified without Sardar Patel, who received the highest number votes in the Congress Working Committee but sacrificed the position of the prime minister. He said it was Sardar Patel who had laid the foundations of the central service, central police, intelligence bureau and many other institutions. In his address to the students, the home minister said basic education should be imparted in the local language. He also urged them to keep their native languages and dialects alive. Shah said the 75 years of India's journey has seen many difficult times when the country faced wars and other challenges. The Modi government has worked to deepen Constitutional and democratic values and it has strengthened the security of the country, he said. "Now, no one can dare cast an evil eye on India's borders, and the government has also worked for all-inclusive development. We strengthened the economy, ushered in development and created infrastructure that will be made better over the next few years," Shah said. The home minister said India, on the basis of its hard work, has become the fifth largest economy of the world, replacing England. "We will have to decide now where our country will be in terms of research and development, health, infrastructure, security etc., when we celebrate the 100th year of our Independence," he said. At the outset of his speech, Shah expressed his condolences to the families of those who died in Gujarat's Morbi bridge collapse on Sunday, saying the entire country was saddened by the tragic accident in which many children also lost their lives. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Birth Anniversary 2022: President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Amit Shah Pay Tributes To Iron Man of India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875 at Nadiad in Gujarat. The central government has been observing October 31 as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day since 2014 to foster and reinforce its dedication to preserve and strengthen the unity, integrity and the security of the nation. As part of the celebrations, various programmes are organised across the country, recalling Patel's contribution to the unification of India. Morbi, October 31: The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi city which collapsed killing at least 132 people was reopened for the public just five days back after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality's "fitness certificate", an official said. The more than a century-old bridge in Morbi city, located around 300 km from the state capital Gandhinagar, caved in around 6.30 pm on Sunday when it was crammed with people. Death Toll Rises To 135, Gujarat Town To Observe Bandh To Mourn Deceased. "The bridge was given to Oreva company for operation and maintenance for 15 years. In March this year, it was closed for the public for renovation. It reopened after renovation on the Gujarati New Year day celebrated on October 26," Morbi Municipality's chief officer Sandeepsinh Zala said. "It was opened for the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate (after the renovation work)," he said. An "engineering marvel" built at the turn of the 19th century, the suspension bridge was said to reflect "the progressive and scientific nature of the rulers of Morbi," as per its description on the district collectorate website. Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: Bridge Opened for Public Without Issuance of Fitness Certificate, Says Civic Official. Sir Waghji Thakor, who ruled Morbi till 1922, was inspired by the colonial influence and decided to construct the bridge, an "artistic and technological marvel" of that period, to connect Darbargadh Palace with Nazarbag Palace (the residences of the then royalty). The bridge was 1.25 metres wide and spanned 233 metres, and was meant to give a unique identity to Morbi using the latest technology available in those days in Europe, as per the collectorate website. New Delhi, October 31: Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday said the Delhi government has resubmitted a file seeking Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's approval for the "Red Light on Gaadi off" campaign with evidence that such drives have reduced vehicular pollution in cities in India, the US and the UK. He also said Punjab would have seen a large reduction in stubble burning if the Centre supported the state government's plan to provide cash incentive to farmers for not burning crop residue. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai Says Govt Is Gearing To Have 15-Point Winter Action Plan Against Pollution Soon. Addressing a press conference here, Rai said the LG had put a hold on the campaign and returned the file on October 29 (Friday) questioning the effectiveness of such measures. Lumpy Virus Disease: 173 Cases of LSD Found Among Cattle in Delhi, Says Minister Gopal Rai. "We have answered all queries raised by the LG and resubmitted the file for his approval. Delhi is heading towards an emergency situation. We request the LG to give permission (to launch the campaign) as soon as possible," Rai said. Under the campaign, first launched on October 16, 2020, to cut down vehicular pollution in the national capital, drivers are encouraged to switch off their vehicles while waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The minister said a study by the Central Road Research Institute in 2019 showed that keeping the engine on at traffic signals can increase pollution levels by over nine per cent. Another study by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas at the Bhikaji Cama Place traffic intersection showed that over 62 per cent people started switching off their vehicles after a similar campaign. "We had considered these studies before launching the campaign in 2020," Rai said. HDFC bank ran such drives at 126 traffic intersections in 40 cities across India on June 5, 2022, he said. "We also found that similar campaigns were conducted in London, the UK, and North Carolina, the US," the minister said, adding that the government has sent all evidence to the LG. Citing data from PCRA, Rai had earlier said if people switch off engines at traffic signals, pollution can be cut down by 15-20 per cent. According to government estimates, the transport sector accounts for 28 per cent of the PM2.5 emissions in Delhi. Vehicular contribution also makes up 80 per cent of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide in Delhi's air. The minister also said that the incidents of stubble burning are increasing. "Along with unfavourable meteorological conditions, it can make the air quality situation worse." "The Punjab government is doing all it can to reduce stubble burning, but the state would have seen a large reduction in farm fires had the Centre supported the state government's mega plan to provide cash incentive to farmers for not burning crop residue," he said in response to a question. In July, the Delhi and Punjab governments had jointly sent a proposal to the Centre and the Commission for Air Quality Management to help them give Rs 2,500 per acre as cash incentive to farmers in Punjab for not burning stubble. Farmers say a cash incentive can help them cover the cost of fuel used in operating the machinery for the in-situ management of paddy straw. Along with unfavourable meteorological conditions, paddy straw burning in adjoining states is a major reason behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November. Farmers set their fields on fire to quickly clear off the crop residue before cultivating wheat and vegetables. According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Punjab has reported around 14,000 incidents of stubble burning this year so far. The agrarian state had reported 71,304 farm fires between September 15 and November 30 last year and 83,002 farm fires in the corresponding period in 2020. Last year, the share of farm fires in Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution peaked to 48 per cent on November 7. Agra, Oct 31: The Agra police have arrested two women, both Uzbekistan nationals, after they failed to produce a visa and original passport. According to police, the two women allegedly possessed fake Aadhaar cards, bearing a south Delhi address, and were staying at a hotel in Tajganj. Karnataka Shocker: Boy Dies at Home While Enacting Hanging of Shaheed Bhagat Singh for School Event in Chitradurga. Rs 33,000 in cash and two mobile phones were recovered from their possession. An FIR has been registered against them under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine) and section 16 of the Foreigners Act, 1946. SHO of Tajganj, Bhupendra Baliyan, said, "The two foreign nationals were carrying fake Aadhaar cards. A photograph of their passports found in their mobile phones indicated that they belong to Uzbekistan. We are working with the local intelligence unit to investigate the case in detail. Delhi Police have been asked to verify the address mentioned in the Aadhaar. We have also contacted the embassy of Uzbekistan." Video: Thousands of Tricolour Filled In Sacks Burnt in Uttar Pradeshs Gonda. As per the FIR registered on a complaint by sub-inspector Yogesh Kumar, the two women had checked in at the hotel on Saturday. They provided Aadhaar at the hotel reception to avail a room. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 31, 2022 12:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). (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.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday got emotional as he started talking about the deadly Morbi bridge collapse tragedy. PM Modi was addressing the crowd at Banaskantha in Gujarat. Meanwhile, as per a tweet on the Gujarat CMO handle on Monday, the Prime Minister will visit Morbi on Tuesday afternoon. Morbi Suspension Bridge Collapse: 12 Relatives of BJP MP Mohan Kundariya Killed in Gujarat Cable Bridge Tragedy. PM Narendra Modi Gets Emotional: #WATCH | PM Modi gets emotional as he talks about #MorbiBridgeCollapse tragedy, in Gujarat's Banaskantha pic.twitter.com/0pmVmGmC0f ANI (@ANI) October 31, 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.) Kyiv, October 31: A massive barrage of Russian strikes on Monday morning hit critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities, knocking out water and power supplies in apparent retaliation for what Moscow alleged was a Ukrainian attack on its Black Sea Fleet over the weekend. The mayor of Ukraine's capital said that 80 per cent of consumers in Kyiv were left without water supplies due to the damage to a power facility near the city from Russian military strikes on Monday. German Consulate in Kyiv Hit by Russian Missile Strike: Report. Local authorities were working on restoring the supplies as soon as possible, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, telling Kyiv residents in the meantime to stock up on water from the nearest pump rooms and points of sale. Russian Strike Kills 23 in Zaporizhzhia As Kremlin Prepares To Annex Four Ukraine Regions. In a separate Telegram post, Klitschko added that water supplies in some areas of Kyiv will be restored in three to four hours, and power had already been restored in one of the city's districts. Loud explosions were heard across the Ukrainian capital in the early morning as residents prepared to go to work. Many received text messages from the emergency services about the threat of a missile attack, and air raid sirens wailed for three straight hours. The attacks occurred just before Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and many top members of his government, including the foreign, defence and interior ministers, arrived in Kyiv in the latest show of support from European leaders for Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said there was no justification for Russia launching missiles meant to inflict so much suffering on civilians. Don't justify these attacks by calling them a 'response'. Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians, he tweeted. There was a heavy military presence north of Kyiv. Smoke was rising from the left bank of the Dnieper River, either from a missile strike or where it was shot down by Ukrainian forces. A resident of the area said he heard four loud explosions that rocked the area. At first I thought I heard a jet going by, but then I realised it was a missile, said Serhii, who refused to give his full name. The explosions were so loud! I consider myself experienced and prepared for attacks like this. But it was way too close and loud. I was frightened, really frightened. In the outlying region, authorities warned people to be prepared for a long power outage because of the emergency cuts. Kyiv region Gov. Oleksii Kuleba also said that one person was wounded and a number of houses were damaged as a result of the morning attack. In the eastern city of Kharkiv, two strikes hit critical infrastructure facilities, according to authorities, and the subway ceased operating. Officials also warned about possible power outages in the city of Zaporizhzhia resulting from the strikes there. The Lviv region in western Ukraine was also targeted, but the missiles were shot down, Lviv Gov. Maksym Kozytskyy said. Critical infrastructure objects were also hit in the Cherkasy region southeast of Kyiv, and explosions were reported in other regions of Ukraine. In the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine, the energy facility was hit, according to local authorities. In Vinnytsia, a missile that was shot down landed on civilian buildings, resulting in damage but no casualties, according to regional Gov. Serhii Borzov. Some parts of Ukrainian railways were also cut off from power, the Ukrainian Railways reported. The attack comes two days after Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack against Russia's Black Sea Fleet off the coast of the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine has denied the attack, saying that Russia mishandled its own weapons, but Moscow still announced halting its participation in a UN-brokered deal to allow safe passage of ships carrying grain from Ukraine. Commenting on Monday's attacks, the head of Ukraine's presidential office Andriy Yermak said that Russian forces continue to fight with civilian facilities. We will persevere, and generations of Russians will pay a high price for their disgrace, Yermak said. The deputy head of the presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said urgent power shutdowns were being carried out after Russian terrorists once again launched a massive strike on energy facilities in a number of Ukrainian regions. It's the second time this month that Russia unleashed a massive barrage of strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. On October 10, a similar attack rocked the war-torn country following an explosion on the Kerch Bridge linking annexed Crimea to mainland Russia an incident Moscow blamed on Kyiv. This time, however, the Ukrainian forces say they were able to intercept most of the missiles launched by Russia. Ukraine's air force said that more than 50 cruise missiles were launched from Tu-95/Tu-160 strategic aviation missile-carrying aircraft from the north of the Caspian Sea and from the area around the Russian city of Volgodonsk in the Rostov region. A total of 44 of them were shot down. The Russian military hasn't yet commented on the attack. Efforts to impeach Brazils president accelerated this month as the country fell into full-blown crisis. But the congressional commission that will help decide Dilma Rousseffs fate has its own legal problems. Of 65 members on the impeachment commission, 37 face charges of corruption or other serious crimes, according to data prepared for the Los Angeles Times by the local organization Transparencia Brasil. The commission does not represent just the congressional faction that wants Rousseff impeached, but contains members of both the ruling coalition and the opposition. Advertisement Brazils President Dilma Rousseff speaks during a visit to ground infrastructure works for the 2016 Olympic Games on March 23. (Eraldo Peres / Associated Press) Of the 513 members of the lower house in Congress, 303 face charges or are being investigated for serious crimes. In the Senate, the same goes for 49 of 81 members. Moreover, the data do not include any possible repercussions for the newest bombshell in the Lava Jato, or Car Wash, federal corruption probe. Brazils largest construction firm, Odebrecht, announced it would fully cooperate with investigation, and on March 23 the Brazilian Federal Police released a spreadsheet appearing to list payments from the company, whose CEO is currently jailed, to more than 200 politicians. Its not yet clear what the legal consequences of this will be, says Transparencia. The group continues to update its database. Rousseff herself, on the other hand, has never been formally investigated or accused of corruption, though she is enormously unpopular and blamed politically for the countrys deep recessions. She was head of the board of directors at Petrobras, the state-run oil company, when it was involved in the kickback scheme investigators recently uncovered in the Car Wash probe. But to remove her from office, lawmakers are relying on the accusation that she broke budgetary rules to hide the size of the deficit, and they assert this is an impeachable offense. The impeachment process was recently accelerated by Eduardo Cunha, speaker of the lower house in Congress, the Chamber of Deputies. The chamber appointed the impeachment commission, and if two-thirds of the chamber votes to impeach, the process moves to the Senate, which would ultimately decide Rousseffs fate. If the process gets that far, Rousseff will have plenty of company in Brazils legal system. Here are some accusations prominent politicians face in Brazil: The impeachment commission Five members face money laundering charges, six face charges of conspiracy and 19 face charges of accounting irregularities. Thirty-three face either corruption or administrative misconduct charges. In all, 37 members have been charged, some with multiple offenses. The man who would take over Michel Temer, the vice president who will take over if Rousseff is impeached, is under suspicion due to claims that emerged in Car Wash investigations that he was involved in an illegal ethanol-purchasing scheme. Rousseffs 2014 opponent Aecio Neves, who narrowly lost to Rousseff in 2014, has been named in Lava Jato investigations and is named in the spreadsheet published last week. Documents obtained during investigations may also indicate his family maintains secret bank accounts in Liechtenstein. The former mayor of Sao Paulo Paulo Maluf, who is also a member of the impeachment commission, has been wanted by Interpol, and a court in Paris recently sentenced him in absentia for organized money laundering. This means one of the people helping to decide the course of impeachment here may not be able to leave Brazil, for fear of being arrested outside its borders. Ministers and members of Congress in Brazil have the right to be tried by the Supreme Court, which is why Rousseff was accused by some of attempting to shield former President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva from prison by recently appointing him as her chief of staff. That appointment is still held up in the courts. As Brazilian Atty. Gen. Jose Cardozo told foreign correspondents at a special news conference March 22, the right to trial by the Supreme Court does not equal immunity, as justices have recently sentenced politicians in other corruption scandals. But these cases often take years to be resolved by Brazils highest court. Bevins is a special correspondent. ALSO Hijacker of Egyptian plane arrested; act not likely anything to do with terrorism Most of Palmyras ancient treasures appear to have survived Islamic State vandalism After bombing at Lahore park, Pakistanis ask: What was the crime of these kids? Cuba is a strange place for politics and has been a thorn in the side of 12 U.S. presidents. However, it is a hidden gem in many aspects. According to The Travel Pocket Guide, travel to the island was prohibited for 4.4% of the world's population up until a few years ago. Cuba is now a place filled with adventure and wonder despite its many flaws. READ NEXT: Cuba: 4 Famous Cuban Street Food You Should Never Miss Best Hidden Gems to Visit in Cuba Havana and mojitos on the beach are a must if you travel to Cuba. But what about the rest of the island? Below are some of the hidden Cuba tourist spots you need to discover on your next visit. Palenque De Los Cimarrones Tourists can travel back in time to reach the 18th-century Cuba and come into close contact with the rich cultural heritage handed down by the so-called "black continent," through traversing the 150 meters of the Cave of Jose Miguel in the Valley of Vinales, The Palenque de los Cimarrones is a kind of living museum that opened at the beginning of the 1990s, according to Taxin Havana. It tells the history of the journey of people of African descent through western Cuba. Baracoa Renting a car is worthwhile if you stay on the island's eastern tip to visit this beautiful spot. When Christopher Columbus initially arrived on the island in 1492, it was the first Spanish settlement on the island. Due to the surrounding high mountain range, only one route leads to it. It is as far from the tourist path as you can in Cuba. The region is the center of Cuba's chocolate industry and is renowned for its cocoa production. Playa Jibacoa Playa Jibacoa must be one of the island's most isolated and undeveloped beaches, yet it is only a few hours from Havana, one of the popular tourist spots in Cuba. There are pure white beaches and clear waters; if you arrive at the right moment, you can even have the area to yourself. Bring some rum, pretend you are shipwrecked for the day, or put on your snorkel and explore the nearby shallows. Santiago De Cuba From Baracoa, go south until you reach Santiago de Cuba, a fortified seaside town with a fascinating past. If you visit this hidden gem in the summer, be prepared for oppressive heat and high humidity, but you will also be rewarded with a carnival unlike anything you have ever seen. With the locals, you will have the opportunity to drink and dance till the wee hours of the morning. Cayo Granma This small fishing village called Cayo Granma sits on a beautiful island in the bay of Santiago de Cuba. Red-roofed wooden homes, many of which are perched above the water on stilts, give the island's historic fishing town the appearance of a fantasy island. You may walk around the entire island in 15 minutes, or you can go up to the tiny, whitewashed chapel known as Iglesia de San Rafael at the highest point of the key. However, the finest feature of this location is that you can hang around and experience authentic Cuba, according to Lonely Planet. You can eat at Restaurante El Cayo, a seafood restaurant, or Palmares, a restaurant on the Cayo's far side that sticks out above the water. Every time you go to Cuba, you will find a new spot you want to return to and learn more about it. But you can start with these hidden gems to have a complete picture of Cuba and memories to last a lifetime. READ MORE: Chile Issues Its First Gender-neutral ID Card This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Santiago de CUBA: 15 Best Places - From Travel On Fire The husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, businessman Paul Pelosi, was brutally attacked by a crazed man who believed in right-wing conspiracy theories inside his San Francisco home. Now, Nancy Pelosi has released her very first statement following the attack on her husband. The California House Democrat stated that their children and grandchildren "are heartbroken and traumatized." Her statement also said, "Yesterday morning, a violent man broke into our family home, demanded to confront me, and brutally attacked my husband, Paul." Paul Pelosi is now receiving "life-saving medical care," as his wife thanked law enforcement and first responders for their aid. She also thanked people for "the outpouring of prayers and warm wishes." According to CNN, the attacker, David DePape, 42, assaulted Paul Pelosi with a hammer. He now faces charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary, and other felonies. Paul Pelosi Attacker Spread QAnon Conspiracy Theories, Right-Wing Misinformation In the months leading to his assault on the house of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, David DePape has been engaging in far-right conspiracies, antisemitism, and hate. He is also a holocaust denier and a QAnon conspiracy theorist. DePape had a personal blog, and according to CNN, its topics included "Manipulation of History," "Holohoax," and "It's OK to be white." Aside from far-right conspiracy theories and antisemitism, DePape also posted antivaxx messages and conspiracy theories. When he was arrested, his daughter, Inti Gonzalez, spoke to the Los Angeles Times and admitted that her father wrote the blog. She also stated that she and her mother are reeling from the news that her father was the one who attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband. "I'm a little shocked," she said, "but not really that shocked, in all honesty." He followed several right-wing conspiracy theorists online, as well as other more mainstream right-wing personalities like Glen Beck. He frequently included racial slurs in his blog posts, as well as talked about Pizzagate. READ NEXT: Michigan Dad Who Fell Prey to QAnon Killed Wife and Family Dog, Shot Daughter in Back and Legs Paul Pelosi Tricked David DePape and Alerted Police Before Being Beaten With Hammer The nation is stunned as the husband of Nancy Pelosi was beaten with a hammer in his own home. However, new details revealed that the 82-year-old man gave his attacker a hard time. DePape attacked the Pelosi residence while the House Speaker was in Washington and Paul Pelosi was at home. The assailant broke into their house and confronted the elderly Pelosi. However, Paul managed to trick DePape and told him he needed to go to the bathroom. DePape agreed, and this was when Paul called 911. The dispatcher could hear Paul talking to his attacker and alerted authorities to the scene. The dispatcher stated in a released communication that there was a male in the home who was going to wait for his wife." Law enforcement officials in San Francisco believed Paul Pelosi was intentionally giving coded information because the intruder knew Pelosi was on the phone. When they arrived, both men were struggling to gain control of the hammer. When officers ordered them to drop the weapon, only Pelosi complied, and this resulted in him being attacked repeatedly with the hammer by DePape. Police then tackled the attacker and placed him in custody. The Los Angeles Times reported that the assailant was searching for Nancy Pelosi and kept on asking, "Where is Nancy?" Meanwhile, CNN reported that the suspect brought multiple zip ties and duct tape in a planned abduction of the house's more famous resident. READ NEXT: TikTok Spreading Misinformation? New Report Says Their Search Engine Shows Fake News This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Dispatch call reveals how Paul Pelosi secretly alerted authorities to attack - The Independent A 23-year-old Nebraska man was shot and killed by a police officer. The Omaha Police Department said that at 3 a.m. Sunday, officers were called to the area of 30th and Marcy Street because shots had been fired, according to 1011 Now. When they arrived at the scene, the officers found the man sitting in a parked SUV. According to Omaha police, the man sitting in the driver seat was identified as Jeramyah Wilson. The report says that an officer saw a gun when he walked up to the SUV to approach Wilson. The police say that they hid and told Wilson several times over the next six minutes to put down his gun. The OPD says that officers tried to help Wilson to calm him. However, instead of putting the gun down, Wilson allegedly threatened the officers several times. READ NEXT: Ex-Texas Cop Who Shot Teen Multiple Times at McDonald's Parking Lot Is Arrested The Shooting Incident According to a Witness KETV went to where the incident occurred and talked to the two men living next door. Ryan Hensley claims to have heard everything, and he lives next door. "You're completely unaware of when it can happen or how it can happen, just so sad that it did happen," said Ryan Hensley. Police say Wilson was in an SUV with a gun when they got there. Wilson yelled threats at them and quickly moved to the car's passenger side, where a police officer was hiding. "It wasn't too much longer. After that, I heard someone yell, 'no, no, no, stop, stop, don't do it.' And then it was just like, 'baa, baa, baa, baa, baa!,'" said Hensley. The Nebraska man was then taken to the hospital, where he eventually passed away after two police officers opened fire. Omaha police allegedly said they have a history with the man. "A similar situation that he's talked about not necessarily being in this situation but talking about suicidal ideations of officers being involved in that," said Lt. Neal Bonacci. An affidavit dated September 2019 states that Wilson pointed a "handgun" at the police. However, it was later found that he was holding a black airsoft gun. He was arrested on two counts of terroristic threats. Another witness who lives next to where the shooting happened said he frequently saw Wilson around the neighborhood and was startled by what happened. He extended his condolences to the Nebraska man's family. "Prayers go out to them. It sucks to lose a loved one, especially so young. You know, he had a whole life ahead of him," said Marcus File. Omaha Police say they will have more to say on Tuesday after talking to the officers involved. The Two Omaha Police Are Placed on Administrative Leave The two Omaha police officers involved have been put on paid administrative leave. According to WOWT, the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office and the Nebraska State Patrol will be helping with the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, no police officers were harmed during the shooting incident. READ MORE: Elon Musk Asks Twitter Users if Vine Should Return This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Omaha police investigate an officer-involved shooting - From Omaha World-Herald Democracy means the government of the people, for the people, and by the people and one of its primary aims is the respect of individuals and idolising of none. For the effective function of democracy, the existence of political parties is inevitable since such parties are the representatives of the political aspirations of the people and as such all political parties should also fall in line with the basic principle of democracy of which inner-party democracy is an integral part.The involvement of people in the government of the nation and that of the political party are complimentary to each other and this makes the basic distinction between democracy and authoritarian rule or dictatorship. A close and minute perusal of Indian history reveals certain aberrations in the way the democracy is functioning in Indiaparticularly inner-party democracy before independence and since its inception as a Parliamentary Democracy with multiple parties flourishing in Indian democracy. The supreme issues involved in a democracy are the encroachment upon the rights of many by the powerful few and the legitimization of the lust for power which corrupts absolutely. Experience constantly shows that everyone who has power is impelled to abuse it and greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse which gradually erodes from the mind every human and gentle virtue. However coming to the point of inner-party democracy among the Indian political parties, most of them are regional parties dynastically controlled or parties controlled by powerful regional leaderswith tacit support of coterie of sycophants, confining mostly to specific states.All political parties, national and regional, profess that they are very democratic and they believe in participatory democracy. What they mean by participatory inner-party democracy? The one convenient rule they use is "election by consensus". What is the meaning of consensus? The dictionary meaning of consensus is "a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people" and "general agreement: UNANIMITY" That explains why the parties clamour for consensus. To understand the real motive and impact of such election (is it not selection?) by consensus, the following quotes of seasoned politicians will solve the mystery behind the call for consensus. "A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually." (Abba Eban, Israeli politician) "To me, consensus seems to be the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values and policies. So it is something in which no one believes and to which no one objects." (Margaret Thatcher) An observation made by Michael Crichton, the American Author is also worth quoting. "Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled". When the call was made for election of a new non-Gandhi family president of the oldest heritage party of Indian National Congress, it was decided, under pressure, to announce the norms for the election of a non-dynastic new president of the congress. There was a great euphoria raised that the only political party to conduct a democratic election to elect their new non-Gandhiparivar president and the public was eagerly awaiting the announcement as to the norms for filing nomination. It was officially announced by the "HIGH COMMAND" that Mr Ashok Gahlot, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan would contest the election for the top post of the party. Congratulations poured in facilitating him. But what happened afterwards are in the public domain. Somehow a split in the congress was avoided perhaps for the time being with the simmering discontentment still persisting. In the meanwhile Shashi Tharoor, the sitting M. P from Kerala filed his nomination at the very start of proceedings. When Ashok Gahlot withdrew his candidature for the President ship of the Congress, as per the high commands suggestion Mallikarjun Kharge, the octogenarian parliamentarian and the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha filed his nomination being the "official candidate" of the congress. Most of the legislatures of the congress party particularly the older generation support the candidature of Kharge and it is presumed that he would win because of the approval of the "High Command" for Mr Kharge. After filing the nomination of Kharge for the top post of Congress President, there were constant and consistent and strong pressure on Shashi Tharoor to withdraw his nomination and to arrive at the consensus candidature of Kharge. But Shashi Tharoor steadfastly stood for a friendly fight to uphold the prime principle of democracy being democratic election. The approval of Kharge as the official candidate by the "HIGH COMMAND" opened up a Pandora Box of how a fair and free "ELECTION" can be ensured when the main contender is approved by the "HIGH COMMAND"? Now efforts are made to put out the fire but the smoke is still not stopped. Actionsare already going on to convince the people that the "High Command" is neutral and the fight is based on democratic principle of fair and free election without interference from any quarts. That is as far as election is concerned but after that what happens is a question mark. Bravery and determination are the manifestations of confidence, courage, conviction and strength of character of a person. Leadership quality demands intellectual honesty and also the ability to see and understand the realities of the present and not the illusion that the leadership wish to see. The courage of conviction is yet another quality of leadership which precede great actions. It is in this connection that one should appreciate the courage of conviction and the exemplary qualities of leadership exhibited by Shashi Tharoor till now against all odds and knowing fully the consequences of defying the leadership of the "HIGH COMMAND" and still he has taken the greatest risk of his political career and has stood his ground. That is a laudable. Can Congress history be repeated? Shashi Tharoor knows Congress History in its entirety. However, it will be useful to him if he refreshes the past history of the Congress Party to recollect how some of the stalwarts of the onetime great party treated them. As a loyal congressman owing allegiance to the Congress "HIGH COMMAND" leadership, he may find self-convincing reasons to justify the actions of then "HIGH COMMAND" leadership of the Indian National Congress Party especially when it pertains to Gandhi and Nehru. The following are some of the epoch and impact making happenings in the Congress history over the bygone years. 1. THE ELECTION (or was it selection or nomination) of the FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA. The details are in the public domain and it is for the public to judge. 2. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (23.07.1856 to 01.08.1920) The then firebrand front leader of the Congress Party who gave the clarion call "SWARAJ IS MY BIRTH RIGHT AND I SHALL HAVE IT" much before M.K. Gandhi and who was against soft pedal attitude of the Congress Party towards British Regime clashed with the moderates during the partys session at Surat in 1907, and was unceremoniously thrown out of the party. "Taking advantage of the division in the nationalist forces, the government (British) again prosecuted Tilak on a charge of sedition and inciting terrorism and deported him to Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar), to serve a six-year prison sentence". 3. Lala Lajpat Rai, (28.01.1865-17.11.1928) Indian writer and politician, outspoken in his advocacy of a militant anti-British nationalism in the Indian National Congress (Congress Party) and as a leader of the Hindu supremacy movement hehelped to establish the nationalistic Dayananda Anglo-Vedic School.After joining the Congress Party, he took part in political agitation in the Punjab. Lajpat Rai was deported to Mandalay, Burma (now Myanmar), without trial on charges of subversion in May 1907. In November, however, he was allowed to return to India on finding no evidence for his deportation. Lajpat Rais supporters attempted to secure his election to the presidency of the party session at Surat in December 1907, but elements favouring cooperation with the British refused to accept him, and the party split over the issues and he was expelled from the party. 4. Bipin Chandra Pal (07.11.1958-20.05.1932) "Pal is known as the Father of Revolutionary Thoughts in India of India. Pal became a major leader of the Indian National Congress. Along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he belonged to the Lal-Bal-Pal trio that was associated with revolutionary activity. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh and Pal were recognised as the chief exponents of a new national movement revolving around the ideals of Purna Swaraj, Swadeshi, boycott and national education. He had no faith in mild protests in the form of non-cooperation with the British colonial government. On that one issue, the assertive nationalist leader had nothing in common with M. K. Gandhi". He also could not survive under the then political leadership. 5. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. {23.01.1897-18.08.1945 (?)} "Bose had been elected as the president in Haripura session of Congress in 1938. Bose had been advocating opposition to British governments federal scheme as per Government of India Act 1935. He had been proposing a mass movement for Purna Swaraj, unlike other elements within the party which were in favour of accepting the new concessions from the British. However, the old guard, including Mahatma Gandhi, refused to heed to his words. Therefore he contested for re-election to the presidency of the next annual Congress session that was to be held in Tripuri. Subhash Chandra Bose won against Gandhis candidate Pattabhi Sitarammayya (1,575 to 1,376 votes). In response, the entire CWC (Congress working committee) resigned. Thereafter, he was shunted out of the Congress party because he had the charisma and ability to win an election against the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi". 6. Purushottam Das Tandon (01.08.1882-01.07.1962) "In 1950, the Congress was to elect its new party president. Nehru was very keen to block the bid of Purushottam Das Tandon, a veteran freedom fighter. Tandon was known for his clear stand on issues related to Hindus not succumbing to the pressure created by Nehru on his fellow leaders to follow his policy of Muslim appeasement". "Nehru took the inner struggle of the party to the streets as he went public on this issue. He threatened to resign from the government if Tandon got elected as Congress president. He categorically said that he would not be a part of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) under Tandons leadership. To counter Tandon, Nehru asked JB Kripalani to contest the polls. But Tandon was also not faint-hearted. He was backed by several party stalwarts such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Govind Ballabh Pant." "Nehru refused to accept this defeat and came up regularly with new ways and means to target Tandon and all those who backed him. Tandon defeated Kripalani quite convincingly and became the party president despite Nehrus all-out effort to block him. Nehru refused to accept this defeat and came up regularly with new ways and means to target Tandon and all those who backed him. His vendetta was quite visible. In August 1951, Nehru triggered a major crisis by resigning from the CWC. This was followed by a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party that led to the Nehru camp compelling all the CWC members to resign. This made Tandons position untenable. The first general elections were a few months away. Tandon, as a true Congressman, was concerned about the impact of all these developments on Congress electoral fortunes in forthcoming polls. Thus, to salvage the partys image, Tandon resigned in September 1951. This is what Nehru had always wanted. Now, Nehru took over as Congress president. And since then the party has been run as a family fiefdom". Politics is nothing but acquiring political power. Power is never given voluntarily. It is always usurped either seemingly democratic way or by rank force. The gap between democracy by consensus and dictatorship is very thin and only circumstance has to squeeze in either to make a democratic dictatorship or a totalitarian dictatorship. In this connection what Leon Trotsky who was the arch rival of the then USSR Dictator Joseph Stalin and who was mercilessly killed by Stalin, is worth recalling. "In inner-party politics, these methods lead, as we shall yet see, to this: the party organization substitutes itself for the party, the central committee substitutes itself for the organization, and, finally, a dictator substitutes himself for the central committee". LONG LIVE DEMOCRACY. BEST WISHES FOR SHASHI THAROOR. Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!" Join our Telegram group Join our Whatsapp group "Loved reading this piece by T.R.Radhakrishnan Join LAWyersClubIndia's network for daily News Updates, Judgment Summaries, Articles, Forum Threads, Online Law Courses, and MUCH MORE!!" Tags : Others Laois Chamber Alliance CEO, Caroline Hofman, travelled to Brussels recently as part of a delegation from Chambers Ireland. Ms. Hofman was the only representative who attended from the Midlands region, with meetings taking place across the city including in the European Parliament and European Commission. She said this visit to Brussels offered an important opportunity to engage at a European level on the needs of Irish businesses and to find out more on how the European Union policy agenda is pushing to meet these needs. Ms. Hofman represented Laois Chamber Alliance at a number of high level meetings, including briefings with the Head of the Irish Regions European Office, Teresa Lennon, a meeting with a number of Irish MEPs at the European Parliament including Ireland South MEPs who represent Laois. She also attended briefings at the European Commission, including with Mr Matthieu Ballu, Directorate General for Energy, and briefings with the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels. Ms. Hofman spoke following her visit. These policy visits to Brussels are a crucial element of the lobbying Laois Chamber Alliance carries out on behalf of our members. We had a jam-packed schedule of briefings and meetings across the two days. "In particular, our meeting with Teresa Lennon, Head of Irish Regions European Office , was significant and extremely relevant for Laois, as there is a significant amount of European funding we can avail of here in the county, and something we will be following up on. We also had a number of briefings in the European Commission, regarding market access, SMEs, legal affairs, technology and security, economic and financial policy, and energy policy. "Our MEPs are involved in crucial committees and policy making in the European Parliament, which ultimately shapes our policy at home in Ireland, and this visit also provided a crucial opportunity to meet with them to discuss what policy changes need to be made, she said. Have you ever dreamed of featuring in a movie but you have no acting experience? Well an opportunity to make that dream come has just come along in the shape of a film being produced in Laois in November. The Laois Short Film Bursary of 10,000 was awarded to Songway Films in 2022 for a new short film called The Light Within. The film is a supernatural tale set in Rosenallis, Co Laois in 1780 where Lydia, a teenager must defy her Quaker upbringing to save her ailing younger sister. This is the first film to dramatize Quaker culture in Ireland. The successful team awarded the bursary consists of writer/director Denis McArdle from Dublin and producer David Butler from Portarlington. Denis McArdle is an award winning director and has experience making TV commercials, documentaries, and corporate work for the European market, and has created several short films funded by Screen Ireland. Ever since receiving funding earlier in 2022 the production team have been laying the groundwork for shooting the movie. Now they are ready to roll and have issued a casting call for extras. All you have to do is make your way to the Dunamase Arts Centre in Portlaoise on Tuesday November 1 at 7.30pm. The producers say no experience is needed and they are seeking a variety of people of all ages for what will be voluntary positions. If you make the cut you'll be expected to be available on Wednesday, November 9 for an on location shoot in Cappard, Rosenallis. Meanwhile, for all film makers the next round of the Laois Short Film Bursary Award will be open to writers, directors and producers early in 2023. Requirements include submitting a high quality script / screenplay that reflects aspects of Irish experience across different generations, gender, ethnicities, class and landscapes, and is situated in Co. Laois. Key criteria for eligibility is that one of the core creative team must be from or living in Laois, and that the film is made in the county. The Short Film Bursary supports and encourages filmmaking within the county and is funded by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme in partnership with Laois County Council. For more information contact the Arts Office, Laois County Council at artsoff@laoiscoco.ie and/or follow Creative Ireland Laois on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Ongoing criminal behaviour on Laois to Dublin trains is just is further evidence that a dedicate garda unit is needed on trains and buses in Ireland. So insists Laois Offaly Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley who raised the issue in the Dail recently. He says his party's policy would benefit commuters in his constituency and elsewhere. Laois Offaly Gardai police trains through the county and have prosecuted people breaking the law. However, Dep Stanley believes a new model is needed. "The Portlaoise and Ballybrophy line to Dublin has been identified as having recurring problems. The security guards do not have the powers to arrest. We need gardai. We need special dedicated Garda units with powers of arrest on those lines to make our public transport safe, he said. He insisted that safe public transport system is needed but pointed to a recent report found that 77% of women outside of Dublin felt it was unsafe to use the train to show that this is not the case at present. Dep Stanley is one of many public representatives from many parties and constituencies who want a change which Government Ministers have not dismissed. However the current Garda HQ view is understood to be that local community policing can meet the policing needs of the public transport network and that the Garda authorities do not propose to establish a specialist or dedicated transport policing. A new law to protect employees tips is to be introduced on December 1. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022 will see employees given legal rights over the payment of tips. It is to provide more clarity for customers and new requirements on employers to clearly display their policy on tips and service charges The new law will mean that any charge called a service charge will have to be distributed to staff as if it were a tip or gratuity received by electronic means. The period between now and December 1 will give employers time to prepare for the changes required by the new law, which have been well signalled. Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said: Tips can form a significant percentage of a workers take-home pay and these changes go a long way to ensuring those tips are distributed to the people who have earned them. This new law is a positive step towards improving the rights and entitlements of lower-paid workers as well as providing transparency for customers. While most employers treat their staff fairly, this will help to stamp out bad practices where they exist and give customers the confidence that gratuities are paid to staff. Democracy has spoken in Brazil. On Sunday, October 30, it fired the incumbent president, Jair Bolsonaro, after a term of tumult and fury illustrated by his catastrophic management of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ransacking of the Amazon, attacks on democracy and a continuous stream of racist, sexist and homophobic statements. All that remained for this far-right leader, mute on the evening of the election, was one last obligation owed to his country: to publicly acknowledge his defeat and prepare a peaceful changing of the guard at the top of the state. The sooner Mr. Bolsonaro does this, the better. The last thing Brazil needs is for this politician, who has often been compared to former US President Donald Trump, to imitate him one last time by contesting the results which would put the country to the test. The time of a poisonous and particularly virulent campaign is over. Now it is time for the challenges that await the winner, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Read more Subscribers only From prison to Brazilian president: Lula's spectacular comeback but underwhelming victory The narrowness of the victory for Lula, who, at 77 years of age and after a stint in prison, is making one of the most spectacular returns to power ever made in a force the size of Brazil, shows how immense the task is. Although he was initially predicted to win, the former trade unionist had to fight tooth and nail to win the votes that finally allowed him to overtake Mr. Bolsonaro. However, Lula thought he had many trump cards up his sleeve, starting with the desire to move beyond his original political base, the left wing identified with the Workers' Party (PT), of which he was one of the founders and the figurehead. Faced with the incumbent president, he presented himself at the head of a broad coalition open to centrists and even conservatives, a diverse front that received new support between the two rounds of voting. Institutional Bolsonarism This shift was undoubtedly essential, but it did not prevent an aggressive populism from taking root and the transition from militant to institutional Bolsonarism, which was confirmed in the second round of the election. While the presidential campaign highlighted the country's vulnerability to the fake news spread by social networks and the influence of ultraconservative evangelical pastors, this Bolsonarism is now present in force in the Brazilian Congress, as well as in many states of the South American giant, starting with the richest, Sao Paulo. This will now be headed by a former minister of the defeated president. We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback In his speech, Lula promised to restore "peace" and "unity," both of which had been damaged by the current mandate, which will end on January 1, 2023. He also pledged to fight against growing poverty and hunger, which has made a comeback, to put respect for the environment back at the heart of his action and to restore Brazil to its rightful place on the international stage. His vast political experience will not be too much to overcome the obstacles. To his credit, he is in tune with a South American continent where left-wing progressivism has made historic inroads in recent months, from Chile to Colombia. Lula will also be able to count on the support of many countries, from the United States to Europe, particularly concerned about the fate of an Amazon that Mr. Bolsonaro has abandoned to unlimited exploitation. A few days before the climate conference in Egypt, Lula's election success produced a global sigh of relief. Le Monde Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version. For many commentators, the origin of the current rift between France and Germany is to be sought "in the East." Following the 2004 and 2007 enlargements, Brexit and now the promise of membership to Ukraine, the geographical center of the European Union (EU) has de facto moved to Central Europe. These commentators say that Germany, located in the "East of the West," is taking this reality into account. For its part, Paris, with its notorious disinterest and persistent contempt for the former communist countries, may have missed the historical context. Can those who are wrongly called "Eastern countries" when they're in fact at the heart of Europe embody the future of the Old Continent? Their desire to achieve this status is undeniable. Just listen to the rhetoric of Viktor Orban. "Central Europe is the future of Europe," said the Hungarian nationalist prime minister, explaining that it's "not just a geographical concept, but a political, economic and cultural reality." In his mind, Hungary and its neighbors have a mission to catch up economically with the West, to push a more intergovernmental vision of the EU and to defend a culturally White and Christian Europe. While his pro-Russian message has muddied Mr. Orban's credibility since the start of the war in Ukraine, the essence of his prediction is still shared by Poland, by far the largest country in the region with 38 million inhabitants. Together, Budapest and Warsaw dream of weakening the powers of the European Commission and Parliament and of warding off any threat of sanctions for their authoritarian excesses. Politically, Germany is far from aligned with this vision. In his speech in Prague on August 29, Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained that he was in favor of lifting the unanimity principle, and he gave Mr. Orban a frosty reception during his recent visit to Berlin. So much so that on his return, Mr. Orban described Mr. Scholz's SPD as "the most anti-Hungarian party in Europe." We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback Many dream of Germany The fact remains that, economically, the interests of large German companies have sometimes led Berlin to accept a kind of tolerance in the face of regional authoritarian excesses. Thanks to their skilled and cheap labor, the countries of Central Europe have provided a crucial competitive boost to German industry, through emigrating by the hundreds of thousands to Germany or by hosting subcontracting factories. The GDP per capita of the Czech Republic already exceeds that of Spain, and Poland's economy is not far behind. The largest battery factory in Europe will soon be built in Hungary by a Chinese company. You have 52.69% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. THIRD-LEVEL students travelling into Limerick city are being left on the side of the road due to oversubscribed bus services within the county, it has been claimed. Concerns over the lack of adequate rural bus services in certain parts of Limerick and the student accommodation crisis were expressed by councillors at a meeting of the Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District. Cllr Adam Teskey (Independent) said since the start of the current academic year, more students than ever before are seeking accommodation in towns such as in Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale. This, he added, is to ensure they have access to transport into Limerick. That is why our buses are oversubscribed, Cllr Teskey stated. He referenced the 7.30am bus service from Rathkeale, which he said is oversubscribed, adding that he has been made aware of a situation where over 20 people were left on the side of the road one morning. A second service for the route, which caters for both workers and third-level students was asked for, however, Bus Eireann denied this request, the Rathkeale-based councillor told those present. He asked that a communication be sent again directly to Bus Eireann to ask what the situation is. To leave 20 people at the side of the road, when we are trying to ask people to conserve energy and when we are trying to promote the idea of public transport to people is unacceptable, he said. They are trying to go into a place of employment to pay taxes and earn a wage. We are letting these people down, he added. Cathaoirleach Cllr Stephen Keary (FG) suggested that council management write to the fantastic green bus service, asking them to consider putting a stop in at Rathkeale. It could come in and turn at the museum in the village. It would be ideal for students who are going to TUS Moylish or UL on a daily basis. It would get them right to the door, he stated. Adding to his comments, Cllr Bridie Collins (FF) said that if they (passengers) are being left in Rathkeale, then they are definitely being left in Adare. People are using bus services more due to the price of fuel and a 20% reduction in the price. We must write to both the green bus and Bus Eireann to increase their services, she said. A COUNTY Limerick school has been left without water four times in eight weeks due to electricity outages and water supply issues. Locals in Galbally have lost water supply a total of nine times in the last two months with the primary school having to send pupils home twice due to the outages. David Kearney, principal of Galbally National School said they have had to close the school due to the lack of water which has been a big inconvenience. We are a rural area and the parents are commuting to places like Clonmel, Shannon and Cork. One mother dropped her child off at the breakfast club at 8am and then went to work in Mallow. She had just arrived when she got the call to say the school was closing for the day. Councillor Eddie Ryan said the outages are causing major disruption to the locality. Some of the issues were electrical and some were to do with the water supply. There is always an uncertainty about when it will come back. It is just not workable. There are two hairdressers in the village so the outages affect them as well as other businesses. Mr Kearney said that due to Covid-19 and other bugs, the school has to close if they think the water outage will be long term. Irish Water says it is aware of the issues impacting the community in Galbally and apologised for any inconvenience caused. Addressing the outages, a spokesperson said: Two of these were linked to ESB power outages over which we had no control and others were due to unforeseen water main bursts. In each instance water supply was restored promptly by the local team. ESB Networks also apologised to customers and said it has been liaising with the school and water plant operators. ESB Networks can confirm that there have been three outages in the Galbally area of Limerick in recent weeks one of which was a planned outage and two low-ground clearance outages. A LIMERICK DJ has discussed her love of music and the experience of loss ahead of the release of her new single. Shana Cotter, also known by her stage name Shayna, is an upcoming music producer and sound engineer from Ballycummin. My interest in house and techno music stems all back to my brother really. When I was a child he had DJ decks in his bedroom and he and his friends would always be using them, Shana said. Back in 2016, when Shana was living in London she finally worked up the courage to buy her first set of DJ decks. I started DJ lessons with the London Sound Academy as a hobby whilst I was working in construction, Shana said. As it turns out the next song will be released on their record label of the same name, she says. Time for another Limerick Live poll! Do you agree with the government decision to change the licensing laws to allow nightclubs to remain open until 6am? Discussing the new track titled the Experience of Loss, Shana mentioned how it was inspired by her mother. My mother passed away on May 27, this year. There was so much going on around that time that I spent as much time as I could in the studio, she said. I was scrolling through YouTube one day and I came across a Ted Talk called the Science and Art of a Broken Heart by Ankur Kalra and a lot of the words he spoke resonated with how I was feeling at the time, she added. Shana continues: The speaking sample that I use in the new track comes from that Ted Talk. Shanas new single the Experience of Loss is out now and released by London Sound Academy, a pro LGBTQ label. MET Eireann has warned of long spells of rain locally, as its status yellow weather warning for Limerick and the rest of the country kicks in. The national forecaster said heavy shower falls or longer spells of rain in Munster and across the south and west will become widespread this morning. Localised flooding and some disruption is warned, with the status yellow alert valid until midnight tonight. Heavy & possibly thundery outbreaks of rain will occur today with some intense falls across the S especially Some flooding & disruption is likely Becoming drier in western areas later. Highs of 10 to 15C. See warnings herehttps://t.co/BoUueCIxKa pic.twitter.com/Xz6tYoQvrD Met Eireann (@MetEireann) October 31, 2022 A status orange rain warning has also been issued for Cork, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford. Intense rain is expected this afternoon in affected areas and it will lead to some flooding. The alert is valid from 12pm today until 5pm. Despite the wet Halloween Bank Holiday, things should begin to return to normal tomorrow, with sunny spells expected here. For up to the minute news, stay with www.limericklive.ie Profile: Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of CPV Central Committee Xinhua) 00:45, October 30, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to China starting from Oct. 30 at the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president. Trong, born in 1944 in Dong Hoi Commune, Dong Anh District, Hanoi, is a professor who holds a doctorate degree in politics. From 1967 to 1996, Trong worked as vice head and head of the Party building department of the "Communist Review" magazine and as a member, deputy editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief of the magazine's editing board. He served as deputy secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee between August 1996 and February 1998. From February 1998 to January 2000, Trong was in charge of the ideological, cultural, scientific and educational work of the CPV. Trong then worked as secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee from January 2000 to June 2006. Between March 1998 and August 2006, as deputy chairman and chairman of the CPVCC Central Theoretical Council, Trong was in charge of the CPV's theoretical work. He acted as chairman of the National Assembly from June 2006 to July 2011. Between January 2011 and January 2016, Trong served as general secretary of the 11th CPVCC and secretary of the Central Military Commission. He then became general secretary of the 12th CPVCC and secretary of the Central Military Commission from January 2016 to October 2018. Trong served as general secretary of the CPVCC, state president and secretary of the Central Military Commission between October 2018 and April 2021. Since April 2021, he has been working as general secretary of the 13th CPVCC and secretary of the Central Military Commission. Trong was a member of the 7th to 13th CPVCC, a member of the Political Bureau of the 8th to 13th CPVCC, and a deputy to the 11th to 15th National Assembly of Vietnam. Trong visited China in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007. After assuming office as general secretary of the CPVCC in 2011, he visited China in October 2011, April 2015 and January 2017. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming) A former Ireland rugby international star has said he was shaken to the core by scenes he witnessed in Somalia, as devastating drought puts the country on the brink of the worlds first famine in five years. Donncha OCallaghan, the Unicef ambassador, told how streams of desperate people are walking up to 100km to reach aid camps, but some mothers have been found sitting by the gravesides of children who did not make it. An Irish team, which included the former Ireland rugby player, spent a week in camps observing what may be one of the worlds first climate change-induced famines. The 43-year-old Corkman said: It is truly harrowing. It has taken me days at home to finds the words for how I feel. Ive never seen anything like the camps in Somalia. The sheer number of children left staring into the abyss because of this drought is terrifying. It is not just one case. It is hundreds. It is thousands. I met mothers and you could see they were starving and weak when they arrived. The look in the eyes of the kids left me speechless. When you see a child suffering from hunger so close up, it really shakes you to the core. Unicef estimates Somalias first famine since 2011 could be declared within weeks and already over seven million Somalis have been affected by drought. The country has two rainy seasons annually and the human catastrophe has been sparked by four consecutive failed rains since 2020, a drought on a scale not seen in at least 40 years. When rain arrives, it also presents a lethal danger to children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a scenario witnessed by Mr OCallaghan, who visited three camps for displaced people in the Dollow region. On one of the days, we had a brief shower of rain. You could see the delight and relief in the childrens faces, he added. However, we later heard from the Unicef team that when a child is malnourished, being outside in the rain, when their system is weak, can actually put their life at risk from hypothermia. Where we were in Somalia, some of the locals called it death rain. Famine is not new to us in Ireland and we need to be there for the children of Somalia now amid the dangers they face, so were asking anyone in a position to support the relief effort to do so at unicef.ie. Speaking after his week-long mission to the stricken country on the Horn of Africa, where temperatures reached 30C, he recalled meeting a two-month old baby girl, already acutely malnourished. I met her and her mum. I didnt know before the trip that a babys face and limbs will swell and their hair can go grey when they are malnourished. Its heartbreaking to witness. Unicef Ireland executive director, Peter Power, told how the needless deaths of children demands a response. The scale of this drought and the devastation it is wreaking on children, must demand that we do more to tackle climate change, he said. Global emissions are still going up, and as a global society, we simply can not continue with business as usual. We are standing on the precipice of a climate catastrophe. If declared, this will be a famine fuelled in large part by climate change. But already children are dying. They are dying because of the excesses and lifestyles of others far from their home. Children in Somalia are the early casualties of a potentially global disaster. It is not of their making, and it is our duty to do more and stand by their side. Probus Insurance Broker Private Limited, an insurtech firm, has announced its association with Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan as its brand ambassador. Roshan will be seen in an integrated communication campaign, including a television commercial and across digital platforms. With this partnership, the company said it aims to take forward its brand narrative of Aapka Saathi Aapka Saarthi, which will focus on its technology and customer support. The company is backed by the Switzerland-based, global management firm, BlueOrchard Impact Investment managers. Rakesh Goyal, director of the company said, Were excited to partner with Hrithik Roshan as our brand ambassador as he exudes and resonates with the brands ethos of intelligence and dynamism. With his popularity among the masses and the youth, his appeal remains unrivaled. This association will assist us in reaching consumers and end users across age groups, and enable us to instill trust and educate them on the importance of choosing the right insurance partner. Fans admire Roshan for his versatility which can be seen in his performances across diverse roles, he said. Roshan said, Im happy to associate with them and the process of getting the right insurance can become overwhelming for the layman, it is with the right advice and support that our needs can be met, leaving a person feeling safe. The brand has a philosophy of simplifying the insurance needs of people, backed with the required infrastructure and support, it is this approach that connected with me."The company said it intends to broaden its presence in tier 2 and 3 markets in the next three years. The insurance market is set to reach about $222 billion by FY26 on the back of a growing middle class and increased digital access, according to a report by consultancy firm Redseer. Tata Steel's future course of action with respect to its UK business will be based on the British government's response to the company's proposal seeking financial support to sustain the business there, CEO T V Narendran said Monday. Tata Steel owns the UK's largest steelworks at Port Talbot in South Wales and employs around 8,000 people across all its operations in the country. Tata Steel is seeking 1.5 billion pounds from the UK government to execute its decarbonisation plans. "Obviously plans are being made in case we don't get the support that we seek form the (UK) government, but it's too early to talk about (it), but again a lot of conversations are going on internally to how we plan for all situations," said T V Narendran, CEO, Tata Steel Tata Steel is seeking support from the UK government in two forms. In policy terms by encouraging the transition to green steel and ensuring a cost competitive landscape, and partnership in financing of the project given the size of investment and the financially constrained position of the UK business. When asked if a decision to engage with a buyer will be taken after the response of the government, he said. "Absolutely, whatever we do we will decide based on the response of the UK government," he said. Narendran further said the company has performed well in India and the Netherlands during the quarter ended September 30, 2022. Aeroflot, the flag carrier of Russia, announced on Monday that it will begin operating flights to Goa from Moscow on November 2. An Airbus A330 currently serves the airline's flights on the Moscow-Delhi-Moscow route twice per week. According to the statement, Aeroflot will fly its Airbus A330 aircraft from Moscow to Goa every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, offering 268 seats in business class and 28 seats in economy. It also said that the new services will offer a 30-ton weekly cargo capacity from India to Russia and the CIS countries. "Goa is a popular tourist destination among Russians. We are starting our three-times-a-week flights on the Moscow-Goa-Moscow route. It marks the expansion of our Indian services in response to customer demand," said Korolev Oleg K, head of cargo at Aeroflot. Another popular route between India and Russia is Goa-Moscow.According to Delmos Aviation, which oversees Aeroflot's cargo sales and bookings in India, these flights will boost the recovering tourist markets in both countries. The majority of people who visit Goa are from Russia.It stated that India is anticipating a significant number of Russian tourists during the upcoming tourist season. It's a good start and will boost the tourism industry in the upcoming tourist season. Also, it will help streamline cargo movement, Naveen Rao, Director Delmos Aviation said. "(As) most of the airlines are still not flying to Russia due to various sanctions. It is affecting the cargo supply chain from the western region. Aeroflot flights from Goa will help bridge this gap. Weekly flights from Goa will further enhance and streamline the supply chain both for the pharmaceutical sector and other goods industries," he added. Essential pharmaceutical supplies are primarily exported by India to Russia and the CIS nations.Rao claims that many pharmaceutical companies and suppliers of perishable goods base their operations in Western India. "Besides with the extensive coverage in Russia and the CIS region, these flights will further aid in the expansion of our network in the region. They will facilitate supply chain movement. We see a definite surge in demand for air cargo logistical services in Russia and CIS nations," Rao said. With inputs from PTI Chief Murphy says one person was found dead at the United States Post Office (USPS) on Shallowford Road and the other person was found dead in a car, following a crash near the Nail Bar in Hixson. A Longford student has been awarded a Naughton Foundation Scholarship worth 20,000. Shane Hanley was presented with the coveted scholarship by founding patrons of the Naughton Foundation, Dr Martin Naughton, and his wife Carmel, at a ceremony in the Trinity Business School in Dublin last Saturday. A former student of Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon, Shane has accepted a place studying Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at University of Limerick. Shane joins thirty-seven exceptional Irish students who were awarded third level scholarships towards their studies in the areas of engineering, science, technology, and maths. His former secondary school, Mercy Ballymahon, was awarded a prize of 1,000 towards the schools science facilities. Saturdays ceremony was also attended by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD. Supporting academic and innovative excellence, the Naughton Foundation Scholarship Awards are an investment in the future of Ireland's reputation as a country with outstanding graduates promoting the study of engineering, science, and technology at third level. Since its establishment in 2008, scholarships worth over 6 million have been awarded to over 350 students. The scheme started in three counties and has continued to expand annually to become a nationwide scheme in 2016. There is one guaranteed scholarship (20,000) for each participating county, with some counties awarded more than one scholarship and each scholarship is worth 5,000 per annum for each year of a students three- or four-year undergraduate degree. Speaking about the growth and development of the programme over the past fourteen years, Dr. Martin Naughton said: We started supporting students in their science and engineering studies in Louth, Meath, and Monaghan in 2008 to give back to our local area. We never imagined what a wonderful community of connected young people the Naughton Scholarship programme would become. Our Alumni are an incredible group working in the best Universities, research institutes and businesses across the world. Each year we hear back from them on the value of this network to them and the connections it has given them across disciplines and Ireland. They are a wonderful group of young people that are all giving back to society in their own way that we are very proud to be connected with. On Tuesday last, October 25 the members of the branch travelled to Dublin to visit Dail Eireann, thanks to Joe Flaherty TD, for the invitation. Veterans day out in Dublin is now on December 3. Both those trips are fully booked up. Preparations are underway for the remembrance ceremonies in November, on Friday, November 11 a service will be held in St Johns Church on Battery Road, on Remembrance Sunday, November 13 the usual ceremony will be held on the Market Square at 11 o'clock. If the square is unavailable, we will seek an alternative site that is suitable for this event. Our chairman Tommy Watson would like to thank the Davis family and their staff, for their generosity in allowing us to hold our fundraiser at their SuperValu venue on Saturday last. Next Branch meeting is at 8pm, on December 2 in Connolly Barracks. Our AGM will be held on January 13, 2023 in the Vintage Club Connolly Barracks. MAIN PHOTO CAPTION: The Peter Keenan Branch of ONET help their annual Fuchsia Appeal fundraiser at SuperValu, Longford and they are thankful to the Davis Family for their support. Pictured l to r are Peter Keenan, Pat Masterson, Chris Reilly, James Keavney, Ray Belton and Eddie Rhatigan School & Education, Local News, Business & Finance By Chris Boyle Published: October 31 2022 Hunter is more than just a trade school; it's establishing a fostering, nurturing environment for students. Hunter Business School, a technical trade school that has locations in Levittown and Medford, is offering students expert, comprehensive training and support that will enable them to find gainful employment in a variety of different fields. But Hunter is more than just a trade school; it's establishing a fostering, nurturing environment for students. Its a partnership between our school and our students and to that end Hunter students get support from start to finish and beyond, according to Director of Admissions Janette Chiofalo. We want our students to know that Hunter is here for them, were here to help them achieve their goals and that we are very much outcome-driven, she said. It's our job not only to help educate our students, but also to help get them employed in the field in which they trained for. Among the programs that Hunter offers are Medical Assistant, Medical Office Administration with Billing and Coding, Computer Technician Networking Specialist, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Practical Nursing, Medical Billing and Web Application Design and Development In addition, Hunter's Levittown location also offers Radiologic Technology. At the moment, some classes that require hands-on instruction are functioning on hybrid models, with a combination of virtual lessons and in-person teaching. On November 29, 2022, Hunter will bring back their first Medical Assistant class with 100 percent in-person instruction, and as of January 1, 2023, the school will bring back their Medical Assistant and Computer Technician Networking Specialist programs for both the day and evening sessions. Other programs that require less of a hands-on approach still currently function on the 100 percent virtual model established during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as Web Application and Design, Medical Office Administration with Billing and Coding and Medical Billing Specialist. And if you thought Hunter didn't already have enough on their plate, you'd be wrong; Chiofalo said that the school has actually incorporated yet another new program Practical Nursing into their itinerary at their Medford location. We've been teaching that program for about 11 years out of our Levittown campus, and we recently incorporated it into our Medford campus as well, she said. The first class started on 9/19/22. We are very excited!" Hunter also assists their students in achieving gainful employment upon graduation by assisting their graduates with job leads and having noted companies come to visit the campus, giving their graduates a chance to interact with them, acquire information, and establish networking in hopes of future employment. Among the companies that attended a recent Career Day for Hunter graduates were Core BTS (IT Field), Adept Technologies Consulting (IT Field), Northwell Mather (Medical Field), Orthopedic Associates of Long Island (Medical Field), Act Talent (Medical Field), City MD (Medical Field), Stony Brook Clinical Practice (Medical Field), Adjuvant (Medical Field), and Orlin and Cohen (Medical Field). This is just to name a few. Were told by Career Services that there are more jobs to fill than there are students to place, Chiofalo said. We get to know our students personally and work with them throughout their journey here at Hunter. Their training is just the beginning. We work on soft skills, resume prep, thank you letters, cover letters and mock interviews. While the COVID-19 pandemic is in the rearview mirror for many people, Hunter is still currently maintaining a hybrid teaching model for the time being, both to ensure student and staff safety as well as offering a convenient option for learners, Chiofalo said. Currently, we're still offering virtual and hybrid classes, but we always give the students the opportunity to come to the campus, we have classrooms available for individuals that need additional support, she said. There are people on campus that will assist the student so they can continue to get that nurturing and extra support. Also, if students don't have good wi-fi at home, they can come here and utilize our resources as well. For the time being Hunter is enjoying the high degree of success they've been experiencing with their hybrid model, but theyre excited to return to full-time on-campus learning for some of the programs in the near future. Were outcome-driven, this is not an environment for someone that is not looking to work, Chiofalo said. Its a partnership that we are most proud of. Our students are the heart of Hunter. Their success is our greatest success. To find out more about Hunter Business School, please call their Levittown/Nassau County campus at 516-796-1000, their Medford/Suffolk County campus at 631-736-7360, or visit their website at Hunterbusinessschool.edu. Health & Wellness By Chris Boyle Published: October 31 2022 Advocates Gather to Persuade NY Voters to Vote Yes on the Monumental Proposition 1 to Protect New Yorks Drinking Water and Infrastructure. This Monday, actor and environmentalist Isabella Rossellini, County Executive Steve Bellone, Board Chair for the Suffolk County Water Authority, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and local business owner Richard Remmer will join The Nature Conservancy, Students for Climate Action, Blue Points Brewery, and other local groups to demonstrate support for the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act (Proposition 1) and urge New York voters to vote yes on November 8th. Press conference to showcase support and persuade NY voters to vote yes on the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act will take place at the Snapper Inn, 500 Shore Dr, Oakdale, NY 11769 on Monday, October 31st at 11:00 AM EST. BHP Group Ltd - Melbourne, Australia-based mining company - John Mogford retires as a non-executive director with effect from Monday. Mogford has been a director since October 2017. His retirement follows the completion in June of the all-share merger of BHP's petroleum business with what is now called Woodside Energy Group Ltd, a Perth, Australia-based oil and gas company. Malcolm Broomhead will retire at the end of the company's annual general meeting on November 10. London stock price close: 2,068.39 pence 12-month change: up 7.5% Johannesburg stock price close: ZAR427.85 12-month change: down 13% By Artwell Dlamini; artwelldlamini@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group SA could attempt to buy rivals easyJet PLC and Portugese state-owned flag carrier TAP Air Portugal, the Times reported on Monday. The potential acquisitions are part of IAG's renewed plans to consolidate the European airline industry, the newspaper said. Last week, according to the Times, IAG Chief Executive Luis Gallego said: "We are a platform for consolidation. We will only do what makes sense, but we see there are opportunities to be stronger. We are a group that wants to consolidate the industry." Regarding easyJet, a takeover-blocking stake in the airline held by the Haji-Ioannou family had been removed in September as their shares fell to 15% from 16%, The Times reported last month. This was following easyJet's issuance of new shares for around GBP1.2 billion. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/british-airways-owner-iag-looks-to-snap-up-rivals-as-easyjet-falters-vxqb9tx89 IAG last Friday published its third-quarter results to September 30, swinging to a pretax profit of EUR1.01 billion from a loss of EUR714 million a year prior. Revenue nearly tripled year-on-year to EUR7.32 billion from EUR2.71 billion. Two weeks ago, easyJet said it expects its headline pretax loss to narrow sharply. The airline expects to report a headline pretax loss in the range of GBP170 million to GBP190 million for its financial year that ended September 30, narrowed from a pretax loss of GBP1.14 billion the year prior. easyJet explained that the loss in the recent year includes a GBP64 million foreign exchange loss from balance sheet revaluations and incremental disruption costs of GBP75 million, mainly from operational issues experienced across the industry in its third quarter. AJ Bell's investment director Russ Mould said: "Reports that easyJet could be a takeover target for International Consolidated Airlines make perfect sense. "The pandemic has created concerns about the future of business travel, with companies globally realising they don't need to hold so many meetings in different locations. It's far easier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly to hold many conversations over Teams or Zoom than get on a plane. Therefore, companies like International Consolidated Airlines need to rethink their future sources of revenue as they may find that business travel doesn't match pre-Covid levels." Regarding TAP, aviation media outlet AviationSource on September 12 reported that Portugal's government in September said it wants to sell its ailing flag carrier airline during the first half of 2023, following multi-billion euro bailouts for a total of around EUR3.0 billion between 2020 and 2022. The company was re-nationalised by a new government led by Prime Minister Antonio Costa in 2016 after it was privatised in June 2015 under former prime minister Pedro Coelho. The planned re-privatisation is also under Costa, who has led Portugal's government since November 2015. IAG already owns Spain's Iberia and Vueling and Ireland's Aer Lingus. International Consolidated Airlines shares were up 4.1% at 120.04 pence each on Monday morning in London, while easyJet shares rose 6.8% to 350.80p each. By Tom Budszus; tombudszus@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Cova des Moro is a cave at Cala Varques in Manacor. The chamber, which is of great size, has revealed secrets from millennia past. Excavations in the mid-90s found remains of human activity that correspond with the Talayotic culture, while there is also evidence of myotragus balearicus, the goat-rat that was the only endemic mammal in the Balearics and which is believed to have become extinct some 5,000 years ago. If myotragus did indeed become extinct around 3000BC, then this was well before the Talayotic culture. The assumption is that it was hunted to extinction. But who were the hunters? In February 2020, findings of a study of remains in the cave were published by the Spanish National Research Council. Researchers had made an astonishing discovery - what is probably the genome of the oldest inhabitants of the Balearics, and it is linked to the genes of shepherds in the steppes of eastern Europe, the vast area between the Ural Mountains and central Ukraine. This discovery conformed with at least two theories regarding when the first settlers arrived. These theories have proposed 4000BC and 4500BC. The remains in the cave are dated to 4300BC. There is conjecture as to whether these first people, whoever they were, can be classified as settlers. There is a view that the ancient navigators who arrived in Mallorca would have used the islands as what has been called a 'stone bridge', moving from island to island. Maybe they were a type of sea traveller, but rudimentary means of sea transport would surely have tempted them to stay and to establish settlements. The most likely reason for having come to Mallorca was that the island, when conditions were right, would have been seen from the Iberian Peninsula. Today, photos are periodically made available of the silhouette of the Tramuntana Mountains as seen from Barcelona. This would have been the silhouette that piqued the curiosity of ancient peoples. Perhaps they were merchants who hoped to find something of value; perhaps they were people seeking refuge from conflict. No one can say. But what about the genome? As such, it gives the person whose remains were found in the cave an origin among the Eurasian nomads. Hunter gatherers of the Middle Stone Age did make their way to the Iberian Peninsula from the steppes. By at least the sixth century BC, an ancient people - the Iberians - were settled on the eastern and southern coasts of the peninsula. The first settlers, in all likelihood therefore, were Iberians, and they had, by that time, absorbed cultural influences from the Greeks and the Phoenicians. These influences and their language set them apart as the 'pre-Indo-European' group, as the Indo-Europeans were to include the Celts. There is an alternative theory linking the first settlers to Sicily, given that the Y chromosome mutation that was characteristic of Iberia at that time has also been found in samples from Sicily, but researchers lean far more strongly to the connection with the Catalan coast and to that view of Mallorca. Settlements were eventually created, although little is really understood as to how Mallorca developed before the Talayotic culture, the starting point of which is put at around 1300BC and about which there are competing theories as to who these new settlers were and why they had come to Mallorca and Minorca. The consequences of their arrival range from peaceful assimilation with the existing inhabitants to total annihilation. Were they from the peninsula, from what is now Occitanie in France or maybe from Sardinia? Was their arrival connected with the disturbances in the eastern Mediterranean caused by the Sea Peoples? Wherever they came from, their establishment in Mallorca has been linked to the Celts and to Celtic culture, of which it is suggested some already existed. This is because of dolmen burial sites, said to be indicative of a Celtic culture, although as there was seemingly so little communication with the outside world, it is questionable as to whether these were influenced by the Celts or were indeed built by Celts. But as to the talayots, there is a celebrated book from 1819 about the structures in Minorca, the title of which is 'Celtic antiquities on the island of Minorca'. The talayots were built by Celts. This isn't necessarily how the Talayotic culture is now perceived, but the possible Celtic connection in Mallorca crops up at this time each year, and so with Halloween and the ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain. The eve of Samhain is October 31, which is traditionally considered to be All Saints Eve, as tradition in Mallorca has attempted, with increasingly less and less success, to distance itself from a commercialised Anglo-Saxon Halloween. As Mallorca tradition also includes fascination for the demonic and a dark side, Halloween's pagan origins would seem to fit very nicely - the eve of Samhain was a time for sacrifice. Yes, but Mallorca isn't a land of Celts. Or is it? The remains in the cave would seem to be Iberian. But who arrived later? Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has expressed extreme concern at the deteriorating security situation in eastern provinces in the DRC where fresh fighting has been raging between government forces and the M23 rebels 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 Institute of Human Virology (IHV) researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have received two five-year awards from the National Institutes of Healths National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a total of $7.5 million. One award aims to reduce the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers associated with using tobacco in Botswana. The other is focusing on improving screening and treatment of anal precancer in Nigeria. Both grants will make use of existing HIV treatment and prevention infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries to reach people living with HIV who are most at risk for these particular types of cancers. With the cancer burden rising in persons living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and most cancer research heavily skewed toward high-income countries, advancing global cancer research designed to focus on prevention and treatment in these regions is crucial. These studies will contribute to cancer control globally for persons living longer with HIV, said Robert C. Gallo, MD, the Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, Co-Founder and Director of the UMSOMs IHV, and Co-Founder and Chair of the Scientific Leadership Board of the Global Virus Network (GVN). Botswana Lung Cancer Study The Botswana Smoking Abstinence Reinforcement Trial, named BSMART, will screen patients for smoking across the network of HIV treatment facilities; it will offer a brief intervention using the 5 As: Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange for treatment with medication to help patients quit smoking. Quitting smoking is the most effective way to prevent cancers that can accompany tobacco use. Smokers with HIV are at a substantially elevated risk of several tobacco-related cancers, said Principal Investigator of the BSMART study Man Charurat, PhD, MHS, Professor of Medicine, Director of the Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity (Ciheb) at UMSOMs IHV, and Division Director for Global Health Sciences at UMSOMs Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. The BSMART study will use implementation science to enact a comprehensive public health strategy incorporated into a real-world care system, in which patients before now have been frustratingly left behind. Botswana has the highest prevalence of HIV and tobacco use in sub-Saharan Africa. Lung cancer is the most common cancer not caused by AIDS among people living with HIV and accounts for 20 percent of the cancer burden. The BSMART study in Botswana will be poised to assist the Government of Botswanas national goals in smoking cessation for its citizens. Nigeria Anal Cancer Study The IMPACT study, short for Integrated Model for the Prevention of Anal Cancer using screen and Treat for HSIL (high-grade intraepithelial lesions, also known as precancer), will screen and treat precancer to prevent anal cancer in sexual and gender minorities, including men who have sex with other men and people who are transgender. The study will be performed at the TRUST Clinic in Nigeria, which was established by IHV in 2012. Human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes anal cancer, is spread through anal sex. Because people with HIV can have suppressed immune systems, those who also have HPV can experience persistent, higher risk infections that are more likely to develop into precancer with potential progression to cancer. Following the success of cervical cancer prevention strategies, health care providers recently learned that they could treat precancer to prevent anal cancer. The IMPACT study aims to transfer knowledge immediately from research to practice in a low-to-middle income setting. Since it is very difficult to identify as a man who has sex with other men in Nigeria because of the fear of being imprisoned and being ostracized by the community, HPV-associated disease is typically extensive before it is identified, said IMPACT study Principal Investigator Rebecca Nowak, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at UMSOMs IHV. The TRUST Clinic is a safe place for us to reach these most vulnerable individuals, where we hope to identify and treat damage from HPV early to prevent progression to anal cancer. The sexual and gender minorities living with HIV bear the greatest burden of anal cancer with an 80-fold higher risk compared to the general population. Despite the high prevalence of HIV in the Sub-Saharan African region, anal cancer screening and treatment is unavailable. Thus, the IMPACT study will provide care to people living with HIV who face the highest risk of anal cancer in Nigeria. To help address the cancer challenges across sub-Sahara African countries, Ciheb aims to accelerate integrating evidence-based cancer control interventions that bring together prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and treatment, all while strengthening research capacity and infrastructure in these regions, said Dr. Charurat. Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs at University of Maryland, Baltimore and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean of UMSOM, said, Sub-Saharan African countries face a double burden of disease. Cancer rates have been rising rapidly alongside continued morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, like HIV. It is estimated that 75 percent of all cancer deaths will occur in lower to middle income countries by 2030. Hence, studies like BSMART and IMPACT, which are designed to bring evidence-based interventions, are urgent. About the Institute of Human Virology Formed in 1996 as a partnership between the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore, the University System of Maryland, and the University of Maryland Medical System, the IHV is an institute of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is home to some of the most globally-recognized and world-renowned experts in all of virology. The IHV combines the disciplines of basic research, epidemiology, and clinical research in a concerted effort to speed the discovery of diagnostics and therapeutics for a wide variety of chronic and deadly viral and immune disorders, most notably HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. For more information, visit ihv.org and follow us on Twitter @IHVmaryland. About the Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity The Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity, founded in 2016, is an international research center created within the University of Maryland School of Medicine by the Institute of Human Virology. Cihebs mission is to improve population health, safeguarding communities against health-related threats, and promotes health equity worldwide. Ciheb currently implements 16 programs and training grants across sub-Saharan Africa. For more information, www.ciheb.ihv.org and follow us on Twitter @CIHEB_UMB About the University of Maryland School of Medicine Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.3 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic, and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has nearly $600 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System (University of Maryland Medicine) has an annual budget of over $6 billion and an economic impact of nearly $20 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies. In the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2021, the UM School of Medicine is ranked #9 among the 92 public medical schools in the U.S., and in the top 15 percent (#27) of all 192 public and private U.S. medical schools. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu Afghanistan International, October 29, 2022 Afghan women protesters gathered in front of several schools in different areas of Kabul city and protested against the closures of secondary and high schools for girls. The women protesters held placards with the slogan education without fear. It has been reported that, among others, the Afghan women held these protests in front of Al Fath school in Macroriyan area and Maleka Sorraya school in the Taimani area of Kabul city. In Afghanistan, with the return of the Taliban, it has been more than a year since secondary and high schools have been closed to Afghan girls. Taliban have also deprived women of work and political participation. After the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, they immediately began rolling back the rights of women and girls. Women began to protest on the streets since Talibans first week in power, despite the grave risks they faced in doing so. Women and girls have protested the Talibans restrictive policies and have demanded the right to education, work, and justice. These protests have always been met with violence. The Taliban response was brutal from the beginning, beating protesters, disrupting protests, and detaining and torturing journalists covering the demonstrations. Dozens of women have been arrested and tortured for holding peaceful protests demanding their rights, amid mounting restrictions that have stripped away their freedoms. Earlier too, women from all communities came together in Kabul and protested, chanting slogans against the Taliban regime, however, the Taliban violently supressed them. Then, female university students in provinces of Herat and Bamiyan followed suit and held protests, where they were similarly beaten up and dispersed. Next, women in Balkh province took to the street to protest the regime. A "junior individual" improperly released a Republican congressional candidate's Air Force records, an action that led to the public disclosure of her sexual assault, the service is acknowledging. "Based on the preliminary findings of an investigation, it appears information was released to a third party by a junior individual who didn't follow proper procedures and obtain required consent," Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said in a statement. "The Department of the Air Force takes its responsibility to safeguard private information seriously and the matter remains under investigation," Stefanek added. Read Next: Nuclear Memories: Russia, War and Childhood Fears Rekindled At issue is a report in news outlet Politico on Jennifer-Ruth Green, a lieutenant colonel in the Indiana Air National Guard who is locked in a competitive race for a House seat in Indiana against Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan. A Republican has not held the seat in nearly a century, but election forecaster Cook Political Report rates it as "Democrat toss up" this election. As part of a lengthy profile of Green, Politico reported earlier this month that she received a poor performance review while in the active-duty Air Force in 2010 that said she did not meet leadership, professionalism and judgment standards. The review cited two incidents, one where she loaded her weapon inside a military facility and another where she walked away from the rest of her group while visiting a facility in Iraq, according to Politico. During the Iraq incident, she alleges she was sexually assaulted by an Iraqi serviceman grabbing her breast and exposing himself. Green has maintained the evaluation was retaliation for her reporting the assault after a superior told her not to, and accused Mrvan or his supporters of "illegally obtain[ing] my military records describing my sexual assault" and leaking the records to smear her. Mrvan has denied that he or anyone affiliated with the campaign gave the records to Politico. Politico said in the article the records were obtained through a public records request and given to the publication by someone outside Mrvan's campaign. In an interview on Fox News after the article was published, Green said her campaign asked Politico not to report on the service records because they told only "half of a story" and that, in order to tell the full story, she would need to publicly discuss the assault for the first time. "This was something that was forcing me to discuss my history and tell my story about sexual assault on a national stage," she said. By law, only limited information about a service member's record is releasable to the general public through a Freedom of Information Act request if the record is newer than 62 years old and the service member has not given their permission for personal information to be released, according to the National Archives' National Personnel Records Center. Examples of what can be released include name, dates of service, final rank and awards they received. More detailed information, such as performance reviews and non-criminal punishments, are supposed to be shielded from release under the Privacy Act. The Air Force statement acknowledging Green's records were improperly released comes after a pair of Republican congressmen said the service had told them it identified the "leaker" and promised the person "will be held accountable." "The Air Force completed its preliminary investigation and is currently investigating whether the leaker had a political or financial motive, whether the leaker acted alone, and if the Air Force needs to strengthen policies related to its handling of confidential records," Republican Indiana Reps. Jim Banks and Larry Bucshon said in a statement last week. After their statement, Green said in her own statement that she "appreciate[s] that we now have confirmation, as I have contended all along, that my records were not properly obtained through FOIA." -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: Meet the Vets Running for Congress, the Largest Group of Candidates Who Served in a Decade NORFOLK, Virginia The U.S. Coast Guard, a crew of scientists and others launched an air and sea mission to rescue 13 people, including a child, from a fishing vessel just moments before it sank in darkness early Friday in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia, authorities said. The 115-foot Tremont fishing vessel collided with the 1000-foot Panamanian-flagged container vessel MSC Rita, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from shore, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The Tremont sent out a mayday call that it was taking on water and sinking with 13 people aboard that was received by watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Virginia, officials said. That call was also heard by Atlantis, a 274-foot (84-meter) ship operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts, at about 1:45 a.m., WHOI said in an email to The Associated Press. The captain of the Atlantis contacted the Coast Guard and motored eight miles (13 kilometers) west to the fishing vessel. The Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from its air station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the Coast Guard said. It also dispatched a motor lifeboat crew from its station in Chincoteague, on Virginias Eastern Shore, and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Rollin Fritch to assist. The Tremonts 12 passengers boarded a life raft, while the captain stayed on his ship, according to WHOI. The Atlantis launched an inflatable boat that towed the life raft to another fishing vessel, the New Jersey-based Dyrsten, which took on the 12 passengers. The Coast Guard helicopter hoisted the captain to safety in a basket. Moments later, according to witnesses, the Tremont sank, WHOI said in its email. No one was injured in the collision or rescue, the Coast Guard said. The cause of the collision is being investigated. Safety of life at sea is the Coast Guards top priority, Capt. Jennifer Stockwell, commander of Sector Virginia, said in a statement. These are the life-saving missions for which we train each and every day, Stockwell said. While this mornings events were unfortunate, 13 people were rescued from an extremely perilous situation. The combined efforts of good Samaritans and Coast Guard response assets demonstrates a selfless commitment to others. The Atlantis happened to be nearby as it was on a three-week mission conducting research dives on seeps of methane gas from the ocean floor, WHOI said. And it was using Alvin, the institutions famed human-operated submersible, which is probably best known for exploring the wreck site of the Titanic ocean liner. ___ Pratt reported from Waltham, Massachusetts. Associated Press researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this story. The Supreme Court heard arguments over the practice of race-based admissions in the United States on Monday, with military and national security experts waiting for a decision that could alter the demographics of who wears the uniform. The nation's top court listened to oral arguments for two cases that are challenging the admissions practices at both Harvard and the University of North Carolina -- schools that consider an applicant's race, among a variety of other factors, as part of their admissions process. Elizabeth Prelogar, the United States Solicitor General, described race-conscious admissions as "vitally important to our nation's military," pointing to the need to have a diverse group of students in ROTC programs and the nation's service academies in order to develop diverse military leadership. Read Next: US Military Now Doing Onsite Weapons Inspections in Ukraine "The individuals who are entering college today ... are the closed universe of individuals who are going to be eligible for leadership in the military in 20 and 30 years' time," she argued. Prelogar was arguing on behalf of the two schools, saying that "when students of all races and backgrounds come to college and live together and learn together, they become better colleagues, better citizens and better leaders." Opponents of race-conscious admissions have argued in court briefings that the racial composition of military leadership should not be a priority, saying that efforts to improve diversity were "diluting the quality of military officer leadership." The two cases were filed by a group run by conservative activist Edward Blum. Blum, who is not a lawyer himself, has a long history of filing cases challenging affirmative action, as well as the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The arguments the Supreme Court heard on Monday center on whether the two schools discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants. Sarah Hinger, a lawyer for the Racial Justice Program at the American Civil Liberties Union, called these latest cases filed by Blum a "cynical attempt to use members of the Asian-American community" that "seeks to pit people of color against one another." Meanwhile, Blum, writing in a piece published by the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute, called Harvard's policies of considering race a matter of "invidious discrimination against Asian-Americans." The concern among those affiliated with the military is that if the court, with its six conservative justices, ends the practice of considering race for universities, it would leave the service branches with a pool of officers that is disproportionately white to lead enlisted service members who are far more diverse, a problem military leaders have pointed to for years as creating tensions in the ranks. According to the latest statistics released by the Department of Defense, almost 76% of officers across all four services were white in 2020 compared to a 67% white population of active-duty enlisted. The data for general or flag-grade officers is even more stark. Only 10.5% of military leaders with one star or more identify as being non-white. Some branches, like the Air Force, have been setting goals to try and shift those numbers. But, if the Supreme Court strikes down the ability to use race in university admissions, Prelogar and others who support the practice worry the pipeline to make those changes happen will be seriously harmed as officers must have a four-year college degree. "It's ROTC -- that's about 70% of the equation," Joe Reeder, a lawyer and lead author of a brief to the court in favor of upholding racial considerations in college admissions, told Military.com in a phone call about the cases Friday. "If the universities aren't bringing in a fair and diverse number at the entry level of ROTC, when it later comes time to promote to senior command, for example, to Army or Air Force colonel, or a captain in the Navy, and later to admiral or general, the pool to select from is extremely limited." Reeder is also a graduate of West Point and served as the under secretary of the Army for four years. The brief Reeder helped write was filed on behalf of "35 top former military leaders," including four chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as former service chiefs from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. In the filing, the group argued that, "given the military's vital role in complex global affairs, officer corps diversity is far more than a laudable goal -- it is a strategic imperative." The brief noted that the military has a tough history with inequity and that, throughout the 1960s and 1970s, there were "widespread instances of racial tensions, disruptions, and violence." "This was '[o]ne of the darkest chapters in the recent history of the U.S. military,' caused in significant part by 'a complete breakdown in understanding between minority enlisted servicemembers and the white officers who led them,'" the brief argued, citing a legal journal article by Robert Knowles. If the officer corps shifts back in the direction of being even more majority-white, the fear is that some of these tensions may return. Students at the nation's military academies reported routine racism and discrimination recently as December 2021. Military.com has previously reported that Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, told reporters last year that "there's no doubt ... the data shows us that the racial division in our nation has done damage to our recruiting efforts." Reeder, however, explained it more directly: "If a young black soldier can't look up in the hierarchy and see, from time to time, a Colin Powell ... he's not gonna fight. I wouldn't either. "He's not going to do that counterintuitive thing and follow someone up a hill with a rain of machine gun-fire coming down unless he feels he is a part of a team in which he is an equal, and has an equal opportunity to excel," he added. However, briefs have also been filed in opposition advocating for ending race-conscious admissions, citing national security concerns. The Pentagon's "use of racial preferences ... are diluting the quality of military officer leadership," Veterans for Fairness and Merit, a group that, according to its press release, "includes 21 Medal of Honor recipients, 45 former POWs, and 122 retired generals and admirals," wrote in its brief. Its filing with the court argued that sufficient racial diversity already exists, and "regardless, officer racial diversity above some allegedly necessary level is neither 'critical' to the military's ability to defend the Nation nor 'indispensable to' national security." The filing goes on to argue that racial "preferences are antithetical to the 'selfless servant,' colorblind culture necessary for our military to prevail on the battlefield." Arguments made before the Supreme Court on Monday by lawyers for both the University of North Carolina and Harvard pushed back on the assertion that either school was engaging in absolute preference of one race or another in their admissions. Ryan Park, the solicitor general of North Carolina, told the court that UNC achieves its diversity goals "by looking at the individual applicant." "For example, we don't say we want to have 10% of our class be military veterans -- we say we value this diversity interest and we're going to look at each individual applicant on that basis," Park explained. The Associated Press has reported that a decision in the pair of cases "is not expected before late spring." -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: The Air Force and Space Force Have New Diversity Targets for Their Officer Corps How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. 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Summary of all keyboard shortcuts A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. The Red Sox announced that reliever Tyler Danish has elected minor league free agency. Boston had evidently placed the right-hander on waivers in recent days, freeing up a spot on the 40-man roster. Danish spent a year in Boston. A former second round pick of the White Sox, he signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox in Spring Training and cracked the 40-man roster before Opening Day. Boston didnt immediately carry him on the big league club but he pitched his way to the majors by the middle of April. It marked his first big league action in four years, as hed kicked around the upper minors without landing an MLB opportunity from 2019-21. The 2022 campaign was by far Danishs longest look against big league competition. Manager Alex Cora called upon him 32 times, giving him 40 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He pitched to a 5.13 ERA, striking out only 18.5% of opponents on a modest 7.4% swinging strike rate. He did show the best control of his career, walking only 6.9% of opposing hitters, but his lack of missed bats and a higher than average seven home runs against (1.56 HR/9) push him off the roster. Danish isnt a particularly hard thrower, averaging just under 91 MPH on his sinker. He leaned primarily on a curveball this year, with that low-80s offering generating a fair amount of soft contact but not missing many bats. Danish was reasonably effective against right-handed batters, against whom he managed a .245/.310/.415 line. He couldnt find much of an answer for southpaws, though, punching out just seven of the 57 lefties he faced and surrendering a .275/.351/.490 mark. Because hes already been outrighted in his career, Danish had the right to elect free agency as soon as he cleared waivers. Hell head back to the open market and may be looking at minor league offers with Spring Training invitations once again. With the offseason approaching, the Red Sox are conducting typical roster maintenance. Removing Danish from the 40-man drops their tally to 39. The Sox have five players on the 60-day injured list wholl need to be reinstated at the start of the offseason, although theyre on track to see seven players hit free agency (including Xander Bogaerts, whos a lock to opt out of his contract if the sides dont agree on an extension in the next week and a half). Ruth Adjie 31.10.2022 LISTEN Fast-rising gospel minister Ruth Adjei has beaten all odds to win the Discovery of the Year at the maiden edition of the 2022 Eminent Awards. The awards ceremony came off and saw a host of gospel ministers battling to conquer each other. Facing tight competition, the talented gospel musician showed signs of great compassion and with love from the general public she emerged as the winner in her category as 'Discovery of the year' with her single titled 'Matchless father'. From 2021 to 2022, the artiste said God has been faithful to her. Ruth Adjei has been touted as one of the hottest musicians when it comes to the new phase of gospel music. The new song 'Matchless father' is already gaining traction within the music landscape in Ghana. It is a motivational track admonishing all to seek the face of God all the time. In an interview, Ruth Adjei said "The song is wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit. It was a song one great man of God told me I will receive from the Lord which by the special mercies of God and I received one morning when I decided to exalt the name of the Lord." The number of people killed in twin car bombings in the Somali capital Mogadishu has risen to 100, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Sunday. The attacks have been claimed by Al-Shabaab militants. President Mohamud said he expected the death toll to rise even further. At least 300 people were injured in the blasts. Two cars packed with explosives blew up minutes apart near the busy Zobe intersection. The explosions were followed by gunfire in an attack targeting Somalia's education ministry. The blasts tore through walls, shattered windows in nearby buildings, sending shrapnel flying and plumes of smoke and dust into the air. "The ruthless terrorists killed mothers. Some of them died with their children trapped on their backs," police spokesman Sadik Dudishe said on Saturday, adding that the attackers had been stopped from killing more "innocent civilians and students." The attack took place at the same busy junction where a truck packed with explosives blew up on 14 October 2017, killing 512 people and injuring more than 290, the deadliest attack in the troubled country. UN stands resolutely against terrorism The Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist terror group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement, saying its fighters were targeting the ministry of education. The bombings drew international condemnation from Somalia's allies, including the United Nations, Turkey as well as the African Union force tasked with helping Somali forces take over primary responsibility for security by the end of 2024. The UN mission in Somalia, UNSOM, vowed to stand "resolutely with all Somalis against terrorism." "These attacks underline the urgency and critical importance of the ongoing military offensive to further degrade Al-Shabaab," the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, which replaced the AMISOM peacekeeping force, said on Twitter late Saturday. Drought and Islamist insurgency Al-Shabaab have been seeking to overthrow the fragile foreign-backed government in Mogadishu for the past 15 years. The group last week claimed responsibility for an attack on a hotel in the port city of Kismayo that killed nine people and wounded 47 others. As well as the insurgency, Somalia is in the grip of the worst drought in more than 40 years. Four failed rainy seasons have wiped out livestock and crops. The conflict-wracked nation is considered one of the most vulnerable to climate change but is particularly ill-equipped to cope with the crisis as it battles the Islamist insurgency. 30.10.2022 LISTEN Some irate members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Manhyia South Constituency are kicking against the use of the electoral album for the partys internal elections. The members insist the electoral album in its current form is fraught with discrepancies, which include the omission of names of card-bearing party members. NDC Organizer for the Manhyia South Constituency, Kwabena Kwarteng, addressed a news conference in Kumasi. We were invited to a meeting, but it was a chaotic one that ended abruptly. There was no consensus or agreement because they still want to disqualify the genuine NDC party who have voted for the party. The aggrieved members want the party to address all outstanding issues before elections can be held in the area. We want a fair election, so party interest first. So we want them to compile a new register because the current register is not credible, Kwabena Kwarteng added. The NDC internal election in the Manhyia South Constituency was postponed due to voter register challenges. By Citi Newsroom The Ghana Free Zone Authority in collaboration with the Member of Parliament for Agona West, Hon. Mrs. Cynthia Mamley Morrison last Friday organized free breast cancer screening and awareness campaign for over 400 people in the municipality. According to the Member of Parliament who doubles as a Board Member of Ghana Free Zone Authority, the exercise was to sensitize the people on the importance of checking their breasts regularly to detect changes for early treatment. "This campaign is to create awareness about breast cancer disease and to make sure everyone both ladies and gentlemen live a healthy lifestyle in the Agona West Municipality. "I have high hopes that this screening coupled with the awareness campaign will go a long way to save lives. Now everybody is going to be a breast cancer ambassador to educate the people about the disease especially on how to prevent it," she stated. The Agona West Member of Parliament while thanking Free Zone Authority for the collaboration encouraged the people especially women not to fear checking their breasts. She urges them to constantly visit health facilities for any changes in their breasts adding that early detection of the disease could be treated on time. The Director of Administration at the Ghana Free Zone Authority, Mr. Ziblim Alhassan noted that the partnership with Hon. Mrs. Cynthia Mamley Morrison was part of the Authority's corporate social responsibility to give back to society. "It has been part of our corporate social responsibility to ensure that the citizenry lives healthy lives. "Similar breast cancer screening has been organized at Dome and La in the Greater Accra Region. This exercise was as a result of the MP's personal appeal to her constituents. It is ongoing project to make positive impact in the lives of the people," Mr Alhassan noted. The Nutrition Officer of the Agona West Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, Mrs. Faustina Adjei who share her personal experience with the women urged Ghanaians not to be afraid of checking their breasts on regular basis. A team of medical personnel from AFRAH International Hospital led by Dr. Ibrahim Bueno conducted the screening exercise. Still on breast cancer, the Gomoa Central Constituency Women's Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mrs. Diana Efua Aubyn also organized similar exercise for the constituency. She stressed the need for the constituents to check their breast for cancer-related diseases and to seek early treatment. In attendance were the Agona West NPP Constituency Organizer, Mr. David Essandoh, Agona West NPP Constituency Communication Director, Mr. Kofi Osei Somuah, Constituency 1st Vice Chairman, Mr. Frederick Boateng and the Constituency Women's Organizer, Mrs. Florence Yamoah. 31.10.2022 LISTEN Former National Peace Council Chairman, Rev Professor Emmanuel Kwaku Asante has implored Ghanaian children to see the Free Senior High School policy being implemented by the Akufo Addo government as a great opportunity for them to acquire life-changing education. He also advised them to be disciplined and make education their priority. According to him, getting access to education in the past was difficult but with determination and self-discipline many had the opportunity and now as heroes and heroines serving the country and other nations. The Past Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante gave this advice during the launch of the 83rd Anniversary of Osei Tutu SHS at Akropong in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District of the Ashanti region under the theme: "Discipline, a panacea for academic and moral excellence." He stated, "Education in the past was very difficult, but those who were determined and self-disciplined were able to make it. You have free SHS which makes access to Education easy so you have to make good use of it." Meanwhile, the Chairman of the occasion and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dominion Chambers, Lawyer Dr. William Kusi appealed to the government to review the educational curriculum by revisiting the studies of Cultural Studies, Religious and Moral Education which are moral values to reshape the children's behavior to minimize social vices such as drugs abuse, streetism, teenage pregnancy and many more which affects their upbringing. The Headmaster of Osei Tutu SHS, Dr. Asare Yeboah expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Board, Staff and Old Students Association for the support given him, especially (1980-81) year group for the construction of the modern arts clinic for the School. 30.10.2022 LISTEN Credible information available to the media indicates that the immediate past Ghana Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Alhaji Said Sinare, has announced his decision not to contest the party's upcoming National Vice Chairmanship. race. In a Facebook post, Mr. Japhet Festus Gbede who is a special aide to H.E Alhaji Sinare told this news portal that the decision of the politician who was once a Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central was a necessary but painful. He indicated that Ambassador Sinares Zongo for NDC vehicle, which was seen and described as a thorn in the flesh of the then opposition New Patriotic Partys (NPP) flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will soon be seen across the country for the best interest of the NDC. While H.E. Alhaji Said Sinare promises to remain loyal, committed and dedicated to the NDC's direction, he challenges his numerous supporters to do the same. "I fear that the best course of action is for me to withdraw my nomination and pledge my unwavering support to ensure that H.E John Dramani Mahama is elected the next president of Ghana in 2024," he added. He added, "although I think I have a lot to offer in terms of achieving my vice chairmanship goal, it is equally crucial that I use all of the knowledge, experience, loyalty, dedication, and hard work I possess to help my great party, the National Democratic Congress, out of its current predicament. "As I get ready to come out strongly with a move for the JD Mahama campaign, I want to take this opportunity to urge my supporters, friends, and families to stay committed to the direction of the NDC. "Comrades, I hereby formally resign from consideration for the vice chairmanship. "The sun will rise again!" Read his full statement below: I regret to inform members of the National Democratic Congress of my boss Alhaji Said Sinare's, decision to withdraw from the upcoming national vice chairmanship election. This necessary but painful decision has been lauded by circumstances beyond our control, but we see it as putting the party first. I urge his many supporters across the country to be cooperative as he plans a movement that will shake the ground in the best interests of the NDC and JD Mahama in 2024. As we prepare to elect our next national officers, it is our prayer that we elect a national chairman that will have the will and the interest of the rank and file of the party at heart and make unity a hallmark as we forge into a crucial election in 2024. Thank you. Signed Japhet Festus Gbede An aide to H.E. Alhaji Said Sinare 30.10.2022 LISTEN Introduction Breast Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the World. It has contributed to the untimely death of many women in developing countries, especially Ghana. Several causes have been identified as contributing factors to breast cancer. However, one area that has not been adequately looked are the cultural dimensions to the issues of breast cancer. This is particularly the case when it comes to the screening and detection of breast cancer. The challenges of cultural barriers to screening and early detection are more pronounced in the Upper West Region of Ghana. This has become so due to years of gender and cultural roadblocks that have influenced women negatively. Therefore, the treatment of breast cancer will suffer if we do not look at those cultural barriers. It has become key to screen early, and live long (sell). But how do we go about sell ing the knowledge of breast cancer prevention? Background and Risk Factors Breast cancer is not a new disease globally; breast cancer can be traced to the ancient Egyptians as they were the first to take notice of the disease. In the description of the presentation of the disease by Edwin smith (Egyptian Medical papyrus) as bulging tumors is fairly accurate. Though its a deadly disease, early screening and diagnosis can contribute to preventing breast cancer and reducing its fatalities. According to a surgeon Specialist at the Wa Municipal Hospital of the Upper West Region Dr. Narious Naalane, has Admonished women in the Wa Municipality to seek early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in order to live a healthy life and live long to achieve life expectations. Dr. Narious further disclosed that breast cancer kills approximately 42,000 annually and it is the leading cause of death among women globally. He mentioned that in 2021 Ghana recorded over 2000 breast cancer cases with 20% deaths of the figure. The surgeon specialist said statistics available at the Wa municipal hospital showed that from January September 2022 the hospital has recorded ten breast cancer cases with three deaths. Dr. Narious compared the risk factors of breast cancer as non-modifiable factor which has to do with age, family history, menstrual factors, late pregnancy and childbearing which nothing can be done to bring a change. He indicated that with the modifiable factors which has to do with lifestyle such as smoking, alcohol consumption, hormone therapy among others which can be changed. Challenges of screening breast cancer in the Upper West Region of Ghana Despite the enormous benefits in early screening in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, there are numerous challenges when it comes to screening. Firstly, the major challenge hindering the fight against breast cancer is women not reporting early for screening or diagnosis but rather prefer to go in for herbal treatment until it is in a worse state before they come to hospital. Many women report to the facility at the advanced stage of the infection. Dr Naalane, said 52% to 80% of breast cancer cases are presented at the health facility in the advanced state. He raised these concerns on a feminist radio panel discussion program dubbed Women Digest on Radio Upper West (90.1MHZ). Another challenge is the culture of the people in the Region. According to a clinical Nurse from the Wa municipal hospital Romulos Naah told the host of Women Digest that some cultural dimensions of the people are playing a discord in the screening exercise of breast cancer among women in the region. Nurse Romulus said it is a taboo for a married womans breast to be touched by male or female health workers during the screening for this reason most women from such cultures decline to come for screening. Also, others blame it on witchcraft and other spiritual attacks and go to spiritual churches for prayer until the situation is out of hand. Recommendations and Conclusion On the recommendation, Mr Naah said Ghana Health Service(GHS) will have to intensify the education on the fight against breast cancer in the Wa municipality to ensure more collaboration. In doing this there is the need to do the following: There is to sensitize and educate women on the need for early screening. This calls for using all the available avenues to educate and hype the message on early detection. Some of avenues can be community durbars, Women Fora, Radio spots, TV adverts among others. The rise in the usage of social media such as twitter, facebook, whatapp, Instagram and many links could explore to get women to screen. On the issues of culture which is the key roadblock, there is the need for a multistakeholder engagements. To this GHS, Traditional Rulers, Community opinion leaders, women groups, Health based Non-governmental Organizations among need to come together and re-consider some of the old cultural norms such as touching of the breast of women which is inimical to the screening processes. To this end there can be a multi-stakeholder platform against cultural norms that hinder the health of women. The question needs to be posed, that if health practitioners can touch women during childbirth, why is it a taboo to touch the breast of women when screening for breast cancer? On spirituality, prayer in itself is not bad, but people need to know that it is the same God who has given knowledge to the Physicians, hence seeking their expertise will not contradict their prayers. It will further prove how powerful God is. In conclusion, breast cancer has done so much havoc to our nation. But it not a death sentence, it can be reduced to the barest minimum by simply screen early and live long (sell). The breast cancer fight requires an hands on deck approach as all to SELL the message on breast cancer prevention and treatment. By Gladys Wein, GBC- RUW, Wa ([email protected]) 0241223461 The Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has organized a field day in collaboration with the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana to assess Frafra Potato accessions at Manga in Bawku in the Upper East Region. About one hundred experienced farmers, drawn from Bawku and its adjoining communities, the majority of whom were women, District Directors of Agriculture and some students from the various universities were present at the field day at Manga, to assess the Frafra Potato accessions being evaluated and to select their top five accessions, with reasons for their choice to be presented to the National Varietal Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC) for consideration next year. CSIR-SARI in collaboration with WACCI, under the directorship of Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, are in the third year of evaluating Frafra Potato accessions across three agroecological zones of Ghana. The work is being funded through the faculty seed grant under the World Bank African Centres of Excellence (ACE) Impact project at WACCI. In an interview with ModernGhana News at Manga, the Director of CSIR-SARI Dr. Francis Kusi indicated that Frafra Potato is one of the food security crops, but over the years, the farmers have had problems cultivating Frafra Potato on a large scale from using tubers. He said with the new technology developed at CSIR-SARI, Frafra Potato can now be planted using stem cutting which means minimum cost but maximum profit to the farmer and can also be up-scaled. The team lead for the Frafra Potato Project at WACCI, Dr. Naalamle Amissah, stated that WACCI and the Department of Crop Science of the University of Ghana have been conducting research on indigenous crops species and have identified Frafra Potato as one of the top ten indigenous crops with the potential to address food insecurity in Ghana. It is the only tuber that is high in iron, and also has beneficial macro and micro-nutrients. Dr. Amissah indicated that among other crops under consideration are leafy vegetables and Bambara ground nuts. She said WACCI has developed tissue culture protocols for the rapid multiplication of promising Frafra Potato accessions to augment the stem cutting technology developed by CSIR-SARI. The District Director of Agriculture, for Bawku West Zebilla, Mr. Elias Atinbire said farmers in his District have been working with CSIR-SARI and have grown to love their technologies. He stated that Frafra Potato had almost gone extinct but for the timely intervention of CSIR-SARI, the crop is back and doing well. The National Council of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has given government up to November 4 to revoke the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES). The Council describes the appointment as unfortunate and untenable. It explains that the position of the Director General of GES has been the preserve of educationists and must remain as such. Council found the replacement of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa with Dr. Eric Nkansah, the Banker, as both unfortunate and untenable. In the circumstance therefore, Council calls for the revocation and subsequent appointment of an Educationist to occupy that office, by 4th November 2022, a communique issued by GNAT at the end of the 2022 mandatory National Council Meeting said. Also, GNATs Council is still opposed to the one-year contract extension of Mr. Anthony Boateng as the Deputy Director-General of the Service. We thereby sound this note of caution, that we would vehemently and vigorously resist any attempt to bring Mr. Anthony Boateng back into the system, and that the consequences of any such attempt may be too dire to handle. Teacher unions in Ghana are unhappy with the removal of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa as GES Director General. The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) for example called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to rescind his decision. They argue that, his replacement, Dr. Eric Nkansah is not fit for the role. But the Ministry of Education has described as unacceptable the posture of the teacher unions. Reacting to the claims by the teacher groups, the Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, said the stance of the teachers is disrespectful and must not be entertained. It is not funny. It is very disrespectful to the number one person of the land [President Akufo-Addo] and we are very surprised, Mr. Kwarteng said. We thought the union leaders should have known better, the spokesperson added. citinewsroom African Union officials on Sunday appealed for an end to the growing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a day after rebels made further progress there and Kinshasa expelled Rwanda's ambassador. In their statement on Sunday, the AU officials called for an immediate ceasefire. All parties, they said, should "respect international law, the safety and security of civilians and the stability at the borders of all countries in the region". The DR Congo government said on Saturday it was expelling Kigali's envoy over what it said was Rwanda's backing for the M23 rebels making fresh inroads in the east of the country. Rwanda, which denies the accusation, on Sunday expressed regret at the decision, adding that its troops at the two countries' border were on "high alert". The AU on Sunday urged all the parties to engage "in a constructive dialogue" to ensure peace in the troubled region, calling them to peace talks in Nairobi next month. Angola's President Joao Lourenco said he would dispatch his Foreign Minister Tete Antonio to DR Congo to mediate the dispute. But Kinshasa's announcement late Saturday suggests they have lost patience with regional mediation efforts. In recent days "a massive arrival of elements of the Rwandan element to support the M23 terrorists" against DR Congo's troops had been observed, said government spokesman Patrick Muyaya. Condemning what he described as a "criminal and terrorist" adventure, he announced the expulsion of Rwanda's envoy Vincent Karega. Hours earlier, reports had come in that the M23 rebels had seized more territory in the vast mineral-rich DRC, prompting the UN peacekeeping mission to increase its "troop alert level" and boost support for the army. 'Indiscriminate strikes' The longrunning dispute has already been the object of several regional peace initiatives, including one by the seven nations of the East African Community (EAC) coordinated by former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta. Kenyatta said on Sunday he was "profoundly concerned" by the escalation of conflict and the resulting humanitarian crisis. The EAC, he said, called for an end to the fighting and unhindered access for aid work. Map showing Rutshuru in the North Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo. By Tupac POINTU (AFP) Hours after Kinshasa's announcement late Saturday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was trying to reach both DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO meanwhile condemned the latest advance by the M23 rebels at Kiwanja and Rutshuru in the east, saying their "indiscriminate strikes" were hitting the civilian population. M23, a mostly Congolese Tutsi group, resumed fighting in late 2021 after lying dormant for years, accusing the government of having failed to honour an agreement over the demobilisation of its fighters. It has since captured swathes of territory in North Kivu, including the key town of Bunagana on the Ugandan border in June. Relations between Rwanda and DR Congo have been strained since the mass arrival in the eastern DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of slaughtering Tutsis during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Kinshasa has regularly accused Rwanda of carrying out incursions into its territory, and of backing armed groups there. Kigali has denied involvement. The Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari has taken a swipe at President Akufo-Addo for accusing people who spoke ill of the cedi of causing the depreciation of the local currency. She alleged that the President then in opposition also did the same during his campaigns. She noted that the President at the time was speaking about how "useless" the then Cedi was which was sold at GHS3 per dollar. In a tweet on Sunday, October 30, seen by Modernghana News, the outspoken lawyer stated, Mr President! Talking down the money was exactly how you campaigned for the job! Please ask your Vice President to remind you as you appear to have forgotten how we all got here! Thank you. In an address to the nation on Sunday, October 30, the President emphasised in the Akan local dialect that "sika mp dede" to wit "money doesn't like noise." If you talk down your money, it will go down. If you allow some unidentifiable person to talk down your money, it will go down. Fellow Ghanaians, as the French would say, largent naime pas le bruit, to wit, money does not like noise, sika mp dede. Where there is chaos, where there is noise, where there is unrest, you will not find money, the President said. According to the President, ending the unnecessary noise-making will guarantee a stable currency that will present a high level of predictability for citizens and the business community. The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has for the second time emerged the 'Public Sector Chief Executive Officer' for the year 2022 at the Ghana Business Awards held at the plush Kempinski Hotel in Accra. It will be recalled that the NPA Boss was adjudged same award for the year 2021 for his Sterling Leadership, Achievement, Business Excellence and Professionalism at the Ghana CEO Excellence awards held earlier part of this year. The ceremony which sought to celebrate the achievements of individuals and companies who have distinguished themselves in the sector in the year under review also saw the NPA receiving excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility of the year. Organised by Globe Productions Limited, the award ceremony has since its inception in 2018 rewarded excellence and standards in the business sector. This year's awards had Mr. Charles Abani, Resident Coordinator of United Nations and the Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Javier Gutierrez attending as guest of honour. Speaking at the awards ceremony, the CEO of Globe Productions, Latif Abubakar, said the winners were selected by an independent advisory board who evaluated the awardees based on criteria listed for each category. He explained that the benchmarks for shortlisted winners performance were based on som e key performance indicators (KPIs) in the standards of excellence. Many petroleum downstream watchers believe Dr Abdul-Hamid has since his appointment as the Chief Executive of NPA taken bold steps which have sanitized the downstream petroleum industry by enforcing the industry regulations for a level playing field. This assertion was affirmed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Petrosol Ghana Limited, Michael Bozumbil in a recent interview. Government is working with the Bank of Ghana and oil producing and mining companies to introduce a new legal and regulatory framework to ensure that all foreign exchange earned from operations in Ghana are initially paid to local banks. This is to help boost the domestic foreign exchange market and prevent forex fluctuations. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced this in a televised address on Sunday night on measures the government is putting in place to rescue the nation from the throes of economic crisis. The President indicated that the recent turbulences on the financial markets was caused by low inflows of foreign exchange, and made worse in the last two to three weeks by the activities of speculators and the black market. He cited an anonymous two-minute audio message on a WhatsApp platform predicting a so-called haircut on Government bonds, which made many Ghanaians, businesses, banks and forex bureaus to dump the Cedi. That unnecessary speculations on the forex market, he said, caused further depreciation of the Cedi. All of us can play a part in helping to strengthen the Cedi by having confidence in the currency, and avoiding speculation, the President stated. Let us keep our Cedi as the good store of value it is. To those who make it a habit of publishing falsehoods, which result in panic in the system, I say to them that the relevant State agencies will act against such persons, the President warned. He assured that some steps had been taken to restore order in the forex markets and we are already beginning to see some calm returning. He said government would not relent until order was completely restored and that it was enhancing the supervisory action by the Bank of Ghana in the forex bureau markets and the black market to flush out illegal operators. He noted that some forex bureaus had had their licenses revoked already, and that, that exercise would continue until complete order was restored in the sector. More so, fresh inflows of dollars were providing liquidity to the foreign exchange market and addressing the pipeline demand. The Bank of Ghana, he said, had given its full commitment to the commercial banks to provide liquidity to ensure the wheels of the economy continued to run in a stabilised manner till the IMF Programme kicked in alongside the financing assurances expected from other partners. The President expressed optimism that those immediate measures would go a long way to sanitise the foreign exchange market. GNA Institutions in Africa have been cautioned against cyber fraud 31.10.2022 LISTEN Fraud Preventions Expert and Security Consultant, Richard Kumadoe has said cyber crime/cyber security threats has made it necessary for nations across the globe, particularly within Africa and more particularly, financial institutions in general to strengthen their cyber defences to remain safe in business. "Risk-based Cyber Crime/Cyber security guidelines and programs must be fully institutionalised, and targeted goals and objectives must be pursued to be achieved within timelines," the NDC parliamentary hopeful for Sege added. He said this as a panelist at this year's cyber security conference dubbed "Cyber X Africa," which was held at the International Conference Center, Accra. The security expert joined a highly reputable audience of top-level cyber security professionals, including government, policymakers, export leaders, Chief Information Security Officers, Cyber Security Leads, Directors, Managing Directors, Analysts, Architects and many more. The 3-day conference explored current and future cyber threats with a range of worldwide experts, covering the latest policies, serious organised cyber crime, state-sponsored hacking, ransomware attacks and protecting critical national infrastructure & more. Issues such as Cyber security risk management, cyber threat incident reporting, and resolving measures were key on the agenda. Other critical topics discussed include; cyber security resilience, cyber security governance and best practices and as well as Cyber Crime/Cyber security threat intelligence gathering and monitoring mechanisms. Prof. Ransford Gyampo 31.10.2022 LISTEN Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Prof. Ransford Gyampo has shared his thoughts on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos address to the nation. According to him, it was clear from the address that the President and his government fundamentally have no solution to the current economic crisis facing the country. the President showed clearly that his government fundamentally has no solution to our crisis, thereby lending credence to the calls for his resignation. In the lead up to his election in 2016, he knew that not many Ghanaians paid taxes and there were several promises from his quarters to widen the tax net, Prof. Ransford Gyampo shared in a post on Facebook. The UG Professor questioned, Why hasnt this been done in the last six year and why are we now going to do it? Prof. Ransford Gyampo also noted that it appears the President and his government are not really interested in the kind of austerity interventions that would help, probably because he and his appointees arent prepared to change from their opulent lifestyles. However, Prof. Gyampo commends President Akufo-Addo for the assurances that in the midst of the economic crisis, investments wont be lost. To be fair, he said something that was very commendable and assuring in helping to ease the panic and tension that have worked to further exacerbate our economic crisis. Indeed, it was pleasant to hear the President saying there would be no haircuts. This was an emphatic statement that can slow down the rate at which people are disinvesting their monies from treasury bills for the purchasing of dollars, thereby worsening our woes. The assurance of no haircut is a direct and and straightforward message that can help in restoring calm and partly fixing our crisis. In my view, the President must be commended for this bold and audacious statement, the UG Political Science lecturer added. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, Hon. Samuel Nartey George has asked President Akufo-Addo several questions after his address to the nation last night. The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, October 30, address the nation on the state of the Ghanaian economy and what his government is doing to address the issues. In a post on Facebook, Sam George was not impressed that the President called on Ghanaians to trust him yet reiterating that the battle is still the Lords. He questioned whether it is the Lord who asked President Akufo-Addo to be incompetent or mismanage the Ghanaian economy. Dear President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, after ignoring our suffering for weeks, this is all? Another set of promises? Asking us to trust you who led us into this mess? Eeeiiiiiii!, the Ningo Prampram MP posted on Facebook. Hon. Sam George continued, No, something is fundamentally wrong somewhere. Is this what your leadership can offer us Omanpanyin? That the battle is the LORD's? Did the LORD ask you to be incompetent or mismanage our economy? Is it the same LORD who you claimed asked you to build a cathedral at a time pregnant women were delivering on the ground? Let me just go to bed early and wake at 3am to shout my eeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! During his address to the nation, President Akufo-Addo admitted that Ghana is in deep crisis. He explained that things have gotten worst due to the ravages of Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war on the Ghanaian economy. Several Ghanaians have expressed disappointment in the speech delivered by President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo on the ailing economy. While registering their disgust on Twitter, they indicated that the President's speech contain nothing tangible to deliver citizens from the current economic quagmire. Speaking on Sunday, October 30, President Akufo-Addo indicated that his government is known for the implementation of good policies and social interventions in hard times. My government has always been cognisant of the importance of implementing policies and social interventions to relieve Ghanaians of hardships. It is for this reason that over the first five (5) years in office government reduced electricity tariffs cumulatively by 10.9%, we provided free water and electricity as well as reduced tariffs for the entire population during a whole year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We increased the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund to persons with disabilities by 50%; we exempted Kayayei from market tolls; we expanded the LEAP by one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) beneficiaries; we expanded School Feeding from 1.6 million children to 2.1 million children, he noted. The President continued We restored teacher and nursing training allowances; we absorbed the cost of BECE and WASSCE exam registrations for parents; no guarantor is now required to obtain student loans. The Ghana card is sufficient; and we have implemented free TVET as well as free senior high school education. He acknowledged, It is obvious, fellow Ghanaians, that you have a government that cares. We are determined to restore stability to the economy, and provide relief. We are all in this together, and I am asking for your support to rescue Ghana from the throes of this economic crisis. I have total confidence in our ability to work our way out of our current difficulties. We are not afraid of hard work. We will triumph, as we have triumphed many times before. He further called for communal efforts to turn the situation for the better. Let us unite, and rally around our Republic, its institutions and its democratic values, and insist that, under God, we will emerge victorious from our current difficulties. For this too shall pass, as the Battle is the Lords. But some Ghanaians who saw nothing important in the 28-minute length speech reacted below; Kevin Taylor said: Nana Akufo Addo is a waste of time. I want to understand from the @NPP_GH if that was a presidential speech or speech from a drug addict. I am so disappointed because I was thinking for the first time this dick head @NAkufo Addo was going to make his wife and kids proud but. Captain Smart said: Fellow Ghanaians am I the only one Confused?. What is he saying koraaa. As3m b3n nie. Albert Nat Hyde stated that You listen to Mahama speak on the economy and you listen to Nana Addo speak on the economy and you wonder who the real President is. Joyce Bawah Mogtari wrote, So what exactly did the President say about ameliorating hardship? Or are all just chasing Dollars on the black market. Edem Abagbana stated: Wasted 28-30 minutes of my evening listening to A FAILED LEADERSEMPTY SPEECH. When he talking in Opposition, he didnt know Sika mp3 dede. Sneaker Nyame wrote: Sika mp3 Dede "I knew this man was a fraud boy. The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has cautioned the public against the spread of falsehoods and misrepresentations, which is weakening national efforts to ensure macroeconomic stability. Such publications come amid the ongoing negotiations between the Government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the Fund's loan support programme to help Ghana navigate through the current economic hardship. The publications include the allegation that the Ghana-IMF negotiations is not going well, there is no programme for consideration by the IMF and that there are inaccuracies in the figures presented to the IMF by the Government However, in a statement issued and copied to Ghana News Agency on Sunday, the Ministry said the spread of falsehoods and misrepresentations, which was gaining notoriety in various recent public discourse was untrue. We caution that such falsehoods contribute to the erosion of stability in the Ghanaian economy and could unduly hold back the strong progress of negotiations so far, the Ministry said. It, therefore, urged all who engage in public discourse on the current state of the economy and the IMF negotiation, particularly journalists, to verify claims related to the ongoing IMF negotiations from official dedicated websites. Well-meaning Ghanaians are entreated to disregard false narratives, and instead refer to official communications from the Ministry of Finance and the IMF, the statement read. It also called to the use of responsible in utterances related to the IMF negotiations, and assured that the Government is working assiduously to complete negotiations and restore the economy to macroeconomic stability. Referring to publications of the IMF on negotiations done so far, the Ministry said among others that constructive discussions on policies aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability had been made. It also noted that good progress had been made in identifying specific policies that would help restore macroeconomic stability, with both the IMF team and the Ghanaian authorities still being fully committed to reaching agreement on a framework and policies for an IMF by the end of 2022. On the issue of figures presented to the IMF as part of Debt Sustainability Analysis, and for a possible loan facility, it said, None but accurate figures have been presented to the IMF; and the Ministry has been fully transparent at all times. The Ghanaian negotiation team remains credible and highly respected and has enjoyed great cooperation from the IMF. To suggest otherwise is false, misleading and pure mischief which must be ignored, the statement emphasised. GNA President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says relevant state agencies will be taking actions against persons who cause panic in the financial system through false publications. He said that speculations based on falsehood and the activities of the black market have worsened the performance of the Cedi in the financial market experiencing turbulence because of low inflows of foreign exchange. An anonymous two-minute audio message on a WhatsApp platform predicting a so-called haircut on Government bonds sent all of us into banks and forex bureaus to dump our Cedis, and, before we knew it, the Cedi had depreciated further, President Akufo-Addo said in a televised address to the nation. He encouraged the citizens to keep the Cedi as a good store of value and avoid speculations to restore confidence in the currency. He added that If you talk down your money, it will go down. If you allow some unidentifiable persons to talk down your money, it will go down. President Akufo-Addo assured that no individual or institutional investor, including pension funds in Government treasury bills or instruments, would lose their money because of the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiations. There will be no 'haircuts', so I urge all of you to ignore the false rumours, just as, in the banking sector clean-up, Government ensured that the 4.6 million depositors affected by the exercise did not lose their deposits. Following growing speculations on the financial market, the Ministry of Finance on October 14, 2022, issued a statement describing publications on the possibility of a haircut as without merit and are designed to undermine confidence in Ghanas financial sector. A 'haircut' is a term in finance used to describe to a situation where there is a reduction applied to the value of an asset, often expressed as a percentage. GNA After more than a decade of teaching audio production to my college students in Cairo, it finally dawned on me that podcasts themselves can serve as teaching tools that highlight lessons in Egyptian society. I realised this because so many of my female students selected feminist topics or took feminist standpoints in their narrative nonfiction podcasts. Though in the past I've written about how I teach audio , I'd never thought to focus on the content of my students' podcasts. The idea of podcasts as digital activism resonated with me, particularly from a perspective of telling real life stories. With two decades of podcasting out in the world, there's an ever-growing number of research articles about podcasting in Africa. But there is a need for much more academic analysis, which is why my co-author Yasmeen Ebada and I designed a research study to focus on feminist-leaning podcasts and Egyptian female podcasters. Digital activism is, after all, part of the decade-old fourth wave of feminism. We wanted to learn how the students adopted their knowledge of feminism, about the development of their feminist identities and about how podcasts were used for digital activism. Though we focused on four female podcasters as case studies, our research also provides context about when Egyptian women become aware of cultural and societal inequities, as well as when they begin to manifest their feminist ideals. Feminism in Egypt Patriarchy , which presumes that men are superior to women, is baked into Egyptian society on all levels cultural, social, economic and political. Young women who speak out on just about anything for just about any reason are considered brave. The repercussions could be life altering, despite the relatively comfortable class status of university students. Feminism in Egypt is not a new phenomenon. Young Egyptians have many role models who span decades of feminist activism. These range from the activist Huda Sha'rawi the godmother of Egyptian feminism to author and physician Nawal El Saadawi , and contemporary feminist writer Mona Eltahawy . A lire aussi : Nawal El Saadawi: Egypt's grand novelist, physician and global activist And add to that list Nadeen Ashraf . As a college student, she reignited the feminist activist flame in the summer of 2020 in Egypt. She used Instagram to document the sexual harassment and assault cases of a predator. Her case garnered international attention and prompted authorities to react swiftly. Our study Our research was built on a sample of four publicly available podcasts produced by female students at The American University in Cairo, where I've taught since 2009. We took a qualitative critical analysis approach to examine narration, sound bites from interviews, music and other podcast production elements. The feminist identity development model was a good fit for the research project as it allowed us to better understand our podcasters' knowledge of feminism and their intention to select a socio-cultural topic for their podcast. The model covers a five-step process from passive acceptance to active commitment. Our findings Feminist pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching) includes encouragement through professor and peer-led discussions. This enabled the podcasters to provocatively dissect traditional gender and socio-cultural norms. Among the topics of the narrative nonfiction podcast episodes were stories of family involvement in matchmaking to get young women married into a well-off family. Another podcast addressed women's participation in the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Four Egyptian female podcasters. ohioradiogirl on SoundCloud 58,8 Mo (download) Our podcasters embodied diverse feminist perspectives, displaying multi-dimensional feminist origins. These included black, western and post-colonial feminist views. Their lived experiences are a welcome contribution to the Egyptian digital sphere as they provide a counter-narrative to traditional patriarchal norms. The podcasters also fully exhibited the use of podcast affordances such as sound and music, as well as tone, inflection and other nuances in delivery and narration to enrich their nonfiction stories. Elements of storytelling strength were included in our analysis, focusing on the narrative and audience engagement. These are also some of the guiding criteria for RadioDoc Review , which offers critiques of audio content. Why this matters We found that our Egyptian female podcasters utilised multiple feminist ideals in their podcasts. This research demonstrates the power of podcasts as a tool for digital activism. Speaking about their experiences and opinions allows young Egyptian women to exercise an otherwise muted voice in society. Podcasts are a vehicle for this. The limitations of this research is that our podcasters were mostly from the same social class and had a high level of education. A more diverse pool of podcasters would be ideal for future research on this topic. The emerging field of podcast studies will continue to birth a wealth of insights about African society. As educators and scholars, we strongly encourage young African scholars not just to engage with research output on podcasting in Africa. They should also actively seek out collaborators and opportunities to globally amplify the work of the African podcast community. Kim Fox ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possede pas de parts, ne recoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a declare aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche. By Kim Fox, Professor of Practice in Journalism and Mass Communication, American University in Cairo 31.10.2022 LISTEN The aspiring youth organiser of the upcoming NDC West London Branch contest, Mr Awal Zibrim Zamuni has donated covid-19 lateral flow test to hospitals in Bawku in the Upper East Region on behalf of the NDC West London Group. The test kits were distributed to three hospitals in the municipality. Mr Zibrim who visited the area met with some officials at the municipal health directorate and handed over the test kits. The kits, he said should be used to prevent healthcare workers from contracting the virus and also stop the spread of the virus. Mr Awal also admonished health officials to pay attention to personal and primary health care practices by washing their hands regularly and cleaning their environment of filth to prevent the outbreak of diseases. He noted that due to the bad policies of the ruling NPP government he urged Ghanaians in the diaspora to help their communities in whatever way they can. He also stated that NDC candidates contesting in the upcoming national elections should refrain from personal attacks and insults and unite behind whoever gets elected. He urged delegates to choose leaders devoid of monetary inducement or influence but on honesty, upholding the values of probity and accountability. He stated that parochial interest must give way to " Ghana First" in ideas and political decisions. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has expressed worry about the delay in the work of an ad hoc committee set up to probe the revocation of licenses of financial institutions by the Bank of Ghana in 2017. The Speaker in March 2021 referred a petition from two businessmen who owned affected banks, Prince Kofi Amoabeng and Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, to a seven-member committee to investigate circumstances leading to their collapses. However, the committee is yet to report to Parliament on its findings. The bi-partisan parliamentary committee probing the matter is being chaired by Joe Osei-Owusu. Mr. Bagbin chided the committee for not the following procedure to update Parliament on its progress. The standing orders are clear on that. When the matter is referred to you, and you are unable to report within the period, at least you have to send a report to give the House the reasons why you are unable to report on time. That one, too, they have defaulted. The Speaker also criticised the manner in which the financial sector clean-up was carried out. He believes the government should have supported Ghanaians to succeed. I think that our colleagues in government erred in not seeing it that way and rather made sure that the Ghanaians who were trying to enter into the sector lost out. Instead of using about GHS 5 billion to support the banks to survive, we ended up using about GHS 25 billion, but we have not been able to sanitise the sector. Background Former stakeholders of the banks, Prince Kofi Amoabeng and Dr. Kwabena Duffuor petitioned Parliament to investigate the conduct of the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Stock Exchange in the revocation of the licences of UT Bank as well as uniBank and delisting them from the country's stock exchange. The petition also sought the restoration of the licences of these banks. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, subsequently constitute a nine-member committee to look into the petition presented to the House. This was after the petition was officially brought before him by the Bawku Central legislator, Mahama Ayariga. Why were the banks collapsed? Dr. Duffuor, founder of the now-defunct uniBank and Mr. Amoabeng, former Chief Executive Officer of collapsed UT bank, had the licences of their respective financial institutions revoked during the banking sector clean-up which commenced in 2017. For UT Bank, the apex bank claimed it took the action against the institution because it was insolvent and was unable to recapitalize despite several assurances from the company's shareholders. The apex bank also gave similar reasons for the revocation of uniBank's licence, saying the financial institution was significantly undercapitalised. By Citi Newsroom President of the Ghana Hotels Association, Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike 31.10.2022 LISTEN The President of the Ghana Hotels Association, Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike has called on the Special Prosecutor, Lawyer Kissi Agyebeng to pursue all government officials whose illegal dealings are contributing to the countrys economic woes. The Ghanaian economy is in deep crisis due to external shocks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict as reiterated by government officials including the President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Domestically, the corrupt dealings of some government appointees and public officers have not helped matters. Speaking to Joy FM in an interview on Monday, October 31, Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike shared that such persons must be dealt with by the Special Prosecutor. The President of the Ghana Hotels Association also proposes that President Akufo-Addo should also change the Economic Management Team of his government. I expect the President to change the EMT, reduce government size and hint at a slash to the e-levy and incentives to companies that maintain staff size. Also, I want the Special Prosecutor to actively pursue economic saboteurs, Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike shared. President Akufo-Addo on Sunday, October 30, addressed the nation on the state of the economy. While admitting the economy is in a crisis, the President still has high hopes that his government is determined to take the necessary measures to breathe life back into the struggling economy. 31.10.2022 LISTEN Mr Yaw Attah Arhin, Chairman Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has stated that poor access to toilets in households, schools, healthcare facilities, and other public places is nerve-wracking, We find it objectionable. Mr Arhin, CONIWAS Chairman stated at the opening ceremony of the 33rd edition of the Mole Conference Series at Elimina in the Central Region, that the inequalities are much more pronounced. He said it is interesting that all five regions of Northern Ghana have open defecation rates higher than 50 percent with Savannah and Upper East Regions recording open defecation rates of 68.5 percent and 68.4 percent respectively. He noted that it is unacceptable that in the 21st Century, 74.7 percent of households in Ghana lack access to improved toilet facilities that are not shared, stressing that it is equally worrying that 17.7 percent of Ghanas population still practice open defecation. The CONIWAS Chairman, however, applauded the government in the area of solid waste management, as it has rolled-out strategies and effectively partnering the private sector to progressively realize the presidents vision of a clean, healthy, and prosperous Ghana. Mr Arhin said the completion of solid and liquid waste treatment facilities in Accra and Kumasi and the ongoing waste treatment facilities in all the regional capitals bears ample testimony to what partnership with the Private Sector can achieve. I wish to single out Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong for special praise. His commitment and passion for waste management and environmental sanitation in Ghana has brought a great deal of relief to citizens, the CONIWAS Chairman stated. Mr Arhin also recounted the introduction of the Ghana WASH Week to trigger an unquenchable national consciousness and greater prioritization towards improving the countrys water, sanitation and hygiene situation. I am happy to report that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and with support from UNICEF and the GAMA Sanitation and Water project, the maiden edition of the Ghana WASH Week was successfully launched with activities such as breakfast conversations, a walk for the clean Ghana Agenda, Town Hall Meetings and media engagements implemented in Accra, Kumasi the Tamale. One remarkable achievement of the Walk in Kumasi was that it reunited Lil Wayne and Dr Likee who both joined us with their teams to walk for the Clean Ghana Agenda. We look forward to working with all of you to implement the 2nd edition of the week in 2023. Consultations have begun in earnest and we should be able to announce a date before conference ends. This will enable all of us to block the date and prepare adequately towards it. the theme for the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference Ghanas Commitment to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Connecting Systems to Bridge the Service Delivery Gaps has been carefully selected to reflect the complex mix of interventions and the systems required to deliver sustainable WASH services to the good people of Ghana, particularly the poor and vulnerable. A five-member team of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe) led by Ms. Winifred Afum, National Vice Convener who is also a journalist with the Ghana Television, and Ms. Benedicta Gyimaah Folley of the Ghanaian Times are participating in the conference. Others are Mr. Alberto Mario Noretti, a member of M-CODe Volta/Oti Regional Branch who is also a journalist with the Daily Graphic; Ms. Victoria Agyeman, a member of M-CODe Central Regional Branch, and journalist with the Ghana News Agency; and Mr. Ernest Best Anane, a member of M-CODe Ashanti Regional Branch and also a journalist with the Ghanaian Chronicle. The M-CODe representatives are being sponsored by World Vision Ghana and the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA). 31.10.2022 LISTEN It is a sad commentary that since 2016 till date, provider-based access to safe drinking water in rural and small towns has stagnated at 62 percent after 2015 when it hit 65 percent, Mr. Yaw Attah Arhin, Chairman Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has said. He, therefore, expressed concern about the widening inequalities, stressing we have taken note of the fact that while access to safe drinking water in Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions is estimated at 97.6 percent and 94.5 percent respectively, access to safe drinking water in North East and Savannah Regions is estimated at 54.8 percent and 55.1 percent respectively. He noted that this widening inequality needs to be addressed with intentional measures. The CONIWAS Chairman stated at the 33rd edition of the Mole Conference Series at Elimina in the Central Region, expressing concern about the limited access to safe drinking water in homes, schools, healthcare facilities and other public places. Mr Arhin on behalf of the CONIWAS Executive Committee, the Council of Elders, the Planning Committee, the Secretariat and the entire membership cautioned that the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference should not be a platform for LAMENTATIONS. It is rather the time for SOLUTIONS. After the conference, we should all resolve as stakeholders to act on the critical issues confronting Ghanas water and sanitation sector, including: the wanton pollution of our water bodies with careless abandon (through Galamsey and sand-winning and other nefarious activities. He also noted that consistent with the CONIWAS mission of working with citizens and relevant stakeholders to influence policies, remove barriers and promote access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene for the poor and vulnerable, this years conference will continue the national dialogue aimed at changing the narrative regarding the approach to the delivery of sustainable WASH services in Ghana. Mr Arhin while commending the Government of Ghana and all Development Partners for the water projects completed and initiated, I am quick to observe that most of these are in the urban and peri-urban areas. We make a popular appeal for support to the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) to enable its ongoing reforms to succeed. Government and development partners need to adequately resource CWSA in order to sustainably increase access to safe drinking water. The theme for the Mole XXXIII WASH Conference Ghanas Commitment to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Connecting Systems to Bridge the Service Delivery Gaps has been carefully selected to reflect the complex mix of interventions and the systems required to deliver sustainable WASH services to the good people of Ghana, particularly the poor and vulnerable. A five-member team of the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe) led by Ms. Winifred Afum, National Vice Convener who is also a journalist with the Ghana Television, and Ms. Benedicta Gyimaah Folley of the Ghanaian Times are participating in the conference. Others are Mr. Alberto Mario Noretti, a member of M-CODe Volta/Oti Regional Branch who is also a journalist with the Daily Graphic; Ms. Victoria Agyeman, a member of M-CODe Central Regional Branch, and journalist with the Ghana News Agency; and Mr. Ernest Best Anane, a member of M-CODe Ashanti Regional Branch and also a journalist with the Ghanaian Chronicle. The M-CODe representatives are being sponsored by World Vision Ghana and the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA). Harmony hailed as key on path to modernization 11:12, October 31, 2022 By HOU LIQIANG ( China Daily A wind farm generates power for grids in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Aug 6. [Photo by YAO FENG/FOR CHINA DAILY] Ecological civilization, green transition help China achieve higher-quality development China has made tremendous progress in promoting modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature, and more achievements are highly expected in this field as the nation forges ahead with its low-carbon transition, experts said. The Chinese path to modernization offers many developing nations a route toward prosperity other than just following the Western model, they noted. They made the remarks after Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a report on Oct 16 at the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, which concluded on Oct 22. Xi said that China's modernization features a huge population, common prosperity for all, material and cultural-ethical advancement, harmony between humanity and nature, and peaceful development. "Respecting, adapting to and protecting nature is essential for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. We must remember to maintain harmony between humanity and nature when planning our development," Xi said. This is not the first time Xi has emphasized modernization featuring harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. In an article published in June in Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee, he highlighted harmony as one of the vital characteristics of China's socialist modernization. What has happened proves that the construction of an ecological civilization and green, low-carbon and circular development not only meet people's ever-growing demand for a beautiful environment, but also enable China to achieve higher-quality development that is more efficient, equitable, sustainable and secure, the article said. Dimitri de Boer, chief representative for China and regional director for Asia of ClientEarth, an environmental law organization, said that with its "tremendous progress" in the past 10 years in its environmental transition, "China is certainly moving in the right direction". "I do believe China can achieve harmony between humanity and nature." China has decoupled economic growth from emissions carbon emissions per unit of GDP have decreased by 34.4 percent over the past 10 years, while its GDP has more than doubled, de Boer said. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China has achieved average annual economic growth of 6.6 percent in the past 10 years, with a yearly increase of 3 percent in energy consumption. China has made remarkable progress in air and water pollution treatment. Beijing, for example, saw its annual average density of PM2.5 particulate matter reach 33 micrograms per cubic meter, compared with 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013, the first year that the air pollutant was monitored in the capital. De Boer said that the next decade will be even more important in promoting modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature, as China strives to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and realize carbon neutrality before 2060. "China has all the resources, technologies and ingenuity to achieve robust economic growth and provide sufficient, secure, low-carbon power," he said. He also stressed the global significance of China's transition. China is now a very important global investor and trading partner. Sometimes, investment and trade can be associated with environmental problems in other countries. "I'm really encouraged to see that the government is actively working to reduce such problems," he said. In a move to make the Belt and Road Initiative greener, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Commerce updated a 2013 guideline on environmental protection in overseas operations early this year, asking Chinese companies to adhere to environmentally friendly approaches for their projects from start to finish. Last year, China announced that it will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad. By rapidly controlling carbon emissions, protecting ecosystems, reducing pollution and mitigating environmental problems in overseas investments and trade, de Boer said that China can make unparalleled contributions to global environmental protection. "And in this way, China can show developing countries a green pathway to achieving higher standards of living for their population," he said. Wang Hongxin, dean of Beijing Normal University's Academy for Global Development, said he believes the country's experiences in promoting modernization can be instructive to other developing nations. Modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature can effectively address the development problems witnessed in the Western model of industrialization, which merely generates material wealth by plundering natural resources at the expense of the environment, he said. He said that China's endeavors will also inject direct impetus into global climate governance and help accelerate the process to realize the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Noting a significant worldwide drop in the cost of solar energy and the robust development of China's new energy vehicle sector, Erik Solheim, former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, also expressed his strong confidence in China's green transition. Though China doesn't have a traditional automobile industry as strong as that in Germany, Japan and the United States, it's much easier for China to take the initiative and become a dominant player in the electric vehicle industry. "Let's forget this old idea that we need to destroy the planet to have economic progress. The future is win-win, good for ecology and good for the economy at the same time," he said. Song Ping contributed to this story. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 31.10.2022 LISTEN The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has insisted that it is disappointing President Akufo-Addo failed to accept responsibility for the economic mess in the country in his address to the nation. According to the MP who is also a Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the President and his government must immediately deal with the many wastages in the system to give the economy some stability. There are too many wastages in the system and must be dealt with immediately, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told Asempa FM on the Ekosii sen programme on Monday, October 31. Among other things, the North Tongu lawmaker further shared that Ghanas messy economy now more than ever requires a lean government. I am disappointed President Akufo-Addo didn't take responsibility and apologised to the people for taking them through excruciating pain. Countries with good leadership and sound policies are having a resilient economy in these times. We need a lean government in these times. 40% of appointees in this government can go, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa added. Speaking on the same platform, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah indicated that government is considering various measures to tackle the challenges facing the Ghanaian economy. This with the commitment of the President Akufo-Addo government is expected to restore the economy on the path of growth for things to get better. Traders in the Central Business District of Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, say they will only reduce the prices of goods if the local currency appreciates against other international currencies. According to them, though they are willing to sell their products at a relatively cheap price, high exchange rate has forced them to inflate the prices of goods. The traders were responding to the plea by President Akufo-Addo to avoid profiteering in the current economic turmoil. President Akufo-Addo during his address on the economy on Sunday October 30, 2022 appealed to traders in the country to shun making unreasonable profits of the current economic quagmire. The President who admitted that Ghana's economy is in great difficulty urged all stakeholders to "keep an eye out for the greater good" in the face of the rising cost of living in the country. The Ashanti Regional Chairman of Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG), Mr Owusu Boakye Samuel in an interview with this reporter on Monday October 31, 2022 however pledged to support the government in measures rolled out to get the economy back on track. Mr Boakye again called on traders across the country to cease the habit of slapping high margins on goods. "We as leaders of the traders have already told our members to take part in the country's move to restore the economy. "We have spoken to them extensively and so I believe our traders will be measured in their margins going forward, he stated. He expressed optimism in the leadership of President Akufo-Addo to turn things around for good. Mr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, finds it very difficult to believe there will be no "haircut" as the President clarified. Arguably, one of the most contentious statements in President Nana Akufo-Addo's address on the state of the country's economy is the assurance of no haircut on investment capital. The President, in his speech on Sunday, October 30, cleared certain false speculation about a possible "haircut." The President stated, "I also want to assure all Ghanaians that no individual or institutional investor, including pension funds, in government treasury bills or instruments, will lose their money as a result of our ongoing IMF negotiations." "There will be no haircuts. So I urge all of you to ignore the false rumours, just as, in the banking sector clean-up, Government ensured that the 4.6 million depositors affected by the exercise did not lose their deposits", President Akufo-Addo said. He added, An anonymous two-minute audio message on a WhatsApp platform predicting a so-called haircut on government bonds sent all of us into banks and forex bureaus to dump our cedis, and, before we knew it, the cedi had depreciated further. Just as the President and his Finance Ministers rejected early calls to go to the IMF for a bailout but later made a U-turn, Mr. Ato Forson doubts the President's assurance of no haircut. In a tweet on Monday, October 31, the legislator wrote, Folks, this same gov't told us they will not go to IMF and yet it did a U-turn! Today, Nana Akufo-Addo is telling the world there will be NO HAIRCUT for individual and institutional investors. Mark my words, Another U-Turn is bound to happen! Dr. Ben Asante, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Ghana National Gas Company Limited 31.10.2022 LISTEN The polling station executives and communicators for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ellembelle Constituency of the Western Region, have called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack Dr. Ben Asante as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Ghana National Gas Company Limited. The angry Ellembelle NPP members embarked on a demonstration on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at Atuabo where the Chiefs and people of the area gathered to climax their 2022 Kundum annual festival. Speaking to the newsmen in the constituency, a member of Ellembelle NPP Communications Department, Yannick Akrowie stated that Dr. Ben Asante has been denying the party members in the area opportunities to work in the company. He claimed Dr. Ben Asante does not respect the Ellembelle NPP Constituency Executives. He also disapproved a claim by Dr. Ben Asante of giving 47 tertiary students to do their industrial attachment in the company. "Everything you (Dr. Ben Asante) have written here is false but would want to tackle point two. In your point number 2, you claimed to have taken 47 students on industrial attachment this year. In this 47, Ellembelle had zero. You deliberately ignored the 15 people the Ellembelle Constituency Executives presented to you for a common industrial attachment", he fired. He added, "Total insult on the party in Ellembelle. You (Dr. Ben Asante) have no respect for the party. How on earth would you ignore the list of the very party executives who worked tirelessly so that the party retained in power and secured you your job as a CEO. Schools are already opened for the 1st semester so your claim that more have been approved and waiting to be called is another lie". Angry Yannick Akrowie emphasized that Dr. Ben Asante does not deserve to continue to stay in office as the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company (GNPC). "This is exactly why Ben Asante MUST GO. He has no respect for the party and the Executives in Ellembelle and therefore would not do anything to help the moving forward of our cherished pary in the Constituency," he called. Other party members who spoke to the media also backed the call on President Akufo-Addo to sack Dr. Ben Asante immediately as the Ghana Gas Company CEO. They claimed that in the 2020 parliamentary elections where the NPP failed to win the seat, Dr. Ben Asante gave money to some people in Ellembelle Constituency to campaign against their Parliamentary Candidate, Kwasi Bonzoh. "Dr. Ben Asante does not deserve to be Ghana Gas Company CEO, he gave money to Stephen Donkor and Samuel Erzoah who are workers at Ghana Gas Company in 2020 to campaign against our Parliamentary Candidate, Kwasi Bonzoh to lose, they preached skirt and blouse voting against our candidate", they stated. They emphasized that if Dr. Ben Asante continues to be in office as Ghana National Gas Company CEO the NPP would lose the 2024 Parliamentary elections. "President Akufo-Addo should listen to our call and sack Dr. Ben Asante, Stephen Donkor and Samuel Erzoah from Ghana Gas Company because if they continue to work there, they will get money to sponsor some NPP members to preach skirt and blouse voting against our 2024 Parliamentary Candidate as they did in 2020 against Kwasi Bonzoh", they said. They promised to continue to protest until Dr. Ben Asante is removed from Ghana National Gas Company. "Dr. Ben Asante is using his position to destroy Ellembelle NPP, he does not care to employ us, he is not supporting the Ellembelle NPP and we will continue to protest until he is sacked, Ben Asante must go, we don't need him at Ghana Gas Company", they assured. Moreover, two NPP members in Ellembelle Constituency have been arrested by the Ellembelle District Police Command over the demonstration. October 28, 2022 Ukraine Open Thread 2022-186 [Note: While the Typepad frontend now seems to again work, the backend, through which I edit, post and moderate, is still extremely slow - that is when it works at all. I am therefore now sure I will be able to post later today as I had planned. -b.] Only for news & views directly related to the Ukraine conflict. Please stick to the topic. The current open thread for other issues is here. Posted by b on October 28, 2022 at 13:39 UTC | Permalink Comments next page The Annual Shareholder Meeting of Heartland Group Holdings Limited (Heartland) (NZX/ASX: HGH) will be held online on Tuesday 8 November 2022, commencing at 2pm (New Zealand time). To join the meeting, visit www.virtualmeeting.co.nz/agm/hgh22/register. Shareholders joining the meeting will require their shareholder number for verification purposes. From the online platform, shareholders will be able to view the presentation, vote and ask questions. Attendees are invited to submit questions in advance of the meeting by going to vote.linkmarketservices.com/HGH. For shareholders submitting a postal vote or appointing a proxy, completed voting forms must be received by Heartlands share registrar Link Market Services, or postal votes and Proxy appointments lodged online, by no later than 2pm (New Zealand time) on 6 November 2022. More details about voting and meeting participation is included in the Notice of Meeting available at shareholders.heartland.co.nz. The webcast will be available on Heartlands website at shareholders.heartland.co.nz, approximately 24 hours after the conclusion of the live event. ENDS Details for the Heartland 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: THL updates on Executive changes NZ Automotive interim results for Half Year 2023 TruScreen Half Year Results ArborGen Holdings Announces Interim Result November 29th Morning Report PCT - Further growth in Investment Partnership SPY - Half Year Report and Interim Result Kiwi Property drives robust operating result in 1H23 Third Age Health Half Year Results November 28th Morning Report Rebrand and Senior Changes for Australia's Mutiny Sydney-based marketing investment analytics start-up Mutiny has rebranded as Mutinex; given its co-founders new titles; and appointed Adam Beaupeurt, Don Li, Alex Kosheliev and Claire Bertolus in senior roles. The company's flagship platform, WarChest, helps to analyse marketers' past decisions and then predict the value of future choices. Earlier this year, the company raised $2.4m in a seed round of funding, and in August it appointed former Mediabrands / Starcom exec John Sintras as President, US and Multinational, to lead expansion into the US. The firm now has some 26 full time staff members, and says it expects to reach 40-50 within the next year. The US expansion might partly explain the rename - there is already a web site personalization specialist based in San Francisco with the name Mutiny - but co-founder Henry Innis told www.mumbrella.com.au there is more to it than this: 'Another way to articulate it is, Mutinex signals that know we're evolving beyond just the rebellious spirit and kind of maturing a bit as well. You don't necessarily want a band of pirates managing billions of dollars of money'. Similarly, WarChest will now be known as GrowthOS, 'to better position the product in terms of the value it is delivering to customers'. Innis has taken the title of CEO while his co-founder Matt Farrugia becomes Chief Operating Officer, clarifying the quite separate roles the two are now playing. Beaupeurt, formerly MD of Digital at independent creative, CX and connections agency HERO, joins as Chief Commercial Officer, with sales, finance, marketing and success functions all reporting in to him. The founder in 2014 of a strategic marketing and communications agency called B.B.E., acquired by HERO in 2020, he worked earlier at ad agencies Ogilvy and AKQA. Innis, who has worked with Beaupeurt in two previous roles, says the firm has focused on hiring leaders who in turn can attract, build and scale talented teams, and describes Beaupeurt as 'somebody who deeply understands that perspective that the ability to hire well is probably as important as any other element'. Li joins from Rokt as Senior Data Scientist, Kosheliev from Data Robot as Senior Customer Data Scientist and Bertolus from Bupa as Head of Growth Marketing. The company says it will announce further hires in the coming months in customer success, engineering, product and user experience. Web site: www.mutiny.group . Swiss Buy and Briefing Launch for UNICEPTA Cologne, Germany-based media intelligence provider UNICEPTA has acquired Swiss media analysis firm Adwired; and has announced the launch of a new media review service called Executive News Briefing. UNICEPTA was founded in 1996 and supports around 550 organisations worldwide with media, marketing and corporate intelligence, using AI-based crawling technology to capture and process content from more than 460 million sources in print, online, social media, radio and TV. For the new Briefing service, analysts and editors then select and compile content from this according to company-specific relevance criteria, to produce an interactive digital magazine. The Adwired acquisition is UNICEPTA's second in six months, following that of Berlin-based corporate data analyst Giance Technologies. Based in Zurich and established in 1995, Adwired supports communications and marketing departments in sectors including consumer goods, industrial, financial, pharmaceutical and automotive, with bespoke media monitoring and analysis solutions. Its BrandTicker service allows users to monitor and analyze their brands in detail in a preconfigured dashboard, based on analysis of millions of print, online and social media sources, and using more than a million tested and manually translated attributes and topic keywords to track brand perception, customer satisfaction, reputational risks and ESG topics. The firm's management board and fifteen staff will stay in their roles post-acquisition. Co-founder and CEO Patrick Schurmann says the deal gives his firm access to an enormous data pool, and a partner that supports its technological innovation. Unicepta CEO Jochen Freese (pictured) says the deal brings 'great synergies' for international customers in Switzerland and elsewhere, and comments: 'The need for highly relevant, data-driven insights continues to grow among decision-makers in communications, marketing and other strategic business areas. Especially in times of a changing economic situation, they can identify opportunities and risks at an early stage and coordinate their measures in a targeted manner'. Web sites: www.unicepta.com and www.adwired.ch . Stride Investment Management Limited (SIML) today announced the resignation of Investore Fund Manager, Fabio Pagano, from the companys executive team. SIMLs Chief Executive Officer Philip Littlewood commented: Fabio has been with the business since 2018 and during that time has contributed to the strong growth in Investores portfolio. I would like to sincerely thank Fabio for his contribution and wish him well in his future endeavours. SIMLs General Manager Investment, Adam Lilley, will assume the responsibilities of the Investore Fund Manager role, in addition to his current role. Ends For further information please contact: Tim Storey, Chairman, Stride Investment Management Limited / Stride Property Limited Mobile: 021 633 089 - Email: tim.storey@strideproperty.co.nz Philip Littlewood, Chief Executive Officer, Stride Investment Management Limited Mobile: 021 230 3026 - Email: philip.littlewood@strideproperty.co.nz Jennifer Whooley, Chief Financial Officer, Stride Investment Management Limited Mobile: 021 536 406 - Email: jennifer.whooley@strideproperty.co.nz Louise Hill, General Manager Corporate Services, Stride Investment Management Limited Mobile: 0275 580 033 - Email: louise.hill@strideproperty.co.nz A Stapled Security of the Stride Property Group comprises one ordinary share in Stride Property Limited and one ordinary share in Stride Investment Management Limited. Under the terms of the constitution of each company, the shares in each can only be transferred if accompanied by a transfer of the same number of shares in the other. Stapled Securities are quoted on the NZX Main Board under the ticker code SPG. Further information is available at www.strideproperty.co.nz or at www.nzx.com/companies/SPG. SPG - Changes to Executive Team - 311022 Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: THL updates on Executive changes NZ Automotive interim results for Half Year 2023 TruScreen Half Year Results ArborGen Holdings Announces Interim Result November 29th Morning Report PCT - Further growth in Investment Partnership SPY - Half Year Report and Interim Result Kiwi Property drives robust operating result in 1H23 Third Age Health Half Year Results November 28th Morning Report People wade through flooded streets following heavy rains tropical storm Nalgae, in Imus, Cavite province, south of Manila, the Philippines, Oct. 30, 2022. Ukraine is currently detecting and intercepting nearly 90 percent of the Iranian-made Shahed 136 UAVs serving as cruise missiles. The 200 kg (440 pound) Shahed 136 has a flight endurance of four or five hour at about 180 kilometers an hour carrying explosive warheads with 25 kg (55 pounds) of explosives. Shahed 136s are believed to cost about $50,000 each, with most of that ($30,000) being their gasoline engine. Both versions of Shaded (one is a bit larger) use GPS navigation with a crude INS (inertial navigation system) backup. Russia replaced the GPS guidance with one dependent on Russian GLONAS satellite navigation in an effort to increase reliability and effectiveness. Shahed 136 operates at low (a few hundred meters at most) altitude to avoid radar detection. These missiles are launched either individually using a portable launch rail or from a truck mounted system carrying four or five missiles in a box type storage/launch container. A small rocket is attached to the bottom of the missile to get it airborne and the engine running. The rocket is then supposed to fall away. GPS locations have to be entered into the GPS system before launch. The Ukrainians quickly developed tactics to defeat the Shahed 136s, especially those used against military targets. The low-flying Shahed 136 engine is so loud it can be heard several kilometers away and, while rifle and machine-gun bullets are effective against it, larger caliber weapons like 12.7mm machine-guns and 20mm or larger autocannon are much more lethal. Another vulnerability of the Shahed 136 is that its inexpensive components are often unreliable and a large portion of them fail before reaching a target. These usually crash-land intact, allowing detailed analysis of components and construction. Another vulnerability is to electronic AUD (Anti-UAV Defense) systems that employ jamming and other EW (Electronic Warfare) techniques to disable UAV guidance systems. Israel has quietly provided Ukraine with details of how it defeated Shahed 136s launched from Lebanon. This includes details of AUDs Israel has developed. Ukraine has already received an American AUD (Anti UAV Defense) system called Vampire. This system is palletized, with all components attached to a shipping pallet that can be mounted in a light truck, and consists of a telescoping mast mounting a electro-optical/infrared modular sensor ball and laser designator, a generator for power and a launcher that carries four APKWS 70mm laser-guided rockets. These weigh only 15 kg (32 pounds) each and have a range of about a thousand meters when fired from the ground. Vampire can be used to detect and fire APKWS laser guided rockets at air and even ground targets. Any UAV, cruise missile or helicopter within range is vulnerable. Vampire is designed to be reconfigured, which is the kind of system Ukrainians prefer. Its launcher is also designed to use new, longer-range APKWS rockets. Ukrainians are expected to modify Vampire to better suit their needs or simply to obtain longer range while carrying more rockets ready to fire. Ukraine has the people and manufacturing ability to quickly develop an AUD system that relies on jamming or disabling the guidance systems of UAVs like Shahed 136. Ukrainian countermeasures have already led Russia to use Shahed 136 against cities and other civilian targets. These large-area targets are more difficult to defend with AUDs. That means more Shahed 136s hit something, even if its a building. The small Shahed 136 warhead does not do a lot of damage but Russia is running out of larger guided missiles and has been depending more on large unguided rockets and old ASM (Surface to Air Missiles) modified for hitting ground targets. The larger and faster guided missiles are saved for important military targets while the smaller missiles, like Shahed 136 are used against infrastructure and civilians. Even with nearly 90 percent of Shahed 136s intercepted, enough get through to damage infrastructure, especially power plants. The Shahed 136 launch sites are in portions of Crimea outside the 80-kilometer range of Ukrainian GMLRS guided rockets. The search for the launch sites also revealed that Iran had sent technical advisors to help the Russians use Shahed 136 effectively. In the past, Shahed 136 attacks were more successful because the target wasnt expecting them. Ukraine developed a cell-phone app that enables users, including those in Russian occupied areas, to report Russian activity. This now includes Shahed 136 sightings. Russia has not only lost the element of surprise but this network of civilian spotters enables Ukrainian air defense forces to quickly detect and track an incoming Shahed 136 attack. Shahed 136 attacks are supposed to demoralize Ukrainian civilians and weaken the war effort but it has the opposite effect, making Ukrainians angrier at the Russians and more determined to drive them out of Ukraine. These attacks on civilians were going on before the Shahed 136s arrived. The Russians used guided missiles that were more difficult to intercept but were also in limited supply and Russia was unable to replace those used because of sanctions. Iran was one of the few nations supporting the Russian invasion and offered to sell Russia the cruise and ballistic missiles it manufactures. Iranian stocks of these missiles are limited and a current outbreak of nationwide protests against the Iranian religious dictatorship appears to have disrupted production. The many nations threatened or under attack by Iranian missiles appreciate the situation where Iran is reducing its stockpile of these weapons in order to supply Russia. HARTFORD (AP) As part of his campaign to win over blue state voters, the Republican candidate for governor, Bob Stefanowski, is trying to capitalize on any lingering resentment over safety precautions taken at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the businessman pledged to never mandate COVID-19 vaccines for schoolchildren, joining Republicans who made similar promises after a national panel advised the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add the shots to lists of recommended vaccinations for kids and adults. Stefanowski has complained that the states old mask mandate in schools, which ended in most districts in late February after campuses were allowed to reopen for in-person learning with masks in August 2020, lasted too long. In his proposed Parents Bill of Rights, he says families shouldnt be forced by the government to vaccinate or mask their children without any recourse to object. Its up to the person. They should have the choice, Stefanowski said. Stefanowskis opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for public or private employees or anyone else is in line with other Republicans who have campaigned this election season on promises to protect individual liberty in public health. Even though COVID-19 is not the hot-button issue of two years ago, Republican contenders such as U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, who is running for governor in New York, and Adam Laxalt, a U.S. Senate candidate in Nevada, have also highlighted their opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccines. Children could be forced to take this vaccine in order to attend school, Laxalt warned. Theyve maintained that line of attack even as public safety measures aimed at preventing COVID-19 have largely fallen away. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, hasnt proposed making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for kids. There is no movement afoot to return to masking in schools. Lamonts executive orders requiring state employees, child care workers and school staff to get at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot have all expired. Jake Lewis, Lamonts campaign spokesman, accused Stefanowski of courting and pandering to the extreme anti-vaccine movement to save his flailing campaign. A recent Quinnipiac Poll shows Lamont is ahead by 15 percentage points. Stefanowski has said other polling shows the race is much tighter. In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Lamont defended the COVID-19 mitigation steps that his administration took during the pandemic, saying he had to make the call and couldnt have reopened schools unless teachers felt safe with the mask and vaccination mandates that were put in place. Remember, in 2020, there was no dispute about any of this stuff. Nobody was arguing about masks or testing or vaccination. We were really united because we were confronted with an enemy that we couldnt see, he said. It was only a year or so later that you started having a little bit of pushback. Maybe they wanted the bars open sooner. Im going to open my bar, to hell with you, that type of thing. Its questionable whether attacking pandemic safety measures is a winning strategy in Connecticut, a state that was hit hard early in the pandemic, and where vaccines have largely been embraced. Large numbers of children in the state have already received at least one dose of the vaccine: 85% of those between 15-24; 73% of those between 10-14; 51% of those between 5-9; and 12% of those between 0-4 as of Oct. 27, according to public health officials. Connecticut boasts one of the highest overall COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, according to federal data. COVID-19 mandates didnt appear among Connecticut voters top issues, according to a recent survey by the Quinnipiac Poll. But Stefanowskis pledge not to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates has been cheered by some, including those who opposed a law Lamont signed last year that took away a religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities. Vaccines required in Connecticut schools depend on the childs grade. They include polio, measles, mumps and rubella. Stefanowski has also received plenty of criticism for his public pledge, especially on social media where people have accused him of being misleading about the safety of vaccines and kowtowing to vaccine opponents. Others have credited Lamont for doing the right thing during the pandemic, saying the vaccine and mask mandates kept the state running. Stefanowski himself says he is fully vaccinated, and he personally gave away more than 1.6 million masks during the height of the pandemic. Yet hes used vaccine resistance to generate campaign contributions. In one appeal, he said he was being censured by Facebook for trying to spread the message about his stance against mandates. A campaign spokesperson said supporters who tried to share the message received an automatic warning from Facebook about Stefanowskis post possibly being misleading about vaccines. As governor, I would NEVER force a COVID vaccine mandate on our children or anyone else. But that has gotten me a lot of pushback, and now my platform is being silenced! the fundraising appeal says. Yves here. Finally, a wee bit of good news in Lulas hard-fought win. By Brett Wilkins. Originally published at Common Dreams A huge blow against fascistic politics and a huge victory for decency and sanity. Thats how RootsAction director Norman Solomon described Brazilian President-Elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas Sunday presidential runoff victory against far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, the culmination of a most remarkable political comeback for a man who was languishing behind bars just three years ago. With 99% of votes counted via an electronic system that tallies final results in a matter of hoursand which was repeatedly aspersed by Bolsonaro in an effort to cast doubt on the elections veracityda Silva led the incumbent by more than two million ballots, or nearly two percentage points. #ResultadosAs 19h56 deste domingo (30/10), o candidato Lula (PT) esta matematicamente eleito para a presidencia da Republica com 50,83% dos votos. Jair Bolsonaro (PL) teve 49,17%: https://t.co/FdOJnI5R8t pic.twitter.com/C4PuvaTb2T TSE (@TSEjusbr) October 30, 2022 Brazil is my cause, the people are my cause and fighting poverty is the reason why I will live until the end of my life, da Silva said during his victory speech. As far as it depends on us, there will be no lack of love, he vowed. We will take great care of Brazil and the Brazilian people. We will live in a new time. Of peace, of love, and of hope. A time when the Brazilian people will once again have the right to dream. And the opportunities to realize what you dream. Da Silva, the 77-year-old co-founder of the left-wing Workers Party (PT), became the first challenger to defeat an incumbent president since the restoration of democracy in 1985. His campaign overcame a rampant social media-driven disinformation campaign, political violence including the assassination on Friday of a PT congressional candidate, and what observers called massive Election Day voter suppression by federal police to win a third term for the man Brazilians endearingly call Lula. Bolsonarowho has threatened to reject the results if he lostand his far-right nationalism will remain a powerful force in Brazilian politics despite his ouster. Derided by critics as the Trump of the Tropics, Bolsonaros tenure was marked by accelerated environmental destruction, especially of the Amazon rainforest; gross mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, which killed more people in Brazil than in any other country save the United States; disdain and disregard for the rights of Indigenous peoples; rampant bigotry; and incessant flirtation with authoritarianism. Were heartened that Bolsonaro, who oversaw colossal destruction of the Amazon and policies imperiling Earth Defenders, did not prevail today. We stand with Brazils Indigenous movement, now and in the years ahead. The struggle for the rainforest & its peoples continues! Amazon Watch (@amazonwatch) October 31, 2022 Bolsonaro lost, but Bolsonarism emerged victorious. The numbers dont lie, tweeted Sao Paulo state lawmaker Erica Malunguinho, a reference to the incumbents more than 58 million votes. Our project must be political and pedagogical. There was utter silence from Bolsonaro, his campaign, and his erstwhile-outspoken relatives for hours after the race was called for da Silva. Journalist Marlos Apyus tweeted, Let him go in silence. As for me, Ill never hear his voice again. Jubilant crowds thronged the streets of cities including Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro Sunday evening. Drivers honked horns and people cheered and chanted slogans including the popular campaign jingle Lula laLulas thereand Ta na hora de Jair ir emboraTime for Jair to leave. Brazilian and international progressives, as well as many of the nations poor, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, women, intellectuals, artists, and people of color celebrated the imminent return of da Silva to the Palacio da Alvorada, which he occupied for two terms from 2003 to 2010. No more fear! With peace, love, and hope we will dream again, tweeted Brazilian author Bianca Santana. And we will work to live a full democracy where all people fit. Maria do Rosario, a PT member of the Chamber of Deputiesthe lower house of Brazils National Congressrepresenting Rio Grande do Sul, exalted: Today is the Day of Respect for Brazilian Women, its Workers Day, the Day of the Free Press and transparency. Today is Childrens Day and the fight against pedophilia; Day of the family and victims of Covid; Today is the day of courage and love. I hug you for that! O AMOR DERROTOU O ODIO! A DEMOCRACIA DERROTOU O FASCISMO! VIVA!!! VAMOS COMEMORAR!!! PSOL 50 (@psol50) October 31, 2022 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted that today, the people of Brazil have voted for democracy, workers rights, and environmental sanity. I congratulate Lula on his hard-fought victory and look forward to a strong and prosperous relationship between the United States and Brazil. U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman called da Silvas victory a win for our values and a better world. Sending love to the people of Brazil who ousted a right wing extremist destroying the planet and elected Lula, a union leader who will give us a shot at a livable future. Thank you for making us feel hope. Sunrise Movement (@sunrisemvmt) October 30, 2022 University of California, Berkeley sociology professor Daniel Aldana Cohen said that Lulas narrow victory is still a massive win for Brazil: for its working class, its Black and Indigenous communities, and against fascism. Its also a win for the Amazon and the planet itselfand thus [very] good news for the multiracial working class of the whole world. Reuters climate correspondent Jake Spring tweeted, The lungs of the Earth will breathe easier tonight. El pueblo brasileno le dio, una vez mas, su voto de confianza a Luis Inacio #Lula da Silva @LulaOficial a quien envio un abrazo ancestral y extiendo mis felicitaciones. Que la sabiduria lo acompane en esta nueva etapa dirigiendo los destinos de esta nacion hermana. . pic.twitter.com/BH4557rhTx Francia Marquez Mina (@FranciaMarquezM) October 30, 2022 Although criticized by the hard left for his previous administrations neoliberal economic policies, Da Silva is beloved by millions of Brazilians for his lifelong advocacy for the poor, workers, minorities, and rural and Indigenous people. As president, he lifted millions of Brazilians from poverty through sweeping social programs including Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) and Bolsa Familia (Family Allowance), while presiding over Brazils rise into the top tier of world economies. Former U.S. President Barack Obama called him the most popular politician on Earth. However, da Silvas focus on social uplift at the expense of the oligarchy earned him powerful enemies at home, and his solidarity with leftist Latin American leaders and opposition to U.S. imperialism made him a target of many in Washington and on Wall Street. In 2017, da Silva was controversially convicted of corruption and money laundering in connection with the sweeping Car Wash scandal and spent 580 days behind bars before being freed when the Brazilian supreme court found his incarceration unlawful. Last year, the high court annulled several criminal convictions against da Silva, restoring his political rights and setting the stage for his 2022 run. Da Silvas win is the latest in a string of leftist victories in Latin America and represents a significant counterbalance to the resurgence of right-wing politics in other parts of the world. Lula's victory in Brazil means leftists now lead Latin America's seven largest nations by population and six largest by GDP. #PatriaGrande pic.twitter.com/k1gGC8pW93 Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (@CDRosa) October 30, 2022 Congratulations brother Lula, president-elect of Brazil, tweeted Bolivian President Luis Arce. Your victory strengthens democracy and Latin American integration. We are sure that you will lead the Brazilian people along the path of peace, progress, and social justice. Yves here. The big news story this morning is that Russia has resumed serious pounding of Ukraines electric grid. As John Helmer explained in his initial post on that topic and continues today, Russia has been targeting transmission, not generation, and in particular, power lines going to areas Ukraine is contesting, as well as the train system in the east of the country. Note Ukraines rail system relies mainly on electric trains; diesel engines can also run on those tracks, but only a small minority of Ukraines train engines are diesel. And because the railroad gauge in Ukraine is different from that in Europe, the West cant give Ukraine diesel engine substitutes. And of course, using the few diesel engines more intensively at the margin drains scarce diesel stocks faster. Helmer mentions that Rybar is a key outlet for monitoring these attacks. The morning updates from Rybar via machine translation (emphasis original): This morning, the RF Armed Forces launched massive strikes on substations that transmit electricity from hydroelectric power plants to the power grid. The intermediate goal is to deprive the enemy of the opportunity to compensate for the energy deficit. One of the strikes was carried out on an open switchgear (ORU) of the Kaniv hydroelectric power station in the Cherkasy region . The hydroelectric power station is located on the middle reaches of the Dnieper, helps to compensate for the energy shortage in the Kiev region , and at the same time has the ability to transfer the generated electricity to the east of the country through the switchgear of the Kremenchug hydroelectric power station . The next electricity-related entry: A fire defeat was inflicted on the Kremenchug hydroelectric power station . This is the third HPP on the Dnieper with a capacity of 686 MW. Power consumers in the east and center of the country are supplied from the HPP through an open switchgear (OSG) of 330 kV. The switchgear itself is a key point of the 330 kV high-voltage line stretching through Krivoy Rog (PS Pervomayskaya 330), Cherkasy (PS Cherkasy 330) and the east of the country (SS Kremenchug 330). A blow to the substation reduces the possibility of transmitting electricity to the industrial areas of Krivoy Rog, Cherkasy, Poltava and partly Kharkov regions. And: One of the morning strikes in Zaporizhzhia hit the 330 kV Pravoberezhnaya substation , connected with the DneproGES . The Dnieper HPP is the most powerful of the power plants located on the Dnieper (capacity 1548 MW). A large node provided a significant role in the generation of the region after the shutdown of the Zaporizhzhya NPP. Wherever the missiles hit, the damage will still be significant, since it will still be extremely difficult to use it at full load even if the generators were not damaged Yet another Rybar status report: There were two explosions this morning in Kharkov . At least one of the hits fell on the Zalyutino 330kV substation: the substation was already hit autotransformers were put out of action each time (although in total there were already more hits than autotransformers at the substation, but these are already nuances). Substation Zalyutino provides electricity transmission from CHPP-5 and Zmievskaya TPP. After the strikes, trams, trolleybuses and the metro stopped working in the city, and electricity was partially lost. Nuff for now. Again recall that the transmission lines in Ukraine are Soviet-built to old Soviet standards (750/330kV) and have been updated with Russian equipment. No one in the West can replace the transformers and other critical elements Russia is destroying. By John Helmer who has been the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to have directed his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. Originally published at Dances with Bears Until capitulation in war, the winning side is the one that learns fastest. The loser is the slowpoke. In Washington, the turnover of staff inside President Bidens White House has been so rapid, the learning process for the new staff has been almost as retarded as the incapacity to learn has been accelerating on the part of Biden himself.* On October 25, the Washington Post revealed how protracted this state of incomprehension is on the US side. Russias ongoing attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure have been so methodical and destructive that administration officials say they are being led by power experts who know exactly which targets will cause the most damage to Ukraines power grid. Five days earlier, on October 20, the Russian Ministry of Defense had made this official for the first time in its daily war bulletins. During the day [October 19-20], the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to strike with high-precision long-range air-based weapons at the military control and energy systems of Ukraine. All assigned objects have been hit. Six days before that, the Kiev regime made it official. In a press interview on October 14, the chief executive of the DTEK power utility, Maxim Timchenko, said: These strikes are not aimed at generating facilities to prevent us from producing electricity but at connection systems tied to the Ukrainian energy system. They hit open switchgears, transformers, switches, so that a station that can produce electricity cannot be connected to the unified power system. That is, the key targets are Ukrenergo transformer high-voltage substations and power distribution equipment at thermal power plants. What [are] the tactics behind this? Since Soviet times, we have built unified energy systems so that if one of the generation flows fails at some part of the system, another one picks it up. That is, everything is looped and we work in a single system. In Soviet times, a power system scheme was built, where everything is set up for similar events that are happening today. I think the Russian military [consults] their power engineers and they explain how to cause maximum harm to the energy system. The Ukrainians arent either so uncomprehending or so slow to react. Although they continue to tell pollsters from Kiev they want the war to continue 89% in Kiev and Galicia, 69% east of the Dnieper River their feet are doing the talking differently. Polish Border Guard figures reported daily show that in the days before the Russian raids on the electric grid began in earnest on October 10, more Ukrainians left Poland to return home across the frontier than the movement from the Ukraine into Poland. After October 10, however, the cross-border flow has changed direction. Significantly more Ukrainians are now moving to Poland. Vienna press reports are suggesting in parallel that more refugees are crossing into Austria from Poland. For the time being, the Russian plan of attack is not hitting the electric grid powering the passenger trains between Kiev, Lvov, and the Polish terminal at Przemysl. Instead, they have been cutting power to trains moving east from Kiev towards the Dnieper River and the front from Kharkov to Odessa. North American experts on infrastructure warfare believe the Russian strategy is to intensify the pressure on Washington, Warsaw, and Berlin to decide if they are willing to take over the direct war-fighting as the Ukrainian resources are being exhausted replacing air defences, artillery, electricity supplies and equipment, fuel, troops, and advisors. Theres a logistical limit for NATO to fight to the last Ukrainian, one of the expert sources observes. Its not to the last Ukrainian who can be put on to the battlefield. Its to the last volt to get him there, supplied with food, fuel and ordnance. In this stage the choice is between direct war and proxy war. In operational terms the sources say there isnt much choice. Weapons and ammunition can be replaced, troops trained to use new systems, cash transferred from Washington and Brussels for Kiev to pay the soldiers, and so on. But the infrastructure cannot be fixed with replacements or money. Im sure the kitchen sink is being thrown at the country. But how are you going to tie in German power transformers, etc., to the Ukrainian grid? What a mess. In this video clip published on October 29 by Boris Rozhin on his Colonel Cassad Telegram channel, a combination passenger and freight train diesel powered, not electric is shown moving at speed through a station. The cargo, reported by Rozhin, includes modernized T-55 tanks from Slovenia. A total of 28 cars will be delivered. The tanks certainly old, but due to modernization, it cannot be said that it is useless...with proper use and an intelligent crew, it is still quite dangerousshould not be underestimated. Im suspecting a strategy of inducing collapse and de facto surrender, a North American military source says, widespread dysfunction in order to present a fait accompli to the US after the November 8 elections change the balance of power in Washington. You can leave now, otherwise its you who have broken it so you will have to pay for what comes next. We can make it into a black hole. And we both know your knees are wobbling. Here are our draft armistice terms. The Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko told the German publication Der Spiegel on October 21: We are doing everything to provide access to electricity and heat. This winter will be extremely difficult, the most difficult in the history of our independence. The minister noted that at the same time, energy consumption has already been reduced by 10%, and Germany has sent repair equipment, generators, transformers and other assistance to Ukraine. In light of the large-scale missile attacks, we need continued [support], even in large quantities.Ukraine needs air defense systems to protect energy facilities from Russian missiles and drones, the minister stressed. The Russian raids between October 22 and October 27 have reduced consumption by significantly more than Galushchenkos announcement of the week before. Follow the Rybar Telegram channel for unofficial situation reporting in English here. The US and NATO response is more substitution of forces from the Polish and Czech direction to support Kiev and Lvov, and from the Romanian-Moldovan direction to defend Odessa. Source: https://t.me/s/rybar For Rybars commentary on US training of Ukrainian forces in Romania combined with attacks on the electricity grid between the Odessa region and Moldovan power plants, read this. For USAF targeting for the Sevastopol drone attacks of October 28-29, click. For Italian radar tracking confirmation of the operation of the Sigonella, Sicily, airbase to provide the drone guidance support, read. Tonight a Ukrainian attack hit the Russian naval base in Sevastopol hard. It is not yet clear what damage was done to the Russian fleet, but it seems that the frigate Admiral Makarov, the current flagship of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, was hit (what damage it suffered is not yet clear). During the attack (apparently carried out by marine drones) a USAF Northrop Grumman RQ-4B (reg. 11-2046 callsign FORTE10) was conducting a surveillance mission in the area south of Sevastopol. The aircraft arrived over the Black Sea at 08:30 CEST on 28 October and left at around 08:45 CEST on 29 October. This type of mission is usual for USAF drones based at Sigonella. Source: https://www.itamilradar.com// Asked to say if the loss of capacity is now 30% or greater, DTEK chief executive Timchenko said: I certainly dont want to challenge the ministers statement. [I]t can be perceived in different ways. Out of operation in terms of the fact that we have lost connection systems [that] is correct. That is, if we do not have connections with generating stations, as I said, then we have lost 30% of the capacity when it comes to the process of energy delivery to the consumer. Why were the rolling blackouts implemented? Because the power that was produced could not be delivered to the grids. An American grid maintenance specialist notes that well-off Ukrainians who can afford the cost are tying in thousands of small generators but this creates fresh hazards to both utility crews conducting repairs and the electrical gear they are working on. The biggest danger will be due to improper installation of generators in residential or small commercial settings. Such improvised tie-ins in many cases completed by unqualified personnel without inspection will lead to dangerous voltages and currents being backfed onto utility lines. Timchenko of DTEK acknowledged that the Russian strategy is to leave the Ukrainian power plants capable of generating the electricity, but to cut off the lines connecting them to the grid, the military supply links in the west and south, and the front regions where the Ukrainian Army claims to be recapturing ground and preparing new offensives. There is enough own capacity within Ukraine to get through the winter and for normal operation. The problem is the hits and damage done to the infrastructure that allows this power to be provided I believe that we cannot have some kind of Armageddon, a situation where everything will be broken, and we will end up having a total blackout. I dont believe [we will have] this scenario. Although I did not believe in a war with Russia. Everything is possible, but based on how we have performed and how the system has performed in terms of sustainability, I have confidence that we will cope with these challenges. Again, in conjunction with the military. I rely heavily on Ukrainian Air Defense Forces. Still, even with such a massive attack, more than 50% of the missiles have been shot down. These are certain lessons for us and for the military, how to deal with such situations. A Canadian military source is skeptical of Ukrainian announcements of high rates of interception of Russian missiles and drones, and their republication in the London, Washington, and Berlin press. Do you remember the quip from German soldiers near the end of World War Two? I believe it went something like this: If you see a lot of planes, thats the Americans. If you see fewer planes, thats the British. If you dont see any planes, thats the Luftwaffe. This is my impression of Ukrainian air defence. The Canadian source also dismissed experts being promoted in US media. The video evidence shows police and militiamen firing wildly in the air with personal weapons at the sight of the incoming drones. Thats morale boosting. It isnt air defence. An expert source in the US adds: The Russians know that US-NATO is throwing what it can in terms of air defence weaponry at the Ukraine. They also know that re-supply is an issue right across the west, including the US defence industry, because stocks are running down and delivery just in time is proving far too late. So, I suspect the Russians are throwing cheap, easy to manufacture drones at Ukrainian targets, many of which are shot down, while more than enough get through. But the secondary mission is to exhaust limited stocks of US- NATO anti-aircraft missiles. After some days of this, the Russians switch back to using their more expensive and accurate cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones, at infrastructure targets and against depleted Ukrainian AD. The secondary mission becomes the strategic Russian objective when the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff are being compelled to decide whether to rush more advanced missile interception systems to the battlefields in the west and south; and also whether to risk American operators inside the Ukraine because Ukrainians cannot be trained fast enough. According to a Reuters report from the Pentagon on October 11, the United States has approved sending Ukraine a total of eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) so far, with two expected to be delivered soon and six more sent over a longer time frame. We think that were on track to get those first two over there in the very near future, [Pentagon spokesman Admiral John] Kirby said during a briefing for reporters. We are certainly interested in expediting the delivery of NASAMS to Ukraine as soon as we can. NASAMS=Norwegian or National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems. The initial Ukrainian announcement of NASAMS deployment and training does not say which model is being supplied: https://news.yahoo.com/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/ The Raytheon announcement of October 25 also omitted to identify the model; it did qualify the number and acknowledged the delay in delivery. The North American source comments: How will it look when the NASAMS dont work, just as other US air defence schemes have time and again in the past. How to explain $20,000 drones beating multi-billion dollar systems? The problem for [Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark] Milley is acute how to deliver and operate NASAMS without the Russian side capturing it? Russian sources believe the Stavka strategy is not (repeat not) aimed at Ukrainian morale. They know this is holding up, just as the US and British airforces discovered was true of the Germans and Japanese during (and despite) the Allied strategic bombing campaigns of World War II. Public opinion polling by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology, measured by telephone calling between October 21 and 23, confirms this, albeit with significantly greater enthusiasm for the war from the Galicians and those in Kiev who are benefitting from the foreign cashflows: Source: https://www.kiis.com.ua/ In our opinion, a more significant impact on representativeness can be either a generally lower willingness of citizens with pro-Russian attitudes to participate in surveys, or the insincerity of those who did take part in the survey (taking into account the obvious facts and prevailing opinions in the media regarding the Russian invasion , some citizens will not want to say what they really think in public). If to talk about the general willingness of respondents to participate in the survey, then in recent surveys we see either the same indicators or somewhat lower (although it should be borne in mind that the lower willingness to participate of pro-Russian citizens can be compensated by the higher willingness to participate of pro-Ukrainian-minded citizens). As this Kiev qualifier concedes, walking may be a better measure of Ukrainian sentiment than talking. But Russian sources interpret the Stavka strategy as aimed at the politically weak governments in Warsaw, Berlin, Paris and London; they are already facing swelling domestic protests at spending more and more money on the Ukrainians, while budget cuts are being imposed on domestic welfare and consumption, including what the French are calling penurie de carburant. If Ukrainian refugee flows accelerate and they will when this Octobers unusually warm temperatures come to an end then the political choices for war or peace will sharpen, a Moscow source says. For the time being, the Polish Border Guard arrival and exit data, issued each day, show relatively stable and equal flows of Ukrainians into Poland and of those returning home. However, the daily figures also reveal that following the October 10 raids against the electric grid there was a small increase in cross-border movement into Poland, accompanied by a larger drop in the number of Ukrainians who had previously been crossing to return home and have opted to stay in Poland. Source: https://twitter.com/ Counting October 1 through 29, a total of 695,700 Ukrainians crossed the border into Poland; this is an average of 23,990 per day. However, on the days from October 11 through 16, the daily inflow jumped to between 25,000 and 26,000. This is an increase of 5.5%. Counting the repatriation movements, a total of 677,200 Ukrainians crossed from Poland into the Ukraine for an average of 23,352 per day. Between October 11 and 16, this outflow dropped to 17,300 on the first day, and averaged 18,033 over the six days. That was a decline of 22.8%. Sources in Warsaw say they are expecting the inflow to accelerate with the onset of winter, and the outflow to shrink. Combined with the Russian campaign against the electric grid, the effect may be another overwhelming refugee problem inside Poland, and also westwards into Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary. MAP OF UKRAINIAN POPULATION MOVEMENTS SINCE FEBRUARY 24, 2022 Source: https://frontex.europa.eu/ Reading the daily Rybar report on the Russian operations, and the daily tweet from the Polish Board Guard, and it will become clear why the passenger trains, bus and car routes out of Galicia and into Poland will continue to remain open. By Conor Gallagher Following Azerbaijans attacks on Armenia in recent months and Russias preoccupation with Ukraine, the situation in the South Caucuses risks spiraling out of control. In an escalation of words Moscow is now accusing the west of using an Ukraine-style strategy in the region. In a statement on Telegram on Oct. 24 Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: We cannot but be concerned about the alarming trends that are gaining momentum in the South Caucasus, where the West is clearly trying to transfer the confrontation schemes worked out in Ukraine. We can see what unprecedented pressure from the outside is being exerted on brotherly Armenia. Steps are taken to discredit Russias policy in the region in an attempt to damage centuries-old ties between our countries and peoples. Numerous foundations, NGOs and media outlets from Washington and Brussels have been redoubling their efforts to sow anti-Russian sentiments in society. A brief recap: In the early 1990s, the OSCE Minsk Group assumed the role of mediator in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan after the dissolution of the USSR. In April, Washington and Paris refused to continue cooperation with Moscow within the troika format due to the invasion of Ukraine. Russia and the West are now pursuing competing peace plans in the region. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a war there two years ago when Azerbaijan grabbed land in a six-week conflict that led to roughly 7,000 deaths. The peace was brokered by Russia which has 2,000 peacekeepers in the region. The ninth clause of the 2020 Karabakh ceasefire agreement includes granting Azerbaijan communication access to its Nakhchivan exclave. Ankara and Baku tried to interpret this as an economic corridor and attempted in September to use force as a negotiating tactic to make it a reality. Azerbaijan owns a military advantage over Armenia due to support from Turkiye and Israel and wants to use it to extract more concessions from Armenia. In particular, Ankara and Baku want an economic corridor between Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave which is wedged between Armenia, Turkiye, and Iran. Russia acts as the security guarantor of Armenia, which is wedged between Turkiye and Azerbaijan, two countries that are openly hostile to Yerevan. Yet Moscow has refused to offer a strong defense of Armenia, allowing Azerbaijan (with Turkiyes backing) to chip away at Armenian territory. The war in Ukraine has further complicated the situation for Moscow as it needs Turkiyes help in bypassing sanctions and keeping NATO out of the Black Sea but is also facing heavy criticism from Armenians for not doing more to protect the country from Azerbaijani attacks. Yerevan has begun seeking out other security guarantees in response. The EU deployed a 40-person monitoring mission to Armenia two weeks ago, and there have been talks about a more permanent force. The EU observers are tasked with monitoring and sending reports to Brussels, which will reportedly not trigger any tangible responses from the EU, such as sanctions, should Azerbaijan launch more attacks. The move comes as energy-starved Europe turns to Baku for additional supplies. Azerbaijan has promised to up supplies to a total of 12 billion cubic meters this year a woefully inadequate total as Russian supplies totaled 155 bcm in 2021. But any heavy fighting in the region could put the EUs energy security further in peril. During the 2020 war, Armenia allegedly attempted to attack part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in Azerbaijan that carries oil to Europe. At stake in the conflict isnt just Russian influence in the Caucuses and natural gas for the EU, but key north-south and east-west trade routes that affect countries such as Iran, India, and China. While Moscow is preoccupied with Ukraine, its allies are coming to the defense of Armenia. Iran recently opened a new consulate in southern Armenia and conducted military drills on its border with Azerbaijan. From Eurasianet: Irans military is conducting large-scale military drills on its border with Azerbaijan, including practicing crossings of the Aras River, which defines a large part of the border between the two states The drills come as Iran has been stepping up its diplomatic warnings to Baku about Azerbaijans intentions for a new transport link connecting Azerbaijans exclave of Nakhchivan with the Azerbaijani mainland, a route that Baku calls the Zangezur corridor. The route would pass along Armenias border with Iran, with uncertain consequences for Armenia-Iran commerce. Iran will not permit the blockage of its connection route with Armenia, and in order to secure that objective the Islamic Republic of Iran also launched a wargame in that region, Irans Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in an October 19 interview with the IRNA news agency. The exercises come amid reports that Armenia is seeking to buy Iranian drones. If Azerbaijan and Turkiye have a continuous land border with no Armenian territory in between this will further weaken the hand of Iran. Iran hopes to maintain the Iran-Armenia-Georgia trade corridor parallel to the North-South Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia one. Iran is also worried about Turkiye and Israel strengthening on its northwestern border. From Dr. Vali Kaleji, a Tehran-based expert on Central Asia and Caucasian Studies: Iran sees the creation of the Zangezur corridor as a matter beyond the access of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan exclave and believes that this corridor will provide direct military access for Turkiye as a NATO member in the Caucasus and west of the Caspian Sea. Indeed, a significant number of Iranian elites and experts believe that the expansion of Turkiyes presence in the South Caucasus, especially through the Zangezur corridor, will strengthen pan-Turkism in the region, which is a direct threat to the Azeri regions of north-western Iran. In addition, Iran is deeply concerned about Israels presence near its north-western border, given the close ties between Israel and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which developed greatly during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Turkiye and Israel just agreed to enhance formal defense ties as well as Tehran and Anakra are in direct competition for influence in the South Caucuses. New Delhi is also worried about its vision to connect Europe and Russia to its Indian ports through the International North-South Transport Corridor. Both India and Iran want to maintain close ties with Armenia and have it play a key role in connecting the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea and keep Turkiye from accumulating too much power in the region. India is now stepping up its arm trade with Armenia. From The Cradle: Since June 2022, rumors had swirled that Armenia was quietly negotiating the purchase of Indian drones, anti-drone air defense systems, and rocket launchers. The speculation was confirmed in late September when Indian media reported that New Delhi will be exporting missiles, rockets, ammunition, anti-tank missiles (ATGM), and the indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) system to Armenia. Military experts, though, explain that this is insufficient to alter the balance of power between Armenia and Turkiye-Azerbaijan. India is worried about a Turkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan axis gaining power, as well as China increasingly becoming a player as it attempts to advance its Middle Corridor connecting China with Central Asia and then onto Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye, before heading to Europe. Both India and Iran are worried that their north-south trade routes would be severed should Turkiye and Azerbaijan enact their dream of the Zangezur Corridor. During a September meeting between the President of the Republic of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Xi emphasized how Azerbaijan plays an important role in the transport process between China and Europe, and the transport and logistics capabilities of the country are of great importance in international cargo transportation. From Silk Road Briefing: Bilateral and transit trade between the two countries can be expected to increase as Baku is a strategic Caspian Port link for the Southern Belt and Road between China and the EU, with onward rail connectivity to Black Sea Ports in Georgia and Turkiye, and ultimately to the southern EU ports in Bulgaria and Romania. Just where is Washington in all this? State Department spokesperson Ned Price of course denied all Russian allegations that Washington wanted to turn Armenia into another Ukraine, saying: Our only goal here is to see and to help these countries work together to bring about a comprehensive and lasting peace, and ultimately to save lives. I dont know what about that can be construed as self-promotional Russias 2008 invasion of Georgia and its ongoing brutal invasion of Ukraine suggests that Moscow has little respect for its neighbors sovereignty and is hardly a reliable, long-term partner. Thats a bit rich coming from the US, as it would almost certainly watch both Armenia and Azerbaijan reduced to ruins if it meant advancing its goals against Russia, Iran, or helps apply pressure on Turkiye. decades-old hostilities over The US, along with Brussels, are pitching their own plan to deal with the border disputes primarily control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but until 2020 largely controlled by the majority ethnic Armenian population. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, but its unclear exactly what peace plan the Americans are pushing. Armenia, condemned by fate to be at the crossroads of so many intersecting interests, is stuck either relying on Russia for its security or inviting more visitors to the party. But it will be a delicate balancing act not to create the impression that Armenia-Azerbaijan is an extension of the battle between the West and Moscow. According to the Armenian Mirror-Spectator: (Natural News) It looks as though the deep state left is gearing up for another election-related false flag event in the new swing state of Arizona. Marc Elias, the sleazy Democratic lawyer aligned with Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign as well as several lawsuits aimed at undermining the 2020 election with mass mail-in balloting, has filed a lawsuit against a patriot group in the Grand Canyon State, alleging voter intimidation. According to The Epoch Times, the group Clean Elections USA and its founder, Melody Jennings, were sued last week on behalf of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and Voto Latino. The plaintiffs claim that the defendants are violating federal Voting Rights Act provisions. No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, shall intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for voting or attempting to vote, or intimidate, threaten, or coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for urging or aiding any person to vote or attempt to vote, says the statute in part. Members of the so-called patriot group have been reportedly gathering around ballot drop-off boxes to ensure no funny business takes place like during 2020. Some of the observers are reportedly armed. Jennings said on social media earlier that people should go to the boxes to act as a deterrent against voter fraud that everyone with an IQ over 80 knows took place last time around. We must legally deter people from committing voter fraud. The only way we can do this is to monitor those drop box locations with a team of volunteers. That is why were reaching out to patriots like yourself who have similar concerns. In short, we need your help! says the Clean Elections USA website. A video clip posted by a local reporter shows her talking to a man armed with a camera who said hes with Clean Elections USA. He also refused to answer certain questions before calling an unnamed person, likely for advice on how to answer certain questions. VITAMIN D: were just out here getting some Vitamin D seems to be the key response as several are watching a ballot drop box outside Maricopa Co election HQ in AZ. This group says theyre with Clean Elections USA, but wouldnt elaborate on if theyre volunteers, or what. pic.twitter.com/zpqoQM3CUp Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) October 20, 2022 The tactics being used by Clean Elections USA arent just profoundly dangerous to voters in Arizona, theyre an affront to the fundamental principles of our democracy, Maria Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino, said in a statement. Needless to say, the lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent members of this alleged group from gathering within sight of drop boxes, following or recording voters, or making any visual recording of prospective voters obviously, so that the cheating can resume where it left off in 2020. The suit also demands that Clean Elections USA be barred from training, organizing, or directing people to monitor drop boxes if an order is imposed. Jennings noted on Truth Social, former President Donald Trumps social media platform, that the groups observers should follow the law, meaning, the organizations intent is legitimate. Knowing that we the citizens of the United States are protecting the rule of law is very satisfying, she said. The Epoch Times added: Several voter intimidation complaints have been lodged in Arizona and referred to the U.S. Department of Justice. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Monday that the agency will not permit voters to be intimidated. Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said that the department has received two suspicious activity criminal reports but that no charges have been filed and the observers have not committed crimes. It doesnt meet the threshold for a crime. This is a free nation. The Second Amendment is as important as the first. So that in and of itself does not constitute a crime, he told reporters. Democrats know they are unpopular and cannot win elections on the strength of their ideas and policies. So they have to cheat. And now they are trying to demonize a patriot group so that drop boxes are left unattended again. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The US government funded Peter Daszaks ECO Health Alliance to the tune of $61,491,183 to make new coronaviruses that are infectious to humans. It also directly or indirectly funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology to the tune of $7.4 million dollars to make new coronaviruses that are infectious to humans. Meanwhile the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded Ralph Baric to the tune of $46,958,414 to make new coronaviruses that are infectious to humans. This totals more than $114 million in the period from 2000 to 2020 to make new coronaviruses which are infectious to humans. There is no question that SARS CoV 2 (causing Covid-19) is man made. Heres the evidence (Article republished from Expose-News.com) A Brief History of man-made pathogens designed by Baric, Daszak, Zhengli and Moderna and funded by Fauci, the NIH, the NIAID and the US Government to carry out the research necessary for the creation of SARS, MERS and Covid-19 1984: Dr Anthony Fauci is appointed director of the NIAID (National Institute of Allergies and Infectious diseases) There is an Orwellian Appointment for you. 1986 July1: https://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-AI023946-01 1986 1999 funding amounts not specified and then funded by $1,987,840 over 7 years from 2000 to 2007 excluding 2002. NIAID (National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases) funding Ralph Baric at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Subject: Mechanism of MHV Replication (Mouse Hepatitis Virus). This was the start of the partnership between Fauci and Baric. 1999: U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS) funds research amplifying the infectious character of Coronaviruses. 1999: The Bill and Mellisa Gates Foundation set up GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) with a promise of $750 million in funding. So it was never going to be a bit part actor in the vaccine movie. https://www.gavi.org/operating-model/gavis-partnership-model/bill-melinda-gates-foundation 2000: In May Ralph Baric successfully constructs a 28k base pair Coronavirus from smaller fragments by reverse transcription (making DNA from RNA) He makes an infectious TGE (Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus which is a type of Coronavirus) clone from isolated components of the genome. He files for US Patent 6,593,111 B2: The invention is exemplified by, although not limited to, the assembly of full-length, functional coronavirus genomes. The present inventors have successfully assembled a full length infectious clone of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGE). Using a novel approach, six adjoining cDNA subclones that span the entire TGE genome were isolated. Each clone was engineered with unique flanking interconnecting junctions which dictate a precise, systematic assembly with only the correct adjacent cDNA subclones, resulting in an intact TGE cDNA construct of about approximately 28.5 Kb in length https://patents.justia.com/patent/6593111 . Among other advantages, full-length infectious clones of TGE permit the precise genetic modification of the coronavirus genome https://patents.justia.com/patent/6593111 2001: April 20: NIH Grant GM63228 funds Ralph Baric et al at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to do Chimera research to transform the original SARS Coronavirus which was pathogenic only to animals, existing in nature as a pathogen for dogs and rabbits, to make it pathogenic to mankind targeting lung epithelial cells. The justification for this research was that it was supposedly designed as a vector virus to distribute HIV vaccines. This resulted in US patent application US28531801P 2001 May21: Ralph Baric and Boyd Yount (Assigned to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) file US Patent 6,593,111 B2 Directional Assembly of Large Viral Genomes and Chromosomes The Patent Office search report found: Lai, Michael M.C The making of infectious viral RNA: No size limit in sight PNAS vol 97 No 10, May 9, 2000 pp 5025-5027 And it found: Thiel et al Infectious RNA transcribed in vitro from a cDNA copy of human coronavirus genome cloud in vaccinia virus 92: 1273-1261 (2001) 2002: April 19: The University of North Carolina files US patent 7279327 for an infectious replication defective coronavirus (to be used as a virus vector for an HIV vaccine), claiming priority from US28531801P. Inventors were: Kristopher M. Curtis, Boyd Yount, Ralph S. Baric https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20030411/sars-timeline-of-outbreak 2002 November 16: The first case of an atypical pneumonia is reported in the Guangdong province in southern China. 2003 February 25: First cases of unusual pneumonia reported in Hanoi, Vietnam. 2003 February 28: WHO officer Carlo Urbani, MD, examines an American businessman with an unknown form of pneumonia in a French hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. 2003 March10: Urbani reports an unusual outbreak of the illness, which he calls sudden acute respiratory syndrome or SARS, to the main office of the WHO. He notes that the disease has infected an unusually high number of healthcare workers (22) at the hospital (in Hanoi, Vietnam). 2003 March11: A similar outbreak of a mysterious respiratory disease is reported among healthcare workers in Hong Kong. 2003 March15: WHO issues a heightened global health alert about the mysterious pneumonia with a case definition of SARS after cases in Singapore and Canada are also identified. The alert includes a rare emergency travel advisory to international travellers, healthcare professionals and health authorities. 2003 March17: An international network of 11 leading laboratories is established to determine the cause of SARS and develop potential treatments. 2003 March24: CDC officials present the first evidence that a new strain of a virus most frequently associated with upper respiratory infections and the common cold in humans called the coronavirus might be a likely cause of SARS. 2003 March29: Carlo Urbani, who identified the first cases of SARS, dies as a result of the disease. Researchers later suggest naming the agent that causes the disease after the infectious disease expert. 2003 April4: President George W. Bush adds SARS to the list of quarantinable diseases, which gives the CDC the authority to isolate persons who might have been exposed to the disease. 2003 April12: Canadian researchers announce they have completed the first successful sequencing of the genome of the coronavirus believed to cause SARS. 2003 April14: CDC officials announce their laboratories have sequenced a nearly identical strain of the SARS-related coronavirus. The CDC version includes an additional 15 nucleotides, which provides the important beginning of the sequence. 2003 April16: A new form of a coronavirus never before seen in humans is confirmed as the cause of SARS according to Kochs postulates, which are four specific conditions that must be met for a pathogen to be confirmed as a causal agent of disease. 2003 April 25: CDC Patent filed and ultimately becomes US 7,220,852 (the patent on the RNA sequence) and 7,776,521 (the patent on the testing methodology). These patents give the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the ability to control the commercial exploitation of SARS coronavirus. 2003 July2: WHO removes Toronto, Canada from its list of areas with recent local SARS transmission after 20 days passed since the last SARS case was reported and isolated. 2003 January26: Dr. Anthony Fauci appointed to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations Global Grand Challenges Scientific Advisory Board (served through 2010 when he joined their Global Vaccine Action Plan). 2006 Chinese researchers combine HCV, HIV-1, SARS-CoV-1 & SARS-CoV-2: Huang Q, Cheng Y, Guo Q, Li Q. Preparation of a Chimeric Armored RNA as a Versatile Calibrator for Multiple Virus Assays. Clinchem 2006; 52(7):1446-1448 and Supplement A.Inform1999200020022003. 2007: NSF Grant IIS-0513650 (Italy, France and Indiana University) study addresses FIRST CRITICAL STEP to control a pandemic shutdown International Travel. Given this knowledge why did Fauci tell Trump a Travel Ban was unnecessary? 2009 April15: ModernaTX INC is incorporated in Delaware USA 2010 August 6: Moderna (prior to its establishment) files U.S. Patent 9,447,164 which attracted the investment of (and inventorship for) venture capitalists at Flagship Ventures. This patent grew out of the work of Dr. Jason P. Schrum of Harvard Medical School supported by National Science Foundation Grant #0434507. While the application claims priority to August 2010, the application didnt get finalized until October, 2015. 2010 September21: Wildlife Trust is rebranded to become ECO Health Alliance under the directorship of Peter Daszak. 2010: The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced a collaboration to increase coordination across the international vaccine community and create a Global Vaccine Action Plan. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center/press-releases/2010/12/global-health-leaders-launch-decade-of-vaccines-collaboration. The Leadership Council is comprised of: Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO; Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Director of NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health; Mr. Anthony Lake, Executive Director for UNICEF; Ms. Joy Phumaphi, Chair of the International Advisory Committee and Executive Secretary, African Leaders Malaria Alliance Dr. Tachi Yamada, President of Global Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 2011 March9: ModernaTX (MODEfied RNA) was registered in Massachussetts 2012 September22: UK Identifies first case of MERS 2012-April2: Moderna claims priority to US201261618957P in its 5 patents cited below all of which refer to a double CGG codon Furin Cleavage site. 2013 December 16: Moderna files 4 patents referring to a double CGG codon Furin Cleavage site. US9149506B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding septin-4 https://patents.google.com/patent/US9149506B2/en US9216205B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding granulysin https://patents.google.com/patent/US9216205B2/en US9255129B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding SIAH E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 https://patents.google.com/patent/US9255129B2/en US9301993B2: Modified polynucleotides encoding apoptosis inducing factor 1 https://patents.google.com/patent/US9301993B2/en 2013: Baric and Chinese scientists isolate 3 coronaviruses from bats with HKU4 spike protein unable to infect human cells. Yang YBaric RS, et al. Receptor usage and cell entry of bat coronavirus HKU4 provide insight into bat-to-human transmission of MERS coronavirus. PNAS 2014;111(34):12516-12521. Funded with NIH grants RO1AI089728 & R21AI109094. 2014 October 17: Obama Administration halts Gain-of-Function Research 2015 Dr. Zhengli et al reengineered HKU4 spike aiming to build its capacity to infect human cells. To this end, we introduced two single mutationsmutations in these motifs in coronavirus spikes have demonstrated dramatic effects on viral entry into human cells. 2015: Baric and Zhengli announce they can make a more dangerous, virulent and infectious virus. Two Mutations Were Critical for Bat-to-Human Transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS). J Virol.2015;89(17):9199-9123. Funded by NIH grants RO1AI089728, RO1AI110700. 2015 July: South Korea had its last case of MERS. There were 2,494 confirmed laboratory cases and a total of 858 deaths in 27 countries; 80% of these cases came from Saudi Arabia. So the mortality rate for MERS was 34.4%. But it was not very transmissible. Infections were limited to family members, other hospital patients and health care workers who encountered MERS patients. 2016 June2: Moderna files US9587003B2 referring to a double CGG codon Furin Cleavage site: Modified polynucleotides for the production of oncology-related proteins and peptides https://patents.google.com/patent/US9587003B2/en 2017: Gain-of-Function Research Ban Lifted 2018: US Patent 7279327 for the chimeric adaption of the naturally occurring animal SARS Coronavirus to become infectious to humans targeting lung epithelial cells is transferred from University of North Carolina to he US National Institute for Health (NIH) who funded it in the first place. 2018 March 27: Peter Daszac and the Eco Health Alliance in 2018 submitted a proposal to DARPA to do gain of function research on SARS coronaviruses to insert is furin cleavage site (such as is found in HIV1) in an optimal position into the coronavirus gene. COVID-19 has a furin cleavage site optimally positioned to infect humans. https://theintercept.com/2021/09/23/coronavirus-research-grant-darpa/ Lets look at the big picture: A novel SARS coronavirus emerges in Wuhan with a novel cleavage site in it. We now have evidence that, in early 2018, they had pitched inserting novel cleavage sites into novel SARS-related viruses in their lab, said Chan. This definitely tips the scales for me. And I think it should do that for many other scientists too. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21066966-defuse-proposal this is the Eco health alliance DARPA funding proposal. Read more at: Expose-News.com The Canadian Army has finally found a new pistol to replace the Browning High Power pistol they had been using since World War II. The new pistol is the Sig-Sauer P320, which is similar to the pistol the Americans adopted in 2018 to replace the Beretta M9 pistols that in 1984 replaced the now century old Browning .45 caliber pistol. The .45 is still used by special operations troops in many nations. Canada is buying 7,000 Sig-Sauers for the army with the potential purchase of 9,500 more for the air force, navy and military police. Britain, another major user of the Browning High power pistol, replaced the Browning nearly a decade ago with the Glock 17, a modern design similar to the Sig-Sauer P226. Many Canadians followed the British search for a Browning replacement and noted that it only took Britain three years to find what they needed. It was also noted that some British special operations troops were already using the Sig-Sauer. As in Canada, the British search for a new pistol came after years of complaints from troops in Afghanistan. The British government quickly (compared to Canada) agreed to replace their elderly Browning L9A7 9mm pistols with the Glock 17. The army placed an order for 25,000 Glock 17s, at a cost of $538 each. The procurement process took two years. Some British special operations troops had already adopted the similar Sig Sauer P320. The Glock 17 was designed by Gaston Glock in the 1960s and soon became enormously popular with policemen. Some armed forces (like Austria and Norway) also adopted it early on. There are over twenty variants, usually having to do with caliber. The American FBI, for instance, uses the 10.2mm .40 caliber). The Glock has a plastic (polymer) frame and can be safely carried in the holster loaded and ready to fire. All one has to do is aim and pull the trigger. The Glock magazine carries 17 rounds, compared to 13 in the Browning (which was a big jump over six rounds revolvers held). These characteristics have proved enormously popular with police, who are often called on to use their pistol with no warning. Troops in Afghanistan have encountered similar situations. For British troops another advantage is weight. A loaded Glock weighs 860 gr (1.88 pounds), which is 20 percent less than the Browning. The Glock is a simple pistol and very reliable. The manufacturer has subjected the pistols to very extreme environmental tests and tweaked the pistol design to ensure that a Glock would always fire. Over 2.5 million Glocks have been manufactured in the last three decades, meaning that spare parts and servicing are easy to find. The Glock 17 is replacing the 9mm Browning Hi-Power automatic, whose British military designation is the L9A1 and has been the standard issue sidearm since 1954. Back then it replaced the .38 caliber (9.1mm) Enfield revolver. Even this elderly pistol can still be found in service, as a personal (not army issue) weapon. However, British World War II commandos pioneered the use of the 9mm Hi-Power, and that played a major role in that weapon replacing the Enfield revolver throughout the army. The Hi-Power was designed by John Browning, who also created the M1911 .45 caliber pistol. The two pistols share many design features and characteristics. For several decades the Hi-Power continued to perform well for both commandos and the rest of the army. But by the 1980s the Hi-Power was a dated design, something that was made very clear with the appearance of the Glock. The Hi-Power is still produced, by Browning in the U.S. and Fabrique Nationale in Europe. Despite being over 70 years old it is not considered obsolete, just not as evolved as weapons like the Glock. Then neither is the century old American 1911A1 .45 caliber pistol. The problem for the British Army was that most of the Hi-Powers in service were older than the men who were using them. These pistols were often 20 or 30 years old and the army leadership never gave much thought to updating them or bringing in more modern design. This led to many combat officers buying a pistol (often a Glock) with their own money. British commandos took matters into their own hands and adopted the 964 gr (2.13 pounds) Sig-Sauer P226 9mm as their standard pistol, as well as a smaller pistol for undercover operations. The U.S. Navy SEALs also chose this pistol, as did many other special operations forces. While the Glock is a favorite for regular army troops, the P226 is a bit more compatible with commando type operations. (Natural News) Germanys left-of-center government, like most in Europe, long ago began worshipping at the Church of Climate Change, eschewing cheap, reliable fossil fuels for sketchy, unreliable and imminently more expensive green renewable energy sources, mostly wind and solar power. That said, the country never really weaned itself off of fossil fuels. Rather, in a ridiculous grand scheme of virtue signaling, Germany just decided to buy most of its natural gas and other fossil fuel energy from Russia a country that the NATO member was supposed to be defending the continent against. Famously, then-President Donald Trump warned the country during a September 2018 speech at the United Nations, Germany will become totally dependent on Russian energy if it does not immediately change course. Here in the Western Hemisphere, we are committed to maintaining our independence from the encroachment of expansionist foreign powers. At the time, German diplomats in attendance smirked and chuckled at Trumps prophecy. He has since been proven right again. Following Russias invasion of Ukraine, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project Germany was building in conjunction with Russia has ceased and Russian gas is not flowing into Germany due to EU sanctions following the invasion. As such, Europes biggest economy is on the brink of collapse because it doesnt have enough alternative or domestic sources of fossil fuels needed to power its industries. But it now appears that Germany has learned a hard lesson and is coming full-circle on its energy production: The government in Berlin has elected to dismantle a wind farm so that it can open a coal mine, as reported by OilPrice.com. Simply put, you cant make this kind of lunacy up: A wind farm is being dismantled in western Germany to make way for an expansion of an open-pit lignite coal mine in a paradoxical situation highlighting the current prioritization of energy security over clean energy in Europes biggest economy. The dismantling of at least one wind turbine at the wind farm close to the German coal mine Garzweiler, operated by energy giant RWE, has already started. RWE says that lignite, or brown coal, has been mined from the Garzweiler coalfields for over 100 years. RWE also said at the end of September that three of its lignite-fired coal units that were previously on standby would return to the electricity market on schedule in October. The three lignite units each have a capacity of 300 megawatts (MW). With their deployment, they contribute to strengthening the security of supply in Germany during the energy crisis and to saving natural gas in electricity generation, RWE noted last month. The company plans to expand the lignite mine at Garzweiler after a court in Munster in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia ruled in the energy groups favor over a land dispute in March in which the firm sought to expand the mine. In remarks regarding the dismantling of the wind turbine farm to make way for the mine expansion, Guido, Steffen, a spokesman for RWE, told the Guardian: We realize this comes across as paradoxical. But that is as matters stand. More like hypocritical as can be. Still, earlier this week, the ministry for economic and energy affairs of the state of North-Rhine Westphalia urged RWE to abandon the plan to dismantle the wind farm because even as Germany starves for energy, adherents to the religion of climate change and green energy still dont get it. In the current situation, all potential for the use of renewable energy should be exhausted as much as possible and existing turbines should be in operation for as long as possible, a spokesperson for the states ministry told the Guardian. Sources include: OilPrice.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) It did not take billionaire Elon Musk long to get settled in as the new CEO of Twitter, now that his purchase deal has gone through. On the Tesla and SpaceX founders first day, he fired the now-former CEO and let other high-ranking officials go who were responsible for banning then-President Donald Trump and blocking the Hunter Biden corruption revelations. The Wall Street Journal reported: Mr. Musk fired Chief Executive Parag Agrawal and Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal after the deal closed, the people said. Spokespeople for Twitter didnt comment. It wasnt immediately clear who would step into those top positions. CNBC previously reported the firings. Mr. Musk also fired Vijaya Gadde, Twitters top legal and policy executive, and Sean Edgett, general counsel. Not long after that report, Bloomberg News noted that there are several people who have been banned from the platform, including elected officials who could now be reinstated. Among them: Former President Donald Trump; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.); Laura Loomer; Project Veritas Founder James OKeefe; Steve Bannon; Alex Jones; and Milo Yiannopoulos. The person with knowledge of Musks account reinstatement intentions said its unclear whether Trump will be allowed to return to Twitter, Bloomberg News said. Earlier this year and shortly after news broke that he was interested in purchasing Twitter, Musk said that Trump never should have been booted off to begin with. It was not correct to ban Donald Trump, he noted in May, according to Conservative Brief. I think that was a mistake, because it alienated a large part of the country and did not ultimately result in Donald Trump not having a voice. Hes now going to be on Truth Social, as will a large part of the right in the United States. So, I think this could end up being, frankly, worse than having a single forum where everyone can debate, he said. I would reverse the Twitter ban. Obviously, I dont own Twitter yet, so this is not a thing that will definitely happen, he said. Musks deal to buy Twitter was definitely an on-again, off-again affair after making his initial $44 billion bid for the company last spring. His big hang-up for moving forward had to do with his concern that Twitter was not upfront about the number of bot and spam accounts on the platform, especially after a couple of experts did their own analyses. According to leading cyber security specialist Dan Woods, who formerly worked for the FBI and CIA, as many as 80 percent of Twitter accounts are bots, The Australian reported early last month. Sure sounds higher than 5%! Musk who now calls himself Chief Twit wrote on the platform in response to Woods findings. Sure sounds higher than 5%! https://t.co/Va7TxxzoI6 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2022 More than 80 percent of Twitter accounts are likely bots, according to former CIA and FBI cyber security specialist Dan Woods, who created a fake profile and quickly gained more than 100,000 fake followers in one weekend by purchasing them on the dark web, the outlet reported. Im not a programmer, but I watched YouTube and in a weekend I wrote a script that automatically creates accounts on Twitter without encountering any obstacles, he told the outlet. Theres huge demand (for bots), theres a marketplace to serve that demand, and if I can write a bot that creates accounts on Twitter, and Im not even a programmer, imagine what a sophisticated programmer could do, he continued. Twitter doesnt want (its number of bots) to be that high, so theyre going through the motions of canceling some accounts, Woods added. Im not saying theyre lying, but weve really studied these accounts and weve come to the conclusion that there are a lot more fake accounts than Twitter is letting on, he noted further. Sources include: TheAustralian.com ConservativeBrief.com WSJ.com (Natural News) The New York Post on Thursday said an employee was responsible for posts on its website and Twitter account that included racist, violent and sexually explicit headlines about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden. (Article republished from CNBC.com) The posts were removed shortly thereafter, and the News Corp.-owned New York tabloid newspapers website was operating as usual by midmorning. The Post is one of the top newspapers based on its circulation, and one of the most visited news websites, the Press Gazette reported in 2021 and 2022, respectively. It has 2.8 million followers on Twitter. The New York Posts investigation indicates that the unauthorized conduct was committed by an employee, and the employee has been terminated, a spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. This morning, we immediately removed the vile and reprehensible content from our website and social media accounts. The spokesperson earlier Thursday said the posts were the result of a hack and an investigation was underway. The headlines appeared with photos but links that didnt lead to articles. In addition to violent and explicit headlines targeting Biden and his son Hunter and Ocasio-Cortez, there was also a racist headline regarding New York City Mayor Eric Adams and a post targeting unionized teachers. Representatives for the president and Ocasio-Cortez didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin and incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul were also mentioned in explicit headlines as part of the hack. The New York Post has long fostered an ugly, toxic conversation on their front pages and social accounts, but these posts are more disgusting and vile than usual, a Hochul representative said Thursday. The New York Post needs to immediately explain how this reprehensible content was made public. While the Post has made its preferences very clear in the New York Governors race, there is no room for this violent, sexist rhetoric in our politics. We demand answers. A representative for Zeldin didnt immediately respond to comment. These vile, racist, and sexist comments have no place in public discourse, even by those unlawfully hacking a Twitter account, said the press secretary for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was also targeted in a racist headline. Automattic, the owner and operator of WordPress VIP, the content management system that enables publishing to the New York Post site, said it wouldnt comment on active investigations, nor speak on behalf of the Post. Last month, U.S. media publication Fast Company shut down its website for roughly a week after hackers gained access to its site and sent out obscene and racist push notifications to Apple News users. At the time, Fast Company said on Twitter its content management system was hacked and impacted its Apple News alerts. The company suspended its website immediately. It later said it retained a global incident response and cybersecurity firm to investigate the matter. Read more at: CNBC.com (Natural News) A Russian foreign ministry official has issued a stark warning to the United States and its NATO allies that commercial satellites being used to assist Ukraine in its efforts to repel Moscows invasions are legitimate targets for retaliation. Russia, which in 1957 launched Sputnik 1, the first manmade satellite, into space and in 1961 put the first man in outer space, has a significant offensive space capability as do the United States and China. In 2021, Russia launched an anti-satellite missile to destroy one of its own satellites, Reuters reported earlier this week. Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy director of the Russian foreign ministrys department for non-proliferation and arms control, told the United Nations that the United States and its allies were trying to use space to enforce Western dominance, the report added. To be sure, Russia has tested an anti-satellite capability successfully, though the U.S. Air Force conducted a successful test decades ago using a missile fired from an F-15 fighter plane. China is also believed to have an anti-satellite capacity. Most U.S. efforts today are focused on the use of lasers to either put satellites out of action or blind them, since destroying them creates massive fields of space junk that endlessly orbit the planet. Reading from notes, Vorontsov said the use of Western satellites to aid the Ukrainian war effort was an extremely dangerous trend, according to Reuters. Quasi-civilian infrastructure may be a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike, Vorontsov said in remarks to the United Nations First Committee. He added that the West using such satellites to aid Ukraine was provocative. We are talking about the involvement of components of civilian space infrastructure, including commercial, by the United States and its allies in armed conflicts, Vorontsov was quoted as saying at the United Nations. He did not mention any specifics but billionaire Elon Musk has been providing Ukraine with equipment to access his Starlink satellite constellations located over the country, which have helped the Ukrainian military target Russian units, according to reports. Earlier this month, Musk briefly threatened to end providing Starlink service to Ukraine unless the Pentagon stepped in to help fund the effort since Musks rocket and space firm, SpaceX, has been paying 100 percent of the costs since he deployed satellites over Ukraine in early March, just weeks after the Russians invaded. Defense Department spokeswoman Sabrina Singh informed reporters after Musks comments that the United States is assessing our options to keep the Internet working for Ukraines military. And you mentioned this a little bit, but could you get into the wider implications of, you know, if Starlink is proven integral to the Ukrainians and up to this stage, what happens if they no longer have that capability? And are you starting contingency plans for that? a reporter asked. Well, we certainly recognize the advantages that any SATCOM capability has and allows the Ukrainians to use not just on the battlefield, but within within the country itself. And we understand the fragility in those communications, and its important that not just command-and-control remain intact on the battlefield, but throughout. But again, were assessing our options and trying to do what we can to help these SATCOM communications, the capabilities to ensure that these communications remain for the Ukrainian forces, Singh replied. Thereve been some kind of competing claims on who who has paid for Starlink so far. Has it been privately donated, or has this been has this been U.S. government-funded primarily? the reporter queried further. Ive seen the open-source reporting out there that there have been donations from I think it was characterized as different partners. I dont have more for you on that at this time. Again, in terms of what this department decides to do, in terms of a SATCOM capability needed for Ukraine, I dont have anything to announce of further assistance at this time, Singh added. Sources include: ConservativeBrief.com Reuters.com (Natural News) Have you ever found yourself completely losing your temper in the middle of a heated struggle of some sort? Whether it is a hotly contested sporting event, an actual fist fight or a bitter battle against an online foe, it can be way too easy to lose your temper. And when tempers flare, you can end up losing control and doing things that you deeply regret later. Unfortunately, the same thing is true on an international level. Russia and NATO have both become absolutely obsessed with winning in Ukraine, and leaders on both sides are getting angrier and angrier. And when leaders become extremely angry, they can do really stupid things. (Article by Michael republished from EndOfTheAmericanDream.com) I have been extremely alarmed by some of the events that have transpired over the past week. Hotheads in Russia and hotheads in the western world just continue to escalate the conflict in Ukraine, and we are getting dangerously close to a point of no return. The following are 5 signs that the war between Russia and NATO is about to spiral out of control #1 A Dirty Bomb? There had been a lot of chatter about the possibility that Russia could start using tactical nukes in Ukraine, and now the Russians are alleging that the Ukrainians are preparing to detonate a dirty bomb in their own territory in order to motivate the western powers to get even more involved in the conflict Russias defense chief on Sunday alleged that Ukraine was preparing a provocation involving a radioactive device, a stark claim that reflected soaring tensions as Moscow struggles to stem Ukrainian advances in the south and is building defensive positions in anticipation of Ukrainian offensives elsewhere. Russias Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made the allegations in phone calls with his counterparts from Britain, France and Turkey. He also spoke to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in their second call in three days, but a terse Russian readout of that call didnt say whether the dirty bomb claim was also mentioned in their conversation. #2 The U.S. 101st Airborne Division Gets Deployed To Eastern Europe The 101st Airborne Division is one of the most famous units in the history of the U.S. military, and I was quite stunned to learn that they have just been deployed to Europe for the first time in almost 80 years The U.S. Armys 101st Airborne Division has been deployed to Europe for the first time in almost 80 years amid soaring tension between Russia and the American-led NATO military alliance. The light infantry unit, nicknamed the Screaming Eagles, is trained to deploy on any battlefield in the world within hours, ready to fight. For now, the Screaming Eagles are involved in exercises near the Ukrainian border, but CBS News is reporting that they are prepared to cross the border into Ukraine if that becomes necessary The Screaming Eagles commanders told CBS News repeatedly that they are always ready to fight tonight, and while theyre there to defend NATO territory, if the fighting escalates or theres any attack on NATO, theyre fully prepared to cross the border into Ukraine. #3 A Million Rounds Of Ammunition The U.S. has never armed anyone like they are arming the Ukrainians. If you can believe it, we have already given Ukraine over a million rounds of howitzer ammunition since the beginning of the war The U.S. has now provided Ukraine with over a million rounds of howitzer ammunition since it began shipping arms to the embattled nation to aid its fight against Russia, according to the latest figures from the Defense Department. That includes up to 903,000 standard 155mm howitzer rounds as well as 3,000 M982 Excalibur guided rounds, 7,000 Remote Anti-Armor Mine System (RAAMS) projectiles, and 180,000 105mm howitzer shells. And it appears that much more help will soon be on the way. Right now, a new aid package is being readied in Congress which would give the Ukrainians another 50 billion dollars in assistance The new aid package, which most likely would be part of an omnibus spending bill, could be within the range of roughly $50 billion, congressional aides and a source close to the Ukraine government said. #4 Iranian Troops In Ukraine? A lot of mercenaries from western nations have been fighting alongside the Ukrainians for a long time, and now the U.S. is alleging that Iranian troops have actually entered Ukraine and are directly engaged on the ground in an effort to help the Russians Iranian troops are directly engaged on the ground in Crimea supporting Russian drone attacks on Ukraines infrastructure and civilian population, the White House has said. The US government has confirmed that Russian attacks have employed unmanned aerial vehicles purchased from Tehran in attacks carried out against Ukrainian targets from bases on the peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. This conflict in Ukraine is becoming more of a world war with each passing day. We know that the Russians have been using Iranian drones to strike targets all over Ukraine in recent days, and that should deeply trouble all of us. Speaking of Iran, I just learned that their military has been conducting large-scale military drills on its border with Azerbaijan Irans military is conducting large-scale military drills on its border with Azerbaijan, including practicing crossings of the Aras River, which defines a large part of the border between the two states. The exercises, called Mighty Iran, began on October 17. The exact location has not been specified, but Iranian media placed them in between Irans provinces of Ardabil and East Azerbaijan, the part of Iran across the Aras from Azerbaijans Fuzuli region. One expert on open-source intelligence, however, analyzed photos of the pontoon crossing and placed it across from Azerbaijans exclave of Nakhchivan. The Iranians have been getting really aggressive lately. And I have a feeling that a direct conflict between Iran and Israel will begin sooner rather than later. #5 Relentless Bombing Of Power Infrastructure The Russians have decided to take the gloves off. They have started relentlessly bombing electrical infrastructure all over Ukraine, and this threatens to create a major humanitarian crisis because winter is rapidly approaching Missiles and drones are being used to rain down upon key civilian infrastructure targets mainly power stations as the weather gets colder and days get darker. It is believed Russia hopes by doing so they may be able to make Kyiv lose hope and give up the defence on their homeland. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a key advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed there are now an estimated 1.5 million people without power across Ukraine. Both sides just continue to escalate matters, and it is just a matter of time before someone pushes things a little bit too far. Even now, it is really difficult to see a peaceful way out of this mess. The Biden administration seems to be completely opposed to any peace talks with the Russians, and I believe that is a tragic mistake. If both sides just continue to get angrier, at some point someone is going to be really tempted to resort to nuclear weapons. And once that happens, our world will never be the same again. Unfortunately, our leaders dont seem to understand that we could literally be on the brink of a nuclear conflict. They are so determined to win this current battle on the global chessboard that they cant even see the bigger picture. Sadly, we have reached a stage where one wrong move could unleash death and destruction on a scale that most of us dont even want to imagine. Read more at: EndOfTheAmericanDream.com (Natural News) Over the weekend, we visited Andy Wakefield on the set of his new film which is due to be released in 2023. There, we handed the film company a donation check for $7500 to help support the costs of the film (which are no doubt substantial), initiating our new round of donations to health freedom champions. Thanks to the generosity of Gary Heavin, we have been tasked with distributing $100K in donations to various health freedom warriors and champions who we believe are doing extraordinary work for humanity. This is on top of the $50K in donations we made ourselves earlier this year, and in fact it was that original $50K donation that spurred Mr. Heavin to hand us the $100K for distribution to health freedom champions. Heres a photo from this weekend (taken by Robert Scott Bell, by the way), of myself with Andy Wakefield, on the set of his new movie coming out in 2023: Some of the recipients of this $100K include the following (not a complete list yet, but gives you an idea of who is receiving donations) Seat at SGTreport.com Brian Wilkins at The Covid Blog James OKeefe at Project Veritas Susan Duclos at All News Pipeline JD Rucker at NOQreport Luke Rudkowski at WeAreChange Sherri Tenpenny at The Tenpenny Alliance Brian Festa at WeThePatriots Dr. Simone Gold at Americas Frontline Doctors Amazing Polly Rebel News (Canada) Childrens Health Defense (multiple chapters) Robert Scott Bell Attorney Tom Renz Dane Wigington at Geoengineering Watch Sarah Westall Scott Kesterson at BardsFM Doug Hagmann at The Hagmann Report And We Know American Frontline Nurses World Alternative Media Strange Sounds Daily Expose UK Christopher James at A Warrior Calls Mikki Willis, creator of Plandemic Leo Hohman Maria Zeee at Zeee Media Mitchell Nicholas Gerber Dr. Lee Merritt X-22 Report Ice Age Farmer Tracey Beanz at UncoverDC IAMTV (Brighteon.TV) We believe that all these individuals, organizations and channels are doing outstanding work for humanity and deserve our support. We thank Gary Heavin for this gift, and we are humbled by the trust placed in us by Mr. Heavin in deciding how to distribute these funds. For the record, these donations do not mean that Gary Heavin nor this publisher wholly endorses every statement made by every individual on this list. Rather, they are judged by their overall contributions to the critical debate about health freedom something we believe is crucial for the survival of human civilization. We plan to publish a complete, final list once the donations are finished. If you see your name on this list, expect to see a donation soon via whatever method your website specifies (mailed check, online credit card donations or wire transfer). Please have patience with the accounting process because this takes time to get fully accomplished. Gary Heavin also made a smaller (but still substantial) donation to Brighteon which is helping support Brighteon.com new features and the Brighteon.TV broadcast (including BrighteonRadio.com). We thank Mr. Heavin for his generous support and we pledge to put these funds to their intended use, helping to empower and uplift humanity so that we may survive the covid tyranny and vaccine tyranny that has been inflicted upon our species. I discuss these donations and much more in todays Situation Update podcast which also covers the diesel shortage and many other world events, including the bizarre new game invented by Paul Pelosi (played while standing in underwear) called Rock, Paper, Scissors, HAMMER. Brighteon: Brighteon.com/a3f4e70c-d78b-405f-a9ba-8db0c82da2ea Bitchute: Bitchute.com/video/Y5Rwdko0L7cH/ Rumble: Rumble.com/v1qqipe-situation-update-oct-31-2022-why-we-are-donating-more-money-to-health-freed.html Banned.Video: Banned.video/watch?id=635f970518255802466630cb iTunes: Healthrangerreport.com/situation-update-oct-31-2022-why-we-are-donating-more-money-to-health-freedom-warriors Diesel fuel supplies in the U.S. down to just a 15-day buffer We wont run out completely, but expect HUGE delays, disruptions and scarcity Brazil election was likely RIGGED to defeat Bolsonaro Paul Pelosi playing new game called rock, paper, scissors, HAMMER Canada pushing CHILD EUTHANASIA without parental consent Ukraine attacks Russian naval fleet with surface drones Russia cancels grain export safe passage agreement Ukraine calls for Putin to be banned from G20 summit Its all the US State Dept. running everything Protesters rise up in Prague, demanding diplomacy with Russia Its just the beginning of mass protests across Europe this winter Interview with Ty and Charlene Bollinger Discover more interviews and podcasts each day at: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HRreport Follow me on: Brighteon.social: Brighteon.social/@HealthRanger (my breaking news gets posted here first) Telegram: t.me/RealHealthRanger (breaking news is posted here second) Banned.video: Banned.video/channel/mike-adams Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@healthranger Gettr: GETTR.com/user/healthranger Parler: Parler.com/user/HealthRanger Rumble: Rumble.com/c/HealthRangerReport BitChute: Bitchute.com/channel/9EB8glubb0Ns/ Clouthub: app.clouthub.com/#/users/u/naturalnews/posts Join the free NaturalNews.com email newsletter to stay alerted about breaking news each day. Download my current audio books including Ghost World, Survival Nutrition, The Global Reset Survival Guide and The Contagious Mind at: https://Audiobooks.NaturalNews.com/ Download my new audio book, Resilient Prepping at ResilientPrepping.com it teaches you how to survive the total collapse of civilization and the loss of both the power grid and combustion engines. Solar flares were once thought to be to blame for historical radiation spikes on Earth. However, a new study suggests that those radiation spikes were not caused by solar flares, as previously thought, implying that something much more powerful - and still unknown to us - was responsible instead. Unknown Threat There is an extreme astrophysical phenomenon that we don't understand, and it could pose a threat to us, according to Benjamin Pope, coauthor of the study and astrophysicist at the University of Queensland, as per Futurism. The study, published on Wednesday in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A, looked for spikes of carbon 14, a radioactive isotope of carbon whose increased presence corresponds to increases in radiation levels on Earth. The radiation increases are caused by mysterious astrophysical events known as "Miyake events," after the Japanese scientist discovered them. According to Pope, six known Miyake events have occurred in the last 10,000 years, with the most recent occurring in 993 CE. They were previously thought to be caused by severe solar storms that typically occurred at the solar cycle's 11-year peak of sunspot activity. However, after analyzing the data, Pope and his colleagues discovered that these radiation spikes occurred throughout the solar cycle, not just at its 11-year peak, throwing a wrench in the prevailing theory. Even stranger is the duration of some of the spikes. According to Pope, at least two, possibly three of these events took more than a year, which is unusual because a solar flare would not take that long. The most powerful solar flare to hit our planet was in 1859. The Carrington Event, as it was known at the time, severely damaged telecommunications infrastructure. A Carrington-like event today could be far more devastating, given our reliance on electronics and the internet. However, whatever caused the Miyake events were potentially 100 times more powerful than even the Carrington. Also Read: Solar Flare Alert: 'Dangerous Sunspot' Facing Earth Could Explode Sooner or Later Space weather written in wood Many tree species, particularly those in temperate climates, lay down a new ring every year that acts as a barcode for their age, as per ABC News. These time markers also assisted scientists in determining when the tree absorbed radioactive carbon-14, which was produced by the interaction of high energy particles emitted by cosmic rays and solar storms interacting with the atmosphere. Sunspot activity peaks every 11 years, making strong solar storms four times more likely. Benjamin Pope, an astrophysicist at the University of Queensland, wanted to examine all tree ring studies to determine how strong the Miyake events were and when they occurred in the solar cycle. He tasked his undergraduate students, led by Qingyuan Zhang, with creating a program that would crunch all of the data ever published on the events and model how carbon had been locked up in tree rings as it cycled through Earth's biosphere over the past 10,000 years. "We just thought it would be very interesting if we could confirm or challenge some of the existing hypotheses about the origin of Miyake events," Mr Zhang said. The study's data revealed that these mysterious radiation storms occurred roughly once every 1,000 years and occurred throughout the solar cycle, not just at solar maximum. Many of the spikes were more intense than typical solar storms. One event in 663 BC lasted up to three years, and another in 5480 BC lasted a decade. Related article: Solar Storm: Radio Blackouts Reported in Southeast Asia and Australia as Massive Solar Flare Explodes During Easter Weekend There has been much teeth-gnashing, mixed with a little obfuscation and concern, about what the merged VMware and Broadcom might look like and what it will mean to customers. Broadcom President and CEO Hock Tan has taken to his blog to offer some details about what he expects the deal will mean to Broadcom and try to ease some customer concerns. One worry: cost of products going forward. Following the purchases of CA and Symantec, Broadcom raised prices, decreased support, and stopped investing in innovation, Tracy Woo, senior analyst for Forrester told Network World in a recent article. VMware customers would be wise to have an exit plan, she cautioned. Then there is Broadcoms track record of not only hiking prices, but also trimming operating budgets and cutting support after acquisitionsa track record which, according to a survey by 451 Research, already worries VMwares existing customers. Tan addresses fears of Broadcom price hikes Addressing these issues, Tan stressed that the focus of the merger is not on price increases. VMware develops technology for the future and addresses a growing market. The Broadcom business case for this transaction is premised on focusing on the business model, increasing R&D, and executing so that customers see the value of the full portfolio of innovative product offerings not on increasing prices, Tan wrote. Following the close of the transaction, we will invest in and innovate VMwares products so we can sell even more of them and grow the VMware business within enterprises, deepening and expanding the footprint instead of potentially raising prices. Tan also highlighted the company's long-term intentions. Our growth into a global technology leader was not based on taking existing products and raising their prices, but by creating technology and products that provide clear value to customers and continuing to improve them, Tan wrote. We fuel growth by offering more and better products so customers are using more of our entire portfolio of technology products, rather than just one or two. By delivering long-term value to customers and investing in improved, customer-focused R&D, we can innovate, scale and offer better products without raising prices. One of the other concerns expressed but some industry watchers is how Broadcom will move multicloud and cloud software forward especially as VMware develops new packages such as its recent raft of new multicloud products introduced at its VMware Explore 2022 conclave in August. Those new products included a SaaS-based upgrade for the companys core networking software, NSX, as well a new cloud-native management service, VMware Aria, and integrated security features. VMware Explore Europe is next week, where more products will be shown off and introduced. Broadcom's VMware buy fuels multicloud vision Tan said that customers are enthusiastic about the Broadcom and VMware multicloud vision and, with increased resources from Broadcom following transaction close, the potential to implement it as VMware grows and increases momentum in the space. For some time, Broadcom has recognized that the future of enterprise IT is multi-cloudthe ability to distribute applications and services across a combination of clouds. Its one of the many reasons Broadcom solutions complement what VMware does in the multi-cloud space across private, public, edge and sovereign clouds today. Its clear our customers have already adopted this mindset, too, Tan wrote. Customers are similarly excited about VMwares momentum around cloud-native apps, Tan said. Containers are changing the way modern applications are built, resulting in faster and more predictable development and deployment. Developers also can take advantage of Kubernetes clusters, which more efficiently use the containerized infrastructure that power those applications, Tan said. By providing customers with the environment and hands-on guidance to help build cloud-native applications quickly and upskill their teams along the way, a combined Broadcom-VMware can help them drive forward their businesses, Tan stated. Tanzu is key for cloud-native app development Tan also drilled down into the position that the Tanzu app-development product portfolio will have in the merged company. Many customers and partners are asking me how I see the VMware Tanzu portfolio and Broadcoms future commitment to the Tanzu business. My answer to them is that I see Tanzu as a strategic part of the VMware software portfolio and it will remain that way as we move forward within Broadcom, Tan stated. VMware Tanzu customers are running some of the most mission critical applications in the world. As customers think about future investments in cloud native applications and the modern application development space, they should feel confident in Broadcoms commitment going forward, Tan stated. Broadcom said it would acquire VMware in May for about $61 billion. There have been published reports from Reuters and others that Broadcom has recently tried to fast-track antitrust approval from the European Union, saying that AWS, Microsoft and Google are huge competitors already and that approving this deal wont unhinge competition. Things are on track," said VMware CEO Raghu Raghuram at the Explore event recently. "They're going through all of the regulatory approvals, on the one hand. On the other hand, we are working with the Broadcom team and helping them understand the depth and breadth of our business and product portfolio. And in the meantime, as we are required to, we are operating as a completely independent, standalone company with our own execution track and strategy. The deal isnt likely to close until sometime next year. Unless "Aetna offers a contract Carle feels is fair," the health system will not treat state retirees who enroll in the only health plan option the state is offering them for next year an Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO plan a top Carle official tells The News-Gazette. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). : , ... In a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers evaluated the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the sleep quality and mental health (MH) of university-attending undergraduate students. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has posed unique social, academic, health-associated, and financial challenges for young adults. In addition, several studies have reported increased MH issues mid-pandemic in the general public; however, data on the magnitude of intra-individual sleep difficulties and MH issues are lacking. The study's authors previously examined the impact of sleeping patterns on the MH of 78 young individuals enrolled in an elementary course in biology self-at New York's Colgate University between October and November 2020. The study findings showed that the self-documented scores for anxiety, sleep perturbations, and depression did not show significant differences among the participants. Study: Intra-individual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and sleep in young adults. Image Credit: FabrikaSimf / Shutterstock About the study In the present study, the researchers reported only intra-individual effects among previous study cohort participants with complete pre-COVID-19 and mid-COVID-19 pandemic data, using the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as an intervention for the study. The study comprised 23 European-descent Caucasian students (four and 19 males and females, respectively, with an average age of 19 years) who were sent invitations via email to participate in the study. Of all participants, fourteen reported their socioeconomic status as middle-class upper category, one as middle-class lower category, and eight as in the rich category. On reaching the university campus, the students underwent a mandatory 14-day quarantine in the university dorms with only online classes, food delivered to their dorms, and time for outdoor activities limited to an hour. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 testing was performed for all students biweekly after the completion of the quarantine period, and mask-wearing and social distancing were implemented, with no social visits permitted between the dormitory floors. Nearly 50% of the study courses were provided offline, and social gatherings and sporting activities were restricted before the study samples were obtained. The students completed self-reported behavioral surveys, including BDI-II (beck depression inventory II), STAI (state-trait anxiety inventory) PROMIS (patient-reported outcomes measurement information system) for sleep perturbations, reduced MEQ (morningness-eveningness questionnaire), and MSF (mid-sleep point on a free day), calculated using MCTQ (Munich chronotype questionnaires). For obtaining sleep data, the study participants wore smartwatches for eight consecutive days during the Fall semesters of 2019 and the following year. The smartwatches measured sleep parameters such as sleep duration, deep sleep percentage for every night, light sleep percentage for every night, REM sleep percentage for every night, sleep offset and onset, the time duration in bed, and the count of night awakenings. In addition, multiple linear regression modeling was performed to analyze the pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic differences, and the odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Results and discussion The self-documented survey data showed that 78% of the study participants experienced increased anxiety and stress mid-pandemic. Additionally, within individuals, anxiety and depression symptoms elevated to a clinically significant magnitude from the pre-pandemic to the mid-pandemic period. Among the participants, 68%, 45%, and 59% of the students reported lesser sleep, sleeping at a later time, and worsened sleep health during COVID-19, respectively. Mid-pandemic sleep perturbations were three-fold greater than pre-pandemic (OR 3.0). Sleep perturbations were associated with increases in depression and anxiety, underscoring the robust and inverse association between quality of sleep and MH. Further, students reporting more significant sleep perturbations during COVID-19 experienced reduced deep and REM sleep. The students showed a four-fold greater likelihood of reporting moderate or high anxiety levels (STAI scores 38) and mild depression and above (BDI 14) in the mid-pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period with OR values of 4.1 and 3.7, respectively. The mid-pandemic increase in anxiety levels among university students could be due to economic burdens, health-associated stressors, fear of disease acquisition and its impact on self and close relatives, routine life disruptions, lack of social interactions, loss of employment, and altered patterns of sleep. Deteriorated quality of sleep could adversely affect neurological and psychological states, emotion processing, and emotional sympathy. Overall, the study findings showed a multi-faceted impact of COVID-19 on young adult students with the negatively affected quality of sleep, MH, and restorative sleep duration. Deep sleep and REM sleep reductions with increased sleep perturbations could lower the ability to mount robust immune responses and, therefore, have critical immunological implications among young adults. The findings underpin the need for increased efforts toward preventing and managing MH issues and sleep disorders, especially among undergraduate students. In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* server, researchers assessed the well-being of all workers involved in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing between April and June 2022, i.e., during the Omicron wave lockdown in Shanghai, China. Study: On the frontlines in Shanghai: Stress, burnout and perceived benefit among COVID-19 testers and other personnel during the Omicron wave lockdown. Image Credit: Graeme Kennedy / Shutterstock Background China adhered to the "dynamic zero-COVID" policy; thus, the healthcare providers (HCPs) had to engage in universal mass testing to control Omicron cases. Accordingly, they isolated people testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at central quarantine centers, hospitals, or mobile centers. Additionally, they distributed test kits, masks, and herbal pills, referred to as 'anti-epidemic packages' among the masses. This likely represented the greatest stringency in COVID-19 control measures of any country globally. People struggling due to food scarcity and medical resources expressed frustration to pandemic workers. So not only these HCPs and other support staff, i.e., people working in emergency and testing services, had to handle excessive workloads, they were at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection; subsequently, their mental health suffered. Volunteers, such as full-time community workers, political party workers, police, and community residents, also helped HCPs scan bar codes, distribute disinfectants and other anti-epidemic materials, and fetch medicine for the masses. Studies have barely investigated the perspectives and well-being of these workers after China implemented such strict COVID-19 control measures. About the study In the current cross-sectional study, researchers assessed the stress and burnout, economic impact, and perceived benefits of the work of all HCPs and other staff involved in the recent Omicron-driven COVID-19 pandemic wave. In addition, they stratified their assessments based on the type of worker. The team used the online survey platform Wenjuanxing to administer the self-report survey among the eligible HCPs and other workers. The study population comprised only those HCPs and support workers who engaged directly in testing, screening, or patient care in communities with strict lockdowns; in other words, they all worked at the frontline. This 15item questionnaire had five-, four-, and six items on emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy, respectively. The participating respondents rated their experience on a 7point scale ranging from zero to six, indicating never to every day. The higher scores in exhaustion and cynicism indicated a higher burnout among these people based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The other 14-item self-reported questionnaire measured the degree of stress based on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The Chinese version of the PSS scores between 43 to 56 indicated excessive stress. Finally, the researchers used t-tests or chi-square analyses to establish the correlation between stress/burnout and the type of pandemic worker, perceived economic security, and honor in pandemic work. Also, they used logistic regression analysis to derive these correlates. Study findings The study reported the participation of 887 workers, of which 77.9% were HCPs working on average for 6.251.24 days/week for 9.774.28 hours/day. Subsequently, 16.1% and 11% were burnt-out moderately and seriously, respectively, and 39.8% of participants had elevated stress with a total PSS of 26.859.92/56. Many of these workers also felt economically insecure due to the pandemic. Thus, it is likely that many were working in such risky and unpopular occupations to manage their economic situation. Those with economic insecurity did not perceive benefits. In adjusted analyses, those who perceived benefits showed markedly less burnout among other correlates. Intriguingly, many workers also perceived benefits. While 65.5% thought they fostered more cohesive relationships, 78.1% felt more resilient, and 84.2% were honored to serve. Around 68% of participants also perceived their families as fully supportive. Nevertheless, most wanted counseling and stress relief. Although 430 of 887 workers reported no time for engaging in such activities, two-thirds (601/887) desired to have a few days off to rest. Similar to findings for HCPs in other countries, people involved in pandemic work in China, despite elevated stress and burnout, found commitment and honor in their pandemic work. The authors unanimously found their resilience and commitment encouraging. Conclusions The study highlighted the urgent need that China should re-visit its "zero COVID" policy and make ramifications accordingly. Indeed, the majority of people in China disliked the COVID-19 control policies. All those working during the pandemic suffered the wrath of the masses and later needed psychological support interventions. Also, the study results highlighted that these people worked under harsh conditions; yet were not paid appropriately. Also, the government and hospitals promised a bonus but could not payout the same because they were low on money due to low care volumes related to the pandemic. In the future, authorities should ensure better working conditions for HCPs and other pandemic workers and provide evidence-based psychosocial support. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Toni Sherwin is actually looking forward to the procedure that will relocate her dialysis port from her chest to her arm, which will be easier to keep dry. Since she started dialysis in February as part of blood cancer treatment she has washed her hair in the sink and stayed out of her pool to prevent water from getting into the port. Three times a week, Sherwin, 71, drives to a dialysis clinic in Elk Grove, California, the suburb south of Sacramento where she lives, and lies tethered to a machine for about four hours while it filters her blood. The treatment exhausts her, but she feels well cared for and knows the clinic workers will call the police if she doesn't show up for an appointment and they can't get in touch with her directly. "They don't play games," said Sherwin. Sherwin fears her access to the clinic is in jeopardy. A sign in the clinic's window tells patients and visitors to vote "no" on Proposition 29, the third statewide dialysis initiative in five years. It would impose new requirements on dialysis clinics, such as requiring a doctor to be on hand during treatments. She and other California voters have also been bombarded by TV ads, in which patients in wheelchairs and doctors in scrubs warn that "29 would shut down dialysis clinics throughout California." "We're terrified," said Sherwin. "If they stop it, where are we going to go? We just die." Sherwin is among roughly 80,000 Californians who rely on 650 dialysis clinics tucked into strip malls and medical centers around the state. Patients arrive in medical transport vans, minivans, and the occasional ride-hailing vehicle and are often too tired and hungry after treatment to drive themselves home. They drag duffel bags and pillows into clinics, prepared to sit for four or five hours at a time, typically three days a week, as their blood is cleaned and filtered through a machine because their kidneys can no longer perform those functions. Proposition 29 would require clinics to report infections to the state and tell patients when doctors have a financial stake in a clinic, rules that are similar to existing federal regulations. The biggest flashpoint is the requirement to have a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant present at every clinic while patients are being treated. Requiring a clinician on-site would increase each facility's costs by "several hundred thousand dollars annually on average," according to an analysis by the nonpartisan state Legislative Analyst's Office. To deal with the additional costs, the analysis concluded, clinics have three options: negotiate higher rates with insurers, lose profits, or close facilities. The Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, which is sponsoring Proposition 29, said reforms are necessary to keep patients safe during the physically arduous dialysis process. The union which has tried but failed to organize dialysis workers argues that the treatment is dangerous and that patients need access to highly trained medical professionals to deal with emergencies instead of relying on 911. The union was also behind the two previous dialysis ballot initiatives, which failed by wide margins. Proposition 8 in 2018 would have capped industry profits, while Proposition 23 in 2020 was nearly identical to this year's measure. Both broke records for campaign spending. The Proposition 29 opposition campaign, funded mostly by the dialysis industry, says keeping a doctor or nurse practitioner around at all times is both costly and unnecessary. Clinics employ registered nurses who check on patients and medical directors physicians who oversee facilities but are often on-site only part time. About three quarters of California's dialysis clinics are owned or operated by two companies: DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care. So far, both sides have raised at least $94 million, according to the Los Angeles Times, with roughly 85% coming from DaVita and Fresenius. Joe Damian, 71, doesn't buy the claim that clinics would close if Proposition 29 passed. Of course, he said, he'd feel more comfortable if a doctor were on-site when his wife, Yolanda, has her treatments. He also believes dialysis companies would continue to make money hand over fist. "How could it not be better?" he asked. "They just don't want to give up any of their profits." Damian drives his wife to her treatments in Elk Grove. He understands why other patients and their families are worried about clinics closing but thinks the industry is fearmongering. "Closing facilities is a threat they'll never do," he said. "Why would they close a moneymaking business?" Proposition 29 includes provisions intended to protect against clinic closures, such as requiring facilities to get approval from the state before they end or reduce services, but opponents argue the provisions won't hold up in court. Nearly all the patients interviewed going to or from dialysis appointments at five Sacramento-area clinics had witnessed workers call 911 for another patient. Most said the emergencies had been handled well by the workers and emergency personnel. Overall, they said, they felt the dialysis clinics took good care of them. The majority of patients had internalized the language of the opposition ads that warned of clinic closures. Norbie Kumagai, 65, spent last Thanksgiving at University of California-Davis Medical Center, and his family was told it was time to say goodbye. But Kumagai, who has stage 4 kidney disease and high blood pressure, pulled through and had to wait months for a dialysis chair to open up at a clinic in West Sacramento, about 13 miles from his home in Davis. Kumagai generally agrees that the dialysis industry needs reforms. For instance, he said, he'd like the technicians who help him each week to get pay raises. But he's worried about what Proposition 29 might mean for the treatments that keep him alive. "I've told my friends and neighbors I'm scared to death if it passes," Kumagai said. "This facility will probably close." This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. Of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in residential areas of Vienna and Copenhagen from 2016-2021, one-third of those cardiac arrests occurred in public housing communities. That occurrence jumped to more than 60% when including areas surrounding public housing communication, suggesting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education programs tailored to these communities may be an efficient strategy to train more people to save lives, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium 2022. The 2022 meeting will be held in person in Chicago, November 5-6, 2022, and will feature the most recent advances related to treating cardiopulmonary arrest and life-threatening traumatic injury. Our findings provide great potential to improve bystander CPR and survival on a large scale. Public housing communities are geographically well-defined areas with an organizational unit that allows feasible access for targeting initiatives to train the population and deploy automated external defibrillators (AEDs). By focusing initiatives for people living in public housing communities, half of all cardiac arrests may be reached with improved AED deployment and CPR training of residents." Anne Juul Grabmayr, M.D., Study's Lead Author, Ph.D. Student and Clinical Research Assistant in Emergency Medical Services Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark An AED is a lightweight, portable device that can detect an abnormal cardiac rhythm requiring treatment with a shock and delivers a shock to convert the heart rhythm back to normal. The study compared out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in public housing communities in Vienna, Austria, from 2017 to 2021, and Copenhagen, Denmark, from 2016 to 2020 to other residential areas in each city. Researchers reviewed information from the cities' cardiac arrest registries, public housing data and an atlas for population density and residential details. which aligns with the American Heart Association's support to improve the health of people living in public housing, Of more than 4,300 residential out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Vienna, 32% occurred among residents in a public housing community. Of more than 2,300 residential out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Copenhagen, 35% occurred among people who lived in a public housing community. These findings represent a threefold increase per square kilometer and a one-and-a-half-fold increase per 100,000 people compared to the other residential areas. When including immediate surroundings of all residential areas, about 65% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Vienna occurred in public housing or within 104 yards of public housing and more than 56% occurred within the same radius in Copenhagen. "What is unique about this study is that it answers how to find residential, high-risk areas, and importantly, it also offers a point of intervention," Grabmayr said. "Public housing communities have employees, organizations, a dedicated budget and communication channels that may be able to assist in disseminating CPR information, recruiting people to receive CPR training and providing and maintaining AEDs." Strategies for public housing also may help to counteract social inequity, she noted, as people who live in public housing may have high rates of other illnesses. The communities may be able to serve as a base for health programs to reach at-risk populations and increase access to health care services. For example, public housing communities and other types of low-income housing may be feasible targets for interventions to improve hypertension or Type 2 diabetes management. These types of strategies align with the American Heart Association's support to improve the health of people living in public housing communities. Previous research has found that, compared to people who had cardiac arrest in the remaining residential areas, those who suffered a cardiac arrest in a public housing neighborhood were younger and less likely to survive. Researchers said this gap in age and survival was surprising, as well as the large proportion of cardiac arrests that happened in public housing communities. The study's findings may be applicable to public housing communities in other countries, including the United States. "We believe a substantial proportion of cardiac arrests occur in public housing neighborhoods across communities globally, although the proportion may not be exactly the same," Grabmayr said. "We believe a larger proportion of residents live in public housing in communities with lower socioeconomic status. Since we suspect these findings to be a marker of low socioeconomic status among the residents, our study results may very well be transferable to the U.S. It is also known that Denmark and Austria have quite low levels of inequity in health, which gives us reason to believe that cardiac arrest incidence in public housing and other forms of low-income housing may be even greater in other countries such as the U.S. where health care is not free or available for all." Differences in how each country defines public housing and the proportions of overall housing may also limit how applicable the study's results may be in other communities, she said. Curia, a leading contract research, development and manufacturing organization, today hosted a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of its expanded campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Image Credit: Curia The additional space will house a new, advanced isolated high-speed fill-finish vial line which includes biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) containment as well as two lyophilizers for the high-speed fill-finish line and an isolated flexible filling line for vials, syringes, and cartridges to support smaller-batch advanced therapies. We are delighted to recognize the beginning of construction for this much-needed expansion in bioscientific capacity and capabilities, Im proud of the important work performed by Curias team here in Albuquerque, as they conduct the last step in the complex manufacturing process needed for injectable vaccines and medicines. John Ratliff, Chairman and CEO, Curia Each day, they advance our mission of delivering life-changing life science as part of a broader community dedicated to improving health. The expansion will not only provide career opportunities in New Mexico, it enables Curia to make a greater contribution to the production of vaccines and treatments, potentially saving millions of lives locally, nationally and globally. We appreciate the support and collaboration of all the organizations represented at our ground-breaking celebration. John Ratliff, Chairman and CEO, Curia The expansion was part of a cooperative agreement with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Defenses Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) and the U.S. Army Contracting Commands Joint COVID Response Division (ACC-JCRD) to support the domestic production of injectable medicines. The State of New Mexico is also supporting the expansion through assistance from the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) job creation fund. Curia is also eligible for state assistance for employee job training from JTIP, New Mexico's Job Training Incentive Program. Curia leadership partners contributing to todays ground-breaking event included New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. The facility expansion is designed by Burns & McDonnell and will be constructed by BE&K Building Group. The flexible filling line and high-speed fill-finish vial line are planned to be operational in 2025. A study has found that Eurasian jays can pass a version of the 'marshmallow test' and those with the greatest self-control also score the highest on intelligence tests. This is the first evidence of a link between self-control and intelligence in birds. Self-control - the ability to resist temptation in favor of a better but delayed reward is a vital skill that underpins effective decision-making and future planning. Jays are members of the corvid family, often nicknamed the 'feathered apes' because they rival non-human primates in their cognitive abilities. Corvids hide, or 'cache', their food to save it for later. In other words, they need to delay immediate gratification to plan for future meals. The researchers think this may have driven the evolution of self-control in these birds. Self-control has been previously shown to be linked to intelligence in humans, chimpanzees and in an earlier study by these researchers in cuttlefish. The greater the intelligence, the greater the self-control. The new results show that the link between intelligence and self-control exists across distantly related animal groups, suggesting it has evolved independently several times. Of all the corvids, jays in particular are vulnerable to having their caches stolen by other birds. Self-control also enables them to wait for the right moment to hide their food without being seen or heard. The results are published today in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. To test the self-control of ten Eurasian jays, Garrulus glandarius, researchers designed an experiment inspired by the 1972 Stanford Marshmallow test - in which children were offered a choice between one marshmallow immediately, or two if they waited for a period of time. Instead of marshmallows, the jays were presented with mealworms, bread and cheese. Mealworms are a common favorite; bread and cheese come second but individuals vary in their preference for one over the other. The birds had to choose between bread or cheese - available immediately, and mealworm that they could see but could only get to after a delay, when a Perspex screen was raised. Could they delay immediate gratification and wait for their favorite food? A range of delay times was tested, from five seconds to five and a half minutes, before the mealworm was made available if the bird had resisted the temptation to eat the bread or cheese. All the birds in the experiment managed to wait for the worm, but some could wait much longer than others. Top of the class was 'JayLo', who ignored a piece of cheese and waited five and a half minutes for a mealworm. The worst performers, 'Dolci' and 'Homer', could only wait a maximum of 20 seconds. It's just mind-boggling that some jays can wait so long for their favorite food. In multiple trials, I sat there watching JayLo ignore a piece of cheese for over five minutes I was getting bored, but she was just patiently waiting for the worm." Dr Alex Schnell, Study First Author, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge The jays looked away from the bread or cheese when it was presented to them, as if to distract themselves from temptation. Similar behavior has been seen in chimpanzees and children. The researchers also presented the jays with five cognitive tasks that are commonly used to measure general intelligence. The birds that performed better in these tasks also managed to wait longer for the mealworm reward. This suggests that self-control is linked with intelligence in jays. "The birds' performance varied across individuals some did really well in all the tasks and others were mediocre. What was most interesting was that if a bird was good at one of the tasks, it was good at all of them which suggests that a general intelligence factor underlies their performance," said Schnell. The jays also adjusted their self-control behavior according to the circumstances: in another experiment where the worm was visible but always out of reach, the jays always ate the immediately available bread or cheese. And the length of time they were willing to wait for the worm fell if it was pitted against their second most preferred food as the immediate treat, compared to their third. This flexibility shows that jays only delay gratification when it is warranted. Research by other scientists has found that children taking the Stanford marshmallow test vary greatly in their self-control, and this ability is linked to their general intelligence. Children that can resist temptation for longer also get higher scores in a range of academic tasks. A stressful marriage may negatively impact heart attack recovery. Marital stress among younger adults (ages 1855 years) was linked to worse recovery after a heart attack. That negative impact did not change substantially after considering demographics and socioeconomic factors, such as education, employment, income and health insurance status, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2022. The meeting, held in person in Chicago and virtually, Nov. 5-7, 2022, is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science. Health care professionals need to be aware of personal factors that may contribute to cardiac recovery and focus on guiding patients to resources that help manage and reduce their stress levels." Cenjing Zhu, M.Phil., study's lead author, Ph.D. candidate in the department of chronic disease epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut According to the American Heart Association, heart disease including heart attack remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. An estimated 605,000 new heart attacks and 200,000 recurrent attacks happen in the U.S. each year. Previous studies have found that psychological and social stress can lead to worse recovery from heart disease. While being married or partnered has been linked with better health and heart disease prognosis, what was unclear is if and how stress experienced in a marriage or romantic relationship (marital stress) may affect recovery after a heart attack, specifically among younger adults. Zhu and colleagues compared recovery one year after a heart attack with self-reported marital stress. Study participants included 1,593 adults treated for a heart attack at 103 U.S. hospitals (located in 30 states across the country), who enrolled in another study called VIRGO, between 2008-2012. All participants were either married or in a committed partnership at the time of their heart attack. Participants were average age of 47 years and included 1,199 (75.3%) white adults, 205 (12.9%) Black adults, 109 (6.8%) Hispanic adults and more than two-thirds were women. To measure marital stress, at one month after a heart attack, participants completed a 17-item questionnaire called the Stockholm Marital Stress Scale (a scale previously developed and tested in elderly female cardiac patients in Stockholm, Sweden, which assesses marital stressors, including quality of the emotional and sexual relationship with the spouse or partner). Researchers classified participants based on their responses to the questionnaire into three groups: absent/mild marital stress, moderate marital stress or severe marital stress. Participants were then followed for up to one year. Zhu and colleagues used a point scale to assess how participant's physical health may have limited his/her daily living activities, bodily pain and perceived health rating. The mental health component assessed participant's mental well-being and social interaction. Both stress and physical/mental health score were self-reported by the study participants. Hospital data was used to assess participant study eligibility and readmission data. The analysis of the survey results compared with the hospitalization records indicate: Participants reporting severe stress levels scored more than 1.6 points lower in physical health, and 2.6 points lower in mental health on a 12-item scale. Participants reporting severe stress levels reported almost 5 points lower in overall quality of life, and 8 points lower in quality of life when measured by a scale specifically designed for cardiac patients. Participants reporting severe marital stress were 67% more likely to report chest pains than people with mild or no marital stress. In addition, the likelihood of being readmitted to the hospital for any cause increased by almost 50% among those who reported severe marital stress. More women than men reported severe marital stress in their survey responses, with almost 4 out of 10 women reporting severe marital stress vs. 3 out of 10 men. All study findings persisted after accounting for sex, age and race or ethnicity; while the strength of association was reduced after socioeconomic factors, including education, income, employment and health insurance status were included in the analysis, the link remained statistically significant. "Our findings support that stress experienced in one's everyday life, such as marital stress, may impact young adults' recovery after a heart attack. However, additional stressors beyond marital stress, such as financial strain or work stress, may also play a role in young adults' recovery, and the interaction between these factors require further research," Zhu said. "Future efforts should consider screening patients for everyday stress during follow-up appointments to help better identify people at high risk for low physical/mental recovery or additional hospitalization. A holistic care model built upon both clinical factors and psychosocial aspects may be helpful, especially for younger adults after a heart attack." "This study highlights the importance of evaluating the mental health of cardiac patients and is consistent with previous studies that show a greater burden of marital stress on the health of women," said Nieca Goldberg, M.D., American Heart Association expert volunteer, clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and medical director of Atria NY. "A comprehensive approach to the care of cardiac patients that includes physical and mental health may transform the care of cardiac patients from the care of one organ to a patient's global health. The health care system should support the clinical assessment of both physical and mental health as that may lead to better outcomes and healthier lives for our patients." Several limitations may have affected the study's results: the levels of marital stress and health outcomes were self-reported, therefore, self-perception may affect results, which may be inaccurate; it included patients in specific U.S. hospitals, so the results may not apply to people who live in other countries; and because participants were only followed for up to one-year after their heart attack, the results may not reflect long-term impact. Co-authors are Rachel P. Dreyer, Ph.D.; Fan Li, Ph.D; Erica S. Spatz, M.D., M.H.S.; Cesar Caraballo-Cordovez, M.D.; Shiwani Mahajan, M.B.B.S., M.H.S.; Valeria Raparelli, M.D, Ph.D.; Erica C. Leifheit, Ph.D.; Yuan Lu, Sc.D.; Harlan M. Krumholz, M.D., S.M.; John Spertus, M.D., M.P.H.; Gail D'Onofrio, M.D., M.S.; Louise Pilote, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.; and Judith H. Lichtman, Ph.D. Authors' disclosures are listed in the abstract. The current study was funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The VIRGO (Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients) study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health. A new way of reprogramming our immune cells to shrink or kill off cancer cells has been shown to work in the otherwise hard-to-treat and devastating skin cancer, melanoma. The University of Bristol-led discovery, published in Advanced Science today [31 October], demonstrates a new way to clear early stage pre-cancerous and even late-stage tumor cells. Using miniature artificial capsules called protocells designed to deploy reprogramming cargoes that are taken up by inflammatory cells (white blood cells), the scientists show they were able to transform these cells into a state that makes them more effective at slowing down the growth and killing of melanoma cells. They showed that this was possible for both animal and human immune cells. The study is the first to test the capacity of a protocell to deliver cargo for reprogramming immune cells and offers a promising novel target for the development of cancer immunotherapies. Paul Martin, Professor of Cell Biology in the School of Biochemistry at the University of Bristol and one of the study's lead authors explained what happens when our immune system comes into contact with cancer cells: "Our immune cells have a surveillance capacity which enables them to detect pre-cancerous cells arising at any tissue site in the body. However, when immune cells encounter cancer cells they are often subverted by the cancer cells and instead tend to nourish them and encourage cancer progression. We wanted to test whether it might be possible to reprogramme our immune system to kill these cells rather than nurture them." First, the team tested the proof of concept in zebrafish larvae which are used due to their translucency, allowing researchers to watch inflammatory immune cells interact with cancer cells in ways not possible in our own tissues. Protocells loaded with anti-miR223 molecules that bind to and interfere with signaling machinery in the inflammatory immune cells and work by effectively prolonging their pro-inflammatory state, were shown to drive altered immune cell-cancer cell interactions, slowing the growth of cancerous cells and driving increased tumor cell death in the larvae. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today To find out whether this approach might be upscaled as a feasible therapeutic strategy for shrinking larger, more established, and growing cancers, the experiment was repeated in adult fish with tailfin melanomas, showing this approach significantly inhibited melanoma cell growth. To fully investigate the feasibility of using protocells to deliver 'reprogramming' anti-miR223 cargoes in humans, the experiment was conducted again using an in vitro assay with primary human immune cells from the Toye lab, also in Bristol's School of Biochemistry. Results from this experiment demonstrated that the protocells were able to effectively deliver and reprogramme human immune cells toward a more persistent pro-inflammatory and potentially anti-cancer state. Professor Stephen Mann from Bristol's School of Chemistry and the Max Planck Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology added: "Our results highlight the therapeutic benefits of harnessing host immunity to eradicate cancers and demonstrate the feasibility of using protocells to deliver cargoes for reprogramming innate immune cells. While our experiments in zebrafish are early pre-clinical studies, our results indicate that the same is possible for human immune cells, at least in vitro, and can be similarly reprogrammed to supress cancer growth." The study was supported by grants from the Spanish Rafael del Pino Foundation, a Bristol Cancer Bequest, EU Marie Curie fellowship funded through HORIZON 2020, BBSRC (BrisEngBio), Wellcome, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, the European Research Council (ERC) and Cancer Research UK (CRUK). The risk of developing breast cancer is higher in what are known as dense breasts, which appear white in mammograms, than in nondense breasts, which appear grey. Researchers at Linkoping University, Sweden, have now shown that there are major biological differences dense breasts and nondense breasts. The results, published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggest that the properties of dense breasts promote cancer growth. Not all breasts are the same in appearance or composition. Some breasts are "dense", and the risk of developing cancer is five times higher in these than in nondense breasts. Mammography is regularly offered to all women in Sweden older than 40 years, while other methods used to detect tumours include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. The latter methods can be used as a supplement to mammography, but have not been evaluated for use in screening. Currently, dense and nondense breasts are treated in the same way in the Swedish healthcare system. The problem is that we don't know what to do with the women who have dense breasts. Large studies would be needed before introducing a screening programme for such women, such that we can identify those with greatest risk and follow them in the healthcare system. This is necessary to prevent putting many women through unnecessary examinations." Charlotta Dabrosin, Professor, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linkoping University and Consultant, Oncology Clinic at Linkoping University Hospital The density of a breast mainly depends on the connective tissue, or to be more precise, on everything that is not fatty tissue, since the fraction of glandular tissue is approximately the same in all breasts, dense and nondense. In mammograms, both glandular tissue and connective tissue appear white. And cancer also appears white in mammograms. This means that it can be more difficult to detect cancerous changes in dense breasts by mammography. However, the difficulty of detecting a tumour does not fully explain the higher risk of cancer in women with dense breasts, and we do not at the moment know which other factors lie behind the increased risk. Charlotta Dabrosin has led a study and recently published the results in the British Journal of Cancer. The researchers investigated whether the biological properties of dense and nondense breasts differ. For this, they developed an MRI method that can measure breast density and other distinguishing factors of breasts more accurately than current methods. Forty-four women, some with dense breasts and some with nondense breasts, were investigated using contrast-enhanced MRI. The researchers also used another technique, microdialysis. In this, a thin catheter is introduced into the breast tissue to obtain samples of the fluid that surrounds the cells, also known as the microenvironment. The researchers can measure the amounts of various proteins in this fluid. In previous studies, Charlotta Dabrosin has shown that the microenvironment in dense breasts is very similar to that in breast tumours. The current study showed unexpectedly large differences between healthy dense and nondense breasts. The researchers measured the levels of 270 proteins and found that the levels of 124 of them were elevated in dense breasts. These proteins are associated with cancer development through such underlying processes as inflammation, the formation of new blood vessels, and cell growth. "There are huge biological differences between dense and nondense breasts. What I find amazing about our results is that we can link the levels of proteins such as inflammatory proteins and growth factors with the differences in breast physiology that we showed using MRI. We found, for example, that the contrast agent diffuses differently in the different types of breast, which suggests that the blood vessels are affected," says Charlotta Dabrosin. The researchers have seen only correlations, and cannot say what is cause and what is effect. The links between the amounts of protein and physiological differences are, however, so strong that the researchers believe that the links are causal. Approximately every third woman aged 40-50 has precursors to cancer in the breasts. The growth often remains at this stage, and fewer than 1% of women in this age group develop cancer. The researchers hypothesise that dense breasts have an advantageous microenvironment that promotes the transition of anomalous cells to cancer, which may be part of the explanation for the higher risk of cancer in dense breasts. "The results raise many questions about whether it is possible to reduce the levels of these proteins and reduce the risk of developing cancer. We open possibilities that we have not previously had," says Charlotta Dabrosin. The researchers are now continuing their work with a clinical study of women with dense breasts, and will examine whether anti-inflammatory treatment can change the microenvironment in the breast. The study has received financial support from the Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Research Council, project funds from LiU-Cancer at Linkoping University and ALF funds from Linkoping University Hospital. Among children who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest in the last 20 years, survival rates have increased significantly. Greater improvements have been seen among children who had recent cardiac surgery and cardiac arrest, with lesser gains in survival seen among children who had cardiovascular disease (CVD) and no recent history of cardiac surgery, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium 2022. The 2022 meeting will be held in person in Chicago, November 5-6, 2022, and will feature the most recent advances related to treating cardiopulmonary arrest and life-threatening traumatic injury. Researchers examined the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines - Resuscitation registry to review data for nearly 17,700 in-hospital pediatric cardiac arrest events in children younger than 18 years of age between 2000 and 2021, and patient data were grouped together in five-year intervals. They analyzed trends in treatment and patient outcomes after cardiac arrest on three illness categories: cardiovascular disease (CVD) with recent cardiac surgery (surgical-cardiac); CVD with no recent cardiac surgery (medical-cardiac); and no CVD (non-cardiac). Rates of survival to hospital discharge among surgical-cardiac patients increased from 46% during the 2000-2004 timeframe to more than 62% during the 2015-2021 timeframe. Survival to discharge rates for medical-cardiac patients increased from nearly 37% to 47% during the same two timeframes. The researchers also found: Of the cardiac arrests investigated, 18% of the patients were in the surgical-cardiac group, 18% were in the medical-cardiac group and 64% were in the non-cardiac group. The children in the surgical-cardiac category had the highest rate of survival to discharge (56%), compared to the medical-cardiac group at 43% and the non-cardiac group at 46%. After controlling for age, location of event and hospital size, the odds of survival were 28% higher among surgical-cardiac patients and 13% higher for medical-cardiac patients, compared to non-cardiac patients. Surgical-cardiac patients had a 24% increased chance of survival to hospital discharge in every five-year period from 2000 through 2021, compared to non-cardiac patients. Medical-cardiac patients had a slower survival rate with only 14% increased odds of survival per five-year period. These findings indicate survival rates increased across all children in all time intervals. However, they also point to the need for more emphasis on the subset of medical-cardiac patients who are 'lagging behind' in improvement of outcomes, the researchers noted. Children with a history of cardiovascular disease often are not studied as a specific population in larger cardiac arrest studies, even though the difference between medical-cardiac and surgical-cardiac patients is important. These patient groups have different physiology that may impact medical treatments and survival, and thus, they may need particular focused interventions from researchers and clinicians to determine ways to improve survival." Monique Gardner, M.D., study's lead author, attending physician in cardiac critical care medicine at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care and pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia There are a few limitations to the study. The medical-cardiac group included children with varying degrees and types of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, in a large database such as the one used for the study, detailed data, such as for anatomy, physiology and type of cardiac arrest, were not available. "With the medical-cardiac patients' survival rates increasing at a slower rate, the study reflects a need for more research in resuscitation science and a challenge for health care professionals to acknowledge this gap and look for ways to improve survival among these vulnerable patients," Gardner said. "Future research should focus on the physiology of these patients to improve cardiac arrest prevention, cardiac arrest response and post-arrest care." Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based, quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines to make it easier to provide consistent quality care. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 10 million patients since 2001. Co-authors are Ryan W. Morgan, M.D., M.T.R.; Ron Reeder, Ph.D., M.S.; Kimia Ghaffari, M.P.H.; Laura Ortmann, M.D.; Tia T. Raymond, M.D.; Javier J. Lasa, M.D.; Jessica Fowler, M.D., M.P.H.; Maya Dewan, M.D., M.P.H.; Vinay M. Nadkarni, M.D., M.S., FAHA; Robert A. Berg, M.D., FAHA; Robert M. Sutton, M.D., M.S.C.E.; and Alexis A. Topjian, M.D., M.S.C.E., FAHA. Authors' disclosures are listed in the abstract. The study was funded by the Clinical Resuscitation Science Endowed Chair at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute Resuscitation Science Center. South Africa: Dlamini Zuma welcomes new NHTKL leadership Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has congratulated the newly reconstituted National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders (NHTKL), wishing the newly elected leadership well in executing their responsibilities. The reconstitution of the National House, conducted in terms of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019 (Act No 3 of 2019), follows the reconstitution of all the Provincial Houses of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders. The reconstitution of the sixth House was recently presided over by Deputy Judge President of Gauteng, Judge AP Ledwaba. The members of the House elected Kgosi Thabo Milton Seatlholo as the new Chairperson and unanimously elected Nkosi Langa Mavuso as the Deputy Chairperson. The Minister congratulated all traditional leaders who took an oath or made affirmations as members of the NHTKL, and further wished well the elected Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. The Ministry in a statement said Dlamini Zuma urged the new leadership to ensure that the House continues to promote the role of traditional and Khoi-San leadership within a democratic constitutional dispensation, constitutes to nation building, the preservation of the moral fibre and regeneration of society. She further urged them to work with all stakeholders to preserve the culture and traditions of communities; facilitate socio-economic development and service delivery; and the transformation and adaptation of customary law and customs so as to comply with the provisions of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, said Lungi Mtshali, CoGTA spokesperson. He said the Minister committed to working with the House and updating it on work being undertaken as part of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, led by Deputy President David Mabuza, established to respond to issues raised by traditional and Khoi-San leaders. Working with our provincial counterparts, we will continue to pursue our responsibilities emanating from the establishment of the IMTT. But we will need you to join hands with us in this process, the Minister said. The Minister appealed to the House to work closely with the National Initiation Oversight Committee and the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committees to register, visit, and ensure that all initiation schools are safe, respect human rights and plant good morals to the young people who participate. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-10-31. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China appreciates Putin's remarks: foreign ministry By Xu Zheqi (People's Daily App) 11:18, October 31, 2022 China highly appreciated remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a foreign ministry spokesperson said in Beijing on Friday. President Putin said Thursday that the US was wrong to destroy its relations with China over Taiwan and that Russia recognizes Taiwan as a part of China. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily news briefing that the one-China principle is an established international consensus and widely accepted basic norm in international relations. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Hongyu) Omans Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has organised a workshop on fair competition among airlines in Muscat in cooperation with the Arab Civil Aviation Organization. Specialists from Arab countries are taking part in the three-day workshop, reported Oman News Agency (ONA). Salim Hamad Al Hussaini, Director General of Aviation Regulation at the CAA, underscored the significance of upgrading cooperation to enable national Arab air carriers to enter the market in a fair manner that achieves balance in competition and prevents monopoly and dumping. Oman, represented by the CAA, will also host the 48th meeting of the Arab Air Transport Commission for this year. Fighting the rising tide of opioid addiction and death, the Prescription Drug Misuse Education and Research (PREMIER) Center at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy has been funded for the next two years by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for an additional $3.34 million. The center's fundamental priority to reduce the risks of prescription drug misuse is based on and supported by a grim reality: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200,000 deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2017 are attributed to prescription opioid overdose, clearly marking the trend as a growing nationwide epidemic. The funding will support three distinct projects: removal of unused controlled substances from homes; helping physicians and health systems reduce patient risk with initial opioid prescribing; and, providing training to pharmacists to improve safe opioid dispensing in community settings. Hundreds of millions of controlled substance prescriptions are written and filled every year making risk mitigation a critical priority. Since its inception in 2018, the PREMIER Center has distributed close to a half million in-home safe drug disposal products to offer a convenient and environmentally friendly method of medication disposal. The provision of single-use disposal systems to pharmacies, first responders, community coalition partnerships, school districts and other organizations around the state remains fundamental to the success of this initiative." Douglas Thornton, director of the PREMIER Center and associate professor in the College of Pharmacy "We have grown the number of distinct distributors served from a handful of community coalition partnerships to 718 diverse organizations located in every corner of the state. Our focus now remains on building the evidence to support scalable drug disposal programs with measurable process and outcomes." Among those collaborations, the PREMIER Center has worked with three Texas Medical Center health systems to aid opioid stewardship interventions by translating research into practice that benefits patients: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston Methodist Hospital and St. Luke's Health. The center also has a distinct focus on education, having provided materials to more than 100,000 people across Texas that offer guidance on safe and effective use of controlled substances. To further keep patients healthy, especially those who use controlled substance medications, the PREMIER Center challenges health care providers to identify new ways to mitigate risk while prescribing or filling opioid prescriptions. "The center is also evaluating risk mitigation strategies to keep patients safe at the time of initial opioid prescribing. We hope to combine prescriber and patient voices to make recommendations on risk mitigation tools to improve clinical efficiency and patient safety," said Thornton. Thornton's PREMIER team includes Matthew Wanat, clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice and Tyler Varisco, assistant professor in pharmaceutical health outcomes and policy. Los Angeles, Oct 31 (UNI) Two people were killed and two others wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party in Covina, a city east of downtown Los Angeles in the western US state of California, local authorities said. The wounded are receiving medical treatment and in unknown condition, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release on Sunday. One of the party goers produced a firearm, fired at other party goers and fled the scene, it said. Deputies responded to the shooting at approximately 12:27 am local time (0827 GMT) in the 17000 block of East Bellbrook Street, where one victim was pronounced deceased at the scene and three others were transported to a local hospital, where one of them was later pronounced deceased. Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is going on. UNI/XINHUA PRT TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com In their continuous efforts to address Bahrains healthcare priorities, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) and the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) are collaborating on a joint research project to measure the physical activity of Bahraini patients with Type 2 diabetes and explore psychological and environmental factors which influence their behaviour. With 15% of Bahrains population suffering from Type 2 diabetes, the ultimate goal of this project is to develop standard interventions to support in decreasing sedentary behaviour and potentially improve the incidence rate of type 2 diabetes in the Bahraini population. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes tend to be less physically active than individuals who do not have the condition. The benefits of regular physical activity on Type 2 diabetic patients include reduced blood sugar levels, triglycerides, blood pressure, percentage of body fat and insulin resistance. Furthermore, sedentary behaviour is associated with higher risks of mortality and morbidity among Type 2 diabetics. Professor Afif Bin Salih, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research at Arabian Gulf University (AGU), commented: The joint research project between the two universities was launched since 2015, to study the most important diseases prevalent in Bahrain, such as heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes and other diseases. A joint budget of 130,000 Bahraini dinars has been allocated to conduct about 15 joint research projects, in response to the health care requirements of the local community, and to address the challenges associated with chronic diseases, which causes an increased rates of health and economic burdens on the Kingdom. In addition to strengthening the health system, this research program also aims to reduce the economic burden of these diseases. Professor Stephen Atkin, Head of School of Postgraduate Studies and Research at RCSI Bahrain, commented: RCSI Bahrain is keen on developing patient-centered research which addresses key national health challenges. Diabetes is a key research focus at the RCSI Bahrain Clinical and Biomolecular Research Centre, and through our research collaboration with the Arabian Gulf University, and as part of the social responsibility of both universities, we aim to develop a solution that will be a major step in the lives of diabetic patients and advancing their quality of life. The joint research project will run for a year and will be conducted at four primary healthcare centres with specialised diabetes clinics, where the research team will track the physical activity of 340 participants. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Reported by Zahra Ayaz Students at the University of Bahrain (UoB) are pleading to the authorities to reconsider their decision to discontinue transportation services, which is making it difficult for them to attend classes. Earlier, 32 MPs requested the Cabinet to overturn the universitys decision and restart the free bus service for students at the Sakhir, Isa Town and Salmaniya campuses. The universitys decision to cancel bus transportation to and from its three campuses in order to alleviate traffic congestion has sparked students outrage. Shifa Ghani, a student at the university, told The Daily Tribune, I am finding it very difficult to travel every day to university as I used to go by bus although I do have a licence it is still pointless; we belong to a middle-class family and most households have no more than one car. My parents drive themselves to work, and I have hired a driver for myself, which has been costing me a lot of money, but I dont have any other option. It is preferable if the university takes the initiative and restarts the buses; otherwise, they can continue with online classes. Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, stated: I used to travel by bus before; it was simple because the bus would come near to my area and I would just wait for 5 minutes and get in. But now I am going to university with my friend who has a car; I do have afternoon classes and my friend has classes in the morning; as a result, I have to leave home in the morning and wait for my classes until afternoon. One of my friends, who doesnt own a car either, rents a car that costs her more than BD120 per month just to get to the university. Sometimes, when my friends dont have classes, my father drives me to Sakhir, where my campus is located. And, naturally he would be late for work on these days. We plead the authorities to kindly resume the buses so that it will make our lives much easier. Every bus can at least carry 25 students, which will help ease traffic on the highways and we will not have parking issues either, he added. The University officials as well as higher education authorities could not be reached for a comment. The University of Bahrain is nearly home to more than 24,000 students and it is the largest public university in the Kingdom. The University is recognised as a teaching, research and entrepreneurial institute that is directly contributing to the economic growth and development of the Kingdom. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Export Bahrain attended the opening ceremony of Danube Supermarket at AlLiwan, Hamala, which was inaugurated by Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of Industry and Commerce, to celebrate Danubes first branch outside Saudi Arabia. Managed by BinDawood Holding, Danube Supermarket is one of the leading grocery retailers, with branches spread across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a joint effort to promote Bahrain-made products and shed light on the productivity of local businesses, a selection of products of national origin was showcased at the opening ceremony, all of which are to displayed in local and over 82 regional branches of Danube in future. Danubes 82nd branch, the first out of KSA, confirms their strong commitment and tireless efforts to promote products of local origin regionally. Export Bahrain said it will work closely with Danube Supermarket to identify demanded products across all product segments and increase the presence of home-made quality items. Safa Sharif Abdulkhaliq, Export Bahrain Chief Executive Officer, said: We, at Export Bahrain, are confident that working closely with Danube and engaging in a common endeavour will achieve palpable development and prosperity for all parties concerned. Khalid BinDawood, Managing Director, BinDawood Holding, commented: We are delighted that our international expansion started in Bahrain. Our aim is not only to expand our brand but also foster other brands. The father of Mei Tomikawa, one of the two Japanese victims of a deadly crush in Seoul, left for South Korea on Monday. Ayumu Tomikawa, a member of a local assembly in Hokkaido, northern Japan, told reporters in front of his house in Nemuro he wants to see his 26-year-old daughter's body "as soon as possible." The crush on Saturday night during Halloween festivities in the Itaewon district, a popular nightlife district in Seoul, left 154 people dead and around 150 injured, South Korean authorities said. According to her father, Mei had been studying Korean in Seoul since June. She had hoped to find a job related to both Japan and South Korea. She was apparently enjoying her studies in South Korea and was making friends from other countries, her father said. He last communicated with his daughter around 7 p.m. Saturday when she said she was going out with a French friend. The other Japanese victim was an 18-year-old woman believed to have traveled to South Korea to study, according to a South Korean source. ...continue reading Japan is looking 6,000 meters under the sea for rare earths to counter Chinas dominance of the critical minerals that are used in everything from smartphones to weapons, according to the Yomiuri newspaper. The government intends to start developing the methods necessary to extract the elements near the Ogasawara islands in the fiscal year beginning in April, and aims to begin prospecting within five years, the newspaper reported, citing unidentified officials. The exploration will deploy technology tested off the coast of Ibaraki prefecture in August and September, where the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu was able to pump about 70 tons of mud per day for sifting, according to the report. ... continue reading , Nov 01 ( Nikkei ) - The Japanese government has decided to remain involved in the formerly Exxon-led Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia, Nikkei has learned, as it seeks a stable supply of energy despite international sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. ExxonMobil, which held a 30% stake in Sakhalin-1, announced in March that it would withdraw from the project. Russia has set up a new company to take over the project under a presidential decree that has in effect forced investors to choose sides. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is a stakeholder in Tokyo-based Sakhalin Oil and Gas Development -- which owns 30% of Sakhalin-1's current operator -- along with other investors including Itochu, Japan Petroleum Exploration and Marubeni. The Japanese consortium will make a final decision on whether to stay invested in the project after discussions with other stakeholders. ...continue reading Morbi(Gujarat), Oct 31 (UNI) A First Information Report for culpable homicide has been filed by the Gujarat Police after a century-old bridge collapsed killing over 140 people, as per officials. The case was registered hours after on Sunday evening the colonial era cable bridge snapped in Morbi town plunging hundreds of people into the 10-feet deep Machchhu river below. Police said the bridge that had just been opened less than a week back for the public was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm. Most of the people who came on the bridge had come for Chhath Puja. The case has been filed under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) even as several are missing and more than a 100 have been admitted and are under treatment, officials have told the media. Rajkot range IG Ashok Yadav earlier on Monday put the toll at 132 as he said that seven more injured were hospitalised and feared the toll could increase. Searching for people in the river is still underway, he added. "The rescue operation is in its last stage in the Machchhu river. It will be over soon," Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi told the media. He said: "A criminal case has been registered. An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP." Meanwhile, Garud commandos sent from Bhuj and other locations have set out for Morbi, defence officials said. National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed and helicopters have been on stand-by. An IAF plane with NDRF team reached the collapse site. Another aircraft was also on its way, as per officials. Helicopters have been put on stand-by in Jamnagar an other nearby locations for rescue operations, they said. The Indian Naval Station Valsura in Jamnagar sent a team of more than 40 personnel for rescue operations that include marine commandos and seamen, the defence officials have told the media An Indian Army team, including doctors and paramedical staff reached the accident site from an artillery brigade near Dhrangdhra and are active part of the rescue and relief operations, they said. Another Army team with doctors and other relief material was also deputed. Besides, three Indian Coast Guard teams, consisting of divers, boats and other equipment have been deployed at the collapse site since Sunday night, the defence officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day tour to Gujarat and Rajasthan, said "My heart goes out to Morbi bridge collapse victims", as he addressed people on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in Kevadia. Modi has decided to cancel his roadshow scheduled in Ahmedabad later in the day in the wake of the Morbi incident. "Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel reached Morbi last night. He has been holding the command of search and rescue ops since yesterday. State government has constituted a committee to investigate this incident. I assure the people of the country that there will be no laxity in rescue & relief ops," Modi said. The prime minister has already announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Eyewitnesses have said there were many women and children on the nearly 150-year-old bridge when its cables snapped, sending scores into the river below. BJP MP from Rajkot Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya told news channels that 12 members of his family were killed in the Morbi bridge collapse. Congress on Monday read out condolence message at a party meeting as party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said: I offer my condolences. An inquiry headed by retired SC/HC judge should be done as to how the bridge collapsed after 5-6 days of inauguration and who allowed so many people there. All necessary help including compensation should be provided to victims." The suspension bridge reopened five days back for the public after seven months of repair work by a private firm. Whether it had received a 'fitness' certificate from the municipality authorities is not clear. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said that the Gujarat government should investigate the incident of bridge collapse and bring the culprits to book. Gehlot on Sunday night was in Sirohi, where he told the media that the government should do a fair investigation and find out under what circumstances and how the bridge that opened after renovation a few days ago fell. UNI XE ING Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. is listed for trading in United States dollars on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "CUP.U". GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS, Oct. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX: CUP.U) ("CUC" or "the Company") announced today its unaudited results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 (all dollar amounts are stated in United States dollars). Related Documents View PDF Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd Interim Results for Q3 2022 (CNW Group/Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd.) The results for the Company for the three months ended September 30, 2022 ("Third Quarter 2022" or "Q3 2022") show growing customer numbers and energy sales, but with lower average consumption by residential customers in the face of high fuel prices. The Company successfully facilitated a Cayman Islands Government Fuel Cost Relief programme to assist residential customers. Depreciation charges increased for the quarter related to the Seven Mile Beach and Prospect Substations and other growth-related capital projects coming into service. Reliability and safety results were as planned and the Company endured Tropical Storm Ian with minimal physical damage. Earnings increased marginally for the quarter over the same period last year. A highlight of the Third Quarter 2022 was the signing of an agreement with the technology group Wartsila. Wartsila will supply two 10-megawatt /10 megawatt-hour energy storage systems to CUC. This project is primarily designed to reduce the online or spinning reserve requirement presently provided by diesel engines and will improved fuel efficiency by approximately 6%, with a corresponding reduction in CO 2 emissions. This is CUC's first energy storage facility and it will also enable the Company to increase the amount of intermittent renewable energy connected to the grid on Grand Cayman while improving grid stability, reliability and power quality. During Third Quarter 2022, as part of the Company's ongoing restructuring programme, CUC announced the promotion of four Caymanians to its management team. CUC also released its first Sustainability report which discusses programmes that demonstrate CUC's commitment to the high standards in Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives. Global fuel prices continued to rise in the third quarter impacting CUC's fuel costs. Power generation expenses for Q3 2022 totalled $52.4 million, an increase of 70% compared to power generation expenses of $30.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2021 ("Third Quarter 2021" or "Q3 2021"). This is primarily due to the 75% increase in the average fuel price per imperial gallon during Q3 2022 in comparison to Q3 2021). The average Fuel Cost Charge rate billed to consumers for Q3 2022 was $0.29 per kilowatt-hours ("kWh"), compared to the average Fuel Cost Charge rate of $0.17 per kWh for Q3 2021. CUC passes through all fuel costs and renewable costs to consumers on a two-month lag basis with no mark-up. The Company continues to provide information to customers on ways to manage their energy consumption. Net earnings for Q3 2022 totalled $10.4 million, an increase of $0.3 million or 3% in comparison to $10.1 million Q3 2021. This was due to the increase in kWh sales by 2% and the customer growth of 3%. The net earnings during Q3 2022 were positively impacted by the decrease of transmission and distribution costs and higher foreign exchange gains and negatively impacted by increase in depreciation expense, general and administration cost and higher finance charges. After the adjustment for dividends on the preference shares of the Company, earnings on Class A Ordinary Shares for Q3 2022 totalled $10.3 million, or $0.28 per Class A Ordinary Share, in comparison to earnings of $10.0 million, or $0.26 per Class A Ordinary Share for Q3 2021. Net earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 totalled $24.2 million, an increase of $2.2 million or 10% when compared to net earnings of $22.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. After the adjustment for dividends on the preference shares of the Company, earnings on Class A Ordinary Shares for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 totalled $23.9 million, or $0.64 per Class A Ordinary Share, in comparison to earnings on Class A Ordinary Shares of $21.7 million, or $0.58 per Class A Ordinary Share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. Sales for Q3 2022 totalled 184.0 million kWh, an increase of 4.1 million kWh or 2% in comparison to 179.9 million kWh for Q3 2021. The increase in sales was driven by the higher commercial customer sales in Q3 2022 compared to Q3 2021 and the 3% increase in customer numbers between Q3 2022 and Q3 2021. Sales in kWh for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 totalled 504.6 million kWh, an increase of 10.1 million kWh or 2% in comparison to 494.5 million kWh for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. The increase in sales is primarily due to a 3% growth in overall customer numbers for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2021. The number of customers at the end of September 30, 2022 was 32,865, an increase of 901 customers, or 3%, compared to 31,964 customers as at September 30, 2021. During Q3 2022, the Company recorded a new system peak load of 113.573 megawatts. President and CEO, Mr. Richard Hew, stated, "The state of the current global fuel markets emphasizes the need and our desire to advance activities under the Integrated Resource Plan as quickly as possible, particularly utility scale solar projects, to transition to more sustainable energy solutions that bring price stability and reduce carbon emissions. Tropical Storm Ian also reminds us of the importance of building resilient systems such as our indoor substations to adapt to more frequent storms brought by climate change." CUC's Third Quarter 2022 results and related Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the period ended September 30, 2022 are incorporated by reference. The MD&A section of this report contains a discussion of CUC's unaudited 2022 Third Quarter results, the Cayman Islands economy, liquidity and capital resources, capital expenditures and the business risks facing the Company. The release and Third Quarter 2022 MD&A can be accessed at www.cuc-cayman.com (Investor Relations/Press Releases) and at www.sedar.com. CUC provides electricity to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, under an Electricity Generation Licence expiring in 2039 and an exclusive Electricity Transmission and Distribution Licence expiring in 2028. Further information is available at www.cuc-cayman.com. Certain statements in the MD&A, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations with respect to the Company and its operations, including its strategy and financial performance and condition. Forward looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "plan", "believes", "estimates", "intends", "targets", "projects", "forecasts", "schedule", or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "may", "will", "should", "would" and "could". Forward looking statements are based on underlying assumptions and management's beliefs, estimates and opinions, and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations generally that may cause actual results to vary from plans, targets and estimates. Some of the important risks and uncertainties that could affect forward looking statements are described in the MD&A in the section labeled "Business Risks" and include but are not limited to operational, general economic, market and business conditions, regulatory developments and weather. CUC cautions readers that actual results may vary significantly from those expected should certain risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law. SOURCE Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. For further information: Letitia Lawrence, Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Phone: (345) 914-1124, E-Mail: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 31, 2022 /CNW/ - High Frequency Rail will transform passenger rail service in Canada through the creation of a faster, more frequent, accessible, and sustainable rail service among the major centres of Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres, Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough, and Toronto. Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced the next steps in the procurement process for High Frequency Rail (HFR) through an update to the Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI). This update reflects input and provides answers to key questions received through the RFEOI process. It provides industry and Canadians with new information about the HFR and its procurement. Feedback from the RFEOI includes: Responses from a total of 54 interested parties, confirming a high level of domestic and international interest in the project. Responses confirming support for the overall approach; seeking clarifications on some elements of the project, including roles and responsibilities of the Government and private partner; and suggesting ways to enhance the design of the procurement process. Recommendations for strategic changes to the procurement timelines, such as shortening the Request for Proposal period. The next step in the procurement process, the Request for Qualifications (RFQ), is anticipated to begin in early 2023. Launched in March 2022, the RFEOI marked the first step in the procurement phase and delivering benefits for Canadians. The RFEOI was undertaken to share the Government's vision for the project and to obtain the market's feedback on the HFR Project. The Government of Canada is committed to an ongoing dialogue and building nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous Peoples. Input and feedback from Indigenous Peoples throughout the life of the project will be essential to developing an effective project. VIA Rail and its employees are central to the success of High Frequency Rail and will continue to play a key role across Canada as our national passenger rail provider. A subsidiary of VIA Rail is being established to act as a dedicated Project Development Office. It will be responsible for leading several key project activities, and will work collaboratively with the private partner to co-develop and optimize the HFR project. Canada will work with VIA Rail and the private partner to ensure that workforce changes required for the advancement of the HFR project would be done in consultation with unions to protect the interests of VIA rail employees. Please visit the HFR website (https://tgf-hfr.ca/) for a full list of changes and clarifications to the procurement process, or to get involved in the project by providing feedback, asking questions, and signing up for project updates. Quote "High Frequency Rail is a transformational project that promises to fundamentally change the way Canadians travel in southern Ontario and Quebec, improving accessibility, and providing more travel flexibility. We're pleased with the market's interest in this project and in the Government obtaining over 50 responses from interested parties. Feedback from these parties was critical in making this project even better and will be used to move the next phase of the project forward the request for qualifications." The Honourable Omar Alghabra Minister of Transport Quick Facts HFR is expected to transform intercity passenger rail in the Corridor through a variety of project outcomes, including, but not limited to: Shortening travel times, with reductions of up to 90 minutes on some routes; Increasing trip frequencies between major cities; Offering more reliable and improved on-time performance; Adding new services to Peterborough and Trois-Rivieres; and, and Trois-Rivieres; and, Providing a greener rail system and cleaner travel option using electrified technology. As with any large-scale infrastructure project, the Government of Canada is using a phased approach to leverage input collected throughout the procurement process and to inform the next steps and decisions regarding the implementation of the High Frequency Rail Project. is using a phased approach to leverage input collected throughout the procurement process and to inform the next steps and decisions regarding the implementation of the High Frequency Rail Project. Budget 2022 provided Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada with $396.8 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to continue advancing key project activities and undertake the procurement phase of the project. over two years, starting in 2022-23, to continue advancing key project activities and undertake the procurement phase of the project. The next steps in the High Frequency Rail project and expected dates include: Government of Canada issues Request for Qualifications: early 2023 issues Request for Qualifications: early 2023 Request for Qualifications period ends: early spring 2023 Government of Canada evaluation of Request for Qualifications and identification of Qualified Respondents: Early spring 2023 evaluation of Request for Qualifications and identification of Qualified Respondents: Early spring 2023 Government of Canada issues Request for Proposals: Late spring 2023 issues Request for Proposals: Late spring 2023 Request for Proposals period ends: early spring 2024 High Frequency Rail will transform passenger rail services for Canadians in the Toronto to Quebec City corridor. In parallel, VIA Rail continues the important work of rebuilding the passenger rail business in Canada following the pandemic. to Quebec City corridor. In parallel, VIA Rail continues the important work of rebuilding the passenger rail business in following the pandemic. The Government of Canada is committed to engaging the public, including communities currently served by VIA Rail between Toronto and Quebec City, and consulting Indigenous Peoples to inform the Project's design and development. Anyone interested in sharing their views on the project, asking questions, or signing up for project updates is encouraged to visit the HFR website (https://hfr-tgf.ca/contact-us/). is committed to engaging the public, including communities currently served by VIA Rail between and Quebec City, and consulting Indigenous Peoples to inform the Project's design and development. Anyone interested in sharing their views on the project, asking questions, or signing up for project updates is encouraged to visit the HFR website (https://hfr-tgf.ca/contact-us/). The Government of Canada is committed to forming meaningful nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous Peoples through an ongoing dialogue to better understand their priorities and concerns , and how best to engage with them throughout the different phases of the project. Associated Links Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities. SOURCE Transport Canada For further information: Contacts: Nadine Ramadan, Press Secretary and Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 31, 2022 /CNW/ - With an investment of nearly $1 million from the Government of Canada, the Association des medecins veterinaires praticiens du Quebec will be able to develop a digital tool to anticipate and reduce the risks associated with metabolic diseases in dairy cows. The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, made the announcement today about this contribution from the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program. Metabolic diseases are a major health concern for dairy cows, especially during the post-calving period. This investment will enable the Association to develop algorithms that will help predict risks during lactation based on blood metabolites obtained before calving. The tool and the results will be made available online for dairy producers and veterinarians. By being better equipped to understand and anticipate risks, they will be able to quickly target corrective actions that improve animal health and welfare. The tool will help producers to work more efficiently and reduce economic losses due to disease for both producers and processors. Further, it will help improve intervention capacity for veterinarians and strengthen working relationships between producers and processors. Innovation in Canadian agriculture has led to technological improvements that help the dairy industry grow and remain competitive. The Government of Canada continues to make strategic investments in innovative solutions to encourage stakeholders to share knowledge, mitigate risks and further strengthen the agriculture sector as a key driver of economic growth. Quotes "Canadian dairy farmers are counting on innovation to help them protect the health and welfare of their animals, grow their businesses and stabilize the food supply. I salute this initiative of the Association des medecins veterinaires praticiens du Quebec which will allow them to better predict diseases and thus reduce the risks for producers and processors." - The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food "The Association des medecins veterinaires praticiens du Quebec is very pleased with the assistance received from AAFC. With this investment, an algorithm will be developed to primarily target dairy cows in the critical pre-calving period. Artificial intelligence will be used to analyze risks during the production cycle. The research will have a huge impact on the day-to-day management of good husbandry practices. In addition, animal health and welfare will be put front and centre with the use of this new technology." - Dr. Jean-Yves Perreault, President of the Association des medecins veterinaires praticiens du Quebec Quick Facts The funding of up to $998,456 announced today is provided through the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP), which is a $50.3-million , five-year investment to help the agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. announced today is provided through the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP), which is a , five-year investment to help the agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. Founded in 1969, the Association des Medecins Veterinaires Praticiens du Quebec is a non-profit organization with approximately 420 members who practise in the production animal industry throughout Quebec . . The Canadian dairy industry is a vital pillar of rural communities across Canada , and a key economic driver. There are 9,952 dairy farms in Canada supporting over 45,000 direct jobs. , and a key economic driver. There are 9,952 dairy farms in supporting over 45,000 direct jobs. In addition to being world-renowned for their excellence, Canadian milk and dairy products are recognized for their variety and high quality. Enforcement of strict quality standards on dairy farms and in processing plants enhances this international reputation, along with a strong commitment to sound animal welfare practices. Additional Links Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program Association des medecins veterinaires praticiens du Quebec Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada For further information: For media: Marianne Dandurand, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected], 343-541-9229; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected] This project will support the development of one of the world's first AI automated network solutions for 5G technology MONTREAL, Oct. 31, 2022 /CNW/ - Canadians rely on wireless and Internet services for virtually everything: working, studying, managing their finances, accessing health care and emergency services, and staying in touch with loved ones. That's why the Government of Canada is investing in innovative solutions that will advance Canada's digital infrastructure for generations to come. Today, Rachel Bendayan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced an investment of $15.9 million to support a $77 million project with EXFO to create a 5G centre of excellence in Montreal. As 5G networks develop, network providers are looking for solutions to automate their operations. Through this project, EXFO intends to develop one of the world's first artificial intelligence (AI) based automated network solutions that will autonomously run 5G network testing and quality assurance centres in Canada and around the world. This centre of excellence will develop and commercialize four new AI-centric technology platforms to support the deployment and operation of the next generation 5G telecommunication networks. This project highlights the success of AI talent development through the government's Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. The project will drive growth and create 50 new high-skilled jobs in the Montreal region. At the same time, EXFO will foster the next generation of innovators, supporting as many as 40 co-op positions. Quotes "Canada's world-class AI sector is getting even better thanks to the investment announced today. Our government will continue to promote and scale up innovative solutions that bring economic growth and jobs to all Canadians. That is why we are supporting projects like this one to develop one of the world's first AI automated network solutions for 5G technology. We will always encourage and support made-in-Canada technology and ensure Canada remains a world leader in this field." The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry "Quebec is the second-largest tech industry hub in Canada, and Canada is already a world leader in high valueadded sectors, including AI. We are so glad that EXFO has decided to continue growing their business in Quebec and Montreal." Rachel Bendayan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance "We are delighted to receive this funding from the federal government that will allow EXFO to leverage advanced cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to accelerate solutions delivering better insights while automatically predicting and detecting issues and outages in 5G networks. Ultimately, our innovations will help service providers in Canada and beyond deploy 5G networks faster and more efficiently than ever before." Philippe Morin, CEO, EXFO Quick facts EXFO is the parent company of 31 global subsidiaries and is headquartered in the City of Quebec, Quebec . Founded in 1985, it employs 732 people in Canada (1,900 globally) and has become an established world leader in the design and manufacturing of test instruments and service assurance products for fixed and mobile telecom networks. . Founded in 1985, it employs 732 people in (1,900 globally) and has become an established world leader in the design and manufacturing of test instruments and service assurance products for fixed and mobile telecom networks. EXFO will invest $77 million in Quebec , securing long-terms contracts with Tier 1 global telecom partners. in , securing long-terms contracts with Tier 1 global telecom partners. The next generation of 5G wireless technology is expected to add $40 billion annually to Canada's economy in the next four years. annually to economy in the next four years. Supporting the development of 5G networks is an important part of the government's telecom strategy. Investing in 5G research and development, with projects such as ENCQOR and Nokia's Bell Labs presence in Canada , as well as the new partnership with Nokia, will ensure Canadians benefit from the latest advanced technologies. presence in , as well as the new partnership with Nokia, will ensure Canadians benefit from the latest advanced technologies. The investment is being made through the Strategic Innovation Fund. This program aims to accelerate economic growth, strengthen and expand the role of Canadian firms in regional and global supply chains, support economic strategies, and attract investment that creates well-paying jobs. 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 SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada For further information: Contacts: Laurie Bouchard, Senior Manager, Communications, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, [email protected], Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected] More than 2 million MiYOSMART lenses have been sold globally, tested by the longest-running study on a myopia control eyeglass lens. MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 31, 2022 /CNW/ -- Ophthalmic lens technology leader HOYA Vision Care announced the critical results of a six-year follow-up study of 90 children wearing MiYOSMART ophthalmic lenses. The study demonstrated the myopia control effect was sustained over time1. Further, it confirmed that patients who stop wearing MiYOSMART show no rebound effect compared to initial rates of myopia progression during HOYA's two-year trial or with the general population. MiYOSMART lenses are a non-invasive solution for myopia control proven to slow myopia progression by an average of 60% in a 2-yar clinical study2. HOYA MiYOSMART Benefits The shape of a child's eyes changes as they grow into the adolescent stages. As the length of the eye increases, so does the risk of developing myopia, commonly called nearsightedness. Additional factors include increased indoor lifestyle and screen time. The annual myopia progression rate is most rapid under the age of 10. If detected early, myopia progression can be slowed without contact lenses or daily eye drops. Introduced in 2018, and available in Canada since 2020, HOYA's MiYOSMART was developed to address the myopia epidemic, which industry experts predict will impact nearly 50% of the world's population by 20502. The lens uses Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Technology to slow myopic progression while effectively providing children with sharp vision. Trusted around the globe, two million MiYOSMART lenses have been sold in more than 30 countries today3. "Today, I see more young patients with myopia, often with rapid progression. An effective, evidence-based lens option fills a large gap in current myopia treatments," says Dr. Devan Trischuk, owner of Family Focus Eyecare in Saskatchewan. "MiYOSMART allows children to receive a high level of myopia treatment, and the six-year data to back up its efficacy makes me confident in recommending it as a treatment for the children and families I see in my practice." "We are proud to share the longest study ever conducted on a myopia management spectacle lens. It shows that myopia control is sustainable over time, which is very exciting," said Natalia Vlasak, ophthalmologist and Global Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs at HOYA Vision Care. "HOYA Vision Care is dedicated to being a leader in developing a safe, effective way to manage the growing problem of myopia in children." HOYA is an industry leader, supporting key research and education events around myopia management, including sponsorship of The Myopia Meeting's first Canadian assembly on November 6, 2022. To learn more, visit HOYA Vision Care online today. 1 Link to Abstract; https://bjo.bmj.com/content/104/3/363 2 Link to Abstract; 3 Based on lenses sold per HOYA sales data on file as of February 2022. Individual wearer results may vary. About HOYA Vision Care For more than 60 years, HOYA Vision Care has been a global leader in the eyeglass lens business. With a presence in over 50 countries, HOYA Vision Care has proven expertise in lens designs and freeform surfacing technology, combined with a leading position in performance high-performance, quality AR coating. The company employs 16,000 worldwide, with mass production facilities in Asia & Europe and more than 40 local Rx laboratories globally. For more, visit www.hoyavision.com. SOURCE HOYA Vision Care For further information: Kim Kochendorfer, HOYA Vision Care, Canada, Email: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 26, 2022 /CNW/ - Members of the public are invited to join in the fun and frights of Rideau HALLoween. This year's theme is creepy creatures, where animals of all kinds come out at sunset to torment those who try to leave the grounds of Rideau Hall. After braving the bats, rats, spiders and more on the grounds, Rideau Hall staff will distribute goodies to trick-or-treaters of all ages. Date: Monday, October 31, 2022 Time: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (EDT) Location: Visitor Centre, Rideau Hall Notes for media: Media are asked to arrive at the Sussex Gate and to park their vehicles in the surrounding neighbourhood. Photos of the event will be taken by the Governor General's official photographer and will be made available upon request. Stay connected: Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and YouTube . SOURCE Governor General of Canada For further information: Media information: Rideau Hall Press Office, 343-573-7563, [email protected] UW in the News State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage: NCAR and UCAR News (National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) noted that UW and NCAR scientists kept data for new research that showed a volcanic eruption in the South Pacific had dramatically increased water vapor in the stratosphere. UW is among a group of subcontractors in a U.S. Department of Agriculture $25 million grant awarded to the Colorado Department of Agriculture for several Colorado soil health projects. According to Fruit Growers News, UW researchers will help to quantify and verify climate outcomes across the program and study the soil heath, soil moisture and carbon impacts of new practices. Cosmos and ScienceDaily published UWs new research noting that people with extended visuomotor experience with inverted movements -- such as vertical dancers -- can overcome the inversion effect in perceiving biological motion. Qin Zhu, a UW professor of kinesiology and health, was the lead author of the study, and Margaret Wilson, a UW professor of dance, was the second author. UW Professor Ye Zhang received a $1 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to study how forests in the Rocky Mountains of North America recover naturally -- with the help of wetlands -- after disturbances such as drought, insect outbreaks and wildfires. SweetwaterNOW published UWs release. Climatewire interviewed UW economist Rob Godby for an article focusing on nuclear energy, specifically on the proposed reactor at the Naughton Power Plant in Kemmerer. The plan is to convert the plant into a sodium-cooled Natrium reactor. UW political science Professor Jim King was interviewed by The Casper Star-Tribune leading up to next weeks general election. King said that he expects a lower voter turnout than in previous years. Oil City News noted that UWs annual Giving Day raised $4,107,408 from 6,293 donors. UW geology and geophysics Professor John Kaszuba was among researchers who assisted with a study on turning carbon dioxide into solid minerals underground. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers led the study. Highways Today published a PNNL release on the study. Small Business Exchange published a U.S. Small Business Administration release noting that UWs Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network is among 44 entities sharing in more than $5.4 million through the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. FAST provides small businesses and startups, particularly those in underserved communities, with specialized training, mentoring and technical assistance for research and development. Steve Paisley, director of UWs Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) in Lingle, was interviewed by Big Horn Radio Network about the roles he has played at SAREC. He also discussed challenges that Wyoming cattle ranchers and producers face. Bigfoot 99 Radio in Saratoga noted that UW Department of Anthropology scientists assisted Carbon County officials in the search for evidence after Wisconsin hunters found partial human remains south of Rawlins. Michelle DiPasquale, UWs violence prevention coordinator, was a guest speaker for the virtual Take Back the Night global event last week. Hits 106 published UWs media announcement. Laramie Live and The Laramie Boomerang published UWs release noting that the Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium will have a full schedule of programs in November. The facility was closed for almost three months due to electrical-related damage from a power outage and then from flooding after a rainstorm in August. For the first time, UW is among 30 colleges and universities selected to participate in Phase 1 of DOEs 2023 Collegiate Wind Competition. WyoToday Media published UWs release that noted 10 UW students will participate in the competition. Sheridan Media published UWs media release announcing that the 2022 Governors Business Forum will take place Nov. 15-17 at UWs Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. Additionally, the Wyoming Heritage Foundation will host a free pre-forum Mental Wellness in the Workplace Symposium Nov. 15. Sheridan Media also published UWs release noting that the Department of Animal Science reported record enrollment this fall in its introductory meat, wool and livestock judging courses. A Wind River Startup Challenge kickoff party took place Oct. 29 at the Frank B. Wise Building in Fort Washakie. Attendees learned how to receive support to jump-start a business. County 10 published the article, which noted that UW is among the programs sponsors. In the first nine months of 2022, PharmaCielo has made shipments to 23 customers in nine countries, with continued growth expected for 2023. The Company has more than doubled Revenue to $3.8 million in the first nine months of 2022, compared to the first nine months of 2021. in the first nine months of 2022, compared to the first nine months of 2021. Consistent progress on streamlining the business, while investing in revenue-generating sales functions. SG&A expenses reduced by over 40% in the first nine months of 2022 vs. the same period in 2021, with further reductions expected. PharmaCielo's previously announced non-brokered private placement of debenture units will generate $6 million in additional capital through the end of Q1, 2023. in additional capital through the end of Q1, 2023. PharmaCielo has applied to the TSX Venture Exchange to extend the term of certain common share purchase warrants originally issued on November 20, 2020 . All figures in Canadian dollars ($) unless otherwise specified TORONTO and RIONEGRO, Colombia, Oct. 31, 2022 /CNW/ - PharmaCielo Ltd. ("PharmaCielo" or the "Company") (TSXV: PCLO) (OTCQX: PCLOF), the Canadian parent of Colombia's premier cultivator and producer of dried flower and medicinal-grade cannabis extracts, PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S., today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022. The Company also announced that its board of directors has appointed BDO Canada LLP as the new independent registered auditor of PharmaCielo. Management Commentary Bill Petron, Chairman and CEO of PharmaCielo commented, "Our team has successfully implemented the turnaround plan we outlined for shareholders when I joined as CEO in August of last year. In the first nine months of 2022, our business development group has initiated shipments to 23 customers in nine countries, with a robust pipeline that we fully expect will translate into significant growth in 2023 both with new partners and existing ones. Concurrently, our finance and operating teams have worked together to streamline the business, cutting SG&A expenses by more than 40% over the past nine months, with a focus on the elimination of unnecessary legacy overhead, and an eye to reinvesting some of those savings in revenue-generating functions. 2023 is set to be a breakout year for PharmaCielo, as international markets continue to open, we achieve EU-GMP certification for our extracted and dried flower products, and as our team continues to execute." Summary Financials Three months ended Nine months ended (000's) Sep 30 2022 Sep 30 2021 Sep 30 2022 Sep 30 2021 Revenue $ 475 $ 485 $ 3,795 $ 1,606 Adjusted EBITDA (Loss) $ (2,469) $ (4,229) $ (5,994) $ (12,032) Net Loss $ (5,178) $ (8,751) $ (11,602) $ (22,517) Net Loss per Share $ (0.03) $ (0.06) $ (0.08) $ (0.16) PharmaCielo had cash equivalents of $0.4 million at September 30, 2022 , compared to $5.3 million at December 31, 2021 . On August 30, 2022 , the Company announced that its previously disclosed non-brokered private placement of debenture units was oversubscribed, with a total of $15.1 million raised or committed. This financing will generate $6 million in additional capital in equal monthly instalments through the end of Q1 2023, subject to regulatory approval including that of the TSX Venture Exchange. at , compared to at . On , the Company announced that its previously disclosed non-brokered private placement of debenture units was oversubscribed, with a total of raised or committed. This financing will generate in additional capital in equal monthly instalments through the end of Q1 2023, subject to regulatory approval including that of the TSX Venture Exchange. For further detailed information and analysis, please see the financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the period ending September 30, 2022 , as posted at sedar.com and pharmacielo.com Summary of Recent Developments Strengthening the Company's sales team to support its go-to-market strategy: PharmaCielo has grown its global business development organization; recruited Technical Business Developers in Europe and appointed a President of Sales. The team has already made significant early progress, with sales to Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Uruguay, and Spain, as well as progress in markets such as Germany, Mexico, and Poland. Streamlining the business to minimize operating costs: In the three months ended September 30, 2022, the Company reduced its Adjusted EBITDA loss from $4.2 million to $2.5 million. Management continues to focus on reducing discretionary expenses to lower the Company's use of cash and ensure a leaner organization with a lower cost base, while continuing to invest in the sales team, to drive top line growth. Preparing for dried flower export: In February 2022, the Colombian government passed regulation to enable dried flower export. With PharmaCielo's upstream and downstream scale and quality, the Company is uniquely positioned to be a formidable competitor with psychoactive flower currently being imported into the EU and other markets from Canada and other producing countries. On September 15, 2022, PharmaCielo announced that it had made its first shipment of dried flower to the Czech Republic, representing the Company's first shipment of medicinal grade dried flower into the EU. PharmaCielo continues to expect additional dried flower trial shipments to begin before the end of 2022 and commercial shipments to start in early 2023. The Company has taken the necessary steps to ensure psychoactive flower and extract quotas are in place for 2022 and 2023 exports. On September 14, 2022, PharmaCielo announced that it had received a five ton quota to grow THC-dominant cannabis strains for export as dried flower to support the fulfillment of current sales agreements, beginning in early 2023. Solidifying the path to EU-GMP certification: PharmaCielo is currently working towards EU-GMP certification of all of its extracted products. Management expects the Company to achieve certification in early 2023. This will better position PharmaCielo to sign larger, longer term supply agreements with global pharmaceutical and cosmetics customers. PharmaCielo plans to initiate the process to obtain EU-GMP certification for its dried flower in Q1 2023. Although the Company anticipates that certification may take up to 12 months, this certification is highly respected by global customers and being EU-GMP certified for its psychoactive flower will be an important differentiator for PharmaCielo. Successfully re-focused the Company's product strategy: With a growing business development organization, and the short-term potential to sell dried flower into several markets globally, management has re-focused PharmaCielo's product strategy to emphasize THC broad-spectrum products, as well as dried flower. These products are expected to have long-term high-margin profiles that are more sustainable than CBD isolate, The Company has had several recent wins, including: a sales agreement with a Brazilian Phyto-therapeutic customer for a proprietary CBD derivative formulation; a shipment of CBD full spectrum oil to another Brazilian customer; a shipment of 300kg of CBD Full Spectrum Oil to a Spanish pharmaceutical company; and an agreement to supply THC final products to be commercialized in Germany. Most recently, PharmaCielo received ICANN G.A.P & GACP Certifications, which open commercial access to the Israeli market. The Company expects to begin shipping dried flower to Israel in early 2023. Warrant Extension PharmaCielo has applied to the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") to extend the term of 9,007,200 common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") originally issued on November 20, 2020. Subject to the approval of the TSXV, the expiry dates of the Warrants will be extended as follows: Number of Warrants: 9,007,200 (today), 10,000,000 (originally issued) Original Expiry Date of Warrants: November 20, 2022 New Expiry Date of Warrants: November 20, 2024 Exercise Price of Warrants: $0.65 Appointment of BDO Canada LLP as Auditor At the request of the Company, the Board of Directors has received the resignation of MNP LLP ("MNP") as independent registered auditor of the Company and has appointed BDO Canada LLP ("BDO") as the new independent registered auditor of PharmaCielo, effective October 4, 2022, until the close of the Company's next Annual General Meeting. Additional capabilities and regional experience of BDO Canada and its component auditor BDO Colombia will provide PharmaCielo with enhanced audit committee oversight. There were no reservations in MNP's audit reports for any financial period during which MNP was the Company's auditor. There are no "reportable events" (as the term is defined in National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations) between the Company and MNP. In accordance with National Instrument 51-102, the Notice of Change of Auditor, together with the required letters from MNP and BDO, have been reviewed by the Company's Audit Committee and have been filed on SEDAR. About PharmaCielo PharmaCielo Ltd. (TSXV: PCLO, OTCQX: PCLOF) is a global company, headquartered in Canada, with a focus on ethical and sustainable cultivating, processing and supply of all natural, pharmaceutical-grade medical dried cannabis flower and cannabis products to large channel distributors. PharmaCielo's principal (and wholly owned) subsidiary is PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S., headquartered at its cultivation and processing center located in Rionegro, Colombia. The board of directors and executive team of PharmaCielo are comprised of a diversely talented group of international business executives and specialists with relevant and varied expertise. PharmaCielo recognized the significant role that Colombia's ideal location plays in building a sustainable business in the medical cannabis industry, and the Company, together with its directors and executives, is executing on a business plan focused on supplying the international marketplace. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may" or "will" be taken, occur or be completed or achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding the issuance of the debenture units, including the timing and completion of any future issuances thereof. The forward-looking statements in this news release are necessarily based on assumptions, including assumptions with respect to PharmaCielo's ability to obtain necessary approvals for the issuance of the debenture units. Forward-looking statements can be affected by known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including changes to PharmaCielo's development plans, the failure to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals relating to the export of cannabinoid products and the import of these products into other countries, TSX Venture Exchange approval, the inability to export or distribute commercial products through sales channels as anticipated due to economic or operational circumstances, risks associated with operating in Colombia, fluctuation of the market price for the Company's products, risks associated with global economic instability relating to COVID-19 or other developments, risks related to retention of key Company personnel, currency exchange risk, competition in PharmaCielo's market and other risks discussed or referred to under the heading "Risk Factors" in PharmaCielo's Annual Information Form for the financial year ended December 31, 2019, which is available at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, PharmaCielo undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. SOURCE PharmaCielo Ltd. For further information: Ian Atacan, Chief Financial Officer, +1 416-562-3220, [email protected]; Media and Investor Inquires: [email protected] WINNIPEG, MB, Oct. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - As Ukrainians bravely defend their country and our shared values of peace, democracy, and human rights, Canada remains steadfast in our support. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to support the government and people of Ukraine, and hold Russia accountable for its brutal, unjustifiable invasion. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today attended the XXVII Triennial Congress of Ukrainian Canadians in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he announced new measures to continue supporting the people of Ukraine. The Prime Minister announced that the Government of Canada will issue Ukraine Sovereignty Bonds, which will help the government continue operations, including providing essential services to Ukrainians, like pensions, and purchasing fuel before winter. The equivalent proceeds from this five-year bond will be channelled directly to Ukraine through the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Administered Account. This builds on the Government of Canada's $2 billion in financial assistance to Ukraine this year. To increase pressure on Putin's regime, the Prime Minister also announced that Canada is imposing new sanctions on individuals and entities complicit in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These new measures will target 35 senior officials of energy entities, including those of Gazprom and its subsidiaries, and six energy sector entities involved in Russia's ongoing violations of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also announced that Canada intends to impose new sanctions on members of the Russian justice and security sectors, including police officers and investigators, prosecutors, judges, and prison officials, involved in gross and systematic human rights violations against Russian opposition leaders. These new measures build on the sanctions we have already implemented against over 1,400 individuals and entities. The 39 armoured combat support vehicles (ACSVs) we announced for Ukraine in June have started to arrive in Europe, where training for the Ukrainian forces is underway, with the last expected to be delivered end of November. Since February 2022, Canada has committed over $600 million in military assistance to Ukraine. We will continue to help Ukraine meet its urgent requirements for military and defence equipment. As winter approaches, Canada will continue to be there to support the people of Ukraine. Over 17 million Ukrainians are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, and many are ill prepared for the colder months. That is why the Prime Minister announced that Canada is allocating $55 million in previously announced funding to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian partners to support winterization initiatives. This includes providing shelter and distributing essential items such as blankets, clothing, heating appliances, and fuel. Canada is also moving forward with previously budgeted $15 million in funding for demining support to Ukraine, including the procurement of urgently needed demining equipment for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine through Global Affairs Canada's Weapons Threat Reduction Program and the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program. To address the devastating impacts of Russia's invasion on Ukrainian expertise, innovation, and talent, the Prime Minister announced the launch of the Canada-Ukraine Science Partnership, which will invite up to 20 Ukraine-based scientists to come work and live in Canada. This initiative will help Ukraine preserve and rebuild its science and research capacity. Canada will continue our unwavering support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. We will continue to work with our international partners to hold Putin accountable for his illegal invasion and the war crimes and human rights violations that have been committed by his regime. Quotes "Canada and Ukraine are united not just by the strong ties between our peoples, but also by our fundamental belief in freedom, in democracy, in justice, and in the triumph of light over darkness. As Russia continues its illegal and unjustifiable aggression against Ukraine, Canada will continue to support the Ukrainian government and people. In standing up for themselves, Ukrainians are standing up for democracy everywhere." The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada "Canada remains unwavering in our commitment to support the people of Ukraine in their fight against Putin's illegal and barbaric invasion, and we will continue to do everything we can to ensure Ukraine has the resources it needs to win. Now, through a bond designated for Ukraine, Canadians can contribute to this critical effort through a new federally backed investment." The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance "Russia's disregard for human rights will not stand. President Putin's history of gross human rights abuses is well documented, and Canada is doing everything it can to support Ukrainians who have suffered at the hands of his regime. As Ukrainians continue to fight valiantly to reclaim the land that is rightfully theirs, we reaffirm our commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes." The Hon. Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs "Putin continues his unwarranted and illegal invasion of Ukraine by targeting civilian infrastructure, such as power stations and water facilities, which is a blatant attempt to further force the people of Ukraine to unjustly suffer during the coming winter months. Canada is committed to helping equip the crises-affected people with essential winterization tools and we are working with our humanitarian partners to assess the needs so that they can continue to scale up their operations and mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations." The Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada "Canada is resolutely committed to helping Ukraine defend itself against Putin's illegal and unjustifiable invasion. In recent weeks, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have made incredible progress reclaiming ground and Canada's assistance has been integral in their counter offensive. The Canadian Armed Forces have helped donate equipment, train security forces and recruits, and transport aid. We will continue to meet Ukraine's military momentum with the military aid they need to fight and win." The Hon. Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence "In response to unjustifiable Russian aggression, Canada is helping Ukraine preserve its scientific capacity. By welcoming Ukrainian scientists to Canada, we can provide meaningful and important research opportunities for individuals forced to leave behind their careers and their homes by this ongoing conflict." The Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Quick Facts Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 , Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,400 individuals and entities complicit in Putin's invasion of Ukraine . Many of these sanctions have been undertaken in coordination with Canada's allies and international partners. invasion of on , has imposed sanctions on more than 1,400 individuals and entities complicit in Putin's invasion of . Many of these sanctions have been undertaken in coordination with allies and international partners. Between 2015 and 2022, Canada trained more than 33,000 members of Ukraine's security forces as part of Operation UNIFIER. trained more than 33,000 members of security forces as part of Operation UNIFIER. The new Ukraine Sovereignty Bonds will be offered by participating financial institutions in denominations and rates of return which will be announced soon. Those who choose to invest in this bond will, in effect, be purchasing a regular Government of Canada five-year bond backed by Canada's triple-A credit rating. Canada is the first country in the world outside of Ukraine to offer a bond for purchase in support of Ukraine . five-year bond backed by triple-A credit rating. is the first country in the world outside of to offer a bond for purchase in support of . Canada has committed $2 billion in financial assistance to Ukraine this year, all of which has already been disbursed. This is in addition to nearly $1.5 billion in assistance committed, including through military aid, $320 million in humanitarian response efforts, and immigration measures. has committed $2 billion in financial assistance to this year, all of which has already been disbursed. This is in addition to nearly in assistance committed, including through military aid, in humanitarian response efforts, and immigration measures. Canada is also providing support through key international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Since the onset of Russia's illegal invasion, these three institutions have together committed more than $28 .5 billion to support Ukrainians. is also providing support through key international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Since the onset of illegal invasion, these three institutions have together committed more than .5 billion to support Ukrainians. The Canada-Ukraine Science Partnership is open to scientists and postgraduate students who have fled or are fleeing Ukraine following Russia's invasion. This includes highly qualified individuals with experience in the natural resource sectors and students who are seeking placements at Canadian academic institutions to continue their research. They are encouraged to apply through the newly created Canada-Ukraine Science Partnership website. following invasion. This includes highly qualified individuals with experience in the natural resource sectors and students who are seeking placements at Canadian academic institutions to continue their research. They are encouraged to apply through the newly created Canada-Ukraine Science Partnership website. Canada is also helping Ukrainian families find a safe, temporary home in Canada , and has put in place supports to help them after they arrive. This includes temporary financial assistance and access to federally funded settlement services, such as language training and employment-related services. is also helping Ukrainian families find a safe, temporary home in , and has put in place supports to help them after they arrive. This includes temporary financial assistance and access to federally funded settlement services, such as language training and employment-related services. Streamlining current visa and travel requirements, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel is the fastest, safest, and most efficient way for Ukrainians to come to Canada . As of October 18, 2022 , close to 315,000 applications have been approved. Associated Links This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: [email protected] Kidnappers, who abducted some passengers at the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Friday, have released one of them. Recall that some passengers we... Kidnappers, who abducted some passengers at the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Friday, have released one of them. Recall that some passengers were abducted along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Friday. One of the kidnapped victims, Princess Temilola Oyediran has regained her freedom. Princess Oyediran is one of the daughters of Onpetu of Ijeru kingdom in Oyo State, Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran. Sources from the palace noted that the palace has been informed about her release. The daughter of the monarch was released Sunday night, though it was not clear if ransom was paid before her release. The palace source said, what is important is that she came back safely. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kogi State has suspended the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Kingsley Temitope Oggah, for various ... The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kogi State has suspended the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Kingsley Temitope Oggah, for various offences ranging from misappropriation of funds, gross misconduct amongst other offences. The decision followed the Vote of no confidence passed on the Chairman by his Ward executive on August 25, 2022; where he was subsequently suspended. The ward executive then transmitted the letter of suspension to the Local Government executive, which was also forwarded to the State executive on September 9, 2022. The state executive after his meeting on Monday ratified the suspension and directed the secretary, Mr. Adaji John to take over the affairs of the party in the interim. This was contained in a statement signed by the State Deputy Chairman, Mr. MomohJimoh Sule Gomina on Monday after the state executive council meeting in Lokoja. Consequent on the development, working members of the State Executive Committee has adopted the vote of no confidence passed on him and the subsisting suspension order from the organs of the party in the state. Mr. Kingsley Temitope Oggahs suspension was due to various anti-party activities, gross misconduct, unguarded utterances aimed at bringing the image of the party to disrepute, attempts to destabilize our great party through undue negative publicity in contravention of Article 6, section 1, 2 and 4; Article 22 section 6 and Article 32 which deals with the Oath of office. Other offences are the embezzlement of money meant for the Ward office accommodation; misappropriation of funds for the just concluded primary elections, and non-payment of wards dues. The State Secretary, Comrade Adaji John has been directed to take over all property of the party in possession of the suspended chairman, as well as direct the affairs of the party in the interim. Thirteen out of the fifteen State Executive members signed for the suspension. Isa Odidi, the co-founder of Intellipharmaceutics Inc, a publicly traded company in North America, says Atiku Abubakar is the best candida... Isa Odidi, the co-founder of Intellipharmaceutics Inc, a publicly traded company in North America, says Atiku Abubakar is the best candidate to work with Nigerians in the diaspora. In a statement on Sunday, Odidi, a director mobilising support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the diaspora, said with Atiku as president, Nigerians abroad would contribute their quota to nation-building. Atiku is the best prepared and capable leader to turn around Nigeria, the Canada-based professor said. He added that if Atiku wins the presidential election, citizens in the diaspora can be encouraged and mobilised to come contribute their quota in skills, resources and governance like it happened during the Obasanjo-Atiku administration. Odidi, a presidential candidate in 2007, said it is a good move that the PDP standard bearer is seeking strategic partnerships abroad. Having officially commenced his campaign in Nigeria, it is a good idea to go shopping for strategic partnerships, since the tasks ahead will be enormous, he said. The visit is timely in the light of terrorist alerts by the US and its allies in Nigeria. The carefully selected strong delegation of His Excellency underscores the importance he attaches to foreign partnership especially the very strategic meeting he had with the State Department on Thursday. The professor said if elected, Abubakar should ensure that Nigerians in diaspora would be able to vote in 2027. Nigerians in the diaspora should be able to vote at the next round of elections after 2023. It does not look good disenfranchising millions of our compatriots who live and work overseas, to support the economy of their home country, he said. Recall that I had as far back as 2007 as a presidential candidate myself successfully led a legal battle to recognise the rights of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote and be voted for in our elections. President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja later on Monday for a routine medical checkup in London, United Kingdom (UK). Femi Ades... President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja later on Monday for a routine medical checkup in London, United Kingdom (UK). Femi Adesina, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, announced the imminent trip. He said Buhari is expected back in the country in the second week of November. President Muhammadu Buhari leaves for London, United Kingdom, October 31, 2022, for routine medical check-up, the terse statement reads. He returns to the country in the second week of November 2022. The trip is Buharis first medical checkup since March 2022 when he also travelled to the UK for the same purpose. The president spent close to two weeks in the UK during that trip, which was similarly labelled routine medical checks. While away during his last trip, Buhari had said Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would be in charge. The government is fully represented; the vice-president is there. Constitutionally, when Im away, hes in charge. And the secretary to the government and then the chief of staff. So, I have no problem, Buhari said. However, the president did not say if he sent a letter to the national assembly as required by the constitution. The last time the president sent a letter to that effect to the national assembly was in August 2018. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, called for an emergency meeting with security chiefs in Abuja. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, called for an emergency meeting with security chiefs in Abuja. According to a statement signed late Sunday by the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the meeting will further review and strengthen the security network in the country. The statement is titled President Buhari calls for emergency security meeting, postpones NASENI complex commissioning. The President, who was initially scheduled to commission the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructures new Technology and Innovation Complex, will receive briefs from the security chiefs and interject on areas that need more attention. The commissioning of the NASENI complex will hold on a later date, the statement read. Amidst the travel advisories issued by the United States and United Kingdom, Buhari had on Friday urged Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant. Buhari, who stated that Nigerians safety remains the highest priority of the government, noted that security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe. He also expressed optimism that given the ongoing efforts on the part of the military and other security and intelligence agencies with the active support of the civilian population, the nation will emerge victorious against the current challenges facing it. According to him, Nigeria is no exception in having terror threats listed in foreign governments travel advice to their citizens. UK and US travel advisories also state there is a high likelihood of terror attacks in many Western European nations. Indeed, the UK and US advice to their respective citizens for travel to one anothers countries contain the same warning. Unfortunately, terror is a reality all over the world. However, he said it does not mean an attack in Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced in and around the FCT. Heightened monitoring and interception of terrorist communications ensure potential threats are caught further upstream. Attacks are being foiled. Security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe much of their work unseen and necessarily confidential, he added. The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, OFM, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has disclosed why assassins are after him. Suleman said... The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, OFM, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has disclosed why assassins are after him. Suleman said some ministers uncomfortable with his condemnations of killings in Nigeria had offered him a bag of money. Addressing his members, the clergyman said the ministers vowed to come after him for refusing their offer. Suleman said: Some ministers called me to Abuja after I spoke against the killings on a national scale, and they sat me down, threw a bag of money, and they said to me, take this and shut up. They threw out an AK-47, they threw out a newspaper, and they said take the money or you go by these two. I told them that I did not understand what they meant. They said if I did not do that, they would make sure that in this country, I dont hold the microphone again. I said to them, I never knew what I said was actually a big deal; now I want to start talking. I said if you wanted to come for me, please you were very free to bother yourselves, because I would keep talking, and I kept on speaking. A few days ago, Apostle Suleman was attacked by unknown gunmen in Auchi area of Edo State. No fewer than seven people were killed, including three police officers during the incident. Reacting, Suleman said he knew those after his life but would not disclose their identities. Suleman also denied allegations on social media that he used the officers killed during the attack for ritual. Over the years, Apostle Suleman has been subjected to several controversies, ranging from sexual relationships with women to rituals. Governors from the south-east zone say they believe a political solution is a possiblity on the charges filed against Nnamdi Kanu, leade... Governors from the south-east zone say they believe a political solution is a possiblity on the charges filed against Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Dave Umahi, chairman of the south-east governors forum, said this on Sunday after a meeting of the governors in Enugu. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Dave Umahi, and Okezie Ikpeazu governors of Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia held a closed-door meeting in Enugu on Sunday. We believe that a political solution is still possible in this circumstance, the governors said. On October 24, the court of appeal had reserved ruling in an application by the federal government, seeking to stay the execution of a judgment which discharged Kanu of terrorism charges. A federal high court in Umuahia, Abia state, had subsequently ordered the federal government to return Kanu to Kenya. In the suit filed through his counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu had challenged his extradition from Kenya by the agents of the federal government. The IPOB leader had claimed that he was kidnapped from Kenya by the federal government. Speaking further on Sunday, Umahi said the governors took a decision to set up 24-hour patrol on highways in the south-east as part of efforts to address kidnappings and killings. South-east governors decried the state of insecurity in the [zone], while kidnapping and wanton killing have become the order of the day, he added. The governors also agreed to pool funds to assist victims of flooding in the zone, just as they urged the federal government to provide support to aid south-east residents. We request the federal government to come to the aid of the victims in terms of rehabilitation of the internally-displaced persons, he said. Meanwhile, at the meeting, Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, and Hope Uzodimma, Imo governor, were represented by their deputies Onyekachukwu Ibezim and Placid Njoku respectively. 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 The juicy, rusty-red, pepper-shot Creole hot sausage that Vance Vaucresson makes by hand goes into lengths of Leidenheimer bread for po-boys, just like the ones his family has served countless times at Jazz Fest for the past half century. These days, the same robustly-flavored hot links also go onto tasting platters with other varieties, like crawfish sausage and jerk chicken sausage, with an array of accoutrements and mustards made in house. The sausage gets blended with red beans for a unique dip, and its sliced and planted over a cheddar- and onion-covered beef patty for a special burger with extra snap and deep Creole flavor. These are some of the first tastes youll find at the new Vaucressons Creole Cafe and Deli in the Seventh Ward. Julie and Vance Vaucresson opened the doors here late in October after a journey that stretches to the dark days after Hurricane Katrina. Vaucresson sausage has been a continuous part of the landscape of Creole flavor in New Orleans for generations, though it was laid low by the levee failures in 2005. Its long-time butcher shop and production facility on St. Bernard Avenue were wrecked, and attempts to bring it back stalled out through the years. Vance Vaucresson kept the business going, however, using other facilities and making sure these flavors remained in rotation, by direct order and at events. Community support and encouragement kept the enterprise going and the wheels turning toward a full reopening. There were layers of conflict between us getting here, but at every step there was someone saying how they needed us to come back, how they needed to get this sausage again," Vaucresson said. A Creole hub Vaucresson opened the new Vaucressons Creole Cafe & Deli at the former butcher shop's original address. He brought it together with a partnership that includes the nonprofit Crescent City Community Land Trust, Liberty Bank and Edgar Chase IV, chef at his familys famous Dooky Chases Restaurant. While the footprint is the same, the structure is a complete rebuild and has been thoroughly redesigned along modern lines. Vaucresson is on a mission and he sees the shop and cafe as a hub to propel it. Its all about telling the story of our Creole culture and how so much of that comes through food and families, and thats what you can connect here, he said. People out there are yearning for those connections to what once was. While the doors are open now and the sausage po-boys are coming off the grill, this new cafe is making its debut in stages. Right now its serving lunch only while production ramps up and some finishing touches to the cafe take shape. Vaucresson is working towards a scheduled grand opening on Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving. He plans to gradually expand the menu from its current slate of po-boys, burgers and appetizers to include more plates and home-style dishes. He also plans to expand hours and hopes to eventually add breakfast. Befitting a heritage business entering a new chapter, the cafe has a modern feel with many touchpoints to the past. Reclaimed millwork flank an interior lined with large windows looking out on St. Bernard Avenue. From a seat at the diner counter you can watch Vaucresson make the next batch of hot sausage, just like he watched his own father and grandfather back in the day. Links to the past Vaucresson traces the roots of his family business back to Levinsky Vaucresson, who emigrated to New Orleans from France in 1899. Trained as a butcher, he had a stall at the St. Bernard Market, then part of a network of public food markets. That market later developed into Circle Food Store, a one-of-a-kind grocery and community hub just two blocks from where Vaucressons is located today. The butcher shop business was passed from one generation to the next and evolved through the years. By 1967 Vance's father, Robert "Sonny" Vaucresson Sr. had also opened a restaurant called Vaucresson's Creole Cafe on Bourbon Street, in what later became part of Pat O'Brien's. It was a rare example of a Black-owned business in the French Quarter in that era. When the first Jazz Fest got underway in Congo Square, just outside the French Quarter, Vaucresson's Creole Cafe was one of the vendors that festival organizer George Wein tapped to showcase the flavors of New Orleans for the crowd. Those early crowds were small, but the family stuck with the festival and is now the only food vendor to be part of every Jazz Fest. The opening menu at Vaucresson's Creole Cafe & Deli has a range of sausage po-boys (Creole hot and Creole chicken, Italian, crawfish, jerk chicken), a shrimp po-boy, the sausage-topped Creole burger, sides like onion rings and fries and appetizers including red beans and sausage dip, boudin balls and a sausage sampler platter. The deli also stocks a selection of fresh sausage to cook at home. Vaucressons Creole Cafe & Deli 1800 St. Bernard Ave., (504) 267-3850 Initial hours: Tue.-Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. +14 With garlic butter and brotherhood, Dees Xquisite Seafood expands to New Orleans East It started with a three-part recipe and the kind of grind that propels a good idea from the backyard to the street to a full-time restaurant. +24 On the Andouille Trail, exploring a River Parishes obsession link by link With a hint of fall in the air and the cane standing tall in the fields all around his butcher shop La Bon Boucon, Lester Folse knew he was in THUMBS UP Louisianas Department of Natural Resources cleared the way for a $100 million delayed settlement from mining company Freeport-McMoRan to finally go to coastal parishes for restoration work. The company agreed to the settlement in 2019 for its part in causing damages to the coast. But four parishes did not sign on to the settlement, preferring to work with oil and gas companies on voluntary restoration projects, deadlocking the process until the state stepped in to sign the deal. THUMBS DOWN The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled 5-2 that a ban on split jury verdicts will not apply retroactively, effectively denying new trials to around 1,500 people convicted under the Jim Crow-era practice. Louisianans in 2018 voted to abolish split-jury verdicts, and the U.S. Supreme Court found nonunanimous verdicts unconstitutional in 2020. The ruling only applied proactively, leaving the retroactivity issue to the state. The state Supreme Courts decision now leaves few options for those previously convicted by nonunanimous juries. THUMBS DOWN AT&T and other internet companies are regularly providing service to customers in predominately Black and Latino neighborhoods of New Orleans at slower service speeds than but at the same price as those in mostly white neighborhoods, according to an investigation by The Markup. The nonprofit newsroom looked at more than 800,000 internet service offers from AT&T, Verizon, Earthlink and CenturyLink and found the practice happening all over the country, but more so in New Orleans. OS 35 GPA and HMGoG Agree to Implement Resolves Heavy Weather Plan The Gibraltar Port Authority, in anticipation of adverse weather conditions that are expected in Gibraltar this weekend, have agreed to the implementation of Resolves (the salvors) Heavy Weather Plan for the OS 35. In agreeing to the plan proposed by Resolve, the GPA and HMGoG sought the advice of an independent salvage expert on the best course of action. The GPA has briefed local media, the residents of Catalan Bay and the Spanish authorities on the planned operation as interested parties, on the details of the plan and consulted on alternatives to it to ensure that the plan is the best plan available. The GPA and HMGoG are confident that the plan proposed by Resolve is the best course of action to secure the vessel in place as far as possible, minimise the potential for pollution and give the salvors the best chance of recovering the vessel efficiently and as quickly as possible going forward. CURRENT POSITION The GPAs independent salvage expert has advised that the OS 35 is, by definition, already sunk. The ship itself can be considered as 2 pieces. A forward section, which has a length of 73m, and an aft section of 105m long. The 2 sections are still connected together by cracked, bent and buckled steel. However, the structural integrity of the hull has totally failed. Approximately, the forward three-quarters of the ship are damaged and flooded with water. Its position in shallow water means that the forward two-thirds of the ship are resting heavily on the sandy seabed. The aft section, where there is added buoyancy from the dry cargo hold 5 and engine room, is still lifted from the seabed by several meters. This section is light enough to be moved and twisted by the forces of nature during heavy weather, whilst the forward section cannot move anymore. POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF ADVERSE WEATHER If the vessel is left in its current position throughout the weekends heavy weather, it is possible that it could suffer further damage and risk pollution from un-pumpable fuel residues and debris from furniture and loose items that cannot be removed from the ship on time. In heavy weather, any fuel residues and debris that escape from the vessel cannot be contained. Leaving the vessel in its current position through the incoming heavy weather could also result in the aft section being moved in an uncontrolled manner to a position that makes further salvage and recovery operations more technically difficult and less efficient. STABILISING THE AFT SECTION Resolves Heavy Weather Plan involves lowering the aft section of the OS 35 in a controlled manner so that it also rests firmly on the sandy seabed, in advance of the arrival of heavy weather. This will stabilise the aft section so that it cannot move and twist with the movements of the sea swell, tide and wind. This will prevent further damage to the vessel and protect the environment as far as possible from potential pollution from un-pumpable fuel residues and debris. The risk of pollution can never be eliminated entirely. Stabilising the aft section provides the salvors with the best possible chance of continuing with the recovery operation successfully and efficiently going forward. CONTROLLED LOWERING The Gibraltar Port Authority and HMGoG have agreed that the controlled lowering of the aft section should be conducted on Friday, before the arrival of heavy weather at the weekend. The salvors intend to remove all floating, loose items from the vessel and secure the hatches. The potential environmental impacts of pollution that may occur during the operation will be mitigated with the boom that surrounds the vessel. Salvors will then lower the aft section to the seabed by allowing water to enter cargo hold 5 and the engine room in a controlled manner. Once the operation is complete, all booms surrounding the vessel and at beaches will be removed in order to prevent them from damage in the heavy weather. The Captain of the Port, John Ghio, said: The plan proposed by Resolve to stabilise the aft section on the seabed is the best option available to prevent further damage to the vessel and pollution that is likely to occur in heavy weather. This controlled operation provides an opportunity to mitigate any environmental impacts from pollution and floating debris, which we would otherwise be unable to contain in heavy weather. The GPA and the Department of the Environment, together with our partner agencies, will monitor the vessel constantly throughout the heavy weather in order to mobilise any cleanup operations as quickly as it is safe to do so. On 27 October 2022 the WCO conducted its second regional consultation on WCO modernization, this time with the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region. Twelve Member administrations and the Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) for ESA participated in this fully virtual consultation. The ESA regional consultation was chaired jointly by the regional Vice-Chair, Mr. Batsirai Chadzingwa of Zimbabwe, and WCO Deputy Secretary General Mr. Ricardo Trevino Chapa. The discussions focused again on seven specific issues, identified from an initial diagnostic prepared by the Secretariat concerning the current internal situation of the Organization and potential improvements for moving towards overall WCO modernization. The participants from the ESA region showed a keen interest in the matters presented and actively participated in the deliberations. They expressed their agreement with the diagnostic presented by the Secretariat, providing further input to refine its findings. In particular, they shared the view that a performance measurement culture was needed to enhance accountability and support proper decision-making. They also recognized the importance of bringing greater consistency to the management structure of the WCO Secretariat, projects and regional entities, in order to move the Organization forward from a silo mentality to a cohesive whole, driven by the same processes and goals, in line with the WCO Strategic Plan. In his concluding remarks, the Vice-Chair for the ESA region acknowledged the crucial importance of the work undertaken by the Secretariat in cooperation with Members, noting that the items under discussion were paramount for the WCOs future. The Deputy Secretary General thanked the ESA region for a productive and enriching session and welcomed the many ideas put forward. He recalled that the quality of the regional consultation initiative undertaken by the Secretariat depended in large part on Members contributions and insight. The WCO Modernization Plan is one of the key deliverables specified in the Strategic Plan 2022-2025 for responding to the needs identified in the Focus Area Governance and accountability. These regional consultations will be pursued, with the objective of presenting a Modernization Plan to the Policy Commission and Council in June 2023 for endorsement. Elton John rocketed toward retirement at Dodger Stadium. He played the last of a three-night stand in Los Angeles at a concert Sunday night, and emerged for his encores in a bedazzled, Dodger-themed bathrobe. It was a callback to the sequined Dodgers uniform he wore at his historic concerts at the stadium in 1975. The two-hour show ended with a rousing rendition of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road that left some in the crowd of more than 50,000 in tears. John brought his husband and two young sons to the stage before the final song and told the audience, saying spending time with them is why I'm retiring. GARY A man was found shot to death Friday inside a residence in the city's Glen Park section, Cmdr. Jack Hamady said. Gary police were dispatched around 7 p.m. to a house in the 4300 block of Kentucky Street for a report of a gunshot victim. Officers arrived and found the man, who had several apparent gunshot wounds and was unresponsive, Hamady said. The Lake County coroner's office had not yet released the man's name. Several people were in the house when officers arrived and were questioned by detectives, Hamady said. The shooting is believed to be an isolated event. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sgt. Antwan Jakes of the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit, 219-755-3855. To remain anonymous, call 866-274-6347. CROWN POINT A jury trial was scheduled to begin Monday for a man accused of stabbing a girlfriend and causing the death of his child, who was born premature in 2017 while the mother was being treated for her wounds. Austin A. Mendez, 28, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, attempted murder and aggravated battery. He's been in custody since July 2018. His case has been complicated by the death of the child's mother, Latricia Lacey, in May 2021 from causes unrelated to Mendez. Mendez is accused of repeatedly stabbing his pregnant girlfriend Aug. 6, 2017, while they were walking in the 500 block of Taney Street in Gary. She was taken to a Chicago hospital. Isaiah Lacey, the child Mendez allegedly fathered by Latricia Lacey, was born brain dead Aug. 11, 2017, according to court records. Latricia Lacey survived the stabbing, but Isaiah died Aug. 28, 2017, after he was taken off life support. The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled Isaiah's death a homicide resulting from "complications of prematurity due to maternal assault." Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas previously granted the state's motion to declare Latricia Lacey unavailable for trial, allowing for the jury to be shown her testimony from previous court proceedings. During a pretrial hearing Thursday, Deputy Prosecutors Infiniti Westberg and Christopher Bruno and defense attorney Scott King discussed other evidence that could be presented to the jury. Jurors likely will hear at least part of a 911 call made by a passer-by who found Latricia Lacey lying wounded in a front yard. King requested data from Latricia Lacey's cellphone be excluded, because prosecutors only recently provided him with 5,000 pages of information and he had a limited amount of time to review it. Westberg said the mother's cellphone data was obtained in 2019, but the Gary Police Department lost the information when the city's computer system was hacked. Westberg objected to exclusion as an extreme remedy, but said she didn't foresee using Latricia Lacey's cellphone data at trial. Cappas denied King's motion to for exclusion, but he ordered prosecutors to provide King with information if they decide to use the phone data. CROWN POINT A judge granted prosecutors motion to stay trial court proceedings Friday and appointed a public defender to represent a babysitter while the state appeals a decision to set aside her conviction in the death of an infant more than six years ago. Trisha Woodworth, 32, of Calumet Township, was found guilty in July of one count of neglect of a dependent in the 2016 death of 8-month-old Maci Moor. The jury acquitted Woodworth of two felony battery counts after a two-week trial. However, Judge Samuel Cappas set aside Woodworths conviction in September, finding that her attorney was ineffective at trial. Cappas said it would be a manifest injustice to sentence Woodworth to a minimum of 20 years in prison for waiting less than 10 minutes to call for an ambulance when Maci became unresponsive April 15, 2016. Experts for the defense testified that Maci likely suffered a stroke that day as a result of a blood clot that formed after she fell April 11, 2016, at her family home in Hammond while playing with a jump-a-roo toy. The states expert testified that Maci died from shaken baby syndrome. After setting aside Woodworths conviction, Cappas recused himself from the case. Woodworth appeared Friday before Senior Judge Kathleen Lang, who was sitting for Judge Natalie Bokota. Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Randall renewed a previous request to set bond for Woodworth, saying she could pose a flight risk during the states appeal. All indications from jail phone calls were that Ms. Woodworth wasnt a real fan of being in the jail, he said. Lang asked: And who would be a fan? Woodworths attorney, Harold Hagberg, said Cappas ordered Woodworth released from jail in September on her own recognizance and objected to the issue being reconsidered by a new judge. Woodworth appeared in court as ordered more than 45 times and never once missed an appearance, Hagberg said. Lang said nothing in the law prevented the state from asking the court to reconsider bail. She granted the states request and set Woodworths bail at $5,000 surety or $500 cash. The judge allowed Woodworth to turn herself in at the Lake County Jail after court and post the bond. A notice of appeal was filed Thursday with the Indiana Court of Appeals, records showed. MICHIGAN CITY A 31-year-old felon was nabbed Sunday driving with a loaded handgun within reach, Michigan City police said. Devon Todd of Michigan City was caught by officers who were taking part in operation Street Hawk, a patrol saturation targeting gun violence and illegal drugs in the city. After officers watched a vehicle commit multiple traffic violations along the north side of the city, they initiated a stop in the parking lot of Galveston Steakhouse, 10 Commerce Square. A search of the vehicle revealed the loaded handgun in the area where Todd had been sitting. These same officers learned during their field investigation that Todd was prohibited from possessing a handgun, so he was subsequently arrested for Serious Violent Felon in Possession of a Firearm, a Level 4 felony, police said. Todd was taken to the LaPorte County Jail and given a $25,005 cash-only bond. MICHIGAN CITY Runners will take to the streets and trails of Ogden Dunes on Saturday for the annual Dunes Dash. All money raised will be used to support Save the Dunes mission to advocate for the health and vitality of Northwest Indianas local environment and community. This years race with a virtual participation option is sponsored by Castle Subaru and Castle Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM; the Kids Fun Run sponsor is UnitedHealthCare. We are so thrilled to add our 2K Kids Fun Run to this years Dunes Dash and encourage everyone, young or old, running pro or novice, to get active outside, said Betsy Maher, executive director for Save the Dunes. Running and walking are two of the many ways to experience our local environment. Like exercise, we know that spending time in nature is good for the mind and body, which is why its so fitting to dash for our dunes. Dunes Dash is back in person after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus. Like a lot of things we learned during the pandemic, running a race can look different, too, which is why we are excited to continue offering a virtual participation option, Maher said. Whether you plan to join us virtually or in person this year, we are excited to use exercise as a way to connect people with nature and encourage people to be active outside. Save the Dunes was formed under the call to action to save the dunes through the establishment of a National Park. In 1966, the National Lakeshore (now named a National Park) was established, and since then it has been Save the Dunes mission to ensure its protection through advocacy, conservation efforts and community engagement. Advance registration is open at savedunes.org. Race-day registration is available for an additional charge. For the second time in two years, a term-limit proposal is on the ballot in Lynwood. The referendum on the Nov. 8 ballot calls for the villages mayor, clerk and trustees to be able to serve no more than four four-year terms beginning with the 2025 election cycle. According to state law, the term limits would be prospective, which means the clock would not start ticking until the 2025 election in this case. This proposal comes on the heels of a March 2020 measure that capped officials at two terms prospectively. That referendum passed by a margin of 81% to 19%. Lynwood Mayor Jada Curry, who was elected in 2021 after defeating four-term incumbent Eugene Williams in the Democratic primary, supports the expanded term limits. The (2020 proposal) was a decision made by the previous administration without really much conversation, said Curry, who was a trustee before being elected mayor. Where we came to with this referendum I came in with (the village in) millions of dollars in debt. ... One thing we knew is, it takes time ... two terms is not enough to turn this thing around. Four terms is, I think, enough time. Curry said there is some scuttlebutt on social media pushing a no vote on the referendum and to keep the shorter term limits. But she said she hopes a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Southland Center, 10 Southland Drive in Lynwood, will help to persuade residents to support the new proposal. I want to make sure people understand, even with term limits, its still the voters choice, Curry said. Voters in the southeast suburbs and Chicagos Southeast Side also will make their choices in a variety of federal, state and county races on Nov. 8. U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, a Democrat from Matteson, is seeking her sixth term. Also running is Republican Thomas Lynch. Two local state senators, Democrats Napoleon Harris III and Elgie Sims Jr., are running unopposed in the 15th and 17th districts, respectively. Three state representatives also are running for reelection: Democrats Thaddeus Jones (who also is Calumet Citys mayor), Marcus Evans Jr. and Nicholas Nick Smith in the 29th, 33rd and 34th districts, respectively. Their Republican opponents are Jeffrey Coleman, Quintin Barton and Frederick L. Walls. In high-profile Cook County races, Democrats Toni Preckwinkle and Thomas Dart are running for reelection as board president and sheriff, respectively. Republican Bob Fioretti, a former Democratic alderman in Chicago, and Libertarian Thea Tsatsos also are running for board president, while Republican Lupe Aguirre and Libertarian Brad Sandefur also are on the ballot for sheriff. VALPARAISO Honor, courage, and commitment. Those U.S. Marine Corps values have now been passed on to the graduates of the Dunes Young Marines. The local group, the only Hoosier unit north of Indianapolis, held its initial graduation Sunday at American Legion Post 94. Of six young people in the local program, three graduated Sunday. Dan Tolson, unit commander for Dunes Young Marines, said graduation marks the end of training for recruits and recognizes their progress in the program. Young Marines believes in the power of young people," said Tolson, an ex-Marine. Leadership is one of the three core values of the Young Marines, and the goal of the organization is to provide a leadership culture that offers the finest youth training. Graduating were Pfc. Bryce Yagelski, 16, of Chesterton, Pvt. Xander Reeves, 14, of Valparaiso, and Pvt. Sayuki Lopez, 10, of Joliet, Ill. This feels really good, said Yaelski, a junior at Chesterton High School. This program requires a lot of teamwork and effort on everyones part. Its shown me how we have to rely on each other. I was pretty nervous, but I feel good, said Reeves, a freshman at Washington Township High School. You get a lot of opportunities to learn stuff, and thats always exciting. Lopez is a fourth grader at Jefferson Elementary in Joliet. With encouragement from older sister Yamy, Lopez learned to be grateful for everything. I learned that leadership and discipline re good. Also in the program is another sibling, Arumy, 15, a student at Joliet West High School, along with Adrian Verrazzano, of Gary, and James Wilson, a new recruit, from Valparaiso. As Tolson explained, Young Marines requires a minimum of 26 hours of training, but this first group went longer. Occasionally the Dunes group trained with Fox Valley Young Marines from Elgin, Ill. Learning activities include a challenge course and regimental encampment. The challenge course required recruits to work as a team. Encampment activities included land navigation, map and compass, swimming, marksmanship and fire watch. Despite its military background, Young Marines is not a recruiting tool for the Marines. The mission of Young Marines is to provide quality youth development programs for boys and girls that nurture and develop its members into responsible citizens who enjoy and promote healthy, drug-free lifestyles. Open to youth ages 8 years through the completion of high school, Young Marines requires that the potential recruit is in good standing at school. Founded in 1959 in Waterbury, Ct., with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown 238 units involving 10,000 young people and 3,000 adult volunteers in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and several countries. Sundays graduation audience included members of various military organizations and family members. Yamy Lopez recruited her younger sisters because I wanted them to have the experiences I had. Young Marines changed my life and I want (her sisters) to see they can do anything in life they work for. Dane Yagelski, Bryces father, said, I couldnt be prouder. Hes taking on the role of leadership. Im super proud, said Gayle Yagelski, Bryce's mother. Brandy Campollattara, Reeves mother, added, Its a shock. I never know what to expect from him. Campolattara added that her son, a straight-A student, is already preparing for college as an underclassman. Sgt. Robert Garcia of the USMC recruiting substation in Valparaiso, presented Reeves with the Marines Semper Fi Award. While addressing recruits, Garcia said the skills and leadership training they receive through Young Marines will set you apart in the long run and make them into a better quality individual. Stick with it, and it will set you up for success. In one popular TikTok video, Ms. Blake is trying to record when Emmanuel appears in the frame, apparently intent on pecking Ms. Blakes phone. Emmanuel, dont do it, Ms. Blake said in the video, speaking like a parent addressing a misbehaving child. It worked. Emmanuel didnt peck the phone and, as a side benefit, he became an internet celebrity. The Washington Post interviewed him in July. (Ms. Blake answered questions via Zoom while Emmanuel looked on.) Ms. Blake appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In a clip on YouTube titled, Jimmy Dont Do It, Ms. Blake yells at Mr. Fallon as if he were her emu. More recently, Knuckle Bump Farms had a second, darker viral moment when Ms. Blake announced on Twitter that her flock had been struck with what appeared to be avian influenza, or bird flu. Our farm was heavily impacted by wild geese bringing in AI, and we lost 99% of the birds on our farm, Ms. Blake tweeted on Oct. 15. We lost every single chicken and duck on our farm. We lost all of our geese. We lost our 2 female black swans. We lost both of our turkeys, she added in another tweet. There are two types of avian influenza: low pathogenic and highly pathogenic, which describes how severe the virus is in poultry. A highly pathogenic strain known as H5N1, which is highly contagious and often fatal to poultry, has spread rapidly through the United States this year. (Although the virus currently poses little risk to the general public, it can infect people who are in close contact with birds.) Cases in birds spiked last spring, but settled down over the summer. Now that fall migration has begun, with our migratory birds coming back from all points, north down into the lower 48 and actually all the way to South America, now its very clear that migratory waterfowl have brought more of this virus back with them, said Bryan Richards, the emerging disease coordinator at the National Wildlife Health Center, which is part of the U.S. Geological Survey. On top of defining diversity in a way that fails to fully appreciate Asian American stories, Harvard and U.N.C. have never seriously tried to meet this burden. Consider Harvard first. Americas oldest and most storied private university argues that it has given serious consideration to race-neutral alternatives for promoting diversity, including Students for Fair Admissions suggestion that it eliminate preferences for legacies and the children of donors, faculty members and staff members and increase its preferences for low-income applicants. Harvard, however, has suggested that these ideas are not workable because they would lead to a decline in African American enrollment. The District Court, however, acknowledged that despite forming committees intended to study race-neutral alternatives beginning in 2014, Harvard did not actually do so until 2017, three years after Students for Fair Admissions filed its complaint. Whats more, Students for Fair Admissions has demonstrated that under its proposed race-neutral alternative, white enrollment would decrease, while combined African American and Hispanic admissions would rise slightly, Asian American admissions would increase, and socioeconomic diversity would skyrocket. Yet even if this proposed race-neutral alternative did not achieve current levels of racial diversity on Harvards campus, that would not render it unworkable. Per the courts holdings in Grutter and Fisher, race-neutral alternatives need to work only about as well. U.N.C. is in no better position. Similarly to Harvard, it has said that it cannot replace its race-conscious admissions program with a race-neutral one. Doing so, it claims, might impede future efforts to achieve more racial diversity. But it is not clear why that would happen at U.N.C. As Justice Samuel Alito pointed out in his dissent on the Fisher case, at the University of Texas at Austin, a higher proportion of Black, Hispanic and Asian American students were admitted under race-neutral means in 2004 than race-conscious ones in 1996. And Richard Sander, a University of California, Los Angeles, law professor, has shown that adopting race-neutral admissions policies may lead to improved outcomes for racial minorities. Hes noted, for instance, that after replacing race-conscious admissions with race-neutral ones in the University of California system, the number of Black and Hispanic students receiving bachelors degrees rose significantly. (The University of California systems leadership, however, has filed an amicus brief in the cases against Harvard and U.N.C. saying that race-neutral policies have been inadequate to achieve the educational benefits of diversity. It acknowledges that the U.C. system as a whole is very diverse but says that diversity on individual campuses is lacking.) Justice Powell was right in that diversity writ large could enhance higher education. A student from a small town in Idaho, one who was a pianist, another who grew up in poverty and a fourth whose family immigrated to America from South Asia could each bring a unique perspective to campus and help further learning both in and out of the classroom. Unfortunately, racial preferences have made higher education admissions such that these examples of diversity are not necessarily considered by universities to be the kinds of diversity they seek out. Race-neutral alternatives are the remedy. Renu Mukherjee is a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. As such, Alfies problem is not so much the love that dare not speak its name as the personality that wont shut up. Hes a classic, bossy theatrical misfit, accepted (if only he believed it) at least as much for his oddness as despite it. On the bus each day, he reads poetry to delighted riders, and tries to bring culture even to the handsome young driver he calls, after Wildes reckless lover, Bosie as if the name Robbie Fay werent sufficient. At home, though, Alfie locks his bedroom door against the curious eyes of his older sister, Lily, who somehow has not guessed his secret. Lily (Mare Winningham) hopes to marry their neighbor, the butcher Carney (Thom Sesma), but will not do so until her brother is settled. So when Alfie takes an interest in Adele Rice, a new passenger on his bus, Lily tries to push them together, not understanding that Alfies interest is purely artistic. He wants Adele (Shereen Ahmed) to play the lead in his new St. Imeldas production, Wildes highly inappropriate Salome, with its forbidden lust and immodest dancing. The film tells this story straightforwardly if ploddingly, as if it were a bus route. We know from the start that Carney, being a butcher and also a ham, will undermine Salome, in which he can only play a minor role. And we know that Adele is not the virginal princess Alfie imagines, nor Robbie fated to be the kissable Jokanaan. The musical paradoxically produces a more streamlined and unpredictable experience by giving it a more ornate frame: McNallys book imagines Alfies story as a production put on by his St. Imelda Players. This allows Flaherty and Ahrens to customize song forms to suit each moment and explore genres that fit the milieu cue the fiddle and uilleann pipes. Though this occasionally produces some stage Irish mush, it also produces some first-rate musical storytelling in numbers like Books, in which Lily and Carney sniff at Alfies suspicious habits, and The Streets of Dublin, in which Robbie (A.J. Shively) drags Alfie out for a high-spirited night on the town. Its a sign of course correction and of ordinary Americans finally having a say in how many lives are tragically lost to the tragedy of abortion, she said. Detailed information about how many abortions are performed in the United States has typically taken years to collect and publish. WeCount was created to provide more real-time data from a more comprehensive group of providers. Because the WeCount data is new, it cannot compare abortion numbers this summer from those last summer. Studies suggest that abortion typically follows a seasonal pattern, peaking in February and March before declining in summer months. Some of the measured decline may also reflect such trends. The changes were calculated by comparing the number of legal abortions in the months after the decision with the number of abortions provided in April. At that time, Texas had already imposed a major abortion restriction, and abortion was difficult to get in other states, but it was still legal in all 50 states. WeCount also found that abortions nationwide increased in the two-month period after the draft of the Supreme Court decision was leaked but before Roe was overturned, perhaps indicating that some women were seeking abortions earlier in pregnancy than they might have otherwise, or that clinics were expanding capacity in preparation for bans. Studies of previous abortion restrictions have shown that while some women without access to a nearby clinic travel long distances to obtain abortions, many do not. The typical abortion patient is poor, unmarried and a mother. And the women who are most affected by bans are those who struggle with the cost and logistical challenges of interstate travel, including transportation, lodging, child care and time off work. Some of these states where abortion was banned Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, for example are some of the poorest states in our country, and people would have to cross multiple state lines to get to another state where abortion remains legal, said Kari White, who studies reproductive health at the University of Texas at Austin and is on WeCounts research committee. Even for the people who make it to another state, this is a hardship. The attack on Ms. Pelosis husband, Paul Pelosi, on Friday, which left him with a fractured skull and appeared to be part of a planned attack on the speaker herself, came after a yearslong campaign by Republicans to demonize and dehumanize Ms. Pelosi in increasingly ugly ways. For the better part of two decades, Republicans have targeted Ms. Pelosi, the most powerful woman in American politics, as the most sinister Democratic villain of all, making her the evil star of their advertisements and fund-raising appeals in hopes of animating their core supporters. The language and images have helped to fuel the flames of anger at Ms. Pelosi on the right, fanned increasingly in recent years by a toxic stew of conspiracy theories and misinformation that has thrived on the internet and social media, with little pushback from elected Republicans. Ms. Pelosi is now one of the most threatened members of Congress in the country. After the grisly assault on Mr. Pelosi, 82, many Republican lawmakers and leaders denounced the violence, but hardly any spoke out against the brutal political discourse that has given rise to an unprecedented wave of threats against elected officials. Most instead tried to link the incident to rising crime rates across the country that the party has made a centerpiece of its campaign message ahead of the midterm elections that are just days away. You cant say people saying, Lets fire Pelosi or Lets take back the House is saying, Go do violence. Its just unfair, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said on Fox News Sunday. And I think we all need to recognize violence is up across the board. Yet it is clear that the targeting of Ms. Pelosi, who was not at home during the attack, was not random violence. The suspect, David DePape, 42, who is accused of yelling Where is Nancy? after entering the couples home, had zip ties with him when he entered the home, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation. He appears to have been obsessed with right-wing conspiracy theories, including false claims about the 2020 election being stolen and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, as well as concerns about pedophilia, anti-white racism and elite control of the internet. Ms. Pelosi in recent years has been a leading character in such viral falsehoods about Democratic misdeeds, including QAnon, and Republican leaders have blamed her groundlessly for the Jan. 6 attack. Follow our live coverage of the 2022 midterm elections for the latest news and updates. Gov. Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams, who would like to replace him, met Sunday night for one of the last major televised debates of the 2022 midterm election cycle, and the Georgia showdown delivered an hour heavy on substance and light on political fireworks and viral moments. Mr. Kemp, a Republican who narrowly defeated Ms. Abrams, a Democrat, in 2018, holds a durable lead of 5 to 10 percentage points in public and private polling, a status that was evident throughout their discussion. Mr. Kemp took few chances, stuck to his talking points about how Ms. Abrams has spent the years since their last contest and tried to sell Georgia voters on how good they have things now. Ms. Abrams, as she has done throughout her campaign, pressed a message that prosperity in Mr. Kemps Georgia has not been shared equally. Under an Abrams administration, she said, Black people and women would have more input into their relationship with the government or in the case of abortion rights, pushing the government away from any relationship at all. A simple but alarming question hung over Brazils election: Would President Jair Bolsonaro accept the results? For months, Mr. Bolsonaro attacked Brazils electronic voting machines as rife with fraud despite no credible evidence. He suggested that he would dispute any loss that showed signs of cheating. He tried to enlist Brazils military in his battle. And he told his tens of millions of supporters to prepare for a fight. If need be, he said in a June speech, we will go to war. One of the worlds largest democracies is now bracing for the possibility of its president refusing to step down because of fraud allegations that could be difficult to disprove. Yet, according to interviews with dozens of Bolsonaro administration officials, military generals, federal judges, election authorities, members of Congress and foreign diplomats, the people in power in Brazil feel confident that while Mr. Bolsonaro could dispute the elections results, he lacked the institutional support to stage a successful coup. BRASILIA Voters in Brazil on Sunday ousted President Jair Bolsonaro after just one term and elected the leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to replace him, election officials said, a rebuke to Mr. Bolsonaros far-right movement and his divisive four years in office. The victory completes a stunning political revival for Mr. da Silva from the presidency to prison and back that had once seemed unthinkable. It also ends Mr. Bolsonaros turbulent time as the regions most powerful leader. It was the first time an incumbent president failed to win re-election in the 34 years of Brazils modern democracy. For years, he attracted global attention for policies that accelerated the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and exacerbated the pandemic, which left nearly 700,000 dead in Brazil, while also becoming a major international figure of the far right for his brash attacks on the left, the media and Brazils democratic institutions. More recently, his efforts to undermine Brazils election system drew particular concern at home and abroad, as well as worldwide attention to Sundays vote as an important test for one of the worlds largest democracies. The polls have closed in Brazils high-stakes presidential election. Now here is what to expect next. Because Brazil is the only country in the world that uses a fully electronic voting system, the counting of ballots has historically happened relatively quickly, particularly for a country so vast. Election officials said on Sunday that they hoped to be able to call the contest by 7 p.m. Eastern time. At hundreds of thousands of polling stations across the country, officials aggregate the vote results from each voting machine and transmit those tallies to the federal election agency in Brasilia, the nations capital. On Sunday, all polling stations will close at the same time, though the country is spread across three time zones. Yet the results will trickle in over several hours and, significantly, the early returns are expected to skew toward President Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right incumbent. The Amazon rainforest in Brazil has experienced sharply increasing levels of illegal deforestation and mining, violence against environmental activists and Indigenous people and a loosening of environmental enforcement under the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro. The future of the rainforest became a pressing issue as Brazilians headed to the polls in Sundays presidential runoff. Candidates, whether they like it or not, are having to express their views about the Amazon, said Natalie Unterstell, the head of Talanoa, a climate policy research institute in Brazil. The Amazon places Brazil in world geopolitics. It is where we make a difference. The destruction of the Amazon rainforest, the worlds largest rainforest with 60 percent of its area inside Brazil, poses a threat to the Earths climate since the Amazon helps keep tens of billions of tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. World leaders on Sunday urged Russia to reconsider its suspension of an agreement that allowed the export of grain trapped by the war in Ukrainian ports, warning that Moscows decision could unleash dire consequences on a hungry planet. In the short term, experts said Sunday, Russias action could prompt a rise in global grain prices when markets open on Monday. That would be particularly painful for countries whose governments lack the means to subsidize basic foodstuffs. But should Russia stick to the decision and continue blocking shipments from Ukraine, one of the worlds biggest food exporters, the experts said, the effects will almost certainly be profound. The suspension threatens to stall more than 9.5 million tons of grain and other foodstuffs, according to the United Nations office that oversees the agreement. That could spell considerable trouble not only for the neediest countries on the continent, but also even for the bigger countries where the cost of living has become a potent political issue, said Murithi Mutiga, Africa program director at the International Crisis Group. The Museum of Modern Arts lobby will glow this winter, not by the twinkling lights of the holiday season but the swirling datascapes of a digital artist whose popularity rose during the speculative frenzy around NFTs. Last year, Refik Anadol plugged more than 138,000 images and text materials from the museums publicly available archive into a machine-learning model to create hundreds of colorful abstractions that he called machine hallucinations, selling them as NFTs, or nonfungible tokens. It was the beginning of a quiet partnership between Anadol, a 37-year-old Turkish American artist, and the MoMA curators Michelle Kuo and Paola Antonelli and it was a financial boon for both parties. Some of the blockchain-based artworks wound up selling for thousands of dollars, with the most exclusive one selling for $200,000. Within the fine print of the transactions was a note that the museum would earn nearly 17 percent of all primary sales and 5 percent of all secondary sales. For MoMA, struggling with pandemic attendance drop-off from about three million in normal times to 1.65 million last fiscal year growing a digital audience makes good financial sense. Now, the curators have invited Anadol to dig deeper into the MoMA archives for the new data-driven installation, Refik Anadol: Unsupervised, which will start Nov. 19 in the Gund Lobby and run through March 5. Streaming has so rewritten the math of the music business that in recent years it had become practically an article of faith that no record would ever again cross a time-honored threshold of blockbuster sales: moving more than a million copies in a single week, as artists like N Sync, the Backstreet Boys and Eminem did multiple times in the old days. The last record to hit this mark was Swifts Reputation, in 2017. Since then, both Swifts Lover (2019) and Adeles 30 (2021) failed to reach the magic seven digits. But Midnights has easily crossed that line, and not only in equivalent sales, a composite number used by Luminate and Billboard to reconcile the various ways fans consume music now, counting streaming, sales and track downloads. Of the 1,578,000 equivalents for Midnights, 1,140,000 were copies sold as a complete package in other words, purchases of the album as a whole. It is Swifts fifth album to sell at least a million copies in a single week, and no album by any artist has had better weekly sales since Reputation opened with 1,216,000. How did she do it? That is always the question for Swift, who is not only one of the most vital creative forces in 21st-century pop but also perhaps its greatest marketer. In a year of many disappointing releases, with albums by Drake, Post Malone, Kendrick Lamar and other big names posting surprisingly low numbers, Swift promoted her release cleverly online, with cheeky TikTok videos and drip-drip revelations, and advertised an array of product variations that got fans reaching for their credit cards. She can create an event record, said Keith Caulfield, Billboards senior director of charts. Shes done that with Midnights. China not to comment on Elon Musk Twitter takeover: foreign ministry By Xu Zheqi (People's Daily App) 11:23, October 31, 2022 China would not comment on Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter, a foreign ministry spokesperson told a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks when asked to comment on reports of Elon Musk firing top executives in his takeover of the global social media company. "I think we all know that there are many people using Twitter in the world, not just Chinese diplomats," Wang said. "We will not comment on such business activities." (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Hongyu) Between network, cable and streaming, the modern television landscape is a vast one. Here are some of the shows, specials and movies coming to TV this week, Oct. 31 Nov. 6. Details and times are subject to change. Monday HOCUS POCUS (1993) 9 p.m. on Freeform. This films original theatrical release can only be described as a flop (it only made $39 million domestically after a $28 million budget). But after years of airing on the Disney Channel and ABC Family, it has become a Halloween favorite. It stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters three witches who are accidentally conjured back to life by two teenagers. Theres also a talking cat, a zombie and lots of soul sucking. The long awaited sequel was released last month. Tuesday BELOW DECK ADVENTURE 9 p.m. on Bravo. Overbearing guests, boatmances and explosive fights, all while crammed into a couple rooms underwater, are part and parcel of the Below Deck franchise. This edition raises the stakes by taking all the glamour of yachting and mixing it with extreme activities including paragliding, exploring caves and helicopter rides. This season features a whole new roster of yachties you can be guaranteed to see a Real Housewives star onboard. THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH PRESENTS: JORDAN KLEPPER FINGERS THE MIDTERMS 11:30 p.m. on Comedy Central. With the midterm elections next week, reports of election denial or misinformation are still running rampant. Though there is no evidence of tampering with the 2020 election, 28 percent of voters said they had little to no faith in the accuracy of this years midterm election results. In this 30-minute special, Jordan Klepper, doing what he does best, talks to the voters at the heart of these issues along the campaign trail. The Federal Trade Commission on Monday cracked down on Chegg, an education technology firm based in Santa Clara, Calif., saying the companys careless approach to cybersecurity had exposed the personal details of tens of millions of users. In a legal complaint, filed on Monday morning, regulators accused Chegg of numerous data security lapses dating to 2017. Among other problems, the agency said, Chegg had issued root login credentials, essentially an all-access pass to certain databases, to multiple employees and outside contractors. Those credentials enabled many people to look at user account data, which the company kept on Amazon Web Services online storage system. As a result, the agency said, a former Chegg contractor was able to use company-issued credentials to steal the names, email addresses and passwords of about 40 million users in 2018. In certain cases, sensitive details on students religion, sexual orientation, disabilities and parents income were also taken. Some of the data was later found for sale online. Cheggs popular homework help app is used regularly by millions of high school and college students. To settle the F.T.C.s charges, the agency said Chegg had agreed to adopt a comprehensive data security program. RIO DE JANEIRO In the closest election since Brazils return to democracy in 1985, voters decided to bring back former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who made climate a cornerstone of his campaign, and rejected the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, whose presidency saw a sharp increase in deforestation. Brazil is ready to resume its leading role in the fight against the climate crisis, Mr. da Silva told supporters in his victory speech on Sunday. We will prove once again that its possible to generate wealth without destroying the environment. The pledge matters because Brazil contains much of the Amazon rainforest. Right now, the forest absorbs planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in tree roots, branches and the soil. By one estimate, there are 150 to 200 billion metric tons of carbon locked away in the forest. But that could change. If deforestation continues, the jungle may soon become a net emitter of greenhouse gases. The region is also one of the worlds most biodiverse places on Earth, and protecting it is key to fending off a global biodiversity crisis. Today is Halloween, an ancient autumn holiday rooted in Celtic druid traditions that, over the course of a few thousand years, has morphed into the all-out, ghoul-happy, trick-or-treat candy fest we celebrate today. When my daughter was very young, we made sugar cookies shaped like skeletons and black cats. Now, she just wants to costume up and hit the streets with her friends, aiming to squirrel away enough candy to last until Christmas. My job is to make sure she eats something solid for dinner before she goes out. Some of our favorites include an easy one-pot rice and beans, drenched in hot sauce for the adults; grilled cheese, either pure and plain or fancy with caramelized onions; a sturdy pot roast; or a cheesy broccoli casserole as ballast against the sugary onslaught. For more cookie, candy and dinner inspiration, check out our best Halloween recipes. That will get you through tonight. Whats the rest of your week look like? Ali Slagle has a fantastic new recipe for seared pork chops (above) with dates and kale cooked in the pork fat from the chops. You could serve that with Kay Chuns clever mashed potatoes recipe, which calls for baking the potatoes so they stay fluffy and creamy when you mash them. Its a game changer that you might want to save for Thanksgiving. Electing allies to public office strengthens the unions hand when negotiating on behalf of its members, said Ted Pappageorge, the unions secretary-treasurer. We dont do union stuff so we can win in politics, he said. We do politics so we can win in union contracts. The union is especially motivated this election cycle, Mr. Pappageorge said, because the five-year contracts with employers for the vast majority of its Las Vegas members will expire next year. Were going to have really difficult negotiations, he said. We think we may have strikes. The union is also pushing local politicians to support a program to combat the fast-rising cost of housing. Last year, Ms. Leonardo said landlords raised the monthly rent for the house she shares with her husband and four children to $1,400 a month, from $900. I thought it was a typo, she said. Mr. Padilla, a father of three, brings up housing costs with as many voters as he can. When landlords raised his rent by $400 last year, he said they told him, Theres no law in Nevada that says they cant raise the rent as much as they want. During a brief break from canvassing, he shook his head in dismay. I take this election seriously because of that, he said. Theres always a fight. A record number of cholera outbreaks around the globe, driven by droughts, floods and armed conflicts, has sickened hundreds of thousands of people and so severely strained the supply of cholera vaccines that global health agencies are rationing doses. Outbreaks have been reported in the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, putting the health of millions at risk and overwhelming fragile health systems. Untreated, the disease, which is commonly spread through contaminated water, can cause death by dehydration in as little as one day, as the body tries to expel virulent bacteria in gushes of vomit and watery diarrhea. Cholera is typically fatal in about 3 percent of cases, but the World Health Organization says it is killing at an accelerated rate in recent outbreaks, even though it is relatively cheap and easy to treat. It is most often fatal in children, who progress swiftly to severe illness and organ failure. Cholera outbreaks tend to follow displacement: When droughts, floods, famines or the threat of violence force large groups of people to move, and they lose access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities, cholera bacteria can race through a population. This year has seen cholera both in places where it is a familiar threat, and in countries that have not confronted it for decades. It is his family company that is on trial, not the former president himself. But my colleague Jonah E. Bromwich writes that finding a fair jury was a trial of its own. A juror expressing bias for or against Trump could prompt a mistrial or a hung jury. As legal dramas swirl around the former president, its a concern for lawyers involved in Trump-related cases. Jury selection will also begin in a separate civil case brought by protesters against Trump and his bodyguards, who the demonstrators say attacked them outside Trump Tower in 2015. And with federal and state investigations of Trump continuing, other trials may be scheduled. The danger of picking the wrong person as a juror became clear in the federal trial of Timothy Shea, who was charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an organization that had raised money for the border wall that was a centerpiece of Trumps agenda. Judge Analisa Torres, who presided over that case, declared a mistrial in June after one of the jurors refused to deliberate, accusing the 11 others of being liberals and describing the proceedings as a government witch hunt. Shea was convicted on Friday after a second trial. It is not easy to find someone in Manhattan who does not have an opinion about the former president, who before taking office made himself a fixture in gossip columns. Many New Yorkers who were summoned to the courtroom in the Trump Organization case last week were not reluctant to say what they thought about him. Mr. Trump has no morals, one prospective juror said. He thinks only of himself. I think hes a criminal. I think hes done irreparable damage to this country. Even so, the man said that he could be impartial. The issues in the trial were trivial compared to the terrible things he has done, the man said. The case grew out of a long-running investigation of Trump and his business practices by the Manhattan district attorneys office. The inquiry gained new momentum in 2021, when the Supreme Court allowed prosecutors to obtain Trumps tax returns. They soon focused on a Trump executive, Allen Weisselberg, who they suspected had received off-the-books perks like an Upper West Side apartment and leased Mercedes-Benzes. The danger of picking the wrong person was vividly illustrated in a recent federal trial of Timothy Shea, who was charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an organization that had raised money to build the border wall that Mr. Trump had campaigned on. The federal judge presiding over that case declared a mistrial after one juror out of 12 refused to deliberate, accusing the others of being liberals and referring to the proceedings as a government witch hunt. Mr. Shea was convicted on Friday after a second trial. In Manhattan, Mr. Trumps longtime home base, it is not easy to find a person without an opinion about the former president, who before taking office made a career of grabbing the spotlight for his many business ventures and social exploits. Many New Yorkers who were summoned to the courtroom last week some of whom said they had been hearing Mr. Trumps name for decades were not shy about expressing their thoughts. (The New York Times is not naming jurors or prospective jurors, as they are private citizens who might be harassed if identified.) On Thursday, one man who had previously said he could be impartial asked to address the judge about an urgent development: His health was deteriorating just thinking about the case. I have some very strong feelings about Donald Trump, a visceral feeling in my gut I havent felt that in two years, the pale man said, standing alone before the judge and lawyers for both sides. The man said that being a potential juror had made him think again about Mr. Trump, and that affected him psychologically and physically. I got the feeling again, he said. I dont feel its a healthy thing for me to be here. Another juror was dismissed for expressing the precisely opposite opinions. The woman, who lives in Manhattans Murray Hill neighborhood and works at a financial services company, repeatedly used one of Mr. Trumps favorite superlatives to describe him and his businesses. NASHVILLE When Baldwin Lee set out in March 1983 to photograph the American South, he was a stranger in a strange land. The New York-born son of Chinese immigrants, he had moved to Knoxville to establish the photography program at the University of Tennessee. When he left on his first of many photographic trips across the South, he was open to whatever subjects might draw his attention. I had no agenda, no plan, he told The New Yorkers Chris Wiley. I took pictures of everything: landscapes, architecture, close-ups, still lifes, pictures at night, people, old, young, white, Black, poor, rich. I just wanted to see. Along the way, though, he became attuned to the colossal racial injustice still rampant in the American South. He found his subject: Black Southerners living out their daily lives against a backdrop of poverty. Now, nearly 40 years later, his first solo exhibition is on display at the Howard Greenberg Gallery in New York through Nov. 12. The show coincides with the publication of a newly released monograph of Mr. Lees photographs. They represent only a small portion of the nearly 10,000 images Mr. Lee created during the 1980s. Its hard to believe how much public debate has shifted. Nine years ago, Brazilians took to the streets in favor of free public transport. How far are we from that sort of civic-mindedness today? Now we spend much of our time asserting (in an increasingly exasperated manner) that virology actually exists and climate change is not a globalist hoax. We are afraid to take to the streets in protest and give the government a reason to attempt a coup. We think any civilian in a passing car may be armed. We know that wearing red will be seen as a political statement. (A Brazilian Catholic cardinal was recently taken to task over his traditional red clothes, showing that not even the clergy is above suspicion.) We do not dare discuss the news with our neighbors, for fear of what they might say. The elevators have never been so quiet. The truth is that Brazilian society has always been dominated by conservative forces. None of the advances of the past two decades have come easily the social welfare program Bolsa Familia, affirmative action in universities and the public sector or same-sex marriage. They were all met with derision, if not downright indignation, from most conservatives. But these were battles fought between the center left and the center right, which were then both sufficiently reasonable to engage in democratic debate. That changed when Mr. Bolsonaro arrived on the national scene. Gradually at first and then suddenly, a dam of repressed right-wing extremism burst. Day after day, the integrity of public discourse has been liquefied by conspiratorial claims, turbocharged by social media and encouraged by Mr. Bolsonaro. We have been obliged to waste our time publicly refuting the theory that vaccines contain nanobots or that, as he put it, the Amazon rainforest cannot catch fire. All that energy, which could have gone to demanding a better public health care system or a stronger response to climate change, was instead swallowed up combating lurid nonsense. But Mr. Bolsonaro gave us no choice, right up to the election. There is little doubt that he aimed for autocracy and would seize any opportunity to remain in power; the need to defeat him became an absolute necessity, taking precedence over every other concern. That explains the breadth of the coalition around Mr. da Silvas candidacy, which included even previous opponents from the center right. The electoral contest was reduced to a binary: for or against Mr. Bolsonaro. Bret Stephens: Years ago, when I was in high school, my father suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, and his recovery took time. So I felt a lot of compassion for John Fetterman when he took the stage in that painful-to-watch debate with Mehmet Oz last week. On the other hand, I wouldnt have recommended my dad for a Senate seat during his ordeal, and Im getting the sense that Pennsylvania voters are reaching the same reluctant conclusion about the Democratic candidate. Gail, you wrote a powerful column on the subject. How do you see the race playing out now? Gail Collins: Still say vote for Fetterman. I know he lost the debate, but when it comes to the Senate, theres no point in picking the better debater the way you might have wanted to back in the day when our senators listened to one anothers arguments and once in a while changed their minds. Now you just need someone who will vote to give the majority to the right party. Nothing he does in office is going to make a fraction of the impact of the basic question: Will we have Republicans or Democrats in charge? Bret: Isnt that the same excuse a lot of Georgia Republicans are making for themselves as they hold their noses and vote for Herschel Walker? Gail: Well, if youve got a candidate of strong character versus a totally duplicitous jerk who exemplifies all the worst ways a man can treat a woman then, OK, yes, I guess political loyalties might take a back seat. Mr. Trumps trademark slogan Make America Great Again put forward the notion that this rah-rah, chest-beating patriotism was wrong. The way he saw it, the country had fallen on hard times, its stature in the world diminished. We dont win anymore, whether its ISIS or whether its China with our trade agreements, he said in early 2015 as he prepared to run for president. No matter what it is, we dont seem to have it. No major party had nominated a candidate for the presidency in living memory who had described America in such terms. There was the real possibility that such a dark view might backfire. Yet Mr. Trump successfully tapped into the distrust, resentment and grievance that so many Americans had come to feel. This grim mood had its roots in real events: Sept. 11, the grinding war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, the housing meltdown and 2008 financial crash, stagnant wages, vast income inequality. Anyone could look around and see a country in trouble. And in the Republican Party especially, fear of a changing country where the white Christian population was no longer the majority and the church no longer central in American life left so many people feeling, as the sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild put it, like strangers in their own land. Little wonder many people responded to a candidate who broke from every other politician and defied so many norms and traditions by speaking directly to that grievance and fear. Perhaps it shouldnt have come as a surprise what happened next: As president, Mr. Trump did little to fix the problems or allay the fears hed tapped into as a candidate. Instead, he governed by stoking them. He presented himself as the one and only leader of his political party, the keeper of truth. He said his opponents mainly Democrats were un-American and evil; court decisions he opposed were a disgrace, and judges who ruled against him were putting our country in great danger. By doing so, he accelerated a rupture already underway within the Republican Party. The principles and ideas that had fueled the party for decades low taxes, small government, free markets fell away. In their place, Mr. Trump projected his own version of identity politics: He was the party. He was the country. The central organizing force of his presidency was fear of the other. Who better to foment that fear than someone whod renounced his old ties with that enemy? His success and standing mattered above all else. If democracy didnt deliver what Mr. Trump wanted, then democracy was the problem. In April, Mr. DePerno appeared before Michigans Court of Appeals for his latest hearing in a long-running and quixotic legal battle involving the 2020 election result in Antrim County, a tiny community in the northern part of the state. Antrim had become a rallying cry among Trump supporters who believed human error on election night was in fact evidence of a widespread conspiracy to rig the election for Mr. Biden. (The county was initially called for Mr. Biden, but after a clerical mistake was caught and corrected, Mr. Trump won the county handily.) There was no evidence to support this wild theory, but Mr. DePerno refused to give up the fight, spending approximately the past year and a half pushing for that audit. A judge had dismissed Mr. DePernos suit in a lower court. Now, standing before the appeals court, Mr. DePerno argued that the state Constitution gave every citizen of Michigan the right to demand a statewide audit of any election. A lawyer with the Michigan attorney generals office replied that such a theory could mean as many as eight million audits every election. It would mean that no election results would ever be final. (The court dismissed Mr. DePernos suit, saying he had merely raised a series of questions about the election without making any specific factual allegations as required.) Ikea of Sweden said in a statement that life span estimation may vary for its furniture, and customers are encouraged to repair, resell or return products they can no longer use. Wayfair said through a spokesperson that we sell an extensive range of furniture products across all styles and price points, adding that some are meant to last for generations as well as furniture that meets customer needs for affordability. Increasingly, renters and homeowners are opting for fast and cheap, or as Amber Dunford, style director at Overstock.com, defines it, furniture where the human hand is missing. And they dont keep it long. Each year, Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture, creating mountains of solid waste that have grown 450 percent since 1960, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Bits of tossed furniture can be recycled, but the vast majority ends up in landfills. Its quite a big problem, both spatially and also because of the way a lot of fast furniture is made now, its not just wood and metal. The materials dont biodegrade or break down, said Ashlee Piper, a sustainability expert and the author of Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet. Were creating this Leviathan problem at landfills with the furniture that we get rid of. The e-commerce furniture market alone was worth more than $27 billion in 2021, and projected to reach more than $40 billion by 2030, according to a report from Next Move Strategy Consulting. Ikea is opening an average of 50 new locations per year; Amazon, the worlds largest retailer, now has two private-label furniture brands, the midcentury-modern Rivet and the more farmhouse-chic Stone & Beam. For all of its flaws, fast furniture offers millions of homeowners the opportunity to live in a stylish home at an affordable price point. As young people contend with skyrocketing housing prices and economic anxiety, even those who would prefer to browse antique markets or shop for custom pieces simply dont have the resources to do so. Follow our live coverage of the 2022 midterm elections for the latest news and updates. WEST CHESTER, Pa. Disinformation has long been a feature of American politics. Mudslinging, smear campaigns, dirty tricks. Yet wading through the muck ahead of this years midterm elections in one fiercely contested state, Pennsylvania, shows just how thoroughly it now warps the American democratic process. In July, a tweet made the rounds spreading a falsehood about voting. BREAKING: Pennsylvania will not be accepting mail-in ballots, declared someone using an account called the Donald J. Trump Tracker. In September, mysterious letters began arriving in mailboxes in Chester County, on the old Main Line west of Philadelphia, falsely telling people that their votes might not have been counted in the last election. No, the Democratic candidate for United States Senate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, does not have tattoos of the Crips, the notorious street gang from Los Angeles, as Newt Gingrich said on Fox. So they learned. For 13 years, Fred and Nikoleta lived on their boat, Surloulou, through summers and winters. After the birth of their daughter, Sirena, who at the age of 4 is already climbing ropes and trying her first tricks as an acrobat, their lives changed dramatically. They now spend less time with the circus, which, despite their absence, continues reinventing itself with new performers and new ideas. Dozens of artists from all over the world are connected with the Sea Clown Sailing Circus. Some join the crew for only a few days; others join for the whole summer. But a core group of around seven or eight people are trying to bring the circus to a greater acclaim not only by roaming freely from one Greek island to another, but also by producing more meaningful, and more philosophically engaging, shows. Follow our live coverage of the 2022 midterm elections for the latest news and updates. Eight days before the election, we have our final* midterm surveys: polls of the four states likeliest to determine control of the Senate. New York Times/Siena College polls Pennsylvania: John Fetterman (D) 49, Mehmet Oz (R) 44. Arizona: Mark Kelly (D) 51, Blake Masters (R) 45. Nevada: Adam Laxalt (R) 47, Catherine Cortez Masto (D) 47. Georgia: Raphael Warnock (D) 49, Herschel Walker (R) 46. All considered, this is a pretty good set of numbers for Democrats. If they win three of the four Senate seats, they hold the Senate if everywhere else goes as expected. Here, they lead in the magic three of four while remaining highly competitive in the fourth though its very important to caution that most of this poll was taken before the Pennsylvania Senate debate. Theres also a bit of good news for Republicans: Respondents said they preferred Republicans to control the Senate. Democrats led anyway, presumably because of their distaste for some of the Republican nominees or their affection for Democratic incumbents. As we head down the stretch, Republicans can hope to lure some of these voters to their side. How the polls compare If you compare our polls with the polling averages, they look even better for Democrats. Consider the current FiveThirtyEight averages: In Pennsylvania, Mr. Fetterman leads in the FiveThirtyEight average by one point, compared with our six-point lead (after rounding). In Arizona, Mr. Kelly leads in the average by 3.6 points, compared with our six-point lead. In Georgia, Mr. Warnock leads by 1.2 points, compared with our three-point edge. In Nevada, Ms. Cortez Masto leads by 0.4 points, compared with our tied race. There is a twist: Although our polls may look better for Democrats than the average, they look about the same as the other traditional polls that used to be considered the gold standard in survey research, like ABC/Washington Post, CNN/SSRS, Fox News, NBC, the university survey houses, and so on. An Indiana man has been charged with murder in the deaths of two teenage girls in Delphi, Ind., more than five years after their bodies were found near an abandoned rail bridge, the authorities announced on Monday. The girls, Liberty German, 14, and her friend Abigail Williams, 13, disappeared during a hike in Delphi, about 70 miles northwest of Indianapolis, on Feb. 13, 2017. Their bodies were found the next day, and the investigation gained nationwide attention as the authorities released material from Libertys phone, including recordings of a man following the girls and of a voice saying: Down the hill. At a news conference on Monday, the authorities announced that Richard Allen, 50, of Delphi, had been arrested last week and charged with two counts of murder. He has entered a not guilty plea and is being held without bond, the Carroll County prosecutor, Nicholas McLeland, said. There was no comment on Monday from the families of the girls. The news conference was conducted by officials from the Indiana State Police, the United States Marshals Service and the Carroll County Prosecutors Office. Follow our live coverage of the 2022 midterm elections for the latest news and updates. KENOSHA, Wis. Joy Ermert, 46, the owner of Lulu Birds, an antique shop in downtown Kenosha, is a staunch Democrat who voted for Gov. Tony Evers four years ago. She admires his commitment to social justice and reproductive rights, she said. Only one thing has made her hesitate as she considers casting a ballot for him again: the riots. In Kenosha, thats shorthand for the harrowing events of August 2020, when a police officer shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old resident, during an arrest. The shooting, during a summer when the United States was being roiled by racial justice demonstrations after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, prompted protests, looting, fires and destruction in Kenosha that lasted for days. Two years later, Mr. Everss handling of the unrest has Ms. Ermert questioning his leadership. Now, as Mr. Evers enters the final days of a tight re-election contest facing a Republican challenger, Tim Michels, she is still asking: Did Mr. Evers err in releasing a statement hours after the shooting of Mr. Blake that seemed to criticize the police officer and suggest that the episode was motivated by racism? Could the governor and other officials have done more to stop the unrest? Who was responsible for what happened? The questions come at a time when crime has become one of the top issues for voters nationally and in the midst of an excruciatingly close race in a key swing state. Now, more than a few voters in Kenosha, Wisconsins fourth-largest city and a longtime Democratic stronghold, are wondering whether a drop in support for Mr. Evers in Kenosha could play a major role in the outcome of the race. And its clear that he is struggling to quiet those concerns. A former police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Black man after a traffic stop in Grand Rapids, Mich., in April will stand trial for second-degree murder, a state district court judge ruled on Monday. Judge Nicholas S. Ayoub said in an opinion that he read from the bench at a hearing on Monday that there was probable cause for the former officer, Christopher Schurr, to be tried on a single count of second-degree murder in the killing of Patrick Lyoya on April 4. Judge Ayoub said that there was little doubt that Mr. Lyoyas death was caused by the gunshot wound to the head inflicted by defendant. Video footage of the fatal encounter strongly infers, the judge said, that Mr. Schurr knew he was pointing the gun and firing it at close range of Mr. Lyoyas head. The only real debatable question here, Judge Ayoub said, was whether Mr. Schurrs actions were justified under the law. Later on Monday, Brooke Jenkins, the San Francisco district attorney, announced the additional state charges, which include attempted murder, residential burglary, elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment of an elder and threatening family members of public officials. Mr. DePape, who was treated at a hospital for what the authorities described as minor injuries, was expected to be arraigned in superior court on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear who was representing Mr. DePape in the cases. The affidavit from an F.B.I. agent that accompanied the federal charges provided the most complete, and chilling, narrative of the break-in to date. It detailed a groggy early-morning home invasion that culminated with a single, sudden hammer blow, delivered in the presence of shocked police officers. Mr. DePape broke a glass door and entered the residence, awakening Mr. Pelosi, according to the federal complaint. The suspect told Mr. Pelosi that he wanted to talk to Nancy and learned she was not there. When Mr. DePape said he would sit and wait for Ms. Pelosi, her husband said that she would not return for several days. It was around that time that Mr. DePape took out zip ties from his pocket. In a recorded interview with police officers, Mr. DePape said he wanted to restrain Mr. Pelosi so he could go to sleep, because he was tired from carrying his backpack to the house. At one point, Mr. Pelosi tried to access an elevator, which has a phone, but was blocked from doing so, according to the local prosecutor. At some point after that, Mr. Pelosi ducked into a bathroom to call 911 from his cellphone at 2:23 a.m., the complaint said. Officers with the San Francisco Police Department arrived eight minutes later to find the two men struggling over a hammer. When they asked what was going on, Mr. DePape responded that everything was good, the F.B.I. agent wrote. At that moment, Mr. DePape yanked the hammer from Mr. Pelosis grip and struck him once in the head, rendering him unconscious on the floor. The officers quickly restrained Mr. DePape, who told them that he had left his backpack near the smashed door window on the rear porch. When they examined its contents, they found another hammer, tape, rope, two pairs of gloves rubber and cloth and a journal. Mr. Bidens statement came just days after the oil giants reported another three months of flush coffers. Exxon Mobil brought in a record of nearly $20 billion in profits for the third quarter of the year, 10 percent higher than the previous quarter and its fourth consecutive quarter of robust earnings. Chevron reported $11.2 billion in profits, just below the record it set the quarter before. The European-based Shell and Total Energies companies similarly reported that profits more than doubled from the same period a year ago. The five biggest oil companies generated more than $50 billion in profits in the second quarter, and the International Energy Agency has reported that total net income for the worlds oil and gas producers will double this year from last to a record $4 trillion. Todays high fossil fuel prices have generated an unprecedented windfall for producers, the agency said. A half-dozen of the largest firms earned more in profit over the past six months than in all of last year and more than two and a half times what they earned in the same quarters of 2021, White House officials said. Mr. Biden said if the industry simply earned the same level of profits it has for 20 years, consumers would pay 50 cents less per gallon. The firms have used their profits in some cases for dividend increases and stock buybacks rather than increased production, which could bring down the price of oil and therefore trim their profits. Exxon Mobil raised its dividend on Friday, citing a commitment to return excess cash to shareholders. Mr. Biden has been sensitive to gas prices, an important barometer for the public mood. As the price at the pump hit record highs over the summer, the presidents approval rating slid to new lows, but as gas costs came down over the following three months, his own numbers improved. Likewise, according to polls, the rise and fall of gas prices is directly inverse to public feelings about whether the country is heading down the right or wrong track. Ron Klain, the White House chief of staff, is so attentive to the fluctuations that he checks the average price every day and often posts messages on Twitter pointing out when it dips further. If you are filling your gas tank this weekend, you are seeing one of the cheapest Saturdays of the year, Mr. Klain tweeted on Saturday. Gas prices continue to drop nationally, he added on Monday morning. Follow our live coverage of the 2022 midterm elections for the latest news and updates. LOS ANGELES The mailers and online ads vividly paint David Kim as a right-wing extremist, accusing him of running for a House seat in California with QAnon-MAGA support from QAnon Republicans. But Mr. Kim is not a Republican. Hes a progressive Democrat who supports Medicare for all and a Green New Deal. And the attacks come from a fellow progressive Democrat, Representative Jimmy Gomez, who is fighting to keep his seat in Congress. The vitriol in what is normally a quiet race for a decidedly safe Democratic seat illustrates how liberal California, of all places, has become home to some of this years most vicious political mudslinging and not across party lines. Unlike a vast majority of the country, where voters are mulling the yawning ideological gaps between Republicans and Democrats on their midterm ballots, California has a top-two open primary system, which means two Democrats can and often do square off against each other in general elections. And in many cases, those candidates prove strikingly similar on policy, forcing them to dig deep to distinguish themselves. Even so, Rumble is serving as a platform for RTs Russia-friendly content at a time of growing unhappiness on the right and also from some voices on the left about the Biden administrations expansive arming of Ukraine. The House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, has said that if his party wins back the House next month, it will resist writing a blank check to the Ukrainian government. While Russias war has been broadly condemned in the West, several influential conservative pundits, including Tucker Carlson on Fox, have often been reluctant to criticize Mr. Putin. Mr. Vance, who once assailed Donald J. Trump (my god what an idiot, he tweeted in 2016), has become an enthusiastic supporter and adopted his isolationist stance on foreign policy. In February, several days before the invasion, he said: I gotta be honest with you. I dont really care what happens to Ukraine. Over the summer, Mr. Vance, a Marine veteran, sought to clarify that, saying, We want the Ukrainians to be successful, and calling Mr. Putin the bad guy. But he added, Weve got to stop the money spigot to Ukraine eventually. Mr. Vance is hardly the first candidate backed by Mr. Thiel, who has been underwriting political allies for many years Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri among them, not to mention Mr. Trump. But his relationship runs deeper than most. Mr. Vance met Mr. Thiel in 2011 while studying at Yale Law School. He attended a speech in which Mr. Thiel lamented the failings of both the legal world and Silicon Valley, and he called it the most significant moment of my time at Yale. Within a half-decade, he was hired to work at Mithril Capital, one of Mr. Thiels venture funds. Mr. Vance gained celebrity for writing Hillbilly Elegy, a best-selling memoir from 2016 about his hardscrabble Ohio roots. He co-founded Narya in 2020 with Mr. Thiels backing, envisioning it as an Ohio-based venture fund that would focus on the Midwest instead of Silicon Valley. But Mr. Thiels imprint remains, starting with the name, which follows the Thielist convention of using various details from The Lord of the Rings. Narya is named for one of the Rings of Power that was forged, per J.R.R. Tolkien, by the Elven-smiths of Eregion in the Second Age, under the watchful eye of the evil wizard Sauron. This took place in Middle-earth, presumably a long way from Ohio. Whether the Supreme Court decides to extend a judicial order that has blocked the Treasury Department from complying with the request while the matter was litigated before the appeals court could effectively decide whether the House committee obtains the documents, which it has sought since 2019. That is because if Republicans retake control of the House in the midterm elections next week, as polls indicate is likely, they are almost certain to drop the request when the new Congress is seated in January. Mr. Trump has pursued a strategy of using the slow pace of litigation to run out the clock on oversight efforts, which he has done since he was president. In the filing, however, Mr. Trumps legal team argued that a further delay would not harm the House. It noted that the House revisited its request in January 2021, when the current Congress was seated, ignoring the political reality that while party control of the chamber stayed the same, it was likely to change after the 2022 midterms. Even if the committees request were not fulfilled by the end of the current congressional term, it could carry over into later terms (as it already has) and inform the committees work then, the Trump legal teams filing said. The case traces to the 2016 election, when Mr. Trump broke with modern precedent by refusing to make his returns public. In 2019, after Democrats took over the House, they began trying to investigate his hidden finances. In the challenge to Harvard, two primary lawyers will be arguing before the Supreme Court in a case that has the potential to fundamentally reshape college admissions. They have all been rehearsing their appearances. Its crunch time, to put it mildly, Cameron T. Norris, the lawyer arguing on behalf of Students for Fair Admissions in one of the cases, wrote in an email last week. Mr. Norris, 34, holds undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University. A partner in the conservative law firm Consovoy McCarthy, Mr. Norris has represented former President Donald J. Trump in his efforts to fight a subpoena seeking his financial records. Mr. Norris stepped in to argue the case after William S. Consovoy, a lawyer in Washington long known for his advocacy on behalf of conservative causes, stepped aside. He was forced to do so to undergo treatment for brain cancer, according to Edward Blum, the founder of Students for Fair Admissions. If youre Black, she said, youre more likely to be in an underresourced school. Youre more likely to be taught by teachers who are not as qualified as others. Youre more likely to be viewed as having less academic potential. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said it would be odd if admissions officers could consider factors like whether applicants were parents, veterans or disabled but not if they were members of racial minorities. That has the potential of causing more of an equal protection problem than its actually solving, she said. Justice Elena Kagan said she was worried about a precipitous decline in minority admissions if the court were to rule against affirmative action in higher education. These are the pipelines to leadership in our society, she said of elite universities. Over the course of the argument, the justices discussed with seeming approval several kinds of race-neutral approaches: preferences based on socioeconomic status; so-called top 10 programs, which admit students who graduate near the top of their high school classes; and the elimination of preferences for children of alumni and major donors, who tend to be white. Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked whether it would be permissible for minority students to write essays describing their experiences with race discrimination. Patrick Strawbridge, a lawyer for Students for Fair Admissions, the group challenging the programs, said that was fine. What we object to, he said, is a consideration of race and race by itself. Personal essays are different, he said. It tells you something about the character and the experience of the applicant other than their skin color, he said. Similarly, Mr. Strawbridge said, an Asian American student might write about traveling to a grandparents home country. In those meetings, the ministers proposed a statement on the election results with the president, this official said. After six hours at the offices, Mr. Bolsonaro returned to the presidential palace. There, he planned to finish drafting a response, according to the senior administration official. The president seemed calm, the person said. What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do the sources know the information? Whats their motivation for telling us? Have they proved reliable in the past? Can we corroborate the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. Learn more about our process. Mr. da Silva spent Monday talking to other world leaders. He greeted President Alberto Fernandez of Argentina with a hug in Sao Paulo, and he spoke to President Biden on the phone. The White House said in a statement that Mr. Biden commended the strength of Brazilian democratic institutions following free, fair and credible elections. Yet claims of fraud were still bubbling up including from right-wing voices in the United States. Rodrigo Constantino, an influential Brazilian pundit who lives in Florida, posted to his 1.4 million followers on Twitter on Monday morning that the pattern in the vote returns seemed too consistent to be natural. It even looks like an algorithmic thing! he said. In an interview, Mr. Constantino said he was going off his gut. Nobody can prove it, he admitted. But regardless of whether there was voter fraud, he said, the election was stolen because of unfair refereeing by election officials. I dont want to set things on fire, he said. I don't want to be a flame. But we all know, in the best of options, it was a rigged election. Elsewhere in the United States, Stephen K. Bannon, the podcast host and former adviser to Donald J. Trump, claimed in a video late Sunday that the vote had been rigged and that Mr. Bolsonaro cannot concede. MEXICO CITY An international committee of experts that spent years investigating the 2014 disappearance of 43 students in Mexico said on Monday that key evidence underlying the governments explosive new truth commission report could not be verified as authentic. The assessment came at a critical moment for President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors administration, which vowed to get to the bottom of the disappearances but came under fire for conducting an investigation based in part on questionable evidence and bungling the prosecution of key suspects in the case. In a news conference in Mexico City, the experts who were appointed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights almost eight years ago said they had uncovered numerous inconsistencies in screenshots of messages that the government presented as crucial new evidence in its new account of what had happened to the students, making it impossible to authenticate the material. While the experts acknowledged the importance of the truth commissions finding that various levels of government were implicated in the students disappearance, they criticized the administration for presenting as fact evidence that turned out to be unsubstantiated. China launched the third and final module of its space station on Monday, a significant step as the country expands its extensive scientific research outside the Earths atmosphere. State television broadcast the launch live, showing a rocket roaring into a gray layer of clouds above Hainan Island in southernmost China, with the module aboard. Deng Hongqin, the director of the launch command center, announced after 14 minutes that the module was in orbit. Nearly 59 feet long and weighing 23 tons, the module, called Mengtian, docked with the Tiangong space station 13 hours after launch. The module carries a wide range of experimental equipment, including extremely accurate atomic clocks and gear designed to create the coldest conditions ever achieved by humanity. Yang Hong, the space stations chief designer, said at a news conference in April that the Mengtian module would be equipped with a cargo airlock. Outside the airlock will be a platform on which experiments can be mounted, with robotic arms to help carry them out, he said. The module will supply the space station with racks of additional laboratory equipment and give the astronauts more room to operate. The colonial-era bridge is among a collection of attractions in the quaint town of Morbi, whose ceramic tile industry draws workers from across India. It was a favorite meeting place for young lovers to escape parents prying eyes, said Devyesh Pithva, who a decade ago met the woman who became his wife on the bridge. He had visited the structure on Friday, and, out of a sense of poignancy, returned to the site of the disaster on Monday. In March, the bridges operations were awarded to Ajanta Manufacturing, a local clock and electronics manufacturer. Ajantas founder, Odhavaji Patel, was known in India as the father of wall clocks. The company he ran before his death also makes light bulbs and toothpaste. What is unclear from business records is whether Ajanta had any experience operating bridges before taking over the one in Morbi. After winning the contract, Ajanta, which also goes by the name Oreva Group, managed seven months of repairs on the bridge, which had been in poor condition. The structure reopened four days before the disaster, timed to coincide with the Gujarati New Year, on Oct. 26. When Mr. Pithva visited the bridge on Friday, two days before the disaster, he said, there were as many as 500 people crowded onto it. He waited 20 minutes for a clearing to take a photograph with his family. You could actually hear people breathing, it was so tight, Mr. Pithva said. I have an emotional bond with this bridge, and when I heard the news, I felt like I was going down with my family. On Monday, scrutiny turned to how Ajanta had won the contract, and to whether the company had ties to the Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., which has governed Gujarat for more than two decades and which also controls the national government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. KYIV, Ukraine From old stone water wells in the heart of ancient Kyiv to the metal spigots in markets across the sprawling metropolis, people lined up on Monday to fill jugs and bottles after the latest Russian assault on Ukraines civilian infrastructure left most of the capital without running water for hours. Maksym Khaurat, 31, had already been enduring rolling blackouts, a lack of heat in his apartment and a failing internet connection. The loss of water was different. We can live without heat and light, he said. This was the first time he was unable to fill a glass of water from the tap, take a shower or flush his toilet. Before the latest round of assaults on Ukrainian infrastructure, a buzz had returned to the capital. While energy consumption across the country is still 30 percent below its prewar levels, in Kyiv it had returned to nearly what it was before Russia invaded in late February. ODESA, Ukraine Debris from a Russian missile shot down by Ukrainian air defenses landed in a border village in Moldova, officials in the country said on Monday, in one of the clearest instances of violence from the war spilling into another European nation. Russia has previously fired drones and missiles over Moldova into Ukraine, prompting diplomatic protests from the government there. On Monday, after the interception of the missile, which was the first known to have come down in Moldovan territory, Moldovas government renewed its condemnation of Russian strikes against Ukraine. But Moldovas deputy interior minister, Sergiu Diaconu, said that the incident would be considered as an accident. It wasnt a direct strike. According to a statement from the Moldovan government, parts of the Russian missile landed in the village of Naslavcea, across the Dnister River from Ukrainian territory, causing minor damage. Mr. Diaconu said that some windows were broken and children were sent home from school, but there were no reports of injuries. LONDON Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain has been in office less than a week, but he is already embroiled in a crisis over his home secretary, Suella Braverman, who repeatedly violated security rules and is also accused of disregarding legal advice about how to deal with an overcrowded center for asylum seekers. Ms. Braverman admitted on Monday that she improperly sent government documents to her private email address on six occasions. That came on top of a previous security breach that forced her resignation from the same post under Mr. Sunaks predecessor, Liz Truss. Ms. Braverman apologized again for the violations, but insisted they did not endanger national security. At the same time, she is under intense pressure over the conditions at a processing facility for asylum seekers in Kent, in southeast England, where there are reports of violence and outbreaks of infectious diseases. Opposition lawmakers accused Ms. Braverman of ignoring legal advice that it was unlawful to detain people too long in the facility, known as Manston, rather than finding them hotel rooms or other suitable accommodations. Immigration experts said the Manston center had become dangerously overcrowded, with 4,000 people occupying the facility, which has a capacity of 1,600, some for longer than four weeks. The criticism was not limited to the opposition: Conservative lawmaker Roger Gale told Sky News he had visited the facility last week and that conditions at the facility were wholly unacceptable. The investigation by the Manhattan district attorneys office into Donald J. Trump and his family real estate business began more than three years ago. Here are some key moments: Aug. 21, 2018 Michael D. Cohen says he arranged hush money payments for the president. Mr. Cohen, previously a personal lawyer and fixer for Mr. Trump, pleaded guilty to federal crimes and told a court that Mr. Trump directed him to arrange hush money payments to two women. The payments were made during the 2016 campaign to keep the women from speaking publicly about affairs they said they had with Mr. Trump. Soon after Mr. Cohens admission, the Manhattan district attorneys office opened an investigation to examine if the payments broke any New York State laws. The office soon paused at the request of federal prosecutors, who were still looking into the same conduct. August 2019 After federal prosecutors said that they had effectively concluded their investigation, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney at the time, revived his own inquiry. Late in the month, prosecutors in his office issued a subpoena to the Trump Organization and another subpoena to Mr. Trumps accounting firm, demanding eight years of Mr. Trumps personal and corporate tax returns. Sept. 19, 2019 Mr. Trumps lawyers sue to protect his tax returns , arguing that a sitting president could not be criminally investigated. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, led to a lengthy delay. July 9, 2020 After appellate judges ruled against Mr. Trump, the lawsuit found its way to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled that the presidency did not shield Mr. Trump from criminal inquiries and that he had no absolute right to block the release of his tax returns. Cross-tabs are available here. Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. The New York Times/Siena College poll of 620 likely voters in Pennsylvania was conducted in English and Spanish on cellular and landline telephones on Oct. 24-26, 2022. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.4 percentage points. The margin of error accounts for the surveys design effect, a measure of the loss of statistical power due to survey design and weighting. The design effect is 1.3. Overall, 65 percent of respondents were reached on a cellular telephone, and less than half a percent of all interviews were conducted in Spanish. Do you consider yourself a Democrat, a Republican, an independent or a member of another party? What is the highest educational level which you have completed? Would you consider yourself: [IF BIRACIAL OR MULTIRACIAL ask: What races would that be?] Are you of Hispanic origin or descent, such as Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or some other Spanish background? In the past 12 months, did you spend any time volunteering for any organization or association? It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks abortion should be John Fetterman is not healthy enough to perform the duties of his job John Fetterman is healthy enough to perform the duties of his job Thinking about John Fetterman, the candidate for U.S. Senate, do you think: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? FOLLOW UP: Is that strongly or somewhat? Economic issues such as jobs, taxes or the cost of living Thinking about whether to vote for Democrats or Republicans for Congress this November, what types of issues are most important in deciding your vote? [IF NEEDED: If you had to choose one ] What is your preference for the outcome of this year's Senate elections? If this Novembers election for Pennslyvania governor were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If you had to decide today, would you lean toward: If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] (Includes leaners) Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Doug Mastriano [MAST-re-ano] Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Josh Shapiro [SCHUH-peer-oh] Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Mehmet [mehh-met] Oz Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: John Fetterman [FEH-ter-min] Thinking ahead to the November midterm election, are you almost certain that you will vote, very likely to vote, somewhat likely to vote, not very likely to vote or not at all likely to vote? Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. The New York Times/Siena College poll of 885 likely voters in Nevada was conducted in English and Spanish on cellular and landline telephones on Oct. 19-24, 2022. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.2 percentage points. The margin of error accounts for the surveys design effect, a measure of the loss of statistical power due to survey design and weighting. The design effect is 1.6. Overall, 84 percent of respondents were reached on a cellular telephone, and 2 percent of all interviews were conducted in Spanish. Did you vote in the 2020 presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden? Do you consider yourself a Democrat, a Republican, an independent or a member of another party? What is the highest educational level which you have completed? Would you consider yourself: [IF BIRACIAL OR MULTIRACIAL ask: What races would that be?] Are you of Hispanic origin or descent, such as Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or some other Spanish background? And thinking about your own personal finances, would you say that your personal financial situation is in excellent shape, good shape, only fair shape or poor shape? It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks abortion should be Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? FOLLOW UP: Is that strongly or somewhat? Economic issues such as jobs, taxes or the cost of living Thinking about whether to vote for Democrats or Republicans for Congress this November, what types of issues are most important in deciding your vote? [IF NEEDED: If you had to choose one ] What is your preference for the outcome of this year's Senate elections? If this Novembers election for Nevada's secretary of state were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If this Novembers election for Nevada's governor were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If you had to decide today, would you lean toward: If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] (Includes leaners) Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Joe Lombardo Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Steve Sisolak [sis-o-lack] Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Adam Laxalt [lack-salt] Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Catherine Cortez Masto Thinking ahead to the November midterm election, are you almost certain that you will vote, very likely to vote, somewhat likely to vote, not very likely to vote or not at all likely to vote? Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. The New York Times/Siena College poll of 604 likely voters in Arizona was conducted in English and Spanish on cellular and landline telephones on Oct. 24-26, 2022. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.4 percentage points. The margin of error accounts for the surveys design effect, a measure of the loss of statistical power due to survey design and weighting. The design effect is 1.2. Overall, 87 percent of respondents were reached on a cellular telephone, and 2 percent of all interviews were conducted in Spanish. Do you consider yourself a Democrat, a Republican, an independent or a member of another party? What is the highest educational level which you have completed? Would you consider yourself: [IF BIRACIAL OR MULTIRACIAL ask: What races would that be?] Are you of Hispanic origin or descent, such as Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or some other Spanish background? It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks abortion should be Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? FOLLOW UP: Is that strongly or somewhat? Economic issues such as jobs, taxes or the cost of living Thinking about whether to vote for Democrats or Republicans for Congress this November, what types of issues are most important in deciding your vote? [IF NEEDED: If you had to choose one ] What is your preference for the outcome of this year's Senate elections? If this Novembers election for Arizona's secretary of state were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If this Novembers election for Arizona's governor were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If you had to decide today, would you lean toward: If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] (Includes leaners) Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Kari Lake Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Katie Hobbs Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Blake Masters Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Mark Kelly Thinking ahead to the November midterm election, are you almost certain that you will vote, very likely to vote, somewhat likely to vote, not very likely to vote or not at all likely to vote? Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. Party I.D. is self-identified party, without leaners; independents only include self-identified independents. Party registration is the respondents party as listed on the voter file. The New York Times/Siena College poll of 604 likely voters in Georgia was conducted in English and Spanish on cellular and landline telephones on Oct. 24-27, 2022. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.8 percentage points. The margin of error accounts for the surveys design effect, a measure of the loss of statistical power due to survey design and weighting. The design effect is 1.5. Overall, 75 percent of respondents were reached on a cellular telephone, and 0 percent of all interviews were conducted in Spanish. Did you vote in the 2020 presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden? Do you consider yourself a Democrat, a Republican, an independent or a member of another party? What is the highest educational level which you have completed? Would you consider yourself: [IF BIRACIAL OR MULTIRACIAL ask: What races would that be?] Are you of Hispanic origin or descent, such as Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or some other Spanish background? When it comes to elections in the United States, what concerns you more? It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks It does not matter either way Would you rather vote for a candidate who thinks abortion should be Thinking about the candidates for U.S. Senate in Georgia, who do you think is more honest and trustworthy? Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as president? FOLLOW UP: Is that strongly or somewhat? Economic issues such as jobs, taxes or the cost of living Thinking about whether to vote for Democrats or Republicans for Congress this November, what types of issues are most important in deciding your vote? [IF NEEDED: If you had to choose one ] What is your preference for the outcome of this year's Senate elections? If this Novembers election for Georgia's governor were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] (Combined runoff ballot) Thinking again about this Novembers election for U.S. Senate, if the only candidates were the Democrat, Raphael Warnock (rah-FEE-el war-nock), and the Republican, Herschel Walker, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? (If did not select Warnock or Walker in prior two questions) Thinking again about this Novembers election for U.S. Senate, if the only candidates were the Democrat, Raphael Warnock (rah-FEE-el war-nock), and the Republican, Herschel Walker, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? If you had to decide today, would you lean toward: If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] If this Novembers election for U.S. Senate were held today, which candidate would you be more likely to vote for? [IF NEEDED: If you had to decide today, are you leaning toward one candidate?] (Includes leaners) Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Brian Kemp Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Stacey Abrams Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Herschel Walker Tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of each of the following: Raphael [rah-FEE-el] Warnock [war-nock] Thinking ahead to the November midterm election, are you almost certain that you will vote, very likely to vote, somewhat likely to vote, not very likely to vote or not at all likely to vote? Methodology Sample The survey is a stratified response-rate-adjusted probability-proportionate-to-size sample of the L2 voter file. The sample was selected by The New York Times in multiple steps to account for differential telephone coverage and nonresponse. To adjust for noncoverage bias, the L2 voter file for each congressional district was first stratified by statehouse district, party, race, gender, marital status, household size, turnout history, age and homeownership. The proportion of registrants with a telephone number and the mean expected response rate were calculated for each stratum. The mean expected response rate was based on a model of unit nonresponse in prior Times/Siena surveys. The initial selection weight was equal to the reciprocal of a stratums mean telephone coverage and modeled response rate. For respondents with multiple telephone numbers on the L2 file, the number with the highest modeled response rate was selected. Second, the probability of selection was weighted by the likelihood that a respondent would vote in the 2022 election, based on a model of turnout in 2010, 2018 and 2021 as a function of the respondents political and demographic characteristics. Finally, the Nevada voter file was split between the First District and the rest of the state. The two Nevada samples were fielded and weighted separately. Fielding The sample was stratified by party, race and region and fielded by the Siena College Research Institute, with additional field work by ReconMR, IPOR at Roanoke College, and PORL at the University of North Florida. Interviewers asked for the person named on the voter file and ended the interview if the intended respondent was not available. The instrument was translated into Spanish by ReconMR. Bilingual interviewers began the interview in English and were instructed to follow the lead of the respondent in determining whether to conduct the survey in English or Spanish. Monolingual Spanish-speaking respondents initially contacted by English speakers were recontacted by Spanish-speaking interviewers. Weighting The survey was weighted by The Times using the R survey package. Survey weights were trimmed at the 99th percentile. The samples of Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevadas First and the rest of Nevada were each weighted as follows: First, the sample was adjusted for unequal probability of selection by strata. Second, the sample was weighted to match voter-file-based parameters for the characteristics of the likely electorate. The sample was also weighted to match census-based estimates for the educational attainment of the likely electorate. The estimates for the characteristics of the likely electorate were based on multiple models. First, a model estimated the likely turnout by state, based on recent turnout and the competitiveness of the midterm race. Second, an individual-level model of turnout in 2010, 2018 and 2021 was used to estimate the probability that registrants would participate in the midterm election as a function of their demographic and political characteristics. Finally, the individual-level estimates were adjusted to match the expected turnout by state. Third, the weighted samples of Nevadas First District and the rest of Nevada were combined and the samples balanced to ensure their appropriate state of the likely electorate. Fourth, self-reported vote intention was incorporated into the estimate of a respondents likelihood to vote. That was based on a model of validated turnout in Times/Siena surveys since 2016 as a function of self-reported vote intention and the pre-survey modeled turnout probability, including an adjustment for the higher turnout of survey respondents than nonrespondents. Fifth, the final weight for the likely electorate was equal to the initial likely electorate weight, multiplied by the final turnout probability incorporating self-reported vote intention divided by the initial modeled turnout probability. Parameters The following voter-file-based targets were used to weight the sample to match the characteristics of registered voters and the likely electorate: Party (NYT classifications based on L2 data and, in states without party registration or primary vote history, a model of partisanship based on previous Times/Siena polls) Age (self-reported age or voter file age if the respondent refuses) Gender (self-reported gender or voter file gender if the respondent refuses) Race (L2 model) Marital status (L2 model) Homeownership (L2 model) Region (NYT classification) Turnout history (NYT classifications based on L2 data) Vote method in the 2020 elections (NYT classifications based on L2 data) The following census-based targets were used to weight the sample to match the characteristics of registered voters and the likely electorate: Educational attainment (NYT model based on A.C.S. and C.P.S. data) White/nonwhite x four-year college graduation (NYT model based on A.C.S. and C.P.S. data) 0:41 Xi Scolds Trudeau at G20 Summit 0:53 Brazils President-Elect Vows to Strengthen Democracy NOW PLAYING Brazilians Elect Leftist Former Leader Lula, Ousting Bolsonaro Advertisement Continue reading the main story 0:46 Heavy Rains Set Off Deadly Landslides in Venezuela 0:33 Easter Island Fire Causes Damage to Famous Moai Statues 0:51 Hurricane Fiona Leaves Most of Puerto Rico Without Power Advertisement Continue reading the main story 1:23 Second Suspect in Canada Killings Dies After Capture 1:31 One Suspect in Canada Stabbings Is Dead, Police Say 1:03 Justin Trudeau Speaks After Deadly Rampage in Saskatchewan Advertisement Continue reading the main story 0:28 Argentinas Vice President Unharmed After Attack 1:24 Pope Addresses Reconciliation With Indigenous People in Canada 1:24 Ami Copeland Ami Copeland has joined APCO Worldwide as public affairs head in its Washington, DC office. Most recently, Copeland did a nearly five-year stint at Resolute Public Affairs in Chicago. He was executive director of Business Forward, the nonprofit advocacy group that helps business leaders advise Washington officials on crafting policies to spur job creation and economic growth. Copeland served as deputy national finance director for Obama for America and a top fundraiser for Democratic Senators Bill Nelson and Tom Daschle. Before entering the PA/political arena, Copeland served as a first sergeant in the Israeli Defense Forces and worked as an investment banker and business journalist in Europe. Licy Do Canto, managing director of APCO/DC, said Copelands breadth of experience in geopolitics and solid understanding of the world economy coupled with his extensive background in the Washington political ecosystem and deep expertise in public policy makes him a bold and visionary leader" for the PA group and its clients. Joele Frank is handling Emersons deal to sell a majority stake in its Climate Technologies business to Blackstone, a transaction that values the compressor and refrigeration unit at $14B. The St. Louis-based industrial company will receive proceeds of $9.5B for Climate Technologies, which chalked up $5B in fiscal 2022 revenues and $1B in pre-tax earnings. The Climate Technologies deal is part of Emerson CEO Lal Karsanbhai's strategy to divest non-core business while investing in software and intelligent devices to position as a pure-play automation products company serving diverse end-markets Emerson will retain a 45 percent stake in Climate Technologies to participate in its upside potential under Blackstone. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and GIC, Singapores state fund, are investing with Blackstone in Climate Technologies. Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katchers Joseph Sala and Tanner Kaufman represent Emerson. Tuwisha Rogers-Simpson Burrell Communications Group, a multicultural marketing communications agency, brings on Tuwisha Rogers-Simpson as VP of brand development. Rogers-Simpson was previously VP of brand and partnerships at the National Museum of African American Music. She has also served as VP, strategic partnerships at Urban One Media and is the founder of Wish Factor, a strategic relationship and purpose-driven marketing consulting enterprise. In her new role, Rogers-Simpson will guide the overall alignment of Burrell's business objectives and brand communications, while strengthening its position as a worldwide brand. Her experience and expertise will contribute to our agency continuing to trailblaze in authentically connecting with Black audiences," said Burrell co-CEO Fay Fergusson. Micha Hershman Heap, a digital analytics provider, names Micha Hershman as chief marketing officer. Hershman was most recently vp of marketing and brand design at digital workplace platform Envoy. Before that, he was head of marketing, North America for Eventbrite. At Heap, Hershman will be responsible for leveraging brand, product marketing, and demand generation to drive growth. As an experienced, driven and emotionally intelligent marketing leader, Micha has a breadth of knowledge in growing success-driven teams that elevate brand awareness and go-to-market success, said Heap CEO Ken Fine. Melissa Edwards Dunn Pellier Media promotes Melissa Edwards to VP of publicity. Edwards previously served as senior publicist at the firm. In her new role, Edwards will focus on leading the culture, training, and development of the agencys teams. She will manage and oversee its health and fitness PR accounts and activities. "In addition to her impeccable track record for garnering amazing results for clients, she is all things positive, kind, and cares about all things wellness, said CEO Nicole Dunn Garay. THE Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) has honoured Seamus Sheedy MIACP of Tullamore with the Midlands Regional Award. Mr Sheedy is a dedicated counsellor, psychotherapist, and supervisor. Within the Midlands community Seamus has become an inspirational go-to person when it comes to developing and increasing access to counselling and psychotherapy services. Mr. Sheedy played an instrumental role in assisting James O'Connor, this years honouree for the IACP Public Inspiration Award, to establish Accessible Counselling Tullamore (ACT), helping increase the availability of mental health services to those who need it. In addition to managing his own well-established private practices in the Midlands, Seamus also has a long history of volunteering for the IACP and serving as a member of the board of directors. Speaking this week regarding Mr. Sheedys award, IACP Chief Executive Officer Lisa Molloy stated: I congratulate Seamus Sheedy our Midlands Regional Award recipient for the many outstanding contributions to the counselling and psychotherapy profession, especially his commitment to mentoring new therapists in the Midlands Region. In his work with IACP, Seamus passionately acts proactively within his roles to help the IACP to develop and evolve in every way he can. Commenting following the award, Seamus Sheedy stated: I was humbled to receive the Midlands Regional Award at the recent IACP conference, an award for outstanding contributions to the counselling/psychotherapy field. My journey working as a Volunteer for IACP started with the Midlands Regional Committee in 2005. Mr. Sheedy continued: Being part of a committee takes you out of your comfort zone, it definitely challenged me. In 2005 I became Treasurer doing something totally new with people I hadnt met before. We were often faced with various challenges to solve as a volunteer when organising IACP workshops. All of this required me to exercise critical thinking skills that helped my own personal development, this award in 2022 is a huge honour. The awards ceremony was at the IACP 7th annual conference held on the 15th October at the Galway Bay Hotel. The Irish Postmasters Union has told Deputy Lowry that significant Post Office closures in both urban and rural areas are imminent as the 30m subsidy over a fixed 3-year period from Government will not be sufficient to sustain them indefinitely. The allocation of 30m in once-off-funding over three years to the Post Office Network across the country was welcomed, but it will not be enough to secure the future of the network of more than 900 Post Offices across the country says Deputy Lowry. This money will merely serve as an expensive sticking plaster to temporarily keep Post Offices open unless it is followed up by the Governments promised measures to increase the services provided by Post Offices. Part of the agreed measures to ensure long-term sustainability was that Government would direct more of their transactions through the Post Office network. Covid was initially blamed for delays in putting such plans in motion, but that is no longer a credible excuse. In June of last year, I raised this matter in the Dail, and was informed by the Tanaiste that an Offline Services Group has been set up to explore the potential of a One Stop Shop approach to the delivery of Government services and to examine the feasibility of directing more business to the Post Office Network. An update from this Group is urgently required. If Government does not uphold this end of the agreement the future for Post Offices right across the country is bleak', he said. It has been proven that the long-term viability of Posts Offices is dependent on directing a range of Government transactions through them. More than 500 of An Posts 939 post offices nationwide are situated in locations without a mainstream Bank presence. If Post Offices close, many communities will be cast adrift. This is vital, not just to the survival of the current Post Offices, but to ensure that the services offered by them in local communities remain a viable and attractive business opportunity when the existing Postmaster or Postmistress retires. There are numerous cases where there is nobody willing to take on the business of operating a Post Office because the services they can offer are too restrictive to make them viable business ventures. The result is that smaller communities lose their Post Office. I have highlighted the ongoing struggles of Post Offices on numerous occasions in the Dail, in the media and also in conjunction with the Regional Group of TD when we tabled a Private Members Motion on the matter. I will continue to raise this issue until a satisfactory resolution is reached he concluded. Eurasia Review 26 Nov 2022 When China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties.. The Melbourne Cup field could be reduced to just 21 runners with doubts over a pair of runners on the eve of the race. The gruesome attack on the husband of the House speaker is being mocked and dismissed in conservative, far-right social media, even among some Republicans leaders. Little Dance hope Outback Gladiator will be looking to give Chris Munce Melbourne Cup day success as a trainer, 24 years after his winning Cup ride on Jezabeel. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the barrage had caused a power outage in the city. Possible outages were also reported in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. A family who was in Gujarat to celebrate Diwali vacations narrowly escaped death in Morbi during the cable bridge collapse. The Norwegian armed forces will do less training and more active operations, the country's prime minister said. Oslo is concerned about sabotage to its energy infrastructure. Many of the newly mobilised soldiers Moscow has sent to the Ukraine frontline in recent weeks are armed with "barely usable" weapons, according to British defence analysts. The niece of Rep. Brad Wenstrup from Ohio was among the more than 150 people killed during a deadly Halloween stampede in South Korea over the weekend. BEIJING (AP) China on Monday launched the third and final module to complete its permanent space station, realizing a more than decade-long endeavor to maintain a constant crewed presence in orbit. Mengtian was blasted into space at 3:39 p.m. (0739 GMT) Monday from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan. A large crowd of amateur photographers, space enthusiasts and assorted lookers-on watched the lift-off from an adjoining beach. Many waved Chinese flags and wore T-shirts emblazoned with the characters for China, reflecting the deep national pride invested in the space program and the technological progress it represents. Mengtian, or Celestial Dream, joins Wentian as the second laboratory module for the station, collectively known as Tiangong, or Celestial Palace. Both are connected to the Tianhe core module where the crew lives and works. Like its predecessors, Mengtian was launched aboard a Long March-5B Y4 carrier rocket a member of Chinas most powerful familly of launch vehicles from the coastal Wenchang space base on the tropical island province of Hainan. Mengtian was due to spend 13 hours in flight before reaching Tiangong which is populated by a crew of two male and one female astronauts, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Chen Dong, Cai Xuzhe and Liu Yang arrived in early June for a six-month stay on board, during which they will complete the stations assembly, conduct space walks and carry out additional experiments. Following Mengtians arrival, an additional un-crewed Tianzhou cargo craft is due to dock with the station next month with another crewed mission scheduled for December, at which time crews may overlap as Tiangong has sufficient room to accommodate six astronauts. Mengtian weighs in... A minister has come under fire for suggesting there could be some little man in China eavesdropping on his own private conversations as he fielded questions over security breaches concerning senior Government figures. The King has said the UK stands in solidarity with the people of South Korea in a message of condolence following the crowd surge that killed more than 150. The King has said the UK stands in solidarity with the people of South Korea in a message of condolence following the crowd.. Belfast Telegraph 31 Oct 2022 Brazilians delivered a very tight victory to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a bitter presidential election, giving the leftist former president another shot at power in a rejection of incumbent Jair Bolsonaro's far-right politics. (Oct. 31) Rumble 15 Nov 2022 A series of "massive strikes" were launched by Russia across Ukraine, including on the capital, resulting in.. More than 100 arrived on the scene in Williamsbridge on Sunday morning. Two people were injured. CBS2's Jessica Moore reports. CBS 2 New York 08 Feb 2021 Sky News 31 Oct 2022 K-Pop star and actor Lee Jihan has been confirmed as one of the victims of the Seoul Halloween stampede that has killed over 150.. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan prime minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, Monday stressed the need to develop economic cooperation between Libya and Sudan and to hold forums that contribute to advancing the economy and revitalizing transit trade Photo: (Photo : TIM VIZER/AFP via Getty Images) A brawl at a DeSoto County school has one mom concerned about the safety of her daughter. The incident also has the school district looking to prosecute another mother who was involved in the fight on campus. FOX13 spoke to Shemeka Stringer regarding the fight. The Lake Cormorant parent said that she does not understand how it happened. Stringer said that she wants answers after an adult managed to get on campus at Lake Cormorant High School to help another girl in a fight against her daughter. Stringer said it is a different kind of jumped when it is two kids compared to when it is an adult and two kids. According to Stringer, a woman in grey pants and top punched her daughter multiple times during the fight that happened last Wednesday. Mom helps daughter fight another girl Stringer noted that the woman was the mom of another girl and she was there to help the kid fight her daughter, who is in ninth grade. According to Stringer, her daughter did not want to fight. She added that her main concern is the security at the school. She is concerned that anybody is being able to walk in the high school. Desoto County Schools said the fight happened as the school was being dismissed. The district said they are pushing for the maximum penalty for the mother who was involved in the brawl, WREG reported. Stringer said the woman was in the school at dismissal and followed her daughter out. Stringer has just sent her daughter back to school but her concerns remain regarding her safety. She said that she is not so sure her daughter is protected. She is also worried for every child in the building and not just her child as she is not sure the officer assigned to Lake Cormorant High School is doing their job. Read Also: Life Sentence for Georgia Man Who Tried to Drown Mother in Bathtub Mom allowed to leave campus following fight against girl student The Desoto County Sheriff's Department charged the four students involved in the fight with simple assault, but those charges have since been dropped. According to the sheriff's department, a warrant has been issued for the parent involved in the brawl with charges of trespassing filed against her. Other possible charges are still pending at this stage. Stringer said she is bothered by the fact that the mom involved in the fight was allowed to leave campus following the brawl. She said the mother should not have walked out of that school building that very day without being in handcuffs. Stringer told WMC that she was heading to pick up dinner when her daughter suddenly called her. Stringer said she was literally screaming, saying that she was just attacked by an older adult. Also getting involved in the case is the DeSoto County NAACP. Officials said their involvement in the teen's case is out of concern for the campus' safety and security. Related Article: Apps Allow Parents to Track Driving Habits of Their Teen Children Last Wednesday, Patently Apple posted a report titled "With COVID Cases Hitting the largest iPhone Plant in China every day, Foxconn claims that production remains Relatively Stable. Today it's being reported that Foxconn's production could fall 30% due to COVID curbs. Reuters is reporting this morning that "Production of Apple Inc's iPhones could slump by as much as 30% at one of the world's biggest factories next month due to tightening COVID-19 curbs in China, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday. Manufacturer Foxconn, formally Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, is working to boost production at another factory in Shenzhen city to make up for the shortfall, said the person, declining to be identified as the information was private. Its main Zhengzhou plant in central China, which employs about 200,000 people, has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with several workers fleeing the site over the weekend. The possible impact on production comes amid a traditionally busy time for electronics makers ahead of the year-end holiday season, which is also a prime time for vendors such as Apple. Foxconn on Sunday said it was bringing the situation under control and would coordinate back-up production with other plants to reduce any potential impact. For more on this, read the full Reuters report (behind pay wall). The South China Morning Post (SCMP) is reporting at a different level. They've posted photos of some Foxconn employees fleeing in the middle of the night to get away from the Foxconn plant. The report has several photos supporting that fact. SCMP further reports that "Foxconn has set up seven pickup points for workers leaving the campus, according to the companys latest notice. Local authorities in other cities in Henan, where many Foxconn workers come from, have also rushed to arrange coaches to take people home. A driver from the city of Jiaozuo, which borders Zhengzhou and makes up 3.5 per cent of Henans population, said the city has arranged four buses to shuttle between Foxconn and a local quarantine and reception centre. Another driver said three more buses were added on Sunday, taking back around 400 workers. Henan Daily, a local official newspaper, quoted an unidentified person in charge of the Foxconn unit responsible for assembling the iPhone 14 series, saying that the plant is in desperate need for workers to support the current peak production season and has pleaded for support from factories in other parts of China. However, the incident has not changed his current forecast of iPhone shipments, he said, adding that he believes Foxconns production capacity will gradually improve within a few weeks with limited impact on iPhone shipments in the fourth quarter. The company also told employees on Sunday that the factory would return to order in four to five days, and workers who clock in every day would get bonuses, according to a report by Xinhuanghe, a media outlet under the state-run Jinan Daily News Group. For more, read the full SCMP report by Coco Feng here. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Side Note: Patently Apple's blogging service is still under a maintenance phase which is affecting our service that will be off and on until Typepad's issues are resolved. Graphics don't load, so we'll only report on matters not requiring graphics, such as new patent reports. Thank you for your understanding and continuing support. Jack Purcher The Leadership of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) have congratulated the Acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Eric Nkansah, on his appointment. The National President of TEWU, Mr. Ambrose Kwadjodza, who announced this on behalf of the leadership also pledged to work with the new administration for the betterment of education in the country. Mr. Ambrose Kwadjodza announced this on Friday when he led the leadership of TEWU to pay a courtesy call on the new DG at the Headquarters of GES in Accra. The leadership of TEWU used the occasion to highlight a few of their pressing needs that require urgent action from GES and appealed to Dr. Nkansah to speedily address these challenges. The Ag. Director General commended TEWU for the visit and assured them of his commitment to facilitate and address the issues they discussed. I am here to work with all of you and I can assure you that I will facilitate and advocate to ensure that all the challenges facing the various pre-tertiary schools are addressed, He said. Again, Dr Nkansah assured them of his readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders in the education space towards the development of education which serves a catalyst for national development. Other TEWU executives who accompanied the President were Mr. Charles Kofi Osei, Deputy General Secretary, Mr. Amaning Kwarteng, Association of Educational Accountants Executive Member and TEWU member among others. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Labour Commission (NLC) receives about 55 cases every month and at least a case each working day. Thus, on average, the NLC received 666 complaints annually, and a total of 6,657 complaints within a period of 10 years. Among the major complaints made were unfair termination of employment, compensations, salary areas and outstanding transport allowance. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Employers' Association (GEA), Alex Frimpong, who announced this in Accra, said to complement the commissions effort to deal with the issues, it was necessary to improve the capacity of Listed Arbitrators and Mediators. He said proactive and efficient channels for resolving labour disputes were necessary to sustain a harmonious industrial climate and labour market stability. Event Mr Frimpong was speaking during a two-day workshop to train arbitrators and mediators to strengthen the dispute resolution value chain for prompt facilitation of justice. The workshop was also aimed at supporting the NLC to augment its mediation and arbitration role for effective and efficient labour dispute settlement in the country. It was organised by the GEA in collaboration with the NLC, and supported by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO). Participants were taken through topics such as industrial relations in Norway; labour dispute resolution, the role of the NLC in industrial dispute resolution; provisions of the code of rules for mediators and arbitrators at the commission, and challenges and prospects of alternative dispute resolution in the country. We believe that the outcome of this training will contribute immensely to the promotion of stability and harmony within the industrial relations environment, Mr Frimpong added. Advice The Chairman of the National Labour Commission, Justice Kwabena Asuman-Adu, also advised the participants to take the training programme seriously. He also urged them to be neutral in dispensing their duties, adding that to perform your duties as mediators and arbitrators effectively, you need to be neutral. This is because a neutral trained mediator works to help disputants come to consensus on their own, the chairman added. For his part, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Ofosu Asamoah, said the training exercise was crucial, adding that there was the need to employ modern means of dispute resolution. 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 Twin car bomb explosions near a busy junction in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, killed at least 100 people, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says. Among the victims "who were massacred [were] mothers with their children in their arms", the AFP news agency quotes the president as saying. He appealed for international medical help to deal with the 300 injured. The president blamed the al-Shabab militant group for Saturday's attack which targeted the education ministry. The pro-jihadist Somali Memo website has reported that the group has said it was behind the blasts. An affiliate of al-Qaeda, al-Shabab has engaged in a long-running conflict with the federal Somali government. President Mohamud, in power for five months pledged "total war" against the Islamist militants after they attacked a popular hotel in Mogadishu in August killing at least 21 people. Saturday's blasts happened within minutes of each other, destroying buildings and vehicles in the vicinity. The first hit the education ministry and then the second went off as medical teams arrived to deal with the aftermath, the Reuters news agency reports. A lorry exploded at the same junction almost exactly five years ago, leaving more than 500 people dead - the worst such attack in the country's history. After Saturday's attack, hundreds of people have gathered near the site, looking for missing family members. Among those killed were a prominent journalist and senior police officer. "I am here to tell the Somali people that such October attacks will not happen again, God willing," President Mohamud said after visiting the scene of the attack. "The bombings were a message sent by the militants to show that they are still alive, despite the fact that they were defeated in the battlefield by government forces," he added. The African Union (AU) mission in Somalia said that the "attacks underline the urgency and critical importance of the ongoing military offensive to further degrade al-Shabab". The US, Turkey, Qatar and Germany have all condemned the attack. Al-Shabab has been battling the AU-backed federal government for control of Somalia for around 15 years. The group controls much of southern and central Somalia, but has also been able to extend its influence into areas controlled by the government based in Mogadishu. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A study conducted by Right to Play Ghana has revealed that girls are now developing leadership skills and consequently taking up positions in schools because of the opportunities teachers are giving them. So, we now have schools with girls as the school prefects. Hitherto, this was not the case but now we are seeing this happening in our classrooms, it said. The Education Specialist of Right to Play Ghana, Kwabena Gao, who disclosed this at a training programme on play-based learning organised for journalists and public relations officers in Accra and Ho said, both boys and girls had their capabilities and capacities and once teachers were able to realise and harness them, both genders were able to come out with the potential that they had. He said in order to raise boys and girls who would be ready to compete in the global world, there was the need for the countrys education system to look at how it could empower all children. Implication Touching on the implication for more girls developing leadership skills, Mr Gao said it would help the country to, in the future, have more women in leadership positions who would also serve as role models to other girls. He said when girls were educated and empowered they were able to grow up to support and contribute towards the socio-economic development of the country as well as determine the appropriate time to go into relationships. Mr Gao disclosed that they had also realised that teachers were now gender responsive, which meant that teachers were conscious of the fact that both boys and girls were in the classroom so equal opportunities should be offered them. Following the revision of the curriculum in 2019, some creative pedagogies, including play-based learning, were introduced to teaching and learning and to help journalists and PROs to understand this approach to learning; how it was done in the classroom and be able to capture them appropriately in their reportage that the workshop was organised. Play-based learning In his presentation on play-based learning, the training and capacity building specialist of Right to Play Ghana, Lawrence Offei, defined play-based learning to be learning while having fun, adding that the characteristics of play-based learning were that it must be socially interactive, iterative, actively engaging, joyful and meaningful. He said in their teachings, teachers should choose games that took into consideration the cultural background of learners, their religion and ethnic group to make learning easier for children. Study Giving further details of the study that was conducted in 2021, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of Right to Play, Kwarteng Frimpong, said it was done in schools in the five districts in the three regions that Right to Play operated, namely Greater Accra, Volta and Northern regions. He said the study further revealed that more teachers were not using corporal punishment during lessons, adding that teachers who were more likely not to use corporal punishment during lessons increased from 74.1 per cent in 2018 to 87.8 per cent in 2021, compared to non-project schools which had 58.8 per cent. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Seven months after the collapse of the 30-year-old bridge across the Gugura River which connects Navio and Tazika Bagtua to Paga in the Upper East Region, workers and residents continue to struggle daily to go to work and attend to their normal activities. Residents who use that stretch of the road on a daily basis have to go through long winding alternative routes to get to their destinations in Navrongo and Paga. The collapse of the bridge is, therefore, having a negative toll on economic activities in the area since it has become very difficult for traders to embark on their trading activities while workers struggle to get to work daily. The residents have, thus, made a passionate appeal to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to come to their rescue and treat the reconstruction of the collapsed steel bridge as an emergency to bring relief to the users of the road. The steel bridge across the Gugura River, which connects Navio and Tazika Bagtua to Paga, the capital of the Kassena Nankana District and several other communities, collapsed on March 24, 2022 when a heavy-duty DAF truck with registration number AW 8894-12 carrying logs and heading towards Paga from Tangasougo in neighbouring Burkina Faso was crossing it. Stranded Since the bridge came down in the first quarter of this year, many workers, especially nurses and teachers who use their motorbikes and personal vehicles to go to work, have been facing challenges, with its attendant consequences on productivity. Other communities aside from Navio who have been impacted by the collapse of the bridge are Manyoro, Natugnia, Sirigu and its environs, as well as some border communities in Burkina Faso who also use the bridge to get to Paga. A worrying development that has arisen as a result of the collapse of the bridge is the fact that farmers in that enclave are unable to cart their harvested farm produce on that road to market centres for sale, which is a great source of worry to them. Furthermore, the onset of the rains in August this year made it very difficult for residents, including students and workers, to cross the river to school and work, compelling them to abandon going to work and school. Sadly, five persons have lost their lives after the collapse of the bridge, including two Burkinabes who were on a motorbike at night and fell into the river since they did not know the bridge had collapsed. Later, they both died at the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo while receiving treatment. Since there was no sign mounted for users to know of the danger ahead and they were also speeding, they crushed into the logs which the truck that caused the collapse was carrying and sustained severe injuries, resulting in their death. Bridge before collapse The bridge constructed over three decades ago had developed serious cracks and become weak. The concrete piers had become weak, posing serious danger to users of the bridge within its catchment area. According to residents, the concrete piers had become weak over time, as well as other metal parts, apparently as a result of the river overflowing its banks during the rainy seasons. Despite several appeals by residents, opinion leaders, chiefs and the Assembly Member of the area, Roland Apugido, to the district assembly for swift action towards the maintenance of the bridge to forestall an eventual collapse, no immediate action was taken, resulting in its collapse on that fateful day. Commuters who are bent on going through the river to either side with their motorbike are pushed through by some children stationed there, who are paid a token after successfully pushing their bikes through the river. Affected residents The Head Teacher of the Tazika Bagtua Primary School, Alfred Choro, said previously it took him just 10 minutes to ride his motorbike from Paga to attend school on a daily basis. He said unfortunately, since the collapse of the bridge, I have to go through a bad alternative route for about an hour before reaching school, adding that with the current increase in petroleum products, I spend GH30 to and from school, which is a drain on my meagre salary. A nurse at the Tazika Bagtua Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, Vivian Baturu, lamented that it took her two hours to go through another route before getting to work every day. She said the high cost of fuel is really a big challenge for us. Sometimes I skip work when I do not have money to buy fuel to go through that long alternative route to work. We are, therefore, appealing to the government to come to our aid and reconstruct the damaged bridge to bring relief to users. Assembly member Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the assembly member said the collapse of the bridge had affected the residents in several ways and that there was the need for the bridge to be reconstructed to bring relief to the people. He stated that workers who crossed the river to work at the Manyoro side of the bridge, as well as farmers who also crossed to either side of the bridge to engage in their farming activity now could not do so. He said due to the collapse of the bridge, farmers who hitherto could farm across the river, as well as businessmen and women are unable to travel to Paga and Navrongo to do business. Particularly, students from the area who attend the Paga Community Day School cannot cross the river on a daily basis to go to school, with its attendant negative consequences on their academic performance, he said. He noted that prior to the collapse, he wrote several letters to the district assembly to draw their attention to the sad state of the bridge, stressing that after its unfortunate collapse, I have followed up with a letter, hoping to receive a favourable outcome. While urging the government to prioritise the construction of the damaged bridge, he appealed to the district to create an alternative route so that residents could use it to get to their workplaces and other destinations without any difficulty. 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 Discussants at this years Pfizers virtual Media Roundtable have called on the public to help raise awareness on breast cancer. They have also urged the public to prioritise regular check-ups, particularly for breast cancer in order to enable early detection and treatment. The discussants further encouraged healthcare practitioners to also employ technologies in their respective approvals to have open conversations and support patients with breast cancer. Pfizer in a statement on October 19, 2022, to mark this years Breast Cancer Month said in 2020, the World Health organisations International Agency for Research on Cancer, Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBACAN) reported 28,380 and 4,482 new cases of breast cancer for Nigeria and Ghana respectively. The month of October has been designated as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. Pfizer said breast cancer awareness month is more than just one month a year, adding that Its an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to changing the lives of people with breast cancer for the better from treatment to helping to remove barriers to equitable care and beyond. Below is the Press Release from Pfizer PP-IBR-GHA-0005 Press Release Healthcare Practitioners Urges All to Take Charge In Raising Awareness About Breast Cancer Ghana. Nigeria, 19th October, 2022. The prevalence of breast cancer was the preoccupation of Pfizers virtual Media Roundtable to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In 2020 the World Health organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer, Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBACAN) reported 28,380 and 4,482 new cases of breast cancer for Nigeria and Ghana respectively. At the Media Roundtable, the public were urged to take early detection seriously and help friends and families by encouraging regular self-examination and conversations with their doctors. Healthcare practitioners were also encouraged to employ technologies in their respective approvals to have open conversations and support patients. Kodjo Soroh; Medical Director East & Anglo West Africa, commented: Oncology remains a key therapeutic field for Pfizer in which we are working to deliver medical breakthroughs that have the potential to change patients lives across the region significantly and we are proud of these achievements, and we thank our media members, colleagues, HCPs and everyone for this event. Dr. Adewumi Alabi, Consultant Clinical and Radiation Oncologist, NSIA-LUTH Cancer Center, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, commented: "The importance of clinical research in breast cancer care cannot be overemphasized. These forums are critical as they allow us to share our best insights and findings that can support patients in winning the battle against cancer. Breast cancer itself is one of the deadliest diseases with a high prevalence in the area. On a positive note, we now have evidence-based updates and real-world data showing the efficacy of prescriptions in the management of HR+ HER2- mBC patients. Dr. Joel Yarney, Consultant (Radiotherapy and Oncology) and Director National Centre for Radiotherapy Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana, commented: The transformative impact of science on breast cancer is evident within the breast cancer community. While we've made meaningful change for those living with this disease, our work is far from finished. It is crucial for patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or even metastatic breast cancer to have the right information and expectations. It is our duty to encourage patients to have open conversations with their healthcare teams to understand how they can be supported and how they can participate in their own care taking an active role in their treatment can help them feel empowered in making the best decisions for themselves. For Pfizer, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is more than just one month a year. Its an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to changing the lives of people with breast cancer for the better from treatment to helping to remove barriers to equitable care and beyond. Cancer care is driven by the hope to move forward powered by everything and everyone around you. Beginning with each individuals decision and actions, their community of friends, families, and advocates and the scientists and researchers who dedicate their lives to developing new treatments. Pfizer has supported patients and the breast cancer community for more than 20 years and our goals are clear: powering more treatment options, and more breakthroughs, for everyone. Pfizer held the event virtually for all participants. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ministry of Finance has debunked reports that the Minister of State at the Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen has resigned. Rumours about the Honourable Minister of State tendering in his resignation are untrue, and should be disregarded. Stories of this nature are unhelpful at this time, and the general public is advised to disregard them completely," the Ministry said in a statement on social media. Rumours about the Honourable Minister of State tendering in his resignation are untrue, and should be disregarded. Stories of this nature are unhelpful at this time, and the general public is advised to disregard them completely.https://t.co/N5q5VavQ5L Ministry of Finance, Ghana (@MoF_Ghana) October 28, 2022 The Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa had alleged that President Akufo-Addo has refused to accept the resignation of Charles Adu Boahen. "The President continues to downplay the profound economic crisis created by his abysmal leadership", he added. Parliament may have to turn the heat on President Akufo-Addo. Why is he refusing to accept the resignation of Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen? The President continues to downplay the profound economic crisis created by his abysmal leadership. Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) October 27, 2022 Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Akufo-Addo has reacted to a two-minute video circulated on social media suggesting that there will be a "haircut on Government bonds" Addressing the nation on measures being taken by the government to rescue the economy, he said: "I also want to assure all Ghanaians that no individual or institutional investor, including pension funds, in Government treasury bills or instruments will lose their money, as a result of our ongoing IMF negotiations. "There will be no haircuts, so I urge all of you to ignore the false rumours, just as, in the banking sector clean-up, Government ensured that the 4.6 million depositors affected by the exercise did not lose their deposits" Meanwhile, he has cautioned "those who make it a habit of publishing falsehoods, which result in panic in the system, I say to them that the relevant state agencies will act against such persons". Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video China's top procuratorate orders arrest of former vice governor of Liaoning Xinhua) 11:26, October 31, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has ordered the arrest of Wang Dawei, former vice governor of northeast China's Liaoning Province, for suspected bribe-taking. The National Commission of Supervision has completed an investigation into Wang's case and handed it over to prosecutors, the SPP said. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Hongyu) Poker Face Meaning What Is a Poker Face and How to Get a Good One? October 31, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor Christina Bradfield Editor What do poker legends Phil Ivey, Stephen Chidwick, Mike McDonald, and pop princess Lady Gaga have in common? They all have an iconic poker face! The term poker face is used in everyday life, even by people far removed from this glorious game. When at the negotiating table, people are often told to keep a good poker face, meaning they should appear to have their emotions in check on the outside even if adrenaline is coursing through their veins and their hearts are beating through their chests. The term poker face became more mainstream in 2008 when pop sensation Lady Gaga enjoyed a smash hit with song entitled Poker Face. Millions of people sang along to lyrics packed with sexual innuendoes, believing the song was simply about poker and having a good poker face. If you get the chance after reading this article about the importance of having a good poker table when playing Texas Hold'em, Omaha Poker, or any other poker game, make sure you look into the meaning of Lady Gaga's Poker Face in addition to the true expletive-heaving true lyrics! You may be surprised, if not shocked! Poker Face Meaning Stephen Chidwick is a master of the stare down Fire up your favorite search ending and type in poker face definition, and "an impassive expression that hides one's true feelings" is returned as the term's meaning. Purely in a poker sense of the term, the meaning of a poker face is keeping your face void of expression regardless of if you are holding the stone-cold nuts or are praying to the poker gods that your opponent will fold because you have a trash hand. Instead of asking yourself what is a poker face, you should deviate slightly and consider what is a good poker face. Poker players' minds naturally go to a default image when they think of someone trying their utmost to look emotionless. You are doing it now: you are imagining someone with a stoic impression, perhaps one tinged with anger that is quite intimidating because the player is staring you down! Common Poker Tells: How to Read People in Poker However, a poker face can be whatever you want it to be. You can sit there smiling like the cat that got the cream or look like you are about to burst into tears. Your goal is to not give away any indication of how you are feeling or the strength of your hand. Developing a good, consistent poker face, meaning your face is unreadable to opponents, is a crucial skill to have as a live poker player, and standard practice in any good live poker training course. Why is a Poker Face Important? Mike McDonald Poker is a game played with incomplete information because our hole cards are only ever revealed in specific situations. This means that in order to win a pot, we have to make assumptions about our opponent's hand based on factors including the playing tendencies, their bet sizing, and any other little snippets of information we can gather from how they act, move, and look. Poker players unwillingly give away information through their body language. These poker tells are sometimes obvious here's looking at you Teddy KGB and your obsession with Oreos or far more subtle, such as a wry smile, diverting their eyes from the community cards or their opponent. Some poker tells are difficult to conceal because they are automatic responses by the human body. Often, a player's pupils will briefly dilate when they have a big hand because their body is genuinely excited that they are about to win a large pot. 10 Steps for Controlling Your Own Tells In addition, it is sometimes possible to see a player's carotid artery pumping in their neck when their heart rate increases. Those are two examples of poker tells that are difficult to control, but you can cover them up, and you have total control of your poker pace. You may be wondering why to keep a poker face at all. Why not just act "normally" during every hand? That is all well and good, but at some point, you will act differently when your hand is strong or you are bluffing, and the better, more observant opponents will pick up on this and act according. By getting into the habit of adopting the same poker face whenever you are active in a hand, you vastly reduce the chances of your face giving off tells. How to Get and Keep a Good Poker Face Christoph Vogelsang mucks to the stare down of Mike McDonald Many players hands shake when having a winning hand, which easily tips off fellow players that they indeed have a good hand. Keeping the anonymity of your hands helps you psychologically gain an advantage over your other players, whether you have pocket Aces or seven-deuce offsuit. Poker pro Michael Mizrachi, affectionately known as "The Grinder", has made millions off reading people's (poorly kept) poker faces. Mizrachi is a classic example of having a strong poker face, having the ability to calm under pressure, and having a sharp mind to read other people's emotional changes, all while thinking about how to best make money off it. Getting a Good Poker Face Anyone can get a good poker face, but it does take some practice on your behalf. When you're someone that usually plays online poker with friends, putting on your poker face may seem unnatural at first, especially if you try it in front of the mirror. Truth be told, you may even burst out laughing the first few times you try looking stoic. However, like everything in poker and in most walks of life, practice makes perfect, and the following tips will have you sporting a poker face the pros will be proud of in next to no time. Avoid Giving Off Tells We have already touched on how a poker face can help reduce tells, but we cannot stress the importance of doing everything in your power to prevent giving off poker tells that could completely change the course of a hand. The slightest involuntary facial twitch can be the difference between a skilled opponent calling your value bet or mucking their hand and you leaving valuable chips on the table. Conversely, your darting eyes, a quick like of your lips, or a simple touch of your face could be enough to convince your foe to call your elaborate bluff. There are some poker players that are highly adept at picking up on poker tells. Taking them on at the tables without your best poker face on display is asking for trouble, especially if you're looking to keep your poker bankroll intact! In the movie Maverick, there's a fantastic scene on why you should avoid giving off tells. The character of Maverick played by Mel Gibson sits down at a poker table and sweet-talks his way into a seat by promising to lose for an hour. During that hour, however, he was able to ascertain the other poker players tells, either twirling their hair like Jodie Fosters character, one licking their lips, the other purses them with a winning hand, shuffling the order of their cards, etc. Physical Aspects Fedor Holz stares down Dario Sammartino A poker face is an unnatural look because it removes all emotion and expression from the main thing that humans use to display emotion, expression, and feelings! Most players adopt a poker face by relaxing their facial muscles so as not to smile or frown. They then remain motionless until it is their turn to act. It is important to realize a good poker face is not only how you look, but also how you act. For example, try to blink naturally because you may find yourself blinking too much or staring too much. Furthermore, fidgeting in your seat is a big no-no, as is any movement that you are not prepared to replicate each time you enter a pot. Join these free online games and practice your poker face for free! Got an itch on your cheek? Really, do not dare to scratch it. Getting bored or worried about the length of time you are waiting? You had better not start moving your tongue around your mouth, swallow harder than usual, or lick your lips, or divert your eyes to your opponent, or anywhere else for that matter. The slightest deviation can make your poker face ineffective, which will especially be picked up by hungry sharks. Sitting perfectly still, with a blank expression on your face really is a solid foundation on which to build your award-winning poker face. Imagine you are playing "Simon Says" and Simon has said freeze, and you will not go too far wrong. Mental Aspects It is common for an opponent to stare down someone who has acted and deployed their best poker face. They stare intently, not only to try and pick up on any read or tell they can, but to make you feel uncomfortable to such a degree that you break and give them some information. Stephen Chidwick and Mike McDonald, mentioned at the start of this article, are experts at this; their fierce stares are the stuff of legend. Keeping your cool when someone's eyes are burning into you is a challenging task. It is only natural to feel uneasy when someone is staring at you. Just remember that they cannot stare at you forever. It is best to completely avoid eye contact and focus on the table in front of you or a spot in the distance. Breathe naturally, and your opponent will eventually have to act. How To Keep a Good Poker Face Some players take an extraordinary time to make a decision once you have put them to the test, so expect to have to maintain your poker face for several minutes at a time. It is vitally important that you do not break out from having your poker face on until the moment your opponent acts, otherwise, it is pointless trying in the first place. One way to practice your poker face and to see if you give off any tells is to stare at yourself in a mirror, as ridiculous as that sounds. You can practice your best poker face even if you primarily play online poker on mobile poker sites. Pretend you are in a live poker room and put your poker face on when you would have to in a live setting. Sure, the online game plays out much faster than in a brick-and-mortar venue, and there is nobody staring you down, but it is good practice nonetheless. Expect some opponents to try and talk you into breaking out of your poker face "pose." They will ask you questions, pass comments on how the hand has played out, and more. Ignore them and concentrate on not making any deviations, movements, or facial expressions. You will find your own way of achieving this, maybe count in your head, sing a song, go to a happy place, whatever suits you best, just do not let them talk you out of your poker face. It is in your interests not to wear sunglasses to hide your eyes, or rely on listening to music to drown out any speech play because most major live poker tournaments make players remove their headphones once the event reaches a specific stage, usually on the bubble or after it pops. Businessman Bill Klein used his poker face to pull off a six-figure bluff Ready to Play Poker? Online poker and live poker go hand in hand, which is why the biggest online poker sites often run poker satellites or even poker freerolls to prestigious live poker tournaments. PokerStars has the European Poker Tour (EPT) as its flagship tour, GGPoker runs World Series of Poker (WSOP) satellites, while PartyPoker, 888poker, and Unibet Poker each have their own branded events they host around the globe. The online poker world is the perfect place for honing your poker skills and gaining some valuable experience in this crazy game. Once you have developed those skills and that knowledge, you can concentrate on trying out your poker face in real life with no other distractions. Develop your skills in the online poker world, all why enjoying a juicy welcome bonus Poker Face FAQs Why is it called a poker face? Its called a poker face because poker players have adopted having a deadpan or emotionless expression on their face while playing poker. Is it good to have a poker face? Yes, its good, even essential to have a poker face while playing poker. This way youre able to school your expression and fool your opponents into believing exactly what you want them to believe. Q; What is meant by having a poker face? A: A face not showing any emotion or change in expression. How do you do a poker face? One great example of a poker face is Phil Ivey. He has no expression with his eyes boring into your soul, no smile, only a deadpan expression. Some players put a hand on their opposing arm, keeping their body immobile while another player might be staring them down in order to elicit some information. Is having a poker face bad? Having a poker face is a great quality while playing poker. If youre standing at your wedding with a poker face, maybe not the best time to have one. What does a poker face look like? A poker face has a complete lack of expression or physicality, giving no tells as to what hand you might have. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a genuinely last-gasp move, Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to block an appeals court order that the IRS must turn over his tax returns to congressional Democrats. CNN reported: Trump filed the emergency request on Monday with the high court after a federal appeals court cleared the way last week for the returns to be disclosed to the House Ways and Means Committee in the coming days. No Congress has ever wielded its legislative powers to demand a Presidents tax returns, Trump argued to the Supreme Court, as he warned of the far-reaching implications implications of the DC Circuits ruling. If the Supreme Court declines his emergency request, which it is likely to do, the IRS will hand over Trumps tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee this week. The Committee has already opened the door to Trumps tax returns being made public, just like every other president since Richard Nixon refused to release his tax returns. No other president has hidden his tax returns from the American people in decades. There is no reason for the Supreme Court to grant Trumps request. The appeals court ruled that the Ways and Means Committee has a legitimate investigative purpose for obtaining Trumps returns. The Committee has been investigating Trumps conflicts of interest and entanglements with foreign governments. The tax returns are Trumps remaining secret, and Democrats are closer than ever to getting them. A new power source could be coming to the Savannah River Site. Avery Hammett, a scientist at the site located 20 miles south of Aiken, told the Facilities Disposition and Site Remediation Subcommittee of the Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board on Tuesday that the Department of Energy was considering the development of a solar farm at the site in partnership with Dominion Energy. She said the Department of Energy was "reevaluating" its response to a 2018 recommendation from the board to use solar power at the site. In 2018, the board recommended the Department of Energy investigate the possibility of using rooftop solar panels or placing solar panels in common grounds for renewable energy at the site. The board also recommended the department perform a study to determine the economic feasibility of solar power. The department rejected the first recommendation. Site Manager Michael Budney said the age and unique design of the roofs of existing buildings was cost prohibitive and that funding would be better allocated to other energy-saving ideas like more efficient lightbulbs and heating. It accepted the second recommendation and agreed to perform the study by mid-2019. Board Chairman Gregg Murray said he remembered that the cost per kilowatt hour was very slightly higher for solar power. But, at the time, there wasn't a strong federal commitment to alternative energy sources like solar power. In 2019, Donald Trump, a Republican, was president, Rick Perry, also a Republican, was secretary of energy, and the Republicans controlled the Senate. And the Republicans prefer other alternative sources of energy like natural gas. Now, the Democrats, strong supporters of solar energy, hold the White House (Joe Biden), the Senate and the House. Several members of the subcommittee speculated that the Democrats may be willing to pay a premium to have a green energy power source at the site. Murray added that the cost per kilowatt hour for solar energy may have continued to decrease, making the proposition more economical. A potential timeframe for the construction of the solar farm is yet unknown. The potential location of the solar farm would be in A-Area. Bats aren't the most well-liked animals roaming the Palmetto State. That's for sure. The nocturnal creatures fly at night, invade homes and can even carry a fatal disease no one wants: rabies. But biologists in the state say bats provide a lot of positive benefits to the ecosystem here, too. For starters, they help save the agriculture industry in South Carolina about $115 million per year in pest suppression services and about $23 billion annually across the United States by eating insects to prevent crop damage. Fourteen bat species can be found in South Carolina roosting in trees or caves. Each species here is considered insectivorous. They eat beetles, moths, mosquitos and other insects. A single bat can consume 75 mosquitoes in five minutes, according to Jennifer Kindel, a wildlife biologist with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. In other parts of the country, the animals are responsible for pollinating plants and spreading seeds. Although bats have a bad rep, it is important to protect the populations here in the state, Kindel said. Installing bat boxes in yards provides an alternative roosting habitat for the animals to help them continue to thrive. It can also keep them out of homes and old buildings. "So if people get bats in their attics and they want them out, they can exclude the bats humanely and safely, but then they provide a box for the bat to live in so they can still benefit from all the insect-eating," Kindel said. These boxes are normally installed on poles in yards about 12 to 14 feet above the ground. Bat houses can be built from plywood, and the size and shape are not important, according to the U.S. Forest Service. What's more crucial is that the box contains an opening at the bottom, not to exceed three-fourths of an inch, so the animals can fly in and out. Boxes should be installed in a spot where the animals can get four to six hours of sun. But don't put them on trees. "On trees, bats can be a really handy snack for snakes and raccoons and anything else who wants to get up in there (the bat box) and just take a bat out," Kindel said. The paint color of the bat house is important, too. Those installed in a hotter climate should be painted in a lighter color, and ones in cooler areas should be darker-colored. Make sure the boxes are near a water source with an abundance of insects. Planting flowers nearby that either stay open through the night or bloom in the evenings can help with that. From there, the boxes will likely begin attracting bats. The female animals like the small space the boxes provide because it allows them to crowd together. "It keeps them warm, and having the pups warm is really key, especially when they're first born," Kindel said. "As they develop, they need a nice toasty place, which is why they roost together in groups." Some of the larger boxes can hold hundreds of bats at one time. Kindel recommends people go to Bat Conservation International's website (batcon.org) to learn how to build a bat box at home. Gov. Henry McMaster proclaimed Oct. 24-31 as Bat Week in the state. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control used this year's campaign to teach students about benefits the animals offer. Although they are a recognizable rabies vector, bats "deserve a healthy degree of respect just like all wild animals," said Terri McCollister, team leader for DHEC's Rabies Program. Go to DHEC's bat webpage for information on how to safely capture bats and and who to contact if a person or animals is believed to have come in contact with rabies. MOUNT PLEASANT For the sixth time in the last year, a new wine-centric destination has opened in the Charleston area. Sheffields Wine Bar & Tapas is now open at 320 W. Coleman Blvd. Suite G3. The new wine bar is owned by John Sheffield and Cynthia Kirk, two friends who met in California. Sheffield moved to his late aunts home in the IOn neighborhood of Mount Pleasant in March 2020. Kirk, an experienced California winery tasting room manager, briefly left the industry to become a flight attendant in 2019. She departed the West Coast for a fresh start back in the wine business after the pandemic devastated the hospitality and travel industries. Sheffields shelves are stocked with at least one Mexican wine at all times, an ode to John Sheffields Mexican roots. Sheffields daughter, Grecia, also works at the wine bar featuring labels from California to France, Italy, Spain and New Zealand. We wanted to approach it in a fun and friendly way, Kirk said. I try to introduce people all the time to new and unique varietals. Kirk leads the wine side of Sheffield's, while Sheffield manages the wine bars operations and kitchen, which serves snacks like cheese boards and house-made empanadas. Sheffields, open Tuesday through Saturday, seats about 40 people indoors. With three grown children out of the nest and building their own lives, a widowed Eva Samuel suddenly found herself alone. But still with so much love to share, her nurturing instincts told the native Summervillian that her days of mothering were far from over. Read moreFoster mom opens her heart to needy youth SPARTANBURG COUNTY Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright is defending the stop and search of a charter bus carrying students of a historically Black North Carolina college, a stop the school's president has claimed was racially motivated and prompted members of Congress to request a federal investigation. In a news conference Oct. 31, Wright called Shaw University President Paulette Dillard's claims three weeks earlier "slanderous and libelous" and expressed frustration that multiple attempts to reach the president of the Raleigh-based school have gone unanswered. He also shared body camera footage that showed the bus driver consenting to the search. After using a drug-sniffing dog, nothing illegal was found, and the bus and its passengers were released after about 10 minutes. The case has received widespread attention and brought renewed scrutiny over the sheriff's use of "Operation Rolling Thunder," a weeklong, multijurisdictional sting that floods I-85 with law enforcement with the main goal of seizing illegal drugs and contraband. In a widely circulated opinion column nearly a week after the Oct. 5 incident, Dillard said that she was "outraged" over the stop and associated it with police harassment of Black people in years past. "This scene is reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s armed police, interrogating innocent Black students, conducting searches without probable cause, and blood-thirsty dogs," Dillard wrote. "Its hard to imagine. Yet, it happened to the Shaw University community, and it is happening throughout this nation in an alarming fashion. It must be stopped." N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper through a spokesman expressed "deep concern" about the bus search, according to multiple news reports. And five Democratic members of Congress from North Carolina wrote to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to request a Department of Justice investigation. During his news conference, Wright said the bus carrying a combination of 20 students and school personnel to a financial literacy conference in Atlanta was stopped because the driver was weaving in traffic. Deputies could not see who was inside because the windows were darkly tinted, he said. When asked the pretext to use a drug-sniffing dog to search the bus's outside luggage compartments, Wright replied only that his deputies were "doing Operation Rolling Thunder." Stops only occur with a valid traffic violation, he said, and deputies can use a dog to do a "free air sniff" or receive consent. In this case, the driver, who worked for a private company and was not affiliated with the school, gave consent. During the operation earlier this month, deputies stopped 39 buses and in one case seized $500,000 and two kilograms of cocaine, he said. The bus driver may not have any idea whats going on underneath when (passengers) throw the bags under there," Wright said. "Thats why we check. Such operations are used across South Carolina and involve what's known as an "interdiction team" specifically targeting interstates and suspected illegal trafficking. This type of stop has its critics. In Aiken County, a judge last December threw out a drug prosecution after ruling that deputies there didn't have probable cause to search a commercial bus on Interstate 20, even though drugs were found. During a murder trial earlier this month, a Greenville County Sheriff's deputy who served on an interdiction team described how officers will watch motorists and try to read body language. A person who has "a thousand yard stare" or keeps their hands on the steering wheel at "10 and 2" instead of a typical more-relaxed position can appear suspicious, the deputy said. Attempts to reach Shaw University officials and Cooper's office were not successful Oct. 31. Despite calls for federal law enforcement involvement, Wright said there is nothing to be investigated because the officers handled the stop legally and professionally. Wright released body-cam videos from two deputies depicting the roughly 10-minute stop. A third officer, a narcotics agent with the State Law Enforcement Division, also participated. The videos depict deputies stepping up the entrance stairs to order the driver to present his license and associated documents. The driver complies. A deputy speaks with a young woman sitting in the front of the bus, and she describes who the group is. The driver is asked to step out of the bus and is questioned. The driver consents to a search of the luggage compartments. A drug-sniffing dog barks to alert the presence of a potential illicit substance. Deputies searching through bags find personal effects such as clothes and sanitary items, as well as a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. In one bag, the search turns up a pill bottle, and a member of the search team says that if it's a controlled substance, the dog has done a good job. The pill bottle was filled with "cetirizine," a generic form of the allergy medicine Zyrtec. The driver was issued a warning. From Winthrop University to Coastal Carolina, mold reports plague universities across South Carolina. Here's a rundown of issues at some of the state's colleges. Read moreMold notebook: Which SC colleges had the most mold reports Today the Supreme Court heard historic arguments on legal challenges to anti-Asian race discrimination by Harvard and the University of North Carolina. I will have more to say about that shortly, but first I want to note a missive that Harvards President, Lawrence Bacow, sent to the universitys alumni this morning via email. The communication (signed Larry) is also viewable here. Bacow rehearses the tired excuses for race discrimination: Whatever promise we hold as individualsfor ourselves and for our worldis not predicated on narrowly structured measures of academic distinction. Harvard is not alone in believing that we are more than our test scores. Harvard apparently specializes in the straw-man style of argument. I am not aware that anyone has ever suggested that we are nothing more than our test scores, although one might add that in general, test scores are precisely what distinguish Harvards students from a random slice of the population. Opponents of Harvards position would simply say that skin color should not be part of the more that the university weighs when admitting students. What I want to focus on is Bacows assurance that all the best people join the university in defending race discrimination: The legal battle we have waged, which reaches its apex today, is as important to other colleges and universities, and to society, as it is to us. Educators and scholars, civil rights organizers, historians, and education advocates stand with us. Leaders in business and technology stand with us. Former military officers and the heads of the nations service academies stand with us. That is all true. Race discrimination is popular in the best societyas long, of course, as the right people are being discriminated against. Big business, big tech, the wholly fraudulent civil rights movement, almost all properly credentialed intellectuals, and even top military brass stand with Harvard. They all favor race discrimination. They are all perfectly happy to throw overboard young people of exceptional talent and exceptional industry, as long as they are of the wrong race, in order to satisfy a political agenda. This is one more reminder of the ongoing realignment of American politics. Much as slavery was popular with the in-crowd in all of its varieties in the years leading up to the Civil War, todays elites will be happy if universities continue to discriminate on the basis of skin color, forever. Opposition comes not from the elites, but from the large majority of Americans whose common sense and moral compass lead them to believe that racial discrimination is wrong, and no amount of fancy footwork can make it right. Lets hope the Supreme Court finally frees us from the lies that continue to perpetuate race discrimination, 154 years after the 14th Amendment was adopted. For many Democrats, the attack on Nancy Pelosis husband represents the all-but-inevitable conclusion of Republicans increasingly violent and threatening rhetoric toward their political opponents a phenomenon that escalated under former president Donald Trump, who prided himself on his inflammatory oratory and who was often reluctant to denounce white nationalists and others spewing hate speech. Eleven years later, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) joked that if he becomes the next leader of the House, it will be hard not to hit Pelosi with the speakers gavel. . . Sadly this attack was inevitable. Political violence is on the rise, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), said. And instead of GOP leaders condemning it, they condone it with silence or, even worse, glorification. Swalwell? Isnt he the guy who threatened to rain down nukes on American citizens who might attempt to defend themselves with guns? On the other hand, perhaps Democrats cant perceive paranoid schizophrenia any longer because it characterizes so much of the party regulars. By the way, the Washington Post needed three reporters to produce this by-the-numbers propaganda article. Feel good headline of the day: A wind farm is being dismantled in western Germany to make way for an expansion of an open-pit lignite coal mine in a paradoxical situation highlighting the current prioritization of energy security over clean energy in Europes biggest economy. The dismantling of at least one wind turbine at the wind farm close to the German coal mine Garzweiler, operated by energy giant RWE, has already started. . . RWE also said at the end of September that three of its lignite-fired coal units that were previously on standby would return to the electricity market on schedule in October. Commenting on the dismantling of wind turbines to make way for expanding a coal mine, Guido Steffen, a spokesperson for RWE, told the Guardian, We realise this comes across as paradoxical. But that is as matters stand, Steffen added. I have a hunch there are going to be a lot more such paradoxes of energy production coming over the next decade. This Washington Free Beacon editorial includes Nancy Pelosis fundraising appeal on the back of the attack on her husband. The Free Beacon editorial responds to the call for Republicans to spend the final week of the campaign sitting on the bench, reflecting, atoning for the attack on Paul Pelosi. Minnesota 6h District Rep. and NRCC chairman Tom Emmer received the impassioned instruction of Margaret Brennan for Republicans to quit their lowdown ways and lay off Nancy Pelosi (video below). Brennan hosts CBSs Deface the Nation, as Rush used to call it. .@TomEmmer calls out the media for trying to blame Republican rhetoric for the Paul Pelosi attack. Why didnt they blame Dems when a Bernie Sanders supporter shot Steve Scalise? pic.twitter.com/Ko6iTLZ4UM Mike Berg (@MikeKBerg) October 30, 2022 As RedStates Mr. Bonchie duly observes: If you watch the clip, Brennan attempts to connect normal Republican election rhetoric to the attack on Paul Pelosi, asking why the GOP is still running ads tying going after Nancy Pelosi. That despite the fact that even the authorities have stated they have not ascertained a motive for the crime yet. You may recall she who must be obeyed. Nancy Pelosi is now she who must not be mentioned. As I think about it, Pelosi is both she who must be obeyed and she who must not be mentioned. As the Supreme Court takes up the affirmative action admission cases today that hinge partly on their discrimination against Asian applicants, worth looking at the SAT data by group from Michigan, which required all high school students to take the SAT this year for some reason. Easy to see why Asians are dominating college admissions in any merit-based system. And heres some older University of Michigan admissions data: Another inconvenient bonus chart: Hafsatu Muhammed spoke softly with a pitiable mien, her words punctuated by mixed feelings of fear and uncertainty. Since the recent flooding recorded across Nigeria destroyed houses and farmlands, she and her nine children have remained stranded, squatting at the Limawa Day School on the outskirts of Yola, the Adamawa State capital. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES last week, she lamented how she stood the risk of being ejected from her temporary place of abode, the community school. They are asking us to vacate this place, she said, her words barely audible enough to mask her frustration. She explained further that she and other displaced occupants of the school had pleaded with the Limawa school management to allow them stay within the premises until they could return to their flooded homes, but they declined. Like Mrs Muhammed, the floods that submerged houses within the first weeks of August still haunt residents of Adamawa, especially women and children. When PREMIUM TIMES visited the state, many of them recounted how their houses and means of livelihood were destroyed by over-flowing water around the Bakin Kogi community in Yola North Local Government Area of the state. Although the water has considerably receded, the hope of freedom and resettlement remains blurry for most women and children across the over 117 communities destroyed by the recent flood disaster in the state. Our house is just behind the customs base close to the river, so whenever the water goes above drainages and rice farms, we are the first to be displaced, Hauwa Ibrahim, a resident of the Bakin Kogi community displaced by the flood, narrated. The mother of eight, who alongside her children and other women were relocated to a nearby school (Limawa Day School) two months ago, is now sleeping on a bare floor. She complained of how miserable life had become in the midst of blood sucking mosquitoes. She added that every part of their village was flooded before and that they all fled their homes for safety. Adamawa Flood Disaster The devastating floods that ravaged communities across states in Nigeria within the last three months have disrupted hundreds of villages and urban centres, displacing over 2.4 million people. According to official statistics, over 600 fatalities have been recorded so far. Similarly, expansive hectares of farmlands have been swept off. Many Nigerians have described the flooding incident as the worst aftermath of climate change Nigeria has witnessed since the nation recorded similar disaster in 2012, However, experts have argued that the impact of the floods would have been minimal had the necessary infrastructures needed to control flood across zones in the country been properly maintained by the government. In Adamawa one of the most affected states in Nigeria, residents told PREMIUM TIMES that the worst hit are mostly residents of agrarian communities hosting major tributaries of the Benue River that cuts across seven of the 21 local governments in the State. According to the official tallies of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) zonal office in the state, within three months (July to September) when rainfall was at its peak, 12 LGAs were submerged. Within this period, 82, 730 residents across 117 communities in these LGAs were affected, 13,788 households got damaged, 51 people got injured and 27 deaths were recorded. Farmlands worth billions of naira were equally destroyed, official figures show. Affected LGAs include; Song, Fufore, Demsa, Lamurde, Girei, Madagali, Shelleng, Numan, Yola North, Yola South, Jada and Guyuk, NEMA said. During a recent visit to the state, PREMIUM TIMES observed that many houses have been destroyed, expansive farmland ruined, while roads and culverts linking communities have been washed off by the floods. Our reporter also observed that the flood incident in the state was mostly aggravated by the poor management of drainage pathways and refusal of the government to dredge major rivers and tributaries across the state. Stranded, Helpless Women At the Limawa School, Mrs Muhammad said the Red Cross International provided them with non-food items such as brooms and Dettol, but feeding, accommodation and other essentials still remain uncertain. What we want now is for them to help us even for a week because we cant stop children from studying. We need a place to sleep. Well get the money to clear and fumigate our houses, she said. She added that Mrs Ibrahim was forced out of her house by snakes. We were provided with mats but ten people for one mats and it cant take us. Some of the classes were locked but they opened the nursery section when we pleaded with them, Mrs Muhammad said. When PREMIUM TIMES moved around the school premises, the women and their children were seen roaming about, mingling with students in school uniforms. Stacked by the corners and at strategic corridors of some of the classes were bags of clothing, mats and tarpaulins hung around the classroom doors. Although many of the displaced victims in the Bakin Kogi community have returned to their various homes to start all over again, Mmes Ibrahim, Muhammed and other women still squatting in the school said they cannot go back because their houses are still submerged by water. We want to go back to our homes but it is cold, everywhere smells and diseases are rampant but we have no option, Mrs Ibrahim said. We will still go back on Sunday because its better than staying here. If people send spaghetti and other relief materials, it doesnt get to us. The powerful ones will take everything. But the government has not sent anything yet, Mrs Ibrahim said. Disruption of School Activities Limawa Day Secondary School, Jimeta, is one of the schools within the Bakin Kogi community where displaced flood victims were camped. At the school, it was observed that all students were studying on the bare floor. The entire surrounding environment is littered with dirt and open sewages, and there are no toilets, library, laboratories and even seats for both teachers and students/pupils. Perturbed by the filthy nature of the school environment, a Public Health Specialist, Richard Jonathan, said the people within the premises are susceptible to diseases like, Scabies, Schistosomiasis (a risk factor for urinary bladder cancer), Cholera, Giardiasis (a parasitic infection) and Malaria among others. Displaced children were seen struggling to cook a sachet of indomie with firewood set up outside while pupils of the school studying outside watched from afar. According to the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF), more than 2.5 million people in Nigeria are in need of humanitarian assistance, amidst the flood disaster in the country. Of this figure, the UN agency said 60 per cent (1.5 million) of flood victims are children who are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding in the past decade, UNICEF warned today. In the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone, a total of 7,485 cases of cholera and 319 associated deaths were reported as of 12 October. As rains are expected to continue for several weeks, humanitarian needs are also expected to rise, UNICEF said. At one of the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Limawa School, some of the women complained of how they slept in the midst of lambs. The women leader at the camp, Alice Algali, said they were only given spaghetti, rice, tarpaulin, mats among other few items, which were inadequate. She lamented that people who were not affected by the floods came to cart away some of the items they were given. What they gave us is not enough. The food items get exhausted that same day. We have been here for over two months. We need help, she said. Limawa school principal, Musa Hassan-Jada, said that when they resumed two months ago, he was surprised that people were already camping in the school. Consequently, he said he had an emergency meeting with his teachers, and it was resolved that their students be relocated to a nearby school. We spent a month there (the nearby school), the principal said. After we realised that almost half of those displaced who were camping in our school had left, we had to come back. We are making use of a part while they occupy the other side. It was such an emergency and we dont know what to do, otherwise the academic activities cannot be combined with this type of situation but for the meantime we are managing to the best of our ability, he added. No Respite for Women Farmers In Adamawa state, some of the major victims of the flood disaster are women planting rice, beans (soya beans) and other crops as well as fishermen across agrarian communities in the state. Talatu Dauda, a farmer in Girei LGA, is one of those affected by the flood. She told PREMIUM TIMES that had the release of Lagdo dam water been delayed by the Cameroonian authorities, she would have been among the rice farmers smiling to the bank in October. But unfortunately, Mrs Dauda is one of the farmers in the Koh community of Girei LGA badly affected by the flooding incident in the state. The flood washed away my entire farmland. I have five different farm plots in this community, I couldnt bring out even a grain from all the farms, she lamented. At the commencement of the rainy season farming, she explained how she approached a nearby micro finance bank for a loan to grow rice, cowpeas and maize. The farmer said she got a loan of N500,000 from the bank but in less than two weeks to harvest, her farmland (five hectares) was submerged by the floods. The farmer said she is worried because feeding her eight children has become quite difficult. My plan is to commence dry season farming if I can get financial assistance and farm inputs, she said. Governments Intervention In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), Muhammed Suleiman, said there is an ongoing effort to distribute relief materials to affected individuals across the 21 LGAs in the state. All the LGAs across the River Benue valley, starting from Fufore, Yola South, Demsa, Numan, Girei and Lamurde, all the communities close to the river bank have been washed out completely, Mr Suleiman said. All in all, as a result of flooding in Adamawa state, we have recorded 51 deaths, and as the water is receding, we are still discovering more corpses. The official said 71 people sustained arrays of injuries and that over 20 thousand hectares of farmlands have been destroyed. At Dasin Hausa community in Fufore LGA, 47-year-old Aishatu Usman, who planted maize and sorghum, lost everything to the floods. Since the flood incident, she said it has been difficult to provide food for her eleven children. Aisha now looks towards the government for relief and support, she told PREMIUM TIMES. The flood destroyed everything I planted on my one acre of farmland this year, she said. We are in dire need of food assistance because we have not seen any government assistance since the disaster occurred, she lamented. *This reporting was completed with the support of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development and the Centre for Investigative Journalisms Open Climate Reporting Initiative. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The African Union has condemned in strongest terms the Saturday terrorist attack that killed 100 people in Mogadishu, Somalia. The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemns in the strongest terms the horrific terrorist attack that killed more than 100 innocent civilians and wounded many more in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 29 October 2022, the AU said in a statement. About 100 people were killed on Saturday after two car bombs exploded near Somalias education ministry. According to a video posted on the official account of Somalias President Hassan Mohamud, more than 300 others were wounded in the attack. Mr Mahamat in the statement condoled with the families of the victims and wished speedy recovery to the injured. The AU, he noted, is determined to support the Somali government and people in their efforts to achieve sustainable peace and security in the country. The Chairperson reiterates his appeal to the international community to redouble its efforts to ensure robust international support to Somalias institutions in their struggle to defeat terrorist groups in order to consolidate the key security gains made in recent years, the statement said. Mr Mohamud claimed the al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia was responsible for the attack. Todays cruel and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent people by the morally bankrupt and criminal al-Shabaab group cannot discourage us but will further strengthen our resolve to defeat them once and for all, Mr Mohamud wrote on Twitter. Our government and brave people will continue to defend Somalia against evil, he added. The Islamist group al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to an NPR report. The terror group said the countrys ministry of education is an enemy for receiving support from non-muslim countries who want to remove Somali children from the Islamic faith. The two car bombs exploded in the same location where the October 2017 attack which killed over 500 people occurred. By the will of God, no other October like this will happen. They wont get the chance to commit such a thing, CNN quoted Mr Mohamud as saying. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print At least 134 people have died following the collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat, western India, officials said on Monday. Harsh Sanghavi, Gujarats home minister, told reporters that the death toll rose from 68 on Sunday to 132 early on Monday as search operations continued, Al Jazeera reported. Authorities fear that the numbers could increase as the search by rescue teams continue. About 177 people have been rescued so far, according to the information ministry, while 19 are receiving treatment. The bridge in Morbi which was built during British rule in the 19th century had been closed for renovations for nearly six months before it was reopened to the public last week. Hundreds of sightseers celebrating Diwali (festival of lights) and the Chhath Puja holidays, were on the bridge when it collapsed on Sunday, according to local media. The government announced an investigation into the cause of the disaster. It said more than 200 rescue workers had been mobilised for the search and rescue operation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting his home state Gujarat for three days, announced a payment of 200,000 Indian rupees ($2,428) to each of the families of the dead. The injured will receive 50,000 Indian Rupees ($607), he said in a tweet. Many countries including UAE, Italy, Poland, Armenia and Netherlands have condoled India. Deep sorrow of Italy for the collapse of the bridge over the Machchhu river in India. We express our condolences for the victims and our utmost sympathy to their families and all the people at this tragic time, the Italian foreign ministry tweeted. The media division of Sri Lankas president in a tweet said the president was shocked and distressed by the tragic accident. The Govt & people of #SriLanka join me in extending deepest condolences to the Govt. & people of #India, especially the families of the citizens who lost their lives. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian government has frowned at the travel advisories issued by some embassies to their personnel in Nigeria, urging its citizens and other residents to go about their businesses without fears. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, stated this when he addressed State House correspondents after an emergency security meeting summoned by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja. Mr Monguno, a retired major general, who addressed the correspondents alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, noted that the travel advisories had created unnecessary fear and apprehension among Nigerians. He added that the terror alert was needless as the hype and the sense of insecurity it created were unfounded. According to him, security and intelligence agencies are not resting on their oars to ensure that all Nigerians and every part of the country remains safe. From the time this alarm story came out until now, about a week to 10 days, we can see that so far, the situation has been brought under control. The issue of Nigerians being made to panic is unnecessary, the situation in various areas, the federal capital territory, the situation has been brought under control. We are trying as much as possible to work with our neighbours and within the domestic situation to work with our foreign partners in a responsible way without giving the impression that Nigeria is stetting on thin ice to explored. That has come to dispel any illusion about any sense of heightened insecurity. It is false, it is irresponsible for anybody to give that signal. We are working with our foreign partners in a responsible way and Nigerians should go back to their normal daily undertakings without being put in a situation of fear. READ ALSO: Also addressing the correspondents, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Onyeama, called on citizens to ignore the security threat and travel advisory recently issued by the US and UK, and continue with their daily routines. Mr Onyeama emphasised that the threat and advisory were mainly issued to the citizens of the countries that originated them. He observed that it had been the norm for US to make such pronouncements to its citizens, as dictated by their constitution, just as she almost simultaneously did in South Africa. Nigeria has been engaging the United States (US) on intelligent sharing, Its been the norm for US to make such pronouncement. We engage the US from this, and their response was that they are obliged to put out those kinds of statements, normally travel advisories. But in this case, it was an alert, but they said that they were obliged to, for their citizens, and that the advice, you know, the alert was really, for their citizens. They do it around the world, as you know, they did it also in South Africa, in this particular case, he said. Also allaying the fears of Nigerians occasioned by the terror alert, the Chief of Defence Staff said security agencies had been on their toes to thwart all threats. Those in attendance of the meeting included Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), rBabagana Monguno. The Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao also attended the meeting. Also in attendance were the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba;the Director-General of the State Security Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Muhammadu Buhari jetted out of Nigeria Monday for medical reasons a day before his scheduled appearance at a mining event scheduled for Abuja to inspire investors interest in Nigerias chaotic solid minerals sector. The president travelled to the United Kingdom for a routine medical checkup and will spend about two weeks, his media office said on Monday, just days after he returned from South Korea. President Buhari leaves for London October 31, 2022, for routine medical checkup. He returns to the country 2nd week of November, 2022, the presidents spokesperson, Femi Adesina, tweeted Monday afternoon. The trip, and its sudden announcement, raised concerns about the presidents health and why the government made a U-turn on the plan for Mr Buhari to attend and declare open the sixth edition of the Nigeria Mining Week on Tuesday. The programme will bring together investors, academics and industry professionals at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Mining Week The mining week is designed to showcase Nigerias potential in the mining sector and boost investors confidence in underperforming solid mineral industry as part of efforts to diversify the nations economy and revenue base. Nigeria is expected to play a key role in the coming years as a producer of rare earth metals needed in electric vehicles and batteries as the world moves towards cleaner energy. Last week, the Minister of Mines, Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, was enthusiastic in his declaration that Mr Buhari would grace the event slated. The government, in particular, has been putting all its political will and weight behind the sustainable development of the Mining Sector and I am super excited to announce that as we aim to discuss the common challenges and share our success stories, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will declare the event open, he said. The minister called on foreign investors to attend the event because Mr Buharis scheduled presence was a pointer to the state of security in the nations capital, Abuja. The Federal Government is not resting on its oars to ensure the safety of lives and property in the country, adding that the Nigerian security apparatus have been duly briefed to take care of the security situation, he was quoted by Punch as saying. The fact that Abuja is safe is evidenced in the fact that His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will declare the event open. Security Scare Last week, a number of foreign missions issued travel advisories warning of imminent terrorist attacks in Abuja, the nations capital. PREMIUM TIMES reported the advisories issued first by the U.S. and UK governments, and then by other foreign missions. They warned their citizens to avoid travelling to Nigeria, particularly Abuja, warning of a potential terror attack in the city. The US has since suspended consular operations in Abuja nad advised its staff and their families to relocate from the Nigerian capital. President Buhari in his response, however, said the advisories do not mean an attack in Abuja is imminent. Analysts argued that Mr Buharis scheduled appearance at the mining week event Tuesday would have boosted interest in the mining industry and put paid to reports that the nations capital is unsafe. A Twitter user, Adeolu Ahmed, wondered why the president chose to ignore the mining week despite the significance of his presence at the occasion. He was supposed to flag off the Nigerian mining week in person tomorrow according to the minister of mines. That wouldve served two purposes for investors Assured them that Abuja is safe and emphasize our seriousness with mining as a diversification drive, he tweeted. Alas, hes gone for routine check up. If its routine and not a health emergency, couldnt he have left tomorrow after delivering his keynote address? Mr Buhari has a record of embarking on incessant travels, amid criticisms from many Nigerians. Mondays trip will be one of the several medical trips the President has embarked on since assuming office in 2015, spending over 200 days abroad. Barely a year after being sworn in in February 2016, Mr Buhari took his first medical trip to the United Kingdom, spending six days. Later in the same year, he traveled to treat an ear infection, spending a number of days. In 2021, Mr Buhari departed for London for a routine medical check-up, which lasted 15 days. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Today, The BMJ launches, together with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) the first tranche of a special collection of articles arguing that the global agenda for sustainable development cannot be achieved without increased focus on demographic groups left behind, and specifically adolescents. In an editorial to launch the collection, advisors and consultants to PMNCH, together with Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, argue that the needs of young people have long fallen between cracks in service provision and not been a political priority. The collection launches on Thursday, 27th October, at a curtain-raiser for PMNCHs global campaign to advocate for the worlds 1.8 billion adolescents and youth, which will further drive action towards the Global Forum for Adolescents in 2023. Within the collection, the authors of an opinion article describe how global public health investment per capita for adolescents is lower than in any other demographic; yet this group comprises 23% of the population of low-income countries, and numbers nearly doubled from 1980 to 2020. The author group, which includes Indias health secretary, argue that investing in the wellbeing of adolescents, which encompasses, but goes beyond health, will deliver economic returns well beyond the level invested. The collection also makes two headline arguments. Firstly, it advocates for centering the voices of youth themselves in agenda-setting and design, implementation, and evaluation of services intended for them. An open letter, signed by youth representatives and political leaders, further endorses the goals of the Global Forum for Adolescents, arguing that achieving meaningful involvement will require work to be done on strengthening spaces for engagement. A second argument emphasises the multidimensional nature of adolescent wellbeing, and linked to this, the critical importance of collaboration between sectors (health, education, social support, and others), in order to deliver benefits for youth wellbeing. These insights are detailed in five analysis articles, each corresponding to one of five domains of wellbeing outlined in a previously developed framework. Analyses of each of these domains, spanning health and nutrition; connectedness; safety and a supportive environment; learning, skills and employability; and agency and resilience, elaborate on the ways in which multisectoral action can deliver benefits for adolescent wellbeing, and the challenges in this. Additionally, a further analysis article highlights how no existing approach to measurement of adolescent wellbeing currently exists which can capture progress across these domains. Delivering on a goal identified in the editorial, of reporting progress towards delivering for adolescents, will require such a monitoring framework to be set up. Finally, another analysis article published in the collection argues for more explicit recognition by health professionals of impacts [of climate change] on adolescents physical and mental health, and that they must engage with adolescents to mitigate the effects of climate crisis on their wellbeing. Further content will be added to the collection in the forthcoming months. Read the full collection here Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Human rights organisation, Amnesty International (AI) has commenced training individuals and organisations in Northern Nigeria on detecting and reporting human rights violations. The training is also being supported by funding from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). The first leg of the training, which was held at The Summit Hotel in Damaturu, Yobe State, brought together participants from states in the North-east including Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi. Participants from Plateau State in the North Central region, also took part in the training. During the two-day training, participants were trained on how to identify generic human rights issues in the northern region of the country and proffer ways of mitigating such practices. While giving an overview of the project, the coordinator of the training, Bash Olasupo, said the need for civil societies to engage people in authority, especially the security agents and how ought to handle people decently, is important to change the narrative and the culture of silence among the people at the community level. He noted that the rights of the people in democratic societies and what they must enjoy from the government cannot be negotiated. However, he expressed regrets that the insecurity in the region has deepened rights violations. He said the time is right for such rights violations to get the attention they deserve, and that civil societies and human rights advocates should lead the campaign against them. With the coming of democracy, the expectation had been that the civic space will open up and civil society organisations will be able to occupy the space and advocate more for the protection of human rights and for the dividends of democracy etc for the people. Unfortunately, the insecurity in the northern part of the country came and so that space, even if it was created, there was no attention about trying to occupy that space and along the line, the policymakers were also concentrating on trying to manage the violent conflict orchestrated by the protracted insurgency also have been coming up with policies and statement that ordinarily were meant to protect the citizen. But proper scrutiny will also see the type of inconveniences that those scrutinies create for people and the violation of human rights. But because we are dealing with violence, nobody seems to be paying attention but we decided that there is a need to start dealing with that shrinking space by capacitating the human rights groups, individuals and organizations to build their capacities so as to advocate more for the respect of human rights issues in northern Nigeria. If you see through the issues, there are cultural and religious issues that also prevent having a robust human right movement or effort in the northern part of the country. But there are particular issues like the condition of the IDPs. Though there are IDPs in other parts of the country where its a widespread thing like sexual exploitation at the camps, inhuman treatment of people, exposure of young girls, maltreatment of people at checkpoints, education has become a secondary thing, early child marriage, rape etc. So, gradually, as the insurgency is going down, we feel that it is the right time to start in earnest to address some of these things so that the wrongs of the past can be easily corrected. That is the basis of this training and its going to continue for the other states of the north. We want to stop the culture of business as usual, Mr Bash said. Participants at the training were excited at the knowledge gap that was bridged within the two days of the training. This training is very educative and it serves as an eye opener for the newcomers and will also strengthen the knowledge of some of us that have been in the business for a long and foster a stronger synergy with stakeholders in the human right circle for a better relationship, Dogo Saje Ngare, one of the participants, said. The training will continue with other northern states of Nigeria in a few weeks. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Action Aid, a humanitarian organisation, has donated N68 million to at least 120 households taking refuge at Internally Displaced Person camps in three local governments of Jigawa State to cushion the effects of the widespread flooding in the state. This is as the states Ministry of Health confirmed 15 cholera cases in the samples of 600 suspected cases tested across the state. Also, the state emergency management agency said over 70,000 people were displaced and are now taking refuge at 75 IDP camps and with their relatives following the torrential rain that resulted in widespread flooding in the state. PREMIUM TIMES visited some of the IDP camps in Gandun Sarki camp in Hadejia and Nasarawa camp in Miga Local government Areas, respectively and saw the deplorable conditions of the displaced persons, with many children yet to resume school. One of the displaced women, Mariya Idris, in Nasarawa camp in Miga, told this newspaper that following their displacement in early September, she got N20,000 cash support and non-food items from Action Aid Nigeria. This is the first time I am receiving such an amount of money, I am grateful to the donors and I will utilise the amount for my household but we are appealing to the government to proffer solutions to the flooding disaster that washed out our farms, Mrs Idris said. Another beneficiary, Salamatu Isah, said she lost her valuables as the flood took them by surprise. All my livestock were killed by the flood but I am happy now I got some support I will start a new saving hoping that I will not see a repeat of such a disaster, she said. Hundreds of people in the Nasarawa IDPs camp who missed out on the support prayed that they will be included in the next round of donations. One of them, a hearing-impaired woman, cried after she learnt that her name was not among the beneficiaries. The interventions of the cash and non-food items worth 140,000 were donated by Action Aid Nigeria in collaboration with Baba Azumi Foundation (BAF) with support from START FUND READ ALSO: The head of the BAF Foundation, Aishatu Suleiman-Jahun, said the intervention was given to IDPs in three local government areas Miga, Gwiwa and Kaugama. She said the flood-affected households got an intervention for cash for food to 1000 households at N20,000 per household and distribution of none food items to 1,200 households. Also, Mrs Suleiman-Jahun said the intervention included the distribution of dignity kits to 500 lactating, pregnant women who are part of the 1,200 beneficiaries. Cholera response The Action Aid and the BAF Foundation said they are complementing the effort of the Jigawa State government in response to the cholera outbreak. Meanwhile, the permanent secretary of, the Ministry of Health, Salisu Muazu, told PREMIUM TIMES, Monday morning, that cases of cholera drastically reduced compared to last years incident following a concerted effort by the government and development partners. Mr Muazu said last year the state recorded about 500 deaths from cholera, 1000 confirmed cases and 26,000 suspected cases following the rainfall. He, however, said the state government in March inaugurated a rapid response team involving all partners with a mandate to check an incident of suspected cholera cases in response to last years devastation. Mr Muazu, said response teams are working at the grassroots level to ensure the safety of drinking water and cholera-prone behaviours among residents which has helped the state in addressing the outbreak with only 600 suspected cases and 15 confirmed even after the devastating flooding. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The traditional ruler of Tungbo town in the Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Amos Poubinafa, now sleeps in his car as floods have sacked him from his palace. I have been sleeping in my Toyota Sienna for two weeks since the flood ravaged the palace. It reached the knee level and made the palace uninhabitable, Mr Poubinafa, a retired naval officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Tungbo. The car is the only safe place for me; the entire building is flooded and there is no safer place for me to sleep. My family has been relocated to Yenagoa. As the Captain on board (traditional ruler) this vessel, I cannot abandon my subjects to seek alternative abode outside the town. By my training as a naval officer, I am not expected to abandon the crew I am leading in my vessel. I am expected to be the last man standing, he said. Mr Poubinafa also told NAN that he equally suffered in the floods of 2012 as he could not leave his subjects and relocate and that the situation is worse in 2022. READ ALSO: He appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency, the Bayelsa Emergency Management Agency, and other well-meaning individuals to assist flood victims in Tungbo town. He also called on the Federal Government to construct dams and dredge Rivers Niger and Benue to end perennial flooding in parts of the country. Tungbo community is host to the Federal Science and Technical College, a co-educational college founded in 2002, which is on Sagbama-Tungbo Road. Mr Poubinafa retired from the Nigerian Navy as a lieutenant commander in 2002 before he became the paramount ruler of his community. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, on Monday, slated 7 December for a definite hearing in a case lodged against the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning over allegations of corrupt practices in the budget office. A retired staff member of the Budget Office of the Federation, Bilkisu Sannusi accused the Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, of abuse of power. Ms Sannusi alleged that Mr Akabueze unilaterally withheld her salaries and other entitlements for daring to expose corrupt practices that were being committed in Nigerias budget office. Listed as defendants in the suit marked NICN/ABJ/ 96/2022, are: the Head of Service of the Federation, Director General, Budget Office of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National, the Attorney General of the Federation and Accountant General of the Federation. At Mondays proceedings, the Director of Legal department in the Budget Office, M. D Agada, who represented the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office, informed the judge, Oyebiola Oyewumi, that they had filed a memorandum of appearance and their responses to the originating summons of the claimant (Mrs Sannusi). Similarly, the lawyer representing the AGF, Aliyu Abdulkadir, said a memorandum of appearance had been filed by his client. However, the trial judge, Mrs Oyewumi, observed that the AGFs memorandum of appearance was without a stamp as required. The judge ordered parties to file all necessary papers before 7 December and adjourned the suit for a definite hearing. Background Mrs Sannusi in her statement of facts alleged that she discovered corrupt practices by some officials in the office of the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation. She said the alleged fraud had to do with the manipulation of budget proposals by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA), which she reported to the Director General, Mr Akabueze. The claimant who is now retired from the budget office further accused Mr Akabueze of being complicit in the heist. In her court filings, Mrs Sannusi alleged that due to her refusal to compromise on the padding of the budget, Mr Akabueze in cahoots with officials of the Finance Ministry and the Head of Service of the Federation removed her name from payment vouchers. To further make life difficult for her, Mrs Sannusi said Mr Akabueze allegedly caused her Secret and Open Files domiciled with the Budget Office of the Federation registry to be removed and kept in an unknown place to frustrate her from processing her retirement benefits. Not done yet, Mr Akabueze allegedly instructed Emeka Obodo, one of his allies in the finance department (of the budget office) to withhold and deny the claimants her due financial and material benefits. Mrs Sannusi also said Mr Akabueze without any justification caused the secret and open files of the claimant domiciled with the budget office registry to be removed and kept in an unknown place. One Mohammed Taura was also accused of removing the files on the instruction of Mr Akabueze, upon being confronted with the vanishing of Mrs Sannusis personal records. This, the claimant, said made it impossible for her to process her retirement benefits. Prayers Describing Mr Akabuezes conduct as reckless and abuse of public office, Mr Sannusi asked the court for exemplary damages to deter other public office holders from towing Mr Akabuezes line. She sought a declaration that the withholding of the claimants secret and open files and fringe benefits, bonusesother benefits by the 2nd defendant (Mr Akabueze) is illegal, unlawful and a gross abuse of governmental powers. Mrs Sannusi further urged the court to declare that the Head of Service of the Federation lacks the power to impose punishment of suspension of salary on her except as stipulated by extant rules and regulations. She prayed for an order compelling the defendants to pay the sum of N50 million as exemplary damages in her favour against the defendants having acted in bad faith. The claimant also begged the court to award general damages in the sum of N59 million against the defendants for inconveniences suffered by her and caused by the defendants. Mrs Sanusi appealed to the court to compel the Head of Service of the Federation to forthwith release her secret and open files to enable her proceed with the processing of her retirement. The claimant who was due for retirement on Grade Level 14 (Chief Executive Officer) on 1 April, 2022, could not process her retirement benefits due to personal vendetta by Mr Akabueze for her being upright and incorruptible while in service, court papers say. Budget Office denies budget padding allegation The Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office have denied the allegation of budget padding levelled against them in their joint statement of defence. They denied padding the Kaduna Polytechnic budget which is at the heart of the dispute. Mrs Sannusi was accused of refusing a posting out of the Budget Office, blaming her refusal for the stoppage of her emoluments. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The federal government is pioneering a voluntary billion dollars worth Carbon Market on the continent. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, disclosed this a statement on Sunday in Abuja. He said It is an innovative climate change solution which will create, over the period of energy transition, millions of new jobs in Nigeria alone, according to estimates of the international experts. The initiative is part of efforts of the federal government to attain the global net-zero emissions target. The vice president is a member of the recently-formed international Steering Committee for the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI), with the objective of facilitating the emergence and growth of the market in Africa. Besides Mr Osinbajo, other members of the committee of the ACMI, which would be announced early in November at the COP27 meeting in Egypt, are former President of Colombia, Ivan Marquez, and President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina. Officials of the United Nations, USAID, Gates Foundation and other international private sector players are also members. ACMIs estimates suggest that Nigeria alone could produce up to 30 million carbon credits per year by 2030, which at $20 dollars/credit would be worth over half a billion dollars annually. At this level of production, the industry could potentially support over 3 million Nigerian jobs. And Nigeria has only a portion of Africas total potential the impact for the continent as a whole could be far greater, ACMIs estimates indicate. The jobs would span the period of the energy transition, starting from the time the market is able to kick off till 2060. The committee will be inaugurated at the forthcoming International Climate Change Conference in Egypt, tagged COP 27, with the aim to lead advocacy for the realisation of the Carbon Credits initiative as an effective way of reducing emissions while financing green growth across Africa. The Carbon Credit initiative prioritises the use of environmentally-friendly energy sources for domestic and industrial purposes. For instance, carbon credits could support the conditional portion of Nigeria and other Africa nations nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Nigerias carbon credit potential is concentrated in household devices and forestry sectors, both of which will attract significant benefits. Household devices like solar lanterns and clean cook stoves contribute to expanding energy access and improving health outcomes, while carbon forestry credits enable the conservation of Nigerias rich biodiversity and support sustainable livelihoods. As part of this vision, Nigeria aims to pioneer innovative climate solutions that will benefit Africa and the world. One of these solutions is the production and sale of carbon credits, which have enormous potential for Africa that is only beginning to be explored. The federal government is committed to supporting the development of the domestic carbon credit industry and is exploring strategies for how carbon credits can best catalyse investment and economic growth. President Muhammadu Buhari and Mr Osinbajos ongoing climate leadership has won applause for Nigeria with the governments policies in place to support the development of the industry. Building on Nigerias history of climate action, the president signed the Climate Change Act of 2021 providing a framework for national coordination on climate change issues. Some of the efforts for which the Buhari administration is globally acknowledged include the creation of the National Council on Climate Change, which the president inaugurated last month, with the authority needed to drive major emissions reductions. Recently, Mr Osinbajo launched the federal governments Energy Transition Plan in August 2022, a detailed strategy outlining how Nigeria will reach global net zero emissions by 2060 while eliminating energy poverty. To further support the domestic production of carbon credits, the federal government is developing a carbon credit activation plan. This plan will clearly identify responsibility within the government for the regulation and promotion of carbon credits, and will outline a set of actions government can take to support the industry. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Luiz Lula da Silva on Sunday defeated incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro to become the president-elect of Brazil. Mr Lula, a former president and prisoner, according to the countrys electoral authority, received 50.8 per cent of the votes while Mr Bolsonaro received 49.2 per cent. After three failed attempts, Mr Lula was first elected president in 2002. He was reelected in 2006. After his time as president, he got entangled in a corruption scandal which saw him jailed for 18 months and released in 2019 on technical grounds. This is the first time since Brazil returned to democratic rule that an incumbent is losing an election. About two million votes gave Mr Lula victory in the tightly contested election. Today, the only winner is the Brazilian people, Al Jazeera quoted Mr Lula as telling the crowds gathered at a Sao Paulo hotel. This isnt a victory of mine or the Workers Party, nor the parties that supported me in the campaign. Its the victory of a democratic movement that formed above political parties, personal interests and ideologies so that democracy came out victorious, he said. Mr Bolsonaro has yet to concede defeat as is tradition with Brazil elections. He is, however, expected to contest the results following after he earlier questioned the reliability of the electronic voting machine. The incumbent served as an army captain during the military dictatorship of 1964 to 1985. Sources who spoke to Reuters said he is billed to make a public speech on Monday. Local media are reporting Brazilians excitement at the emergence of M Lula. Mr Lula will be inaugurated on 1 January 2023 to lead Latin Americas biggest economy. World leaders congratulate Lula World leaders have started to congratulate Brazils president-elect after his victory was announced. Argentinas President, Alberto Fernandez, in a tweet wrote Congratulations @LulaOficial! Your victory opens a new era for the history of Latin America. A time of hope that begins today. Here you have a partner with whom you can work to create a better life for all our peoples. Lula. Joy!, Chile President Gabriel Boric tweeted in Spanish. President Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador congratulated Mr Lula saying, in democracy, we will continue to strengthen friendship and cooperation between our countries to ensure better days for our citizens. Bolivian President Luis Catacora in his congratulatory message said Mr Lulas victory strengthens democracy and Latin American integration. We are sure you will lead the Brazilian people along the path of peace, progress and social justice, he said. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wrote, we celebrate the victory of the Brazilian people, who on 30Oct elected @LulaOficial as their new President. Long live the peoples determined to be free, sovereign and independent! Today in Brazil democracy triumphed. Congratulations Luna! A big hug! I send my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections. I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead, US President Joe Biden tweeted. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote, The people of Brazil have spoken. Im looking forward to working with @LulaOficial to strengthen the partnership between our countries, to deliver results for Canadians and Brazilians, and to advance shared priorities like protecting the environment. Congratulations, Lula! President Emmanuel Macron of France wrote, Congratulations @LulaOficial, on your election which opens a new page in the history of Brazil. Together we will join forces to address the many common challenges [we face] and renew the bond of friendship between our two countries. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa wrote, I look forward to working together in the coming years with great enthusiasm, in favour of Portugal and Brazil but also around significant global issues. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote, Congratulations @LulaOficial for your victory in elections in which Brazil has decided to back progress and hope. Lets work together for social justice, equality and to tackle climate change. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Fontelles wrote, Brazilian citizens went to the polls to elect their new president in a peaceful and well-organised election. Parabens @LulaOficial on your election! He added that he looked forward to working together and advancing EU-Brazil relations. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote, Huge congratulations to @LulaOficial on a tremendous victory in the Brazilian elections. Look forward to working with you on protecting our global environment. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Command, on Monday confirmed the release of Adigun Agbaje, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, by his abductors. Adewale Osifeso, the police spokesperson in the state, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan. NAN recalls that Mr Agbaje, along with other travellers, including two female students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, were on Friday night kidnapped by gunmen in military uniform around Dominica University, on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. According to Mr Osifeso, Mr Agbaje is currently undergoing debriefing, saying an update will be provided on the matter. He, however, did not give details about the release of other kidnapped travellers. READ ALSO: Another university professor kidnapped in Adamawa NAN gathered that two students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, identified as Olayemi Adejare and Oluwatobi Orekoya and Mr Agbaje, were picked up on Sunday night at a location near Sat Guru Maharaji area on Ibadan-Lagos Expressway. NAN recalled that the abductors had earlier contacted Mr Agbajes family for a ransom of N50 million for his release, while they demanded N10 million each for release of the two students. They later reduced that of the students to N2 million each. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Yahaya Yusuf is the Chairman of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria and Vice Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Bauchi State. He is a retired agriculture extension worker and a commercial rice farmer. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES in Bauchi, Mr Yusuf speaks on the flooding in Nigeria and what the government can do to avoid future recurrence. Excerpts: PT: Bauchi State has witnessed devastating floods this year, how has it affected rice farmers in the state? Yusuf: We give thanks to God for sparing our lives to witness today. The floods have greatly affected rice farmers and other farmers too like everywhere in Nigeria. Thousands of farmlands have been washed away while others are still submerged in water. Our members, especially from Bauchi North, suffered the most. What weve done is to sympathise and offer support where possible. Weve asked for comprehensive data on farmlands destroyed by the floods. We want it to be a thorough data so that we can work on it. Were taking time to get the accurate data, so I cant tell you exactly how many farmers are affected or how many farmlands have been washed away but it was devastating. PT: I learnt that flooding has been an issue in Bauchi State Yusuf: As Ive said before we started this discussion, there is the issue of water management in the country. The reality is that we need water management interventions to harness the uploads we get annually. Here (Bauchi) we once proposed Bagel dam during the Sheu Shagari administration (former President Shehu Shagari ruled from 1979 1984) but they didnt do it. If we have something like that, the water would be going into the dam not into houses or farmlands and the level of destruction would reduce. PT: If I understand you, youre saying these are some of the reasons we are witnessing floods? Yusuf: Of course yes. These are the issues. We also have the issue of silting of rivers by the authorities in our states. It has caused our rivers to be filled up with sand and once there is heavy rainfall or flow of water, it overflows and goes straight into our farms and houses. The rivers that are very deep have all been half-filled with sand and sometimes grasses which makes it easier for the water to overflow into communities. So, (the) government needs to take damping and dredging of our rivers seriously. The rivers in Hadeija and Wudil are converging here (Bauchi). Things have changed. On your way to Jamaare and Kiyawa for instance, youll be seeing sand dunes that are always covered by water. Weve reached out to the Hadeija Jamaare river basin development authority and the Lake Chad Research Institute. They even came to Bauchi for a feasibility study. We wanted them to do barraging so that the water can serve a positive purpose. When you do such a thing, youll not need to build another dam for instance or even be afraid of water overflowing or destroying houses or farmlands. PT: Would this flood disaster affect food security in the country? Yusuf: Well, youve seen it yourself since youve gone round the affected areas. Rice farmers are the worst hit in these deep Northern states but we cant overlook other farmers because the floods were devastating. It affected all sorts of crop farmers and that would automatically lead to food scarcity. Already, were complaining of a shortage of food as you know. Dont forget that its not only in the Northern states because after the devastation here the water moved down to the South. Youre a journalist and you know how far the floods have gone. The president and the humanitarian affairs minister have all said the situation is critical and food security is at risk. They want to open their silos to distribute grains. But that will not bring the desired solution to the situation. The federal government should ensure that farmers are fully into dry season farming. PT: But some of the farmers Ive met have already started preparing for dry season farming to make for the loss Yusuf: Yes. I know that. But its not sufficient. The issue is that we dont have a good economic policy in this country which is affecting agriculture in particular and the other layers of the economy in general. As I was saying, these people that were using river banks to provide food for the country have lost a lot of money to the floods. What has the government done? So, I believe the only way we can help these farmers which will in turn help to avert food scarcity is to help them in the dry season farming. They should be supported because weve already started seeing signs of food shortage. Let the farmers be supported with subsidised seeds, working tools, loans and what have you because the farmers are feeling the heat of the destruction and the whole country will soon begin to experience lack of food. Secondly, whenever there are floods issues like this one, the government comes up with plans. For instance, in 2007 and 2011 they initiated the (rice) dry season farming and it has now become a part of some of the farmers cycle and were seeing how thats helping the rice farmers to increase the number of rice we provide to the people. The floods were not as deadly as this one. So, since we already have these dry season farmers, I think its simple for the government to act. The issue as I said earlier is that things are hard and difficult already. The price of everything has gone up. For instance, diesel is now almost N900 per litre. How many farmers can afford diesel or petrol to power generating sets to pump water? This issue of powering generating sets is very important that I think we can even use solar energy that will solve about 60 percent of the cost of production. We can make up for most of what we missed during the floods. The seeds are also expensive and now with these floods, where would one even see the seed? I dont want to talk about fertilizer and pesticides for instance (laughs); these are things that have become very expensive. Let the government get involved in dry season farming so that the farmers can get things at subsidised rates to make up for the loss due to the floods. This reporting was completed with the support of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development and the Centre for Investigative Journalisms Open Climate Reporting Initiative. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Adigun Agbaje, the University of Ibadan professor who was freed on Sunday night by his kidnappers, has recounted his ordeal in the hands of the gunmen in military uniforms. He made this known in a statement to journalists by his son, Adewale Agbaje, on behalf of his father, in Ibadan, on Monday. Mr Agbaje, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC-Academics), University of Ibadan, is also the chairperson of the Oba Sikiru Adetona Institute for Governance at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Narrating his experience, the victim said he missed death by a whisker, following the gun shot he received in the head during the abduction process. Its a new day today and Im happy to be alive. I was released by my kidnappers yesterday (Sunday) evening after spending two nights in the thick forests of Ogun and Oyo States. My mind goes to the five others who are still left with the kidnappers: two young ladies, two young men and a middle-aged person. I was shot at in the head during the abduction process. I thank God that the bullet that went through my cars windscreen left only a skin-deep wound on my head even though it left a gaping hole in the cap I was wearing. I did not even know about this till Saturday morning when I saw caked blood on my cap. READ ALSO: The university don said he was undergoing comprehensive health checks, saying it may take some time to thank all my family, including my in-laws, friends and in-laws to my children, my own friends, colleagues and all Nigerians. For now, I want to thank the following former and current Vice-Chancellors of the University of Ibadan: Prof Olufemi Bamiro, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Prof. Idowu Olayinka and Prof. Kayode Adebowale, my colleagues at the University of Ibadan and other universities at home and abroad, current and former students. They include: Mr Fisayo Soyombo, for their wonderful support and generosity to my family, top government, military, and other security officials. I am quite grateful for all your efforts. You all kept hope alive and ensured that the sensitive negotiations came to a successful end when I regained freedom yesterday evening. As stated earlier, my heart goes to those young female undergraduates, the young men and the middle-aged person I left behind with the kidnappers. I may not be reachable now, but as soon as I get medical clearance from my doctors, I will be thanking all of you personally. NAN recalls that Mr Agbaje, along with other travellers, including two female students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, were on Friday night kidnapped by gunmen in military uniform around Dominican University, on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. NAN recalled that the kidnappers had on Saturday demanded the payment of N50 million ransom from the family before he could be released. However, it could not be ascertained at the time of publishing this report if any ransom was paid by the family and the amount to secure Mr Agbajes release. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print It is easy, therefore, to assume that our policymakers do not know what they are about. If you add to the conversation our baked-in preference for affirmative action hiring over competence- and qualification-based recruitment, this conclusion acquires a certain inevitability. However, the regularity with which we seem to not know what we are doing would seem to suggest a greater purpose to policymaking here. Over the weekend a slew of developments in the local economy again underlined the problem with how policymaking works here. A few of the concerns. In the design of domestic policies across the three tiers of government, and then again, even in the private sector, what roles do a full description of desirable outcomes play and when? And, arguably no less important, what is the process by which these policies are arrived at? Almost without fail, the sense that one gets each time government, or any of its innumerable departments announces a new policy initiative is of difficulties in agreeing on tradeoffs. Given that with every policy there are always going to be winners and losers, it helps to understand how government arranges the priorities around its policies, beyond the question of outcomes. Beyond even this, there is the bit about how the diverse policies and their respective environments work together or cancel themselves out. This is as much a question of sequencing. Once the desired policy outcomes have been agreed on, and the policies consistent with these goals are fashioned out, the biggest challenge is in ordering implementation for maximum effect, while keeping costs down. The optimal route along a decision tree is the combination of several start-to-finish relationships between events and their nodes. You do not have to be a project planning expert to know that this is not one of our strongest suits as a people. Who has a look in and why in the design of policy? is not a question that we have ready answers to. What are the benefits policy aims at? and How big a cost would we have to bear in order to achieve these benefits? Who are the most likely appropriators of these gains? and Who are most likely to bear the costs? Are we willing to run with the cost-benefit dynamic as they are? Nor is the governance of policy areas a key national competence. Who has a look in and why in the design of policy? is not a question that we have ready answers to. What are the benefits policy aims at? and How big a cost would we have to bear in order to achieve these benefits? Who are the most likely appropriators of these gains? and Who are most likely to bear the costs? Are we willing to run with the cost-benefit dynamic as they are? or Given the multiplier effect of any given policy are we willing to mitigate the negative externalities arising therefrom (and how) in order that we may gain maximally from the benefits? All of these are key questions. But nearly always our policymakers have never seemed alive to any of them. It is easy, therefore, to assume that our policymakers do not know what they are about. If you add to the conversation our baked-in preference for affirmative action hiring over competence- and qualification-based recruitment, this conclusion acquires a certain inevitability. However, the regularity with which we seem to not know what we are doing would seem to suggest a greater purpose to policymaking here. Are there benefits to our policymakers from the pursuit of wrong-headed programmes that are not included in the trade-offs that policymaking asks of us? Yes. Especially if the level of corruption that the anecdotal evidence throws up is anything to go by. In which case we do not have bad policies because policymakers are not sufficiently equipped for their roles. We have bad policies because subsidiary outcomes of these are in the interests of our policymaking industry. Nigeria is, instead, an ethical challenge. How do you persuade folks with access to the treasury not to insert their snouts in it? And how do we put a lid on how much each person may illegitimately take out of the coffers? Nearly always conversations about fixing this question resolve themselves into how much theft from the public coffers is enough. Now, this state of affairs presents a different order of tasks for all who are minded to fix this economy. In the end, Nigeria is not an economic problem. When we ask that the price mechanism be permitted to allocate resources, whether it be in the downstream oil and gas sector or in the foreign exchange markets, the domestic opposition to this is not necessarily one that is worried about the markets tendencies to alienate large sections, even as an increasingly small coterie continues to make a huge profit. It is that the inefficiencies hardwired into our current processes are designed to redirect lucre into private pockets. Nigeria is not also a political problem, at least not in the sense in which we define politics as concerned with the making as opposed to the administration of governmental programmes. Nigeria is, instead, an ethical challenge. How do you persuade folks with access to the treasury not to insert their snouts in it? And how do we put a lid on how much each person may illegitimately take out of the coffers? Nearly always conversations about fixing this question resolve themselves into how much theft from the public coffers is enough. Unfortunately, because we are not a modern people enough is not a valid thought category. Even for money, the satisfaction from the next dollar is always going to be that much smaller than that obtained from the first one. So, even for loot, the notion of diminishing marginal utility works. Add, though, the possibility of the joy from consuming goods and services coming from the size and extent of impoverishment of the audience, then you can only take reforms of this system so far. Uddin Ifeanyi, journalist manque and retired civil servant, can be reached @IfeanyiUddin. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday told a Federal High Court in Kano that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Kano Central Senatorial district election, Abdulsalam Zaura, who is being tried for an alleged $1.3 million fraud, has absconded and is nowhere to be found. The EFCC filed a charge of criminal conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $1.3 million against the defendant. When the case came up in court, the prosecution counsel, Aisha Habib, told the court that the defendant was not physically arraigned in court because he could not be found. This is a criminal case, and the defendant must be in court to answer his plea even if he is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him, the counsel said. This is a total disrespect; the defendant has to be in court before he can file an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him, Habib said. Counsel to the defendant, Ibrahim Garba-Waru, however, told the court that at this stage of the proceedings the presence of the defendant was not mandatory. READ ALSO: Section 266(b) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2015 says in a criminal trial the presence of the defendant is necessary but where there is an exception of an interlocutory application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him cannot take place, he said. Mr Garba-Waru said the defendant is not in court because he is not physically fit to stand trial. The defendant on Oct.14, filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him and in as much trial didnt start his appearance in court is not necessary, he said. The judge, Muhammad Nasir-Yunusa, however, ruled that in a criminal case the defendant must be in court. This is a criminal case where is the defendant Mr Nasir-Yunusa ordered both parties to file written addresses on the legality of the absence of the defendant in court and adjourned the matter until 10 November On 9 June 2020, the defendant was discharged and acquitted by a Federal High Court over a nine-count charge of $1.3 million fraud. But after the EFCC appealed the ruling, the Court of Appeal Kano division on April 2022 ordered a fresh retrial of the case. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Lagos State PDP Governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), said he would end all excesses of transport unions and motor park touts if elected governor in 2023. Speaking on Sunday evening at the formal presentation of the PDP Governorship Candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, to indigenes of the state residing in Lagos state, Mr Adediran said he is prepared to give residents of the state a new lease of life. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was held at the Nigerian Airforce, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The joint Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria (JDWAN) on Monday began a seven-day strike over alleged extortion and harassment from the motor park management and thugs popularly known as Agbero. Mr Adediran, who played host at the event, said: We will provide a new leadership in Lagos State. We will check the excesses of motor touts as well as Iyaloja and Babaloja in the state. Anyone that closes any market in the state would be sent to prison. I am not going to have any godfather. READ ALSO: We will ensure that any money collected as revenue in Lagos State is spent for the people of the state as against what is currently obtainable in the state. According to him, the time has come to liberate the people of the state. Mr Adediran said his administration would provide an opportunity for peaceful co-existence between indigenes and non-indigenes in the state. He said that efforts would be made to ensure that all residents of the state continue to live in peace and harmony under his government. He said his administration would appreciate the contributions of non-indigenes to the economy of the state under his government. Speaking about his counterpart from Akwa Ibom, Mr Adediran expressed a belief that Mr Eno would follow in the footsteps of the outgoing Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom. According to him, Mr Emmanuel sees what others do not see, and he has taken him (Emmanuel) as his father. While promising to build on the success story of Mr Emmanuel, the PDP candidate told the people that the election would be a referendum on the performances of the outgoing governor. The government of Obong Udom Emmanuel has completed so many projects in Akwa Ibom State such as good roads, street lights, walkways, fountains, dualised roads and others, and he has made us proud. When the standard bearer of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, came to flag off his campaign in Akwa Ibom, he said that Nigeria wants to be Akwa Ibom. The governor is building the fourth longest bridge in Nigeria. He has opened Akwa Ibom by air, land and see. With these, it is time to go back home, Udom is working. We will send you logistics to come home to vote, while those here should vote for the PDP, he said. Mr Eno said Akwa Ibom was fast developing, adding that the election is not a popularity contest, but that it is about a need and impactful assessment. The cleric-turned-politician said that Mr Emmanuel brought peace to the state, hence the need to continue the trajectory of development. We have Arise Agenda. We want to ensure that we all have dividends of democracy and take it to the grassroots. We will have a proper farm settlement with hostels and facilities. We will have people work on those farms. We will build on security and we will block waterways and provide adequate security, fund education. I will create 5,000 non-governmental jobs. I will start small and grow fast. There are many other things we would do employment, he said. Also speaking, Samuel Bassey, who represented Governor Emmanuel, said since Lagos state had decided to support Eno, nobody could stop him. Mr Bassey said the candidate would continue the projects of outgoing governor. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print PW Digital Gateway meeting The Prince William Digital Gateway comprehensive plan amendment is the only item on the agenda for the Prince William Board of County Supervisors Nov. 1 meeting. Heres what you need to know. What time will the meeting begin? The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the James J. McCoart Administration Building, 1 County Complex Court, Woodbridge. The occupancy load of the board chambers and atrium is 440. If the occupancy load is met, entry into the building will be restricted. People who are signed up to speak will be allowed to enter, make their comments to the board and exit the building immediately afterward. Public comment In-person: Sign-up sheets for those wishing to speak in person will be available at 5:30 p.m. in the atrium. Individuals will need to sign up individually, one at a time, and cannot sign up other speakers. Sign-up sheets for those wishing to speak in person will be available at 5:30 p.m. in the atrium. Individuals will need to sign up individually, one at a time, and cannot sign up other speakers. Remote: Members of the public may register to speak remotely through 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31. To register to speak remotely, click here: Parking Given the high interest in this public hearing, the county police department will manage and direct traffic entering the complex. Disabled parking spaces and limited general parking will be available in front of the McCoart Administration Building. Once the front lot is full, members of the public will be directed to the parking lot on Ricter Way or the lots adjacent to Pfitzner Stadium. How to watch from home: The meeting will be livestreamed on the Prince William County website and will be broadcast on local cable stations: Comcast channel 23 and Verizon channel: 37. ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mongolia's Prime Minister, L. Oyun-Erdene, has met today with major Hollywood studios and film companies to discuss how they can work together to further develop and promote the Mongolian film industry internationally. Attendees at the meeting included senior representatives from HBO, Netflix, Paramount Pictures and Warner Brothers, who are all in Ulaanbaatar at the invitation of Mongolia's Culture Minister, Nomin Chinbat. Prime Minister of Mongolia L. Oyun-Erdene met with representatives from HBO, Netflix, Paramount Pictures and Warner Brothers to discuss the development of the Mongolian film industry. Opening the meeting, the Prime Minister outlined the Government's efforts to develop Mongolia's creative industries as part of strengthening and diversifying the country's economy. Developing the creative industries is a key part of Mongolia's New Recovery Policy and provides opportunities to create a new, independent source of growth away from mining. The Prime Minister stressed the Government's commitment to create a favourable filming environment in Mongolia to take its film industry to the next level. Mongolia's Law on the Support of Cinematography was approved in 2021 and started to be implemented in early 2022. The law introduced competitive incentives, including a reimbursement program for film production costs, to help major global productions and studios create jobs and build capacity, attracting more investment into Mongolia, increasing tourism and creating greater awareness of the country's unique heritage. The visit by the leading film executives coincides with "FAM TOUR-2022", an initiative jointly organised by Mongolia's Ministry of Culture and the Mongolian National Film Council to promote the incentives available for filming in Mongolia, as well as the activities of the Council and Mongolia's beautiful natural environment. It is running from 14-19 September. During the rest of their visit to Mongolia, which lasts until 19 September, the film executives will meet with Mongolian filmmakers, directors, producers and artists, including Nomadia Pictures and the world-class recording studio B Production. They will also visit the Mongol Nomadic Tourist Camp and see an equestrian stunt show at Terelj National Park. Speaking following the meeting, Mongolian Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene said: "Mongolia's creative industries have the potential to become a major pillar of our economy, and strengthening our partnership with these leading film companies is key to making progress in this area as part of our New Recovery Policy. "I look forward to our work together in future and to seeing an increasing number of studios choosing to work in Mongolia in the years ahead, helping to put our film industry firmly on the map." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1900050/The_Government_of_Mongolia.jpg SOURCE The Government of Mongolia Boaters from all across the Golden State will now be able to protect themselves and their vessels with tech-powered policies designed by boaters for boaters NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahoy! , the digital insurance MGA for recreational boating, is now available to boaters in California who can take advantage of policies that are tailored to the needs of modern boaters. One of the largest boating markets in the US with over 700,000 registered boats , and hundreds of miles of coastlines, rivers, and lakes, Ahoy!'s launch in California is a major expansion of its coverage area. Legacy insurance companies have failed to adapt to the unique needs of the modern boater and tend to bundle boat insurance with other insurance offerings, such as home. Ahoy!'s sole focus is on this underserved segment, using technology to help protect boaters' vessels and avoid mishaps. By providing innovative insurance coverage Ahoy! delivers boaters peace of mind, turning what was previously viewed as financial security into a proactive and protective asset. Built by boaters for boaters, Ahoy!'s customers receive an onboard smart boat kit in addition to a tailored insurance policy, which works alongside a proprietary mobile app to offer advanced telemetry features that proactively help reduce risk and prevent damage or injury. With the state's worsening drought and water levels declining , the functionality of a mobile app to alert of dangerous areas within lakes and dams that historically were safe couldn't be more helpful for California boaters. "We are excited to expand into California, a state I called home for years. As a destination for boaters nationally, not just for its coastlines, but its unparalleled rivers and lakes, California is a critical state for Ahoy!'s growth", said Amit Nisenbaum CEO and co-founder of Ahoy!. "Our mission is to improve the core parts of the boating experience, protecting both boats and boaters, which has become increasingly important, with the rate of boating accidents in California rising . We're dedicated to expanding our offering to make specialized insurance more accessible, ensuring better protection, and enhancing the on-the-water experience." Ahoy!'s team is composed of naval veterans, insurance experts, and experienced high-tech executives, harnessing their expertise to create a holistic digital insurance product that is tailored to boaters' specific needs. For example, Ahoy!'s mobile app offers alerts such as grounding avoidance, theft recovery assistance, and micro-targeted weather alerts and forecasts, while the boat insurance policy tailored to boaters' 21st-century needs includes a phone overboard protection policy. Ahoy!'s insurance policies are currently available directly and through agents, to boat owners in 15 states including Minnesota, Utah, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, New York, and California with plans to expand across the US in the coming months. About Ahoy! Ahoy! is a tech-driven insurance MGA transforming the recreational boating insurance industry from a financial hedge into a proactive asset. Built by boaters for boaters, Ahoy! combines its proactive, risk-reducing technology, with its founders' deep knowledge of boating and insurance to create innovative insurance policies for the 21st century. Using on-board Internet of Things (IoT) technology, as well as AI and Big Data, Ahoy! offers a proprietary risk reduction solution to proactively prevent boating mishaps, therefore increasing the time boaters can enjoy their vessel. In times of need, Ahoy! ensures swift, modern, and non-intrusive assistance and claims processing support so that boaters can be back on the water in no time. Co-founded in 2021 by a team of naval veterans, insurance experts, and experienced high-tech executives, Amit Nisenbaum, Kaenan Hertz, Shachar Segev, and Arie Ambramovici. Ahoy! an insurance agency licensed to sell property-casualty insurance products has offices in New York and Israel. For more information, visit: https://www.ahoy.insure/ Press Contact: Raanan Loew [email protected] 1-347-897-9276 SOURCE Ahoy! ESPOO, Finland, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ms. Emilia Torttila-Miettinen (M.Sc. Eng.) has been appointed Business Line President, Automation Systems at Valmet as of December 1, 2022. She will be a member of Valmet's Executive Team and report to President and CEO Pasi Laine. Emilia Torttila-Miettinen began her career at Valmet in 2003 and she is currently holding the position of Vice President, Operations of the Automation Systems business line. During her career, she has gained wide experience in Valmet's automation business by working in different management positions in automation services in 2014-2020 and in product management and engineering positions in 2004-2014. "After a thorough recruitment process, we have chosen Emilia Torttila-Miettinen to lead our Automation Systems business line. Our automation business has made solid progress and grown profitably over the years, and Emilia has been an integral part of that success. She has led her current responsibility area consistently forward also in challenging times. With her deep understanding of the automation business and proven management capabilities, she has a very good foundation to take our Automation Systems business line forward, and I am pleased to welcome her to our Executive Team," says Pasi Laine, President and CEO of Valmet. Emilia Torttila-Miettinen succeeds Sami Riekkola, who was appointed Business Line President, Pulp and Energy at Valmet in October. VALMET Corporate Communications Further information: Pasi Laine, President and CEO, Valmet, tel. +358 10 672 0001 Anu Salonsaari-Posti, SVP, Communications, marketing and sustainability, Valmet, tel. +358 50 453 4262 Emilia Torttila-Miettinen's CV Emilia Torttila-Miettinen Business Line President, Automation Systems, Valmet as of December 1, 2022 born 1979 M.Sc (Eng.) Finnish citizen Relevant previous experience: Vice President, Operations, Automation Systems business line, Valmet, 2020 current Director, Services, North-East Europe, Automation business line, Valmet, 2018-2020 Manager, Services, North-East Europe, Automation business line, Metso/Valmet, 2014-2018 Product Manager, Paper Process Optimization, Metso Automation, 2013-2014 Process Optimization Engineer/ Process Analysis Specialist/Application Specialist, Metso Automation, 2008-2013 Paper Technology Engineer, Metso Paper, 2004-2008 Superintendent, Surface Treatment Technology Center, Metso Paper, 2003-2004 Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our 17,500 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward every day. The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. In 2022, a major milestone was achieved when the flow control company Neles was merged into Valmet. The combined company's net sales in 2021 were approximately EUR 4.5 billion based on the respective company figures. Valmet's shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland. Follow us on valmet.com | Twitter | Twitter (IR) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | Processing of personal data SOURCE Valmet Oyj BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tao Xing, a staff reporter of Beijing Review, contributes a feature report to China Focus. "The Great China Exit," a trending topic with many overseas media outlets. Recent months have seen a lot of coverage about foreign-invested companies planning to shift some of their manufacturing away from China. For example, a Bloomberg report on July 5 read: "Rattled by the most recent wave of strict COVID-19 lockdowns in China, the long-time manufacturing hub of choice for multinationals, CEOs have been highlighting plans to relocate production." In this regard, Zhang Jianping, Deputy Director of the Academic Steering Committee of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told Beijing Review, "The two-way flow of investment is a normal economic phenomenon, as long as it's not a kind of explosive capital flight in a short period of time and does not too negatively impact economic and social development." "Many labor-intensive industries are leaving China, but new foreign investment projects with higher added value will come," Zhang said, adding this is a normal course of dynamic adjustment in China's pursuit of economic restructuring and high-quality development. A rising trend U.S. technology and manufacturing giant Honeywell signed an agreement with the Administrative Committee of the Tianjin Port Area of the China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) last November at the Fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE). According to the agreement, Honeywell will set up a research center featuring a distributed automatic control system, intelligent factory safety management solutions and smart sensing technology in Tianjin, which would in turn help lift China's smart manufacturing and digital development. The project, worth $25 million, had entered the trial operation stage as of September. "As China explores new heights in its opening up, Honeywell will continue its development strategy, using its science and technology advantages to help China's high-quality development while seeking business growth," William Yu, President of Honeywell China, told Beijing Review. Even in the pandemic-battered 2021, paid-in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Chinese mainland surpassed 1 trillion yuan ($140.28 billion) for the first time, marking the country's first double-digit growth in nearly a decade, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). Against a backdrop of global uncertainty and the effects of deglobalization in recent years, China's foreign capital inflow has shown a tendency of steady increase, demonstrating just how foreign investors have both an upbeat long-term view of the Chinese market and a long-term commitment to operating in China, according to Zhang. Wang Wei, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, told a press conference on September 15 that "China is and always will be a hot land for overseas investment." Overseas-funded projects cover major industries like electronics, information, green energy and vehicle production. In terms of the manufacturing sector, China had nearly 60 leading overseas-funded projects, each with an investment of over $1 billion, "bringing their total investment in the country to more than $200 billion," according to Wang. Trekking on The rising trend is inseparable from the development of the past few years. In the past decade, new progress has been made in expanding domestic demand and boosting consumption, and China has grown into the world's second largest consumer marketsecond only to the U.S., according to a press conference hosted by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on May 20. Besides, China is the only country recognized by the United Nations as having a complete industrial system and its infrastructure in many fields, especially transportation, is of higher operational efficiency than that of many developed countries, according to Zhang. "These advantages make China a very important gateway for multinational companies aiming to engage the Asia-Pacific market and have contributed to the continuous increase in foreign investment in the country," Zhang said. What's more, China's negative list for foreign investment access, a document that defines industries prohibited or restricted to international capital, has been shortened for five consecutive years since 2017. On January 1, 2021, the Foreign Investment Law came into force to offer easier market access for foreign capital, step up protection for foreign investors and make market competition fairer. One key provision of said law is the state "shall give national treatment to foreign investment beyond the negative list." "China's continuous optimization of its business environment and its policy reforms boost the confidence and determination of foreign-funded enterprises to put down roots in the Chinese market and execute long-term strategies," Leon Wang, Executive Vice President and International and China President of AstraZeneca, told Beijing Review in an interview. Meanwhile, China is also broadening market access for foreign capital through the establishment of FTZs, coupled with the country's ongoing expansion of negotiations to sign free trade agreements. Since the first FTZ was launched in Shanghai in 2013, such zones in different regions of China have become FDI magnets due to the preferential policies and streamlined services they offer. Besides, China has been growing its free trade area network since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001. So far, the country has signed 19 free trade agreements with 26 countries and regions, Shu Jueting, a spokesperson for MOFCOM, told a regular press conference on September 22. China will ink more free trade agreements with willing partners, and work to enhance the effectiveness of these agreements to benefit both businesses and people better and faster, Shu added. The country's four global expos, two of which were launched in the past decade, are another great asset. The events, namely, the China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing, the Canton Fair or China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, the China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou of Hainan Province, and the CIIE in Shanghai have a starring role in the upgrading of China's business environment. Contact: Bai Shi Tel: 008610-68996995 Email: [email protected] SOURCE China Focus Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 DENVER, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Clough Global Equity Fund (NYSE MKT: GLQ) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, paid a monthly distribution on its common stock of $0.1162 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 21, 2022. The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. The Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) current and prior fiscal year net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source as a percentage of the total distribution amount. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund. Current Distribution from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0000 0.00 % Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.00 % Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.00 % Return of Capital or other Capital Source 0.1162 100.00 % Total (per common share) 0.1162 100.00 % Fiscal Year-to-Date Cumulative Distributions from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0000 0.00 % Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.1341 9.03 % Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.7552 52.13 % Return of Capital or other Capital Source 0.5409 38.84 % Total (per common share) 1.4302 100.00 % The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and not for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income.' Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last business day of the month prior to distribution record date. Fund Performance & Distribution Information Fiscal Year to Date (11/01/2021 through 9/30/2022) Annualized Distribution Rate as a Percentage of NAV^ 18.11 % Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV^+ 18.57 % Cumulative Total Return on NAV* -42.13 % Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 9/30/2022** 0.77 % Past performance is not indicative of future results. ^ Based on the Fund's NAV as of September 30, 2022. +Cumulative distribution rate is based on distributions paid to date for the period November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2022. *Cumulative fiscal year-to-date return is based on the change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions and that all rights in the Fund's rights offering were exercised, for the period November 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. **The 5 year average annual total return is based on change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions and that all rights in the Fund's rights offering were exercised, as of the last business day of the month prior to the month of the current distribution record date. While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's Managed Distribution Plan. Furthermore, the Board of Trustees reviews the amount of any potential distribution and the income, capital gain or capital available. The Board of Trustees will continue to monitor the Fund's distribution level, taking into consideration the Fund's net asset value and the financial market environment. The Fund's distribution policy is subject to modification by the Board of Trustees at any time. The distribution rate should not be considered the dividend yield or total return on an investment in the Fund. ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. FINRA Member Firm. Clough Global Equity Fund (NYSE MKT: GLQ) 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000 Denver, CO 80203 SOURCE Clough Global Equity Fund STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Deer Park Road Management Company's ("Deer Park") STS Master Fund, Ltd. ("STS" or "the Fund") received top honors in the 'Credit Distressed Over $500M' category at the HFM US Performance Awards 2022. The STS Master Fund, Ltd. was also shortlisted in the 'Credit Long-Term Performance (5 Years)' category. Winners were chosen by a panel of distinguished judges who focus on absolute performance as well as standard deviation of returns and outperformance of the relevant With Intelligence benchmark index. Scott Burg, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner commented, "We are honored that the STS Master Fund was recognized in this year's HFM US Performance Awards as the top performer in this category. STS has won numerous awards since its launch in 2008 and this year's award validates that the Fund has continued to excel for our investors. We are equally excited about the Fund's prospects going forward with today's credit markets offering STS the opportunity to acquire high-quality, structured credit bonds at prices we haven't seen for years." The STS Master Fund, Ltd focuses primarily on mortgage backed ("MBS"), asset backed securities ("ABS") and other segments of the structured credit markets that we believe provide attractive risk adjusted return potential. Through Q3 2022, the STS Master Fund has produced positive returns despite the increase in market risk through the use of a hedging strategy to protect against the recent market correction. Realized gains on short holdings have further enabled the strategy to capitalize on additional distressed new purchase opportunities. The Fund leverages Deer Park's competitive advantage in sourcing bonds, extensive team experience, and a disciplined valuation process, to assemble a unique portfolio. As of September 30, 2022, since its inception in 2008, STS Master Fund, Ltd. has provided investors with a compound rate of return net of fees of 18.41%*. "We thank With Intelligence for this recognition which reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire Deer Park team. It's incredibly rewarding to see that STS's focus on undervalued structured credit bonds continues to perform for our institutional and individual investors for over 15 years and through a variety of credit cycles and market conditions," said Michael Craig-Scheckman, Deer Park's Chief Executive Officer and Founder Criteria HFM US Performance Awards 2022 are awarded annually and to be eligible for an award, funds entering any of the categories must apply and meet certain requirements, including: base of operations, share class, assets under management, and track record. More information on the HFM US Performance Awards 2022 Categories and Criteria can be found at HFM US Performance Awards 2022 Categories and Criteria Disclaimer Before investing in the Fund, you should carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expense. For a copy of a prospectus or summary prospectus, which contains this and other information, please visit our website at Deerparkrd.com or call 970.457.4352. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. About Deer Park Road Management Company: Deer Park Road Investment Management Company is an alternative investment management firm based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Deer Park Road manages investments primarily in distressed assets, including mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, corporate debt and other credit investments. Deer Park was founded by Michael Craig-Scheckman in 2003, who was joined by Scott Burg, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner, in 2010. Deer Park currently has approximately $4.5 billion of assets under management. The Firm offers investors from around the globe a range of investment funds to meet their specific needs and objectives. including its flagship STS Master Fund, a daily liquidity mutual fund, and customized, separately managed accounts. For more information visit www.deerparkrd.com *Performance shown is for Class I interests in the Master Fund and is calculated by Deer Park Road Management Company, LP, the Fund's investment manager. Historical performance is derived by taking the gross of fees performance of the Onshore Feeder from 2008 through June 2016 and applying a 1% management fee and incentive allocation (subject to a high-water mark) equal to 0% for the first 5% of returns net of the management fee; 50% for returns greater than 5% up to 9% and 25% thereafter and Class I net of fees performance thereafter. Performance is net of all fees and expenses and assumes that all dividends, interest and other earnings are reinvested. Actual returns for the Onshore and Offshore feeders in general, and your returns in specific will differ based on different allocation of expenses and the timing of your investments. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Current year performance is preliminary and subject to completion of the annual audit of the financial statements by the Fund's independent auditors. For information about the terms and conditions of the Onshore and Offshore Feeders, and the fee and liquidity terms of the various classes, please refer to the Confidential Offering Memorandum of the applicable feeder. SOURCE Deer Park Road Management Company North America digital health market holds the highest revenue potential. South Asia & Pacific digital health market share will reach US$ 2, 75,462.9 million by 2032. Electronic health records (EHR) innovations are assisting businesses in the digital health market to gain recognition on a global scale. NEWARK, Del., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global digital health market is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 2585.98 Bn by 2032, with sales growing at an astounding CAGR of 27.7% from 2022 to 2032. Owing to the rising awareness of digital health benefits, the market for the same is likely to expand at a rapid rate and reach an estimated US$ 224.24 Bn by the end of 2022. The deep penetration of electronic gadgets and devices and advancing technology coupled with the rising acceptance of telemedicine and telehealth services will fuel the growth of the digital health market during the forecast period. Request a Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-505 With the rapid digitalization of the healthcare sector, the prospects for the digital health market are also set to rise. Increasing usage of advanced technological tools like Big Data and others bodes well for the target market. Telemedicine and telehealth services are also on the rise and are increasingly adopted by both the medical community and public and private entities. This will likely have a positive impact on the digital health market. Moreover, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and other medical conditions that require long-term care and constant patient monitoring contribute to the rising demand for digital health services. In addition, electronic gadgets and smart devices such as smartphones are increasingly used as health and fitness trackers which further aids the growth of the digital health market during the forecast period. "Improving healthcare IT infrastructure coupled with access to virtual care will stimulate the global growth of the digital health market over the forecast period," says an FMI analyst. Key Takeaways: The rising prevalence of medical conditions requiring long-term care and monitoring facilitates market growth of the digital health industry. Concerns regarding patients' data security stymies market growth during the assessment period. By deployment type, the cloud-based segment will likely reach an estimated US$ 519,151.4 Mn by 2032. by 2032. On the basis of solution, the software segment is predicted to hold about 45.6% of the digital health market revenue. North America is expected to dominate the global digital health market space with a 45.9% share of the total revenue. is expected to dominate the global digital health market space with a 45.9% share of the total revenue. The digital health market in South Asia & Pacific is anticipated to reach US$ 275,462.9 Mn by 2032. Competitive Landscape AT&T Inc., Apple Inc., AirStrip Technologies LP, Alcatel-Lucent Corporation, Cerner Corporation, Symantec Corporation, Aruba Networks, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Qualcomm, Inc., Siemens Healthcare, and Philips Healthcare among others are some of the major players in the digital health market profiled in the full version of the report. Leading market players are focusing on launching state-of-the-art and affordable solutions to retain a competitive edge. These firms also adopt tactics like strategic alliances, partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, and joint ventures to increase their market share. More Information on this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/global-digital-health-market More Insights into Digital Health Market Report In its latest report, FMI offers an unbiased analysis of the global digital health market, providing historical data and forecast statistics for 2022 to 2032. To understand the global market potential, growth, and scope, the market is segmented by product type (software (healthcare payers software (healthcare claims management software, healthcare CRM software, payer care management software, others), healthcare providers software (EHR/ EMR software, e-prescribing software, healthcare asset management software, population health management software, others)), services (managed services, professional services (healthcare consulting services, integration & implementation services, support & maintenance services))), deployment (cloud-based, on-premises), end user (diagnostics centers, healthcare payers, healthcare research centers, hospitals & clinics, nursing care centers, others), and region. According to the latest FMI reports, based on segmentation, the cloud-based deployment segment will make significant contributions to the growth of the overall market. This segment is anticipated to reach US$ 519,151.4 Mn by 2032 owing to increasing usage of cloud-based solutions by various healthcare organizations. The software solution segment will also lead the market growth, accounting for a value of US$ 646,393.1 Mn in 2032. Based on region, the digital health market in North America will present remarkable growth during 2022-2032. The region will likely dominate the market and hold about 45.9% of the market revenue. North America's digital health market is predicted to account for a market share worth US$ 196,094.5 Mn. The presence of lucrative funding options, the deep reach of smartphones and other such devices, enhanced internet connectivity, and easy adaptability to progressive technology along with other factors like an ageing population and high prevalence of chronic illnesses propel the target market in this region. Besides North America, the Asia Pacific region, too, will demonstrate considerable growth in the digital health market during the forecast period. Key Segments By Solution: Software Healthcare Payers Software Healthcare Claims Management Software Healthcare CRM Software Others Payer Care Management Software Healthcare Providers Software EHR / EMR Software E-Prescribing Software Healthcare Asset Management Software Others Population Health Management Software Services Managed Services Professional Services Healthcare Consulting Services Integration & Implementation Services Support & Maintenance Services By Deployment: Cloud-based On-Premises By End User: Diagnostics Centers Healthcare Payers Healthcare Research Centers Hospitals & Clinics Nursing Care Centers Others By Region: North America Latin America Asia Pacific MEA Europe For More Information or Customization @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-505 Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Background 3.1. Market Dynamics 3.1.1. Drivers 3.1.2. Restraints 3.1.3. Opportunity 3.1.4. Trends 3.2. Scenario Forecast 3.2.1. Demand in Optimistic Scenario 3.2.2. Demand in Likely Scenario 3.2.3. Demand in Conservative Scenario 3.3. Opportunity Map Analysis To Continue TOC Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage on Healthcare Domain Women Digital Health Solutions Market Demand: The global Women Digital Health Solutions Market is estimated at US$ 2.3 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 20.1 Bn by 2032, expanding at a CAGR of 24.2% through the forecast period of 2022-2032. Regenerative Artificial Skin Market Analysis: The overall demand for regenerative artificial skin projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% between 2022 and 2032, totaling around US$ 5,615.5 Million by 2032. Breast Biopsy Devices Market Trend: Global demand for the breast biopsy devices market is set to display growth at a CAGR of about 5.5% from 2022 to 2032, with an estimated market valuation to be around US$ 2.1 Bn as of 2022. Preclinical Imaging Market Sales: The global preclinical imaging market is expected to enjoy a valuation of US$ 3.3 Bn in 2022, and further expand at a CAGR of 3.5% to reach a valuation of ~US$ 4.7 Bn by the end of the year 2032. Proteomics Market Outlook: Demand for Proteomics is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 13.5% between 2022 and 2032, totaling around US$ 109,485.7 Million by the end of 2032. ABOUT FUTURE MARKET INSIGHTS, INC. Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries. Contact: Future Market Insights Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 For Sales Enquiries: [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/FMI_Logo.jpg SOURCE Future Market Insights Society for Clinical Research Sites Recognizes DM Clinical Research for Focus on Positive Patient Experiences HOUSTON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DM Clinical Research , a national network of clinical trial sites, has earned the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) 2022 Excellence in Patient Centricity Award. DM Clinical Research has earned the Society for Clinical Research Sites 2022 Excellence in Patient Centricity Award Tweet this DM Clinical Research has earned the Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS) 2022 Excellence in Patient Centricity Award. Pictured (from left) during the awards ceremony are David Vulcano, SCRS Honorary President; Patricia Roselle, Global Head, Patient Stakeholder Engagement at Sanofi; Hera Arham, DM Director of Marketing and Patient Engagement; Lisa Bjornestad, DM Vice President of Clinical Operations and Growth; and Mohammad Millwala, DM Chief Executive Officer. "At DM Clinical Research our belief has always been to create systems and processes that are patient-centric and ensure that our core values are not just talked about, but operationalized through measurable outcomes," said Hera Arham, Director of Marketing and Patient Engagement at DM Clinical Research. "We're incredibly grateful to have won this coveted award and are thankful to our staff, investigators, and, most importantly, our patients who have contributed to the development of a patient-centric culture through impactful feedback, reliable data, and metrics. We strive to keep patient-centricity at the forefront of all we do." The award , sponsored by Sanofi, a multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company, was created to celebrate a clinical research site that places patient experience at the center of its operations. DM Clinical Research adopted patient-centricity as a measurable and strategic goal for its organization. The company started by analyzing their patients' journeys by communicating directly with trial participants, where they discovered redundancies, confusion and discontinuities in communication. The DM team streamlined communication channels and focused on individual patients' communications preferences text, email or phone as well as time to be contacted, and increased coverage hours to accommodate these preferences. DM also launched a Patient Advocates training program which ensured dedicated personnel at each site solely focused on patient satisfaction. This role included greeting patients, offering regular updates on wait times, and ensuring patient comfort. A patient survey was instituted that allowed their organization to establish a baseline, benchmark between sites and study teams, track progress over time, and continually solicit areas of improvement. "Putting patients first is something many industry organizations strive to do but can be challenging to implement," said Jimmy Bechtel, SCRS VP of Site Engagement. "However, we saw many sites this year that went above and beyond to make clinical trials more accessible and convenient for their trial participants. SCRS applauds DM Clinical Research for their industry-leading initiatives that have improved the patient journey from start to finish. We are honored to help amplify the outstanding work they have done in providing a blueprint for successful patient-centric processes." SCRS Global Impact Partners (GIPs) and sites cast their nominations for the award, which was eligible to any active SCRS member site. Through an independent judging panel, the winner was selected to receive the award at the SCRS Eagle Award Gala held during the SCRS Global Site Solutions Summit . "DM Clinical Research is committed to becoming more patient-centric every day," said Arham. "We continue to focus on identifying common trends and unique situations that impact the way patients perceive research, DM Clinical, and medicine in general. Changing an organization's culture to be more patient-centric requires reliable metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to support real progress. Real data helps identify blindspots and track progressive improvement. Today, DM Clinical Research is focused on making all of our employees and partners patient advocates." About DM Clinical Research DM Clinical is a network of clinical trial sites headquartered in Houston, Texas. Over the past 16 years, DMCR has grown to comprise 12 dedicated research centers and a network of affiliate sites throughout the nation, servicing a range of therapeutic areas, including vaccines, internal medicine, pediatrics, gastroenterology, psychiatry, women's health, and more. DM Clinical has become a national leader in clinical research and has received industry recognition from the World Vaccine Congress as highly commended for Best Clinical Trial Site. Through its partnerships with prominent global pharmaceutical sponsors, DM Clinical brings opportunities to the community to participate in cutting-edge research, under the careful medical supervision of qualified physicians and professionals. For more information, please visit DMClinicalResearch.com or call (281) 517-0550. SOURCE DM Clinical Research Funds to support scale-up, including continued development of AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, the e[datascientist], and continued international expansion Platform business focused on bridging the current 'translation gap', addressing critical bottlenecks in the industrial application of microbiome science from soil, to plant, to farm, to fork, to human, to animals, and environmental health Round led by abrdn plc, alongside existing investors, including Environmental Technologies Fund and a consortium led by Granpool Innovative Investments CAMBRIDGE, England, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Genomics, the pioneering TechBio platform business applying network science1 to biology, today announced the USD 20 million first close of its scale-up funding round. The investment will support further development of the e[datascientist] 2 platform and will continue to drive expansion into global markets and the deepening of client impact. The round is being led by abrdn plc, with continued participation from existing investors Environmental Technologies Fund, and a consortium of investors headed by Granpool Innovative Investments. The current funding round will remain open for a further period to enable additional participation up to a further USD 10 million. Eagle Genomics continues to mature and expand as the leading TechBio company pioneering the application of network science to biological discovery and innovation, across the Food and Nutrition, AgBio, Beauty and Personal Care, and Biopharma industries. The e[datascientist] platform enables enterprise customers to trace digital journeys in data, driving transformative innovations, exploiting leading-edge scientific discovery in silico and supporting differentiated product claims. Eagle Genomics' purpose is to accelerate the Bioeconomy through the digital reinvention of life sciences R&D, and the Company is increasingly focussed on supporting its customers' aspirations as they address 'One Health' challenges towards more sustainable and impact-oriented innovation and product outcomes. The concept of 'One Health' recognises that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are intimately interconnected, and that the application of technologies to solve in one domain can inspire and enable advances in others. Addressing the 'One Health' opportunity requires a focus on, and a deep understanding of, microbiome3 and host-microbiome interactions as the common denominator across these domains. Eagle Genomics is the pre-eminent platform business using next-generation graph technology and network science to drive the Bioeconomy. The business problem that the platform solves for its customers is to network their scientific data to support step-change innovation e.g., understanding new key bio-active ingredients that could deliver health benefits, or targeting a particular health benefit and working backwards through data to identify key ingredients. The technical challenge that Eagle Genomics is solving is to bridge the 'translation gap,' so that scientific knowledge from a range of disparate sources and studies across industries can be applied to deliver robust, scientifically underpinned product claims. Particular innovation journeys that enable differentiated products and product claims include: Food and Nutrition: Personalised and functional nutrition; e.g., energy balance, feed efficiency, growth rate, botanicals, food as medicine, precision fermentation, alternative proteins and ingredient design and differentiation. Beauty and Personal Care: Personalised/stratified cosmetics; e.g., skin, oral, scalp, pre/pro/postbiotics, ingredient manufacturing, cosmeceuticals, and genital health/personal hygiene products. AgBio: Biofertilizers, microbiome engineering, bioavailability, crops (yield increase, protection, fertility, productivity, climate adaptation/change mitigation), soil treatment, and smart agriculture. BioPharma: Microbiome therapeutics, anti-microbial resistance, personalised/stratified medicine, therapeutics for gastrointestinal and infectious diseases, immuno-oncology/autoimmune disease and metabolic health. Anthony Finbow, CEO, Eagle Genomics, said: "We are the pre-eminent platform business using next-generation graph technology and network science to drive the Bioeconomy. We are seeking to support our enterprise customers as they strive to achieve more sustainable and impact-orientated innovation outcomes. The current scale-up funding will enable us to accelerate the Bioeconomy through the digital reinvention of science." Alistair Watson, Head of Strategy Innovation - Private Equity, abrdn, stated: "We believe that Eagle Genomics is poised to support increasing numbers of large enterprise customers with digitising R&D and product innovation activities. This investment will support Eagle Genomics' scale-up while driving further penetration into global markets. It is also pivotal for the wider Bioeconomy, as the importance of microbiome science increases and its applications become more widespread." Rob Genieser, Environmental Technologies Fund, commented: "We are delighted to see Eagle Genomics continue to mature and scale. The timing could not be better, with the world's focus on disease and accelerated in silico innovation. At a time when there is an urgent requirement for systems change to support and protect the Biosphere, Eagle Genomics is helping drive sustainability and impact-focused business outcomes. We wish the team all the best in expanding its reach and deepening its capabilities." Notes 1. Network science is the study of complex networks of physical, biological, and social phenomena, and can also be used to explain and deeply understand these phenomena. 2. The e[datascientist] is powered by network science and multilayer hypergraphs, applying machine learning and AI to provide a data-driven insight journey into solving complex problems at scale. It integrates active learning at every step of the microbiome innovation journey, from 'descriptive' to 'predictive,' while identifying mechanisms of action. It has been gaining major traction with large household brands as they strive to demonstrate the link between their latest products, microbiome health, and 'One Health' related issues. 3. The microbiome, the ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses present in virtually all living organisms, is directly linked with health and is proven to be affected by the products we use and consume. Notes to Editors About Eagle Genomics Eagle Genomics is innovating at the intersection of biology, data sciences and bioinformatics, to accelerate the Bioeconomy through the digital reinvention of life sciences R&D. The company's award-winning AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, e[datascientist], empowers scientists to exploit multi-dimensional data in minutes rather than months, to help companies conduct science-led innovation for next-generation products. It supports the entire innovation workflow - from hypothesis through insight to product claims helping bring novel, safer and sustainable products to market, faster, across the Food and Nutrition, Beauty and Personal Care, AgBio and BioPharma industries. Eagle Genomics is forging strategic relationships with leading scientific establishments focused on the microbiome and has helped shape the Microbiome Strategic Roadmap in the UK. A Cambridge, UK-headquartered business with a global presence, it has sites in London's Knowledge Quarter, Hyderabad India, New York's Genome Center as well as Paris' Station F, Potsdam Science Park, Germany and Kyiv, Ukraine. Find out more at www.eaglegenomics.com About abrdn abrdn is a global investment company that helps clients and customers plan, save and invest for their future. abrdn manages and administers 508 billion of assets for clients, and has over 1 million shareholders. (Figures as at 30 June 2022 ) ) Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three vectors Investments, Adviser and Personal focused on their changing needs. Our investments solutions are built on the strength of our insight generated from wide-ranging research, worldwide investment expertise and local market knowledge. Our teams collaborate across regions, asset classes and specialisms, connecting diverse perspectives, working with clients to identify investment opportunities that suit their needs. Our Investments vector manages 386 billion on behalf of institutional, wholesale and insurance clients (as at 30 June 2022 ) with support and expertise from 800 investment professionals across 30 locations. About ETF Partners Founded in 2006, ETF Partners supports talented entrepreneurs and management teams with investment capital and experience. Our funds come from institutional investors, global corporations, and family offices. We create value by investing in technology companies that make a difference. We call it Sustainability through Innovation. Media contact Dr Priya Kalia Global Communications Eagle Genomics [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1681594/Eagle_Genomics_logo.jpg SOURCE Eagle Genomics CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif., Oct. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GenesisCare, a leading provider of integrated cancer care globally, and Prelude Corporation (PreludeDx(TM)), a leader in molecular diagnostics and precision medicine, today announced interim results from the AUSPREDICT registry. Data presented at the Australasian International Breast Congress demonstrates a significant (45%) change in radiation therapy treatment recommendations1 when using the DCISionRT test, optimising management to prevent over and under treatment of Australian women with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). DCIS is a pre-invasive disease of the breast that may lead to invasive breast cancer if untreated.(2) After breast conserving surgery (BCS) for DCIS, radiation therapy is often used to minimise the risk of recurrence. DCISionRT(R)is a novel molecular test that assesses the 10-year risk of recurrence after BCS and if there would be a benefit to treating with radiation therapy. GenesisCare and PreludeDx formed a strategic partnership in 2021 to bring DCISionRT to Australia for the first time and establish the AUS-PREDICT registry to collect real-world data to further the development of precision medicine and decision tools globally. The presentation, entitled Interim Analysis of the PREDICT Registry Australia: Changes in Treatment Recommendation for a Biologic Signature Predictive of Radiation Therapy (RT) Benefit in Patients with DCIS, studied 232 patients from Australia who had received the DCISionRT test following breastconserving surgery. Radiation therapy recommendation decreased by 70% in patients with a low risk DCISionRT score and increased 29% in patients with elevated risk scores.(1) Leading Specialist Breast Surgeon and Director of Breast Cancer Services for Royal Melbourne and Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Professor Bruce Mann, said: "Historically, we have relied on clinical pathology, such as tumour grade and size, to determine treatment plans for patients with DCIS. This data demonstrates the integration of DCISionRT into clinical decision making has a substantial impact on RT recommendations and has the ability to prevent over and under treatment of DCIS patients." Principal Investigator and GenesisCare Radiation Oncologist, Dr Yvonne Zissiadis, said the interim results "demonstrate the critical role of DCISionRT in the clinical treatment pathway for DCIS patients, ensuring women receive the right treatment at the right time. "Our study highlights that DCISionRT is a promising predictive tool, arming clinicians and patients with the information to make informed decisions about treatment options based on a patient's individual biological risk profile." "GenesisCare, in partnership with PreludeDx, is thrilled to present the interim findings from our Australian-first study," continued Dr Zissiadis. "The first interim analysis of AUS-PREDICT is highly consistent with the US-PREDICT registry3 that has completed enrollment of 2,500 patients," said Troy Bremer, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of PreludeDx. "In the registry studies in both countries, DCISionRT was the most impactful single factor for changing treatment recommendations regarding radiation therapy following breast conserving surgery," continued Dr. Bremer. "We are delighted to bring precision medicine to Australian women diagnosed with DCIS and further enrollment in the AUS-PREDICT registry. We look forward to the continued expansion of our global data network and clinical evidence for DCISionRT," said Dan Forche, CEO of PreludeDx. References Zissiadis et al. Interim Analysis of the PREDICT Registry Australia: Changes in Treatment Recommendation for a Biologic Signature Predictive of Radiation Therapy (RT) Benefit in Patients with DCIS [abstract]. In: Australasian International Breast Congress.; October 13-15 2022 ; Brisbane, Australia . Breast Cancer Network Australia. Understanding breast cancer: Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. viewed 11 October 2022 .(https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/what-isbreast-cancer/ductal-carcinoma-in-situ/) Shah et al. The Clinical Utility of DCISionRT(R) on Radiation Therapy Decision Making in Patients with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Following Breast-Conserving Surgery. Ann Surg Oncol 28, 59745984 (2021). About GenesisCare Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, GenesisCare is a global healthcare company and one of the world's largest integrated oncology organisations. The company's purpose is to design care experiences that get the best possible life outcomes. This is grounded in the belief that care should be focused on the individual, not the condition. GenesisCare is the world's largest provider of radiotherapy a vital treatment option for cancer patients and provides patients with access to diagnostics, medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiotherapy, and novel therapies alongside the ability to participate in the latest clinical trials. With a growing research and trials program numbering more than 150 clinical trials, a contract research organisation, and global innovation programs focused on precision medicine and novel therapies, GenesisCare aims to bring new therapies to more patients in need in a more affordable way. Every year, GenesisCare clinical teams see more than 400,000 people across 350+ locations, including more than 300 locations in the U.S., 40 in Australia, 14 in the UK, and 17 in Spain. A further 30 new centres are also under development. The organisation employs more than 6,000 highly trained physicians, healthcare professionals and support staff across Australia, Europe, and the U.S. For more information, visit www.genesiscare.com About AUS-PREDICT Registry AUS-PREDICT is a prospective registry study designed to evaluate the effect of the DCISionRT test on treatment decisions in patients with DCIS following breast conserving therapy. The study will enrol 1500 women across Australia onto the registry, who have accessed DCISionRT following surgery. About DCISionRT for Breast DCIS DCISionRT is the only risk assessment test for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that predicts radiation therapy benefit. Patients with DCIS have cancerous cells lining the milk ducts of the breast, but they have not spread into surrounding breast tissue. In the US, over 60,000 women are newly diagnosed with DCIS each year. DCISionRT, developed by PreludeDx on technology licensed from the University of California San Francisco, and built on research that began with funding from the National Cancer Institute, enables physicians to better understand the biology of DCIS. DCISionRT combines the latest innovations in molecular biology with risk-based assessment scores to assess a woman's individual tumor biology along with other pathologic risk factors and provide a personalised recurrence risk. The test provides a Decision ScoreTM that identifies a woman's risk as low or elevated. DCISionRT's intelligent reporting provides a woman's recurrence risk after breast conserving surgery alone and with the addition of radiation therapy. In turn, this new information may help patients and their physicians to make more informed treatment decisions. Disclaimer: As the test has only recently launched in Australia, it is not currently on the Medicare Benefits Scheme or listed on the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) in Australia. Instead, the patient's tissue sample is sent offshore to California to a Prelude's CAP/CLIA-approved lab for analysis. The test is frequently used in the USA and many insurers fund the test there. Globally, the test is validated by Level 1b clinical evidence which is considered to be one of the highest levels of evidence. Health care practitioners can access extensive research and findings here: https://preludedx.com/our-publications/ About PreludeDx PreludeDx is a leading personalised breast cancer diagnostics company dedicated to serving breast cancer patients and physicians worldwide. Founded in 2009 with technology licensed from University of California San Francisco, PreludeDx has focused on developing precision breast cancer tools that will impact a patient's treatment decision. Our mission is to provide patients and physicians with innovative technologies that improve patient outcomes and reduce the overall cost burden to the healthcare system. Before making a treatment decision, Know Your RiskTM. For more information on how PreludeDx is making a difference for patients, please visit the Company's website: https://preludedx.com and follow us on Twitter @PreludeDx, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. PreludeDx, the PreludeDx logo, DCISionRT, the DCISionRT logo, Decision Score, The DCIS Test, Know Your Risk and Your Biology, Your Decision are trademarks of Prelude Corporation or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. Disclaimer: This information is provided for the sole purpose of disseminating general information in relation to DCISionRT. SOURCE Genesis Care NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Technavio has been monitoring the in-mold labeling market, operating under the materials industry. The report estimates it to register an incremental growth of USD 873.41 Mn, at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period. In-Mold Labelling Market 2026: Vendor Analysis Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global In Mold Labeling Market 2022-2026 The report analyses the competitive landscape of the market and provides information on several market vendors, including: Aspasie: The company offers In-mold labeling used for all types of injection-molded, blow-molded, and thermoformed plastic containers or parts. The company offers In-mold labeling used for all types of injection-molded, blow-molded, and thermoformed plastic containers or parts. CCL Industries Corp.: The company offers In-Mold plastic labels that are printed and applied to the product during the manufacturing of containers by blow molding or injection molding process. The company offers In-Mold plastic labels that are printed and applied to the product during the manufacturing of containers by blow molding or injection molding process. Coveris Management GmbH: The company offers In-Mold labeling which gives lightweight labels up to 40 microns thick which optimizes the packaging, transport costs, and injection molding load times, thus useful in the application of dairy products, chemical products, processed foods and many more. The company offers In-Mold labeling which gives lightweight labels up to 40 microns thick which optimizes the packaging, transport costs, and injection molding load times, thus useful in the application of dairy products, chemical products, processed foods and many more. Fuji Seal International Inc.: The company offers dura core which is a blended combination of high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene plastic in-mold labeling, thus compatible with the host plastic bottles and is applied without the complicated use of heat-activated application glues. The company offers dura core which is a blended combination of high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene plastic in-mold labeling, thus compatible with the host plastic bottles and is applied without the complicated use of heat-activated application glues. General Press Corp.L: The company offers In-Mold Labels which include high-quality graphics whose finished part is fully recyclable and able to decorate on all sides of the container. Find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings, Download Free Sample Report. In-Mold Labelling Market 2026: Segmentation Analysis Based on geographic segmentation, 41% of the markets originated from Europe during the forecast period. This report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments to the growth of the superfood powders market size. Technology Injection Molding The growing demand for injection molding machines from various labeling applications in packaging, automobile, consumer goods, and electronics is expected to drive market growth. Blow Molding Thermoforming Geography Europe Europe will contribute 41% of market growth. The main European markets for mold labeling are Germany , the UK, and France. The rise in demand for ready-to-eat (RTE) meals has significantly increased the demand for frozen foods, which will help the in-mold labeling market in Europe grow throughout the forecast period. will contribute 41% of market growth. The main European markets for mold labeling are , the UK, and France. The rise in demand for ready-to-eat (RTE) meals has significantly increased the demand for frozen foods, which will help the in-mold labeling market in grow throughout the forecast period. North America APAC Middle East And Africa South America To know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years, Buy Sample Report. in-mold labeling Market 2026: Scope Analysis Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The in-mold labeling market report covers the following areas: This study identifies the advances in in-mold labeling technologies and the increasing adoption of 3D-printed labels and graphics as one of the prime reasons driving the In-Mold Labelling Market growth during the next few years. In-mold labeling Market 2026: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will assist in-mold labeling market growth during the next five years Estimation of the in-mold labeling market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the in-mold labeling market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of the in-mold labelling market, vendors Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000. 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In-mold labelling Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.5% Market growth 2022-2026 $873.41 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 4.1 Regional analysis Europe, North America, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution Europe at 41% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, Germany, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Admark Visual Imaging Ltd., Aspasie, Avery Dennison Corp., CCL Industries Corp., Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH, Coveris Management GmbH, EVCO Plastics, Fort Dearborn Co., Fuji Seal International Inc., General Press Corp., Huhtamaki Oyj, Inland Label and Marketing Services LLC, Jindal Films Europe SARL, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp., Multi Color Corp., Serigraph Inc., Smyth Companies LLC, Taghleef Industries spa, and Tsuchiya Corp. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Technology Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Technology 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Technology - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Technology - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Technology Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Technology Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Technology 5.3 Injection molding - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Injection molding - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Injection molding - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Injection molding - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Injection molding - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Blow molding - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Blow molding - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Blow molding - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Blow molding - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Blow molding - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Thermoforming - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 36: Chart on Thermoforming - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Thermoforming - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Chart on Thermoforming - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Thermoforming - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by Technology Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by Technology ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 83: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 84: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 85: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 86: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 87: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 88: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 89: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.14 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 90: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 91: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 92: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 93: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 94: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 95: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 96: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Aspasie Exhibit 97: Aspasie - Overview Exhibit 98: Aspasie - Product / Service Exhibit 99: Aspasie - Key offerings 10.4 CCL Industries Corp. Exhibit 100: CCL Industries Corp. - Overview Exhibit 101: CCL Industries Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 102: CCL Industries Corp. - Key offerings 10.5 Coveris Management GmbH Exhibit 103: Coveris Management GmbH - Overview Exhibit 104: Coveris Management GmbH - Product / Service Exhibit 105: Coveris Management GmbH - Key offerings 10.6 Fuji Seal International Inc. Exhibit 106: Fuji Seal International Inc. - Overview Exhibit 107: Fuji Seal International Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 108: Fuji Seal International Inc. - Key offerings 10.7 General Press Corp. Exhibit 109: General Press Corp. - Overview Exhibit 110: General Press Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 111: General Press Corp. - Key offerings 10.8 Huhtamaki Oyj Exhibit 112: Huhtamaki Oyj - Overview Exhibit 113: Huhtamaki Oyj - Business segments Exhibit 114: Huhtamaki Oyj - Key news Exhibit 115: Huhtamaki Oyj - Key offerings Exhibit 116: Huhtamaki Oyj - Segment focus 10.9 Inland Label and Marketing Services LLC Exhibit 117: Inland Label and Marketing Services LLC - Overview Exhibit 118: Inland Label and Marketing Services LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 119: Inland Label and Marketing Services LLC - Key news Exhibit 120: Inland Label and Marketing Services LLC - Key offerings 10.10 Multi Color Corp. Exhibit 121: Multi Color Corp. - Overview Exhibit 122: Multi Color Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 123: Multi Color Corp. - Key news Exhibit 124: Multi Color Corp. - Key offerings 10.11 Smyth Companies LLC Exhibit 125: Smyth Companies LLC - Overview Exhibit 126: Smyth Companies LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 127: Smyth Companies LLC - Key news Exhibit 128: Smyth Companies LLC - Key offerings 10.12 Taghleef Industries spa Exhibit 129: Taghleef Industries spa - Overview Exhibit 130: Taghleef Industries spa - Product / Service Exhibit 131: Taghleef Industries spa - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 132: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 133: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 134: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 135: Research methodology Exhibit 136: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 137: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 138: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Do you know the laparoscopic ablation market is expected to grow by USD 1.14 billion at a CAGR of 9.58% during the forecast period of 2021-2026? 39% of the growth originated from North America. The top Key players of the Laparoscopic Ablation Market covered: Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Laparoscopic Ablation Market 2022-2026 AngioDynamics Inc.: The company offers Habib 4X bipolar resection device which has been designed to reduce blood loss, shorten OR and ICU time along with the ability to perform non clamping surgeries. The company offers Habib 4X bipolar resection device which has been designed to reduce blood loss, shorten OR and ICU time along with the ability to perform non clamping surgeries. Balmer Medical SA: The company offers Resposable Laparoscopic Scissor Inserts which provide a fresh blade with each operation while retaining ergonomics and cost-effectiveness through the reusable handle, thus giving a compliment to the YelloPort plusTM responsible port access system. The company offers Resposable Laparoscopic Scissor Inserts which provide a fresh blade with each operation while retaining ergonomics and cost-effectiveness through the reusable handle, thus giving a compliment to the YelloPort plusTM responsible port access system. Bioventus LLC: The company offers sonastar OsteoSculpt bone shavers which is an ultrasonic medical devices used for wound debridement, cosmetic surgery, spine surgery, neurosurgery, and laparoscopic surgery along with other surgical and medical applications. The company offers sonastar OsteoSculpt bone shavers which is an ultrasonic medical devices used for wound debridement, cosmetic surgery, spine surgery, neurosurgery, and laparoscopic surgery along with other surgical and medical applications. Boston Scientific Corp.: The company offers an Electrosurgical Radiofrequency Generator Innovative Device for Laparoscopic surgical procedures which are specifically designed to be compatible with full family of AngioDynamics RFA-based electrodes. The company offers an Electrosurgical Radiofrequency Generator Innovative Device for Laparoscopic surgical procedures which are specifically designed to be compatible with full family of AngioDynamics RFA-based electrodes. Conmed Corp.: The company offers a Laparoscopic ablation process such as AirSeal iFS Intelligent flow system which features unmatched capabilities in providing a stable pneumoperitoneum, constant smoke evacuation, and valve-free access. To find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings, Download Free Sample Report. Laparoscopic Ablation Market: Segmentation Analysis By Application Cancer The advantages of using laparoscopic ablation for treatment purposes and the significant rise in cancer cases around the world are expected to drive market growth over the upcoming years. Cardiovascular procedures Urological procedures Gynecological procedures Others By technique Radiofrequency ablation RFA is a minimally invasive technique that uses radio waves to ablate the nerve cells that cause pain under an image-guided fluorescence device. This technique is used to treat chronic pain, arthritis of the spine (spondylosis), sacroiliitis, tumor, and neck, back, knee, pelvic, and peripheral nerve pain. The growing instance of such diseases is expected to drive the growth of this segment is expected to contribute to the growth of the market in focus. Microwave ablation Cryoablation Others By Geography North America North America will contribute 39% of the market's growth during the forecasted period. The main markets for laparoscopic ablation in North America are the US, Canada , and Mexico. Over the forecast period, the laparoscopic ablation market will grow in North America due to the region's extensive healthcare insurance coverage, rising vendor R&D spending, and high adoption of technologically advanced products. will contribute 39% of the market's growth during the forecasted period. The main markets for laparoscopic ablation in are the US, , and Mexico. Over the forecast period, the laparoscopic ablation market will grow in due to the region's extensive healthcare insurance coverage, rising vendor R&D spending, and high adoption of technologically advanced products. Europe Asia Rest of World (ROW) To know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years, Get Free Sample Report. Imperative Insights on the following aspects: What was the size of the global laparoscopic ablation industry by value? What will be the size of the global laparoscopic ablation industry in 2026? What factors are affecting the strength of competition in the global laparoscopic ablation industry? How has the industry performed over the last five years? What are the main segments that make up the global laparoscopic ablation market? Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000. Why buy? Add credibility to your strategies Refine your business plan & growth Get a Holistic View of the Market Refine Your Business Goals by Buying the Laparoscopic Ablation Market report. Buy Sample Report Now! Related Reports: 3D Vascular Ultrasound Imaging Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis - 2022-2026: The report extensively covers the 3D vascular ultrasound imaging market segmentation by application (vascular imaging, fetal cardiac, gynecology, ophthalmology, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (ROW)). Neurology Devices Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The report extensively covers the neurology devices market segmentation by product (neurostimulation devices, interventional neurology devices, neurosurgery devices, cerebrospinal fluid management devices, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (ROW)). Laparoscopic Ablation Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 9.58% Market growth 2022-2026 $1.14 billion Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 9.12 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 39% Key consumer countries US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan, and China Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AngioDynamics Inc., Balmer Medical SA, Bioventus LLC, Boston Scientific Corp., Conmed Corp., EDAP TMS SA, HealthTronics Inc., Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp., Johnson and Johnson, and Medtronic Plc Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table of Content: 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Application Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Technique Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 09: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 10: Parent market Exhibit 11: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 12: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 13: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 18: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 19: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 20: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 21: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 22: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 23: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 24: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Application 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 25: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 26: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Application Exhibit 27: Chart on Comparison by Application Exhibit 28: Data Table on Comparison by Application 5.3 Cancer - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 29: Chart on Cancer - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Data Table on Cancer - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 31: Chart on Cancer - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 32: Data Table on Cancer - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Cardiovascular procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 33: Chart on Cardiovascular procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Data Table on Cardiovascular procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 35: Chart on Cardiovascular procedures - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 36: Data Table on Cardiovascular procedures - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Urological procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 37: Chart on Urological procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Data Table on Urological procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 39: Chart on Urological procedures - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 40: Data Table on Urological procedures - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Gynecological procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 41: Chart on Gynecological procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 42: Data Table on Gynecological procedures - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Chart on Gynecological procedures - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 44: Data Table on Gynecological procedures - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 45: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 46: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 48: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.8 Market opportunity by Application Exhibit 49: Market opportunity by Application ($ million) 6 Market Segmentation by Technique 6.1 Market segments Exhibit 50: Chart on Technique - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Technique - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 6.2 Comparison by Technique Exhibit 52: Chart on Comparison by Technique Exhibit 53: Data Table on Comparison by Technique 6.3 Radiofrequency ablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Radiofrequency ablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Radiofrequency ablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Radiofrequency ablation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Radiofrequency ablation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.4 Microwave ablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Microwave ablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Microwave ablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Microwave ablation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Microwave ablation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.5 Cryoablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Cryoablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on Cryoablation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on Cryoablation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on Cryoablation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.6 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.7 Market opportunity by Technique Exhibit 70: Market opportunity by Technique ($ million) 7 Customer Landscape 7.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 71: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 8 Geographic Landscape 8.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 72: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 8.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 74: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 75: Data Table on Geographic comparison 8.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 76: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 77: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 78: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 79: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 80: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 82: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 83: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 84: Chart on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 85: Data Table on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 86: Chart on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 87: Data Table on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.6 Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 88: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 89: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 90: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 91: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.7 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 92: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 93: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 94: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 95: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 96: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 97: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 98: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 99: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.9 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 100: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 101: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 102: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 103: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.10 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 104: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 105: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 106: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 107: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.11 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 108: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 109: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 110: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 111: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.12 Mexico - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 112: Chart on Mexico - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 113: Data Table on Mexico - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 114: Chart on Mexico - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 115: Data Table on Mexico - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 8.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 116: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 9.1 Market drivers 9.2 Market challenges 9.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 117: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 9.4 Market trends 10 Vendor Landscape 10.1 Overview 10.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 118: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 10.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 119: Overview on factors of disruption 10.4 Industry risks Exhibit 120: Impact of key risks on business 11 Vendor Analysis 11.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 121: Vendors covered 11.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 122: Matrix on vendor position and classification 11.3 AngioDynamics Inc. Exhibit 123: AngioDynamics Inc. - Overview Exhibit 124: AngioDynamics Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 125: AngioDynamics Inc. - Key news Exhibit 126: AngioDynamics Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 127: AngioDynamics Inc. - Segment focus 11.4 Balmer Medical SA Exhibit 128: Balmer Medical SA - Overview Exhibit 129: Balmer Medical SA - Product / Service Exhibit 130: Balmer Medical SA - Key offerings 11.5 Bioventus LLC Exhibit 131: Bioventus LLC - Overview Exhibit 132: Bioventus LLC - Business segments Exhibit 133: Bioventus LLC - Key news Exhibit 134: Bioventus LLC - Key offerings Exhibit 135: Bioventus LLC - Segment focus 11.6 Boston Scientific Corp. Exhibit 136: Boston Scientific Corp. - Overview Exhibit 137: Boston Scientific Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 138: Boston Scientific Corp. - Key news Exhibit 139: Boston Scientific Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 140: Boston Scientific Corp. - Segment focus 11.7 Conmed Corp. Exhibit 141: Conmed Corp. - Overview Exhibit 142: Conmed Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 143: Conmed Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 144: Conmed Corp. - Segment focus 11.8 EDAP TMS SA Exhibit 145: EDAP TMS SA - Overview Exhibit 146: EDAP TMS SA - Business segments Exhibit 147: EDAP TMS SA - Key news Exhibit 148: EDAP TMS SA - Key offerings Exhibit 149: EDAP TMS SA - Segment focus 11.9 HealthTronics Inc. Exhibit 150: HealthTronics Inc. - Overview Exhibit 151: HealthTronics Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 152: HealthTronics Inc. - Key news Exhibit 153: HealthTronics Inc. - Key offerings 11.10 Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. Exhibit 154: Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. - Overview Exhibit 155: Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 156: Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. - Key news Exhibit 157: Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 158: Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp. - Segment focus 11.11 Johnson and Johnson Exhibit 159: Johnson and Johnson - Overview Exhibit 160: Johnson and Johnson - Business segments Exhibit 161: Johnson and Johnson - Key news Exhibit 162: Johnson and Johnson - Key offerings Exhibit 163: Johnson and Johnson - Segment focus 11.12 Medtronic Plc Exhibit 164: Medtronic Plc - Overview Exhibit 165: Medtronic Plc - Business segments Exhibit 166: Medtronic Plc - Key news Exhibit 167: Medtronic Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 168: Medtronic Plc - Segment focus 12 Appendix 12.1 Scope of the report 12.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 169: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 170: Exclusions checklist 12.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 171: Currency conversion rates for US$ 12.4 Research methodology Exhibit 172: Research methodology Exhibit 173: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 174: Information sources 12.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 175: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Us: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is proud to announce its new president and CEO, Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret.), and new board chairman, Gen. Gary L. North, USAF (Ret.), along with 12 newly elected members of its board of directors. Kelly will become MOAA's President and CEO on Jan. 4, 2023, leading the nation's largest and most influential association of military officers. Commissioned in 1988, Kelly concluded his military career this year after serving most recently as the Air Force deputy chief of staff of Manpower, Personnel and Services at the Pentagon. "I'm extremely excited and proud," Kelly said. "It's a fantastic organization. What MOAA has been able to do in terms of legislative advocacy is really second to none." Kelly succeeds Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, USAF (Ret.), who is retiring after serving in the position for seven years. The Hill named MOAA to its list of top lobbyists every year Atkins led MOAA. "I want to thank the board, the staff, and our membership for their personal and professional commitment over the years, and I am excited to see what the future holds for MOAA," Atkins said. "I know the association will be in capable hands with the leadership of Gen. North, Lt. Gen. Kelly, and our dedicated board of directors." North took his seat as MOAA's Chairman of the Board of Directors on Oct. 29. North, former commander of Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, has served on MOAA's board of directors since 2018. He succeeds Gen. Walter Sharp, USA (Ret.). "Our MOAA motto is Never Stop Serving, and I'm proud to continue to serve the over 350,000 members as the incoming chairman," North said. The following 12 individuals also have been elected to MOAA's 36-member board. They will serve a six-year term. Cmdr. Stephen A. Bedard, USN (Ret.) President of Sailmaker, LLC and an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston. Served in the Navy Supply Corps as a staff member of the assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition. Col. Myles B. Caggins III, USA A senior fellow at The New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy. Previously the U.S. Army Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Served three combat tours in Iraq. Lt. Col. Ronald J. Clark, USMC (Ret.) Former Deputy Under Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and former Senior Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council in the White House. Retired infantry and force reconnaissance officer. Currently the Chief Executive Officer of Spartan Strategy & Risk Management. Col. Stephanie E. Dawson, USA (Ret.) Former deputy commander and commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade, and deputy commander of the 53rd Troop Command for the New York National Guard. In her civilian career, her role included Chief Operating Officer of the bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Adm. James G. Foggo, USN (Ret.) Former commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa, and U.S. Sixth Fleet. Served as dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League and member of the board of directors of the Olmsted Foundation, the Naval Historical Foundation and the Council on Foreign Relations. Lt. Cmdr. E. Fred Green Jr., USN (Ret.) President of the MOAA California Council of Chapters. Over 20 years active and reserve service in a variety of surface warfare positions at sea and ashore. Rear Adm. Nancy A. Hann, NOAA Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. She holds two master's degrees, one in aeronautical science and the other in public administration. Maj. Sharron A. Mackey, USAF (Ret.) Served in the Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve. She has more than 30 years of leadership experience in health care, ensuring access to high quality care. She worked directly on building provider networks for veterans with TRICARE. Holds master's degrees in public administration and health service management. Vice Adm. Fred M. Midgette, USCG (Ret.) Defense industry consultant and served in a variety of positions in the Coast Guard including Pacific Area Commander and Commander, Defense Forces West; Deputy Commandant for Operations; and 9th Coast Guard District Commander. Maj. Gen. Stephen W. Oliver Jr., USAF (Ret.) International and defense policy researcher for the RAND Corporation. Former senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force and Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs. Brig. Gen. Robert P. Palmer, USAFR Senior vice president of Government Relations for WPS Health Solutions. Served as Chief of Strategic Communications for the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, deputy director of Legislative Affairs for NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, and director of Public Affairs for Air Force Reserve Command. Capt. W.G. "Bud" Schneeweis, USCG (Ret.) Former MOAA Director of Benefits Information and Financial Education and a former director of the Military Financial Readiness Project, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Served as chief of Coast Guard Public Affairs and commander of Coast Guard Recruiting. MOAA is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization and the leading voice on compensation and benefit matters for all members of the uniformed services community. Learn more at www.moaa.org . SOURCE Military Officers Association of America NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The multiplex assays market size is expected to grow by USD 1.34 billion from 2021 to 2026. In addition, the growth momentum of the market will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period. The market has been segmented by type (protein multiplex assays, nucleic acid multiplex assays, and cell-based multiplex assays) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)). Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Multiplex Assays Market 2022-2026 Find a comprehensive report summary that describes the market size and forecast along with the research methodology. The FREE sample report is available in PDF format Multiplex Assays Market: Segmentation Analysis By geography, North America will lead the multiplex assays market during the forecast period. The region will account for 39% of the market's growth. US and Canada are the key markets for multiplex assays in North America. The fast-growing elderly population and the high prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases will facilitate the multiplex assays market growth in North America over the forecast period. Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000 By type, the protein multiplex assays segment will be the largest contributor to market growth during the forecast period. Rapid analysis and high precision are possible through multiplex protein assays that have the capability to detect various biomarkers for various types of cancers, diabetes, thyroid, hepatitis, and HIV. Such factors are expected to increase the demand for protein multiplex assays during the forecast period. Learn about the contribution of each segment summarized in concise infographics and thorough descriptions. Buy Now to gain access to detailed information about each segment Multiplex Assays Market: Driver and Trend One of the key factors driving the global multiplex assay market growth is predictive and preventive medicine for early diagnosis and treatment. Current inefficiencies in preventive healthcare have a significant impact on the economies of the US and China, with healthcare contributing approximately 12%-15% of the overall expenditures of these countries. Estimates from healthcare commissions in the US have indicated an annual saving of USD 250to USD 300 billion on healthcare costs by 2023. Correct diagnosis through multiplex assays is pivotal for the fruition of these savings. Such factors will drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. The launch of multiplex assay-based technologies is one of the key multiplex assay market trends that is expected to impact the industry positively in the forecast period. Vendors are introducing multiplex assay-based technologies to improve the diagnosis of rare diseases. For instance; In April 2022, Bruker Corporation launched new multiplex PCR infectious disease assays that are based on its proprietary LiquidArray technology that detects 7 major pathogens causing STIs using LiquidArray multiplex PCR technology. Such innovations are expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Identify key trends, drivers, and challenges in the market, which will help vendors improve their strategies to stay ahead of their competitors. View our FREE PDF Sample Report Related Reports Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays Market by Product and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024: The neuroscience antibodies and assays market size has the potential to grow by USD 1.36 billion during 2020-2024. Cell Viability Assays Market by Product and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024: The cell viability assays market size has the potential to grow by USD 1.40 billion during 2020-2024 Multiplex Assays Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.7% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 1.34 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 7.1 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 39% Key consumer countries US, Canada, Germany, UK, and China Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Abcam plc, Agilent Technologies Inc., Antigenix America Inc., Becton Dickinson and Co., Bio Rad Laboratories Inc., Bio Techne Corp., Cayman Chemical Co., DiaSorin SpA, Enzo Biochem Inc., Illumina Inc., Merck KGaA, Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC, PerkinElmer Inc., Promega Corp., QIAGEN NV, Quanterix Corp., Randox Laboratories Ltd., Seegene Inc., Siemens Healthcare GmbH, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market Overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Type Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market Definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Type 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Type Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Type Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Type 5.3 Protein multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Protein multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Protein multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Protein multiplex assays - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Protein multiplex assays - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Nucleic acid multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Nucleic acid multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Nucleic acid multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Nucleic acid multiplex assays - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Nucleic acid multiplex assays - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Cell-based multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 36: Chart on Cell-based multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Cell-based multiplex assays - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Chart on Cell-based multiplex assays - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Cell-based multiplex assays - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by Type Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by Type ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 87: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Abcam plc Exhibit 89: Abcam plc - Overview Exhibit 90: Abcam plc - Product / Service Exhibit 91: Abcam plc - Key news Exhibit 92: Abcam plc - Key offerings 10.4 Becton Dickinson and Co. and Co. Exhibit 93: Becton Dickinson and Co. - Overview and Co. - Overview Exhibit 94: Becton Dickinson and Co. - Business segments and Co. - Business segments Exhibit 95: Becton Dickinson and Co. - Key news and Co. - Key news Exhibit 96: Becton Dickinson and Co. - Key offerings and Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 97: Becton Dickinson and Co. - Segment focus 10.5 Bio Rad Laboratories Inc. Exhibit 98: Bio Rad Laboratories Inc. - Overview Exhibit 99: Bio Rad Laboratories Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 100: Bio Rad Laboratories Inc. - Key news Exhibit 101: Bio Rad Laboratories Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 102: Bio Rad Laboratories Inc. - Segment focus 10.6 Bio Techne Corp. Exhibit 103: Bio Techne Corp. - Overview Exhibit 104: Bio Techne Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 105: Bio Techne Corp. - Key news Exhibit 106: Bio Techne Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 107: Bio Techne Corp. - Segment focus 10.7 DiaSorin SpA Exhibit 108: DiaSorin SpA - Overview Exhibit 109: DiaSorin SpA - Business segments Exhibit 110: DiaSorin SpA - Key news Exhibit 111: DiaSorin SpA - Key offerings Exhibit 112: DiaSorin SpA - Segment focus 10.8 Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC Exhibit 113: Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC - Overview Exhibit 114: Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 115: Meso Scale Diagnostics LLC - Key offerings 10.9 Promega Corp. Exhibit 116: Promega Corp. - Overview Exhibit 117: Promega Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 118: Promega Corp. - Key offerings 10.10 QIAGEN NV Exhibit 119: QIAGEN NV - Overview Exhibit 120: QIAGEN NV - Product / Service Exhibit 121: QIAGEN NV - Key news Exhibit 122: QIAGEN NV - Key offerings 10.11 Seegene Inc. Exhibit 123: Seegene Inc. - Overview Exhibit 124: Seegene Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 125: Seegene Inc. - Key news Exhibit 126: Seegene Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 127: Seegene Inc. - Segment focus 10.12 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Exhibit 128: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - Overview Exhibit 129: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 130: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - Key news Exhibit 131: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 132: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 133: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 134: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 135: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 136: Research methodology Exhibit 137: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 138: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 139: List of abbreviations About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio Emerging Pet-Wellness Concept Deepens Ties to the Community with Newest Clinic Additions in Fort Meyers FT. MEYERS, Fla., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PetWellClinic, one of America's fastest-growing pet-wellness franchise brands, is preparing to expand its South Florida presence, specifically in Ft. Meyers, with the signing of their newest 5-unit franchise agreement. A deal that comes at the hands of Edward Pike, a veteran franchisee from the retail space intent on staking a claim with the emerging concept for the benefit of his home and neighboring communities. After years spent living in the UK, operating as a franchisee with CeX a second-hand goods chain specializing in technology, computing, video games, DVDs, and more Edward made the decision to exit the business and returned home to the United States to help raise his family. Vowing that one day, once his kids were old enough, he'd return to the franchise industry again. A day that finally arrived right as the pandemic was beginning to take hold of the global economy back in 2020. "The retail market was getting tougher and tougher to compete in, especially with the likes of Amazon and other such brands dicing up the sector. Which is why I chose to change course from that background this time around," said Pike. "PetWellClinic offered not only the chance to impart a positive impact on families in my neck of the woods, but to lead a lucrative endeavor that requires minimal overhead." As the 5 clinics begin opening over the course of the next 5-6 years, Pike is confident the need for the brands unique customer experience will only continue to grow as the pet-wellness market become plagued with increasing wait times, rising costs, and rampant inaccessibility. For many consumers, pets are like family, and forgoing necessary health treatments for them simply isn't an option. They've just been waiting for a company that'll put their pets first as well. The clinics will provide convenient preventative care for pets including general check-ups, vaccinations and treatment of minor ailments and chronic conditions in a walk-in environment. PetWellClinic's unique clinic model offers an affordable, easily accessible healthcare experience for pets and pet owners versus traditional veterinary clinics or pet hospitals. Each PetWellClinic location also utilizes a proprietary veterinary software program designed by Dr. Meisler for seamless clinic processes and to maximize efficiency throughout the day. The locations are designed for complete transparency and openness, so clients can see everything that is happening, from the front of the clinic to the back. For more information about PetWellClinic franchise opportunities, please visit www.petwellfranchise.com or contact Joe Sexton at [email protected]. PetWellClinic has partnered with Oakscale, to lead franchise development efforts for the brand. For more information about Oakscale, please visit www.oakscale.com. ABOUT PETWELLCLINIC PetWellClinic is a walk-in veterinary clinic, providing excellent preventative, wellness and sick care for dogs and cats on an on-demand basis. There is no need for an appointment because PetWellClinic's technology, design, and operational systems provide customers with a modern-day experience in an antiquated industry. PetWellClinic recently began franchising after the success of its company-owned operations in Knoxville, Tennessee, and currently has over 100 units in development. SOURCE PetWellClinic VANCOUVER, BC , Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Rock Tech Lithium Inc. (TSXV: RCK) (OCOX: RCKTF) (FWB: RJIB) (WKN: A1XF0V) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that Dirk Harbecke has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Company has concurrently accepted the resignation of Markus Bruegmann. Dirk Harbecke appointed new Chief Executive Officer of Rock Tech Lithium (CNW Group/Rock Tech Lithium Inc.) Mr. Harbecke has more than 25 years of international investment experience, including as co-founder of ADC African Development Corporation AG, an African financial services provider. Mr. Harbecke was also a consultant at Boston Consulting Group and received his MBA from University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Dirk Harbecke said: "I look forward to returning to a senior executive role in a company that I started in the current form 10 years ago. With recent Rock Tech announcements such as our deal with Mercedes-Benz, the company has a very exciting future. The fact that we have a very experienced and engaged board and management will greatly assist with the attainment of our immediate and longer-term objectives. The Company has accepted Mr. Bruegmann's resignation, allowing him to attend to personal matters unrelated to his tenure at Rock Tech. The Company thanks him for his services and wishes him all the best. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Dirk Harbecke Chairman ABOUT ROCK TECH Rock Tech is a cleantech company on a mission to produce lithium hydroxide for EV batteries. The Company plans to build lithium converters at the door-step of its customers, to guarantee supply-chain transparency and just-in-time delivery. To close the most pressing gap in the clean mobility story, Rock Tech has gathered one of the strongest teams in the industry. The Company has adopted strict ESG standards and is developing a proprietary refining process aimed at further increasing efficiency and sustainability. Rock Tech plans to source raw material from its own mineral project in Canada as well as procuring it from other responsibly producing mines. In the years to come, the Company expects to also source raw material from discarded batteries. Rock Tech's goal: to create a closed-loop lithium production system. www.rocktechlithium.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains certain information relating to Rock Tech that are based on the beliefs of the management of Rock Tech as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the management and Board of Directors. When used in this communication, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "forecasts," "projections," and similar expressions, as they relate to Rock Tech or the management of Rock Tech, identify forward-looking or possible or likely statements.Such statements reflect the current views of Rock Tech with respect to future events, the outcome of which is subject to certain risks, including, among others, the general economic environment and spending patterns, decreased interest for Rock Tech's products, low growth or declining sales and net income due to various factors. Should risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary from those described as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or planned. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Rock Tech or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. Rock Tech undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this communication. SOURCE Rock Tech Lithium Inc. BOSTON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Software Defined Automation, a leading innovator turning factories into software systems, announced it has raised $10 million in a seed round led by global software investor Insight Partners, with additional investment from Baukunst VC, Fly Ventures, and First Momentum. The funds will be used to scale customer adoption and extend its solution portfolio. Software Defined Automation revolutionizes factory automation with an Industrial-Control-as-a-Service offering. Industrial-Control-as-a-Service (ICaaS) is centered around cloud-based management of existing PLCs (TechOps), Git-enabled PLC code versioning and collaboration (DevOps), as well as virtualization of PLCs on edge servers (Virtual PLC). In combination, these technologies have the power to break down proprietary silos in control technology stacks and enable API-based modern microservices architecture. This new paradigm transforms the daily lives of automation professionals by bringing remote work, cloud security, resilience, collaboration tools and independence from proprietary automation vendor hardware to the modern factory. In doing so, SDA enables automation engineers to manage control equipment in the same way cloud engineers manage applications. This encompasses disaster recovery, edge and cloud security as well as flexibility for production changes. Keeping modern developer experience front-and-center, SDA empowers individual automation engineers with state-of-the-art tools and modern user experience, helping improve the attractiveness of the field of automation technology to young professionals. "With the new system we are able to increase our productivity for automation engineering and securely manage our machine suppliers' as well as our own PLC code base through fine grain control rules," said Marcel Welz, Digital Engineer at Henkel Laundry & Home Care. He added: "The ability to run the PLC programming environment in any browser allows us to maximize the utilization of our licenses and for PLC programmers to access it via any device". "Automation engineers have not been given the same modern tools as traditional software developers. We believe that there is a massive opportunity to increase productivity through cloud-based collaboration, and SDA's cutting-edge tools and proven customer success make clear that the company is onto something special," said Jon Rosenbaum, Managing Director at Insight Partners. "We believe that the team at SDA is uniquely positioned to solve this problem and we look forward to partnering with them to bring ICaaS to more customers around the globe." As part of the transaction, Jon Rosenbaum, Managing Director at Insight Partners and Axel Bichara, Co-Founder and General Partner at Baukunst will join the company's Board of Directors. Turn your factory into a software system today at www.softwaredefinedautomation.io About Software Defined Automation Software Defined Automation was founded by cloud, industrial software and manufacturing veterans to deliver Industrial-Control-as-a-Service. We empower industrial automation professionals to maximize the efficiency of production processes and collaboration with next-generation git-based tools. SDA has offices in Boston, US and Munich, Germany. Learn more about our story: https://www.softwaredefinedautomation.io/company/about/ About Insight Partners Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of June 30, 2022, the firm has over $80B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 700 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Palo Alto. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with right-sized, right-time practical, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners. About Fly Ventures Fly Ventures is a specialized venture capital firm backing technical founders solving hard problems. Fly invests from day-zero to seed, backing founders from all over Europe. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Fly has been on the zero to one journey with portfolio companies who have raised in excess of $1Bn in follow-on funding from some of the world's best VCs. About Baukunst VC Baukunst is a collective of creative technologists advancing the art of building companies at the frontiers of technology and design. Baukunst is independent minded and invests with conviction at company formation. The Baukunst partners have led investments in over 100+ technology companies and shepherded them from company formation to multi-billion dollar impact. Baukunst has offices in San Francisco and Boston, and General Partner Axel Bichara (lead investor in SolidWorks, co-founder of OnShape) is on the board of SDA. About First Momentum First Momentum Ventures is a DACH-area specialist fund, dedicated to deeply technical founders that are building companies at the frontier of their field. As "engineers at heart, investors by choice", First Momentum supports technical teams applying an engineering mindset to business problems, often pre-market or even pre-product. For more information, please visit: https://firstmomentum.vc SOURCE Software Defined Automation Member Participation Critical to Successful Agreement Covering 1,000 Bus Workers WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters have voted overwhelmingly to ratify the Illinois Cooperative Agreement (ICA), covering nearly 1,000 school bus drivers and monitors at North American Central School Bus. The agreement, which covers members in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas, will be in effect until September 30, 2027. "With this agreement, Teamsters at every North American Central School Bus yard are united for the first time under a single, national standard," said Sean M. O'Brien, Teamsters General President. "This couldn't have happened without rank-and-file participation on the negotiating committee. Engaged and militant members are exercising their leadership to win strong national contracts, and the Teamsters and the labor movement are better off for it." "Congratulations to these workers for staying engaged throughout this process," said Matt Taibi, Teamsters Passenger Transportation Division Director and Eastern Region International Vice President. "They worked hard to secure a collective bargaining agreement that reflects how valuable they are to the communities they serve. This is a landmark victory in our ongoing battle to protect the wages, benefits, and retirement of school bus workers throughout North America." The ICA includes additional protections for members with disabilities, additional safety language in light of the pandemic, and the establishment of a joint union/employer committee to resolve disputes. Notably, it is the first contract at the company that includes member participation in the Teamsters National 401(k) plan with mandatory employer contributions. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org to learn more. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877 [email protected] SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters ORRVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) will release its second quarter fiscal 2023 financial results on Monday, November 21, 2022. A press release, including financial statements and segment information, supplemental materials, pre-recorded management remarks, and a transcript of the pre-recorded remarks will be available beginning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The Company will webcast a live question and answer session with Mark Smucker, Chair of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Tucker Marshall, Chief Financial Officer, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on that date. The Company will host its 2022 Investor Day on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in New York City. Attendance at the event is by invitation only; however, the Company invites interested shareholders, investors, and consumers to listen to its live webcast or event replay of the executive management presentations. The live webcasts and replays for both events can be accessed at the Company's website: investors.jmsmucker.com. About The J.M. Smucker Co. Each generation of consumers leaves their mark on culture by establishing new expectations for food and the companies that make it. At The J.M. Smucker Co., it is our privilege to be at the heart of this dynamic with a diverse portfolio that appeals to each generation of people and pets and is found in more than 80 percent of U.S. homes and countless restaurants. This includes a mix of iconic brands consumers have always loved such as Folgers, Jif and Milk-Bone and new favorites like Cafe Bustelo, Smucker's Uncrustables and Rachael Ray Nutrish. By continuing to immerse ourselves in consumer preferences and acting responsibly, we will continue growing our business and the positive impact we have on society. For more information, please visit jmsmucker.com. The J.M. Smucker Co. is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein except for Rachael Ray, a registered trademark of Ray Marks II LLC, which is used under license. SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Co. Mastercard offers a promotion for all riders who purchase tickets through the Pick platform, encouraging the adoption of state-of-the art technology. EVORA, Portugal, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trevo (Transportes Rodoviarios de Evora), the public transport service operator for the city of Evora, announced that it has adopted Ubirider's digital platform, Pick, which provides contactless payments on their public transport network, with the collaboration of Mastercard. Trevo users can now make contactless payments on board buses with contactless cards, smartphones or smartwatches, quickly and without the need for a physical ticket. This system, called Contactless EMV, is used in many cities worldwide, but Evora is the first city in Portugal to implement the contactless payment system. Ubirider's Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform, Pick, allows Trevo to integrate and combine means of transport and mobility: buses, trains, rideshare, scooters, parking, etc. Users have access to the Pick Hub app, which allows them to plan their trips with more options, pay and use their digital tickets with simplicity. Pick also includes powerful features and tools for transport service providers that guarantee more seamless operations, access to information and payments. Through the use of Pick, public transport operators and cities can make a rapid migration to a state-of-the-art management and ticketing system that encourages a greater use of public transport using digital and contactless means, fundamental in this post-pandemic period. Trevo - Making Evora the city with the most modern transport system in Portugal In order to satisfy the demand for more and better public transport options, Trevo set out to achieve three main objectives for the public transport in the city of Evora: 1) attract and retain more passengers, 2) reduce the use of cars in the city to free up space for pedestrians, commerce and restaurants, and 3) reduce the city's carbon footprint. Trevo saw the Pick Platform, one of the most innovative and comprehensive MaaS systems on the market, as the key to achieving these goals. Through the Pick Hub app, both citizens and tourists now have access to real-time information to plan journeys and make easier use of Evora's public transport services, as they can use digital ticketing to avoid waiting in lines to buy tickets or passes. Users can now travel with their own digital means: smartphones, smartwatches or contactless cards. During their journeys, users also receive real-time information about transport timetables, bus locations, estimated times of arrival, and more, making the public transport service more predictable and reliable. The elimination of cash payments streamlines the boarding and deboarding process, and allows the drivers to focus on passenger safety and staying on schedule, not spending time collecting payment. The expected reduction in the issuing of physical passes or tickets, usually in plastic, will also contribute to the environmental sustainability of Trevo's transport service, making it one of the most environmentally friendly systems in the country. Through the Pick Platform, Trevo will gain powerful knowledge about its operations and transport network usage in real time to facilitate strategic decision making and improve urban mobility. "It is incredibly satisfying to see the realization of our goal - making Trevo the most modern digital platform for public transport management in Evora, as well as offering our users a simple and convenient process to purchase transport tickets and pay by digital or contactless means." said Pedro Deus, CEO of Trevo. "Improving mobility is essential for cities in the interior of the country, such as Evora, to retain and attract residents and tourists. The Ubirider platform represents the disruption of the old way of dealing with processes that we were used to. However, today I can say that the transition was smooth, safe and rewarding, also because Trevo is the first case of the Pick platform installation in a public transport operation. The result is quite good and so I envision an excellent future for Ubirider, even internationally." Mastercard Leads the Way A pioneer in driving the digital transformation of multiple industries, including transportation and mobility, Mastercard supported Trevo and Ubirider from the beginning of the project to create the first all-digital public transportation network in Portugal. To celebrate this historic movement, Mastercard is launching a campaign that offers a cash-back reimbursement of tickets to those who pay their Trevo bus fare with contactless Mastercard cards on Mondays (with contactless bank cards, smartphones or smart watches). "Mastercard is accelerating the digital transition in the public transport sector in Portugal by providing access to innovative solutions that result from partnerships, just as we have done before in many cities around the world," said Maria Antonia Saldanha, Country Manager of Mastercard. "These new solutions offer integrated urban services and create value for local communities, from mobility to data access, that result in decisions that make cities smarter, more efficient and sustainable - in tourism, in boosting local business or even in financial inclusion - key aspects for the future of smart cities. Residents and visitors to Evora can now make contactless payments in public transport, with simplicity and convenience. Operators reduce transaction costs by up to 80% when compared to classic travel cards." Ubirider: revolutionizing mobility with Pick Platform and Pick Hub app Ubirider has built the Pick Platform as an independent system to connect and help both travelers and transport operators provide more seamless travel experiences. The mobile app Pick Hub, available through the Apple App Store, Google Play and App Gallery, allows users to plan door-to-door travel, pay and ride to all destinations, everywhere, using the best transport combination. This makes Pick Hub the only mobile app in the region which enables users to buy and recharge physical passes directly through the app using their smartphones NFC (Apple or Android). The Pick Insight 'back-office' collects real-time information, stored in the cloud, of vehicle and traveler's flow, enabling any public transport operator to efficiently and digitally manage operation, ticketing, sales and payments, supported by a simple but modern, cost-effective and powerful infrastructure: smartphones and cloud technology. "Our focus is improving transportation - not only to make the experience of using it significantly better, more integrated and simpler for individuals, but also to empower cities and transport operators to gain valuable insights about how their transport networks are being used, so that, with agility, they can make adjustments to better meet the needs of citizens, businesses and environmental sustainability," said Paulo dos Santos, founder and CEO of Ubirider. "It was a privilege for us to have worked with a team like Trevo, who are so committed to managing and serving their passengers and their city well. This deployment demonstrates that you don't need a large investment or have a large transport network to have access to the best technology or the most modern solutions. It also demonstrates that it is possible for public transport to be managed with high performance, quality of service and safety without the need for complex, expensive and fallible physical systems. I hope that the case we have built with Trevo will serve as an example of success so that other Portuguese operators and cities, of any size, will see our platform as a concrete and robust solution to the many problems that exist in transport in Portugal, particularly to improve its efficiency and interaction with users. They have enormous power to improve people's lives: social inclusion, quality of life, environment, economy, and distribution of wealth." Evora is a strong example to show how good innovation and well-structured digital technologies can have a great overall impact on the efficiency of systems as complex as public transport, even more vital in an interior city like Evora, with a strong connection to the rural environment that surrounds it. Trevo and Ubirider invite you to experience the mobility of the present in Evora. About Trevo Trevo, a company of Rodoviaria do Alentejo, is the concessionaire of the public transport service in the city of Evora since 2010, performing all the urban service in this city. About Mastercard Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and drive an inclusive digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere, making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions enable us to help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses reach their greatest potential. Our Decency Quotient, or DQ, is instrumental in driving our culture and everything we do inside and outside our company. With connections to over 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that opens up Priceless possibilities for everyone. Mastercard is the sole corporate donor to the Mastercard Impact Fund. About Ubirider Ubirider has created Pick, a mobile and web platform that combines traditional and modern means of transport, taking into account the interests and needs of occasional travelers, 'commuters', but also mobility operators. The Pick Hub mobile app allows travelers to plan and choose the best option for each door-to-door journey - whether that is public transport, 'on-demand' services or a bicycle - pay the fares involved and be supported when on the go by real-time information and notifications for greater predictability. The Pick platform also includes a set of digital tools for managing transport or mobility systems, ticketing and service sales, that allow operators and cities to manage these systems efficiently and offer users better quality of service, particularly through digital or contactless payments. The Pick platform is already used by Fertagus (train operation that connects Lisbon to Setubal), by the city of Cascais and now also by Trevo, in Evora. Pick Hub is also the only mobile application that currently allows the Navegante pass to be charged in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. After one year of operation, about 140 000 passes have already been recharged with the Pick Hub app (17,000 users recharge their passes each month), which has more than 85,000 active users. For more information, visit www.ubirider.com. Media Contacts: General / Ubirider Angela Costa Simoes +001-415-302-2934 [email protected] Mastercard Ana Diaz +34 682 31 97 97 [email protected] Rosa Jimenez +34 638 62 21 24 [email protected] Trevo Henrique Tomatas + 351 93 254 84 01 [email protected] SOURCE Ubirider Campaign Features New Tagline and Includes a New Advertising and Social Media Campaign and Website Relaunch ST. CROIX, ST. JOHN, and ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Tourism is launching a bold, new marketing campaign that includes a distinctive tagline, a social media campaign and the relaunch of its website. Focusing on cultural travel in the U.S. Territory rather than conventional tourism, the campaign showcases the tag line: "Naturally in Rhythm" accompanied by a print advertising campaign, billboards along the highways, a reimagined website, online giveaways, in person pop-up events, and a social media influencer program. "Our new campaign seeks to continue to fuel our exponential growth as we emerge beyond the pandemic," said USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte. "Proportionally, we are a leader in tourism recovery both globally and in the Caribbean. We want to remind visitors that they can come again to escape the stresses of city lifestyles and to invite newcomers to imagine tasting our unique cuisine, laying on our powdery beaches, swimming in our pristine waters, and exploring our historic cobblestone streets and protected national parks. Our new branding and tagline, 'Naturally in Rhythm," is an invitation to travelers searching for authenticity to come and connect with our people and land." The marketing campaign can be described as National Geographic meets Vibe with a bit of glamour thrown in. It focuses on the real stars of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas: The people. The images and music will invite visitors to use their five senses - seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling and smelling - when exploring the islands. The campaign includes a newly produced 30-second video reflecting fresh tones and themes of the brand's concept. "Our tourism marketing campaign is designed to inspire visitors to fall "naturally in rhythm" with the three islands' diverse cultures and natural wonders," Boschulte said. "It speaks to travelers seeking an authentic Caribbean experience comprising food, heritage, culture, and nature without having to leave U.S. soil," he continued. "Vacationers already know our islands for their unadorned beauty, temperate weather, unparalleled beaches and turquoise waters. But we want to tap more into our most precious resources our people and culture." Among other aspects of the campaign is the revamped USVI tourism website, which contains a more comprehensive trip-planning section that highlights restaurants, shops, services, and other businesses that cater to tourists in the destination. In addition to dynamic content, the site uses new imagery that keeps it authentic and enthralling at the same time. "The entire world has been through a rough three years, and our destination offers visitors a way back to getting in touch with themselves, inspiring them to connect with our islands through their senses," Boschulte said. The campaign dovetails with the much-anticipated reopening of two renovated and rebranded Frenchman's Reef properties: The Westin Beach Resort and Spa at Frenchman's Reef and The Seaborn at Frenchman's Reef, an Autograph Collection. The $425 million renovation will bring back 500 rooms to St. Thomas. See the new website and learn more about the USVI HERE . About the U.S. Virgin Islands The U.S. Virgin Islands is a United States Territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea and consists of three main islands St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands features breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture and a burgeoning restaurant industry. No passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. mainland or Puerto Rico. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are equivalent to entering the United States from any international country. Upon departure, a passport is required for non-U.S. citizens. For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to www.VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Instagram (@visitusvi) and Twitter (@usvitourism), and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI). SOURCE U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism 10 winners receive awards, grants to continuing serving their communities LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of Kentucky hosted its third annual Community Health Champions Awards last week to honor individuals and organizations throughout the Commonwealth who play a pivotal role in removing barriers, improving outcomes, and supporting community well-being. "I see our Community Health Champions as examples of the best of Kentucky," said Corey Ewing, WellCare of Kentucky's President and CEO. "Each of these individuals has worked to ensure that Kentuckians are physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy and they did it in deeply personal ways, giving their time, talent, and heart in the process." This year, 10 winners were honored at the Gheens Foundation Lodge in Louisville, selected from 146 nominations. Award recipients each represented the eight Kentucky Medicaid regions and one statewide winner. WellCare awarded a $3,000 grant to the regional winners and a $5,000 grant to the statewide winner. The most prominent, statewide award was presented to Samantha Stewart of Welcome House. In Stewart's nomination, she was described as the heart of Welcome House's Street Outreach Team. She has served hundreds of men, women, and children through the agency's medical RV, and has been a literal lifeline to some of the community's most vulnerable citizens. "Samantha represents exactly the type of service, commitment, and passion that we want to support in Kentucky," said Ewing. "We know that people like her help make Kentucky communities healthier." Regional winners included: Region 1: Crystal Fox, Mayfield Minority Enrichment Center As a volunteer, Fox has been instrumental in bridging the gap between needed services and her neighbors, often using her own resources to make that possible. A true community servant, she understands the importance of mental health in a person's overall wellbeing, especially for those in minority and elderly populations. Crystal is hands-on and driven with a heart of love for others and her community. Region 2: Kelli Templeman, Todd County Central High School As the Youth Services Center Coordinator in Todd County for 17 years, Templeman has focused on health and wellness for students and staff for nearly two decades. In the last school year, she secured a grant and equipment to create a workout room for school employees. Region 3: Linda Gentry, Grayson County Alliance A teacher and administrator in both public and private schools for 26 years, Gentry has poured her energy and commitment into countless Grayson County families. She's been an active member of a service organization that helps families with major medical needs; she's worked with advocates who support children going through the court process; and she spearheaded a program to provide free income tax filing and recruited volunteers to support the effort. Region 4: (Co-Champion) Princess Reed, LifeSkills At 21 years old and a full-time student at Western Kentucky Reed works 40 hours a week at LifeSkills, which helps individuals with mental illness, addiction issues and intellectual disabilities build meaningful and independent live. She assists the Regional Youth Council, an advisory body that advocates for mental health issues. In addition, Reed is heavily involved with the LifeSkills LGBTQ+ support group and sits on the agency's Diversity and Inclusion Council. Region 4: (Co-Champion) Amber Sikes, LifeSkills Sikes works with pregnant and postpartum moms. During the COVID-19 epidemic, Sikes still managed to reach nearly 500 women with her Healthy Baby Workshops in the past three years, giving women much-needed information about the harmful effects of substances during pregnancy and connecting them to resources. Region 5: Anthony Lowery, God's Outreach In 2000, Lowery retired after 27 years as a shipping manager, and focused his post-retirement energy into ensuring no one in Madison County went to bed hungry. God's Outreach is a food pantry that started in a closet in the home of Lowery and his wife Linda. More than 20 years later, Gods Outreach feeds nearly 2,500 families a month in Madison and Estill Counties and provides 3,500 backpacks of weekend food for youths at 24 schools in both counties. Region 6: Deborah Zegarra, Ethan's Purpose Zegarra has channeled a personal tragedy into a mission to help others. Zegarra organized Ethan's Purpose, a race at North Pointe Elementary School, to raise money in support of suicide prevention efforts in memory of her son, who took his own life in 2018. The funds help provide individual and group counseling and supply schools with social emotional learning curriculum for their students. Region 7: Rachel Booker, Comprehend Booker uses her experience to assist individuals as a substance abuse peer support specialist with Comprehend, which advocates for the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities, and provides behavioral healthcare services. In addition to this endeavor, she works with two innovative programs to share her insight and support others on their paths to recovery. Region 8: Denise Marlett, Cumberland River Behavioral Health An advocate for family voice and choice, Marlett began her career at Cumberland River Behavioral Health as a service provider, later serving as an in-home clinician, school-based clinician, and eventually rising to her current role as Assistant Director of Children Services. Over the course of her career, she has pioneered new programming and services for youth and families. High-resolution photos are available for use here. About WellCare of Kentucky WellCare of Kentucky provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans across the state. WellCare is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information, please visit wellcare.com/kentucky. SOURCE WellCare of Kentucky NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 5WPR, one of the largest independently-owned PR firms in the U.S., is pleased to announce its client work has been announced as a finalist in Ragan's Media Relations Awards 2022. The Parenting team's work for client Lansinoh has been named a finalist in the Use of a Celebrity or Personality category, for coordinating partnership details with actress Mandy Moore's team, to support the campaign around highlighting a real and unfiltered representation of a woman's postpartum journey. "The Parenting team is passionate about elevating Lansinoh and their work, ensuring the right audiences have access to their products and resources," said 5WPR Co-CEO, Dara A. Busch. "The team exceeded client expectations and continues to raise the standard." 5W's Technology team and its work with client Samsung's SmartThings, which worked to illustrate the real-world applications of 'SmartThings Build' - a partnership solution designed to help builders, property management companies, and real estate developers create and manage connected living experiences across properties and homes at scale, has been named a finalist in the Traditional & New Media Integration category. The Corporate team has been recognized as a finalist in the Innovation in Media Relations category for their work with Sinclair Broadcast Group, supporting the announcement of the company's new streaming app as a major rebrand and partnership with Bally Sports. "We are thrilled to be recognized for our media relations work at a time when competition for media attention is at an all-time high," said 5WPR Co-CEO Matthew Caiola. "Our teams went above and beyond, finding creative opportunities to capture and hold consumer attention, and this is a well-deserved recognition for our teams." Winners will be announced at Ragan's PR Daily Awards luncheon on Monday, December 12, in New York City. About 5WPR 5W Public Relations is a full-service PR agency in NYC known for cutting-edge programs that engage with businesses, issues and ideas. With more than 300 professionals serving clients in B2C (Beauty & Fashion, Consumer Brands, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Technology, Nonprofit), B2B (Corporate Communications and Reputation Management), Public Affairs, Crisis Communications and Digital Marketing (Social Media, Influencer, Paid Media, SEO). 5W was named to Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces 2022 list, awarded 2020 PR Agency of The Year, and brings leading businesses a resourceful, bold and results-driven approach to communication. SOURCE 5W Public Relations CEO Jason Rose will be joined by Dr. Anshu Jain, Medical Director at Hero Health, to explore how innovative technology can improve medication adherence among high-risk patients NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AdhereHealth, a healthcare technology leader in medication adherence insights and health outcomes, today announced that Chief Executive Officer, Jason Z. Rose, MHSA, is a featured speaker at this year's National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Innovation Summit. The panel, "Medication Adherence: Using Smart Tech to Close the Loop on America's $500 B Health Care Problem," includes Dr. Anshu Jain, Senior Medical Director at Hero Health, which offers life-changing medication management through a smart pill dispenser and mobile management app. During the session, the two healthcare leaders will discuss the challenge of medication nonadherence and how health plans, providers, and caregivers can use innovative technology to ensure high-risk, high-cost patients adhere to complex medication regimens. "The importance of medication adherence cannot be overstated. It is a leading cause of re-hospitalizations and ER visits, especially among the elderly and those with chronic conditions. And the financial impact is significant, accounting for more than half a trillion dollars in healthcare costs each year," said Jason Z. Rose, CEO of AdhereHealth. "We can help meet this perennial challenge using innovative technology that helps identify those at highest risk and work with them to address the real issues behind why they aren't taking their medications as prescribed." Lack of transportation to appointments or pharmacies, food and housing insecurity, low health literacy and other social determinants of health (SDOH) can all prevent the appropriate management of prescriptions and present a serious problem for those across the healthcare ecosystem looking to improve adherence rates. Health plans, providers, and others across the healthcare continuum must find more reliable methods of engaging these hard-to-reach populations, particularly Medicare Advantage (MA) insurers offering prescription drug coverage. Many MA Plans experienced a sharp drop in Star Ratings for 2023, and the grading for medication-related and patient experience measures will be even harder in the coming year. Health plans that hope to keep up in this rapidly changing environment must act swiftly to tackle the fundamentals, such as medication adherence and addressing SDOH barriers. AdhereHealth's NCQA session takes place on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 10:10 am in Washington, DC. More than 1,000 healthcare industry professionals are expected to be onsite at the Summit, where they will learn about issues impacting healthcare quality, such as innovative care delivery, equitable healthcare, data, and digital quality measurement, breakthrough innovations, resiliency, and recovery, plus NCQA programs and research. About AdhereHealth AdhereHealth delivers purpose-built, innovative technology solutions to improve quality of care, medication adherence, and cost outcomes, emphasizing overcoming social determinants of health (SDOH) and improving patient experience. AdhereRx, an AdhereHealth digital pharmacy, provides high-risk, underserved patients with personalized pharmacy services that drive medication compliance and reduce unnecessary utilization costs. This unique combination of predictive analytics, intelligent clinical workflow software, and proactive telepharmacy outreach performed by a nationwide team of licensed clinicians addresses an estimated half a trillion dollars of unnecessary annual medical costs attributed to medication adherence issues. Today, the Adhere Platform touches nearly 30 million patients across dozens of health plans, self- insured employers, and other risk-bearing entities. Learn more at www.adherehealth.com. About NCQA NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality. NCQA Accredits and Certifies a wide range of healthcare organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA's website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers, and others make informed healthcare choices. NCQA can also be found at Twitter @ncqa, on Facebook at facebook.com/NCQA.org/ and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa. Media Contacts: Andrea LePain, eMedia Junction On Behalf of AdhereHealth [email protected] 617-894-1153 SOURCE AdhereHealth ANYANG, China, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by Global Times: An ancient capital site with the longest, largest and most frequent archaeological excavations in China, the Yinxu Ruins, the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (c.1600BC-1046BC), in Anyang, Central China's Henan Province, are not only listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also rank first among China's 100 Major Archaeological Discoveries in the 20th century. "The excavation of the Yinxu Ruins was a significant milestone in the history of Chinese archaeology as it marked the first time that a Chinese archaeological institute had unearthed an ancient ruins site. The site was also the first ruins of an ancient Chinese capital excavated by archaeologists," Wang Wei, president of the Institute of Archaeology Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the chief expert of a national research program dedicated to tracing the origins of Chinese civilization, told the Global Times on Sunday. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, inspected the Yinxu Ruins on Friday afternoon. "I have long yearned to visit here. This time I came here for further study and to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese civilization so that we can make the past serve the present, and draw inspiration for building an even better modern Chinese civilization," he said. Xi stressed that China's excellent traditional culture is the root of the Party's new theories. To further develop a modern China, the integration of traditional Chinese culture into the development of society is more important than ever. "We should stay confident in our culture and be more confident and prouder to be Chinese." Liu Zheng, a member of the China Cultural Relics Academy, told the Global Times that the archaeological excavation of the Yinxu Ruins started in 1928 holds world research significance. It was a "product" of the combination of traditional Chinese epigraphy, also known as the "preface of Chinese archaeology" of field researches that are commonly celebrated in Western academia. With authentic archaeological discoveries, the site proves the credibility of ancient Chinese civilizations to the world. "Such a result can enhance the national pride on our cultures, laying solid foundation for boosting our cultural confidence," Liu noted. Seat of power Situated on banks of the Huanhe River in Anyang, Central China's Henan Province, the Yinxu Ruins consist of two sites: the Palace and Royal Ancestral Shrines Area and the Royal Tombs Area. The last capital of the Shang Dynasty, also known as the Yin Dynasty, the city was the seat of power of 12 kings. In addition to the remains of over 80 homes, numerous pits containing oracle bones were also discovered at the site. Used in divination ceremonies, these bones had inscriptions upon them, the earliest Chinese writing discovered so far, which has helped provide a clear record of events, both major and small, that occurred during the reigns of the 12 Shang kings over the period of hundreds of years. The Royal Tombs built up upon higher ground contained sacrificial pits with chariots and human remains that were most likely sacrificial victims. Burial goods found within these tombs include decorated bronze ritual vessels, jade wares, and ceramics. Wang noted that bronze wares unearthed at the palace, workshops and royal tombs in the Yinxu Ruins are important evidence of the bronze civilization of the late Shang Dynasty. Exquisite bronze relics such as the Houmuwu Ding, a sacrificial food vessel weighing around 800 kilograms, show the unique characteristics of Chinese bronze civilization. Advanced culture The discovery of the Yinxu Ruins was significant as they are a "cultural panorama" of the ancient cultures that existed more than 3,000 years ago, providing great insight into areas such as the formation of the Chinese writing system, architecture, agriculture and China-West cultural exchanges, Sun Guoding, a Beijing-based archaeologist specializing in the Shang Dynasty, told the Global Times on Sunday. As one of the most important capital sites in early China, the Yinxu Ruins' layout had an important influence on the construction and development of subsequent capitals in China. Sun noted to the Global Times that the fact that the site's buildings were clearly designed for different functions such as a handicraft workshop and a palace court reveals that there was a developed social system and governing body at the time. The site reveals the social life of the people of the late Shang Dynasty, reflecting highly developed scientific and technical achievements and innovations, from bronze casting to the calendar system. He emphasized that discoveries such as a double-wheeled horse carriage with brakes show the mechanical innovation of ancient people and their pursuit of an advanced "modern life." "Investigating where the carriage designs came from, many researchers came to believe that the Shang Dynasty people were inspired by cultures from the west. This is also a sign of China-West communications and Chinese culture's ability to embrace the wisdom of the world," Sun said. "While excavating the ruins, generations of Chinese archaeologists have developed different research methods and technology, so the ruins can be seen as laying a foundation for Chinese archaeology," Wang added. SOURCE Global Times Effect of improving blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure and diabetes Announced at the 13th International Symposium on Ginseng 2022 SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Experts who have conducted scientific studies on the effect of ginseng gathered in Seoul from all around the world. The Korean Society of Ginseng (chaired by Lee Man-hui) said that the 13th International Symposium on Ginseng took place from the 25th to the 28th at Lotte Hotel Seoul. Professor Seikwan Oh's team from College of Medicine, Ehwa Women's University verifies that red ginseng improves memory loss and learning ability The 13th International Symposium on Ginseng 2022 According to the findings of a research study in 2022, red ginseng improves the memory loss associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)[1] Post-traumatic stress disorder is stress-induced memory impairment accompanying neuroinflammation. Professor Seikwan Oh's team (joint researcher: Bombi Lee from College of Oriental Medicine, Kyunghee University) conducted a passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test on 48 rats six to eight weeks old (experiment rats), divided in six groups, to verify their learning and spatial cognition abilities after giving a constant one-time stress and injecting red ginseng extract 20, 50, 100mg/kg/1day for 14 days. The results showed the stressed rats lagged when escaping from the maze, whereas the red ginseng-injected group escaped from the maze at a similar speed to the unstressed group. They also checked the figures of various stress-induced inflammatory cytokines. Red ginseng appeared to reduce interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), which are markers of stress-induced inflammation, while increasing interleukin-12 (IL-12), which is the marker of anti-inflammation that suppresses inflammation. In addition, the red ginseng-injected group showed no increase in NF-kB, which increased and caused inflammation in the hippocampus of stressed group, and the generation of mRNA, which is the growth factor of deteriorated cranial nerves, was recovered by 252.51% after injection of red ginseng (p < 0.05). The team also disclosed the effect of red ginseng on age-related memory impairment (2015). They injected red ginseng extract (approx. 200/kg/1 day) into 32 18-month-old mice divided in four groups for three months after inducing cognitive impairment, and then conducted the Y-maze test to assess the effect on the spatial cognition ability and Morris water maze test to assess the spatial cognition and learning abilities. The result showed red ginseng represses age-related learning and memory failure. The findings verified the anti-dementia effect using the aged experiment animals that had memory failure amid continuous increase in dementia among the aged. Professor Hyong Young Kwon's team from Soonchunhyang University verifies that ginseng (ginsenoside Rd) suppresses muscle loss Published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle (JCSM)[2] with IF of 12.91(as of 2022) Professor Hyong Young Kwon's team from Soonchunhyang University said they verified the impact of ginsenoside Rd on muscle cells and effect of strengthening muscles, and identified the action mechanism. The findings were published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2022, which has an impact factor (IF) of 12.91. The IF is an index figure used to compare and assess the relative importance of journals. Researches published in a journal of IF 10 or higher are regarded highly reliable. Muscle atrophy is a general degenerative disease which is caused by muscle loss and hypofunction, and can cause various cardiovascular diseases, cancers, blood poisoning, obesity and depression. According to the results of research by professor Hyong Young Kwon's team, the muscle strength of aged mice injected with ginsenoside Rd improved with time to a level similar to that of the general adult mice. Also, their muscle cell C2C12 grew bigger than the control group and the number of nuclei per cell increased from 20% to 37% in over six nuclei. Such effects appeared the same in muscle atrophy caused by steroid administration as well. The team also identified the mechanism that ginsenoside Rd grows the size of muscle cells by reducing active oxygen within muscle cells increased by TNF-, the gene that induces inflammation. Ginsenoside Rd grew the size of muscle cells and induced the cell fusion by activating pAKT, which is the pathway essential for protein synthesis of muscle cells and reducing MuRF1 which promotes proteolysis. In addition, they implied that ginsenoside Rd can be utilized to prevent and treat cancer cachexia-led muscle atrophy by showing that it reduces phosphorylation, atrogin-1 and MuRF-1* that cause inflammation and induce muscle loss activated by TNF- and interferon-gamma (IFNg), which cause inflammation when cancer cells proliferate or spread. Such effect of ginsenoside Rd in suppressing muscle loss also appeared in a cell test using human skeletal muscle cells (HSkM), the same as in the animal cells. Professor Narayanan's team from University of Michigan verifies that red ginseng prevents bone loss by keeping balance in intestinal microorganisms[3] The intestinal microbiota is an important controller for bone health. Intestinal microorganisms unbalanced or reduced in variety and number by extensive antibiotic treatment can bring bone loss, and it is known that bones are healthy when the intestinal microorganisms vary in types. The professor's team injected a broad-spectrum antibiotic into 21 adult male mice divided into four groups for two weeks, and then for four weeks injected water into one group and red ginseng extract 500mg/kg/1day into another group. As a result, the variety of intestinal microorganisms of mice decreased significantly after the injection of antibiotic, but it was significantly suppressed in the red ginseng-injected group, along with suppression of barrier damage. In addition, bone loss occurred considerably in femur and spine of mice, but this was prevented in the red ginseng-injected group. Professor Vuksan's team from Canada verifies that ginseng improves blood pressure of patients with high blood pressure and diabetes, and is safe for consumption by the patients[4] Professor Vuksan's team from Canada conducted a clinical test on 80 patients with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure for 12 weeks, and found the center systolic blood pressure significantly reduced in the group administered with Korean red ginseng and American ginseng in parallel after 12 weeks (reduction by 3.982 mmHg, p=0.04). Above this, there was no significant change in the pulse wave velocity and reactive hyperemia index which are used to assess the function of blood vessels. Accordingly, it confirmed that ginseng can improve the center systolic blood pressure of diabetic patients when administered auxiliary, apart from medication, without directly affecting the function of blood vessels. Moreover, professor Seo Sang-hee's team from Chungnam University presented that ginseng improves immunity against the infection of COVID 19 and enhances immunity with time. Researchers from other countries also revealed their research findings on various effects of ginseng and red ginseng. Such as Professor Tianshi Wang's team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. They unveiled the effect of ginsenoside Rh1, one of the active ingredients of red ginseng, in suppressing the risk of metastasis of breast cancer. [Reference] * STAT3 phosphorylation, atrogin-1, MuRF-1 STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription-3), atrogin-1 and MuRF-1(muscle ring finger=1) are proteins that promote the generation of various genes within cells, and atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 are especially involved in muscle cell fusion and differentiation. [1] Seikwan Oh, Bombi Lee, Bongjun Sur, Neuroprotective effect of Korean Red Ginseng against single prolonged stress-induced memory impairments and inflammation in the rat brain associated with BDNF expression, Journal of Ginseng Research 46 (2022) 435-443 [2] Hyog Young Kwon, Yoseph Toni Wijaya et al., Ginsenoside Rd ameliorates muscle wasting by suppressing the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway, Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle 2022 DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13084 [3] Narayanan Parameswaran, H.J. Kang, N. Chargo, S. Chennupati et al., Korean red ginseng extract treatment prevents post-antibiotic dysbiosisinduced bone loss in mice, Journal of Ginseng Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgr.2022.08.006 [4] Vladimir Vuksan, Elena Jovanovski, et al., Vascular effects of combined enriched Korean Red ginseng (Panax Ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius) administration in individuals with hypertension and type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial, Complementary Therapies in Medicine 49 (2020) 102338 SOURCE The Korean Society of Ginseng Oakland, Larkspur Show Biggest Year-to-Year Improvement SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Overall pavement conditions on the Bay Area's nearly 44,000 lane-miles of local streets and roads landed once again in fair territory last year, with the typical stretch of roadway showing serious wear and likely to require rehabilitation soon. Data released today by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) put the region's 2021 pavement condition index (PCI) score at 67 out of a maximum possible 100 points, as computed on a three-year moving average basis. This marks the sixth consecutive year Bay Area streets and roads have registered an average score of 67 and underscores the continuing challenges faced by city and county public works departments. "The new pavement data is a bit of a mixed bag," commented MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. "The good news is that our counties and cities have been able to prevent major deterioration, thanks in large part to the state gas tax money they receive through the SB 1 local streets and roads program. The bad news is we're still a long way away from our goal of bringing the Bay Area's streets and roads into a state of good repair, which would raise the regional average into the mid-80s." PCI scores of 90 or higher are considered "excellent." These are newly built or resurfaced streets that show little or no distress. Pavement with a PCI score in the 80 to 89 range is considered "very good" and shows only slight or moderate distress, requiring primarily preventive maintenance. The "good" category ranges from 70 to 79, while streets with PCI scores in the "fair" (60-69) range are becoming worn to the point where rehabilitation may be needed to prevent rapid deterioration. Because major repairs cost five to 10 times more than routine maintenance, these streets are at an especially critical stage. Roadways with PCI scores of 50 to 59 are deemed "at-risk," while those with PCI scores of 25 to 49 are considered "poor." These roads require major rehabilitation or reconstruction. Pavement with a PCI score below 25 is considered "failed." San Francisco, with a three-year moving average score of 74, is the only one of the Bay Area's three largest cities to rank in the "good" category. San Jose, which has by far the largest street network in the Bay Area at nearly 4,500 lane-miles, ticked up a point last year with a three-year moving average score of 67. Oakland's three-year moving average also rose by one point to 53 (at-risk), but the city's single-year score jumped nine points to 58 last year from just 49 (poor) in 2020. "We're proud to be picking up the pace for implementing our equity-driven paving plan," said Oakland mayor and MTC Commissioner Libby Schaaf. "We're delivering swift improvements with an approach that is recognized as a national leader in directing resources where they are most needed to provide all communities with the smooth, safe streets they deserve. Our progress is possible because Oakland's voters made a game-changing investment by passing the Measure KK infrastructure bond in 2016. Oakland's streets were badly underfunded for decades and there is much more work ahead of us. But we're confident we'll have the appropriate resources to continue making major progress together." The Marin County city of Larkspur, which twice in recent years passed local sales tax measures dedicated to rehabilitating the city's 65 lane-miles of streets, is the only Bay Area to outpace Oakland's year-over-year improvement, recording an 11-point increase to 76 last year from 65 in 2021. As recently as 2017, Larkspur registered one-year PCI scores in the "poor" range. Cupertino once again tops the list of Bay Area pavement rankings for the 2019-21 period, with a three-year moving average PCI score of 84. Other cities with three-year PCI scores in the "very good" range include Orinda and Palo Alto (83); Dublin (82); Brentwood (81); and unincorporated Solano County (80). The lowest-ranked pavement in the Bay Area was found in Pacifica, which recorded a PCI score of 42 for 2019-21. The only other jurisdictions with three-year average PCI scores in the "poor" range are Petaluma (44), Sebastopol and unincorporated Napa County (46), and Vallejo (48). The three-year moving average PCI score for the nearly 2,700 lane-miles of rural roads in unincorporated Sonoma County last year moved one point higher into the "at-risk" range (51) after many years in the "poor" bracket. The complete 2021 Pavement Conditions Summary including percentages of local roadways in various conditions, and a listing of average PCI scores for the arterials, collector roadways and residential streets for all Bay Area counties and cities may be accessed at https://mtc.ca.gov/digital-library/5023520-pavement-condition-bay-area-jurisdictions-2021. MTC is the regional transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission CLEARWATER, Fla., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BayCare Health System , one of the leading health care systems in West Central Florida, has named Nate Malcolm, PharmD, MBA, FACHE, as the new president of St. Joseph's Hospital. He assumed his new role on Oct. 31. Nate Malcolm, PharmD, MBA, FACHE, President of St. Josephs Hospital, BayCare Health System. Malcolm, who previously served as the vice president of operations of Central Chicago Service Area at Advocate Aurora Health, will be responsible for leading St. Joseph's Hospital's day-to-day operations and implementing strategic initiatives. He will focus on physician, team member and customer engagement, and help elevate quality outcomes, safety measures and financial performance. "We're thrilled to have Nate join St. Joseph's Hospital and BayCare," said Kimberly Guy, senior vice president and market leader for BayCare's Hillsborough County entities. "His experience, mission focus and leadership will help achieve our hospital objectives across the system and throughout our competitive market." Malcolm brings two decades of hospital leadership experience to BayCare. In his role with Advocate Aurora Health, he led three hospitals with Level 1 Trauma Centers totaling 1,300 beds, a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit, and a comprehensive stroke center. He also led service lines including surgical, gastroenterology, vision services, and orthopedics. He collaborated with leaders, physicians and key stakeholders in strategic planning and execution of volume growth strategies. "I'm excited to join BayCare and St. Joseph's Hospital because of the highly engaged, innovative, and mission driven leaders, team members, and physicians who help provide a remarkable network of services and phenomenal quality of patient care to the community," said Malcolm. "I look forward to helping build upon St. Joseph's Hospital legacy of success, foster the best place to work and an inclusive culture for team members and physicians, attain high clinical quality outcomes, enhance access for patients, and achieve strategic growth initiatives." Prior to his previous role with Advocate Aurora Health, Malcolm served in various leadership positions including vice president of operations at Ascension Health, market chief operating officer at Dignity Health and chief operating officer at Tenet Health. Malcolm received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the Xavier University of Louisiana, a master's degree in pharmacy at the Ohio State University, a master's of business administration degree at the Indiana Wesleyan University, and bachelor's degree at the University of California at Los Angeles. He is currently a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). About BayCare Health System BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org. To view this announcement, also visit BayCareNewsroom.org. SOURCE BayCare Health System DENVER, Colo., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Birch Medical Spas ("Birch"), a newly launched medical spa platform, is excited to welcome Matt and Carrie Brinton and the Elase Medical Spas ("Elase") team as its inaugural partner. Elase is the number one medical spa in Utah, providing career opportunities for hundreds of women and helping thousands of clients to feel more confident. Elase was founded 18 years ago with the goal to empower both its employees and clients by providing education, delivering remarkable service, creating innovative solutions and cultivating community. In addition to operating one of the country's premier medical spas, Matt and Carrie are recognized leaders in the medical aesthetics industry. They founded the National Institute of Medical Aesthetics 14 years ago based on the belief that education is critical to the responsible growth of the medical spa industry and, as a result, over 2,000 students have graduated as licensed master aestheticians and over 350 medical practitioners have been certified in cosmetic injections. "We are thrilled to partner with the Birch team and are excited for the growth opportunities this creates for our team members. It was this emphasis on putting people first and alignment on creating an unforgettable client experience, that first drew us to Birch," said Carrie Brinton, co-founder of Elase. "Partnering with Birch will provide Elase with the expertise and capital required to accelerate our growth," added Matt Brinton, co-founder of Elase. Carrie and Matt will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of Elase, with support from the Birch executive team. This partnership is the first platform investment for Birch, which was founded to reshape the future of the medical spa space by partnering with leading medical spas across the United States. Birch plans to expand across the United States through similar partnerships with best-in-class medical spas. "We are incredibly excited to formally launch Birch with this partnership," said Stephanie Hu, Chief Executive Officer of Birch. "Matt, Carrie and the entire Elase team have built an exceptional business with a great culture and the Birch team is excited to build on Elase's excellent track record of growth." Birch is backed by Imperial Capital ("Imperial") as part of the firm's Back, Buy and Build investment strategy. "We see tremendous opportunity within the medical spa industry and are excited to launch Birch with this inaugural partnership," said Nick Moritsugu, Vice President at Imperial. About Elase Medical Spas Elase is the largest medical spa in Utah and a 9x winner of Utah's Best of State Award. Elase offers a variety of non-surgical solutions including injectables, laser hair removal, laser skin rejuvenation, facial treatments, and medical grade skin care. Elase pioneered the membership model in the medical spa space. Elase operates four clinics in Utah and recently opened its fifth clinic in Meridian, Idaho. For further information on Elase, visit www.elase.com. About Birch Medical Spas Birch is the nation's newest medical spa company built on the philosophy of delivering premium customer experience, building lifetime clients and creating a best-in-class team of medical spa industry leaders. Birch will position itself as a leading medical spa platform through partnerships with business owners looking to expand their medical spas and careers. For further information on Birch, visit www.birchmedspa.com. About Imperial Capital Imperial Capital is a leading mid-market private equity firm focused on North American opportunities to build or acquire growth-oriented platform investments in targeted industry niches within healthcare, business services and consumer services industries. Based in Toronto, Imperial Capital combines its deep industry focus, active portfolio management and strong partnerships with experienced industry executives to offer a differentiated approach to investing. For further information on Imperial, visit www.imperialcap.com. Contact Information Name: Stephanie Hu, Chief Executive Officer Email: [email protected] Phone: 612-219-1171 SOURCE Birch Medical Spas PICO RIVERA, Calif., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Water Replenishment District's (WRD) Board President John D. S. Allen, Director Vera Robles DeWitt, and Director Joy Langford proudly welcomed California Attorney General Rob Bonta at the Albert Robles Center (ARC) on October 27th. This momentous occasion celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act (CWA) which became law on October 18, 1972. WRD Board Members John Allen, Vera Robles DeWitt, and Joy Langford welcome Attorney General Rob Bonta to the Albert Robles Center ARC is WRD's landmark facility that ensures a completely locally sustainable source of water for groundwater replenishment. This facility produces up to 14.8 million gallons of purified water per day, which is used to replenish groundwater aquifers in the Central and West Coast Groundwater Basins. Water from these basins provides 50% of the drinking water for over 4 million people in southern Los Angeles County. The project also features a state-of-the-art learning center focused on the region's water sources and distribution methods. In response to visiting ARC, Attorney General Rob Bonta shared, "To see how WRD has leveraged funding that originated from the Clean Water Act is impressive. WRD built ARC to create a local and drought-resilient water supply. This facility is a clear demonstration of how the Clean Water Act promotes environmental justice. WRD's innovative planning will curtail the challenges that climate change poses for decades to come." "We are proud to share ARC's success with Attorney General Rob Bonta," said WRD Board President John D. S. Allen. "This facility is the cornerstone of WRD's decades-long effort to build a sustainable water supply for the communities we serve." Director Joy Langford was also pleased to welcome Attorney General Bonta and said "Attorney General Bonta is a champion of environmental justice. It was an honor to share with him how the legacy of the Clean Water Act has made an impact on WRD's service area and disadvantaged communities in the region." When WRD was first established, 100% of the water supply used to replenish groundwater basins was imported. With the completion of ARC, 100% of the water used to replenish the groundwater basin at the spreading grounds is a combination of groundwater and recycled water. Now, WRD and partner agencies produce enough locally recycled water to offset the need for imported water to replenish the basins. Not one drop of water is imported by the district to replenish the basin at the spreading grounds. The Clean Water Act paved the way for California's Clean Drinking Water State Revolving Fund which provided an $80 million low-interest loan and a $15 million grant to pay for ARC's approximately $140 million cost of construction. WRD was delighted to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the CWA with Attorney General Bonta. The Water Replenishment District of Southern California is the regional groundwater management agency that protects and preserves the quantity and quality of groundwater for two of the most utilized urban basins in the State of California. The service area is home to over ten percent of California's population residing in 43 cities in southern Los Angeles County. WRD is governed by a publicly elected Board of Directors which includes Joy Langford., Rob Katherman, John D. S. Allen, Sergio Calderon, and Vera Robles-DeWitt. Contact: Angelina Mancillas [email protected] (562) 275-4231 SOURCE Water Replenishment District of Southern California BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Big red apples hanging on trees is a common sight in Nangou Village in the harvest season. It's one of the villages that's lifted itself out of poverty by cultivating apple orchards in northwest China's Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. The city boasts a yearly apple output of 4 million tonnes one ninth of the total apple output in the world's largest developing country. CGTN: Yan'an Spirit to inspire rural revitalization drive With a population of around 1,000 people, Nangou Village got rid of poverty in 2018. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, headed directly to Nangou after getting off the train on Wednesday afternoon during his first inspection tour after the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress. In an orchard there, Xi chatted with villagers, asking in detail about how they grew apple trees and picked fruits, what species of apple they planted, what prices their apples were sold at, and about their income. He also inquired about how the village had expanded apple orchards and developed other industries. "General Secretary Xi asked us about our incomes and I said that we're doing really well right now," said villager Zhao Yongdong, adding that the orchard's income is 50,000 (over $6,800) to 60,000 yuan in a bad harvest year, and that he can earn an extra 10,000 yuan a year if he works at the rural cooperative. Noting the low humidity and precipitation suitable for apple tree growth on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi, Xi also praised the application of modern technologies including drip irrigation, dwarf planting and fruit selection production lines in improving fruit quality and production efficiency. Acknowledging the absolute poverty problem as solved, Xi stressed that more efforts need to be continued to improve people's lives. "The Communist Party of China is a Party of the people and for the people. The CPC is committed to serving the people and doing a good job for their benefit," Xi said. People oriented and hard work is the Yan'an Spirit What Xi said echoed with the CPC's fundamental purpose of serving people wholeheartedly, which was first written into the Party Constitution during the seventh CPC National Congress held in Yan'an in 1945. Hailing Yan'an as a holy site of the Chinese revolution and the cradle of New China, as veteran revolutionaries including Mao Zedong led China's revolution from inception to completion, and transformed the prospects of the country, Xi said the spirit of Yan'an also highlights the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work. Despite the tight blockade by the Kuomintang forces in 1941, the CPC soldiers and local villagers in Nanniwan, Yan'an worked at full steam in the fields wielding hoes and shovels to turn the desolate mountains and barren land of northern Shaanxi into farmland to realize self-sufficiency. During his inspection of the Hongqi Canal, or the Red Flag Canal, in Linzhou City of central China's Henan Province on Friday, Xi said the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work in building the canal was inherited and passed on from the Yan'an spirit. Residents in Linxian County, now known as Linzhou City, used to suffer from the lack of water. In 1960s, local people spent nearly 10 years to build the canal crossing the steep Taihang Mountains, between 800 and 1,736 meters above sea level, to divert water. The Red Flag Canal itself is a monument to the heroic spirit of the people of Linxian County who did not resign themselves to fate or give in to defeat, Xi said. He called on all members of the Party to promote the fighting spirit, strengthen the fighting capacity, resolutely overcome various difficulties and challenges ahead, and harness the indomitable fighting spirit to open up new horizons for the cause of the Party and the country. The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stressed the country will continue to put agricultural and rural development first, consolidate and expand achievements in poverty alleviation, and reinforce the foundations for food security on all fronts. Xi called on Party members to promote rural revitalization in a wholesome manner, implement the policies of enriching villagers, and speed up the modernization of agriculture and rural areas in a bid to help villagers lead a more prosperous life. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-10-31/Yan-an-Spirit-to-inspire-rural-revitalization-drive--1ezSQhg2qjK/index.html SOURCE CGTN SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global corporate wellness market size is expected to reach USD 75.3 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 4.38% during the forecast period, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising obese and overweight population increases insurance costs that account for the financial burden on employers. Corporate wellness initiatives target particular health risk factors such as stress, obesity, smoking, poor eating, and lack of exercise. Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report: In terms of service, the health risk assessment segment dominated the corporate wellness market in 2021. The health assessment activities enable employers to implement strategic initiatives to deal with the identified health risks. The stress management segment is likely to showcase the fastest growth rate from 2021 to 2030, owing to the rising preference for on-site yoga and meditation services and the rising prevalence of depression and anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on End-Use, large scale organizations segment dominated the market in 2021. The infrastructure in large scale companies makes conducting fitness services easier and convenient. North America dominated the market in 2021 due to the popularity of corporate wellness in the region. According to a survey by Benefits Canada conducted on 1300 employers, North America had the highest number of corporate wellness programs. More than 80.0% of the employers in North America are offering corporate wellness services to their employees. Read 113 page full market research report, "Corporate Wellness Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Service (Health Risk Assessment, Fitness), By End Use, By Category, By Delivery Model (Onsite, Offsite), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Corporate Wellness Market Growth & Trends The pandemic has caused a change in the process of delivering wellness services. Although in-person sessions have resumed to some extent, the virtual platform has been made available to at-risk employees to meet their psychological and fitness needs. Initially, the lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 resulted in a transition to work from home, causing a great deal of stress. Companies around the globe are modifying their corporate wellness strategies to meet the emerging public health crisis due to COVID-19. Organizations are increasingly using corporate wellness programmes to boost employee health and productivity, mitigate health risks, and minimize employee healthcare expenses. Businesses are more conscious of the importance of maintaining a psychologically and physically healthy workforce. As a result, capital investment in employee wellness programmes, solutions, and services has surged. Absenteeism expenses are reduced by USD 2.7 for every dollar spent on fitness programmes, according to a study conducted by Harvard economists. As a direct consequence, employees must be encouraged to live a healthier lifestyle in order to perform better. Employers providing the programs have noticed a significant rise in productivity and a decline in leaves and attrition. In addition, companies in the U.K. initiated the Fit for Work service, which offers a tax benefit of USD 663.3 per year. Organizations are providing wearables, such as Fitbit, Apple, and Google watches, which helps in keeping track of parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure. Moreover, the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that the Asia-Pacific employs 1.9 billion people. Globalization has led in significant economic expansion throughout the region, with most countries experiencing a continuous increase in the number of employees. Additionally, the region's workforce is aging, with the region's population aged 60 and over predicted to grow by 24% by 2050, according to the United Nations report. This would result in an increase in the burden of chronic diseases among the region's working population in the following years. These factors create a potential for the market to grow in emerging countries throughout the forecast period. Corporate Wellness Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global corporate wellness market based on service, end-use, category, delivery model, and region: Corporate Wellness Market - Service Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) Health Risk Assessment Fitness Smoking Cessation Health Screening Nutrition & Weight Management Stress Management Others Corporate Wellness Market - End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) Small Scale Organizations Medium Scale Organizations Large Scale Organizations Corporate Wellness Market - Category Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) Fitness & Nutrition Consultants Psychological Therapists Organizations/Employers Corporate Wellness Market - Delivery Model Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) Onsite Offsite Corporate Wellness Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Russia Netherlands Switzerland Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia New Zealand South Korea Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East & Africa (MEA) & (MEA) South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE List of Key Players of the Corporate Wellness Market ComPsych Wellness Corporate Solutions Virgin Pulse EXOS Marino Wellness Privia Health Vitality Wellsource, Inc. Central Corporate Wellness Truworth Wellness SOL Wellness Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: Wellness Tourism Market - The global wellness tourism market size is expected to reach USD 1.02 trillion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.93% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing patient awareness regarding health and wellbeing and personal care will be one of the major drivers for the market. Promotional campaigns arranged by various governments are also encouraging wellness tourism across the globe. Wellbeing services offered by players help customers find solutions to improve or maintain their health and wellbeing. The rising number of health-conscious people is contributing to the increasing demand for wellness activities at popular travel destinations. - The global wellness tourism market size is expected to reach by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.93% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing patient awareness regarding health and wellbeing and personal care will be one of the major drivers for the market. Promotional campaigns arranged by various governments are also encouraging wellness tourism across the globe. Wellbeing services offered by players help customers find solutions to improve or maintain their health and wellbeing. The rising number of health-conscious people is contributing to the increasing demand for wellness activities at popular travel destinations. Health Sensors Market - The global health sensors market size is anticipated to reach USD 142.18 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 18.53% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to grow due to the increasing geriatric population, growing inclination towards fitness, and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. In the current complex healthcare environment, the need for advanced and accurate monitoring systems increases as healthcare organizations progress to provide better services. Health sensors is continuously evolving from ad-hoc to continuous monitoring to provide accurate data to clinicians to make treatment decisions. - The global health sensors market size is anticipated to reach by 2030, registering a CAGR of 18.53% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to grow due to the increasing geriatric population, growing inclination towards fitness, and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. In the current complex healthcare environment, the need for advanced and accurate monitoring systems increases as healthcare organizations progress to provide better services. Health sensors is continuously evolving from ad-hoc to continuous monitoring to provide accurate data to clinicians to make treatment decisions. Health Devices Market - The global eHealth devices market size is estimated to reach USD 28.1 billion by 2028 by advancing at a CAGR of 9.4% from 2022 to 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth for eHealth is significantly driven by the increasing demand for blood pressure meters and care phone/social alarms from the rising geriatric population around the world. The rapidly increasing sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity have given rise to various lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The rising prevalence of chronic lifestyle diseases is expected to propel market growth in the near future. Technological developments and product launches with more sophisticated functioning and accuracy are expected to boost market growth. However, the high cost of devices and privacy issues will act as restraints for the eHealth device market. Browse through Grand View Research's Medical Devices Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Astra ESG Solutions Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc Aldous\Walker represents man left permanently brain damaged after surgery for broken leg DALLAS, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A Dallas County jury has awarded $21 million to the family of a man who was left in a vegetative state following a 2017 surgery to repair a broken leg at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. The jury found providers associated with US Anesthesia Partners were negligent during that surgery. Carlos Rojas, 32, of Dallas, was earning money by hanging Christmas lights when he fell from a ladder, breaking his leg and injuring his knee. To fix the broken leg, Mr. Rojas needed surgery, which required general anesthesia, but after the operation, he was unresponsive. Experts say Carlos suffered permanent brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, an indicator of which would have been low blood pressure readings during the procedure. But the handwritten surgical record shows no serious blood pressure issues even though two nurse-anesthetists gave Carlos multiple doses of medication designed to increase blood pressure. "We believe they created the handwritten record in order to cover up what really happened here, which was that Carlos' blood pressure dropped and they didn't address it quickly enough to protect his brain," said attorney Charla Aldous of Aldous\Walker, who along with Brent Walker represented Mr. Rojas and his family, working with their co-counsel Bruce Steckler and Austin Smith of Steckler Wayne Cherry & Love PLLC in trying the case. There was an electronic record of Mr. Rojas' blood pressure, but evidence in the case showed the hospital failed to preserve it. The nurse anesthetist responsible for caring for Mr. Rojas also failed to monitor his brain activity during the operation, despite the fact Baylor's own head of anesthesia says such monitoring is required. Records also show the nurse anesthetist left the operating room for 12 minutes in the middle of the procedure. "Think about it. Carlos went into the hospital with a broken leg. They should have taken care of him and sent him on his way," said Mr. Walker. "Instead, his family is left to care for him and provide all that he needs for the rest of his life because he is incapable of doing things on his own." The case is Wilda Jenniffer Rojas Graterol vs. Casey Martin et al., Cause No. CC-19-05509-E in the County Court at Law No. 5 in Dallas County, Texas. The Aldous\Walker LLP law firm represents clients in civil litigation and specializes in high-profile, high-stakes cases. Learn more about the firm at http://www.aldouslaw.com . Contact: Barry Pound 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Aldous\Walker LLP DataBank METAL features low-latency access with no technology or customization limits DALLAS, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DataBank , a leading provider of enterprise-class colocation, connectivity, and managed services, announces the launch of DataBank METAL, a single-tenant bare metal offering. DataBank METAL can be deployed within 40+ data centers across 20+ U.S. metros of DataBank's industry-leading edge footprint. As a hosting option between traditional colocation and private cloud hosting, bare metal in a DataBank data center delivers a comprehensive infrastructure solution for companies looking to strike a balance between flexibility, performance, and cost while maintaining and increasing their presence at the edge. DataBank METAL provides automated orchestration of server deployments so you can quickly extend your unique environments without capital expenditures to the edge and closer to your employees, clients, and prospects. This means customers can use any operating environments, applications, and management tools they have developed or adopted, without conforming to external standards or practices. "DataBank METAL is an ideal solution for many companies as they look to accomplish their edge vision and goals," said Jeremy Pease, senior vice president of managed service operations. "DataBank's colocation-focused data centers are strategically situated across North America to deliver a high volume of data to the edge. Additionally, our solution offers an orchestration layer as part of the bare metal platform. This gives our clients the freedom to manage their deployments with no rules or encumbrances by delivering the solution however they see fit." DataBank METAL provides an industry standard, yet a fully customizable environment that allows companies to develop, test, deploy, and support their workloads without signing up for extra services they may not need. Additionally, bare metal servers enable organizations to rent server capacity in an ongoing OpEx model increasing speed to market and virtually eliminating capital expenditures. "With its ability to deliver fast deployments, reliable performance and scalability, and edge solutions, DataBank's bare metal delivers a best-of-all worlds approach capable of delivering significant business value," added Greg Shamieh, senior product manager for DataBank. For more information about DataBank Metal, visit databank.com or call 800-840-7533. About DataBank DataBank enables the world's largest enterprises, technology, and content providers to consistently deploy and manage their infrastructure, applications, and data on the right platform, at the right time, and in the right place. Our colocation and edge infrastructure footprint consists of 60+ data centers and 20 interconnection hubs in 30+ markets, on-ramps to an ecosystem of cloud providers, and a modular edge data center platform with virtually unlimited reach. We combine these platforms with contract portability, managed security, compliance enablement, hands-on support, and a guarantee of 100% uptime availability, to give our customers absolute confidence in their IT infrastructure and the power to create a limitless digital future for their business. To learn more or tour a facility, visit databank.com or call 1(800) 840-7533. SOURCE DataBank BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion DMS announces a certified SecureVUE integration between VUE DMS and ScanIt Parts. Part of Innovative Programming Systems, Inc's suite of products, ScanIt's state-of-the-art technology with wireless barcode scanning and printing ability provides the tools to reduce cost, save time, and improve data accuracy in your automotive dealerships. "Our parts department loves this integration between ScanIt Parts and VUE DMS. From special orders to daily operations, this has simplified our process and gives time back to the staff to focus on getting our customers what they need, when they need it." - Thomas Ruggiero, Dealer Principal, Bay Ridge Subaru. A dealership's parts department must handle inventory control consistently. ScanIt Parts provides auto dealerships with solutions to problems in real-time by simplifying the process of parts optimization. It helps keep track of special orders, inventory stocking levels, bin checks, and many other daily parts department operations. This wireless technology has proven that dealerships can decrease costs, increase productivity, and improve inventory control. "Integrating ScanIt Parts to VUE DMS allows greater control over all parts inventory, which has become increasingly more important to dealerships in the last few years. The reduction in key errors alone will yield tremendous benefits to those that utilize this integration and technology. Increasing technology while reducing manual processes will benefit the entire parts department" Dale Zimmer, Innovative Programming Systems, Inc. ScanIt Parts increases customer satisfaction by ensuring orders get scanned in as soon as they arrive so the customer's vehicle can be serviced in a timely manner with the parts they need. "We are excited to offer innovative integrations to VUE DMS from technology partners like ScanIt. Their ScanIt Parts product improves the efficiency of our dealership customers and allows them to be more productive and profitable." - Arlene Clements, Vice President of Business Development, Dominion DMS. This announcement is another reason for dealers to reconsider their current DMS relationship and consider what VUE DMS can offer. To learn more about VUE DMS and future integrations, visit DominionDMS.com . About Dominion DMS: Dominion DMS partners with automotive dealers to offer modern solutions in an ever-evolving landscape. Dominion DMS introduced VUE DMS, a cloud-native dealer management system that gives US-based franchised automotive dealers the digital security, flexibility, and efficiency to meet today's rapidly changing market. Built on Microsoft Azure Cloud by a team with decades of experience serving dealerships, VUE DMS enables dealers to deliver seamless customer interactions, reduce costs and protect their business. Through its robust suite of certified SecureVUE APIs, VUE DMS provides technology partners with the access and workflows they need to satisfy our common customers, the dealers. Consider Dominion DMS today. For more information, visit our website , and like us on Facebook , LinkedIn , and YouTube . About IPS: Innovative Programming Systems, Inc. is headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and is the developer of ScanIt Parts and ScanIt Vehicles software applications. ScanIt Parts is the leader in wireless barcode scanning for parts departments. Operating in over 800 auto dealerships across the U.S., ScanIt Parts has brought years of experience and state-of-the-art technology to parts departments of all franchises since 1992. These software applications help automate dealerships with day-to-day operations and inventory control. Innovative Programming Systems provides high-quality software and support, allowing automotive dealerships to maximize profitability. As Innovative Programming Systems continues to develop and improve its software, its current automotive dealerships are moving forward and capitalizing on increased sales and lower costs. Innovative Programming Systems was founded in 1992 and is privately held. MEDIA RELATIONS: Scott Smith Product & Content Marketing Manager Dominion DMS [email protected]dominiondms.com Dale Zimmer VP of Software Development Innovative Programming Systems, Inc. [email protected] SOURCE Dominion DMS NOIDA, India, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights, the Drip Irrigation Market was valued at more than USD 28 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 11% from 2021-2027. The analysis has been segmented into Mechanism (Drip and Sprinkler), Application (Surface, and Sub-Surface), Component (Emitters/Drippers, Pressure Pumps, Drip Tubes/Drip Lines, Valves, Filters, Fittings & Accessories, and Others), Crop Type (Field, Orchard, Vegetable, Landscape, Ornamental, and Others); Region/Country. Click here to view the Report Description & TOC https://univdatos.com/report/drip-irrigation-market/ The Drip Irrigation market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data on various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the Drip Irrigation market. The Drip Irrigation market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the Drip Irrigation market at the global and regional levels. Request for Sample Pages https://univdatos.com/get-a-free-sample-form-php/?product_id=23401 Market Overview The demand for drip irrigation has been increasing rapidly all over the globe owing to the growth in the population and increasing global food demand by consumers in various countries across the globe. Additionally, with rapid technological advancement and rising awareness among consumers to maintain the food demand, many of the industry players are focused on launching new technology in the market due to which the drip irrigation market is witnessing an uptick all over the globe. For example, In August 2019, a satellite-based software solution called 'Manna' was launched by Rivulis Irrigation to provide better solutions for drip irrigation systems. COVID-19 Impact Covid 19 has devasted the global economy restriction on movement imposed by the government to reduce the spread of the coronavirus had negatively impacted various industries, and drip irrigation was also affected. In addition, irrigation agencies around the world have continued to function despite challenging circumstances. However, there have been multiple shocks impacting service delivery, such as fiscal constraints, interruption of supply chains due to travel restrictions, and lack of availability of labor which negatively impacted the market size of drip irrigation. Click here to view the Report Description & TOC https://univdatos.com/report/drip-irrigation-market/ The global Drip Irrigation market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated. Based on the mechanism, the market is fragmented as drip and sprinkler. The drip caters extensive share in the drip irrigation market and is expected to witness influential growth during the forecasted period. Drip irrigation is a process in which water flows through narrow pipes laid on the fields and drips through small holes (emitters) directly at the place of plant roots. Drip is a modern method of irrigation that is helping in using water economically. As roots absorb the water and nourish the plant and no water is wasted with this method. Based on application, the market is categorized into the surface, and sub-surface. During the forecast period, the surface segment is likely to dominate the global drip irrigation market. As they are well-designed irrigation equipment that enhances agricultural production and reassures the economic vitality of the farmer. In addition, surface drip irrigation equipment is widely used to irrigate perennial crops (trees and vines), vegetable crops, and annual row crops which in turn is escalating the market size of the drip irrigation system. Surface equipment utilizes water, which is applied over the soil by drip tubes or laterals. Based on components, the market is fragmented into emitters/drippers, pressure pumps, drip tubes/drip lines, valves, filters, fittings & accessories, and others. During the forecast period, the emitters/drippers segment is likely to dominate the global drip irrigation market. As it helps in no water clogging and controls the flow of water into the root zone at a specific rate. Moreover, a drip irrigation setup is easy to install in any commercial or residential area. They have different shapes and sizes such as flat boat-shaped, cylindrical, and can be attached to the inner wall of the lateral. They usually help to grow field crops or crops inclined in the row format. The inline emitter installation help in the cancellation cost of additional emitters, which is indirectly increasing the demand for emitters. Based on crop type, the market is categorized into field, orchard, vegetable, landscape, ornamental, and others. During the forecast period, the field crop segment is likely to dominate the global drip irrigation market due to its precise application to the crops. In addition, it offers benefits such as reduced costs, higher profit margins, and lesser water and fertilizer requirements. Moreover, the consumption of field crops such as vegetables, onion, corn, and other crops is quite high over the world, and it is very profitable which is positively escalating the market outlook. Have a Look at the Chapters - https://univdatos.com/report/drip-irrigation-market/ Drip Irrigation Market Geographical Segmentation Includes: North America ( United States , Canada , and Rest of North America ) ( , , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Spain , Italy , France , and the Rest of Europe ) ( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan , India , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific ) ( , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World For a better understanding of the market adoption of the Drip Irrigation industry, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in the countries such as North America (U.S., Canada, Rest of North America); Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of Asia-Pacific); and the Rest of World. The geographical Asia-Pacific region dominated the drip irrigation market owing to the growing food demand in the region. The major players targeting the market include Chinadrip Irrigation Equipment Co. Ltd Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd Rivulis Irrigation Ltd Lindsay Corporation EcofloIndia Netafim Limited Rain Bird Corporation Hunter Industries Elgo Irrigation Ltd. The Toro Company Competitive Landscape The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the Drip Irrigation market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition. Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include: What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the Drip Irrigation market? Which factors are influencing the Drip Irrigation market over the forecast period? What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the Drip Irrigation market? Which factors are propelling and restraining the Drip Irrigation market? What are the demanding global regions of the Drip Irrigation market? What will be the global market size in the upcoming years? What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies? We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature and geography. Please let us know If you have any custom needs. Browse Other Related Research Reports from UnivDatos Market Insights Drip Irrigation Market Report Coverage Report Attribute Details Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2027 Growth momentum Accelerate at a CAGR of over 11% Market size 2020 USD 28 billion Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Rest of World Major contributing region APAC to Dominate the Global Drip Irrigation Market Key countries covered United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, China, Japan, Australia, and India Companies profiled Chinadrip Irrigation Equipment Co. Ltd, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd, Rivulis Irrigation Ltd, Lindsay Corporation, EcofloIndia, Netafim Limited, Rain Bird Corporation, Hunter Industries, Elgo Irrigation Ltd., The Toro Company. Report Scope Market Trends, Drivers, and Restraints; Revenue Estimation and Forecast; Segmentation Analysis; Impact of COVID-19; Demand and Supply Side Analysis; Competitive Landscape; Company Profiling Segments Covered By Mechanism; By Application; By Component; By Crop Type; By Region/Country About UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients. Contact UnivDatos Market Insights Ankita Gupta Director Operations Ph: +91-783860491 Email: [email protected] Website: https://univdatos.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1225049/UnivDatos_Logo.jpg SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights Pvt. Ltd. Philadelphia surgical pioneer joins Dan Hilferty's advisory firm PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dune View Strategies today announced that Dr. Anthony V. Coletta, M.D., MBA, former CEO of Tandigm Health and former president of facilitated health networks and executive vice president of Independence Blue Cross, will be joining the strategic advisory firm as a partner. With more than two decades of experience as a board-certified general surgeon who pioneered laparoscopic surgeries in the Philadelphia region, Dr. Coletta will bring a depth of knowledge in equitable healthcare and accountable care to the firm. Having previously worked at Independence Health Group (Independence) while Daniel J. Hilferty served as president and chief executive officer, the two healthcare business leaders will once again team up to advise and invest in small to mid-size healthcare companies and start-ups as they bring their transformational services, technologies and products to the market. "For more than 30 years as a surgeon and then physician executive, my goal has been to restore and maintain balance within our healthcare ecosystem by achieving better outcomes, lowered costs and enhanced care for patients," said Dr. Coletta. "Joining Dan and the Dune View team as partner is yet another amazing opportunity to help transform the healthcare landscape in our country." Dr. Coletta has been continually recognized throughout his career as an innovator in the evolution of Philadelphia-area healthcare. After 25 years in the operating room at Bryn Mawr Hospital, which included the region's first minimally invasive gall bladder removal, appendectomy and colon resection, Dr. Coletta received his MBA from Temple University's Fox School of Business and pivoted to a non-clinical role as chief medical officer and executive vice president at Holy Redeemer Health System. In 2014, Coletta led the creation of Tandigm Health, a population health and physician management services organization, where he has served as president, CEO and more recently executive chairman of the company. Coletta worked alongside Hilferty at Independence as executive vice president and later as president of facilitated health networks, where he led the transformation from volume to value for the regional health insurer overseeing more than $7 billion of annual medical costs. "When I was considering candidates to join our team, Dr. Coletta was one of the first names to come to mind," said Hilferty, founder of Dune View Strategies. "As an innovator and disruptor in the movement towards value-based care, Tony's unique perspective, clinical expertise and executive acumen will surely guide our clients to great success." A heavily connected leader in the broader healthcare community, Dr. Coletta also serves as venture partner at Empactful Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Doylestown and Nashville. He sits on the board of directors of Care Continuity Inc., a leader in patient navigation and care transitions, and the board of trustees at Redeemer Health Systems and Cristo Rey High School in Philadelphia. He is also the former chairman of Tandigm Scholars and has led general surgery teams on mission trips to Haiti since 2007 through Blue Sky Surgery, a non-profit organization that he also chairs. Later this week, Dune View Strategies will co-host the inaugural HealthKey Summit in Philadelphia on November 2-4, 2022. Dr. Coletta will moderate a panel discussion on the emergence of digital solutions in the mental and behavioral health space, one of the core sectors that Dune View Strategies will focus on. For more information or to contact Dune View Strategies, please visit duneviewstrategies.com. For more information about the HealthKey Summit's agenda, speakers and locations, please visit www.healthkeysummit.com . About Dune View Strategies Dune View Strategies is a strategic advising firm that accelerates opportunity and growth for emerging healthcare companies. The firm's trusted and experienced advisors help small and mid-size organizations as well as start-ups and entrepreneurs as they bring their transformational services, technologies and products to the market. Contact: Kristen Love [email protected] 609-828-1165 SOURCE Dune View Strategies The premier trade show will also feature EcoFlow's latest portable power stations including the DELTA 2 and RIVER 2 Series LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ EcoFlow, an eco-friendly energy solutions company, today announced that it will attend the SEMA Show 2022, featuring the world's first highly integrated modular energy solutions for RVs and tiny homes the EcoFlow Power Kits. The modified car show will also see EcoFlow's DELTA 2 and RIVER 2 Series portable power stations. "The SEMA Show 2022 presents a great opportunity for EcoFlow to connect with and introduce its automotive energy solutions to other industry leaders," said Johnson He, Regional Head of North America at EcoFlow. "With its compact and plug-and-play nature, the Power Kits can provide the most comprehensive and simplistic energy solutions for custom cars and recreational vehicles." Launched in June, 2022, the EcoFlow Power Kits will be the sole complete energy solutions showcased at this year's SEMA. By fully addressing the generation, storage, and consumption of power, the Power Kits have revolutionized how people access power when living in small spaces including RVs and custom cars. The SEMA Show is the premier trade show geared to help small businesses thrive and succeed. The trade-only event enables automotive specialty equipment manufacturers to display alongside automotive manufacturers to debut new, innovative products, and connect with industry buyers from all over the world. Event Detail Date: Nov. 1 to Nov. 4, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT Location: Booth 12373, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, the United States About EcoFlow EcoFlow is an eco-friendly energy solutions company. Since its founding in 2017, EcoFlow has provided peace of mind to customers in over 100 markets through its DELTA and RIVER portable power stations and varied accessories. EcoFlow's mission is to reinvent the way the world generates, stores and uses energy through creative, environmentally-conscious innovation. Media Contact Gregg Steiner PR Manager [email protected] (818) 232-3100 SOURCE EcoFlow Technology Inc. https://spendedge.com/sample-report/emergency-lighting-procurement-market-intelligence-report Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, and a detailed explanation of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Some of the Top Emergency Lighting suppliers listed in this report: This Emergency Lighting procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Koninklijke Philips Schneider Electric General Electric Fetch actionable market insights on the post-COVID-19 impact on each product and service segment: https://spendedge.com/sample-report/emergency-lighting-procurement-market-intelligence-report Top Selling Report: Asset Recovery Services - Forecast and Analysis: The asset recovery services will grow at a CAGR of 9.49% during 2021-2025. Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd., TES-Amm Singapore Pte Ltd., and Iron Mountain Inc. are among the prominent suppliers in the asset recovery services market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Vulnerability Management Sourcing and Procurement Report: Vulnerability Management Procurement Market, prices will increase by 4%-6% during the forecast period and suppliers will have Moderate bargaining power in this market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report offers key advisory and intelligence to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their Outplacement Services requirements. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. To access the definite purchasing guide on Emergency Lighting that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Emergency Lighting TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 1,200+ market research reports. SpendEdge's SUBSCRIPTION platform Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge Erin Pulaski, Partner of the San Francisco-based employment law firm Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP, releases treatise delving into statutes and case law governing the employer-employee relationship in California. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Erin Pulaski, Partner at Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe LLP (REZL), has released a new treatise through the Practising Law Institute (PLI). Ms. Pulaski served as Co-Editor alongside Greenberg Traurig LLP's Lindsay Hutner. An expert in employment law, Ms. Pulaski has been an active member of numerous successful trial teams, providing stellar advocacy for clients who have experienced discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and unequal pay, earning her prestigious recognition of being named among LawDragon's Top 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment & Civil Rights Attorneys for 2022. The treatise, California Employment Law, includes fourteen chapters providing practical guidance on state, local, and federal rules and regulations, and the intricacies of employment law as it pertains to a variety of topics including discrimination, workplace harassment, and whistleblower rights. This comprehensive resource features more than thirty contributors. Ms. Pulaski has co-authored a chapter on Gender Discrimination with REZL Senior Litigation Counsel, Zoe DeGeer. Ms. DeGeer has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for Labor and Employment Attorneys for the past three years. REZL partner Michelle Lee and Senior Litigation Counsel Meghan Loisel are also featured as co-authors of a chapter on Race, National Origin and Religious Discrimination. Ms. Lee joins Ms. Pulaski in the LawDragon Top 500 rankings and has been named one of the Top Women Attorneys in Northern California by San Francisco Magazine, and Ms. Loisel has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for Employment Litigation. The treatise, available for purchase through PLI, is a valuable resource for both attorneys and compliance and human resources professionals. Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe is a leading firm in employment law dedicated to achieving exceptional results whether in the courtroom or negotiating table and has been widely recognized for their extraordinary service. They were recently named a Band 1 Firm for Labor & Employment: Mainly Plaintiffs in California by Chambers & Partners . Contact: Izzy Olive, [email protected] SOURCE Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe LLP SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global energy management systems market size is expected to reach USD 111.60 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The industry is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 13.2% from 2022 to 2030. Soaring installation of Energy Management Systems (EMS) has emerged as an invaluable practice to enhance performance and sustainable energy efficiency. Stakeholders have prioritized energy reduction to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and costs and boost the energy supply chain. EMS is poised to gain ground with utilities seeking increased operational control and visibility. Prominently, the expanding footfall of smart buildings has expedited the installation of smart grids and smart meters, thereby bolstering growth. Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report: The cloud-based energy management systems segment will grow with soaring demand for real-time visibility of energy. Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) segment could exhibit notable growth on the back of the rising footfall of IoT devices and digital building solutions. North America could account for a sizable share of the global market in the wake of soaring energy consumption and infusion of funds into electricity grids. Read 100-page full market research report for more Insights, "Energy Management Systems Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By System Type, By Component, By Deployment, By Vertical (Residential, Manufacturing, Retail, Telecom & IT), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Energy Management Systems Market Growth & Trends Smart homes have reinforced the value proposition of energy management by monitoring energy usage. Besides, electricity providers have exhibited an inclination for intelligent solutions, including smart thermostats and smart sensors. The rising footprint of Industry 4.0, cloud analytics, IoT, and sensors will solidify the position of leading companies gearing to boost their portfolios. In essence, smart energy management has gained ground in controlling, monitoring, optimizing, and measuring energy consumption. Industry players are also expected to bank on AI-powered EMS to manage and monitor the behavioral patterns of the system and optimize energy usage. Industrial Energy Management System (IEMS) has emerged as a promising source to help minimize energy costs and underpin resiliency. Industrial companies with production facilities, warehouses, and aftermarket services have prioritized EMS to expand their footfall across under-penetrated areas. Notably, smart solutions have fueled the trend to streamline energy management across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. With sustainable energy receiving impetus, smart energy management could add fillip to the growth of the global industry. EMS solutions are expected to help minimize production risk, cut quality and compliance costs and enhance energy use. Some factors, such as volatile energy costs and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies, will foster market value. Stakeholders anticipate smart IEMS to streamline efficient energy management, and real-time monitoring of metering locations, reduce downtime, maximize energy savings, and reduce OPEX. Moreover, the prevailing trends allude to a strong inclination towards IEMS across automotive, oil & gas, manufacturing, and food & beverage industries, auguring well for the market growth. Asia Pacific could witness investment galore with the rising footprint of clouds across China, Japan, Australia, and India. To illustrate, in November 2021, ELES collaborated with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Hitachi, Ltd. to complete the cloud-based Advanced Energy Management System (AEMS). Cloud-based AEMS has become sought-after for voltage dips mitigation measures, autonomous operation during power grid accidents, and providing flexibility to the electricity transmission system. Real-time data sources have become trendier in giving information on weather forecasts and the current and future energy market. Moreover, IoT and AI-based solutions will gain prominence across Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) and Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) for enhanced security, savings, and efficiency. Besides, Eaton will apparently join forces on energy management system interoperability with Areti, Terna, and ENEL in Rome and Copenhagen. Meanwhile, in October 2020, Emerson reportedly completed the acquisition of Open Systems International, Inc. (OSI Inc.) for USD 1.6 billion in an all-cash transaction. Emerson expects the acquisition will bolster the end-to-end ability to optimize, control and monitor real-time operations in the power sector. Leading companies are poised to prioritize advanced technologies to leverage real-time data to minimize energy consumption and bolster energy efficiency. Energy Management Systems Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global energy management systems market based on system type, component, deployment, vertical, and region Energy Management Systems Market - System Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Industrial Energy Management Systems (IEMS) Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) Energy Management Systems Market - Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Hardware Software Services Energy Management Systems Market - Deployment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Cloud On-premises Energy Management Systems Market - Vertical Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Residential Energy & Power Telecom & IT Manufacturing Retail Healthcare Others Energy Management Systems Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K. Germany France Asia Pacific China India Japan Central & South America Brazil Middle East & Africa List of Key Players in the Energy Management Systems Market Schneider Electric SE Honeywell International Inc. Siemens AG Johnson Controls, Inc. C3.ai, Inc. GridPoint General Electric ABB International Business Machines Corporation Cisco Systems, Inc. Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: Energy ESO Market - The global energy ESO market size is estimated to reach USD 766.43 billion by 2027, registering an estimated CAGR of 18.8% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing investment in renewable energy resources to reduce energy-related Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission is the primary factor fueling market growth. Energy producing industries are shifting toward renewable and nuclear resources. For instance, according to the International Energy Agency, in 2019, energy-related emissions reduced after two years of continuous growth in 2017 and 2018 owing to greater awareness about energy conservation and global warming. The global energy ESO market size is estimated to reach by 2027, registering an estimated CAGR of 18.8% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing investment in renewable energy resources to reduce energy-related Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission is the primary factor fueling market growth. Energy producing industries are shifting toward renewable and nuclear resources. For instance, according to the International Energy Agency, in 2019, energy-related emissions reduced after two years of continuous growth in 2017 and 2018 owing to greater awareness about energy conservation and global warming. Smart Building Market - The global smart building market size is expected to reach USD 570.02 billion by 2030 and expand at a CAGR of 25.3% from 2022 to 2030. The growing demand for energy-efficient systems, the rise in adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled Building Management systems (BMS), and growing industry standards and regulations are anticipated to drive the adoption of smart building solutions and services. - The global smart building market size is expected to reach by 2030 and expand at a CAGR of 25.3% from 2022 to 2030. The growing demand for energy-efficient systems, the rise in adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled Building Management systems (BMS), and growing industry standards and regulations are anticipated to drive the adoption of smart building solutions and services. Smart Glass Market - The global smart glass market size is expected to reach USD 12.76 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of over 10.3% from 2022 to 2030. This can be attributed to the growing demand across the transportation and architectural sectors. The emerging trend of deploying innovative technologies in new buildings has instigated the adoption of smart glass products in the architectural sector. Browse through Grand View Research's Next Generation Technologies Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Astra ESG Solutions Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc A leading voice in digital asset and Web3 regulation, risk, and compliance, Former SEC digital asset examiner and counsel Scott Walker will enhance AnChain.AI's mission to empower a secure and transparent crypto ecosystem, and support their continued technological innovation in Web3 risk management. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AnChain.AI , the leading digital asset risk management and Web3 intelligence firm, today announced that Scott Walker, Chief Compliance Officer at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission subject matter expert, has joined as a strategic advisor to the company. A pioneering voice in digital asset regulation, Walker will advise on the firm's innovative Web3 risk monitoring technology. AnChain.AI's established leadership in smart contract intelligence and analytics is supporting the world's leading financial regulators, and is poised to continue to enable the secure growth of the cryptocurrency, DeFi, and NFT ecosystem as it faces greater regulatory scrutiny. Scott Walker, Chief Compliance Officer at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), has joined as a strategic advisor to AnChain.AI Tweet this "AnChain.AI has built an innovative blockchain code review and risk monitoring platform, said Walker, I look forward to supporting their focus on building tools that address crypto's unique analytical attributes." "Scott's longstanding commitment to both the continued evolution of blockchain & Web3 technology as well as greater consumer protection is paramount to the long-term growth of the crypto ecosystem. He brings invaluable expertise and insight to AnChain.AI as we drive further technological innovation across all facets of digital asset risk monitoring," said Dr. Victor Fang, CEO and Co-founder of AnChain.AI. "We believe that Web3 technology will continue to accelerate towards new frontiers, and Scott brings a proven track record of spearheading smart regulation in the face of this rapid evolution." A leading voice in both traditional and digital financial regulation, Walker brings a wealth of knowledge in balancing the rapid growth of the crypto market with deft regulatory policy. Prior to his role as Chief Compliance Officer at a16z, he served as Senior Special Examiner and Counsel for Digital Assets & Blockchain Technology at the U.S. SEC. During his time at the SEC, his expertise was at the forefront of crypto regulation, including the surveillance of crypto markets, and the engagement of entities offering digital asset services. In addition to his work as a regulator, Walker served as Vice President & Counsel at BlackRock with a focus on hedge fund regulation, derivatives, and prime brokerage. "AnChain.AI has built an innovative blockchain code review and risk monitoring platform," said Walker, "I look forward to supporting their focus on building tools that address crypto's unique analytical attributes." About AnChain.AI AnChain.AI is an AI-powered cybersecurity company enhancing blockchain security, risk, and compliance strategies. AnChain.AI was founded in 2018 by cybersecurity and enterprise software veterans from FireEye and Mandiant. Backed by both Silicon Valley and Wall Street VCs, and selected in the Berkeley Blockchain Xcelerator, the company is trusted by 100+ customers from over 10+ countries in these sectors: VASPs, financial institutions, and government regulators. Featured by CBS News, MIT Tech Review, Coindesk, and DEFCON, AnChain.AI's AML engine screens over $1 billion in daily crypto transactions. SOURCE AnChain.AI Customers can participate by donating in-store or online Giant and Shady Brook Farms to also provide 10,000 turkeys to local families in need LANDOVER, Md., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Giant Food, the leading greater Washington, D.C. regional grocery chain, today announces its annual "Lend a Hand for Hunger" campaign to benefit five area Feeding America food banks Capital Area Food Bank, Maryland Food Bank, Food Bank of Delaware, Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank and Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and other area nonprofits. The campaign, running from October 28 to December 31 in all 164 Giant stores, offers customers an opportunity to support their neighbors by rounding up their change to the nearest dollar amount during checkout in-store or selecting a donation of $1, $3 or $5 during checkout in-store or online. The program's goal is to raise over $1 million to support the fight against hunger. Additionally, in partnership with Shady Brook Farms, Giant Food will be donating 10,000 turkeys to its local Feeding America food banks partners as well as local organizations including Martha's Table, Manna Food Center, THEARC: Building Bridges Across The River, Greater Washington Urban League and Greater Baltimore Urban League. Since 2011, Giant has donated 52,000 turkeys during Thanksgiving and this year, Shady Brook Farms is generously providing additional turkeys to make an even larger impact. "We realize many of our neighbors are facing tough choices when it comes to their food dollars, and, as in years past, we want to do our part to make sure our neighbors in need enjoy their holiday celebrations with a traditional turkey meal," said Ira Kress, President of Giant Food. "We are thrilled to partner with Shady Book Farms to nearly double our annual turkey donation program and are grateful to be able to extend our support to even more families." "At Shady Brook Farms, we take great responsibility in not only giving back during the critical holiday season, but also throughout the year to ensure families and local communities have access to delicious and nutritious meals," said Hannah Kern, Shady Brook Farms Marketing Manager. "Partnering with a like-minded organization such as Giant Food to provide turkeys to those in need is incredibly meaningful and we're beyond appreciative of their collaboration on impactful initiatives such as this." Giant will be observing normal hours throughout the holiday season to provide convenient shopping times and a one-stop shop for grocery needs in-store. Customers can also safely and efficiently browse aisles, fill their carts, and schedule a contactless Giant Pickup or Giant Delivers order on giantfood.com. About Giant Food Since opening its first location over 85 years ago in Washington, D.C. in 1936, Giant has been an integral part of the communities and customers it serves. Giant is committed to being a Better Neighbor and has designated four main giving pillars that address local Food Insecurity, Military Support, Pediatric Cancer Research and Social Equality. Giant is headquartered in Landover, Md. and operates 164 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia with approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 164 stores are 153 full-service pharmacies, 92 full-service PNC Banks and 27 Starbucks locations. Giant fits all the ways today's busy customers want to shop - whether in store or online. With 161 Giant Pickup locations and Giant Delivers available in all of its markets, customers have even more convenient options right at their fingertips to get the best products and prices, whenever and however they choose. For more information on Giant, visit: www.giantfood.com. About Shady Brook Farms Whether on the Thanksgiving table or the backyard grill, Shady Brook Farms is a brand filled with good bounty. It's great-tasting turkey with a purpose to promote well-being, bring people together and benefit communities. Shady Brook Farms offers a variety of family farm-raised turkey products including ground turkey, seasoned patties, whole turkeys, and turkey breasts. Shady Brook Farms turkeys are raised without growth-promoting antibiotics and no added hormones or steroids, exclusively on independent family farms. We are committed to raising our turkeys to the highest standards and providing transparency about food production practices to ensure consumers know more about the food they eat and where it comes from. When you enjoy Shady Brook Farms turkey, you're a part of how good feeds good. For more information, visit ShadyBrookFarms.com. - Antibiotics responsibly used only when needed for treatment or prevention of illness. Turkeys raised with no added hormones or steroids. Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones and steroids in poultry SOURCE Giant Food Revenue increased 26% to $18.4 million and customer locations increased 23% to 118,000, compared to the three-month period ending September 30, 2021. TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Givex Information Technology Group Limited ("Givex") (TSX: GIVX) (OTCQX: GIVXF), is pleased to present its financial results for the three-month period and the nine-month period ending September 30, 2022. Givex reports in Canadian dollars and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). "Our third-quarter results illustrate our continued growth, both in revenue and customer locations. Revenue grew 26% this quarter to $18.4 million, and our location count now exceeds 118,000," said Don Gray, CEO of Givex. "POS Gross Transactional Value for the nine months also increased by 83% to $960 million, which highlights our continued gains in the POS space. This quarter, we signed agreements with major multi-unit merchants and expanded the depth of our relationships with existing clients. As we enter the last quarter of our first full year as a public company we are faced with the same challenges as others in the tech sector as it pertains to general stock market conditions. However, I am confident that our strategy is sound and the Givex team will continue to focus on growth with positive EBITDA and cashflow." Third Quarter Financial Highlights Three-month period ending September 30, 2022 (with comparisons relative to the three-month period ending September 30, 2021) Revenue increased $3.8 million from $14.6 million to $18.4 million , 26% growth. Adjusted EBITDA* was $1.0 million in 2022 compared to $2.7 million in 2021. (However, 2021 includes $0.3 million received for the Canadian Government's COVID-19 wage subsidy). Total Gross Transactional Value** increased approximately $0.21 billion or 19%, from $1.13 billion in Q3 2021 to $1.34 billion in Q3 2022. from to , 26% growth. Adjusted EBITDA* was in 2022 compared to in 2021. (However, 2021 includes received for the Canadian Government's COVID-19 wage subsidy). Total Gross Transactional Value** increased approximately or 19%, from in Q3 2021 to in Q3 2022. POS Gross Transactional Value*** increased approximately $131 million or 53%, from $246 million in Q3 2021 to $377 million in Q3 2022. or 53%, from in Q3 2021 to in Q3 2022. Customer Locations**** increased approximately 22,000 or 23%, from 96,000 in Q3 2021 to 118,000 in Q3 2022. Nine-month period ending September 30, 2022 (with comparisons relative to the nine-month period ending September 30, 2021) Revenue increased $11.6 million from $40.0 million to $51.6 million , 29% growth. from to , 29% growth. Adjusted EBITDA was $3.3 million in 2022 compared to $5.8 million in 2021. (However, 2021 includes $0.8 million received for the Canadian Government's COVID-19 wage subsidy). in 2022 compared to in 2021. (However, 2021 includes received for the Canadian Government's COVID-19 wage subsidy). Cashflows***** provided by operating activities were a positive $2.1 million . . Total Gross Transactional Value increased approximately $0.78 billion or 22%, from $3.61 billion in 2021 to $4.39 billion in 2022. or 22%, from in 2021 to in 2022. POS Gross Transactional Value increased approximately $435 million or 83%, from $525 million in 2021 to $960 million in 2022. Three-month period ending September 30, 2022 (with comparisons relative to the three-month period ending June 30, 2022). Revenue increased $1.6 million from $16.8 million to $18.4 million , an increase of 10%, of which 8% was organic growth of Givex and its subsidiaries. Third Quarter Operational Highlights Payroll costs are the key focus to improved EBITDA. For the nine-month period ending September 30, 2022 and 2021, Employee Compensation****** as a % of Gross Profit was 55% and 56% respectively. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021 and 2020, Employee Compensation as a % of Gross Profit was 55% and 56%, respectively. Givex believes that its ability to reduce Employee Compensation as a % of Gross Profit is an indicator of its success in managing costs and profitability. In Q4 2022, Givex expects normal attrition and the consolidation of staff from the three business acquisitions in 2022 to be consistent with this objective. and 2021, Employee Compensation****** as a % of Gross Profit was 55% and 56% respectively. For the 12-month period ending and 2020, Employee Compensation as a % of Gross Profit was 55% and 56%, respectively. Givex believes that its ability to reduce Employee Compensation as a % of Gross Profit is an indicator of its success in managing costs and profitability. In Q4 2022, Givex expects normal attrition and the consolidation of staff from the three business acquisitions in 2022 to be consistent with this objective. Costs to support Givex's first full year as a public company have added approximately $1.0 million to our general and administrative costs for the nine months ending September 30, 2022 , compared to the same period last year as a private company. These costs include professional fees and investor relations fees, many of which are transitory and one time in nature and the company expects to be able to reduce going forward. to our general and administrative costs for the nine months ending , compared to the same period last year as a private company. These costs include professional fees and investor relations fees, many of which are transitory and one time in nature and the company expects to be able to reduce going forward. For the nine-month period ending September 30, 2022 , sales and marketing costs are $1.9 million higher than the same period last year as Givex has actively re-engaged in global tradeshows and invested other direct marketing expenses as the impact of COVID-19 subsides. More Information Additional financial information, such as the audited annual Consolidated Financial Statements, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and Annual Information Form, is available on the company's SEDAR at sedar.com. More information about Givex, including the Management Presentation and Overview, are posted on the company's investor relations website at investors.givex.com. About Givex Givex (TSX: GIVX) (OTCQX: GIVXF) is a global fintech company providing merchants with customer engagement, point of sale and payment solutions, all in a single platform. We are integrated with 1000+ technology partners, creating a fully end-to-end solution that delivers powerful customer insights. Our platform is used by some of the world's largest brands, comprising approximately 118,000 locations across more than 100 countries. Learn more at givex.com. Non-IFRS Measures and Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures The information presented includes certain financial measures such as "Adjusted EBITDA" (see below for definition), which are not recognized measures under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of our results of operations from management's perspective. Accordingly, these measures should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of our financial information reported under IFRS. These non-IFRS measures are used to provide investors with supplemental measures of our operating performance and thus highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS measures. We also believe that securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of issuers. Our management also uses non-IFRS measures to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period, to prepare annual operating budgets and forecasts and to determine components of management compensation. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information, including statements about reducing general and administrative expenses going forward. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, estimates and assumptions that we considered appropriate and reasonable as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to, the risk factors described under the "Risk Factors" section in the Risk Factors section in the Annual Information Form ("AIF") dated March 30, 2022, available on SEDAR at sedar.com and other filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date made. See "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information" in the AIF. Additional Notes * Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net profit (loss) excluding interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") as adjusted for share-based compensation and related expenses, foreign exchange gains and losses and transaction-related expenses including those related to going public. **Gross transaction volume ("GTV") means the total dollar value of stored and point-of-sale ("POS") transactions processed through our cloud-based SaaS platforms in the period, net of refunds, inclusive of shipping and handling, duty, and value-added taxes. We believe GTV is an indicator of the success of our customers and the strength of our platforms. GTV does not represent revenue earned by us. ***POS gross transactional volume ("POS GTV") means the total dollar value point-of-sale ("POS") transactions processed through GivexPOS, our cloud-based POS SaaS platform, in the period net of refunds, inclusive of shipping and handling, duty and value-added taxes. We believe POS GTV is an indicator of the success of our customers and the strength of our platforms. POS GTV does not represent revenue earned by us. ****Customer Location means a billing customer location for which the term of services has not ended, or with which we are negotiating a renewal contract. It includes both merchant locations that have transactions processed through our cloud-based SaaS platform, as well as merchant locations not on our platform but for which we provide other Givex services. A single unique customer can have multiple Customer Locations including physical and eCommerce sites. We believe that our ability to increase the number of Customer Locations served by our platform and products is an indicator of our success in terms of market penetration and growth of our business. *****Cashflows from operating activities means net income (loss) adjusted for non-cash items, changes in working capital, interest paid, and income tax paid. ******Employee Compensation as a % of Gross Profit means the total employee compensation for a period divided by the gross profit for the same period. Employee Compensation means total employee compensation including salaries and benefits, excluding both government assistance and share-based compensation. Gross Profit means revenue less direct cost of revenue. SOURCE Givex BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China will soon unveil its major diplomatic events after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) by welcoming several foreign leaders from countries with different political systems and economic development paths, illustrating that more countries hold positive views on China's future development and welcome the country's foreign policy embedded with the concept of humanity's shared values pursued by the CPC. At the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will pay an official visit to China on November 4, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced on Friday. He also became the latest foreign leader set to visit China, as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of the United Republic of Tanzania are scheduled to visit the country in the coming days. Vietnam's communist party chief will pay an official visit to China from October 30 to November 2 at the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President. Trong will also be the first foreign leader to visit China after the 20th National Congress of the CPC. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will also visit China from November 1, which will also be his first visit to China since taking office in April, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced earlier this week. It demonstrates the special friendship and strategic mutual trust between China and Pakistan, which is also a continuation of the positive momentum of close high-level contacts between the two countries, according to the ministry. Meanwhile, Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of the United Republic of Tanzania, will pay a state visit to China from November 2 to November 4, who will also be the first head of state from Africa to visit China after the CPC National Congress. . In addition to leaders from Asia and Africa, German Chancellor Scholz's trip to China will make him the first G7 leader to travel to the country since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, media reports said. These visits of foreign leaders to China show that more and more countries are optimistic about China's future development, especially after the 20th CPC National Congress signaled the stability, predictability and continuity of our policies, more countries are willing to maintain cooperation with China, a Beijing-based expert on foreign relations who preferred not to be named told the Global Times on Friday. "This also shows that China's diplomatic ideas are welcomed, understood and supported by many countries around the world, which also underscores the ideas of common interests and security, helping push forward the international order to a fairer and more equitable direction," the expert said. Shared values highlighted As the world stands at a critical junction in the face of growing challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, energy crises and the impact of COVID, how China plays its role will also affect how the world is developing, and the upcoming face-to-face communication between foreign and Chinese leaders serves as an important opportunity to understand where China's policy and diplomacy is leading, some experts said. It has been a long time since Chinese and German leaders have had face-to-face communication, and Scholz will be visiting China at a key period when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and Berlin plans its overall foreign policy with its China policy as a major part, Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday. "The direct communication will help shape consensus, as we have heard different voices concerning China-Germany relations in the European country. Some questions need to be answered: Should we adhere to the basis of pragmatic cooperation? How do we handle the Ukraine crisis and where are China-EU relations heading?" Cui said. After Xi was elected general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC at the committee's first plenary session, he expressed China's commitment to promoting the building of a human community with a shared future. "We will work with peoples of all other countries to champion humanity's shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom to safeguard global peace and promote global development, and keep promoting the building of a human community with a shared future," Xi said when meeting the press at the Great Hall of the People on October 23. In the eyes of Chinese experts, such commitment is also underscored in the country's future diplomacy with the firm determination of deeply integrating into the world's economic system and taking concrete actions in pushing forward a human community with a shared future. After the Party's congress, China released a series of signals welcoming foreign investment and continuing cooperation with other countries, and such determination to advance a human community with a shared future will also crush attempts of decoupling and disruption of supply chains, Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday. "It's believed that many other foreign leaders hope to visit China after the Party congress to learn China's policy," Yang said. SOURCE Global Times City & State Florida unveiled its 2022 rankings of the top health care leaders in the state. TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital, earned the No. 4 spot among Florida's top 100 health care officials, executives and advocates in the state. City & State Florida unveiled its Florida Health Care Power 100 rankings last week. Tampa General Hospital President and CEO John Couris earns No. 4 ranking on Florida Health Care Power 100 list. "This recognition is a reflection of the collective effort by the entire team at both TGH and USF Health. Together, we have made Tampa and Tampa General Hospital specifically, a destination for world-class care," said Couris. "Working together and in partnership with the academic, research and technology communities, we're strengthening the quality of care and increasing access for the patients that we serve across the state." This is the first health care list released by City & State Florida, placing Couris as the highest-ranked hospital executive in Florida. He is preceded by the three statewide leaders in health care: Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Secretary Simon Marstiller and Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew, who is also a former secretary of AHCA. City & State Florida credited the leadership and vision of John Couris; "Emphasizing innovation and collaboration, this popular hospital CEO has transformed his academic medical center into one that leverages new technology to meet patient demands since taking over in 2017. That includes $550 million in plans for a growing medical district in downtown Tampa." The Tampa Medical and Research District is a collaborative endeavor championed by Tampa General in partnership with USF Health. The goal is for the district to become a globally recognized destination for world-class clinical care, academics, research and biotechnology. A recent economic impact study revealed the district is expected to generate $8.3 billion in annual economic impact to the state of Florida every year and support 57,900 jobs. ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings first nationally in the 2022 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit worth more than $224.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org. Media Contact: Phil Buck Manager of Public Relations (406) 370-6226 (cell) [email protected] SOURCE Tampa General Hospital MOLINE, Ill., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) today announced it will be entering a partnership as a limited investor in Advantage Capital's Empower the Change (EPC) growth fund, which provides entrepreneurs of color access to capital in order to grow their businesses and create community wealth. Deere's commitment to the fund as a lead investor is part of the company's broader objective of allocating $500 million within the next three years to identify and grow relationships with underrepresented and disadvantaged business enterprises, creating a more diverse and sustainable supplier network within the agriculture industry. "John Deere is committed to strengthening underrepresented communities and creating equitable wealth within the agriculture industry," said Wallas Wiggins, vice president of global supply management and logistics for Deere. "This announcement supports our company's history of advocating forand investing inopportunities that advance social and economic change. We look forward to seeing the positive impact within the lives and livelihoods of the small suppliers the Empower the Change fund will help scale." John Deere has placed a robust emphasis in working with partners across the country to create equitable opportunities for communities previously under engaged. In 2020, in partnership with the National Black Growers Council and the Thurgood Marshall Fund, Deere launched the LEAP Coalition focused on improving the livelihoods of Black farmers. LEAP (Legislation, Education, Advocacy and Production Systems) works with organizations such as the Federation of Southern Cooperatives and the Center for Heirs Property to provide awareness, assistance and legal help and counsel to help Black and minority farmers gain a clear title to their land and ensure the long-term sustainability of their land. John Deere deploys a multi-faceted approach to funding which includes not only monetary investments in programs but resource support. John Deere's investments include funding to support the National Black Growers Council, The Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), Thurgood Marshall College Fund and 1890 land-grant institutions such as North Carolina A&T. About Deere & Company: Deere & Company (www.JohnDeere.com) is a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our customers push the boundaries of what's possible in ways that are more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our technology-enabled products including John Deere Autonomous 8R Tractor, See & Spray, and E-Power Backhoe are just some of the ways we help meet the world's increasing need for food, shelter, and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial services through John Deere Financial. For more information on Deere & Company, visit us at www.deere.com/en/news/. About Advantage Capital: Advantage Capital provides financing to established and emerging companies located in communities underserved by conventional sources of capital. Since 1992, the firm has invested more than $3.6 billion in companies from a diverse array of industry sectors and has helped support more than 65,000 jobs. Learn more at www.advantagecap.com, or via Twitter or LinkedIn. SOURCE Deere & Company BOSTON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.0975 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of October 13, 2022, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT) with important information concerning the distribution declared on October 3, 2022, and payable on October 31, 2022. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: October 2022 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.0975 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable October 31, 2022, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. For the period 10/1/2022-10/31/2022 For the fiscal year-to-date period 11/1/2021-10/31/2022 1 Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions ($) % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions Net Investment Income 0.0427 44 % 0.8186 70 % Net Realized Short- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0 % 0.2439 21 % Net Realized Long- Term Capital Gains 0.0058 6 % 0.1037 9 % Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.0490 50 % 0.0000 0 % Total per common share 0.0975 100 % 1.1662 100 % Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on September 30, 2022 3.47 % Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of September 30, 2022 9.51 % Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through September 30, 2022 -11.14 % Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of September 30, 2022 9.48 % _________________________________ 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2021 and will end on October 31, 2022. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the October 2022 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.0975 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investment Management Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Effective October 1, 2021, copies of all notices informing shareholders of distributions made by the fund in excess of accumulated net investment income will be posted on John Hancock Investment Management's public website (jhinvestments.com) and on the Legal Notice System (LENS), a service offering of the Depository Trust Company (DTC) accessible by broker-dealer firms. To the extent required, notice may also be provided via press release. John Hancock Investment Management will continue to distribute paper copies of these notices by mail until March 30, 2022, after which date the notices will be delivered exclusively via the methods described above. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. About John Hancock Investment Management A company of Manulife Investment Management, we serve investors through a unique multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house capabilities with an unrivaled network of specialized asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous investment oversight in the industry. The result is a diverse lineup of time-tested investments from a premier asset manager with a heritage of financial stewardship. About Manulife Investment Management Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com. SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management BOSTON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.1380 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of October 13, 2022, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) with important information concerning the distribution declared on October 3, 2022, and payable on October 31, 2022. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: October 2022 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.1380 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable October 31, 2022, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. For the period 10/1/2022-10/31/2022 For the fiscal year-to-date period 11/1/2021-10/31/2022 1 Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions ($) % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions Net Investment Income 0.0347 25 % 1.2667 76 % Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains 0.0012 1 % 0.3727 23 % Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains 0.0021 2 % 0.0165 1 % Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.1000 72 % 0.0000 0 % Total per common share 0.1380 100 % 1.6559 100 % Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on September 30, 2022 4.40 % Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of September 30, 2022 7.58 % Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through September 30, 2022 -7.35 % Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of September 30, 2022 7.58 % _________________________________ 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2021 and will end on October 31, 2022. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the October 2022 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.1380 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investment Management Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Effective October 1, 2021, copies of all notices informing shareholders of distributions made by the fund in excess of accumulated net investment income will be posted on John Hancock Investment Management's public website (jhinvestments.com) and on the Legal Notice System (LENS), a service offering of the Depository Trust Company (DTC) accessible by broker-dealer firms. To the extent required, notice may also be provided via press release. John Hancock Investment Management will continue to distribute paper copies of these notices by mail until March 30, 2022, after which date the notices will be delivered exclusively via the methods described above. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. About John Hancock Investment Management A company of Manulife Investment Management, we serve investors through a unique multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house capabilities with an unrivaled network of specialized asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous investment oversight in the industry. The result is a diverse lineup of time-tested investments from a premier asset manager with a heritage of financial stewardship. About Manulife Investment Management Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com. SOURCE John Hancock Investment Management S.Korea, U.S. kick off joint air drills Xinhua) 13:51, October 31, 2022 SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the United States kicked off their large-scale joint air drills on Monday, involving about 240 warplanes, according to the South Korean air force. The Vigilant Storm exercise will last until Friday, mobilizing around 140 military aircraft from the South Korean side including F-35A stealth jets, F-15K and KF-16 fighters, as well as KC-330 tankers. The U.S. air force will deploy about 100 aircraft, such as F-35B stealth fighters, EA-18 electronic warfare aircraft, U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and KC-135 tankers. The Australian air force will join the air drills by sending one KC-30A tanker. During the drills, the combined air forces will make some 1,600 sorties to review the Korea Air and Space Operations Center's (KAOC) operational capability to command the combined forces. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Hongyu) CHICAGO, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that human rights attorney and disability justice advocate Haben Girma, the first Deafblind Harvard Law School graduate, spoke at the firm's Perspectives Speaker Series in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Katten welcomed Haben Girma, the first Deafblind Harvard Law School graduate, to the firm's Perspectives Speaker Series in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. (Photo courtesy of Haben Girma) "We need to create spaces where all voices are valued regardless of whether it's a high-registered voice, whether there's an accent, whether one voices using signing or computer-assisted communication," said Girma. "It's up to all of us to create those spaces where all these voices are valued and treated with respect." Using her Braille computer to read and responding by voice at the virtual event, Girma discussed how she believes disability is an opportunity for innovation, underscoring the importance of choosing to be more inclusive. "We are thankful that Haben shared her unique perspective and powerful story with our firm community to increase our understanding of the value of diversity, and leading us to give thoughtful consideration as to how we can further foster an inclusive environment for everyone Katten," said Melanie Priddy, Katten's Chief Talent Officer. At an early age, Girma was exposed to the assumptions and misconceptions that she couldn't go to school or wouldn't get a job because of her disability which is what she referred to as ableism, the misbelief that people with disabilities are inferior or incompetent compared to people without disabilities. Although she did not plan to become an attorney, Girma built her career as an advocate fighting for people with disabilities, spurred by her experience in college when she could not access the printed cafeteria menu. "I told myself, 'Big deal, it's just menus.' I tried really hard to just ignore the situation and tolerate it. But I was a vegetarian and it's hard to eat vegetarian when you don't have access to food information," she said. She had asked the cafeteria manager to provide an accessible menu, but it was not until months later after she cited the Americans with Disabilities Act and said she would take legal action that the cafeteria provided menus in an accessible format. "I had no idea how to do that. I was 19. I couldn't afford a lawyer but I knew I had to try and do something," Girma said. "The next year, there was a new blind student at the college and he had immediate access to the menus. That taught me when I advocate, even for seemingly small things like menus, it has an impact on other students." Since then, Girma has been named by President Obama as a White House Champion of Change. She received the Helen Keller Achievement Award, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and TIME100 Talks. She published her memoir, Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, in 2019. Inclusion is a choice, Girma said, and there's more work to be done to make communities more inclusive. "When we choose inclusion, we role model it for everyone around us. It's also for our future selves. Our bodies change as we age and we deserve dignity and access at every stage in our lives," she said. Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com . SOURCE Katten --Southern California Clothing Brands FB COUNTY and The Original Cascade Commissioned Builds and Provided Inspiration for Both Overall Designs-- LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenny Pfitzer Designs , one of the industry's most iconic automotive designers and custom builders, heads into the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas with two builds that are set to be the most talked about vehicles at the show. The concepts are a collaboration with two premier clothing brands that embody the style and class of the Southern California lifestyle FB County and The Original Cascade . Founded in 1991, FB COUNTY is the designer and manufacturer of innovative street wear with its clothing appearing in several Hollywood films including The Fast and the Furious and Straight Outta Compton. Original Cascade is the rebirth of the 1933 legendary clothing company and now features several high-quality men's and women's flannels all inspired by its passion of cars. Both brands collaborated with KPD to come up with these bold designs which combine modern form with the timeless style of the Volkswagen Bus. Kenny Pfitzer Designs, one of the industrys most iconic automotive designers and custom builders, heads into the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas with two builds that are set to be the most talked about vehicles at the show. The concepts are a collaboration with two premier clothing brands that embody the style and class of the Southern California lifestyle FB County and The Original Cascade. Both builds are being featured in the Diamond Lot outside of the all-new West Hall at SEMA 2022. The builds began in late August with two early 1960s VW buses, a 1963 Single Cab and a 1961 15-Window Deluxe. Both were completely stripped down and scanned in 3D to design the different body panels which included front and rear fender flares, roof wing, front splitter, rear roll pan and rocker panels. Using CAD software, all body panels were designed and machined using special composite material which gave Kenny the ability to create body panels that perfectly match the buses' classic body shape. All interior parts were removed, and full custom interiors were designed and built from scratch. Both buses got all new interiors, upholstery and CNC machined components for the gage clusters, pedals, switches and other key interior elements. The buses also got all new air-ride suspension kits, brakes, lighting, electrical components and more. Key suppliers to the builds: AL-13 Wheels High-precision, bespoke Monoblock C020 wheels High-precision, bespoke Monoblock C020 wheels Falken Tires AZENIS RT660 High-performance tires AZENIS A1 Performance Exhaust Systems SIDEWINDER stainless header exhaust and 'TWIN-Tube' SIDEWINDER stainless muffler "These have been two of the most challenging and rewarding builds I've ever done for SEMA. When FB COUNTY and Original Cascade came to me with the concept to design and build two wide-body buses at the same time, I knew instantly we were going to turn some heads at this year's show," said Kenny Pfitzer, president of Kenny Pfitzer Designs. "We've had some very long days and had to overcome some massive design hurdles to bring this together, but in the end it's all worth it. We are rolling into SEMA with two of the most stunning vehicles at the show, and that's what we do at KPD. This is where modern design meets timeless inspiration." "When we sat down with Kenny and explained what we were looking for, he was immediately onboard with this project. We could not be more excited about what KPD has built for our brands at SEMA. He perfectly captured the essence of both FB COUNTY and Original Cascade with the bold design of these buses and it shows why he's one of the best in the business," said Hunter Kim, Marketing Director for FB COUNTY. "Kenny's attention to detail and his ability to mold and craft precision body parts is legendary and perfectly aligns with our brands. We offer some of the highest quality street wear available and these builds do an awesome job of representing our brands." Because of its proprietary design and build process, KPD has the capability to duplicate all composite body parts used in this build for additional builds. Early next year, KPD will begin taking orders for custom widebody Volkswagen bus builds and can either transform someone's personal bus or source a bus for the build. The composite body parts or body kits will not be made available for purchase. The FB COUNTY and Original Cascade Buses can be seen live at SEMA in the Diamond Lot located outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center's all-new West Hall. Both buses will be part of SEMA Ignited and following the SEMA show, they are scheduled to go on tour throughout the United States. For more information about Kenny Pfitzer Designs, visit www.kennypfitzerdesign.com . High-resolution imagery of both widebody buses can be found here: https://bit.ly/3WsxrwK . ABOUT KENNY PFITZER DESIGNS Kenny Pfitzer Designs, a Southern California design studio, is driven to create the world's most exciting vehicles and architectural elements. Breaking free from the mold, KPD focuses not only on specific custom builds, but serves as an incubator for automotive manufacturers as well. The foundation for the business reaches far outside the automotive industry, applying KPD's creative energy towards stunning builds for nearly all industries. Kenny Pfitzer Designs is more than an automotive powerhouse design studio, it also has a large fabrication team that turns innovative concepts into reality. Follow KPD's latest builds and creations on Instagram . SOURCE Kenny Pfitzer Designs MOSCOW and ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading smart home appliance brand, Kyvol has announced the official opening of its online stores on prominent Russian e-commerce platforms Ozon and Yandex Market. From this November, the new stores will help Kyvol gain exposure to a wider audience, boosting the brand's name and serving more customers around the country. "Our new online stores provide shoppers in Russia with easy access to all of our hottest products in one place," said Eden Chen, VP of Kyvol. "We're pleased to offer this streamlined online shopping experience for more customers." Since its inception in 2019, Kyvol has established itself as an innovative young brand. It has primarily focused on offline sales with its products currently available in a growing number of the country's largest retail chains, including M.video, DNS, and major shopping malls. In order to serve a wider range of consumers and make the products even more accessible moving forward, the team at Kyvol is broadening its focus to cover both online and offline sales, building Kyvol into a household name. Kyvol is committed to liberating people from tedious housework and improving everyday quality of life. As a reflection on this commitment, the Kyvol range includes automatic robot vacuum cleaners such as the Cybovac E-series with 2.5-hour long-lasting battery life, app and voice control, and smart gyroptic navigation. Also produced by Kyvol are innovative smart humidifiers, air purifiers, and air fryers, including the Epichef range with a 360 quick heat system, one-touch LED display, and multiple preset cooking programs. Kyvol advocates a healthy lifestyle and seeks to support consumers in making healthy choices. The company uses innovative technologies to create products that strike a balance between convenience and health, ensuring that the home environment is clean and safe for pets, infants, and grownups alike. Kyvol is driven to serve customers and offers fast delivery, easy payment options, and lifetime customer support for its extensive and growing range of innovative products. Visit Kyvol's new online stores at: Ozon - https://www.ozon.ru/seller/hitech-life-474867/products/?miniapp=seller_474867 Yandex Market - https://market.yandex.ru/business--hitech-life/15612088 About Kyvol Launched in 2019, Kyvol manufactures innovative and friendly products including cleaning robots, at-home health tools, and smart devices. The vision that unites the portfolio is designed to support people's busy lives and encourage a healthy lifestyle. At Kyvol, business is driven by technology, but is led by human connections. The love and resonance between Kyvol and its customers inspire a "continuous improvement" philosophy, which powers breakthrough innovations. For more information, please visit our website at https://kyvol.com/. Or follow us on social media: Vkontakt: https://vk.com/kyvol Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyvolglobal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KyvolGlobal SOURCE Kyvol MELBOURNE, Australia and RESTON, Va., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, today announced the completed acquisition of Cobham Aviation Services Australia's Special Mission business. The transaction was previously announced on August 2, 2022. The business will be integrated into and operate as part of Leidos Australia. The acquisition of Cobham Special Mission represents Leidos' entry into the Australian aviation market, utilising state of the art command and control systems and sensors on board aircraft to deliver mission critical outcomes for the Australian Government. "We are excited and eager to formally welcome Cobham's Special Mission team to the Leidos family," said Leidos Chairman and CEO Roger Krone. "Bringing in the Special Mission business will build on our global airborne ISR capabilities while providing new opportunities for growth. Together with Leidos Australia leadership, I look forward to working with this talented team." "On behalf of Leidos, I want to express a warm welcome to the Cobham Special Mission team," said Leidos Australia Chief Executive Paul Chase. "This team brings a tremendous reputation from across industry and Government. We look forward to continuing to provide exceptional service to our customers." "It's a milestone day for all of us at Cobham Special Mission and the beginning of a new and exciting chapter as we become Leidos," said Leidos Australia Vice President of Airborne Solutions James Woodhams (formerly Cobham Special Mission Managing Director). "Leidos is a recognised employer of choice and I'm really excited about what being part of Leidos means for our people." The Special Mission business provides airborne border surveillance as well as search and rescue services to the Australian Federal Government. The business owns and operates 14 modified aircraft to deliver critical services across Australia, including: Conducting one of the world's largest managed service civil maritime surveillance operations under contract with the Australian Border Force while patrolling Australia's 8.2 million square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone; 8.2 million square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone; Providing fixed wing search-and-rescue response capability over land and sea on behalf of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA); and Operating a highly-specialised mission training system for more than 30 mission aircrew per year. Leidos Australia is a trusted partner to the Australian Government, providing services across information technology projects and services, intelligence (C4ISR) and Defence Missions Systems. Leidos Australia has 2,000 employees and is headquartered in Melbourne. About Leidos Leidos is a Fortune 500 technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company's 44,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $13.7 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to Leidos' acquisition of Cobham Aviation Services Australia, including statements regarding the benefits of the transaction and the products and markets of each company. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "predicts," "budget," "forecast," "continue," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions). Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this release, including but not limited to: (i) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, (ii) the effect of the announcement of the transaction on Cobham Aviation Services Australia's business relationships, operating results, and business generally, (iii) risks that the transaction disrupts current plans and operations of Leidos or Cobham Aviation Services Australia and potential difficulties in Cobham Aviation Services Australia's employee retention as a result of the transaction, (iv) risks related to diverting management's attention from Cobham Aviation Services Australia ongoing business operations, (v) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Leidos or against Cobham Aviation Services Australia related to the merger agreement or the transaction, (vi) the ability of Leidos to successfully integrate Cobham Aviation Services Australia's operations, product lines, and technology, and (vii) the ability of Leidos to implement its plans, forecasts, and other expectations with respect to Cobham Aviation Services Australia's business after the completion of the proposed acquisition and realize additional opportunities for growth and innovation. In addition, please refer to the documents that Leidos files with the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Leidos assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Contact: Melissa Duenas (571) 526-6850 [email protected] Thomas Doheny (571) 474-4735 [email protected] Brandon VerVelde (571) 526-6257 [email protected] SOURCE Leidos Jonathan Tisch to Become Executive Chairman NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Loews Hotels & Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation (NYSE: L), announced that Alex Tisch will assume the role of CEO, effective January 1, 2023. In his new role, Alex will continue to work closely with Jonathan Tisch, who will become Executive Chairman, while remaining a member of the Office of the President and Co-Chairman of the Board of Loews Corporation. Alex Tisch To Take on CEO Role for Loews Hotels & Co Tweet this Alex Tisch Named President & CEO of Loews Hotels & Co As President & CEO, Alex will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company, as well as the development and execution of the organization's strategy and the management of capital and resource allocation. "Since joining Loews Hotels & Co, Alex has not only brought a strong strategic lens to the acquisitions & development and commercial disciplines, but also cultivated successful strategic partnerships internally and externally," said Jonathan Tisch, current Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels & Co. "As we look ahead, under Alex's leadership and direction, Loews Hotels & Co will continue to be a leader within the industry and strive to be an employer of choice amongst our team members." Alex came to Loews Hotels & Co in June of 2017 and took on the role of President in September of 2020. Over the course of the past five years he has been an integral part of the creation and execution of the company's strategic plan, leading the $2.5 billion dollar re-defined growth strategy and expansion, honing in on Loews' leverage of being an owner, operator and developer of hotels. The revitalized approach focuses on core Loews opportunities and immersive destinations, which are branded collaborations with built in demand generators. Alex oversaw the additions to the portfolio of Live! by Loews Arlington, TX in 2019, Live! by Loews St. Louis, MO in 2020, Universal's Endless Summer Resort, in 2020 and Loews Kansas City, in 2020. Loews Hotels & Co has two additional developments underway, Loews Coral Gables, opening later this week on November 3rd and the 888-room Loews Arlington Hotel, opening in Q1 2024. "Loews Hotels & Co has a storied reputation in the travel and tourism industry, rooted in partnerships, operational excellence and best in class team members," said Alex Tisch, current President, Loews Hotels & Co. "My goal is to build on that reputation, leverage the owner/operator model, empower our world-class team members and create value for all stakeholders." As President, Alex created a more aligned and data-driven approach to Commercial disciplines such as sales, revenue and e-commerce. He re-structured the leadership within the Human Resources function, while also strengthening and enhancing the partnership with Comcast NBC Universal, where Loews Hotels & Co has a joint venture in eight hotels located in Orlando, Florida. Alex is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and received his MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. He sits on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), The National Medal of Honor Museum, Moda Operandi and the New York City Police Foundation. About Loews Hotels & Co Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels & Co is rooted in deep heritage and excellence in service. The hospitality company encompasses branded independent Loews Hotels, and a solid mix of partner-brand hotels. Loews Hotels & Co owns and/or operates 25 hotels and resorts across the U.S. and Canada, including the Loews Kansas City and Universal's Endless Summer Resort Dockside Inn and Suites, the eighth hotel in partnership with Comcast NBC Universal. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews Hotels portfolio features properties grounded in family heritage and dedicated to delivering unscripted guest moments with a handcrafted approach. For reservations or more information about Loews Hotels, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or visit: www.loewshotels.com. Like Loews Hotels on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LoewsHotels Follow Loews Hotels on Twitter: www.twitter.com/loews_hotels Watch Loews Hotels on YouTube: www.youtube.com/LoewsHotels Read our Wish You Were Here Blog at www.loewshotelsblog.com SOURCE Loews Hotels & Co ABU DHABI, UAE, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- His Excellency Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change and Chairman of Masdar, called for the world to utilize all available energy sources, including renewables and hydrogen, to meet the energy needs of a growing global population. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Chairman of Masdar "If this year has taught us anything, it is that energy security is the foundation of all progress economic social and climate progress," Dr Al Jaber said in his keynote address at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC). With the global population set to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050, the world will need to produce 30 per cent more energy than today. "The world needs all the solutions it can get. It is oil and gas and solar, and wind and nuclear, and hydrogen plus the clean energies yet to be discovered, commercialized and deployed," Dr Al Jaber said. "The world needs maximum energy minimum emissions. This is why the UAE leadership decided to be a first mover in renewable energy, over 16 years ago, by launching Masdar." Masdar, Abu Dhabi's flagship renewable energy company, was launched to support the diversification of the UAE's economy and energy sources through advancing the development, deployment and commercialization of renewable energy and clean technology. Today, Masdar is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies globally, active in over 40 countries, and invested in projects valued over US$20 billion. Last year, Masdar expanded the capacity of its clean energy portfolio 40 percent, to a total capacity of over 15 gigawatts (GW). These projects can displace 19.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Masdar is targeting a portfolio capacity of 100 GW by 2030 and aims to supply 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen by the end of this decade, cementing its place as a first mover in this promising industry and position Abu Dhabi as a global hub for the production and export of green hydrogen. "With COP27 meeting next week and as the UAE prepares to host COP28, the Emirates Climate Conference, our efforts should focus on a new, bold, realistic and pragmatic pathway that benefits humanity, the climate and the economy," Dr Al Jaber said. "We need to hold back emissions, not progress." Watch the speech here: https://lnkd.in/d7gT6eVF Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1934010/Dr_Sultan_Al_Jaber_Chairman_of_Masdar.jpg SOURCE Masdar NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McAllister Olivarius has filed a lawsuit on behalf of four pioneers of the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital (AIGH) in New York State Court alleging workplace discrimination and retaliation. The plaintiffs are four former employees of AIGH who helped build the Institute's nationally recognized program in global health education. They include Dr. Natasha Anushri Anandaraja; Dr. Holly Atkinson; Mary Caliendo; and Humale Khan. According to the lawsuit, after the school received a $12.5 million commitment from the Arnhold family to expand the team's work in 2014, Dr. Dennis S. Charney, Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine, hired Dr. Prabhjot Singh, an inexperienced 32-year-old still completing his residency, as Director of the Arnhold Institute for Global Health. Singh's appointment came against the advice of a search committee that had previously recommended a highly qualified female candidate. The individuals subsequently hired for leadership positions under Dr. Charney and Singh were overwhelmingly young men who were given more prestigious titles and were paid substantially more than their female counterparts. Dr. Singh, the filing claims, continuously "gaslit" existing female staff so that they would "voluntarily" leave. By 2018, 13 women had left AIGH. The filing goes on to state that Defendant Bruno Silva, an employee of Mount Sinai, regularly used crude and derogatory language to women, including fellow employees and donors, and made vulgar statements and remarks about their appearance. Silva also repeatedly slurred a staff member of Pakistani origin, using derogatory language to describe his office. Despite these and other allegations repeatedly being brought to Mount Sinai's leadership, the lawsuit contends the school took a "see no evil" approach. Oversight Committee was created to help address the issue but met infrequently and did not noticeably change things during Dr. Singh's directorship. "The lack of oversight by Mount Sinai on Dr. Singh and Dean Charney has not only created a hostile and inhumane work environment for our clients that has had a damaging impact on their professional careers, but has also severely damaged an institute that was previously internationally recognized as a leader in global health education," said Jef McAllister, Co-Founding Partner at McAllister Olivarius, a transatlantic law firm that is representing the plaintiffs in this matter. "Our hope is that this legal process will result in a more equitable work environment for all at Mount Sinai and in academic medicine nationally, especially for gender minorities and BIPOC," said Dr. Natasha Anushri Anandaraja, one of the plaintiffs in this lawsuit. "We will continue in our efforts to address the pervasive racism and sexism that exists in our healthcare systems." SOURCE McAllister Olivarius BALTIMORE, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald Hopkins LLC is proud to announce the addition of Laura Sims and Francis (Frank) Massaro as Associates in the Business Department and growing national Mergers and Acquisitions team. Laura Sims As a former in-house counsel at a solar company and corporate lawyer in private practice, Sims' experience allows her to provide clients with a unique perspective on their business and transaction concerns. Her practice includes working with businesses of all sizes on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. She also provides guidance to both buyers and sellers on corporate reorganizations, purchase agreements, loan transactions, entity formation, and corporate governance. With her background in the renewable energy industry, Sims provides additional expertise on managing solar project development at every stage, as well as solar project financing and sale transactions. Sims earned her J.D. from Vermont Law School and holds a Certificate of General Management from Stanford University Graduate School of Business Summer Institute (SIGM). She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College. She can be reached at 678.427.4884 and [email protected] Frank Massaro Massaro's practice is focused on representing clients across a broad range of industries on various types of complex acquisitions and investments. He advises both buyers and sellers on matters throughout the merger and acquisition process, including on transaction structuring and risk allocation. Massaro also regularly provides counsel to companies on corporate governance matters, equity incentive plans and contractual arrangements. Massaro was previously an attorney at the Administrative Conference of the United States, where he oversaw research projects on regulatory legal issues. He also worked as an attorney at the Social Security Administration, and as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Warren Krug in the Circuit Court for Calvert County, Maryland. Massaro earned his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and Master of Laws in Business and Finance Law from The George Washington University School of Law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh. Massaro is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania only. He is practicing under the supervision and guidance of Members of the McDonald Hopkins Baltimore/Annapolis office. Massaro can be reached at 412.491.2514 or [email protected]. About McDonald Hopkins Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Baltimore/Annapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com . CONTACT: Cynthia Stewart McDonald Hopkins LLC 600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: 216.348.5733 Email: [email protected] SOURCE McDonald Hopkins WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MCRA, LLC, a leading medical device focused regulatory advisory firm and clinical research organization (CRO) integrating U.S. and International Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Trial Operations, Reimbursement and Market Access, Healthcare Compliance, Cybersecurity, Quality Assurance and Japan Distribution Logistics (DMAH) support is pleased to announce the expansion of its European Regulatory Affairs division with the hiring of Dr. Erica Conway as its Vice President of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Regulatory Affairs, Europe. Dr. Conway joins MCRA from the British Standard Institution (BSI), where she spent over eight years in major roles as the Global Head of IVD and latterly the Head of IVD Notified Body (NB). At BSI, Dr. Conway was pivotal in the implementation of the IVD Regulation (IVDR) and the successful designations of both the UK and the Netherlands organizations to the IVDR. Dr. Conway also regularly worked with government and European stakeholders regarding IVD procedures and guidelines. Prior to her time at BSI, Dr. Conway worked in various regulatory affairs roles, for both IVD manufacturers and as an independent consultant. These positions have culminated in over 20 years of regulatory affairs experience, which she now brings to this leadership role at MCRA. At MCRA, Dr. Conway will lead the European IVD team under the Regulatory Affairs Division. Dr. Conway is responsible for MCRA's European services for IVDs and will lead a team in supporting manufacturers with their transition, and CE-marking, to the new European framework. These consultations include regulatory strategy, design, and review of clinical performance study plans, as well as working interactively with clients to overcome regulatory questions and issues in Europe. Dr. Conway and her team will collaborate with all stakeholders, including Notified Bodies, to provide strategic feedback and expertise to MCRA regulatory clients to enable successful outcomes. David Lown, MCRA's President said, "With MCRA's expansion in Europe, it is imperative we bring in leaders that understand this unique regulatory landscape to aid our clients. Erica Conway is a recognized leader in the IVD space in Europe and has played a critical role in implementing the IVDR at BSI. As Erica joins MCRA, our clients now have a renowned expert in the IVD field to provide expert feedback as they go through their IVD medical device submission cycle. We at MCRA are proud to have Erica Conway join as the Vice President of IVD Regulatory Affairs, Europe." Peter Bowness, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Operations Europe said, "The medical device industry in Europe has gone through significant change in recent years. Having led two successful IVDR designations, Erica brings a unique understanding of the IVDR, including behind the scenes insight into the European system, to MCRA; representing an unparalleled level of expertise for manufacturers working in the European IVD market." Dr. Conway said, "I am excited to be joining MCRA at such a pivotal time in the European regulatory sector. My work at BSI, particularly at such a critical period with the publication and implementation of the IVDR, and my previous years in the industry, has afforded me the understanding of the complexities and solutions that are now needed in order to seek successful outcomes for manufacturers, to enable IVDs to be CE-marked to this new legislation, and to take a global approach to their development strategy. I look forward to using my experience to lead the IVD Regulatory Affairs team at MCRA." MCRA is proud to continue supporting innovation in the medical device industry by helping clients navigate the IVD landscape at a global level. About MCRA, LLC: MCRA is the leading privately held independent medical device, diagnostics and biologics Clinical Research Organization (CRO) and advisory firm. MCRA delivers to its clients industry experience, integrating its six business value creators: regulatory, clinical research, reimbursement, healthcare compliance, quality assurance, and distribution logistics to provide a dynamic, market-leading effort from innovation conception to commercialization. MCRA's integrated application of these key value-creating initiatives provides unparalleled value for its clients. MCRA has offices in Washington, DC, Hartford, CT, New York, NY, and Tokyo, Japan and serves nearly 1,000 clients globally. Its core focus areas of therapeutic experience include orthopedics, spine, biologics, cardiovascular, diagnostic imaging, wound care, artificial intelligence, dental, anesthesia, general surgery, digital health, neurology, robotics, oncology, general and plastic surgery, urology, and in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices and medical device cybersecurity. www.mcra.com About Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC: Viscogliosi Brothers, LLC (VB), founded MCRA in 2004. VB is headquartered in New York City and specialized in funding venture capital, private equity, and merchant banking activities for the neuromusculoskeletal industry. VB is dedicated to financing healthcare innovation. www.vbllc.com For more information, please contact: Alyssa Howard, Vice President, Business Development Phone: 215.870.3952 | Email: [email protected] SOURCE MCRA, LLC NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Medical Decision Support Systems Market report has been added to Technavio's offering. With ISO 9001:2015 certification, Technavio is proudly partnering with more than 100 Fortune 500 companies for over 16 years. The potential growth difference for the medical decision support systems market between 2021 and 2026 is USD 765.77 million. Request Free Sample Report. Medical Decision Support Systems Market 2026: Vendor Landscape Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Medical Decision Support Systems Market 2022-2026 The key and potential vendors in the global medical decision support systems (MDSS) market are Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Athena Healthcare Incorporated, Cerner Corporation, Cisco System Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., and Siemens Healthineers AG. The market's competition is moderate due to significant growth opportunities, the presence of large vendors, the entry of new vendors, technological innovations, and partnerships. Established industry participants are expected to acquire or enter into partnerships with smaller vendors to expand their product portfolios, besides entering emerging markets and increasing their market shares. Vendors must differentiate their service offerings through a clear and unique value proposition to survive and succeed in a competitive market environment. Companies Mentioned with Key Offerings Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc.: The company offers a medical decision support system with machine learning and artificial intelligence. The company offers a medical decision support system with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Cerner Corp.: The company offers medical decision support systems to help patients to recover faster and more efficiently. The company offers medical decision support systems to help patients to recover faster and more efficiently. Change Healthcare Inc.: The company offers a medical decision support system namely CareSelect. The company offers a medical decision support system namely CareSelect. Epic Systems Corp.: The company offers predictive analytics and an embedded decision support system. The company offers predictive analytics and an embedded decision support system. Hearst Communications Inc.: The company offers a medical decision support system through its subsidiary Zynx Health Inc. Find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings, Buy Sample Report. Medical Decision Support Systems Market 2026: Segmentation Analysis The report widely covers medical decision support systems market segmentation by the following: Product Type The knowledge-based segment's market share rise in medical decision support systems would be significant. A knowledge base, an inference engine, and a communication system make up this system. The knowledge base rules are combined with the patient data by the inference engine. The system can display the findings to the user due to the presence of a communication method. Due to the rising incidence of chronic diseases, the need for frequent diagnostic tests has increased. These factors will account for the rise of knowledge-based MDSS usage during the projection period. These factors will account for the rise of knowledge-based MDSS usage during the projection period. Knowledge-based Non-knowledge-based Geography North America will contribute 43% of market growth. The main markets in North America for medical decision support systems are the US and Canada . The market in this region will expand more quickly than the markets in ROW and Europe. Medical decision support systems market expansion in North America will be boosted by the presence of integrated healthcare infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies), large suppliers active in the market, and a high degree of adoption of contemporary medical technology (particularly in the US). will contribute of market growth. The main markets in for medical decision support systems are the US and . The market in this region will expand more quickly than the markets in ROW and Europe. Medical decision support systems market expansion in will be boosted by the (particularly in the US). North America Europe Asia Rest of World (ROW) To know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years, Download Free Sample Report. Medical Decision Support Systems Market 2026: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will assist medical decision support systems market growth during the next five years Estimation of the medical decision support systems market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the medical decision support systems market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of medical decision support systems market vendors Get lifetime access to our Technavio Insights! Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000. Related Reports: Cancer Registry Software Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The report extensively covers cancer registry software market segmentation by type (stand-alone software and integrated software) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)). Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Software Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The report extensively covers cancer registry software market segmentation byend-user (Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, Contract research organization, and Business process outsourcing) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)). Medical Decision Support Systems Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 9.18% Market growth 2022-2026 $765.77 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 8.48 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 43% Key consumer countries US, Canada, Germany, UK, and China Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Agfa Gevaert NV, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc., Cedar Gate Technologies, Cerner Corp., Change Healthcare Inc., Cohesic Inc., Epic Systems Corp., Fortive Corp., Hearst Communications Inc., Hera MI SAS, International Business Machines Corp., Koninklijke Philips NV, McKesson Corp., Medical Information Technology Inc., Nuance Communications Inc., OSP Labs, Premier Inc., RELX Plc, Siemens AG, and Wolters Kluwer NV Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Tabl e of Contents 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Product Type Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Product Type 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Product Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Product Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Type Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Product Type Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Product Type 5.3 Knowledge-based - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Knowledge-based - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Knowledge-based - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Knowledge-based - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Knowledge-based - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Non-knowledge-based - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Non-knowledge-based - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Non-knowledge-based - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Non-knowledge-based - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Non-knowledge-based - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Product Type Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Product Type ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on Asia - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on Rest of World (ROW) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 78: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 79: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 80: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 81: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 82: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 83: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 84: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. Exhibit 85: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. - Overview Exhibit 86: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 87: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 88: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. - Segment focus 10.4 Cerner Corp. Exhibit 89: Cerner Corp. - Overview Exhibit 90: Cerner Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 91: Cerner Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 92: Cerner Corp. - Segment focus 10.5 Change Healthcare Inc. Exhibit 93: Change Healthcare Inc. - Overview Exhibit 94: Change Healthcare Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 95: Change Healthcare Inc. - Key news Exhibit 96: Change Healthcare Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 97: Change Healthcare Inc. - Segment focus 10.6 Epic Systems Corp. Exhibit 98: Epic Systems Corp. - Overview Exhibit 99: Epic Systems Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 100: Epic Systems Corp. - Key offerings 10.7 Hearst Communications Inc. Exhibit 101: Hearst Communications Inc. - Overview Exhibit 102: Hearst Communications Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 103: Hearst Communications Inc. - Key news Exhibit 104: Hearst Communications Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 105: Hearst Communications Inc. - Segment focus 10.8 International Business Machines Corp. Exhibit 106: International Business Machines Corp. - Overview Exhibit 107: International Business Machines Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 108: International Business Machines Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 109: International Business Machines Corp. - Segment focus 10.9 Koninklijke Philips NV Exhibit 110: Koninklijke Philips NV - Overview Exhibit 111: Koninklijke Philips NV - Business segments Exhibit 112: Koninklijke Philips NV - Key news Exhibit 113: Koninklijke Philips NV - Key offerings Exhibit 114: Koninklijke Philips NV - Segment focus 10.10 McKesson Corp. Exhibit 115: McKesson Corp. - Overview Exhibit 116: McKesson Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 117: McKesson Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 118: McKesson Corp. - Segment focus 10.11 Siemens AG Exhibit 119: Siemens AG - Overview Exhibit 120: Siemens AG - Business segments Exhibit 121: Siemens AG - Key news Exhibit 122: Siemens AG - Key offerings Exhibit 123: Siemens AG - Segment focus 10.12 Wolters Kluwer NV Exhibit 124: Wolters Kluwer NV - Overview Exhibit 125: Wolters Kluwer NV - Business segments Exhibit 126: Wolters Kluwer NV - Key offerings Exhibit 127: Wolters Kluwer NV - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 128: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 129: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 130: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 131: Research methodology Exhibit 132: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 133: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 134: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global medical device security market is categorized as a part of the global IT consulting and other services market within the global IT services market. The parent market, the global IT consulting and other services market, covers companies that provide information technology consulting and information management services. Technavio has calculated the parent market size based on the combined revenue generated by companies engaged in providing all types of IT consulting and information management services. It includes the annual revenues generated by the companies with the execution of IT service contracts. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Medical Device Security Solutions Market 2022-2026 The medical device security solutions market size is expected to grow by USD 2.00 billion from 2021 to 2026. In addition, the growth momentum of the market will accelerate at a CAGR of 12.47% during the forecast period, according to Technavio. View a comprehensive report summary that describes the market size and forecast along with the research methodology. The FREE sample report is available in PDF format Medical Device Security Solutions Market 2022-2026: Scope Our medical device security solutions market report covers the following areas: Subscribe to our "Basic Plan" billed annually at USD 5000 that enables you to download 5 reports and view 100 reports per month This report has identified the increasing concerns about healthcare data driving the medical device security solutions market growth during the next few years. However, factors such as the use of outdated platforms in the healthcare industry will hinder the market growth. Medical Device Security Solutions Market 2022-2026: Segmentation Device Wearable And External Medical Devices Hospital Medical Devices Internally Embedded Medical Devices Geography North America Europe APAC Middle East And Africa South America Learn about the contribution of each segment summarized in concise infographics and thorough descriptions. View a FREE PDF Sample Report Medical Device Security Solutions Market 2022-2026: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the medical device security solutions market, including Battelle Memorial Institute, Broadcom Inc., Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Clearwater Compliance LLC, ClearDATA Networks Inc., Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA, Coalfire Systems Inc., Extreme Networks Inc., DXC Technology Co., Fortinet Inc., FireEye Inc., Imperva Inc., General Electric Co., Koninklijke Philips NV, International Business Machines Corp., Palo Alto Networks Inc., McAfee Corp., Sophos Ltd., and UL LLC. This report provides a full list of key vendors, their strategies, and the latest developments. Buy Now for detailed vendor information Medical Device Security Solutions Market 2022-2026: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during 2022-2026 Detailed information on factors that will help the medical device security solutions market grow during the next five years Approximation of the medical device security solutions market size and its contribution to the parent market Forecasts on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the global medical device security solutions market Analysis of the competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will impede the growth of medical device security solutions market vendors Related Reports Physical Security Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The increasing concerns about terrorism and crime are driving the market growth. Modern cities are exposed to the threat of crimes and terrorism. Hence, businesses as well as commercial and residential complexes are employing physical security solutions, which involve video surveillance, access control, and others. Home Security System Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The growth of DIY home security systems is driving the market growth. The US is one of the largest adopters of DIY home security systems. Factors such as the low cost of these systems will be driving the market growth in the forecast years. Medical Device Security Solutions Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 12.47% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 2.00 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 11.45 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 45% Key consumer countries US, Japan, China, Germany, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Battelle Memorial Institute, Broadcom Inc., Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., ClearDATA Networks Inc., Clearwater Compliance LLC, Coalfire Systems Inc., Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA, DXC Technology Co., Extreme Networks Inc., FireEye Inc., Fortinet Inc., General Electric Co., Imperva Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Koninklijke Philips NV, McAfee Corp., Palo Alto Networks Inc., Sophos Ltd., and UL LLC Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, market growth inducers and obstacles, fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Browse Information Technology Market Reports Table Of Contents 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Device Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 09: Parent market Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 12: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by Device 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on Device - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on Device - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Device Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Device Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Device 5.3 Wearable and external medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Wearable and external medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Wearable and external medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Wearable and external medical devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Wearable and external medical devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Hospital medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Hospital medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Hospital medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Hospital medical devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Hospital medical devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Internally embedded medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 36: Chart on Internally embedded medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Internally embedded medical devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Chart on Internally embedded medical devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Internally embedded medical devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by Device Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by Device ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 83: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 84: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 85: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 86: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 87: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 88: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 89: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 90: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 91: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 92: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 Broadcom Inc. Exhibit 93: Broadcom Inc. - Overview Exhibit 94: Broadcom Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 95: Broadcom Inc. - Key news Exhibit 96: Broadcom Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 97: Broadcom Inc. - Segment focus 10.4 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Exhibit 98: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 99: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 100: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. - Key offerings 10.5 Cisco Systems Inc. Exhibit 101: Cisco Systems Inc. - Overview Exhibit 102: Cisco Systems Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 103: Cisco Systems Inc. - Key news Exhibit 104: Cisco Systems Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 105: Cisco Systems Inc. - Segment focus 10.6 ClearDATA Networks Inc. Exhibit 106: ClearDATA Networks Inc. - Overview Exhibit 107: ClearDATA Networks Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 108: ClearDATA Networks Inc. - Key offerings 10.7 Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA Exhibit 109: Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA - Overview Exhibit 110: Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA - Business segments Exhibit 111: Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA - Key offerings Exhibit 112: Draegerwerk AG and Co. KGaA - Segment focus 10.8 General Electric Co. Exhibit 113: General Electric Co. - Overview Exhibit 114: General Electric Co. - Business segments Exhibit 115: General Electric Co. - Key news Exhibit 116: General Electric Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 117: General Electric Co. - Segment focus 10.9 International Business Machines Corp. Exhibit 118: International Business Machines Corp. - Overview Exhibit 119: International Business Machines Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 120: International Business Machines Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 121: International Business Machines Corp. - Segment focus 10.10 Koninklijke Philips NV Exhibit 122: Koninklijke Philips NV - Overview Exhibit 123: Koninklijke Philips NV - Business segments Exhibit 124: Koninklijke Philips NV - Key news Exhibit 125: Koninklijke Philips NV - Key offerings Exhibit 126: Koninklijke Philips NV - Segment focus 10.11 McAfee Corp. Exhibit 127: McAfee Corp. - Overview Exhibit 128: McAfee Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 129: McAfee Corp. - Key offerings 10.12 Palo Alto Networks Inc. Exhibit 130: Palo Alto Networks Inc. - Overview Exhibit 131: Palo Alto Networks Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 132: Palo Alto Networks Inc. - Key news Exhibit 133: Palo Alto Networks Inc. - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 134: Inclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 135: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 136: Research methodology Exhibit 137: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 138: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 139: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mediko, Inc. ("Mediko") is providing notice of an event experienced by CorrectCare, a third-party medical claims administrator used by Mediko for claims processing, that may affect the privacy of information related to incarcerated individuals who received medical care through Mediko between January 1, 2012 and July 7, 2022. To date, neither Mediko nor CorrectCare have any evidence of actual or attempted misuse of information as a result of this incident. In an abundance of caution, Mediko is notifying potentially impacted individuals so that they may take additional steps to better protect their personal information, should they feel it is appropriate to do so. This notice provides details of the incident and steps those who may be impacted can take to protect against possible misuse of their information. What Happened? On July 6, 2022, CorrectCare discovered that two file directories on its web server had been inadvertently exposed to the public internet. The CorrectCare team quickly remediated the Incident and secured the file directories within nine hours. Correct Care also promptly engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm to conduct an investigation to analyze the nature and scope of the Incident, and to determine whether any patient information may have been exposed. CorrectCare determined patient information contained in these file directories may have been exposed as early as January 22, 2022, and thereby subject to unauthorized access. CorrectCare first notified Mediko of this Incident on September 1, 2022 and provided more information as it became available. What Information Was Involved? Although they have no evidence that any personal information was actually accessed, viewed or acquired without permission, Mediko and CorrectCare are providing notification of the incident out of an abundance of caution. The patient information affected included name, date of birth, and limited health information, such as a diagnosis code and/or CPT code, treatment provider, and dates of treatment, and may have included Social Security numbers. Please note that the patient information stored in the file directories did not include driver's license numbers, financial account information, or debit or credit card information. What Are CorrectCare and Mediko Doing? Upon learning of this incident, CorrectCare promptly began an investigation with the assistance of third-party cyber security specialists to confirm the nature and scope of this incident. They also have taken and will continue to take steps to prevent a similar occurrence. Correct Care has been working with outside cyber security specialists and has implemented specific steps to safeguard against future exposure of PHI and PII. CorrectCare is mailing notice letters to the impacted individuals associated with Mediko for whom they have a current mailing address. Mediko is notifying the appropriate state and federal regulators. What You Can Do. Mediko encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review account statements, and explanation of benefits forms, and to monitor free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Under U.S. law individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Individuals may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of their credit report, place a fraud alert, or a security freeze. Contact information for the credit bureaus is below. Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below. As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a "credit freeze" on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer's express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you may need to provide the following information: Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.); Social Security number; Date of birth; Addresses for the prior two to five years; Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill; A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.); and A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft. Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below: Equifax Experian TransUnion https://www.equifax.com/personal/ credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/ help/ https://www.transunion.com/ credit-help 888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 833-395-6938 Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094 You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov ; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov. For More Information. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our dedicated assistance line at (844) 700-1314, toll-free Monday through Friday from 8 am 10 pm Central, or Saturday and Sunday from 10 am 7 pm Central (excluding major U.S. holidays). SOURCE Mediko, Inc. NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuberger Berman High Yield Strategies Fund Inc. (NYSE American: NHS) (the "Fund") has announced a distribution declaration of $0.0905 per share of common stock. The distribution announced today is payable on November 30, 2022, has a record date of November 15, 2022 and has an ex-date of November 14, 2022. Under its level distribution policy, the Fund anticipates that it will make regular monthly distributions, subject to market conditions, of $0.0905 per share of common stock, unless further action is taken to determine another amount. The Fund's ability to maintain its current distribution rate will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and stability of income received from its investments, the cost of leverage and the level of other Fund fees and expenses. There is no assurance that the Fund will always be able to pay a distribution of any particular amount or that a distribution will consist only of net investment income. Due to an effort to maintain a stable distribution amount, the distribution announced today, as well as future distributions, may consist of net investment income, net realized capital gains and return of capital. In compliance with Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, a notice would be provided for any distribution that does not consist solely of net investment income. The notice would be for informational purposes and not for tax reporting purposes, and would disclose, among other things, estimated portions of the distribution, if any, consisting of net investment income, capital gains and return of capital. The final determination of the source and tax characteristics of all distributions paid in 2022 will be made after the end of the year. About Neuberger Berman Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategiesincluding equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate and hedge fundson behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. With offices in 26 countries, Neuberger Berman's diverse team has over 2,600 professionals. For eight consecutive years, the company has been named first or second in Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). Neuberger Berman is a PRI Leader, a designation, since last assessed, that was awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. In the 2021 PRI Assessment, the firm obtained the highest possible scoring for its overarching approach to ESG investment and stewardship, and integration across asset classes. The firm manages $408 billion in client assets as of September 30, 2022. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com. Statements made in this release that look forward in time involve risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the adverse effect from a decline in the securities markets or a decline in the Fund's performance, a general downturn in the economy, competition from other closed end investment companies, changes in government policy or regulation, inability of the Fund's investment adviser to attract or retain key employees, inability of the Fund to implement its investment strategy, inability of the Fund to manage rapid expansion and unforeseen costs and other effects related to legal proceedings or investigations of governmental and self-regulatory organizations. Contact: Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC Investor Information (877) 461-1899 SOURCE Neuberger Berman NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuberger Berman MLP and Energy Income Fund Inc. (NYSE American: NML) (the "Fund") has announced a distribution declaration of $0.02266 per share of common stock. The distribution announced today is payable on November 30, 2022, has a record date of November 15, 2022 and has an ex-date of November 14, 2022. The Fund currently intends to make regular monthly cash distributions to holders of its common stock at a fixed rate per share, to be determined based on the projected net rate of return of the Fund's investments as well as other factors, subject to ongoing review and adjustment from time to time. The Fund currently intends to pay its regular monthly distributions out of its distributable cash flow, which generally consists of (1) cash and paid-in-kind distributions from master limited partnerships ("MLPs") or their affiliates, dividends from common stocks, interest from debt instruments and income from other investments held by the Fund less (2) current or accrued operating expenses, including leverage costs, if any, and taxes on its taxable income. The Fund expects that a portion of its distributions to stockholders will constitute a non-taxable return of capital. A "return of capital" is a distribution by the Fund which represents a return of a common stockholder's original investment, and should not be confused with a dividend. To the extent the Fund pays a return of capital, a common stockholder's basis in Fund shares will be reduced, which will increase a capital gain or reduce a capital loss upon sale of those shares. There is no assurance that the Fund will always be able to pay a distribution of any particular amount, or that a distribution will consist solely of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits. In compliance with Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, a notice would be provided for any distribution that does not consist solely of net investment income. The notice would be for informational purposes and not for tax reporting purposes, and would disclose, among other things, estimated portions of the distribution, if any, consisting of net investment income, capital gains and return of capital. The final determination of the source and tax characteristics of all distributions paid in 2022 will be made after the end of the year. The Fund is subject to federal income tax on its taxable income, unlike most investment companies. Any taxes paid by the Fund will reduce the amount available to pay distributions to stockholders, and therefore investors in the Fund will likely receive lower distributions than if they invested directly in MLPs. About Neuberger Berman Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategiesincluding equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate and hedge fundson behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. With offices in 26 countries, Neuberger Berman's diverse team has over 2,600 professionals. For eight consecutive years, the company has been named first or second in Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). Neuberger Berman is a PRI Leader, a designation, since last assessed, that was awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. In the 2021 PRI Assessment, the firm obtained the highest possible scoring for its overarching approach to ESG investment and stewardship, and integration across asset classes. The firm manages $408 billion in client assets as of September 30, 2022. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com. Statements made in this release that look forward in time involve risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the adverse effect from a decline in the securities markets or a decline in the Fund's performance, a general downturn in the economy, competition from other closed end investment companies, changes in government policy or regulation, inability of the Fund's investment adviser to attract or retain key employees, inability of the Fund to implement its investment strategy, inability of the Fund to manage rapid expansion and unforeseen costs and other effects related to legal proceedings or investigations of governmental and self-regulatory organizations. Contact: Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC Investor Information (877) 461-1899 SOURCE Neuberger Berman NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. (NYSE American: NRO) (the "Fund") has announced a distribution declaration of $0.0312 per share of common stock. The distribution announced today is payable on November 30, 2022, has a record date of November 15, 2022 and has an ex-date of November 14, 2022. Under its level distribution policy, the Fund anticipates that it will make regular monthly distributions, subject to market conditions, of $0.0312 per share of common stock, unless further action is taken to determine another amount. There is no assurance that the Fund will always be able to pay a distribution of any particular amount, or that a distribution will consist of only net investment income. The Fund's ability to maintain its current distribution rate will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and stability of income received from its investments, availability of capital gains, the amount of leverage employed by the Fund, the cost of leverage and the level of other Fund fees and expenses. The distribution announced today, as well as future distributions, may consist of net investment income, net realized capital gains and return of capital. In compliance with Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, a notice would be provided for any distribution that does not consist solely of net investment income. The notice would be for informational purposes and not for tax reporting purposes, and would disclose, among other things, estimated portions of the distribution, if any, consisting of net investment income, capital gains and return of capital. The final determination of the source and tax characteristics of all distributions paid in 2022 will be made after the end of the year. About Neuberger Berman Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategiesincluding equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate and hedge fundson behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. With offices in 26 countries, Neuberger Berman's diverse team has over 2,600 professionals. For eight consecutive years, the company has been named first or second in Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). Neuberger Berman is a PRI Leader, a designation, since last assessed, that was awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. In the 2021 PRI Assessment, the firm obtained the highest possible scoring for its overarching approach to ESG investment and stewardship, and integration across asset classes. The firm manages $408 billion in client assets as of September 30, 2022. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com. Statements made in this release that look forward in time involve risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the adverse effect from a decline in the securities markets or a decline in the Fund's performance, a general downturn in the economy, competition from other closed end investment companies, changes in government policy or regulation, inability of the Fund's investment adviser to attract or retain key employees, inability of the Fund to implement its investment strategy, inability of the Fund to manage rapid expansion and unforeseen costs and other effects related to legal proceedings or investigations of governmental and self-regulatory organizations. Contact: Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC Investor Information (877) 461-1899 SOURCE Neuberger Berman The Binding Site has grown significantly under Nordic Capital's and Five Arrows' ownership, creating an industry leader in oncology testing for detection and monitoring of Multiple Myeloma STOCKHOLM, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordic Capital and Five Arrows have entered into a definitive agreement to sell The Binding Site, a global leader in specialty diagnostics, to Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science. The transaction is valued at GBP 2.25 billion. Since the acquisition of The Binding Site in 2011, the business has made an impressive transformation from a founder-led research-based organisation to a leader in delivering innovative medical solutions that improve the detection, diagnosis and management of blood cancers and immune system disorders. The transformation has been achieved by significant investments into its technology, growth and with a dedicated focus on R&D to support research and drive improved clinical outcomes. Since 2011, The Binding Site has grown fivefold with revenues amounted to approximately GBP 200 mn in 2022 and more than 40 million tests sold on a global scale. The Binding Site's Freelite offering is widely recommended for Multiple Myeloma diagnosis and monitoring across multiple stages of the disease by many major clinical diagnosis and treatment guideline publications. By joining Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, The Binding Site will be even better positioned to accelerate scientific discovery and expand its product offering. "We are proud to have partnered with The Binding Site. Their cutting-edge technology and innovative specialty diagnostic solutions improve millions of patient lives globally. During Nordic Capital's ownership the company has experienced strong growth and transformation, achieved by a dedicated focus on R&D investment, commercial focus and global expansion. We are grateful to The Binding Site team, for their dedication and for building strong scientific foundations which support the changing needs of patients and clinicians. This transaction marks the culmination of a very successful partnership, a successful outcome for Nordic Capital's investors and the start of an exciting next phase for the Binding Site," says Dr Raj Shah, Partner and Head of Healthcare, Nordic Capital Advisors and Jonas Agnblad, Partner, Nordic Capital Advisors and Board Member, The Binding Site. "The Binding Site has always been a pioneer in the field of protein diagnostics, which has helped create an exceptional following with key opinion leaders in cancer treatment and strong customer loyalty. It has been a great privilege for us to work with Stefan and his management team and we have every confidence that The Binding Site will continue to thrive under the ownership of Thermo Fisher Scientific," says Javed Khan, Managing Partner of Five Arrows. "We have enjoyed and benefitted greatly from our long-standing partnership with Nordic Capital and Five Arrows and their sustained active support over the years to help us to realise our vision and deliver for our customers and patients. Their supportive approach to investments in R&D, coupled with deep insights and expertise in healthcare has resulted in a consistent long-strategy focused on growth. This transaction marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for The Binding Site," says Stefan Wolf, CEO, The Binding Site. Nordic Capital has been the majority owner of The Binding Site since 2011 when it completed the acquisition together with Five Arrows. The transaction, which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023, is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Media contact: Nordic Capital Katarina Janerud, Communications Manager Nordic Capital Advisors Tel: +46 8 440 50 50 e-mail: [email protected] "Nordic Capital" refers to, depending on the context, any, or all, Nordic Capital branded entities, vehicles, structures and associated entities. The general partners and/or delegated portfolio managers of Nordic Capital's entities and vehicles are advised by several non-discretionary sub-advisory entities, any or all of which are referred to as "Nordic Capital Advisors" About Nordic Capital Nordic Capital is a leading private equity investor with a resolute commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Nordic Capital focuses on selected regions and sectors where it has deep experience and a long history. Focus sectors are Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, and selectively, Industrial & Business Services. Key regions are Europe and globally for Healthcare and Technology & Payments investments. Since inception in 1989, Nordic Capital has invested close to EUR 22 billion in 130 investments. The committed capital is principally provided by international institutional investors such as pension funds. Nordic Capital Advisors have local offices in Sweden, the UK, the US, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway and South Korea. For further information about Nordic Capital, please visit www.nordiccapital.com About Five Arrows Five Arrows is the alternative assets arm of Rothschild & Co and has 22 billion of AuM with offices in Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Luxembourg. With over 8 billion of assets under management, the corporate private equity business of Five Arrows is focused on investing in companies with highly defensible market positions; strong management teams; business models with high visibility of organic unit volume growth and strong unit economics; and multiple operational levers that can be used to unlock latent value. Sectors are limited to data and software, technology-enabled business services and healthcare. https://www.rothschildandco.com/en/merchant-banking/corporate-private-equity/ About The Binding Site The Binding Site is a global specialist protein diagnostics company engaged in the research, development, manufacture and distribution of innovative tests used for the detection of cancers and immune disorders. It is a business centered on the idea of working in collaboration with its partners and customers to lead the way in specialised medical diagnostics. The Company is headquartered in Birmingham, UK and has a direct presence in over 23 countries, employing over 1,100 people worldwide. Read more on www.bindingsite.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/2166/3658531/1646353.pdf Nordic Capital to sell TBS_ vF https://news.cision.com/nordic-capital/i/lab-aerial-view-2,c3108329 lab aerial view 2 https://news.cision.com/nordic-capital/i/raj-shah-5337-srgb,c3108330 Raj Shah 5337 srgb https://news.cision.com/nordic-capital/i/jonas-agnblad-7895-srgb,c3108331 Jonas Agnblad 7895 srgb https://news.cision.com/nordic-capital/i/binding-site-17022022-042,c3108332 Binding Site-17022022-042 https://news.cision.com/nordic-capital/i/stefan-wolf-2,c3108333 Stefan Wolf 2 https://news.cision.com/nordic-capital/i/binding-site-17022022-058-min,c3108334 Binding Site-17022022-058-min SOURCE NORDIC CAPITAL Eric Presbrey, 20-year industry veteran, joins PebblePost to accelerate company's next stage of growth NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PebblePost, the leading marketing technology platform for the Programmatic Direct Mail channel, today announced the appointment of Eric Presbrey as the company's Chief Revenue Officer. He will oversee sales and marketing, and be responsible for commercial strategy, growth, and partnerships for the company. With over two decades of experience building go-to-market strategies and teams that deliver significant outcomes for the largest brands in the world, Presbrey brings expertise at accelerating revenue for high-performance global marketing and software companies. "Eric is joining PebblePost at a pivotal time. More than ever, leading brands are looking for effective ways to engage consumers and drive results with high impact, data-driven marketing solutions like Programmatic Direct Mail," said Jacob Ross, CEO of PebblePost. "Eric's phenomenal track record of driving growth at scale for both the brands he works with, and the companies he works within, make him ideal for this role." Presbrey comes to PebblePost from Centrical, where he served as Global Chief Revenue Officer, providing employee performance SaaS technologies for large brands like LG, PayPal, Microsoft, and CocaCola. Prior to Centrical, he was President of ZetaGlobal, a publicly traded audience activation company specializing in defining custom audiences for brands like Progressive and AmEx. Before joining ZetaGlobal, Presbrey was part of the Epsilon leadership team that oversaw 10X growth through data-driven marketing solutions in digital marketing, CRM, loyalty, and media with enterprise brands like Marriott, Macy's, Dell, Yahoo, Wells Fargo. "PebblePost represents the convergence of cookieless audiences, innovative digital marketing strategies, and high-performance outcomes for large brands who want to reach their ideal customers with relevant messaging regardless of whether or not they have a screen in front of them," said Presbrey. "The future of marketing hinges on the ability to seamlessly blend digital and physical experiences and Programmatic Direct Mail does that better than any other channel. PebblePost brings the best of performance-driven marketing, decisioning, and measurement into the real world and I'm excited to be a part of it." To learn more about PebblePost, visit www.pebblepost.com About PebblePost PebblePost is the leading marketing technology platform for the Programmatic Direct Mail channel, helping hundreds of brands power profitable growth by engaging people at home with timely, relevant marketing mail that's fueled by online intent, streamlined for speed, and optimized for performance. By connecting their first-party data to the PebblePost Graph, marketers unlock advanced targeting and optimization features on the PebblePost Platform that make "home" an integral part of their omnichannel strategy, delivering unparalleled performance throughout the customer lifecycle. Learn more at www.pebblepost.com Media: Nick Dujnic [email protected] SOURCE PebblePost The reports have been updated with the most recent Ukraine-Russia War impact on market growth for all 27+ industries. The reports also provide possible solutions and opportunities for surviving this crisis. LONDON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Among the carbon footprint management market trends blockchain technology is gaining traction. Service providers in the carbon footprint management market are increasingly using blockchain technology to improve carbon traceability. Blockchain technology helps to track and analyze energy consumption data in real-time. In March 2022, VeChain Foundation, a blockchain technology provider, announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a US-based provider of cloud-computing services, to support the VeCarbon platform. The platform will merge blockchain with a carbon-neutral digital infrastructure and help companies to manage their carbon footprint and emission targets. The global carbon footprint management market size is expected to grow from $7.76 billion in 2020 to $8.63 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3%. The Russia-Ukraine war disrupted the chances of global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in the short term. The war between these two countries has led to economic sanctions on multiple countries, surge in commodity prices, and supply chain disruptions, effecting many markets across the globe. The carbon footprint management market share is expected to reach $11.50 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 7.4%. Request a free sample of the Carbon Footprint Management Market Report Data Security Concerns Inhibit Carbon Footprint Management Market Growth The implementation of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26 is expected to drive the carbon footprint management market. To accelerate adoption, 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide must be removed from the atmosphere by 2050. According to the World Energy Outlook-2021 which was published in mid-October 2021, more than 120 countries announced new targets for emissions reductions by 2030, and governments representing about 70% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions had pledged to bring those emissions to net zero by 2050. Carbon Footprint Management Market Trends- Increasing Acceptance Of Telemedicine IBM Corporation was the largest competitor in the carbon footprint management market in 2021, with a 14.39% share of the market. IBM Corporation strategy is focused on launching new technologies to help businesses address sustainability objectives and climate risk. For instance, in October 2021, IBM announced a suite of environmental intelligence software that leverages AI to help organizations prepare for and respond to weather and climate risks that may disrupt business, more easily assess their own impact on the planet, and reduce the complexity of regulatory compliance and reporting. Carbon Footprint Management Market Players Major players in the carbon footprint management market are Accuvio, Carbon EMS, Enviance, EnergyCAP LLC, ENGIE Impact, Envirosoft Corporation, Intelex Technologies Inc., IsoMetrix Software, Locus Technologies, NativeEnergy Inc., SAP SE, Johnson Controls, Accenture PLC, IBM Corporation, Schneider Electric S.E., Natural Capital Partners, VelocityEHS, and Carbon Trust. See more on the Carbon Footprint Management Market Report Check out similar market reports: Carbon Capture, Utilization, And Storage Market 2022 By Technology (Pre Combustion, Post Combustion, Oxy Fuel Combustion), By Services (Capture, Transportation, Utilization, Storage), By End-Use Industry (Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Iron And Steel, Chemical And Petrochemical, Cement, Other End-Use Industries), And By Region, Opportunities And Strategies Global Forecast To 2031 Environment Management, Compliance And Due Diligence Global Market Report 2022 - By Service Type (Environment Management Services, Environment Compliance Services, Environment Due Diligence Services), By End-Users (Mining, Manufacturing And Process Industries, Energy And Utilities, Government And Regulators, Infrastructure And Development), By Applications Can Be Divided Into (Government, Utilities) - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022 - 2026 Environmental Consulting Services Global Market Report 2022 - By Type (Site Remediation Consulting Services, Other Environmental Consulting Services, Water And Waste Management Consulting Services, Environment Management, Compliance And Due Diligence), By End Users (Mining, Manufacturing & Process Industries, Energy & Utilities, Government & Regulators, Infrastructure & Development, Others), By Service Provider (Large Enterprise, Small And Medium Enterprise) - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022 - 2026 Interested to know more about The Business Research Company? The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm that excels in company, market, and consumer research. Located globally, it has strategy enablement specialists in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology. The World's Most Comprehensive Database The Business Research Company's flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps. Contact Information The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 8897263534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBusinessResearchCompany YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: http://blog.tbrc.info/ Healthcare Blog: https://healthcareresearchreports.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1751581/tbrc_logo.jpg SOURCE The Business Research Company Premium Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is Clinically Studied, Fully Traceable and Clean Label MORRISTOWN, N.J., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PLT Health Solutions, Inc. announced that it has received non-GMO verification from the Non-GMO Project company for its menatto Vitamin K2 (MK-7) ingredient. The verification covers raw materials, manufacturing processes and logistics. Introduced in the US market by PLT in March of 2022, menatto brand of Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is manufactured by edible oils producer J-Oil Mills (Tokyo, Japan). menatto was developed in 1997, featuring the world's first fermentation technology to manufacture vitamin K2 from the traditional Japanese food natto. Since then, the ingredient has been the subject of ten human clinical trials covering bioavailability, bone health and cardiovascular health. PLT Health Solutions, Inc. announced that it has received non-GMO verification from the Non-GMO Project company for its menatto brand Vitamin K2 (MK-7) ingredient. The verification covers raw materials, manufacturing processes and logistics. Introduced in the US market by PLT in March of 2022, menatto brand of Vitamin K2 (MK-7) is manufactured by edible oils producer J-Oil Mills (Tokyo, Japan). According to Sid Hulse, Vice President of Product Development for PLT Health Solutions, the move to non-GMO verification for this Vitamin K ingredient is part of the overall effort to build the ideal ingredient and build trust with consumers. "menatto is the world's premier source of Vitamin K2 - from the sustainable, clean-label manner in which it is produced, to the unparalleled clinical support package that allows us to explain its benefits and build trust with consumers," he said. According to Sid Hulse, Vice President of Product Development for PLT Health Solutions, the move to non-GMO verification for this Vitamin K ingredient is part of the overall effort to build the ideal ingredient and build trust with consumers. "menatto is the world's premier source of Vitamin K2 from the sustainable, clean-label manner in which it is produced, to the unparalleled clinical support package that allows us to explain its benefits and build trust with consumers," he said. "Our non-GMO verification with the Non-GMO Project helps to underscore the clean label nature of this ingredient," he added. A premium quality ingredient menatto Vitamin K2 is menaquinone-7 (MK-7) is made via a natural fermentation process using a bacterial strain of Bacillus subtilis isolated from the traditional fermented Japanese food natto. Soy protein in the fermentation substrate has been removed in the process of refining Vitamin K2 oil, and it is therefore exempt from soy allergen declaration on the label. Vitamin K2 manufactured by J-Oil Mills using their proprietary process has been the subject of ten human clinical studies. A Vitamin K2 that has been the subject of ten human clinical studies. Vitamin K2 manufactured by J-Oil Mills using their proprietary process has been the subject of ten human clinical studies. Gold standard studies on Vitamin K2 made by J-Oil Mills include: A 3-year, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of post-menopausal women found that supplementing with low-dose J-Oil Mills Vitamin K2 helped bind calcium to bones, supporting healthy bone mineral density.* This ingredient significantly improved vitamin K status compared to placebo and helped support bone mineral density (BMD) and bone strength.* (Knapen et al, 2013) A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of pre-pubescent children found that J-Oil Mills vitamin K2 effectively raised blood levels of vitamin K2 compared to placebo and helped ensure the proper level of carboxylated osteocalcin, a protein that regulates healthy bone formation.* (van Summeren et al, 2009) A 3-year, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of healthy post-menopausal women found that three years of supplementation with J-Oil Mills Vitamin K2 supported healthy blood vessel elasticity by helping maintain the right type of matrix Gla protein in the blood vessel wall.* This action may support healthy blood flow, contributing to cardiovascular health.* (Knapen et al, 2015) According to Hikaru Asari, Food & Fine Materials Business Unit Executive Expert, at J-Oil Mills, PLT was instrumental in facilitating non-GMO verification by the Non-GMO Project. "PLT Health Solutions has a broad range of marketing, scientific, sales and regulatory capabilities that help their partners achieve success in the North American market. Their team, led by Sid Hulse, was instrumental in helping us achieve Non-GMO Project verification," Mr. Asari said. About PLT Health Solutions Headquartered in Morristown, NJ, USA, PLT Health Solutions is a trusted discoverer, developer, and marketer of high-quality, scientifically supported ingredients that enhance health and functionality. As a leading ingredients innovator, PLT's global network of strategic partnerships provides unique access to impactful solutions. PLT Health Solutions is a purpose-driven company passionate about helping people live healthier, happier lives. By delivering an unsurpassed mix of expertise, resources, and service, PLT is committed to helping its strategic partners and valued customers grow. Media Contact: Company Contact: Mark Falconer Steve Fink Sciencewerks PLT Health Solutions, Inc. Voice: 407-412-9705 Voice: 973-984-0900 x214 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE PLT Health Solutions PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PREIT (NYSE: PEI), a leading real estate investment trust focused on creating thoughtful, community-centric properties, today announced the opening of its shareholder Q&A platform for its upcoming third quarter earnings call on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 11:00 am EDT. PREIT believes in the value of transparency with stakeholders. In order to expand engagement with shareholders, PREIT has partnered with Say Technologies, LLC, a Robinhood Markets company, that has built an innovative communication platform to make it easier for investors to exercise their ownership rights. Beginning tomorrow, November 1, 2022 at 11:00 am EDT, retail and institutional shareholders will be able to submit and upvote questions to management. To submit questions ahead of the earnings call, qualified investors can submit questions by visiting this link. The Q&A platform will remain open until November 7, 2022 at 8:00 pm EDT. The live webcast of the Q3 2022 earnings call will be available on PREIT's Investor Relations website at https://investors.preit.com/investors. Following the call, a replay of the call, as well as a transcript, will be available on the same website. About PREIT PREIT (NYSE:PEI) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns and manages innovative properties developed to be thoughtful, community-centric hubs. PREIT's robust portfolio of carefully curated, ever-evolving properties generates success for its tenants and meaningful impact for the communities it serves by keenly focusing on five core areas of established and emerging opportunity: multi-family & hotel, health & tech, retail, essentials & grocery and experiential. Located primarily in densely-populated regions, PREIT is a top operator of high quality, purposeful places that serve as one-stop destinations for customers to shop, dine, play and stay. Additional information is available at www.preit.com or on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "may" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans, strategies, anticipated events, trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future events and conditions and are based on currently available financial, economic and competitive data and our current business plans. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that may affect our operations, markets, services, prices and other factors as discussed in the Risk Factors section of our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While we believe our assumptions are reasonable, we caution you against relying on any forward-looking statements as it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and it is impossible for us to anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of strategies we may employ to address our liquidity and capital resources in the future, our ability to achieve our forecasted revenue and pro forma leverage ratio and generate free cash flow to further reduce our indebtedness; our ability to manage our business through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, a weakening of global economic and financial conditions, changes in governmental regulations and related compliance and litigation costs and the other factors listed in our SEC filings. Additionally, our business might be materially and adversely affected by changes in the retail and real estate industries, including bankruptcies, consolidation and store closings, particularly among anchor tenants; current economic conditions, including consumer confidence and spending levels and supply chain challenges and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health and governmental response as well as the corresponding effects on tenant business performance, prospects, solvency and leasing decisions; our inability to collect rent due to the bankruptcy or insolvency of tenants or otherwise; our ability to maintain and increase property occupancy, sales and rental rates; increases in operating costs that cannot be passed on to tenants; the effects of online shopping and other uses of technology on our retail tenants; risks related to our development and redevelopment activities, including delays, cost overruns and our inability to reach projected occupancy or rental rates; social unrest and acts of vandalism and violence at malls, including our properties, or at other similar spaces, and the potential effect on traffic and sales; the frequency, severity and impact of extreme weather events at or near our properties; our ability to sell properties that we seek to dispose of or our ability to obtain prices we seek; our substantial debt and the liquidation preference of our preferred shares and our high leverage ratio and our ability to remain in compliance with our financial covenants under our debt facilities; our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness when it matures, on favorable terms or at all; our ability to raise capital, including through sales of properties or interests in properties and through the issuance of equity or equity-related securities if market conditions are favorable; and potential dilution from any capital raising transactions or other equity issuances. Additional factors that might cause future events, achievements or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements include those discussed herein, and in the sections entitled "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. We do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Heather Crowell [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE PREIT SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- October is internationally designated as breast cancer awareness month, a time when the global community hosts events to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. Among these groups, Olight a global industry-leading illumination tools company, hosted a worldwide charity sale in October 2022, raising $158,523 to support breast cancer prevention and treatment. Olight flashlights for breast cancer awareness month campaigns Other than priding itself on providing trust-worthy illumination tools, Olight is also making the world brighter through its actions. Since 2008, Olight has donated over $2.38 million and 8,000 products worldwide in such areas as anti-pandemic support, natural disaster relief, educational aid, etc. When confronting the relentlessness of breast cancer, Olight has also been making its contributions by organizing charity sales that offer exclusive flashlights for each event since 2020. In 2020, Olight raised $192,902 from the charity sales of the i1R 2 Pink; in 2021, $167,205 from the sales of the i3T Pink Camouflage. All proceeds from these sale events have been donated to related local charities. In early 2022, Olight was honored with the 2022 Platinum Partner award from the breast cancer foundations (USA), which attests to Olight's tangible contribution to a better future for those affected by this disease. This year, albeit under the stress of a severe global economic downturn, Olight continued to dedicate itself to this worthy cause. Online fundraising events themed with "Raise Awareness, Raise Hope" were carried out in 15 countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Germany, Austria, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. Like their past events, an EDC flashlight the iXV pink, designed exclusively for the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in 2022 was available in the countries involved. Olight wrapped up this charity sale with $158,523 to be donated to relevant charities. "ILLUMINATE YOUR WORLD" is what Olight has upheld since its inception and leads Olight to give back to society in its own ways, to raise a light of hope for those in need. Meanwhile, in the course of doing charities, the incredible support from Olight's fans did not go unseen. Joined together through Olight, even a single effort can be huge when combined. About Olight: Founded in 2007, Olight is dedicated to offering high-quality illumination products, including EDC lights, outdoor lights, tactical lights, rail-mounted lights, ambient lights, headlamps, and more. SOURCE OLIGHT E-COMMERCE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD DALLAS, TX, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Royal House Partners ("RHP") a leading provider of residential and commercial HVAC, plumbing and electrical services in Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma welcomes the addition of SOS Mechanical based in Round Rock, Texas, to their family of businesses. RHP was founded in 2021 by CPS Capital, a Toronto-based investment firm, and 1801 Holdings, a Dallas-based group of seasoned home services professionals, who have spent a considerable amount of time developing a residential and light commercial HVAC, plumbing and electrical roll-up strategy. As a leadership team, we have been busy the last several months acquiring businesses in the Home Services space. The addition of SOS marks our fourth Texas investment in the last 12-months to further expand our HVAC footprint. SOS' HVAC team consists of experienced and licensed journeymen who have serviced their customers over the last 30+ years. Allison Hale, General Manager SOS, notes, "I am so excited to take the company my father Steve Osteen has built and usher SOS Mechanical to its next phase while he enjoys retirement. I know we have found the perfect partner with Royal House Partners." Paul Adams, Chief Growth Officer & Founder of RHP, notes "SOS, in particular Allison Hale, is a natural born leader for our expanded HVAC operations in Texas that brings energy to the platform." Darwin Tanksley, Regional Vice President Texas, notes, "Steve has built a wonderful organization that has an impeccable reputation. This acquisition allows Royal House to pick up a very strong local dealer who has proven to be a local staple." HVAC businesses interested in joining the RHP team should contact Paul Adams [email protected]artners.com For more information about RHP, visit https://www.royalhousepartners.com/home About CPS Capital: CPS Capital is a lower middle market private equity firm, based in Toronto, founded by owner-operators who look to partner with business owners to realize their growth and transition goals. CPS Capital is focused on North American opportunities to invest in exceptional businesses in growing industries with attractive characteristics. We look to become value-added partners with every business we work with. We bring significant capability, expertise, and capital to provide business owners with an attractive option compared to traditional financial or strategic buyers. For more information, please visit us at https://cpscapital.com/ SOURCE Royal House Partners Surgeon, neurosurgical center found negligent in medical malpractice lawsuit FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The trial lawyers of the Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey secured a unanimous $9,245,429 verdict on behalf of a 52-year-old patient left a paraplegic following a botched 2017 surgery. The jury in Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey's court heard testimony that the actions and negligence of surgeon Nikhil Patel, an employee of Bianco Brain and Spine, PLLC, led directly to the post-operative paralysis of Larry Jones. The patient underwent the procedure in an effort to ease chronic lower back pain. "Dr. Patel was warned several times by a monitoring physician during the surgery that Mr. Jones was showing signs of neurological distress," said Mr. Jones' attorney Seth McCloskey of the Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey. "Dr. Patel chose to ignore those warnings and his patient, a man who just wanted some relief from suffering, now has to learn to live with an irreversible outcome that was completely preventable." His injuries left Mr. Jones unable to provide financially for his family. The jury took into consideration the loss of future earning potential, extensive ongoing medical expenses, as well as mental and physical suffering as contributing factors for deciding on the multi-million-dollar verdict, according to Mr. McCloskey. "Nothing will undo what happened to our client, but this will at least provide financially for his family so that they can focus on Larry's ongoing care," said McCloskey. "In the end, this is a case based on accountability. Hopefully, it sends a message that surgeons can't gamble with people's lives." The case is Larry Jones and Shelly Jones vs. Bianco Brain and Spine, PLLC., and Dr. Nikhil Kanti Patel, cause number 348-312620-19, in the 348th District Court of Tarrant County, Texas. About The Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey The Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey is a Fort Worth, Texas, law firm whose lawyers and staff members are committed to finding justice in every case we handle. For more than 30 years, we have worked responsibly and diligently to represent individuals and families in personal injury cases where corporate and individual negligence have resulted in significant injuries and wrongful death. To learn more about the firm, visit http://texlawyers.com/ . Media Contact: Alyssa Woulfe 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey In partnership with Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Company Fund KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HERImpact is a national program powered by the Ford Motor Company Fund, the global philanthropic arm of the Ford Motor Company and 1863 Ventures since 2018, designed to help social entrepreneurs accelerate their businesses in order to increase their impact and long-term sustainability. The HERImpact Kansas City Entrepreneurship Summit is a free, public event taking place on Friday, November 11 from 10 AM to 5 PM at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Attracting diverse leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals from across the region, the summit provides an opportunity to connect with emerging founders and learn about the fundamentals of building a business and fundraising, among other workshop topics. Participants will leave with a better understanding of what it means to be a social entrepreneur and how to scale their operations. To attend, please register here . "Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the lifeblood of our communities," said Yisel Cabrera, senior manager of economic mobility at Ford Motor Company Fund. "But for too long, systemic barriers to financial resources and investments have prevented women, under-represented and under-resourced founders from starting and growing small businesses. Through our partnership with HERImpact, Ford Fund has the opportunity to expand the resources necessary to increase the amount of women owned businesses and women founders across Kansas City and beyond." The HERImpact Kansas City Entrepreneurship Summit is a day of empowerment replete with technical assistance, mentorship and business development resources to encourage creatives, startup and small business owners to accelerate and enrich their communities. Following the summit in November will be the HERImpact Kansas City Pitch Competition in early 2023, reserved for women social entrepreneurs to apply for various cash prizes. "Entrepreneurship is an increasingly viable pathway to build wealth," said Melissa Bradley, Founder and Managing Partner of 1863 Ventures. "New business applications have increased more over the last two years than they had in the past 15. In 2021, 11 percent of new business owners were Black, compared to just three percent in recent years. 49 percent were also women, but obstacles remain and men still outnumber women 3-1 when it comes to business ownership. An astounding 17 percent of Black women are in the process of starting or running new businesses. That's compared to just 10% of white women and 15% of white men. Latina women, moreover, are the fastest growing segment of business owners, having grown 87% since 2007." HERImpact Kansas City Entrepreneurship Summit November 11, 2022 10 AM - 5 PM University Missouri-Kansas City Bloch Executive Hall Room 218 5108 Cherry St, Kansas City, MO, 64110 About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services Ford Motor Company Fund is the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company. Established in 1949, Ford Fund invests in transformational programs that advance innovation, empower people, promote social mobility and improve community prosperity. Ford Fund works with local and global partners to create opportunities in education, encourage safe driving, enlist employee volunteers and enrich community life. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter . About 1863 Ventures 1863 Ventures is an independent, Black-led national business development nonprofit and venture capital accelerator for New Majority founders (i.e., individuals who have been historically marginalized). The District of Columbia-based organization supports over 3,200 entrepreneurs across the United States, leveraging capital investments, owned curricula, grant support, and corporate partnerships to scale businesses from high potential to high growth. Learn more at 1863ventures.net . SOURCE 1863 Ventures BRYANSTON, Johannesburg, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trive South Africa has today announced it has begun onboarding clients. Based in Bryanston, Johannesburg, Trive South Africa is a new multi-asset investment firm, providing digitally advanced competitive offerings and products, bringing to clients a seamless trading experience. Trive South Africa offers a wide selection of diverse investment products to suit client's investment needs. The initial line up of core products comprises local and international cash equities, as well as South African and international derivatives, Tax Free Saving Accounts. Trive South Africa is an authorised Financial Service Provider under the FSCA, holding category 1 and 2 licences. Trive South Africa will have a significant presence in the South African DIY trading market, supporting retail investors with the management of their assets and portfolios, through its brokerage services. Cash equities and derivatives will be launched together under two separate logins, Trive Investor and Trive Trader. Trive South Africa's low fees and next generation technology can make the world of investment more accessible. Spearheading Trive South Africa is institutional and asset management veteran, Travis Robson. With 18 years of global financial services experience, Travis has held positions in multiple continents and has an established track record of ensuring businesses are best aligned to meet strategic, operational, and financial objectives. Travis Robson, Managing Director of Trive South Africa, said: "I am thrilled that we have now begun the process of onboarding clients. At Trive South Africa, we strive to offer great tech and even better customer service. Our customers enjoy tailor-made solutions and a dedicated customer support team to facilitate any queries. Attaining FSCA category 1 and 2 licences will put us in a position of trust among investors in a highly competitive market. We are a highly ambitious business looking to rapidly grow, supported by a strong group, but will always maintain our local identity and connection. We intend to establish Trive South Africa as a strong competitor to the existing brokers operating in the South African market. We offer, local customer service support and straightforward next generation technology giving our clients access to a wide range of products, providing quality research and transparency to our digital savvy clients." About Trive South Africa Trive South Africa (PTY) Ltd is South African based multi-asset investment broker, FSCA authorised Financial Service Provider (FSP No. 27231), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Trive Investment B.V. The company provides a cutting-edge intuitive platform to maximize its clients' investment experience with agile customer support, fast executions, quick deposit, and withdrawal. Dynamic and innovative, Trive South Africa exists to empower progression. At Trive, we take the complex and deliver it simply. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1846341/Trive_Logo.jpg SOURCE Trive NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VGMobility and Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (Natixis CIB) announced the closing of US$95.5 million senior facility to finance three separate green mobility concessions fully owned by VGMobility for the supply of clean transportation and clean charging solutions within the TransMilenio transit system in Bogota, Colombia. The concessions called for the delivery of 406 electric buses to replace TransMilenio's aging zonal fleet, where more than ~25% of the fleet was more than ~18 years old, as well as the installation of a state-of-the-art electrical bus charging patio. "We are thrilled to have achieved this closing in the current market environment, which proves that e-mobility projects remain attractive in a context of high volatility," said Jean-Francois Joachim, VGMobility's Chief Financial Officer. "With this financing and thanks to Natixis' thorough understanding of Transmilenio and our operations, we were able to put together a solution that enables incumbent operators to accelerate their mandatory fleet renewals with e-buses, institutional investors and commercial lenders to consolidate their understanding of the asset class and Bogota to consolidate its position as an example for other cities in the successful implementation of sustainable transportation at scale." Owned and developed by Vitol Investment Partnership II Limited, VGMobility aims to invest in the green transportation sector across Latin America, focusing on the deployment of electrical fleets and infrastructure solutions in various metropolises. Natixis CIB acted as Sole Structuring Bank, Sole Underwriter, Sole Hedging Bank and Administrative Agent for the financing. The senior debt was structured as a mini perm facility divided into three tranches, cross-collateralized and combined with a cross-currency hedge designed to isolate the lenders from FX volatility risk and align the currency under the liabilities with the revenue stream. The transaction marks Natixis CIB's third financing of TransMilenio-backed concessions in just over 12 months, following the placement of 2 separate USPPs for Grupo Express and Grupo Masivo companies in the summer and fall of 2021. "We are delighted to support VGMobility in the development and consolidation of its green mobility platform and, once again, Transmilenio in the renewal and modernization of the capital district's fleet," said Gregoire Moriani, Executive Director, Natixis CIB Infrastructure and Energy Finance Americas. "Dedicated to providing innovative financial solutions, we are strongly committed to energy transition within the critical sector of transportation in the Latin American region. We believe that this financing will increase these lines' efficiency, reliability, sustainability, and comfort, and are proud to witness the impact that VGMobility, our partner in this opportunity, has had on the community in which it operates." With more than 4 million passengers per day, the renewal and modernization of the TransMilenio fleet will provide economic, social, and environmental sustainability benefits all the while improving air quality in the district of Bogota. These 406 new electric buses further cement Bogota's position atop the Latin American rankings, with close to 1,500 electric buses in circulation, and have made it the city with the largest electric bus network in the world outside China, consolidating Colombia's position as a leader on electrification in Latin America. About VGMobility VGMobility is an e-mobility platform aiming at developing and investing in large scale e-mobility projects, which include the optimal dimensioning, design, implementation, acquisition and management of the full solution to allow the a sustainable rollout of e-mobility in the Americas. About Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking is a leading global financial institution that provides advisory, investment banking, financing, corporate banking and capital markets services to corporations, financial institutions, financial sponsors and sovereign and supranational organizations worldwide. Our teams of experts in 30 countries advise clients on their strategic development, helping them to grow and transform their businesses, and maximize their positive impact. We are committed to supporting the environmental transition by aligning our financing balance sheet with a +1.5C trajectory by 2050. As part of the Global Financial Services division of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne retail networks, Natixis CIB benefits from the Group's financial strength and solid financial ratings (Standard & Poor's: A, Moody's: A1, Fitch: A+, R&I: A+). Natixis CIB Press contact: Tara Flanagan, Prosek Partners [email protected] Tel: +1 646 818 9022 cib.natixis.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/natixis-corporate-investment-banking/ https://www.youtube.com/user/natixisvideos https://podcast.ausha.co/green-momentum Our information is certified with blockchain technology. Check that this press release is genuine at www.wiztrust.com. SOURCE Natixis 43% larger footprint will focus on complex interventional devices and offer customers additional capacity FOXBOROUGH, Mass., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Viant announced today that for the second consecutive year, it has begun a major expansion of its medical device manufacturing facility in Heredia, Costa Rica. The expansion will primarily support complex interventional and other minimally invasive devices. The site will grow from four buildings to seven, with a 43% increase in footprint for a total of more than 250,000 square feet. The company expects new manufacturing and warehouse buildings to be in use by November 2022 with an additional manufacturing building opening March 2023. For the second consecutive year, Viant has begun an expansion of its Costa Rica medical device manufacturing facility. Tweet this One of two new manufacturing buildings underway at Viant Costa Rica Viant's Costa Rica Facility Expansion Fast Facts Costa Rica Facility Expansion: Fast Facts 43% increase in total space to 257K square feet square feet 67% increase in cleanroom space to 92K square feet square feet 3 new buildings (2 manufacturing, 1 warehouse) for a total of 7 Expected to double revenue by 2024 According to Viant CEO Alton Shader, the expansion had been proactively planned to put Viant in a strong position to win new business, and the strategy has paid off with several major new programs. "We were confident that prospective customers who visited our Costa Rica site would see that Viant is an ideal partner for large, complex programs," Shader said. "We have the network of facilities, the capabilities, the experienced people, the customer-focused culture, and the capital to fuel growth." Revenue from the Costa Rica site is expected to double by 2024. Viant's Costa Rica facility will have additional capacity to support medical device manufacturers looking to outsource manufacturing, a growing trend. "Outsourcing allows medical device manufacturers to focus on the innovation that's core to their business while partnering with companies like Viant that specialize in manufacturing," Shader said. "In addition to our major facility investment, we offer deep engineering expertise, great talent, built-in speed, and the agility to make decisions quickly to support our customers' business." The expansion will also provide new employee amenities such as green space, modern cafeterias, and an open, collaborative work space. "Viant aims to be the premier medical device employer in Costa Rica," said Kevin Quiros, Viant's Costa Rica site director. "This expansion gives us the opportunity to create comfortable new spaces for associates to gather, share meals, collaborate and feel like a part of the Viant family." Competitively located in a free-trade zone, Viant's Costa Rica location is a high-performing site specializing in thermoplastic and elastomeric molding, extrusion and complex assembly for interventional, surgical and other medical devices and components. It excels in Lean Product Launches with Lean Production Preparation Process (3P), delivering speed to market, optimized cost and assured quality. About Viant Viant is a trusted global design and manufacturing services provider that partners and innovates with customers to provide the highest quality, life enhancing medical devices. We do this through our depth and breadth of capabilities, end-to-end integration, technical expertise, and relentless focus on customers and operational excellence. With nearly 6,000 associates across 25 locations worldwide, we offer a unique combination of small-company service and attention with big-company resources. Our customers count on us to help bring mission-critical projects to life. For more information, visit viantmedical.com or follow us on LinkedIn. SOURCE Viant BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it structured the sale and financing of Trails at Timberline, located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Class A, large-scale property includes 314 total units and an average unit size of 897 square feet. Walker & Dunlop's Dan Woodward, Dave Potarf, Matt Barnett, and Jake Young represented the seller. Mark Grace and Trevor Fase structured the debt financing on behalf of the buyer. Adjacent to the established neighborhood of Parkwood East, Trails at Timberline offers residents the feel of a quiet, residential neighborhood minutes from the excitement of greater Fort Collins. With easy access to Timberline Road and Drake Road, the property is minutes from Foothills Mall and within proximity to Colorado State University, home to 33,000 full-time students and 2,600 faculty members. "The Fort Collins submarket continues to exhibit strong fundamentals with an average submarket vacancy of 4.62%, a historic low," said Dan Woodward, Managing Director of Investment Sales at Walker & Dunlop. Walker & Dunlop is a leader in multifamily property sales, having completed $19.3 billion in property sales volume in 2021 alone, up 214% from 2020. The firm is also one of the top providers of capital to the U.S. multifamily market. In 2021, Walker & Dunlop originated $49 billion in debt financing volume, including lending over $42 billion for multifamily properties. To learn more about our capabilities and financing options, visit our website. About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is one of the largest providers of capital to the commercial real estate industry in the United States, enabling real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities where Americans live, work, shop and play to life. Our people, brand and technology make W&D one of the most insightful and customer-focused firms in our industry. With more than 1,400 employees across every major U.S. market, Walker & Dunlop has consistently been named one of Fortune's Great Places to Work and is committed to making the commercial real estate industry more inclusive and diverse while creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities. SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Warner Norcross + Judd LLP has been recognized as one of the "Upmarket Movers" in litigation by BTI Consulting Group. This selective award is based solely on client input and recognizes 55 firms of the more than 650 firms that compete for litigation work across the country. According to BTI, the selected firms are increasing their market position by consistently being ahead of the curve when handling new types of increasingly complex matters. Warner is the only Michigan-based law firm on the list. "Warner takes the time to know our clients' industries and understands the challenges they face from both a legal and an operational standpoint," said Amanda Fielder, a partner at Warner and chair of the firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group. "We like to meet complex challenges head-on with sound, actionable legal counsel personalized to achieve the desired results. We're proud to have earned this BTI recognition, especially since it's based on client input." Warner represents some of the nation's best-known companies across diverse industries at every level of state and federal courts. BTI has previously recognized Warner as a "Litigation Powerhouse" and as one of the nation's "Most Feared" litigation firms. The full BTI "Upmarket Movers" list can be found here. About Warner By providing discerning and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP builds a better partnership with our clients. An AmLaw 200 firm, we're one of Michigan's largest law firms focused on providing the best legal solutions and exceptional client service to organizations throughout the world. Connect with us on wnj.com , LinkedIn , Twitter or Facebook . SOURCE Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Practical approach to compliance to UFLPA OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - On 9 November 2022, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on compliance to the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Under UFLPA, US Customs and Border Protection can stop and hold your products if they believe the materials originated from Xinjiang province. To release your products from customs, you need to show due diligence that your products did not benefit from forced labour. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act is a United States federal law that changes U.S. policy on China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with the goal of ensuring that American entities are not funding forced labor among ethnic minorities in the region. Claigan's approach to due diligence is proactive and follows the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Operational Guidance for Importers. Claigan's process is a step wise approach to assessing the risk of each supplier and related due diligence requirements. From that risk assessment and due diligence, Claigan produces an evidence package for each supplier that can be provided to US Customs and Border Protection, or as reference to inquiring customers. As part of Claigan's webinar, Claigan will discuss the numerous gold refineries, identified during the conflict minerals due diligence work, that source from the Xinjiang province by reviewing publicly available evidence. The main topics to be covered in this webinar are - Basics of UFLPA Evidence and due diligence requirements Supplier risk levels High risk materials High risk and listed entities Gold refineries sourcing from the Xinjiang region Due to the interest in these topics, two (2) webinars will be held on November 9 to accommodate a larger audience. Webinars - UFLPA Date: 9 November 2022 Time: 10am and 2pm EST Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A To Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/198230278560462093 or on Claigan Website at www.claigan.com/webinars Register now or send an e-mail to [email protected]. For more information on Claigan Environmental's restricted materials services - see Claigan's services at www.claigan.com About Claigan Environmental (www.claigan.com) Claigan is the leading provider in conflict minerals smelter RCOI and due diligence. Claigan offers world-class services related to smelters sourcing from the DRC and surrounding countries to assist with annual conflict minerals reports and is a leader in identifying high-risk smelters before they become pervasive in the supply chain. Claigan has expanded this role into smelters sourcing from CAHRA's, Russia, and Xinjiang. At Claigan, we believe in 'More Results. Less Journey.' SOURCE Claigan Environmental Inc. WebPros hosting management solutions cPanel, Plesk, and WHMCS provide a comprehensive suite of solutions and broad capabilities to their ever-expanding partners and customers. In collaboration with their colleagues, these leaders will help reimagine WebPros to deliver at the highest level as the organization accelerates its digital transformation strategy through its next chapter of business evolution. "To best support our strategic vision, we've assembled a talented team focused on helping this organization achieve its growth ambitions. We are centered on enhancing the user experience and extending our product offerings while delivering world-class platforms and solutions to our partners and customers. Our ability to execute with speed and scale in all the markets we serve is what will set us apart," shared Christian Koch, CEO of WebPros. About Adam Knapp Adam is a seasoned engineering and product leader with over 20 years of experience in hosting and web technologies. He recently served as Vice President of Product and Engineering for the Partners Business at GoDaddy, managing a global team of 250. Over the last four years, Adam was responsible for transforming the GoDaddy culture to focus on experimentation and statistical evidence - using data to drive decision-making. His team championed the delivery of shared hosting, advanced hosting, and security products across GoDaddy's brand portfolio for the US and Europe. In addition to his engineering and leadership expertise, Adam holds eight technology patents and is a board member on the Industry Advisory Board of his Alma Mater, Arizona State University, where he works closely with the School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering (CIDSE) to support the mutual needs of business, industry, academia, development, and education. "I couldn't be more thrilled to join the WebPros family," shared Adam Knapp. "As a long-time happy customer of many of these products within the portfolio, I'm excited about taking this journey with the team to evolve WebPros into the world's #1 web enablement ecosystem." About Jorg Strotmann Jorg brings over 20 years of industry expertise to his new role as WebPros VP of Direct Marketing. He has been a senior manager for many years leading global product, marketing, innovation, and brand transformation for the world's leading hosting brands. Most recently, Jorg served as VP of Marketing for Plesk, SolusVM, and XOVI and successfully expanded the direct customer business with double-digit growth. He is now responsible for strategy and execution for online stores, inbound marketing programs, and performance marketing efforts for all WebPros products. His team will forecast and deliver on volume and revenue targets by engaging and optimizing our worldwide direct customer purchase experience. About Sean Melton Sean is a technology marketing and communications expert with over 15 years of experience in agency ecosystems, partner marketing, channel development, PR/influencer relations, digital and experiential marketing, and demand management in the B2B space. Sean previously served as the CMO of BubbleUp, an award-winning US-based agency delivering world-class marketing strategies, campaigns, websites, eCommerce stores, and custom applications. He led a diverse team of highly talented marketers responsible for creating and executing superior marketing strategies for many commercial brands, along with notable security and hosting-focused brands, including Sectigo, SiteLock, WHMCS, and HostGator. Melton will lead the marketing strategy and execution for all partner marketing, branding, and communications as Vice President of Partner Marketing at WebPros. About WebPros WebPros provides some of the most widely used web-based digitalization solutions. WebPros encompasses comprehensive hosting and server management platforms cPanel and Plesk, automation platform WHMCS, infrastructure management SolusVM, server monitoring platform 360 Monitoring, Koality performance software, web builder platform Sitejet, and SEO suite XOVI. Under the WebPros canopy, these independent companies are continually exploring synergies in pursuit of responding to the challenges of web professionals everywhere. For more information, visit www.webpros.com. SOURCE WebPros Ahmedabad, Oct 31 : In the memory of those who lost their lives in the Morbi bridge tragedy, political parties have either postponed or cancelled their political events. The Congress' 'Parivartan yatra' which will start on October 31 is now postponed to November 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to virtually address BJP's page committee members on November 1, this event stands to be cancelled, said Yagnesh Dave, BJP Media Coordinator. Congress' spokesman Manish Doshi in statement has informed that party's five Parivartan yatra that will start from different parts of the state on October 31, will now flag off on November 1. Till this report is filed, the death toll has reached 97, in which 12 persons are distant relatives of BJP MP from Rajkot, Mohan Kundariya. In this tragic incident, the Morbi district administration has rescued a few children whose nearest relatives are missing, and has released their photos in social media appealing those close or distant relatives to come forward to help children. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Jagdish Thakor paid condolences to those who lost their lives in the Morbi bridge collapse. He has questioned whether the fitness certificate was issued before the bridge was reopened for the public and has asked the state government to give an explanation to the people of Gujarat for the tragedy. Congress' National Spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil has alleged that the casualty is the result of BJP's corrupt practice, the bridge was reopened for the public before the elections to reap political benefit, in the tragedy innocent children, women and elderly have lost their lives. Kanpur, Oct 31 : Three people, including a minor, died in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur after inhaling toxic fumes, police said on Monday. They were removing the shuttering of an unused septic tank when the accident occurred. The incident took place on Sunday evening. The police added that the deceased were identified as Nandu, 18, his elder brother Mohit, 24, and their neighbour Sahil, 16, all residents of Chaubepur in Kanpur. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (West), Vijay Dhull said Nandu and Mohit used to undertake shuttering work of septic tanks and Sahil was their labourer. They had gone to the Bithoor area to remove the shuttering from an unused septic tank which was built a few months ago, he added. First, Sahil entered the tank and lost consciousness. Nandu and Mohit tried to rescue him but they also passed out, Dhull said. Firefighters broke open the tank to rescue the three, he added. The DCP said Nandu, Mohit and Sahil were rushed to the Lala Lajpat Rai hospital where doctors declared them dead. A case will be registered in the matter if the victims' families wish to file a complaint, Dhull said. United Nations, Oct 31 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has decided to alter his travel plans to focus his efforts on saving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said his spokesman. Russia on Saturday announced the suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative following an attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Xinhua news agency reported. The initial duration of the agreement is 120 days and expires on November 19. The parties had agreed that the deal could be extended automatically on the condition that no party objects. "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the ongoing situation regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative. He has decided to delay his departure for the Arab League (AL) summit in Algiers by a day to focus on the issue," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement on Sunday. Guterres continues to engage in intense contact to end the Russian suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The same engagement is also aimed at the renewal and full implementation of the initiative to facilitate exports of food and fertiliser from Ukraine and the removal of the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertiliser, the statement added. The UN chief was initially scheduled to leave on Monday for the AL summit. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Ramnagar : , Oct 31 (IANS) Police in Karnataka said on Monday that investigations into the suicide case of a Lingayat seer have revealed that vengeance and greed were the reasons behind honey trapping and torturing the victim. Basavalinga Sree had committed suicide on October 24 in the premises of the Kunchugal Bande Mutt in Ramnagar district. Kudur police who cracked the case and arrested three persons, including an engineering student, in connection have continued their probe and are likely to nab more persons. The arrested persons Mrutyunjaya Swamiji of Kannuru Mutt; Neelambike aka Chanda from Doddaballapur; and Mahadevaiah, an advocate from Tumakuru, have confessed to the crime and told the police that they had a deep hatred for the deceased seer and wanted to dethrone him. According to the police, Mrutyunjaya Swamiji was eying on the throne of the cash rich Kanchugal Bade Mutt which had a large following of devotees, owned more than 80 acres of land near Bengaluru, reserved funds and ran a number of education institutions. Mrutyunjaya Swamiji, a cousin of deceased seer, was dependent on Siddaganga Mutt of Tumakuru for funds to manage the show. But, the Siddaganga Mutt had distanced itself from the accused seer. Mrutynjaya Swamiji nursed a deep grudge against the deceased seer for complaining against him to the Siddganga, the police said. He fought with the victim and hatched a conspiracy to dethrone him by honey trapping and taking over as the head of his mutt as revenge. He used the other accused, Neelambike, as a sparrow. Neelambike had a good rapport with seers of Lingayat mutts, including the victim She was angry at him as he recorded her conversation bad mouthing other seers and sent the audio clip to those swamijis. Advocate Mahadevaiah also joined hands with the two and hatched a conspiracy eight months ago. Neelambike trapped the deceased seer and got the audio and video clips and handed it over to the accused seer. The advocate got them edited and used it for blackmailing. The accused thought that Basavalinga Sri would step down, but their plan failed when he took his own life. Lucknow, Oct 31 : A 50-year-old woman was killed by her neighbour who slit her throat after a petty dispute between them in a village under the Gudamba police circle in Lucknow. The accused fled, leaving the woman profusely bleeding after the crime, but was arrested within three hours of the incident. Lucknow deputy commissioner of police (DCP), North, S.M. Qasim Abidi said the incident occurred in Rajauli village when the deceased, identified as Shahida Bano, was working in her farming field some distance from her house on Sunday. The locals spotted her throat-slit body lying in the farming field and the police were informed about the incident. The DCP said the suspect in the crime, Salimudeen, stayed with his family in his neighbourhood in the same village. He stated that the locals told the police that Shahida and Salimudeen had a spat over some land issue on Saturday night and the matter was sorted out with the intervention of some people. Salimudeen emerged as a suspect since he was found missing from his house after the incident and later found hiding out in nearby farms. The local people said that Salimudeen is a short-tempered man and often gets involved in a brawl with villagers. The police said that the body of the deceased has been sent for post-mortem after registering an FIR of murder. Lucknow, Oct 31 : The Yogi Adityanath government has directed the Special Task Force (STF) to probe graft charges against the vice-chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, Vinay Pathak, who has been accused of extorting Rs 1.4 crore for clearing of bills from a company conducting examinations, along with his aide Ajay Mishra. The STF has arrested Ajay Mishra in connection with the incident. The owner of the private company conducting exams, David Mario Danish of Jankipuram, lodged a case with the Indira Nagar police station on Saturday. According to Danish, he paid the money to Mishra at the insistence of the V-C during his stint with Agra university. David's company had been working with the Agra university from 2014-15 to 2020. During the tenure of Pathak as vice-chancellor of Agra university, he conducted work related to exams as per a contract that the university signed with his company. David alleged that to get his pending dues cleared, he had met Pathak at his residence at Kanpur university to plead for clearance of the bill and was told after a series of negotiations that he will have to pay a commission of 15 per cent through his agent Ajay Mishra. Following this, he paid Rs 1.41 crore to Mishra. "But his company was blacklisted, and he was also threatened with dire consequences," said David in his FIR to the police. Police have registered the FIR under the charges of extortion, threatening and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against Vinay Pathak and his aide Ajay Mishra. Bengaluru, Oct 31 : The issue of the Staff Selection Committee's decision to allow candidates to give exams for various posts of the Union government only in Hindi and English languages is gathering heat in Karnataka. Kannada organisations and the opposition Congress have slammed the decision of the SSC for not allowing candidates from the state to give exams in the Kannada language. The SSC is holding exam for the recruitment of 24,369 posts for the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) and other central agencies. The recruitment will have computer based tests, physical fitness and medical tests. The computer test will be conducted only in English and Hindi languages. The candidates, who have passed Class 10 are eligible to take up the exams. The exams will be held in Belagavi, Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Udupi. The candidates have been asked to submit their applications till November 30. The exams are scheduled to be held in January 2023. Kannada Sahitya Parishat, the nodal agency for promoting the Kannada language is preparing to challenge the notification by the SSC in the court. Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had urged the Central government to take back the notification which is against the interests of the people of Karnataka. He had urged the Centre to make provisions for giving exams in regional language. Kumaraswamy had warned that in case the notification is not withdrawn, he will launch a protest and exhibit the might of the Kannada people. Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar slammed the Centre for adopting prejudice against the regional languages. What should the candidates of regional languages do? There is preferential treatment to Hindi, and the Kannada language is neglected, he said. He chided the ruling BJP in Karnataka for being tight-lipped about the issue. If the state government fails to resolve this issue with their counterparts in New Delhi, agitation will be launched. "This is a warning of a Kannadiga," he stressed. With the Assembly elections fast approaching in Karnataka, the issue is likely to be taken up by the opposition parties to slam BJP. The ruling BJP in the state seems to be in a fix over the issue as they are not in a position to defend the SSC's decision. Agra, Oct 31 : The Agra police have arrested two women, both Uzbekistan nationals, after they failed to produce a visa and original passport. According to police, the two women allegedly possessed fake Aadhaar cards, bearing a south Delhi address, and were staying at a hotel in Tajganj. Rs 33,000 in cash and two mobile phones were recovered from their possession. An FIR has been registered against them under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine) and section 16 of the Foreigners Act, 1946. SHO of Tajganj, Bhupendra Baliyan, said, "The two foreign nationals were carrying fake Aadhaar cards. A photograph of their passports found in their mobile phones indicated that they belong to Uzbekistan. We are working with the local intelligence unit to investigate the case in detail. Delhi Police have been asked to verify the address mentioned in the Aadhaar. We have also contacted the embassy of Uzbekistan." As per the FIR registered on a complaint by sub-inspector Yogesh Kumar, the two women had checked in at the hotel on Saturday. They provided Aadhaar at the hotel reception to avail a room. San Francisco, Oct 31 : Two people were killed and two others injured during a shooting at a Halloween party in Covina, a city in California, local authorities said, adding the suspect is currently at large. The injured persons are receiving medical treatment and in unknown condition, Xinhua news agency quoted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as saying in a statement on Sunday. One of the party goers produced a firearm, fired at other revellers and fled the scene, it said. Deputies responded to the shooting at approximately 12.27 a.m. on Sunday in the 17000 block of East Bellbrook Street, where one victim was pronounced deceased at the scene and three others were transported to a local hospital, where one of them was later pronounced deceased. Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is going on. Covina is located 35 km east of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley. Tel Aviv, Oct 31 : Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid visited the Karish gas rig in the Mediterranean for the first time since his country signed a historic maritime demarcation deal with Lebanon. Standing at the Karish rig, where gas production started on October 26, Lapid said on Sunday the natural gas field "is the energy and economic future" of Israel, reports Xinhua news agency. "From here flows the gas that promises a lower cost of living," he said in a video statement, adding revenues from gas production would "lower energy prices in Israel, turn Israel into a regional energy supplier, and help Europe take on its energy crisis". Energean, a London-headquartered energy giant, holds gas production rights from Karish. Natural gas from the field has been "providing electricity to customers in Israel since last weekend", according to a statement released by Lapid's office on Sunday. The maritime deal, signed on October 27, sets a sea boundary between Israel and Lebanon, which have been technically in a state of war since the statehood of Israel in 1948. Under the US-brokered deal, Israel will keep its control over the Karish gas field. Israel would receive 17 per cent of the profits from the Qana natural gas field, which will be under Lebanese control. Under the deal, the Qana field will be explored by the French energy giant Total. Mexico City, Oct 31 : Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen made history as he beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to claim his 14th victory of the 2022 season in the Mexican Grand Prix after an intriguing strategic battle at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez here on Sunday. Verstappen, who has already clinched the world title, finished ahead of former world champion and fiercest rival Hamilton and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. It secures another record for the young Dutchman, as he now boasts the most wins in a single F1 campaign, moving one clear of the 13 achieved by Germany's Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013). Verstappen, whose Red Bull team opted for a soft-medium tyre strategy, took the chequered flag some 15 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was left to question why Mercedes swapped their starting set of mediums for hard tyres, according to formula1.com. Perez gave the home fans something to cheer about in third, having threatened to challenge Hamilton late on, while Mercedes' George Russell -- who lost out to his team-mate at the start -- took a distant fourth. Russell was also unhappy with his strategy, repeatedly asking Mercedes to pit again and ditch the hard tyres, which failed to bring the race back to the Silver Arrows in the closing stages -- a stop for soft tyres with two laps to run at least yielding the fastest lap. Ferrari endured a lacklustre race as Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc claimed distant P5 and P6 finishes, ahead of McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo, who charged his way to seventh with soft tyres late on and kept the position despite a 10-second time penalty for a clash with Yuki Tsunoda. Esteban Ocon placed eighth, after a late retirement for Alpine team-mate Fernando Alonso, as the other McLaren of Lando Norris and Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas -- not quite able to repeat his qualifying performance -- completed the points. AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly picked up a five-second penalty for an early, aggressive move on Aston Martin rival Lance Stroll and ultimately missed out on a point by just half a second, with Alex Albon 12th for Williams. Zhou Guanyu got his Alfa Romeo to the line ahead of Aston Martin pair Vettel and Stroll, followed by the Haas cars of Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen. Nicholas Latifi was the final finisher in his Williams. Karachi, Oct 31 : Pakistan Navy demonstrated firepower in the Arabian Sea amid bilateral naval exercise 'NASL AL BAHR-IV' conducted jointly with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Karachi. The exercise comprised advanced-level naval operations, including practical demonstration of Live Weapons Firings (LWF), The Express Tribune quoted a Pakistan Navy statement as saying. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and Head of UAE Naval Training Brigadier Staff Abdulla Sultan witnessed the LWF at the North Arabian Sea. The exercise is the fourth edition among the two navies aimed to enhance interoperability, display operational readiness and consolidate existing strong bilateral relations in naval operations. The hallmark of the exercise was live weapon firings by both navies' surface and aviation platforms. All units successfully engaged the respective targets. On the occasion, the naval chief expressed his complete satisfaction over the immaculate war preparedness of the Pakistan Navy against the entire spectrum of threats, The Express Tribune reported. He also lauded the successful conduct of joint LWF by both the navies, saying it has "strategically underscored strong brotherly relations between the two countries". New Delhi, Oct 31 : Veteran bureaucrat Harsh Mahaan Cairae is an avid reader and a student of philosophy and religion. He has studied the scriptures of several religions, of which the Vedas have been of special interest. He discovered that the teachings of Jesus Christ are identical with Vedic beliefs. In his book "Discovering Jesus" (Rupa), he proceeds to look for the source of these beliefs reaching Jesus and finds that these were also the original beliefs of the Jews. "Jesus did not acquire them from an external source. This raises a bigger question of how the beliefs of the Jews were identical with the Vedic beliefs. Were they in any way related to the Aryans? I have relied on a number of literary sources including my earlier book, 'An Aryan Journey' which was a research based on Vedic, Zoroastrian, Greek and Roman literary sources, and concluded that the Jews were Aryans and were of the group which called itself Devs as distinct from Asurs," Cairae told IANS in an interview. "I, however, concede that this has emerged from literary sources alone and such a big question cannot be answered finally on the basis of one source alone. Other sources of information, particularly genetics need to come in to take the issue to its logical conclusion," he added. "My first book was based primarily on a research of Vedic and Zoroastrian scriptures in which I had traced the migration route of the Indo-Aryans. In this I had come across a person in Iran, named Mani, who is believed to have been the founder of Manichaeism, a religion very widely practiced till the spread of Christianity. My findings led me to believe that this was the Vedic religion which had acquired a new name as Mani had introduced some reforms. Mani used to claim that he was the Apostle of Jesus Christ. The Manichaens claimed they represented true Christianity, while the Church considered them to be heretics. Heretics, but not followers of some other religion. This led me to believe that there is something wrong in understanding Jesus. Hence the study and the writing (of this book)," Cairae elaborated. Jesus had twelve main disciples, who were called apostles. One of them, Judas Iscariot, had betrayed him which led to the arrest and crucification of Christ. Judas is reported to have committed suicide thereafter. The remaining apostles, by common consent, nominated another disciple to be an apostle to make the number twelve again. Paul was not one of these. He had never met Jesus in his life, but claimed that he received his teachings in a vision and proclaimed himself an apostle. Christianity today is based on the beliefs and teachings laid down by Paul. Paul, and later the Pauline Church, created an impression that he and the other apostles preached together and the same things. With this it has got established that what Paul has laid down is what was preached by Jesus. "Discovering Jesus" brings out evidence to show that Paul and the real apostles were not preaching together or the same things. Paul fought a running battle with them all his life and was not acknowledged as an apostle by their followers. The belief laid down by Paul is that the world would come to an end where after there would be a Day of Judgment. (At places he has said that this could come within the lifetime of the people he was addressing.) When it comes the dead will rise from their graves with new bodies, while the bodies of the living will be transformed. All will be judged for their deeds, the sinners would be sent to suffer in hell till eternity, while the virtuous will go to heaven to enjoy, also till eternity. "On behalf of God, Jesus would be delivering this judgement. A very important part of this was that whoever believes that Jesus was the Son of God and that he rose from the dead would go to heaven. Thus, faith alone, in his doctrine, was sufficient. The book asserts that Jesus and his apostles did not have any such belief and did not preach this. They believed in the transmigration of souls in which a person was born in a position on the basis of his deeds in the previous life. The soul could go out of the cycle of rebirth and attain salvation by realising the true nature of the self. The teachings of Jesus were thus diametrically opposite to what Christians believe today and as were laid down by Paul. In showing that Paul was fighting with the apostles and not preaching with them, the book first brings out evidence from the Bible itself. The letters of Paul, that are a part of the New Testament and are called Epistles, show the discord. Very important are the quotes from the Epistle to the Hebrews. The book brings out that this is addressed by Paul to the apostles. In this Paul has listed out the doctrinal differences that he had with them and has requested them to leave them aside for the present for a discussion in the future and for the time being discontinue animal sacrifice. The doctrinal differences he records include the debate between deeds and faith; doctrine of baptism; laying on of hand; resurrection of the dead; and eternal judgement. These are fundamental beliefs of Christianity today, which Paul has himself recorded, were issues on which the Apostles did not agree with him. For animal sacrifice, which Paul was requesting to be stopped immediately, the book brings out evidence to show that this was practiced in the Church. Apart from what emerges from the Bible, the book brings out evidence from the writings of the Christian Fathers of the early centuries to show that the followers of the apostles did not acknowledge Paul as an apostle and did not believe in what he preached. James, an apostle and the brother of Jesus, had become the bishop of Jerusalem and the head of the Church of the apostles after the death of Jesus. No writings of anyone from this side have survived. All that has come down to us is from Pauline traditions, except a set of gnostic literature that was found in the last century, carefully packed and buried in Egypt and goes by the name of the Nag Hammadi Library. The care with which it was found packed shows that there was a danger of it being destroyed by the opponents, which the keepers were in no position to resist. Despite nothing coming from the apostolic side, a lot about them can be known from the Pauline writers as a lot of them have written about them and their beliefs, at times for repudiation and at others to mock. Based on this, the book brings out evidence to show that Paul was considered to be an apostate by the followers of the apostles. Having shown that Paul was not on the same side as the apostles, the book proceeds to bring out the myths that Paul and the Pauline Church created to support their belief system and for that how the New Testament was tampered with. It shows that only the Gospel of Mathew was the genuine gospel accepted by the followers of the apostles and, as it was in Hebrew, the Gospel of Mark was its translation into Greek. The rest of the New Testament is Pauline. Even in these two a lot of interpolations have been made to support Pauline theology. To create a divine stature for Jesus, myths have been created of his birth from a virgin, miracles performed by him and his rising from the dead. The last myth has been created also to support the theory of the resurrection of the dead on the Day of Judgment. The book brings out evidence to show that the apostles and their followers did not believe in any of these myths. For the concept of the Immaculate Conception, apart from bringing out evidence to show that the apostles did not believe in it, the book points out that it cannot be believed because Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus did not believe in his divinity. If it had been true, they would have been the direct witnesses to the event and would have received the testimony of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was the Son of God. In such a situation they should have been the first and foremost believers of his divinity and should have been his followers. The Bible does not mention Joseph after the childhood of Jesus while references to Mary show that she was not a believer. The book states that we have a situation wherein the Church wants its followers to believe that Jesus was the Son of God while the mother who gave him birth did not believe in this. The book also notes that this myth was not created by Paul but emerged a few centuries later. Paul does not mention this anywhere in his extensive writings. The basis for saying that this was incorporated later is the reason for the creation of this myth. It is claimed that this was to fulfill a prophecy. Christians believe that the Old Testament, which is the Tanakh, the scripture of the Jews, contains prophecies about the coming of Christ and Jesus, by his birth and life, fulfilled all of them. Starting the story of the birth of Jesus, the Gospel of Mathew states, 'Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son.' This was a reference to what was stated by Isaiah in the Old Testament. The Jews had pointed out that there was no such prophecy and that there was an error in the translation wherein the word meaning 'young girl' has been translated as 'virgin'. This error had occurred in the translation from Hebrew to Greek that the Egyptian Pharoah Ptolemy had got done for his library in Alexandria and is called the Septugint Version. All later translations are from this. The book has pointed out that the author of this story had no access to the Hebrew version, which shows that it was crafted much later. So far as the myths relating to the miracles performed by Jesus are concerned, the book has stated that the possibility of such things happening is a matter of faith and has not commented on it. However, it has examined certain related issues as they emerge from the narrative of the Bible. One is that they did not have any effect on the people before whom they are said to have been performed. Jesus is reported to have brought back to life a number of persons who had died. A person performing such a deed should normally attract the veneration of everyone who gets to know of it. This is not reflected in the narrative of the Bible. At one stage Jesus was left with only his twelve disciples as all the rest had left him. Even amongst these twelve one betrayed him. The second is that what has been reported along with the miracles does not match with the known historical position of the area. In one case when Jesus brought back to life a dead person, the Jews are reported to have conferred and felt that if he is allowed to do such things, the Romans would be attracted and subjugate the area. This is against the known history as the area was already a part of the Roman Empire, which shows that someone unacquainted has interpolated the story. The third myth created by the Pauline Church was that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples with his physical body. The book brings out the contradictions in the reporting of his appearance in different gospels and elsewhere in the Bible. It has also stated that people for centuries have tried unsuccessfully to reconcile these contradictions. Having examined the contradictions, the book proceeds to examine the evidence that shows that the apostles and their followers did not believe in this. In the Bible this emerges clearly from the Epistle to the Hebrews. The points of differences enumerated by Paul for future discussion includes this. In the writings of the Church Fathers this emerges at a very large number of places. They have categorically stated that the followers of the apostles did not believe that Jesus rose from the dead. The book next proceeds to examine how Paul and the Pauline teachings acquired apostolic authority. This was done by weaving stories around Paul and by showing that he and the other apostles, particularly Peter, were preaching together and the same things. To raise the stature of Paul to the level of an apostle, three things have been done, an extraordinary situation of his conversion to Christianity has been created, he has been shown performing miracles and finally to have been martyred for his faith. In the Bible, the Acts of the Apostles speaks much of this. Paul has been stated to have been an ardent Jew who was persecuting the Christians. Having done so in Jerusalem he is reported to have sought the permission of the High Priest of the Temple to bind all the Christians in Damascus and bring them over to Jerusalem to be punished. As he was reaching Damascus he had a vision of Jesus who asked him why he was persecuting his followers. Paul became blind at that moment. As he developed faith he was told to meet a certain Christian in Damascus and his sight would be restored. This story has been repeated at several places by Paul wherein he has contradicted himself. What he heard from Jesus has changed in different narratives and what he did after becoming a Christian is different at different places. At one place he has stated that he went to Jerusalem to meet the other apostles and at another, to Arabia to preach and returned after a few years to meet the apostles. The book has examined these contradictions and shown that this story is false. It has also stated that neither the High Priest of the Temple had the authority to authorise Paul to bind and bring the Christians from Damascus to Jerusalem to be punished nor did Paul have the capacity to do so even if there were Christians in Damascus at that early stage, though it is very unlikely. Paul was a tentmaker from Tarsus, which falls in modern Turkey. He was neither a military commander nor a brigand. At that time the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire were vying for control of Syria and Damascus was most likely a part of the Parthian Empire. Paul could not have bound anyone there and brought him to Jerusalem even if he was armed with a letter from the High Priest. The story of his conversion to Christianity is only to create an aura around him. Paul has been reported in the Bible to have performed miracles, including bringing to life a dead person. This too has been done with the same purpose and cannot be true as at other places in his writings he and his close disciple have been reported to be very sick. He doesn't cure himself or his disciple by the touch of his hand. Instead he advises his disciple to have some wine. The third myth created to raise the stature of Paul is of his martyrdom. In Christianity martyrdom for the religion is considered to be the highest act of faith. The Bible weaves a long story of Paul being arrested in Jerusalem and taken to Rome but concludes abruptly without saying what happened to him. At another place Paul writes that he is prepared to be offered, but the Bible does not state when and where Paul was killed. The Church has developed a myth that he and Peter were martyred on the same day under the orders of the Emperor Nero, Paul by being beheaded and Peter by being crucified with his feet up. The book has examined this point at length and found that Roman persecution of the Christians was not on religious grounds but because the Church had pushed its followers to the path of sedition. This persecution was limited to the followers of the Pauline Church. The followers of the apostles were not persecuted. In fact one of them with the name Simon Magus was honoured with a statue by the predecessor of Nero. The Pauline Church gained grounds much later because of which it can be said that the persecution of Christians had not begun in Nero's time. The story of the execution of Paul and Peter is hence false. For Peter it has also been claimed that he was the first bishop of Rome. The book brings out evidence to show that this is not true. The book proceeds to examine how the Pauline Church took over and what happened to the Church of the apostles. In this it finds that there was no external taking over of the apostolic Church by the Pauline Church, but that the Pauline theology gradually crept into the apostolic Church and obliterated the apostolic theology. Paul's writings became a part of the Christian scriptures. Paul had written extensively while the apostles wrote hardly anything. Their teachings were recorded by their disciples. Once Paul's writings became a part of the Bible and Paul acquired apostolic authority, wherever the teachings of the apostles came in conflict with what had been written by Paul, they were declared to be heresies propounded by the disciples of the apostles who had recorded them. This happened first in the Western Church with Rome as the focal point as Paul's writings were in the west. The process in the West went almost unnoticed. In the Eastern Church, with Constantinople as the focal point, Paul's writings reached a few centuries later, by when the apostolic teachings were more firmly entrenched. A new element of the Emperor Constantine interfering to have a common faith of all Christian, also came in. Because of this there was a lot of acrimony in the East which finally led to the division of the Eastern and the Western Church. It began with the Council of Nicene in which Constantine almost forced the Eastern Church to accept what was believed by the West. The beliefs of the East were declared to be heresies. As this did not succeed fully several more councils were held. All along, however, Pauline theology was creeping into the East also and over a period of time it wiped out almost all of the apostolic teachings. The book proceeds next to look for the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Information about them has been culled out from Pauline literature as that alone has survived. In this the followers of the apostles have been branded as heretics. The Gnostics in the east were also considered to be outside the pale of Pauline beliefs. In such a situation what have been reported to have been the beliefs of the heretics and the Gnostics have to be the teachings of Jesus. As these have come from their opponents, who have mentioned them only to show how hollow these beliefs were, they emerge in a very disjointed manner. These beliefs were, however, identical to the Vedic beliefs because of which the book has placed them side by side with the Vedic beliefs. This has been done so that they could be understood in their entirety and not in bits and pieces. Six fundamental elements of the Vedic beliefs have been found in the beliefs of the apostles and have been compared. These are: The religion had two distinct streams, one for common believers and the other for the spiritually inclined. The practices of the latter were the core of the religion. Secrecy was maintained of the core teachings. The belief that there was no difference between the Creator and the creation. The unbridgeable gap between God and man was not there. There was a belief in the rebirth of the soul in which the next birth was determined by the deeds of the previous birth. It was possible for the soul to go out of this cycle of births and deaths and attain salvation. The objective of a practitioner was to go out of the cycle of births and deaths and attain salvation. This is achieved by the realization that I and God are the same. I do not exist only He does. There were two philosophical thoughts prevalent, one the dualism of Sankhya and the other the non dualism of Vedant. The book brings out evidence to show that all these elements were present in the beliefs of the Christians declared heretics and Gnostics by the Pauline Church. "Discovering Jesus" is a groundbreaking work that needs to be read with an open mind. (Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) Srinagar, Oct 31 : Professor of Eminence (Dr.) Sanjeev P. Sahni, Principal Director at Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS) and Vice-President of World Society of Victimology (WSV) delivered a teacher training programme on "Emotional Well-being and Stress Management" for the school principals, teachers, and counselors in an impressive gathering of educators here in Amar Singh Club, Srinagar. More than 150 educators from 30 schools across the region attended the session on Saturday that accentuated the importance of maintaining a right work-life balance by incorporating stress management techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and physical exercise. "Driven by a keen sense of social responsibility, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS) engages in extensive community outreach programs for school teachers by providing them with pro-bono capacity- building training. Our target audience comprises educators, school leaders, and administrators from the diverse schools across India, and also other lower and middle-income countries like Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka to name a few," said Dr. Sahni who also heads the Centre for Leadership and Change at JIBS. It is pertinent to mention that the flagship teacher training programmes conducted by Dr. Sahni have received international recognition, with the current module being shortlisted for the famed Wharton-QS Quacquarelli Symonds Sustainability Education Awards. It has been ranked amongst the top 12 per cent of innovations worldwide. As of today, Dr. Sahni and his team of researchers at JIBS have trained more than 1,80,000 teachers and school administrators in more than 8,000 schools across the globe. "We implement an unexplored approach inspired from a higher education context, using the pillars of a Flexible environment, Learning culture, Intentional content, and Professional educators (FLIP) model," Dr. Sahni added. Helping teachers and school staff to practice concrete stress management techniques, these teachers' training programmes have been also been conducted in various schools in countries like UAE, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, and Maldives, apart from India. The scope of these training programs is further being expanded to train teachers in dealing with disorders such as dyspraxia or developmental coordination disorders (DCDs). "We have also evolved our pro-bono training module to include contextual topics in our endeavour to reach the remote schools of the country. With this attempt, we furthered the accessibility and affordability to the underserved communities in India and abroad," said Dr. Sahni. London, Oct 31 : UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks decision to snub the upcoming COP27 UN climate talks in Egypt, and to keep King Charles III from attending, has angered and upset countries around the world, risking Britains standing on the world stage and raising concerns over his governments commitment to tackling the climate crisis, a media report said. Several developing countries told the Guardian of their dismay. Carlos Fuller, Belize's Ambassador to the UN, said: "I can understand why the king was asked not to attend, keeping him out of the fray. However, as the principal UK policymaker and the COP26 President, the Prime Minister should have led the summit. "It seems as if they are washing their hands of leadership." Sunak's reason for not going was also questioned, said the Guardian report. Mohamed Nasheed, speaker of the Maldivian Parliament and former President, said: "(It's) very worrying that the UK thought there was anything more serious than climate change. You can count the pennies but might lose the pounds. Developed countries were also concerned. One senior government aide said: "It appears as if the new UK Prime Minister wants to wash his hands of the previously strong role the government played on international climate action. It's another stab in the back for (COP26 President Alok) Sharma." The COP26 talks in Glasgow last November, headed by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and chaired by cabinet minister, Alok Sharma, ended with a global consensus on limiting temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time, a major diplomatic achievement that was widely lauded. Sunak had attended and led discussions on climate finance, likely to be a major issue at COP27, the Guardian reported. Instead of attending the climate summit, Sunak will speak at a reception for business and environmental leaders to be hosted by the King at Buckingham Palace on Friday, two days before COP27 begins. But his failure to attend the talks has raised concerns over the UK's stance on the climate crisis, with the government handing out the new oil and gas licences and tax breaks for increasing fossil fuel production. Dharamsala, Oct 31 : Deeply saddened by the reports of bridge collapse in Gujarat, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has written to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to offer condolences. He said in the letter that he prayed for those who have died, and also offered condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones as well as others affected by this most unfortunate accident. When incidents like this and the disaster in South Korea took place, the Dalai Lama wrote, "it is as if a calamity has befallen all of us". "It is my hope that every effort will be made to prevent such tragic accidents occurring in the future," he added. Hyderabad, Oct 31 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, which continued in Telangana on Monday, will enter Hyderabad on Tuesday. He will visit the historic Charminar and is slated to address a public meeting at Necklace Road on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city. Meanwhile, hundreds of party leaders and workers were walking with senior leader in Rangareddy district on the sixth day of his journey in the state. Rahul Gandhi resumed the walkathon from Shadnagar bus depot and after passing through different parts of the town halted at Papyrus Port, Kothur for the mid-day break. The Congress waved at the people gathered on either side of the road to welcome him. He also interacted with few people and allowed them to take photographs with him Rahul Gandhi also paid tributes to his late grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. "Grandmother, I am carrying both your love and Sanskar in my heart. I will not allow India, for which you sacrificed your life, to fall apart," he tweeted. He also paid tributes to India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, saying in a tweet that ironclad will united India. "The most fitting tribute to him would be to keep the flame of unity he ignited shining brighter than ever." The yatris also paid floral tributes to Sardar Patel and Indira Gandhi and also observed two-minute silence to pay respect to those who died in the tragic cable bridge collapse incident in Morbi, Gujarat. The Congress leaders say the yatra is drawing tremendous response in the state as people in large numbers are joining the leader in the walkathon. The yatra will resume in the evening and will halt near Pedda Shahpur Cross Muchintal. After covering 28 km through the day, it will have a night halt at Thondapalli, Shamshabad and enter Hyderabad on Tuesday. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other state party leaders participated in the yatra. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy appealed to all to rise above politics and join the Yatra, adding that everybody should at least walk 1 km with Rahul Gandhi. Slamming Narendra Modi and the KCR governments at the Centre and in Telangana, respectively, he alleged that there is no difference between them. The MP said Chief Minister KCR failed to fulfill promises made to farmers, unemployed youth and other sections of people. Seoul, Oct 31 : South Korea saw its foreign population shrink by 1 per cent in 2021 from the previous year, marking a decline for a second year in a row, the Interior Ministry said on Monday. According to a report by the Ministry, the number of foreign residents had stood at 2.13 million as of November 1, 2021, compared with 2.14 million the same day a year earlier. The number includes foreign nationals residing in the country for more than 90 days, and naturalised Koreans and their children, Yonhap News Agency quoted the report as saying. It marked the second year in a row the country has reported a fall in its foreign population since relevant statistics were first compiled in 2006. Of them, the population of foreign workers without Korean nationality had decreased by 13.2 per cent on-year as of November last year, the report showed. "There is concern over a manpower shortage in rural areas, as the number of foreign workers shrank," said a Ministry official. The report showed the number of naturalised Koreans had come to 210,880 as of November last year, up 9.9. per cent from a year earlier. Gyeonggi province surrounding the capital Seoul was hosting the biggest number of foreign residents by region, with 714,497, or 33.5 per cent of the total foreign population. Seoul was hosting roughly 20 per cent, followed by Incheon, west of the capital city, with 6.3 per cent. The Ministry said the statistics have been compiled to help central and municipal government agencies formulate policies aimed at helping foreign residents better settle down in the country. Shimla, Oct 31 : Aiming to strengthen his bond with the hill state from where he rose from the ranks as an ABVP leader, a Cabinet minister and later creating his own space in the national politics with his low-profile and shrewd organisational skills, BJP national President Jagat Prakash Nadda (61) is on a whirlwind tour in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh for pro-incumbency votes. Setting aside the anti-incumbency wave against the party's government, his aides say Nadda will be holding 21 election meetings and doorstep canvassing across the state under the Vijay Sankalp Abhiyaan till November 9. He will be holding a major party's show of strength in the state capital on November 7. "Owing to his love and bonding with the state from where he started his political career, Nadda-ji has given his time to the party by touring across the state to ensure the return of the party in the forthcoming elections," BJP spokesperson Karan Nanda told IANS here. On an average Nadda will be addressing three rallies in a day, he said. In the previous BJP government (2007-12) in Himachal Pradesh, Nadda resigned as Forest Minister in 2010 when he was picked by the then BJP chief Nitin Gadkari to join his new team. He was then made the party's national General Secretary. Nadda started his political rally on October 30 from mountainous Kaza in Lahaul-Spiti district. Later, he addressed two rallies in Manali and Kullu towns. Building his campaign with the slogan 'rivaj badlega' (electoral traditions will change) as the party's governments have repeated in the recent Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana polls, Nadda in his first three rallies drove his point home by saying, "The BJP does what it says." "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-ji, once again a double-engine BJP government is set to be formed in the state with a huge majority," donning traditional woollen cap Nadda said in Kaza. This time, the saffron party, with anti-incumbency weighing heavy on its governance amidst dropping of 11 sitting MLAs and many party leaders in the fray as Independents, seems to be banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma, instead of flashing its own achievement card. At Kaza, Nadda didn't miss an opportunity to remind the people that the Prime Minister has replaced anti-incumbency with pro-incumbency in Indian politics by giving good governance. This time the people of Himachal would script history by electing the BJP government again. Party's top leaders comprising Prime Minister Modi, union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will address multiple rallies in the state. This small hill state has not seen any incumbent party returning to power since 1985. Since then both arch-rivals -- the Congress and the BJP -- ruled the state alternatively in eight assembly terms. Taking a jibe at the Congress, the BJP President reminded the people that it was the Congress that snatched the special category status from Himachal while Modi restored it. Nadda was paying tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the man who united India, on his birth anniversary at a function in Kullu town on Monday. A day before launching Vijay Sankalp Abhiyaan, Nadda, accompanying Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, met local people on the Mall Road in Shimla. Remembering his early political years spent at Himachal Tourism's Ashiana Restaurant on the Ridge with his friends, Nadda did not miss an opportunity to sip a cup of coffee. The BJP leader played a crucial role in bringing former MP and state unit chief Maheshwar Singh, who announced his candidature as an Independent from Kullu Sadar, into the party fold by withdrawing his candidature. But Maheshwar Singh's son Hiteshwar Singh is contesting as an Independent from Banjar. Earlier this month, Nadda's ambitious project of commissioning AIIMS Bilaspur, a premier hospital, in his political battleground, whose foundation stone was laid exactly five years ago, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 5 in Bilaspur town just days ahead of the polls announcement. Former Union health minister Nadda at the inauguration of AIIMS-Bilaspur said, "PM Modi has given voice to the Himachalis. It is only PM Modi who gave political power to the citizens of the state. We will always remember this. There was no Cabinet minister from the state earlier but you gave respect to us and the way you have given a person like me the position of president and the political strength to the people of Himachal, for this I bow down and extend my heartfelt greetings and welcome him." Party leaders told IANS that Nadda played a crucial role in bringing Congress veteran Harsh Mahajan, who represented the Chamba assembly by thrice consecutive victories in 1993, 1998 and 2003, into the party. Likewise, two Congress sitting legislators -- Lakhwinder Rana and Pawan Kajal -- joined the saffron party in the run-up to the polls. Both are now party's candidates from their respective seats. In the 2019 parliamentary elections too, Nadda played an important role in his home state and helped the party retain all the four seats. His political career in the state began by winning the maiden Assembly election from Bilaspur (Sadar) in 1993. In 1998, he again won from the seat and became the state Health Minister. He lost the Assembly election in 2003, but again won in 2007 and was appointed the Forest Minister. As the Forest Minister, Nadda was the brain behind opening forest police stations to check wildlife crimes, launching community-driven plantation drives, setting up forest ponds and the massive plantation of deodars to boost the depleting green cover of the "Queen of Hills", as Shimla was fondly called by the Britishers. A close confidant of Modi, Nadda was elevated as the BJP chief after Amit Shah was inducted into the Cabinet as the Home Minister. Born on December 2, 1960, Nadda did his graduation from Patna and holds a postgraduate degree in political science and Bachelor of Legislative Law (LL.B) from Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla. His wife Mallika Nadda, who was previously teaching history at the Himachal Pradesh University, was an ABVP activist too, and its national general secretary from 1988 to 1999. His father N.L. Nadda, who was a Vice-Chancellor of the Ranchi University, resides in Bilaspur town. Polling in Himachal Pradesh will take place on November 12, and the counting of votes will be held on December 8. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) Belagavi : , Oct 31 (IANS) The border district of Karnataka, Belagavi is ready for another showdown on the occasion of the Kannada Rajyotsava on Tuesday (November 1), celebrated to mark the formation of the state. Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES), which opposes the merger of Belagavi district with Karnataka and demands its union with Maharashtra, is observing black day to mark the occasion. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government and Kannada activists have planned a grand celebration of Kannada Rajyotsava across the state, especially in Belagavi. The Karnataka Police Department were on their toes over the turn of events and were ensuring tight vigilance and police security cover across the Belagavi city and district. According to police, the monitoring of the situation will be done by three DCP's, 12 ACP's, 52 Police Inspectors and more than 3,000 police personnel have been deputed across the sensitive regions in the city and district. Nine platoons of City Armed Reserve (CAR), 10 platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), 500 Home Guards have been deputed. Eight drone cameras, 35 video cameras and 300 CCTV cameras have been installed across the city. The MES was founded in 1948 with the sole objective of ensuring that Belagavi becomes part of Maharashtra. The MES found popular support in Belagavi city and its MLAs were also elected from Belagavi district. The MES party MLAs have been demanding the merger of Belagavi district with Maharashtra in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, causing severe embarrassment to the successive governments. However, the Congress and BJP parties in Karnataka managed to win their candidates and ensured defeat for the MES candidates in the local as well as the recent Assembly elections. The coalition government of BJP and JD S) headed by then Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy constructed "Suvarna Soudha" at Belagavi and started holding winter Assembly sessions to give a message that Belagavi will remain an integral part of Karnataka. However, MES party workers have continued to pursue their agenda. New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Supreme Court on Monday said that anybody who conducts the two-finger test on rape survivors would be guilty of misconduct, and declared the invasive procedure as 'patriarchal and unscientific', which also re-victimises and re-traumatises the women. A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said it was patriarchal to suggest that a woman cannot be believed when she states that she was raped merely because she was sexually active. It emphasized that the use of two finger test in cases alleging rape and sexual assault has been criticised time and again. The bench said the so-called test has no scientific basis and it re-victimises and re-traumatises the women. "The test is based on an incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman cannot be raped. Nothing can be further from the truth," the bench added. The bench added that it is regrettable that "two finger test" -- the invasive procedure adopted to determine sexual history -- continues to be conducted even today. The detailed order in the matter will be uploaded later in the day. The top court directed the central government to ensure the test was not conducted on rape survivors and the copy of its order should be sent to the police heads of all the states. The apex court's judgment came on an appeal challenging the Telangana High Court judgment, which overturned the conviction by a trial court in a rape case, and it restored the conviction in the matter. Chennai, Oct 31 : The Regional Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rain in Chennai and the adjoining districts of Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalapattu till Wednesday. After the northeast monsoon hit Tamil Nadu on October 29, several areas of the state has been witnessing rain followed by thunderstorms. A yellow alert has been issued for Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, where heavy to very heavy rain are predicted for the next two days. The heavy downpour is due to the likely movement of a trough in easterlies across Tamil Nadu. The weather department has also warned of heavy to very heavy rain in Villupuram, Tirupattur, Kallakurichi, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Myladuthurai districts In many places of Chennai, Erode, Salem, and Kancheepuram, the stormwater drain work is yet to be completed. Heavy water logging had resulted in inundation of homes in Chennai and Kancheepuram. Kochi, Oct 31 : The Kerala High Court on Monday came to a grinding halt after advocates decided to boycott the day's session in protest the way the state police in certain cases have turned against lawyers. On Monday morning when the court opened its session, only the government counsel's appeared, while the other advocates did not turn up. The decision to boycott came following an urgent meeting of the Advocates Association. In response, the judges have posted all the cases listed for Monday to another date. Monday's development comes after three advocates, counsel for Congress legislator Eldhose Kunnappilly who secured anticipatory bail after a former lady friend alleged rape charges against him, were also named as accused. The local police probing the case against Eldhose registered a case against the three advocates after the lady said they tried to settle the case through conciliatory talks which was held at their office. Mumbai, Oct 31 : Filmmaker and #MeToo acussed Sajid Khan showed his middle finger to house captain Gautam Vig after he lost his cool in 'Bigg Boss 16' over giving up the entire ration of the house. Sajid along with his group of friends Shiv Thakare, Gori Nagori, Nimrit Kaur and MC Stan went on a hunger strike against Gautam's captaincy. However, things went from bad to worse after Sajid started abusing Gautam and tagged him "selfish" for trading the ration of the entire house. The two got into an ugly spat and Sajid showed his middle finger to Gautam and hurled abuses. He then asked him to stay away from him if he didn't want to fight. When Gautam asked Sajid to not use explatives, Sajid almost got into a physical fight. He said that he will not stop abusing him even if he gets thrown out of the house. Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 16 -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Fatehpur, Oct 31 : Police in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district have arrested Vijay Masih, the priest of Hariharganj church, who had been absconding since the past two and a half months as he was wanted in connection with allegation of conversions. The police received a tip-off that Masih was in the church and continuing with conversions. A police team raided the church and arrested the priest. A police spokesman said that tfour Aadhar cards with different names and addresses have been recovered from Masih's possession. "He confessed that the Aadhar cards belong to Hindus who were converted to Christianity," the police official said. Masih had been sent to jail in April this year on charges of conversion along with 26 others. Circle Officer Veer Singh said that the involvement of some more persons in the conversion racket had been found and they would be arrested soon. Chennai, Oct 31 : Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) on Monday said it has generated Rs 1,081 crore from sanctioned projects and consultancy during 2021-22. According to IITM, the over Rs 1,000 crore consists of Rs 768 crore funds from projects sanctioned by the State and Central Governments and Rs 313 crore in industry consultancy. These collaborations are facilitated by a dedicated team at the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC & SR), IIT Madras, which is headed by Prof. Manu Santhanam. The major projects that drove the surge in funding during 2021-22 include: 'Education through Information and Communication Technology using Direct-to-Home (DTH)' headed by Prof. K. Mangala Sunder and Prof. Arun Tangirala - Rs 300.28 crore; 'Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS)' headed by Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian - Rs 99.5 crore; 'Speech Technologies in Indian Languages' headed by Prof. Hema A Murthy - Rs 50.6 crore and 'Collecting Datasets and Benchmarks for Building Indian Language Technology' headed by Dr. Mitesh Khapra - Rs 47 crore. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, "The performance of the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research is very encouraging and perfectly aligned with the Strategic Plan of IIT Madras. This is a reflection of our increased interaction with funding agencies and industry." US President Joe Biden's administration unveiled the US National Defence Strategy 2022 on October 27. It lists plans to boost its defence ties with India to deter Chinese aggression in the region. The latest Defence Strategy states that China presents the most consequential and systemic challenge, while Russia poses acute threats to vital US national interests abroad and to the homeland. "The world is changing. We're at a significant inflection point in world history. And our country and the world, the US has always been able to chart the future in times of great change. We've been able to constantly renew ourselves. And time and again, we've proven there's not a single thing we cannot do as a nation when we do it together, and I mean that - not a single solitary thing," President Biden stated in the introductory note to the strategy. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted the different challenges posed by China and Russia as he unveiled the strategy. According to him the dangers are both conventional -- Moscow's aggression toward its neighbours and Beijing's efforts to gain control of Taiwan -- and nuclear, with Russia possessing an extensive arsenal and China's stocks of atomic weapons growing fast. The strategy likewise places the primary emphasis on China. It further asserts that Beijing is seeking to "refashion the Indo-Pacific region and the international system to suit its interests and authoritarian preferences", describing this dynamic as "the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security". The strategy says Chinese rhetoric about and "coercive activity" towards Taiwan, which Beijing has vowed to take control of, by force if necessary, is a destabilising factor that risks miscalculation and threatens peace in the area. As for Russia, it says the "acute threat" posed by Moscow has been most recently demonstrated by its invasion of Ukraine. Though the strategy tries to portray the US ties in the Indo-Pacific as the most important one, yet India as a whole is mentioned in the strategy only five times and that too in the context of the Indo-Pacific, and there too it refers to China's campaigns to establish control over the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and disputed land borders such as with India. It proclaims to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, which could only be achieved if the US builds collective capacity with other countries, like India. It further asserts that no region will be of more significance to the world and to everyday Americans than the Indo-Pacific, yet it fails to demonstrate India's importance to achieve this goal as a partner. The document lists out the US Vision, Washington's role in the global arena, and an overview of its strategic approach to different regional issues. Focussing on Middle East, the strategy talks about tweaking its policy in the Middle East and North Africa by eschewing grand designs in favour of more practical steps that can advance US interests and help regional partners lay the foundation for greater stability, prosperity, and opportunity for the people of the Middle East and for the American people. The strategy sets forth a new framework for US policy in the region based on America's unparalleled comparative advantage in building partnerships, coalitions, and alliances to strengthen deterrence, while using diplomacy to de-escalate tensions, reduce risks of new conflicts, and set a long-term foundation for stability. However, it clearly states that the United States will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardise freedom of navigation through the Middle East's waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandab, nor tolerate efforts by any country to dominate another, or the region, through military build-ups, incursions, or threats. But if we scrutinise the strategy in a little more detail then we realise the emerging contradictions present in the strategy. When the strategy declares the U.S. commitment to support countries "that subscribe to the rules-based international order", will it include those OPEC countries which recently snubbed the U.S. demands for increased oil production? When it talks about "military build-ups" then does it really mean that the US will halt its longstanding efforts to advance its partners' "military build-ups" in the face of the threat from Iran? Further how could the US achieve the Israeli "dominance" of the Hamas and Hezbollah? Further the strategy lays stress on U.S. diplomacy to reduce tensions "wherever possible", will it translate into normalising ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, or meeting with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah? All this double talk on various regional and global issues and inherent contradictions of the strategy leads on to surmise that it is more of a document to placate the American public and not aimed at really achieving or changing substantially the US polices on these issues. Overall the National Security Strategy 2022 comes out as a bit of disappointment though perhaps packaged coherently for the first time. (Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He writes on Indian Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs. He can be contacted on www.asadmirza.in) Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Mysuru, Oct 31 : A man died by suicide after his wife eloped with her paramour in Hunsur town of Karnataka's Mysuru district, police said on Monday. An FIR has been filed against the woman on a complaint filed by the deceased man's father. According to police, Krishne Gowda has demanded action against daughter-in-law Nethra for compelling his son to end life. Sureshkumar and Nethra lived at Koyampattur colony in Hunsur town with two daughters. While Suresh worked as a labourer, Nethra worked at a factory. A month ago, Nethra did not return from work. After all his efforts to locate her failed, Sureshkumar lodged a missing complaint with Hunsur Rural police station. Recently, the police tracked her in Shivamogga and questioned her. Nethra claimed that she doesn't wish to live with Sureshkumar and that she is married to her lover from a neighbouring village. She had sent her marriage photos to Sureshkumar. On seeing her wedding photos, Sureshkumar went into depression and committed suicide at his residence on Sunday noon. An investigation is underway. Chennai, Oct 31 : Top police officer of Tamil Nadu cadre and 1989 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS), Shakeel Akhter, who was instrumental in gunning down Islamic terror operative, Imam Ali in Bengaluru after he escaped from police custody, will retire on Monday. Akhter is presently heading the elite CID wing of the Tamil Nadu police. The senior police officer and his team gunned down Imam Ali and four of his accomplices in an early morning operation in Bengaluru on September 29, 2002. Imam Ali was behind the bomb attack on the RSS office at Chennai in 1993. Imam Ali and his accomplice Hyder Ali had escaped from the Tamil Nadu police custody while they were being brought to a court in Tirumangalam, after snatching an AK-47 gun from the accompanying policemen as their armed accomplices had surrounded the police jeep in which they were travelling. Shakeel Akhter had posted a woman police officer and a male police officer from Bengaluru as a newly-wed couple near the house where Imam Ali and his accomplices were suspected to be staying in hiding in Bengaluru. After they confirmed that Imam Ali was indeed staying in the house, the police team led by Akhter moved in and in a shoot-out, Imam Ali and his accomplices were killed. The decorated police officer is given a personal security officer due to threats to his life. With Shakeel Akhter retiring on Monday, he will be given a farewell parade at Rajarathinam Stadium, Chennai. DGP prisons, Sunil Kumar Singh who is a 1988 Tamil Nadu cadre IPS officer, will also retire on Monday. Mumbai, Oct 31 : The International Indian Film Academy popularly known as IIFA, is returning with its 23rd edition and will be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2023. It will be hosted by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, multi-hyphenate Farhan Akhtar and television star Maniesh Paul. Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Bachchan said: "I'm ecstatic to be hosting the 23rd edition of IIFA at YAS Island, Abu Dhabi. IIFA is like family to me. I am looking forward to entertaining, meeting fans, and connecting with them globally." The upcoming edition will also see big stars such as Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan, Karan Johar, Kriti Sanon, and many more in attendance. Co-Host Farhan Akhtar said in a statement: "IIFA is the only global platform that has travelled the world. It has bought cinema lovers closer from all across the globe. As always, I am looking forward to the next edition of IIFA Weekend and awards and am excited to be co-hosting it." IIFA 2023 will be held in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi and Miral at the Etihad Arena, Yas Island in Abu Dhabi from February 9 through February 11, 2023. Maniesh Paul, who will co-host the show with Abhishek and Farhan, said: "Super excited to be on the stage once again to host the 23rd edition of IIFA. It's always fun and the reaction we receive from the live audiences is surreal. It's going to be bigger and brighter with my super amazing co-hosts. Looking forward to enjoying it and having a lot of fun." IIFA Weekend & Awards will be a celebration of togetherness and positivity with an aim to present a greater opportunity for long-term impact in tourism, business & trade, and the film production business for the destination. -- Syndicated from IANS New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) on a PIL challenging the vires of Section 62(5) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deprives prisoners of their right to vote. A bench headed by Chief Justice U.U. Lalit and comprising Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Bela M. Trivedi considered the submissions made by advocate Zoheb Hossain and sought response from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the poll panel. The plea was filed in 2019 by Aditya Prasanna Bhattacharya, then a student of the National Law University, challenging the Constitutional validity of section 62(5) of the Act. The plea contended that the provision, uses the yardstick of confinement in a prison to disenfranchise persons and this, coupled with the use of excessively broad language, causes the provision to generate several anomalous and shocking consequences. "In addition to convicts who have been sentenced to a particular period of imprisonment, even under-trials, whose innocence or guilt has not been conclusively determined, are deprived of their right to vote, as they too are confined in prison, although they have not been sentenced to imprisonment," said the plea. After hearing submissions, the top court scheduled the matter for further hearing on December 29. The plea argued that due to the excessively broad language used by the provision, even those detained in civil prison are deprived of their right to vote. Thus, there is no reasonable classification based on the purpose of the imprisonment, it added. "The impugned provision operates in the nature of a blanket ban, as it lacks any kind of reasonable classification based on the nature of the crime committed or the duration of the sentence imposed (unlike several other jurisdictions such as South Africa, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, Canada, et al). This lack of classification is anathema to the fundamental right to equality under Article 14," said the plea. The plea sought a direction that Section 62(5) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as being ultra vires of the Constitution for being violative of the fundamental right to equality under Article 14 and the constitutional right to vote under Article 326, and therefore read it down to ensure conformity with the Constitution. It further sought direction to the Election Commission of India to take all necessary steps to give effect to the right to vote for prisoners. Chennai, Oct 31 : Father of P. Ramkumar -- an accused in the Swathi murder case who died in prison -- will get an amount of Rs 10 lakh as compensation. The Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Monday recommended the state government to grant the compensation amount to R. Paramasivan, the father of deceased Ramkumar within a month. Swathi, an engineering graduate and an employee with Infosys, was murdered at Nungambakkam railway station on June 24, 2016. Ramkumar was the only accused in the case and he was later arrested from Tirunelveli where he tried to commit suicide by slitting his throat. He was overpowered and arrested and lodged in Puzhal Central prison. According to Police and jail authorities, Ramkumar, who was also a mechanical engineer by profession, committed suicide by biting a live electric wire. He died on September 18, 2016. The Human Rights Commission while delivering the order of compensation to Ramkumar's father said that the state government must constitute an independent probe to find out whether Ramkumar committed suicide or whether it was a homicide as alleged by his father Paramasivan. The Commission in the order said, "Suspicion arises in the minds of this commission whether the prisoner Ramkumar committed suicide by electrocution due to self-inflicted injuries or whether some other person electrocuted the body of the deceased." It also raised apprehension whether Ramkumar died due to asphyxiation as stated in the final report by Doctor Sudhir Gupta. The SHRC also said that the prisoner was in the custody and care of the state and that it was the bounden duty of the prison officials to ensure safety and security of the prisoner in their custody and that the state should ensure that he does not cause any harm to himself or anybody else. The Commission observed," As said earlier, the Government of Tamil Nadu is also responsible for the death of Ramkumar in Puzhal prison and the state is liable to pay compensation to the father of the deceased namely Paramasivan for the suspicious death of his son Ramkumar in Puzhal prison." Mumbai, Oct 31 : Indie artist Sanjay Maroo, who is known for his 90s hit single 'Tu Hi Tu' is going to release his next single 'Kal Ka Bharosa'. He spoke about his latest creation and how it is a reflection of his own experiences in life. Sanjay said: "This song is an emanation of the lessons I've learnt from life. How you deal with situations when the going is great or when it gets rough, determines your future and the outcome of those experiences teaches you what nothing else can." Adding more about his latest song, he said that it's a very personal expression. "It's a reflection of who I am today and how I feel at this stage of my life after having seen the lows and the highs, the shallows and depths. It is my personal view that till the day you breathe your last, you're still learning and when you realise and accept that there's always going to be so much more." The musician, who is known for 'Dua Dena', 'Woh Aayegi', said that he writes what comes to his mind and never plans anything before writing. "Never been technically trained so there's no pre-meditated plan or concept when I write or compose. It's only what comes to me from within and how the sound affects my head space when playing even a few keys," he concluded. Aizawl, Oct 31 : In the second significant operation in less than a week, Assam Rifles has seized a large cache of Myanmar-bound tactical and war-like stores, including explosive materials, from Mizorams Siaha district and apprehended four persons in connection with the case, officials said on Monday. Defence spokesman Lt. Col. Mahendra Rawat said that acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police launched the operation at Tuipang village in Siaha district on Sunday night and seized Myanmar-bound arms, ammunition and explosives. "The team had specific information about the movement of tactical and war-like stores for insurgents based in Myanmar. The security personnel intercepted and searched one Kenbo bike (Chinese made) and one Yodha pickup vehicle and recovered arms and ammunition from them," he said. Rawat said that the stores recovered were of military grade and hence the same being used for anti-national activities by insurgents based in Myanmar cannot be ruled out. The seized items include one shotgun, 2,483 rounds ammunition, 169 Gelatin sticks, 1,500 Cal 4.5 mm and 0.177 mm pellets. Four detained smugglers and the seized items have been handed over to the Siaha police station for further investigation and legal proceedings. "This operation is a huge setback for all anti-national elements. The operation's success would go a long way in establishing peace and harmony along the India-Myanmar border," a defence statement said. On October 26, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Mizoram police had seized a large cache of Myanmar-bound tactical and war-like stores, including a satellite phone, 105 bullets, 35 packets of potassium etc., from the same Siaha district and apprehended four persons in this connection. Mizoram shares 510 km unfenced borders with Myanmar. New Delhi, Oct 31 : Attorney General R. Venkataramani on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Centre is in the process of reviewing criminal laws during the hearing on a clutch of petitions challenging Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises sedition. The AG submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice U.U. Lalit that something may happen in the winter session of the Parliament and there is no need to worry about the interim order in place. He requested additional time be granted to the Centre so that appropriate steps may be taken. The bench, also comprising Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi, asked whether a directive has been issued by the Centre to put in abeyance all pending proceedings and also to prevent any fresh filing of cases under Section 124A. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that directions regarding the same were sent to all Chief Secretaries. Counsel, representing one of the petitioners, submitted that order says all pending trials with this section has to be kept in abeyance and the section needs to be struck down or else this order will continue indefinitely. To this, the AG said let the matter come after the Parliament session. The top court, in its order, noted that the AG submitted that in terms of the directions issued by this court in its order on May 11 this year, the matter is still engaging the attention of the relevant authorities. It said that AG has assured that in view of the interim directions issued by the court, every interest and concern stands protected and as such there would be no prejudice caused. After hearing arguments, the bench scheduled the matter for further hearing in January 2023. The top court was hearing a clutch of petitions challenging Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises sedition. On May 11, the SupremeACourt said it is cognizant of the integrity of the state on one hand, and the civil liberties of citizens on the other, as it put on hold the colonial-era penal provision of sedition. The apex court also asked the Centre and state governments to refrain from registering any FIRs under the sedition provision, Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, till review of the law by Centre is complete. The top court order came on a batch of pleas filed by Major General S.G. Vombatkere (retd) and the Editors Guild of India and others, challenging the constitutional validity of Section 124A which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Pathankot : , Oct 31 (IANS) Asserting that 110 lakh metric ton (MT) paddy has been procured so far, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said the entire process of procurement and lifting will be completed within a week. The Chief Minister told the media here that till October 30, around 112 lakh MT paddy has arrived in the state out of which nearly 110 lakh MT has been procured. He said out of this, 88 lakh MT has been lifted and payments of Rs 18,660 crore transferred to farmers. Reiterating the commitment of the government to procure every single grain of paddy, he said during the current season not even a single complaint has been received from the farmers across the state. Mann said he is personally monitoring the entire procurement process to ensure that farmers do not face any sort of inconvenience. He said the state government has taken initiatives to ensure smooth, hassle-free and transparent procurement of grains in the state. He said no stone will be left unturned to facilitate the farmers by ensuring foolproof procurement at micro level. The Chief Minister said zoning of different districts of state had given desired results. He said this has enabled the government to have a correct assessment about the cropping pattern to save water. Likewise, Mann said it has helped in ensuring regular supply of power to the farmers. Replying to a query, the Chief Minister said the state government is committed to ensure exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of Sidhu Moosewala murder case. He said a majority of conspirators, planners and executors of the heinous crime have been already nabbed. Mann said the government has also requested the Centre to seek Red Corner Notices for the culprits who have took shelter in foreign lands. The Chief Minister said before raising question mark over the expenses made by government to showcase Punjab in other states, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa must peep into their conscience and look what their party is doing in other states. He asked Leader of opposition Partap Singh "Bhajpa" to refrain from such double standards. Mann said the government has full right to highlight its achievements in other states to attract more investments. The Chief Minister also said mere joining the BJP does not give clean chit to any individual. He said that former Congress minister Sunder Sham Arora had joined the BJP in hope of getting safe haven for his misdeeds of plundering wealth of state. However, he said the former minister is now behind the bars for his sins and a machine for counting of notes has been recovered from his home. Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 31 : M.V.Govindan on Monday was elevated to the CPI-M's topmost body as he was inducted into the politburo by the party's national leadership at its meeting held in Delhi. A physical education teacher by profession, Govindan is known for his no-nonsense approach but makes sure that he always keeps a pleasing demeanour. It was a foregone conclusion that Govindan, who recently took over as the new state party Secretary in the last week of August, replacing the then ailing Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, would be inducted into the politburo. With Balakrishnan passing away early this month, it was just a formality and at in the first meeting of the politburo after Balakrishnan passed away, Govindan was inducted. Govindan rose from the ranks to the highest body of his party on account of his deep rooted commitment and also as he was a very disciplined party worker. It was in 1970 that Govindan was given the party card and has not looked back, by becoming the first President of the youth wing of the party in Kerala when it was formed way back in the 1980s. A three time legislator, Govindan was the state Local Self Government Minister in May 2021, but quit to take over the reins of the party in the state, but continues to be a legislator. There are four from Kerala in the 17-member politburo - Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, M.A.Baby, A. Vijayaraghavan and now, Govindan. Kolkata, Oct 31 : Sukanya Mondal, daughter of Trinamool Congress strongman and the party's Birbhum district president, Anubrata Mondal, will in all probability visit Enforcement Directorate's (ED) headquarters in New Delhi on November 2 to face questioning in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal. Her family sources confirmed a section of the media that the legal brains have advised her that instead of avoiding Central agency's summons on this count it would be better to face them as desired by the latter. Incidentally on October 28, ED had issued a fresh summon to Sukanya Mondal to be present at the Central agency's headquarters in New Delhi on November 2 after she ducked a similar summon by the agency to be present at its New Delhi office on October 27. ED has also directed Anubrata Mondal's chartered accountant Manish Kothari to be present at their New Delhi office on November 2 along with the relevant documents pertaining to the asset of the Mondal family. ED sources said that they would like to question Sukanya Mondal on the companies where she is named the director as well as the rice mills in which she is the "partner". The two companies -- ANM Agrochem Private Limited and Neer Developer Private Limited -- are already under the scanner of both ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is also conducting a parallel probe into the cattle smuggling scam. In both firms, Sukanya Mondal is one of the two directors and the Central agency sleuths believe that these two corporate entities are basically shell companies meant for channelising the crime proceeds. Recently, the CBI had submitted a charge-sheet where it said that Sukanya Mondal's annual income increased from Rs 3.10 lakh in the 2013-14 financial year to Rs 1.45 crore in 2020-21. Apart from that she also has a fixed deposit worth Rs 3 crore. Sources further said that their officers also want to question Sukanya Mondal on certain properties which were registered under her name, and were purchased at prices much lower than the prevailing market rates only to be sold off later at much higher prices. London, Oct 31 : Suella Braverman is under fresh pressure over the Channel migrant crisis and security breaches on Monfay - with a Tory MP swiping that chaos in Kent might have been caused 'deliberately' by the ministers, a media report said. The UK Home Secretary is also facing demands to come to the Commons to explain using her personal email to send sensitive government information to a backbench ally, Daily Mail reported. Meanwhile, she is in the spotlight over conditions at the Manston migrant processing centre, after reports of overcrowding and outbreaks of disease. Veteran MP Roger Gale, who represents North Thanet, suggested the Home Office actively decided not to book more hotel space to stop arrivals staying at the reception centre too long. There are claims that officials are now looking at booking individual rooms for migrants to ease the pressure, rather than blocking out entire hotels, Daily Mail reported. Others MPs have criticised France for failing to stop small boats attempting the crossing, while an ex-borders chief suggested mooring a cruise ship in the middle of the Channel where people can be accommodated. Concern has been growing over the conditions of migrants being held in while waiting to be processed once they arrive in the UK, and after one of the sites in Dover was firebombed over the weekend. So far this year, close to 40,000 people have made the treacherous journey from France, crossing the world's busiest shipping lanes in dinghies and other small boats, provisional government figures show. Gale said he believes it was a decision taken by the Home Secretary, but is not sure whether it was Priti Patel or Suella Braverman. Sources close to Patel distanced themselves from the problems, arguing that overcrowding was not as bad before. "Priti was signing off hotels in the summer - despite how unpalatable it was politically - because it's the right thing to do,' one source said, Daily Mail reported. Morbi: Volunteers and health workers carry a victim' body at a hospital after a cable bridge collapsed on Sunday night, in Morbi district in the wee hours of Monday, Oct. 30, 2022. At least 141 died after the cable bridge collapsed in Morbi on Sunday Image Source: IANS News Ahmedabad, Oct 31 : The collapse of a cable bridge on the Machhu river in Gujarat's Morbi on Sunday evening left at least 141 dead - including a few children left orphaned, while some have lost their entire next generation. When the bodies of the victims reached villages and towns, it left behind families and people in tears and pain. Four-year-old Shivam of Rajkot, had gone to Morbi with his father Bhupat Parmar, mother Sangitaben and brother Viraj. Only Shivam only has returned alive, and other three's dead bodies were brought back, said his grandfather Chagan Parmar. "Till the bodies were brought back, Shivam kept inquiring about his parents... after seeing bodies, I am not able to console myself, and don't know how will help Shivam to grow," he said. Ahmedabad's Jesang Chavda's eyes are full of tears and does not have words to explain what happened to his 7-year-old granddaughter. His son Ashok Chavda, daughter-in-law Bhavnaben and their daughter were on a tour of Kutch and while returning back to Ahmedabad, they decided to visit the cable bridge. While her parents died in the accident, she had a miraculous escape. The family is not able to explain to the 7-year-old that she has lost her parents. Jamnagar's Jaliya Devani village is in deep shock because seven members of Jadeja family - including four children - died in the horrifying accident. Brothers Pradyumansinh and Pratapsinh Jadeja, their wives, two children each and their mother have died in the bridge collapse. Pratapsinh's wife Krishna was pregnant. The village carried seven bodies in tractors for their final rites. In Morbi town's graveyard, diggers have been busy since Sunday night as the town has lost 36 members of the community including children. It takes five hours to dig one grave. Three members of the Iliyas Pathan family and two members of the Sumra family have died, out of which four were children. On Monday afternoon, eight 'janazas' (funeral processions) started for burial from Morbi town. Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 31 : In a first of its kind decision, a trial court in the Kerala capital on Monday has agreed to the requests from Latvian Embassy and their national IIzie to allow her to watch the trial of the accused in the murder of her sister at the famed Kovalam beach in April 2018. The Latvian Embassy and IIzie had approached the Kerala High Court with the request as her visa expired after being here for the past nine months waiting to watch the trial, which was delayed for various reasons but has now reached its last leg. The Thiruvananthapuram First Class Judicial Magistrate court agreed to make online arrangements for her to watch it online from Latvia. The victim, her partner Andrew, and Ilzie had arrived in Kerala for ayurvedic treatment at a facility in Thiruvananthapuram's outskirts when she went missing on March 14, 2018. She was last seen hiring an auto-rickshaw to Kovalam. She was not carrying her passport or mobile phone with her when she went missing. Even though the police launched a manhunt, it was on April 20, the victim's highly decomposed body was found in a marshy area near the famed Kovalam tourist destination. An autopsy pointed to strangulation. Following the subsequent probe the police arrested two local youths, Umesh and Udayan, who are relatives and have been functioning as unregistered guides and do not have a clean track record. The trial is now expected to get over very soon. Xi congratulates Russia-China Friendship Association on 65th founding anniversary Xinhua) 14:10, October 31, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the Russia-China Friendship Association on its 65th anniversary. In his letter dated Saturday, Xi said since its founding 65 years ago, the association has always adhered to the principle of friendship in managing relations with China, and has made important contributions to enhancing mutual understanding, friendship and mutual trust between people of the two countries as well as consolidating public support for friendly bilateral relations. The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained the momentum of high-level development, with ever-deepening exchanges and cooperation in various fields as well as friendship between people of the two countries, Xi noted, adding that the cause of China-Russia people-to-people friendship enjoys broad prospects and great potential for future development. The Chinese president said he hopes that the association will carry forward its fine traditions and play a bigger role in promoting people-to-people bonds between the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent congratulations to the association on Saturday. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Hongyu) Jaipur, Oct 31 : Though the much-awaited Diwali festival is over now, many railway passengers, who travelled to their hometowns after two or more years post the Covid pandemic, are left anguished by discrepancy between online and counter railway tickets. Many train commuters have alleged that online tickets don't show departure time or date, leaving the passengers confused, which is not the case when it comes to tickets booked over the counter, bringing more clarity for the travellers. "Why is this discrepancy in rail tickets? I had booked my ticket online in a special festival train. On the day of travel, I packed my luggage and searched for the departure time on my ticket, but it was nowhere to be found. I checked the SMS which also didn't show the departure time," said Apoorv (19). "When I googled, different websites showed different departure time. Some showed the train is running late by 10 minutes, some by 15 minutes. Some showed the departure time as 8.30 am. However, when I reached the station at 8.13 am, I found the train had departed at 8.10 am from Jaipur to Chittorgarh." Not just Apoorv, many other passengers also had similar tales to narrate of missing trains due to the utter confusion over departure time in tickets booked online. Pawan Bairagi said, "Online rail tickets and the tickets issued over the counter should follow same norm. Why no departure date or time is mentioned on the online tickets when the same is clearly printed on counter tickets?" Meanwhile, it is not only the lack of clarity over train timings which has irked the railway passengers, as there are other issues as well. "We logged in for Tatkal reservation at 9.50 am, but much to our surprise, the windows opened at 9.55 am which otherwise should open at 10 am. It closed at 11 am sharp. Tatkal windows are supposed to be open from 10 am to 11 am for AC passengers," said Bhavya, who travelled from Pune to Ratlam for Diwali. Another passenger, Ruchi, said that becasue of technical issues, she preferred to go to the railway counter to book tickets from the Tatkal window. "Surprisingly, while I could see on my phone that five tickets were available in the Swaraj Express, the man at the counter said that not a single ticket was available. Luckily, there was another special train and hence we were able to return to Mumbai from Nagda," she said. Due to such confusions, many passengers are travelling by private Volvo buses, though their exorbitant and unchecked ticket rates have left them infuriated. "Why there is no check on these buses? They are charging Rs 5,000-6000 per person for an overnight journey to cash in on the situation. We have come to celebrate the festival and now we want to go back to work. But these guys are charging as per their will. There needs to be a regularity mechanism for these private buse," said Bhavya. Meanwhile, a railway official said, "There are certain rules which are formulated at the top level, including what all should be mentioned on online tickets . At times we also face some technical challenges though we are overcoming them." Patna, Oct 31 : The RJD on Monday blamed the BJP government in Gujarat for the death of 141 persons at least in cable bridge collapse in the state's Morbi town on Sunday evening. "Prime Minister and Home Minister come from Gujarat where BJP has been in power for the last 27 years. They are responsible for the bridge mishap where 141 people lost their lives. It was not a tragedy but it's a murder. Shockingly, after such a big incident the central government and a section of media (Godi Media) are mum on it," RJD said from its official Twitter handle. "Suppose, such an incident would take place in a non BJP ruled state, what would happen then. The BJP and a section of the media would have made a big storm of it and they would demand for the resignation of that government and Chief Minister," it added. Chennai, Oct 31 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin on Monday presented certificates of appreciation to police officers of Coimbatore who had acted immediately to probe the car blast case in which a 25-year-old Jameesha Mubin was charred to death. He lauded the efforts of the police personnel of Coimbatore city as he presented certificates to 14 police personnel and also marked the presentation to 58 other officers. On October 23, at around 4 a.m., a car exploded near the Sangameswarar temple, Ukkadam and the initial information was that it was the explosion triggered by a gas cylinder in the car. However, Coimbatore police immediately commenced an investigation and could reach the accomplices of the deceased Mubin, and recovered huge quantities of bomb-making materials including potassium nitrate, aluminum powder, sulphur, and charcoal. However, BJP state President, K. Annamalai has come out against the Coimbatore police, saying that it was its "systemic failure" that led to the explosion in Coimbatore. He had also alleged that the state police did not act proactively even after the central intelligence agencies had issued a possible threat in south India. He added that it was not a general threat but instead specific threat. Tamil Nadu Governor, R.N. Ravi had also come out against the state government in the delay in recommending an NIA investigation in the Coimbatore car blast case. The act of Stalin and the Chief Minister lauding the police personnel is considered a response by the state government against the statements of the Tamil Nadu Governor and the BJP state president. New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Supreme Court on Monday said a woman's sexual history is wholly immaterial while adjudicating whether the accused raped her, and anybody who conducts the two-finger test on rape survivors would be guilty of misconduct. It also declared the invasive procedure as patriarchal and unscientific, which re-victimises and re-traumatises the women. A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said: "The so-called test is based on the incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman cannot be raped. Nothing could be further from the truth - a woman's sexual history is wholly immaterial while adjudicating whether the accused raped her." Justice Chandrachud, who authored the judgment on behalf of the bench, said the probative value of a woman's testimony does not depend upon her sexual history. "It is patriarchal and sexist to suggest that a woman cannot be believed when she states that she was raped, merely for the reason that she is sexually active," he said. The bench said whether a woman is "habituated to sexual intercourse" or "habitual to sexual intercourse" is irrelevant for the purposes of determining whether the ingredients of Section 375 of the IPC are present in a particular case. Justice Chandrachud said this court has time and again deprecated the use of this regressive and invasive test in cases alleging rape and sexual assault. "This so-called test has no scientific basis and neither proves nor disproves allegations of rape. It instead re-victimises and re-traumatises women who may have been sexually assaulted, and is an affront to their dignity. The 'two-finger test' or pre vaginum test must not be conducted," he said. The bench said in terms of Section 53A of the Evidence Act, evidence of a victim's character or of her previous sexual experience with any person shall not be relevant to the issue of consent or the quality of consent, in prosecutions of sexual offences. Also, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued guidelines proscribe the application of the "two-finger test". The bench said: "Although the two-finger test in this case was conducted over a decade ago, it is a regrettable fact that it continues to be conducted even today." It directed the Centre and state governments to ensure that the guidelines formulated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are circulated to all government and private hospitals. "Review the curriculum in medical schools with a view to ensuring that the two-finger test or per vaginum examination is not prescribed as one of the procedures to be adopted while examining survivors of sexual assault and rape," said the bench, directing authorities concerned to transmit these directions to the departments concerned, which includes Principal Secretary, Department of Public Health, of each state and Superintendents of Police. It also directed the government to conduct workshops for health providers to communicate the appropriate procedure to be adopted while examining survivors of sexual assault and rape. "Any person who conducts the 'two-finger test' or per vaginum examination (while examining a person alleged to have been subjected to a sexual assault) in contravention of the directions of this court shall be guilty of misconduct," said the top court. The top court passed these directions while setting Jharkhand High Court judgment passed on January 27, 2018, which set aside the conviction of an accused charged with rape and murder of a minor girl. The accused had raped the victim in November 2004 and set her on fire. The victim succumbed to burn injuries in December 2004. The victim's vaginal examination revealed that two fingers were admitted easily. The doctor stated that the deceased may have engaged in intercourse prior to date of the alleged crime, and that the admission of two fingers in her vagina meant that she was habituated to sexual intercourse. The high court set aside the judgment of the trial court, which convicted the accused, and acquitted the accused, for the following reasons: the family members of the deceased were declared to be hostile witnesses and the doctor did not find any sign of sexual intercourse when she examined the victim. However, the statement of the deceased disclosed that the respondent raped her before setting her on fire. The top court noted that the statement of the deceased satisfies the conditions in Section 32(1) and is itself a relevant fact. The dying declaration makes it abundantly clear that the respondent raped the deceased, poured kerosene on her, and set her on fire, it noted. New Delhi, Oct 31 : E-commerce major Amazon and its joint venture partner Patni Group-owned Zodiac Wealth on Monday announced delisting of online seller Appario Retail from Amazon's online marketplace in the country. This is the second giant online seller, after Cloudtail, that has been delisted on Amazon. "Amazon and India's Patni group-owned Zodiac Wealth Management LLP have agreed to renew their joint venture, Frontizo Business Services Private Ltd. The partners have decided that Appario Retail Private Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Frontizo, will cease to be a seller on Amazon.in and Amazon.in/business within the next 12 months," the joint statement read. "The partners will continue to explore new business opportunities, including helping businesses across India to scale up their online presence," the joint statement read. Amazon set up the Frontizo JV with the Patni group in 2017. In April this year, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) hailed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for conducting raids on the offices of Cloudtail and Appario. The trade body had said that predatory pricing, deep discounting, loss funding, and exclusive sale of branded products in collusion with respective corporate companies, owing inventory are some of the fundamental issues raised by the CAIT. In 2019, Amazon reduced its stake in Cloudtail -- a joint venture firm between Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and the e-commerce giant -- from 49 per cent to 26 per cent after the Centre unveiled new foreign direct investment (FDI) rules for ecommerce firms. In January this year, the CAIT moved the CCI, seeking a direction to block the acquisition of Cloudtail India by Amazon. India is a key market for Amazon which has invested over $6.5 billion in the country. Dubai, Oct 31 : After two editions of thrilling mixed-martial arts action in New Delhi, Matrix Fight Night, India's biggest MMA promotion is set to return to Dubai. The event, which is sanctioned by the All India Mixed Martial Arts Association (AIMMAA), will be held at the Palazzo Versace, Dubai on November 18. Apart from already bagging a broadcast deal with one of the biggest platforms in India, Disney+Hotstar, MFN also announced the past month that the upcoming edition will introduce title fights for the first time in the promotion. In the main event of the night, India's very own Sanjeet Budhwar will face off against Kyrgyzstan's Atabek Abdimitalipov in the main event. Speaking on the upcoming title match, Sanjeet 'The Silent Killer', said, "I have to do what I always do in the octagon - and that is to beat my opponent and win the title. But this time, it will be my toughest fight and I am excited to face off against a worthy competitor." Atabek Abdimitalipov, who has a 4-1 record in Professional MMA, added: "I am ready to compete at MFN and entertain MMA fans in India". Puja Tomar will face off against Bi Dieu Nguyen from the USA in the Strawweight Title fight, while Angad Bisht will get a chance to become the MFN Flyweight Champion when he faces off against Egypt's Mohamad Gamal. Dhruv 'Psycho' Chaudhary will return to MFN as he will face off against Pakistan's Uloomi Karim for the Bantamweight title. London, Oct 31 : Rishi Sunak could make a U-turn by going to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, media reported. The UK Prime Minister is reconsidering after sparking a backlash by saying he would be too busy assembling the crucial Budget package in the coming weeks. His predecessor Boris Johnson is considering going to the meeting in Egypt next month, causing anxiety in No10 about Sunak being outflanked, Daily Mail reported. Environment minister Mark Spencer said this morning he would like to see Sunak join the gathering 'if he's got time'. "I think the Prime Minister has a huge inbox. He's come into office, he's got an inbox which is full to the brim. Clearly he wants to concentrate on the financial statement and that's what he's doing," he told Sky News. "But if he's able to get through... all of that, you know, COP is very important. It's very important to the Government, it's important to our future, so we'll send out senior ministers, but that's yet to be decided who's going to go." Asked if he would like to see Sunak attend the summit, he said: "If he's got time. Only he will know what he's got in his inbox and in his diary, if he has the time, but he'll make that call and I'm sure it'll be the right one." Allies of Rishi Sunak told the Financial Times his priority was 'first and foremost' domestic issues, but he may also go to the meeting in Egypt. A source said whether he goes 'depends on progress' tackling the economic crisis and drawing up the Autumn Statement on November 17. Shimla, Oct 31 : Renowned journalist and educationist Vepa Rao passed away on Monday after prolonged illness at 76, at a hospital in Hyderabad. He worked with renowned newspapers and is best known for his contribution to education in journalism from 1990 to 2006 at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication in Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla, along with his stint at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Scores of his former students and family members, journalists, members of the Himachal Pradesh University teaching fraternity, politicians, and bureaucrats have expressed grief over his demise. Two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has termed his death as "the end of an era". He further said: "As a Chief Minister, wherever I went, I would very often run into a journalist trained by Prof Rao." State Congress President Pratibha Singh said: "He was a beacon of light and reason. He has a unique political and social acumen." Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri said: "Prof Vepa Rao's contribution to journalism and journalism education will always be remembered by the people of the state." S.P. Bansal, Vice Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University, said: "He was a stellar teacher and the pride of our university." A condolence meeting was held in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. The meeting was attended by students of the current batch along with his former students, including some from his first batch in 1990. Rao, as a fellow at Indian Institute of Advance Study, Shimla, published a research-based book 'A Curve in the Hills'. He also wrote a poetry anthology 'Liquid Folds'. Rao also received a state award for developmental journalism from the state government for his outstanding reporting in 1997. New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Delhi Police on Monday conducted searches at the houses of the news website 'The Wire' editors M.K. Venu, Jahnavi Sen and founder Siddharth Varadarajan, after an FIR was filed in connection with its fabricated story related to BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya. Police have reportedly seized electronic devices. Sources privy to the investigation said that soon they will serve summons to all the accused asking them to join the investigation. Police raids aome after an FIR was registered on Saturday against "The Wire" and its senior editors based on a complaint filed by Malviya, alleging that the portal forged documents with a view to malign and tarnish his reputation. The complaint has been filed against 'The Wire' founder Varadarajan, founding editor Sidharth Bhatia, editor Venu, deputy editor and executive news producer Jahnavi Sen, Foundation for Independent Journalism and other unknown persons. "I am filing the complaint for the offences of cheating, forgery for the purpose of cheating, forgery for the purpose of harming reputation, using forged document or electronic record as genuine, and defamation, among other provisions of IPC ('The Wire', Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia, MK Venu and Jahnavi Sen shall be collectively termed as 'Accused')," Malviya stated in his complaint. Last week on Thursday, Malviya had said that he will file a case against 'The Wire' for tarnish his image and reputation. "After consultation with my lawyers and seeking their advice, I have decided to file criminal and civil proceedings against 'The Wire'. Not only will I be setting the criminal process in motion, but I will also sue them in a civil court seeking damages as they forged documents with a view to malign and tarnish my reputation," Malviya had said in a statement. 'The Wire' had, in a series of reports, alleged that Malviya had certain privileges to take down posts from Meta-owned Instagram, a claim later denied by Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. "The posts in question were surfaced for review by automated systems, not humans. And the underlying documentation appears to be fabricated," Meta's director for policy communications, Andy Stone, had said in a tweet. Chennai, Oct 31 : Manjima Mohan, who shot to the limelight with her performance in director Gautham Vasudev Menon's 'Acham Enbathu Madamaiyada', on Monday, made it clear through a social media post that Gautham Karthik and she were in love with each other. Taking to Instagram, Manjima wrote: "Three years ago, when I was completely lost, you came into my life like a guardian angel." "You changed my perspective on life and helped me realize how blessed I am!!" "Every time I feel like a complete mess, you pull me up. You taught me to accept my flaws and to be myself more often." "And the best thing I love about you is how much you love me for who I am! You are and will always be my favorite everything." Soon after she put out this post, actor Gautham Karthik responded with a lengthy post of his own in which he said that he loved her with all his heart and that he could not wait for them to start their journey together as one! New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Supreme Court on Monday extended its interim order on stay on investigation against former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in a corruption case in connection with the award of a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) contract. A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hima Kohli allowed the Karnataka government to be impleaded as a party in the matter and issued notice to the state government. Meanwhile, the top court also extended its interim order till further orders. On September 23, the Supreme Court stayed the investigation in an FIR lodged by Lokayukta police against Yeddyurappa in a corruption case in connection with the award of the BDA contract. Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Dave, representing Yeddyurappa, had contended that the Karnataka High Court ignored the fact that it was mandatory to obtain prior sanction before issuing an order to register an FIR. Counsel, representing complainant activist T.J. Abraham, argued that prior sanction requirements had been dispensed with the latest amendment in law in connection with cases, which arise out of complaints filed under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code. After hearing arguments, the top court had issued notice to Abraham on a petition by the senior BJP leader challenging the high court order. The high court held that the rejection of sanction would not come in the way of proceedings against Yeddyurappa. He moved the apex court challenging the high court order. In July 2021, a special court declined to entertain a complaint by Abraham, saying an order of investigation under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code cannot be made without valid sanction under Section 19(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The complaint alleged that Yediyurappa and others, including his family members and two businessmen, collected bribes to the tune of Rs 12 crore to award a contract for a construction firm to build a housing complex for the government during his tenure as Chief Minister in 2019-21. --IANS ss/vd A Shillong, Oct 31 : The Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) said on Monday that the October 28 rally which turned violent in Shillong created an atmosphere that might potentially damage the states economy and hamper job creation and growth. Surprisingly, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who is otherwise quite active on social media, has so far chosen to remain silent over the rally organised by the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) demanding to resolve the rising unemployment in Meghalaya. According to eyewitnesses, a section of FKJGP members, many of them masked, punched, kicked and pushed passersby indiscriminately, injuring a large number of people, mostly non-tribals, causing panic and huge traffic jams in the area. The MTDF said the October 28 violence also painted Meghalaya and Meghalayans, particularly the indigenous population, in very poor light. MTDF Chairman Larsing Sawyan said the violence perpetrated on October 28 was not only recorded, but shared across the state, region and the country, sending a bad message. Demanding the FKJGP president to tender an apology for the incident, Sawyan said, "The abuse and violence afflicted on innocent citizens was a criminal act which damaged the goodwill of the Khasi and Jaintia people. It was also an act that severely compromised the economic potential of the state, particularly in the tourism sector, Sawyan said. The MTDF urged the state government to take immediate action and apprehend the perpetrators of violence. "Confidence in law and order machinery needs to be restored and the public must to be given reassurance that such blatant acts of public defiance against the order of law and civility will not go unpunished," the MTDF said in a statement, urging FKJGP to help identify the members who committed the acts of violence against innocent people. "Meghalaya today stands at the threshold of huge economic growth that can be achieved primarily through tourism. Post-pandemic, people have developed an aversion towards overseas travel besides it is highly cumbersome nowadays to obtain visas for European countries. "This presents a huge opportunity to Meghalaya tourism in the coming years. It's is therefore important to acknowledge the importance of tourism as a game-changer for livelihood creation for the local people, particularly in the rural areas," the statement read. The Meghalaya police are yet to disclose the actions they have taken against the perpetrators of violence. After the October 28 violence, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had said that police have been asked to take necessary action at the earliest. FKJGP president Dundee Khongsit, while apologising for the incident, had said he did not expect that such an untoward development would take place. "We had told our members before the rally that it was a peaceful event. Our demand is to fill up the vacant posts in the government departments as there are over 7,000 posts lying vacant," the tribal leader had told the media. Chennai, Oct 31 : Actor Gautham Karthik, who is the son of popular actor Karthik, has penned an adorable post for actress Manjima Mohan in which he has made it clear that they intend to become life partners. Taking to Instagram, Gautham Karthik wrote: "What happens when the right person comes into your life? Most people would say that you would be filled with love the moment you set your eyes on them, your stomach will feel like there are butterflies flying around inside. Your heart would sing for joy etc...etc..." "Manjima Mohan, our journey has been different for sure, lol. We started by always pranking each other, always bickering and arguing about the silliest of things. Even our friends couldn't stand our arguments." He went on in his post: "But little did I know that you were creating a bond, a beautiful bond between us. I decided to name this bond as 'friendship' at first. But it was stronger than that...You kept growing it... I named it as 'best-friends'. But it grew stronger than that too... You kept nurturing it daily... You grew it stronger and stronger day by day." Talking about how he has evolved over the years because of this bond, he continued: "You've made ME stronger and stronger day by day than I ever believed I possibly could be. You stood by my side when I was at my worst, never losing faith in who I could be." "You always push me forward in life, never letting me give up, always staying positive for me, never letting me doubt my self or my self worth." Expressing his feelings for the actress, Gautham Karthik wrote: "I have a peace in my heart now that I've never felt before, and that's all because of what you have nourished in my life. I don't believe that even the word 'Love' is sufficient to describe the bond you have created for us." He also expressed his gratitude for the special bond: "I know that with you by my side, I can face anything that life can throw at me. I'm extremely grateful that you have chosen to share this special bond with me, my love". Gautham concluded by declaring: "Now let me do my part by making sure I earn your love every day and nurture and grow this bond till the very end! I love you with all of my heart! I can't wait for us to start our journey together as one." Kolkata, Oct 31 : A lower court in Kolkata on Monday extended the judicial custody of former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee till November 14 for his alleged involvement in multi-crore West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam. Along with Partha Chatterjee, the court also extended the judicial custody till same peroid for former WBSSC chairman and former vice-chancellor of the University of North Bengal, Subiresh Bhattacharya and former president of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay, co-accused in the case. While moving the bail plea on Monday, Partha Chatterjee's counsel opposed the point raised by the counsel of Enforcement Directorate (ED) that since the investigation is at early stage still, there is necessity for the former West Bengal education minister to remain in judicial custody so that the Central agency sleuths can interrogate him, if necessary. Partha Chatterjee's counsel questioned the justification describing the investigation being at an early stage, even after his client has served judicial custody for 99 days. In counter argument, the ED's counsel Feroze Edulji said the nexus between Partha Chatterjee and the arrested Trinamool Congress legislator and the former president of West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), Manik Bhattacharya, needs to be probed further. "There had been a nexus between the two. Partha Chatterjee is not cooperating with the investigating officials which is delaying the process. This is not any ordinary scam. The futures of many are involved with it," the ED counsel added. Feroze Edulji also quoted the iconic version from William Shakespeare's Macbeth - "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" When the judge gave permission to Partha Chatterjee to speak, he also pleaded for bail on health grounds. "I am not well. Please let me survive. The Central agency has not been able to prove anything against me so far," he said. However, finally the court accepted the arguments of the Central agency's counsel and extended his judicial custody till November 14. While he was being brought out of the court, Partha Chatterjee made told the media persons, "I am still with the party." His comments were significant since soon after his arrest Trinamool Congress stripped him off from all ministerial and party portfolios. Mumbai, Oct 31 : 'Locals District', the techno music festival, is set to return with its new edition. The three-day open-air boutique festivals will be held at the heritage property of Ram Bihari Palace based in Alwar, Rajasthan from November 11 through November 14. Spread over 72 hours, the festival will see more than 40 artistes from different parts of the country and globally and will see notable names in the global electronic music scenario make their India debut. Some of the artistes in the line-up are the Iranian DJ- Producer Armen Miran, French powerhouse DJ-Producer Justine Perry, DJuma Soundsystem, Rico Casazza and Just B alongside deep house legends Catz 'n Dogz. Indian techno stalwarts Reverse Osmosis and Mister.k are also on the line-up. K. Vijay Kumar, Locals District festival founder-director, said in a statement: "We like to stick to heritage properties in Rajasthan to be able to deliver a deeper underlying meaning to the festival venue while our efforts are always directed towards pushing underground music and art and supporting an artistic evolution for everybody involved." He further mentioned: "As a lot of people from abroad attend our festival, doing this showcases the world how rich our culture is while introducing India to world-class music and sound quality. Over the years we've witnessed a lot of Indians attending festivals internationally. I think it's time that people come to India for the same." Coming from a hiatus of two years due to the Covid pandemic, the festival is predicting attendees in much larger numbers. Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 : A Singapore court has acquitted an India-origin Malaysian, who was sentenced to death via Zoom in a drug trafficking case in 2020, saying the prosecution did not prove its case. Punithan Genasan, 39, was acquitted of one count of trafficking 28.5 gm diamorphine by introducing two drug couriers to each other at West Coast McDonald's car parking in October 2011, Channel News Asia reported. He was implicated when the two couriers, who were arrested on October 28, 2011, alleged that Genasan was the mastermind who coordinated the drug transaction. The prosecution failed to prove that Genasan's meeting to introduce the couriers to each other took place before the drug dealing. Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Justices Andrew Phang and Tay Yong Kwang said there were discrepancies in the evidence regarding the date and time of the supposed meeting at the trial. Citing the "unique circumstances of this case", Justice Kwang said that the charge was not proven beyond reasonable doubt as it was uncertain whether the meeting took place. Justice Kwang, who delivered the verdict on behalf of the three-judge panel, said the decision in the appeal was focused on the meeting and had no effect whatsoever on the conviction and appeals of the couriers, who were found to be in possession of the drugs and in the process of distributing them. Of the two couriers, one was sentenced to life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane, while the other was sentenced to death. Genasan's was the first criminal case where a death sentence was pronounced by remote hearing in Singapore. Diamorphine, or pure heroin, produces drowsiness, euphoria and a sense of detachment, according to narcotics experts. It is highly addictive and has been banned in most countries. Singapore has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drugs, and according to rights groups, has hanged hundreds of people for narcotics-related offences over past decades. Two persons were executed in the country for drug-related charges in 2019, while two others were hanged after being convicted of murder, according to Amnesty International. Countries with recorded executions for drug-related offences include China (which classifies figures as a state secret), Iran, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Singapore. New Delhi, Oct 31 : With air quality dipping in the national capital, there is a dramatic rise in carbon monoxide (CO) levels in some areas across the city, posing a threat to children and senior citizens. The CO levels in Delhi on Monday reached 1,491 in the city while PM 2.5 was recorded at 361, or "very poor" category as per the air quality index. With Delhi's overall air quality remaining in the "very poor" category, experts said the toxic gas can cause severe reactive airway dysfunction (RADS) even in absolutely healthy people. "CO is one of the most important and dangerous constituents of air pollution, both outdoor and indoor. Since we cannot see, smell or taste it, it keeps on damaging our respiratory system, and then to other vital organs of our body. Air purifiers cannot remove this from indoors, and high levels can immediately lead to headache, nausea, guddiness and unconsciousness," said Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, Director & Unit Head Pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad. The air quality in the national capital deteriorated to "very poor" category due to calm winds and cool weather conditions, weather officials said. According to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the concentration of (particulate matter) PM 10 and PM 2.5 was recorded at 302 and 361 in Delhi, respectively. The AQI was 368 in PUSA, 333 at Lodhi Road, and 370 at Mathura Road. The AQI in Noida and Gurugram stood at 378 and 347, respectively, all under the "very poor" category. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". According to the SAFAR forecast, Delhi's air quality will continue to remain under the "very poor" category for more days. "The air quality will deteriorate more in the coming days," said an expert. Dr G.C. Khilnani, Chairman - Pulmonology, Critical care & Sleep medicine, PSRI Hospital in Delhi, said that cancers of all the organs, heart disease, strokes are all caused by this menace. "Besides feeling of general ill health, headaches, low energy, sleep disturbances, reduced appetite affects our day to day life. Reducing the exposure by exercising restraint is equally important," he said. New Delhi, Oct 31 : In a serious case of rash and negligent driving, a car overturned turtle after colliding with a DTC bus in New Delhi's Connaught Place on Monday morning, leaving three people injured, police said. The impact of the collision was so strong that the car went on the footpath and overturned turtle before coming to a halt. The accident caused traffic snarls in the area. A senior police official said that they got a call about the incident at around 5.30 a.m. and a team that reached the spot found that occupants of the car were trapped beneath it and the police personnel had to make major efforts to fish them out. "Two male persons, namely Swadesh and Anjani Chaudhary, traveling in Baleno car and one male passenger of DTC bus, namely Virendra, suffered severe injuries in the incident. They were removed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital by CATS ambulance where they were undergoing treatment," police said. Extra traffic police personnel were deployed to clear the traffic in the area. The police said that they have lodged an FIR in this respect under various sections of the IPC and were looking into the matter. AFSPA may be withdrawn from more places in Assam: Sarma Image Source: IANS News AFSPA may be withdrawn from more places in Assam: Sarma Image Source: IANS News AFSPA may be withdrawn from more places in Assam: Sarma Image Source: IANS News AFSPA may be withdrawn from more places in Assam: Sarma Image Source: IANS News Guwahati, Oct 31 : The Assam government is considering withdrawing Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from at least two more locations in the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday. At a function to offer financial support to surrendered militants for their rehabilitation, he claimed that peace has returned to Assam and the northeast and the AFSPA has been already withdrawn from 65 per cent areas of the state. "We are considering withdrawing AFSPA from Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar district and from the entire Karbi Anglong," he added. Sarma further said that following the withdrawal of AFSPA from two more areas, the law will be effective only in six districts of upper Assam. On October 1, the Assam government had withdrawn the 'disturbed area' tag from West Karbi Anglong district under the contentious AFSPA, while AFSPA was extended for another six months in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao districts along with Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar district. The Chief Minister said: "Assam has seen a lot of bloodshed. Now, it is our duty to stop it and develop the state." Sarma has dropped hints about the state government's plan to launch an ambitious scheme to provide employment opportunities to unemployed youths. He handed over demand drafts to 318 former militants, who had laid down their arms in the past. Also, a one-time grant of Rs 1.5 lakh each was offered to the surrendered cadres of the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), United Gorkha People's Organisation (UGPO), Tiwa Liberation Army (TLA), Kuki Liberation Front (KLF), Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) and Kuki National Liberation Army (KNLA). Sarma informed that over 6,780 cadres of various militant organizations have laid down their arms since he assumed the office of Chief Minister last year. "In the last one-and-half year, all militant organisations in Assam except the ULFA-I have returned to the mainstream of the society. I again appeal to the ULFA-I chief Paresh Barua to take the society forward by peace and not by bloodshed," he added. Assam DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta and other senior officials of Assam Police, Army, and paramilitary forces were present on the occasion. Patna, Oct 31 : After LJP-Ram Vilas leader Chirag Paswan announced he would campaign for BJP candidates in the November 3 Bihar bypolls, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday dismissed him as "just a child". "He was associated with BJP in the past and I am not surprised when he is going with it. We all know how he gave tickets to candidates to contest against JD-U in the 2020 assembly election," he said. "I gave great respect to Ram Vilas Paswan and also supported him in the early part of our politics. I had been meeting him in Delhi when he was alive. Our relationship was very old. It is extremely unfortunate that he is no longer with us. After his departure, his son is saying anything he wants to me," Nitish Kumar said. His deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that BJP is afraid of the grand alliance in Bihar, hence it has brought Chirag Paswan to campaign for saffron candidates in Mokama and Gopalganj. "BJP is realising the defeat in Mokama and Gopalganj, hence it is bringing Chirag Paswan and leaders of other states for the campaign. The ground situation for the BJP in Bihar is the worst. Its candidates would not win the by-poll in these two places," he said. On Nitish Kumar not campaigning in Mokama and Gopalganj, Tejashwi Yadav said: "He is injured in the stomach and hence he is not going for the physical campaign. We have three election rallies in Mokama and Gopalganj where I, JD-U national President Lalan Singh and JD-U state President Umesh Kushwaha are going." Tharad : , Oct 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' without naming it, and said that the party has ignored Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary. Citing Congress' advertisements in local newspapers in Gujarat on Monday, Modi said after laying the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 8,000 crore here, "Though today is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary, none of Congress' ads carries his photo or his name. Sardar Patel was such a tall Congress leader and a minister in Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet. You can't unite over Sardar Patel, and now you are out to connect India. Why is the Congress insulting Sardar Patel? Gujarat will never tolerate this insult." The Prime Minister added, "Life in Gujarat is full of struggle. Every decade we have faced droughts, the devastating earthquake had also tested us, but we, the courageous Gujaratis, could never be defeated by tough times. We have always confronted adverse situations with whatever resources we had at our disposal. Banaskantha district is an example of this." Recollecting his old days in north Gujarat, Modi said, "Don't you remember there were very few surface water sources here? North Gujarat was dependent on underground fluoride water, which had side-effects on our health. But since you gave me an opportunity to serve you, we worked on water harvesting by constructing check dams on rivers and deepening the traditional lakes, which helped the region meet its water needs." Patna, Oct 31 : A garment trader in Bihar's Begusarai district was shot dead in his shop on Monday, leading to protests by other traders and villagers. The deceased was identified as Sunil Kumar Yadav, who had a shop at Fateh Chowk falling under Bachwara police station. The eyewitness said that Yadav was inside the shop when around half a dozen armed men reached there and shot him. After committing the crime, they fled from the spot by firing in the air. Local traders rushed to Yadav's aid and took him to the nearby hospital but he succumbed on the way. Following the incident, the local traders and the villagers blocked NH 28 at Fateh Chowk and demanded immediate arrest of the accused, who had demanded extortion money from him. In another incident, a former Mukhiya of Siwan's Sohgara Panchayat was shot at in his village. The local villagers rescued him and took him to a nearby hospital. The doctors of the hospital referred him to PMCH Patna for better treatment. The victim, Baijnath Yadav is said to be closest to Bihar Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary. New Delhi Oct 31 : It is said that if you lie down with the dogs, then you rise with fleas. The majority of the universe of the morally corrosive princes were trying its best to hold on to their positions. Many among them led by Hamidullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal, and also the Chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, were adept at hawking their snake oil pitch by Balkanising the new India. This reprehensible princely whirligig would have continued indefinitely had Britain then not fixed a date to quit and if the country had not been divided in the pattern of its political and religious affiliations. So, when the princes gathered in Bombay, they were threatened by the compulsion of events, which held little promise for the future of their Order. When it began to dawn upon them, as Nehru kept reiterating, that it was the people and not the princes who were at last to be the arbiters of India's fate, and that June 30, 1948, was not far off (the original date of decolonisation given by Mountbatten on his arrival in India). The majority party within the Chamber led by Bhopal's nawab considered the Cabinet Mission Plan sacrosanct and entertained misgivings as to the legality of the Consembly (Constituent Assembly). Those who did not know which side to take or make up their minds in the changed circumstances abstained from attending. Baroda, Bikaner, Patiala, Japiur and Jodhpur, conscious of the time factor and for the need to appease the claims of the people, were for discarding the Plan and joining the Consembly. Kashmir, Travancore and Hyderabad, among others, struck out for independence. The thinking of the pro-India princes was on these lines: -- Why should the princes be more loyal to the Cabinet Mission Plan than the sponsors of the scheme itself? Had not Britain themselves departed from the scheme by promising to quit India by June 1948? -- The Mission's Plan, said spokespersons for the Sikh and Central Indian states, was in essence a compromise representing the minimum and not the maximum. -- Further, any concession to Indian thinking by strengthening immediately the Consembly would win universal goodwill, particularly from the Indian National Congress, which was set to rule India (The Maharaja of Bikaner's role in making up the minds of a large section of pro-India princes by writing a secret memo to the Chamber of Princes is particularly noteworthy.) The minority view finally prevailed: Princely India would strengthen nationalist forces, and join the Consembly through their association, subject of course to accepting the fundamental propositions laid down in their January Resolution. At the same time, the Muslim brotherhood of princes stood aloof, waiting to see the emergence of Pakistan, to which they hoped to ally themselves. As the Princes took centrestage at this point, in this story of schisms, the supreme issue of the people's rights in the shape and form of internal reforms in these states were glossed over. The much publicised profession of patriotism by these overlords was one thing, giving away an inch of power to the people of their states was another. This tussle had another dimension as the Congress under Nehru tried its utmost to bring the democratic process to bear in these States run by tyrants, despots and autocrats. The Chamber of Princes was nothing but an advisory body, but because they were covertly supported by Sir Conrad Corfield's Political Department and at another level by Jinnah and Churchill to fragment the New India, they entertained grandiose ideas of self-rule. The All India State Peoples Conference (known locally as Praja Mandals) was opposed to this plan and insisted on the rulers granting their subjects the fundamentals of life, liberty and pursuit of economic fruits as a preliminary to their association in the task of creation of a free India. That alone would qualify the princes to a place of acceptable constituent units in a federal union and would alone atone for the unbridled autocracy of which they were justifiably accused throughout their long and chequered course of alignment with the British Crown via the concept of Paramountcy. Lord Wavell's exit signalled the doom of Churchillian colonial policy and the liquidation of the British Empire. A homogenous India in the run-up to Independence without the princely states duly integrated was akin to a Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. One of the major tent poles in that direction was the Government of India Act of 1935, which came into force on April 1, 1937. It provided for a constitutional relationship between the Indian States and British India on a federal basis. A special feature of the scheme was that, whereas in the case of the provinces, accession to the federation was to be automatic, in the case of the states it was to be voluntary. The reasons for treating the provinces and the states differently are explained in the following extract from the Joint Select Committee's report: "The main difficulties are two: that the Indian States are wholly different in status and character from the Provinces of British India, and that they are not prepared to federate on the same terms as it is proposed to apply to the Provinces. "On the first point the Indian States, unlike the British Indian Provinces, possess sovereignty in various degrees and they are, broadly speaking, under a system of personal government. "Their accession to a Federation cannot therefore take place otherwise than by the voluntary act of the Ruler of each State, and after accession the representatives of the acceding State in the Federal Legislature will be nominated by the Ruler and its subjects will continue to owe allegiance to him. "On the second point the Rulers have made it clear that while they are willing to consider Federation now with the Provinces of British India on certain terms, they could not, as sovereign States, agree to the exercise by a Federal Government in relation to them of a range of powers identical in all respects with those which that Government will exercise in relation to the Provinces on whom autonomy has yet to be conferred." The first signs of revolt came. The Nawab of Bhopal now started taking vigorous steps with the Political Department to safeguard the position of the States in any future constitutional changes. At a meeting of the Standing Committee held on September 18, 1944, the Chancellor gave notice of his intention to move the following resolution at the session of the Chamber to be held early in December: "The Chamber of Princes considers it necessary to reiterate in the most unequivocal and emphatic terms that the Crown's relationship with the States and the Crown's power in respect of the States cannot and should not be transferred to any third party or other authority without the consent of the States concerned. "The Chamber requests His Excellency the Crown Representative to be pleased to convey to His Majesty's Government the grave misgivings and apprehensions aroused in the States by the recent tendency to alter the States' relationship with the Crown and to qualify the observance of the Crown's obligations by unilateral action without the consent of the States, notwithstanding the solemn Royal pronouncements that these Treaty Rights shall be maintained unimpaired and the recent assurance conveyed to the Indian Princes by His Majesty's Government that the fulfilment of the fundamental obligations arising out of their treaties and sanads remains an integral part of His Majesty's Government's policy." On November 26, 1944, Lord Wavell, as President of the Chamber, disallowed this resolution on the ground that it would be undesirable at any time to ventilate in public the subject matter of the resolution because of the very delicate issues which arose out of it, more so at a time when the matter had already come under discussion between the rulers and the Viceroy. This, coupled with the replies, which the Chancellor had received from the Political Department with regard to some other points which he had raised, caused much dissatisfaction in the Standing Committee. Early in December, they resigned in a body as a protest against the gradual deterioration of the position of the states and the disregard of their legitimate interests. On December 4, 80 rulers met informally in Delhi under the chairmanship of the Maharaja of Gwalior and endorsed the stand taken by the Standing Committee. Lord Wavell, who was anxious to placate the rulers, met the Chancellor and had long discussions with him. Finally, on June 25, 1945, Lord Wavell assured the rulers that there would be no future transference of the relationship of the States with the Crown to any other authority without their consent, provided the rulers on their part gave the assurance that their consent to any changes which emerged as a result of negotiations would not be unreasonably withheld. The Chancellor had no hesitation in declaring that the rulers had no intention of withholding their consent to any adjustment which might be required under the future constitutional arrangements in India and "which we consider reasonable in the wider interests of India". The Standing Committee thereupon decided to withdraw their resignation. On June 11, the Standing Committee of the All-India State Peoples' Conference passed a lengthy resolution in the course of which they demanded that the Political Department and its agencies should be handed over to the new Government of India or, alternatively, that a new central department should be created immediately to discharge the functions of the Political Department. (Sandeep Bamzai is the Editor-In-Chief of IANS and author of 'Princestan: How Nehru, Patel and Mountbatten Made India' (Rupa), which won the Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) Book Award 2020-21 in the non-fiction category.) Mumbai, Oct 31 : After an ugly war of words between their independent supporters, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis intervened and finally hammered out a reconciliation here on Monday. The spat between independent legislators Bachhu Kadu, who is founder of the Prahar Janshakti Party and Ravi Rana of the Yuva Swabhiman Party - both hailing from Amravati - came to a point where the former threatened to withdraw support to the Shinde regime if the latter did not withdraw certain allegations, prompting the Shinde-Fadnavis duo to mediate. Rana had publicly accused Kadu of allegedly taking '50 Khokhas' (slang for Rs 50 crore) to switch allegiance with the rebel Shinde group in June after he engineered a split in the erstwhile Shiv Sena and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Kadu challenged Rana to prove his allegations by November 1 and even served an ultimatum to Shinde-Fadnavis to clarify if the contentions were true or there could be dire consequences for the government. While Shinde said that since both hail from the same district, there were local issues which would be sorted out, even as Kadu and Rana called on the CM and Deputy CM independently in Mumbai. After the meeting, Rana emerged and said: "I withdraw my statement. Even Kadu should do the same." Though saying he was satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, Kadu said he would take a decision in the matter only after consulting his supporters on Tuesday. Shinde said that all the rebel and other independent MLAs had joined him out of conviction, while Fadnavis, endorsing the same, said that Kadu had gone to Guwahati after he called him up just once. For the present, the matter has apparently subsided and political sources hint that Kadu may also come around to accepting the understanding with Rana by Tuesday. Incidentally, Kadu was a Minister in the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray and was among the earliest to join the rebel group, while Rana and his wife, MP Navneer Kaur-Rana shot into the limelight in April 2022 for the Hanuman Chalisa row outside Thackeray's private residence. Guwahati, Oct 31 : In wake of the arrest of seven German nationals who were allegedly involved in religious preaching in Assam, the state government has directed all district Superintendents of Police (SP) to keep a strong vigil on foreigners visiting their districts, an official said on Monday. Assam Special DGP G.P. Singh said: "All SPs were instructed that anywhere in their district, irrespective of religion, if there is any preaching or congregation of foreigners, they have to keep a watch." He added that as per the rules of the government, anybody who wants to visit the country for religious preaching must take a missionary (M1) visa. If they are coming on a tourist visa and indulging in religious practices, it is contrary to the law. But while visiting India on a missionary (M1) VISA too, no one can indulge in religious conversion according to the rules. Singh warned that if anyone with missionary visas also indulges in religious conversions, action will be taken against such persons. Meanwhile, the state government has asked the Union government to cancel the visas of those persons who have indulged in unlawful activities. New Delhi, Oct 31 : Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V.K. Saxena, has formed a committee of senior officials of the concerned departments and agencies to ease and facilitate the licensing requirements of restaurants, eateries and hotels in the national capital. The committee headed by Principal Secretary (Home) and comprising senior representatives of the I-T Department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), MCD, Delhi Police, Fire Services and NDMC, will inter alia focus on reducing the number of licences by tweaking and deleting archaic regulations rooted in subordinate legislation, minimum documentation, fixed timelines for grant of licences, complete online processes embedded in a single window portal and promotion of self-regulation etc. The committee will be able to co-opt members and will take comprehensive inputs from stakeholder hotel and restaurant associations etc. Apart from providing an overall fillip to the hospitality sector, this would pave the way for late night dining, Alfresco eateries and dining in the open, said the L-G office. Saxena has directed the committee to submit its report within 15 days. The move comes in continuation with the L-G's recent decision to allow 314 establishments, including online delivery of food, medicines, logistics, transport and travel services, other essential commodities apart from KPOs and BPOs, whose applications were pending since as 2016, to operate on a 24x7 basis in the national capital. As of now, hospitality establishments, entrepreneurs, especially those from small and medium segments, in the city are subjected to registration and inspecting processes of Delhi Police, local bodies (MCD & NDMC), fire department and the DPCC. "These processes and requirements are often found to be outdated, unnecessarily restrictive, coercive and discretionary. They have often led to complaints of harassment and corruption as well, resulting in the fact that unlike other global and Indian cities, Delhi's hospitality sector has yet not achieved its full potential," the L-G office said in a statement. It is excepted that the changes and amendments brought about will not only come as big relief to the pandemic-hit hospitality industry, but more importantly, provide a major boost to the 'night-time economy', generating greater employment and ensuring economic growth, the L-G office said. New Delhi, Oct 31 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high level meeting to review the situation in Gujarat's Morbi where more than 140 persons died on Sunday in a bridge collapse. Official sources said that, at the meeting at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the Prime Minister was briefed on the rescue and relief operations that have been underway ever since the unfortunate accident took place. All aspects relating to the tragedy were discussed. The Prime Minister once again emphasised on ensuring that those affected get all possible assistance, they added. The high level meeting was also attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the Chief Secretary and the DGP along with other top officials including those from Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority. Bengaluru, Oct. Oct 31 : The results of local body polls in Vijayapura and Kollegal, on Monday, came as a shot in the arm for the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in Karnataka. The Chief Minister expressed his happiness over the victory of BJP in local body polls to Vijayapura City Corporation, Kollegal Town Municipality and Savanur Town Panchayat on Monday. The elections were held on October 28. Of the total 35 seats, BJP has won in 17 seats in Vijayapura City Corporation, with the Congress winning only 10 seats. The AIMIM won two seats, while the JD(S) settled for one seat. The BJP is expected to take help from the independent candidates who have won five seats. In Kollegal city Municipal Council, the BJP swept the polls by winning six of the seven seats. "This is the indicator for the blooming of lotus all over the State in the 2023 Assembly elections," the CM said. As Karnataka is due for assembly elections in the first half of 2023, battle lines have already been drawn. The BJP has been espousing a hardline Hindutva stance in the only south Indian state it enjoys popular support. The opposition Congress party has taken up the issue of corruption as its poll plank for the assembly polls. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) contested from 15 wards, it failed to win a single seat. The party state convenor Prithvi Reddy said that the party garnered 5.52 per cent overall vote share in the contested wards. New Delhi, Oct 31 : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday called upon civil servants to take the lead in making India a developed nation during the 'Amrit Kaal' over the next 25 years. He suggested that they go by the spirit of the Prime Minister's principle of "Minimum Government - Maximum Governance", observing that "it is not a mere slogan, but the need of the hour". Dhankhar, who is also the President of Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), was attending its 68th Annual General Body Meeting here. It also marked the first visit of the Vice President to IIPA after assuming office. Reflecting on the achievements of IIPA over the year, he said that "Mission Karmayogi enables an ecosystem that allows every individual in the government to exploit his/her potential. IIPA, with its enormous potential, has to catalyse that change". The Vice President observed that the Prime Minister's exhortation of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas" encapsulates the Indian civilisational ethos and the vision of the Indian constitution makers. He called upon the bureaucracy to make the vision a reality and work towards taking the government's developmental vision to the last individual. Dhankhar also urged civil servants, in discharge of their duties, to stick to the Constitutional rulebook, irrespective of the political dispensation in power. "Pernicious tendency of systemic corruption has to be rooted out by the bureaucracy, the civil society and people at large," he said. Union Minister, Jitendra Singh said that the future ready bureaucracy needs to tackle the triple problems of aging population, rising income inequality, and climate justice. Lauding the IIPA for contributing to the field of capacity building very proactively, he complimented the institution for conducting more than a hundred offline and online training programmes during Covd-19 pandemic and quickly transforming itself into a powerhouse of digital training. New Delhi, Oct 31 : Delhi Police have arrested a man for shooting a woman dead after their love affair went awry. The accused was hiding in different hotels to escape arrest before landing on the police net. A senior police officer said that the accused, identified as Rohit Gupta aka Sonu (29), had an affair with Salma, whom he killed after their break-up. The officer said that on October 28, they received a PCR call at 1:10 pm informing about the suspicious death of a woman in Bharat Nagar area. On reaching the spot, the police team found a woman with gunshot injuries. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead. Later, the deceased was identified as Salma (45). After recovering three empty cartridges from the crime spot, the police lodged a murder case under the relevant sections of sections of Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. "As there was no CCTV footage of the incident, it was a completely blind case. The accused was identified with the help of technical surveillance. He was later held from the Civil Lines area," the officer said. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he was in a relationship with the deceased and after their break-up, he got frustrated and decided to kill her. After committing the crime, he was hiding in different hotels and kept on changing his location to evade arrest. "The accused works in a grocery shop and also has a marital dispute. Gupta disclosed that he threw the pistol used in the crime in a canal which could not be recovered," the police said. New Delhi, Oct 31 : Many people reckon that Lord Mountbatten's July 25, 1947, full regalia replete with Royal Family spit and polish became a defining moment in breaching the princes' stockade. Mountbatten held a meeting with the Chamber of Princes, where he addressed the question of the princely states, of which there were about 565. The treaty relations between Britain and the Indian States would come to an end, and on August 15, 1947, the suzerainty of the British Crown was to lapse. It was a tour de force from Mountbatten who called out the princes who still believed that the British would save them from the Congress. During the course of his speech, he made several telling points, none more seminal than: The first step was to set up some machinery by which it was possible to put the two future Governments of India -- the Dominions of India and Pakistan -- in direct touch with the states. "So I conceived the scheme of setting up two States Departments within the future governments," Mountbatten declared. These States Departments are not successors of Political Departments. "They have been set up simultaneously and side by side," Mountbatten clarified. It left the Princes present in a complete daze and with a deep sense of betrayal. The Nawab of Bhopal did not attend the meeting of the rulers and states. He felt, as he put it, that they were being invited like the Oysters to attend the tea party with the Walrus and the Carpenter. He, along with the Maharaja of Indore, headed a group of rulers who strenuously opposed accession. The Nawab was firmly of the opinion that it would be impossible for Bhopal to become an organic part of either Dominion. He suggested that he should enter into treaty relations with both the Dominions. He was handled throughout by Lord Mountbatten. According to V.P. Menon, he was present at most of their meetings. Lord Mountbatten's long-standing personal friendship with the Nawab played its part in the latter's decision to accede. By the first week of August the Nawab had realised that the vast majority of the rulers had opted for accession and that, if he did not come in, Bhopal would be left in an anomalous and difficult position. He wanted to know whether he could sign a Standstill Agreement without acceding. Mountbatten and Menon told him that Standstill Agreements would not be signed with rulers who refused to accede. He then sent his Constitutional Adviser, Sir Mohammad Zafarullah Khan, to clarify the terms of the Instrument of Accession. The confabulation continued. Menon made it clear to Sir Mohammad that it would be impossible to make any alterations in the Instrument of Accession and that Bhopal would have to join on the same terms as all other states. At last the Nawab signed, but with the stipulation that his signature should be kept secret for 10 days after the transfer of power. There was no difficulty in complying with this request. In his address to the Constituent Assembly on the morning of August 15, Lord Mountbatten referred to the success of the accession policy and paid a tribute to Sardar as a far-sighted statesman. He said: "It is a great triumph for the realism and sense of responsibility of the rulers and the governments of the States as well as for the Government of India that it was possible to produce an Instrument of Accession which was equally acceptable to both sides; and one, moreover, so simple and so straightforward that within less than three weeks practically all the states concerned had signed the Instrument of Accession and the Standstill Agreement. There is thus established a unified political structure." Menon writes: "The masterly handling of the rulers by Sardar was the foremost factor in the success of the accession policy. The rulers soon came to recognise him as a stable force in Indian politics and as one who would give them a fair deal. "Added to this, his unfailing politeness to the rulers, viewed against his reputation as the Iron Man of India, endeared him to them and created such confidence that all accepted his advice without demur. Nehru was feared by the Princes so they preferred to talk to Sardar." Another factor which went a long way in winning over the rulers was of course the infectious charm and inborn tact of Lord Mountbatten. It was because of his abundant love for India, and not merely because he was obliged to do so, that he had taken upon himself the task of negotiating with the rulers on the question of accession. And once he undertook any task, he invariably put the whole weight of his personality into what he was doing and spared himself no effort. Half-hearted methods and half-hearted measures are alien to him. India can never forget the magnificent service he rendered at a critical juncture in her history. Nor can one forget the rulers, but for whose willing and patriotic cooperation the policy of accession could not have been implemented. They gave ample evidence of imagination, foresight and patriotism and, as Sardar himself remarked, they might well claim to be co-architects of a free and united India. Menon writes: "It is not possible to name all the many rulers who cooperated with us. Sir Pratap Singh, Gaekwar of Baroda, was the first ruler actually to sign the Instrument of Accession, though I think the first announcement of accession was made by the Dewan of Gwalior, M.A. Srinivasan, on behalf of the Maharajah, Sir Jivaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior. The latter had been of great help during the negotiations and had undoubtedly exercised a healthy influence on several rulers. But the greatest share of the credit for giving a patriotic lead to the rulers and convincing them that it was in their own interest to accede to India must go to the late Maharajah Sir Sadul Singh of Bikaner and Maharajah Sir Yadavindra Singh of Patiala. "The former's valuable help was acknowledged in several letters which Sardar addressed to him. Lord Mountbatten publicly referred to it in his speech at Bikaner while investing the Maharaja with the G.C.S.I. By the untimely death of Sir Sadul Singh, the country lost a patriotic ruler who had made the utmost sacrifices without bitterness. For myself, I lost a very great personal friend. "Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh of Patiala had cooperated with us ever since my first meeting with him at the Hotel Imperial. This young ruler, who was only thirty-four years of age at that time, showed remarkably robust patriotism and his contribution cannot be lightly forgotten. "The Jam Saheb, too, was a tower of strength in those days of hectic negotiations. He always brought a practical mind to bear upon our problems and many an otherwise trying hour was enlivened by his sparkling humour." Forewarned is forearmed is an old saying. Freedom and independence had a different connotation for the Princes. Take the Maharaja of Nawanagar and his acerbic comment to the rest of his brethren: "Without entering into some kind of organic relationship with the Central Government, Your Highnesses would be totally exposed to the Congress Party-inspired agitations with no help to come as until now from the Reserved Crown Police under the Political Department." Another major calamity for the Union of India was averted by Mountbatten and Sardar when he managed to convince Jodhpur to stay on this side after the Maharaja flirted with Jinnah. And he was even trying to wean away fellow border Hindu Princes. As Narendra Singh Sarila, Mountbatten's ADC, writes in 'Once a Prince of Sarila: Of Palaces and Tiger Hunts, of Nehrus and Mountbattens': "Bhopal Ruler Nawab Hamidullah Khan with some neighbouring Hindu Princes did not attend the July 25, 1947, meeting of the Chamber addressed by Mountbatten saying that they were being invited like the Oyster to attend the tea party with the Walrus and the Carpenter (reference to Lewis Carroll's 'Through the Looking Glass', which ended in an unfortunate manner for the oyster). Thhe Rulers of J&K and Travancore-Cochin were also not present (the former had not been invited). "The Nizam never attended Chamber meetings thinking it was beneath him since he was the Exalted Highness. The Nawab of Bhopal as explained repeatedly earlier was by now an open rebel having entered the Pakistani camp and was busy persuading his Hindu Princely friends whose territories lay between Bhopal and the western wing of Pakistan, such as Indore, Baroda and Rajasthan States, not to accede to the Indian Dominion. "Mountbatten himself records how he foiled Bhopal's plan: A serious effect which Jodhpur's planned defection from New Delhi would have been to open up opportunities to contiguous States such as Jaisalmer, Udaipur and Jaipur to accede to Pakistan through contiguity provided by Jodhpur. ... "The young Maharaja of Jodhpur was next taken to see Mr Jinnah in the presence of Nawab of Bhopal and Sir Mohd. Zafarullah Khan, the latter's adviser who later became the first foreign minister of Pakistan. Mr Jinnah offered the Maharaja the use of Karachi as a free port, free import of arms, jurisdiction over the railways which ran between Jodhpur and Hyderabad in Sind, and a large supply of grain for famine-threatened areas in the State -- all on the condition that Jodhpur would declare its independence on August 15 and subsequently join Pakistan. "Jodhpur is reported to have said later: After explaining the offer Mr Jinnah pushed across the table a blank paper with his signature on it asking me to fill in our other terms for acceding to Pakistan. Expecting trouble from the Congresswallas after independence, was frankly tempted. But the heir apparent of Jaisalmer who was with me suggested we consult my mother, the Dowager Maharani, and the Sardars at Jodhpur. So I thanked Mr Jinnah for his offer and said we would think about it and then return. As soon as I said this Jinnah pulled away rather brusquely the blank paper with his signature that I held in my fingers." Mountbatten's own report goes on to say: "A family council attended by some headmen was held in Jodhpur on August 5 where the majority was against joining Pakistan. The Maharaja still thought that Mr Jinnah's offer was the best and telegraphed to the Nawab of Bhopal saying he would meet him to fix up details in Delhi on August 11. On August 7, the Maharaja of Jodhpur left for Baroda to persuade the Gaekwar not to sign the Instrument of Accession. The same day a telegram was sent to the Maharaja saying that I wanted to see him at once." It was apparent that Sardar Patel was prepared to go to any length to prevent this from materialising. Patel agreed that Jodhpur should continue to allow his Rajputs to carry and import arms without restrictions. Patel also undertook to provide food for their famine-stricken districts and finally assured that he would give the highest priority for the building of a railway from Jodhpur to a port in Kutch. On these terms -- and no doubt on account of the Viceroy's pressure -- young Dhanwant Singh gave in Mountbatten then turned his attention to other wayward and sluggard Princes. Indore, another of Bhopal's friends, refused to come and see Mountbatten: "I got hold of the maharaja of Baroda and the maharaja of Kolhapur and asked them to collect other Maratha Rulers to fly down and bring the Maharaja of Indore with them." When Indore finally agreed to show up in Delhi on August 5, Mountbatten told him caustically: that he had shown a lamentable lack of sense of responsibility towards his people apart from discourtesy which he had shown for the Crown Representative. Mountbatten noted: "The Maharaja handed me a long letter that argued that my policy was against the one announced by the British Government in Parliament." He went back to his State without signing the Instrument of Accession. But he sent it to the States Ministry by ordinary post so that it reached on August 15, 1947. The Maharaja of Baroda told the Viceroy that the Prime Minister of Indore, a British ex-police officer named Ralph Albert Horton, in conjunction with the Nawab of Bhopal was behind his recalcitrance. All this would not have been possible without Menon. He was the mason who laid the edifice for the integration of the Princely States. From Mountbatte's Counsellor, he became Sardar Patel's instrumentality, a potent weapon. Menon kept himself up to speed with everything that was happening with Jinnah, the princes and of course the Political Department, which was the source of mischief. He had his own network and intelligence service which he used most effectively. In November, 1946, Jinnah had told Lord Wavell: "The British should give me my own bit of territory, however small it may be." Obsessed with the idea of Pakistan, he told Mountbatten on April 10, 1947: I don't care how little you give as long as you give it to me completely." The outline of this deal with the British that Jinnah obsessed over was: Partition of India on the Wavell Plan, that is, the smaller Pakistan. An immediate transfer of power. As this could only be done by amending the Act of 1935, which was in force (rather than wait for the labours of the Consembly or Assemblies to be completed), this procedure would ipso facto mean the two successor States would become independent as British Dominions and as part of the Commonwealth, or whatever was decided by their respective Constituent Assemblies ultimately. And to make India accept the amputation of the NWFP (ruled by the Congress) and Baluchistan from its territory, Mountbatten was to give a verbal assurance to Patel that he would persuade the Princes to accede to one or the other Dominion and oppose any princely state from trying to become independent. Such an assurance would mean 90 per cent of the territories of princely states would go to India and more than compensate it for the territory lost to Pakistan. (Sandeep Bamzai is the Editor-In-Chief of IANS and author of 'Princestan: How Nehru, Patel and Mountbatten Made India' (Rupa), which won the Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) Book Award 2020-21 in the non-fiction category.) New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Youth Congress on Monday paid tribute to the victims of the bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi town by organising a candle march from its office to the Jantar Mantar, where its workers paid homage to the dead. On this occasion, Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas B.V. said that this accident is very sad and painful, and should not be politicised but more than 140 people died, "who is responsible for it? This is the most serious and important question today". He also said that this is the reality of Gujarat model, which BJP is praising day and night, but the people of the state will not forgive the BJP government and the local administration for this negligence. Srinivas said that this accident has raised some questions - first, who is responsible for these deaths? second, why has no one been held accountable yet? And the third, with the local administration saying - 'The bridge was opened without permission', is it possible? "The BJP government will have to answer these questions." He alleged that the municipal officer said that he does not know when the bridge opened and the ticket for going to the bridge continued to be collected. "12,000 people also went to the bridge and the administration didn't even notice? This is the reality of the Gujarat model, which has become just a corrupt and hollow model." He demanded that strict and strict action should be taken against those responsible for the Morbi accident so that the public can get justice. Hyderabad, Oct 31 : As part of the efforts to curb drug menace, authorities in Hyderabad have asked colleges and other equivalent educational institutions to constitute anti-drug committees in their respective institutions. With a minimum of five members drawn from faculty and students, the committees will be primarily tasked to prevent drug abuse by equipping young people with the life skills necessary to enable them to deal with different situations without turning to drugs, and the ability to resist peer pressure to use drugs. Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand has issued a notification which mandates all colleges and other equivalent educational institutions to constitute Anti-Drug Committee (ADCs). He said as per the directions of the government and in continuation of efforts to curb drug menace in the state, the city police have now taken a strategic stride to insulate the increasingly vulnerable youngsters in colleges and other equivalent educational Institutions. Lack of supervision by parents and peer influence often make young people getting addicted to substances. Once entangled, it's a black hole sinking away all good things in life and causing unbearable distress to their families and the public at large, he said. The police chief said since the colleges returned to normalcy after the pandemic-induced disruption during the last two years, the police have now taken up a double pronged strategy that is legal action alongside sensitising the youngsters which eventually cuts down the demand side in the illicit drug trade. These ADCs, which will work under the guiding principles developed by Hyderabad City Police, are entrusted to play a key role in creating awareness on dangers of drug abuse through various digital campaigns, workshops, seminars to ensure their campuses are free from the scourge of narcotic substances. Moreover, at the very beginning of the academic year, the head of the institution will have to convene a meeting to sensitise the students on the dangers of drug abuse and ensure cooperative approach among parents, staff, students, agencies, and the police. These committees will also liaise with the local police to tip off on usage or possession or sale or purchase of drugs. Citizens can inform the Hyderabad Police Narcotics Enforcement Wing on 8712661601 or 040-27852080. The prevention programmes and their outcomes should be evaluated regularly to provide evidence of their worth and to improve the future programmes. Fostering partnership between home, educational institutions, agencies catalyses the fight against the illicit trade and is likely to be the best way, Anand said. Tehran, Oct 31 : About 1,000 people in Tehran have been charged in connection with the anti-government protests that have engulfed Iran, as per the city's chief prosecutor, media reports said on Monday, Suspects accused of "acts of sabotage", including murdering security forces and arson, face public trials this week. Authorities have not said how many have been arrested nationwide, but rights activists have put the total at 14,000, BBC reported. The announcement came as two teenage protesters allegedly killed by security forces were buried in north-east Iran. Kumar Daroftateh, 16, was shot at close range at a demonstration in the city of Piranshahr and died in hospital on Sunday night. At his funeral on Monday, mourners shouted slogans against the government. To the south, in the city of Sanandaj, another crowd gathered at the grave of Sarina Saedi, who was also 16. Witnesses saw her fall to the ground during a protest a few days ago after she was hit by birdshot fired by security forces, BBC reported. Sarina's father was forced to announce on TV that her death was the result of a suicide in order to absolve security forces of blame. Iran's Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that 284 people, including 45 children, have been killed by security forces in the crackdown on protests, which erupted after the death in police custody of a woman accused of wearing her hijab "improperly". New Delhi, Oct 31 : India's Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri on Monday said that higher energy prices are leading to intended and unintended consequences. "While at one end it is leading to a global recession, at the same time it is also hastening India's energy transition across biofuels, green hydrogen and electric vehicles," he said while addressing the plenary panel at the inaugural ceremony of Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC2022). UAE's Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Egypt'sPetroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Tarek El-Molla and US Special Presidential Coordinator Amos Hochstein were also present on the occasion. Puri, who is on a visit to the UAE, also met the new OPEC Secretary General Haitham al-Ghais in Abu Dhabi. India consumes 14 per cent of OPEC hydrocarbon production totaling $48 billion last year. Puri invited him to visit India for India Energy Week and OPEC India dialogue in February 2023. New Delhi, Oct 31 : The office of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has not yet received any file seeking extension of the 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' scheme, a source at the LG secretariat told IANS on Monday. The revealation counters Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's claim that after taking approval from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the file was sent to the L-G office, but no decision has been taken on it yet. The 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' scheme will be discontinued from Tuesday, Sisodia said, a move that could trigger a fress row between Delhi government and L-G V.K. Saxena. "A proposal to continue the free yoga classes scheme was sent to the L-G after the approval of Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal ji, on which he himself has not yet taken any decision. But in the meantime, a decision has been made to stop the free yoga classes by the officials," Sisodia tweeted. However, the source in the L-G secretariat said, "The LG office has not yet received any file seeking permission for extension of the yoga programme beyond October 31, so it is wrong to state that the LG has not approved extension of the programme due to which it is being discontinued." Earlier on Monday, Sisodia said that 590 yoga classes in Delhi's parks will be discontinued from Tuesday. "The board of the university wants the Yogshala to continue for the common people of Delhi, the government has also given the budget. But still the order has been issued to close the programme by intimidating the officials. 590 yoga classes in Delhi's parks will be closed from tomorrow," Sisodia tweeted. Shillong, Oct 31 : Meghalaya Chief minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday said that one person has been arrested in connection with the October 28 Shillong rally, which turned violent, leaving many people, mostly non-tribals, injured. Sangma, who held a meeting on Monday with senior police officials and East Khasi Hills District - under which Shillong falls - Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo to review the law and order situation of the district, said that several people were identified who went on a rampage to attack the innocent people. "I have instructed the police to take necessary action in connection with the October 28 rally. Also for future situations, SOPs (standard operating procedures) and various other necessary arrangements are being taken," the Chief Minister told the media. Noting that when permission is given to hold a rally, the organisers are expected to follow certain norms, he also warned that stern action would be taken against those involved in the violence at the rally, taken out against unemployment problem by the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP). He also informed that apart from the arrest, three FIRs have been lodged and large numbers of people have been identified who were the main trouble-makers and attacked the innocent people. According to eyewitnesses, a section of FKJGP members, many of them masked, punched, kicked and pushed passersby indiscriminately, injuring a large number of people, mostly non-tribals, causing panic and huge traffic jams in the area. New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on LIC Housing Finance Ltd for non-compliance with certain provisions of the Housing Finance Companies Directions, 2010 issued by the National Housing Bank (NHB). "This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in the RBI under the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 52A read with clause (aa) of sub-section (3) of section 49 of the National Housing Bank Act, 1987 (NHB Act)," a statement issued by the RBI said. This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the company with its customers, the central bank clarified. "After considering the company's reply to the notice, examination of additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, the RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid statutory directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty," the statement added. New York, Oct 31 : Supporters of the Congress have held a march here mirroring the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" organised in India by party leader Rahul Gandhi. The participants in the programme billed as "Unity Walk in New York" marched on Sunday from Times Square to the Gandhi statue in Union Square, according to the Indian Overseas Congress USA which organised the event. IOC Chairman Sam Pitroda flagged off the march with a call to adhere to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the organisation said. About 300 people participated in the march which was "inspired" by Rahul Gandhi's "yatra" and aims to promote "unity and peace in India and the sub-continent", the organisers said. Hyderabad, Oct 31 : In a novel protest, thousands of handloom weavers from Telangana on Monday sent postcards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding rollback of Goods and Service Tax (GST) on handlooms. Thousands of postcards were deposited at the General Post Office (GPO). Weavers and handloom supporters gathered at Nizam College Grounds and marched to GPO in a rally. The participants were carrying pictures of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and state Handlooms and Textiles Minister K. T. Rama Rao as well as placards with the demand to roll back the GST. The wavers demanded the Centre to immediately roll back five percent GST on handlooms products and its raw materials. The weavers wrote the post cards responding to the call given by Rama Rao who launched the campaign on October 22 demanding GST rollback. The campaign received massive response from weavers spread across the state. Member of Legislative Council L. Ramana, Chinta Prabhakar, Chairman, Telangana State Handloom Development Corporation Ltd, Guduri Praveen, Chairman, Telangana Powerloom and Textiles Development Corporation Ltd, former Rajya Sabha MP Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu, and Warangal Mayor Gundu Sudharani participated in the programme and the rally. Addressing people gathered at the college grounds, Ramana demanded that the GST should be rolled back. He has also demanded the union government to restore the schemes for weavers which were scrapped, including ICICI Lombard Health Scheme and Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana. Ramana said that Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao took several measures to protect the handlooms sector. Some of them are Nethanna Ku Bima, Chenetha Mithra, Nethannaku Cheyutha and loan waiver to weavers. --IANS ms/vd A New Delhi, Oct 31 : The Supreme Court on Monday said by handing over money with the intent of giving bribe, such a person will knowingly be a party to an activity connected with the proceeds of crime. A bench of Chief Justice of India U.U. Lalit and Justice Bela M. Trivedi set aside a judgment passed by the Madras High Court in March 2021, which quashed the proceedings against Padmanabhan Kishore under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) moved the apex court challenging the high court judgment. The top court noted that it is true that so long as the amount is in the hands of a bribe giver, and till it does not get impressed with the requisite intent and is actually handed over as a bribe, it would definitely be untainted money. It said if the money is handed over without such intent, it would be a mere entrustment and if it is thereafter appropriated by the public servant, the offence would be of misappropriation or species thereof, but certainly not of bribe. "The crucial part therefore is the requisite intent to hand over the amount as bribe and normally such intent must necessarily be antecedent or prior to the moment the amount is handed over. Thus, the requisite intent would always be at the core before the amount is handed over," it observed. The bench further added that such intent having been entertained well before the amount is actually handed over, the person concerned would certainly be involved in the process or activity connected with "proceeds of crime" including inter alia, the aspects of possession or acquisition thereof. "By handing over money with the intent of giving bribe, such person will be assisting or will knowingly be a party to an activity connected with the proceeds of crime. Without such active participation on part of the person concerned, the money would not assume the character of being proceeds of crime. The relevant expressions from Section 3 of the PML Act are thus wide enough to cover the role played by such person," it said. The top court said it is quite clear that the respondent was prima facie involved in the activity connected with the proceeds of crime. "The view taken by the high court that the respondent cannot be held liable for the offence under the PML Act is thus completely incorrect," it said. In 2011, the CBI recovered Rs 50 lakh from an IRS officer, also an accused in the case. During investigation, it came to light that the sum was handed over to the officer by Kishore, whose income tax file was pending with the officer for clearance. A case was registered under Section 120B, Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Sections 7, 12, 13(1)(d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988. Later, a case was registered by the Enforcement Directorate against the accused including the respondent under Sections 3 and 4 of the PML Act. The basic submission advanced on behalf of the respondent was that the amount in question, as long as it was in the hands of respondent, could not be said to be tainted money, that it assumed such character only after it was received by the public servant, and as such the respondent could not be said to be connected with proceeds of crime and could not be proceeded against under the provisions of the PML Act. This submission was accepted by the high court, which quashed the proceedings in PML Act against the respondent. The apex court noted that controversy in the instant matter is not with regard to Kishore's involvement in the offence punishable under the PC Act, but raises a question whether he can be proceeded against under the provisions of the PML Act. Allowing the ED's appeal, the top court said: "The observations made by us regarding involvement of the respondent are prima facie in nature and for considering whether the allegations made by the prosecution if accepted to be true at this stage, would make out an offence or not. Needless to say that, on facts, the matter shall be considered purely on merits at the appropriate stage(s)... Consequently, the respondent shall continue to be arrayed and proceeded against in accordance with law in E.C.I.R. registered by the Enforcement Directorate." Mysuru : , Oct 31 (IANS) Launching a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the ruling BJP in Karnataka, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said on Monday that RSS has turned state BJP leaders into its mouthpieces. Talking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah said that BJP is running a factory of lies and the RSS is behind the process. "RSS is tutoring BJP leaders to target me," he added. State Transport Minister B. Sriramulu is repeating what is being taught by the RSS, Siddaramaiah said, as he went on to term state BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel as a 'joker' who has 'not taken part in any struggle or agitation". "It is proven that the ruling BJP is a 40 per cent government. To cover their blunders, BJP leaders are giving gifts to journalists. The gifts are given so that their scandals are not highlighted. A judicial probe should be initiated into the matter," Siddaramaiah said. "When former BJP Rajya Sabha member Rama Jois questioned reservation for backward classes in the court, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and ex-CM B.S. Yediyurappa remained tight-lipped, though they were the ones talking about reservation for OBCs," the Congress leader said. Bengaluru, Oct 31 : A special court here on Monday sentenced an engineering student, who had celebrated the 2019 Pulwama suicide bomb attack on an Indian paramilitary convoy, to five years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine. Faiz Rasheed, a third semester student of Electronics and Communication in a reputed college in Bengaluru had supported the heinous suicide bomber terrorist attack, and also put out comments on social media challenging the sovereignty and integrity of the country. His messages were also intended to create a communal rift. After his messages created public outrage, Banaswadi police in Bengaluru filed an FIR against him. The police have charged him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the case was transferred to the CCB Special Unit for further investigation. After arresting the accused, his mobile was seized and a report from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) was taken. The chargesheet was submitted to Special NIA Court. Since the day of arrest, he had been kept in judicial custody. The Pulwama attack taken place on Feb 14, 2019, when a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber, killing 40 personnel. New Delhi, Oct 31 : A Delhi cloth shop owner was stabbed to death after he resisted a robbery bid, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Sunday night when Praveen, 53, who ran a cloth shop in Bawana marketwas on his way to Narela railway station to board a train for his home in Haryana's Sonipat. According to a senior police official, at around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, information was received from Raja Harish Chandra Hospital regarding Praveen, who was brought by CATS Ambulance from Narela railway station and declaredt dead. "After receiving the call, the police teams rushed to the hospital and the spot of the crime. During preliminary enquiry, it was revealed that Praveen was running a cloth shop at Bawana market and at the time of incident he, along with Salim, who is also an eye witness and also resident of Sonipat, were going to the Narela station," said the police official. "Both of them used to travel from Delhi to Sonipat and back by passenger train on a daily basis. At around 8.30 p.m., when they were going towards the Narela Railway Station to board the train to Sonipat, two men came and tried to forcibly rob Praveen's bagl. "Praveen resisted and one of the robbers caught hold of him and stabbed him with a knife. Praveen sustained injuries and fell down. Both the robbers fled away and Salim called the ambulance and also made a PCR call," said the police official. "A case under Section 302 (murder), 394 (causing hurt in committing robbery), 397 (robbery or dacoity) and 34 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at SMRS police station," said official adding that investigation is in progress. New Delhi, Nov 1 : The Ukraine-Russia war has put a strain on global supply chains and while transportation of various commodities have been severely impacted, India's paper imports have been hit to such an extent that there is a waiting period of two months for overseas shipments. According to industry sources, there has been a 42.8 per cent increase in price of paper due to delay in supplies. Lockdowns in China have also compounded the problem further, they added. Before the Ukraine crisis began in February this year the price of paper was Rs 70,000 per tonne, which has now gone up to Rs 1,00,000 per tonne, an industry representative said. India mainly depends on imported raw material for making paper. Whether it is newsprint which is used for printing newspapers or map litho paper which is needed for printing books, the pulp strands needed for making paper pulp are sourced from China and several European nations. Orders for both kinds of paper have been hit ever since the geopolitical tensions began, a production executive of a reputed publishing firm said. As of now, there is a delay of around two months in paper supplies from abroad, which has led to a rise in production costs and also in the cost of raw materials, he informed. Paper orders placed for October 2022 are expected only by December this year, the official said. Due to the delays in paper supplies, publishers are not able fix the prices of books, he added. This demand and supply gap is expected to rise further once the new academic season sets in early next year and the demand for books goes up. As raw material is sourced from China and Europe, the paucity of containers due to the Ukraine crisis has mainly led to paper supply constraints, industry sources informed. Shortage of containers which are needed for supplies are not easily available due to the ongoing disruptions in Europe. Though paper is produced in India, it is the specialised pulp strand sourced from abroad, on which its manufacturing is dependent, sources said. So with dependency on domestically produced paper being less and imports getting costlier, the country is likely to face paper shortage crisis for some more time, as sources said that shipments may remain impacted till March 2023, even as the Ukraine war continued to rage on. Moreover lockdowns in China, a major supplier of map litho paper, has seen paper mills shutting down there, industry representatives said, which too has led to supply gaps. Chennai, Nov 1 : The interim General Secretary of AIADMK, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) on Monday slammed the low crop insurance amount provided to the farmers 'without properly ascertaining the losses suffered by them'. The former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu claimed that a paltry amount of Rs 250 was provided per acre as crop losses to many farmers, and even this small sum was not given to many farmers for the financial year 2021-22. In a statement issued on Monday, EPS said that the officials did not visit the fields and instead assessed the losses while sitting in their offices which is not acceptable. The AIADMK leader said that he had urged the state government to depute ministers and senior officials to ascertain the losses suffered by the farmers after obtaining on the spot information. The former Chief Minister lamented that neither the ministers nor the senior bureaucrats visited the fields to study the losses suffered by the farmers. Palaniswami said that during his regime, farmers were provided a minimum of Rs 7,000 crore as crop loss insurance claims, and called upon the state government to clear the irregularities in ascertaining the losses suffered by the farmers. Washington, Nov 1 : US President Joe Biden on Monday extended his deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the bridge collapse tragedy in Morbi, Gujarat, on Sunday in which 141 people were killed. "Today, our hearts are with India. Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the bridge collapse, and join the people of Gujarat in mourning the loss of too many lives cut short. "The United States and India are indispensable partners, with deep bonds between our citizens. In this difficult hour, we will continue to stand with and support the Indian people," Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. The British era suspension bridge over Machchu river, which was reopened just five days back after renovation work, was filled with people when it collapsed on Sunday evening, snuffing out 141 innocent lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased from the PM's Relief Fund, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Raipur, Nov 1 : The grand occasion of the National Tribal Dance Festival and Rajyotsava is to be organised from November 1-3 at the Science College Ground within Chattisgarh's state capital Raipur. The opening ceremony will be held on November 1 at 11 a.m. Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will attend the inauguration ceremony as the chief guest and state Assembly Speaker Charandas Mahant will preside over the programme. At the same time, the state ornament ceremony will be organised from 7 p.m where Governor Anusuiya Uikey will attend the function as the chief guest and Chief Minister Baghel will preside over the programme. On November 2, the following day after the inaugural programme, the Chief Minister will attend the programme as the chief guest and it will be presided over by Culture Minister Amarjit Bhagat. The Rajyotsava programme will conclude on November 3 at 7 p.m. and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will attend the closing ceremony as the chief guest, while Baghel will preside over the programme. As many as 1500 tribal artistes from nine countries -- Mozambique, Mongolia, Togo, Russia, Indonesia, Maldives, Serbia, New Zealand and Egypt and all the states and Union Territories of India will participate in the National Tribal Dance Festival. Competitions will be held in two categories in the National Tribal Dance Festival. The first category will be based on the theme 'Harvesting', and the second category will be based on the theme 'Tribal Traditions and Rituals'. The people winning the competitions will be awarded Rs 20 lakh. Cash prizes of Rs 20 lakh will also be distributed as well as Rs five lakh, Rs three lakh and Rs two lakh will be awarded to the first, second and third place holders. Luxembourg-based real estate investment partner REInvest Asset Management S.A. has secured the fully-let Bronze Gate office property in its home city of Luxembourg. The property was acquired from the developers Nextensa and Promobe "Grossfeld for the DEREIF SICAV-FIS fund which invests in European real estate. The main investor in the Photos: Guy Wolf/Grossfeld [] We kept within the great state of Texas know that we have secured a promising location to serve the evolving needs for our US and worldwide-base of customers, commented Klaus Bollmann, president and founder of Ringdale. Ringdale Inc., a U.S. innovator and manufacturer of world-leading technologies such as FollowMe and ActiveLED announced today it has moved its US headquarters from Georgetown, Texas to a 10-acre business park in Granger, Texas. I believe this expanded site provides seamless operation between marketing, sales and manufacturing teams while preparing for future technology growth, remarks Klaus Bollmann, president and founder of Ringdale Inc. We kept within the great state of Texas know that we have secured a promising location to serve the evolving needs for our US and worldwide-base of customers. The company has finalized its US headquarters move, communications and shipments can be made to the new address: 870 CR-156, Granger, TX 76530. All corporate phone and fax numbers have remained the same. Please visit http://www.Ringdale.com or call worldwide sales at +1-512-288-9080 (Free Phone USA +1-888-288-9080). About Ringdale Ringdale is a leading innovator in workplace technology anchored in solid state electronics and designed to increase task efficiency. Ringdale has been developing robust solutions that connect people and technology for over three decades. Today our solutions are used by the world's leading enterprises to transform their business and empower their workforce. http://www.ringdale.com ### "We hope this encourages more people to open their homes to a foster child, because every child deserves a life of dignity, safety, community, and love. Local and international organizations are joining forces in Columbus on Sunday, November 6 to support local youth in foster care. At a packing party, volunteers from Second Nurtures Broad Street Interfaith Alliance will fill 300 Comfort Cases backpacks and Comfort XL duffle bags with essential items which will then be donated to The Buckeye Ranch for foster youth ages birth to 18. The Second Nurture model is predicated on tapping into and building upon the support of the community to create ever-expanding, long-lasting networks of support for our foster youth, foster caregivers, and primary parents. What better to way to do this than to mobilize the greater community in service? states Courtney Keys, Director of Second Nurture Columbus. Todays event is also an opportunity for us to challenge common misconceptions about foster youth and the foster care system. We hope this encourages more people to open their homes to a foster child, because every child deserves a life of dignity, safety, community, and love. Currently, there are more than 16,000 youth in foster care in Ohio. In 2021, more than 3700 children were removed from their homes. These children often experience emotional distress, which can lead to multi-generational trauma. Furthermore, youth who are not placed eventually age-out of foster care and are most likely to live in poverty or become homeless, trafficked, or incarcerated. On November 6, volunteers from Second Nurture's Broad Street Interfaith Alliance, comprised of Temple Israel, Tifereth Israel, and First Church, will be on hand at Temple Israel to pack up the backpacks. All cases will be given to foster youth at The Buckeye Ranch, based in Whitehall, OH, one of the country's leading providers of emotional, behavioral, and mental health services for children and families. Children in foster care have often been quickly uprooted from their own home. Providing regulating comforts, such as a stuffy, is soothing and can help ground them. Having something of their own during this time where they have little-to-no control, is powerful, said Amy Nims, Director of Foster Care at The Buckeye Ranch. In each of the comfort cases and XLs, youth will find new items: pajamas, a blanket, a hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc.), a stuffy, art supplies, and a new book. Rob Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases explains: To have your own shampoo, bar of soap and toothpaste or a new stuffed toy and book, not a hand-me-down, is so powerful and meaningful to these children. It gives them value and dignity, and isnt that something we all, as good humans, should expect? Ten years ago, Scheer founded Comfort Cases to promote hope and dignity to youth in foster care particularly by working to end the common practice of youth moving from place to place with their belongings in trash bags. Scheer was given a trash bag for his belongings when he aged out of his foster home, becoming homeless at 18 and a senior in high school. Years later, when Robs children first arrived at his door via foster care, they had the very same trash bags. My husband Reece and I decided at that very moment that this practice must come to an end, states Scheer, who will be speaking and leading packing at the Second Nurture event. Since 2013, we have delivered more than 185,000 Comfort Cases and comfort XL duffels to children in every state, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. Were thrilled to be back with our friends at Second Nurture to help provide much needed support to the foster community here in Columbus. Also expected to attend the packing party are Rita Soronen, president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the Columbus-based organization that focuses on moving children out of foster care and into adoptive homes, representatives from The Columbus Foundation as well as The Buckeye Ranch. About Second Nurture Second Nurture is a 501(c)3 located in Los Angeles, California and Columbus, Ohio. 2Ns mission is to increase the number of safe, supportive, and loving homes for youth who have been temporarily or permanently displaced and provide a lasting community of support for foster families. Second Nurture encourages more individuals to become licensed foster care-givers by partnering with existing communities to tap into organic and established networks of support, connecting families to local resources, and engaging the greater community through outreach and education. Founded in 2017, Second Nurture has just opened its first affiliate branch in Columbus and has implemented programming within three local partner communities. About Comfort Cases Comfort Cases is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care. Founded in 2013, Comfort Cases has distributed more than 185,000 Comfort Cases and Comfort XL duffel bags to children in the foster care system in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. More information can be found at http://www.comfortcases.org. ### Lideranca Group is excited to announce the addition of Susan Sanders to its executive leadership team as Chief Strategy and Growth Officer. In addition to sharing Lideranca Groups vision and mission, Sanders brings unique insight, wisdom and ability gained from being the founder of Spinderok and her years spent as an employee experience and workplace culture change leader. Additionally, Sanders is passionate about helping companies reset the strategies and plans that are holding them back from sustaining truly inclusive and compassionate workplaces where both the employees and the business thrive. I am thrilled to join Lideranca Group, says Sanders. Lideranca is a pioneer in the advancement of mindful leadership and DEI initiatives across corporations of all sizes. To step into leadership at a company that so deeply aligns with my values and my passion for creating inclusive spaces is exciting and I look forward to building critical relationships and creating change at companies worldwide. As the founder of Spinderok, Sanders challenged the status quo that often fails to recognize workers as individuals and, instead, inspired companies to humanize the employee experience. Previously, Sanders co-founded Velaku, a communications technology start-up. Empowered by an MBA from Arizona State University, Sanders worked for over 15 years alongside senior human resources, IT, and communications executives, including eight years spent at Willis Towers Watson. Sanders is currently the Americas Tech Equity Committee Chair for the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) and an active member of BARC, a radical collaborative group focusing on business sustainability. She is an avid sailor and an advocate of womens and adaptive sailing. At Lideranca Group, we are committed to having a significant impact on business outcomes by creating inclusive, safe, and thriving organizations for the modern workplace, says Cathy Light, Founder, and CEO of Lideranca Group. Part of why we are so successful as a company is that we strive to find the best minds to contribute to our leadership teamthose that bring interesting and varied perspectives, experiences, and passion. Having Susan Sanders take the helm as Chief Strategy and Growth Officer benefits our continued growth as a company, enhances the business value we deliver to our clients, and helps us continue to foster critical change on a global scale. Lideranca Group is a definitive leader in achieving better business outcomes. Its customers and partners subscribe to Lideranca Groups guiding principles, pledging to make the fundamental changes needed for a brighter world. Lideranca Group provides tangible and tested solutions that help committed organizations develop more strategic, aware, and mindful leadership, create more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, and build more effective, cohesive, and collaborative teams. Lideranca Group is the creator of DEInamics, an analytics technology platform that leverages data to promote meaningful change in organizational diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Lideranca Group has over 25 years of strategy consulting experience and innovation and specializes in modern companies' unique strategic alignment challenges. With a track record of proven capabilities in Fortune companies and trusted by some of the worlds biggest brands, the team at Lideranca Group is committed to making the world betterone workplace and one team at a time. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. For more information, press only: Jennifer Chappell, Group Business Manager, info@liderancagroup.com As producers refocus on local grapes better-suited to withstand heat and drought Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional for the reds, plus whites Arinto and Verdelho to liven up Antao Vaz-based blends these not-the-usual wines are finding an appreciative audience overseas. Portugals Comissao Vitivinicola Regional Alentejana (CVRA), aka Wines of Alentejo, attributes the growth to U.S. buyers responding to Alentejos reliably consistent quality/value ratio and the diversity of grape varieties on offer. We are already living climate change in Alentejo, but there is a silver lining, says Francisco Mateus, President, Wines of Alentejo. As producers refocus on local grapes better-suited to withstand heat and drought Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional for the reds, plus whites Arinto and Verdelho to liven up Antao Vaz-based blends these not-the-usual wines are finding an appreciative audience overseas. Alentejos wine industry is thriving. Acreage planted to vine accounted for 57,517 acres/23,277 ha in 2021, an increase of approximately 21% over the last 10 years. Around 42 producers exported 1,528,183 liters to the U.S., January through August 2022, with the average SRP at $11. Although Alentejo routinely racks up the hottest summertime temperatures in Southern Europe, around 20% of regional wine production is white. On store shelves and at dinner tables around the U.S., Alentejo whites are growing in visibility, currently representing 13% of total volume and 15% of value. The international Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), a visualization site for international trade data created by the Macro Connections group at MIT, notes that Portugal is the eighth largest source of imported wine in the U.S., with Alentejo accounting for around a third of that amount. Though still a relatively small player in the U.S., Alentejo has made a name for itself in the sustainability sphere: 50 percent of total vine acreage is farmed by members of Wines of Alentejos award-winning Sustainability Program (WASP). Launched in 2013, it includes the participation of all Alentejos principal players, and virtually all Alentejo wine producers exporting to the US. The program is distinguished by its ground-up focus: 812 individuals have received one-on-one training or attended classes; a further 1,970 have attended workshops. Wineries who comply with 86% or more of 171 demanding WASP criteria at the most advanced level in the areas of viticulture, vinification, and social responsibility sport the WASP certification seal. Herdade dos Grous became the first to qualify in late 2021, now joined by Herdade de Coelheiros, Herdade dos Lagos, Casa Relvas, Casa Clara, Herdade da Malhadinha, Rocim, Adega Mayor, and Joao Portugal Ramos, plus two grape producers, Monte do Trevo and Joaquim Luis Araujo. More Alentejo wineries are expected to follow suit within the coming months. Wines of Alentejo (Comissao Vitivinicola Regional Alentejana/CVRA): founded in 1989 as a private institution, dedicated to certifying, controlling, and protecting Alentejos wine industry and culture. CVRA is also responsible for promoting Alentejo wines domestically and in selected international markets. Funding comes from the certification process, which is proven by the certification seal placed on the back label of the Alentejo bottles and attests to the guarantee of origin and the quality standard of the wine LRS-8KA UV Projector We see the LRS-8KA empowering the next generation of SLA machine designs through our superior optics, mechanics and electronics, says Alfred Jacobsen, Visitech Engineering Managing Director. Visitech pioneered scrolling DLP additive manufacturing, and we continue our leadership. Next Generation UV Power Visitech has developed a 6th generation LED illumination solution that provides superior power output for maximum printing speed. The sophisticated driver design maintains constant power dosing through the operation. A complete, liquid cooled thermal solution provides the necessary heat management of critical components while mitigating the incursion of particles into the optical system. In addition, the compact, modular design is designed for easy replacement, simplifying maintenance routines in industrial settings. We see the LRS-8KA empowering the next generation of SLA machine designs through our superior optics, mechanics and electronics, says Alfred Jacobsen, Visitech Engineering Managing Director. Visitech pioneered scrolling DLP additive manufacturing, and we continue our leadership by providing our customers the highest performance technology for their applications. 32-Million Addressable Pixels A customized optical actuator is used to shift the image of a DLP device four times per exposure. This extended resolution image processing allows next generation SLA printers to expand their build area or enhance the resolution of their system. Scrolling Machines For large area solutions, Visitech also is offering the LRS-MCx-4K solution using a native 4K DMD. Using similarly narrow footprint as the LRS-MCx-HD, multiple units can be stacked side-by-side on a motion system achieving a high-capacity production machine. Control is achieved by Visitechs LAMA STANDARD software package and API, allowing the choice of any motion controller. The LRS-8KA and LRS-MCx-4K will be demonstrated at FormNext 2022 in Frankfurt by visiting booth D68 in hall 11.1. Also revealed will be Visitechs 2nd generation NIR projector for powder bed fusion applications. For an in-depth demonstration, please schedule a time by filling out the contact form at https://visitech.no/meeting-request-page-formnext-2022/ About Visitech AS Headquartered in Drammen, Norway, Visitech provides high-end UV exposure subsystems enabling state-of-the-art imaging solutions for additive manufacturing, bio-printing, and direct imaging maskless lithography. Machine builders incorporate Visitechs subsystems into next-generation 3D printers, resulting in high-volume yield and excellent precision. Powered by the industrys most extensive DLP experience, Visitechs LUXBEAM Rapid System (LRS) provides multiple configuration options to suit advanced industrial needs. Powerful UV or IR projectors support stacking and scrolling configurations, permitting innovative development of high detail, high throughput mass production AM machines. For more information, visit visitech.no. The LW500 provides a low-maintenance solution with stunning visual imagery to redefine visuals for meeting professionals and accurately display presentations in a variety of meeting environments. BenQ, a world-leading display technology and solutions provider, announced today the LW500 meeting room projector that brings clarity and color accuracy to professional meeting environments. With 98% Rec. 709 color coverage, an all-glass lens and an LED lifetime up to 30,000 hours, the LW500 offers long-lasting, vibrant color to improve accuracy of images and boost readability of presentations. In addition to high-quality imagery, the LW500 promotes ease of use through its SmartEco mode, Auto Vertical Keystone and Dual HDMI. While SmartEco mode analyzes input content to determine the optimum brightness level, the Auto Vertical Keystone automatically sets images straight and square in meeting environments and dual HDMI offers more flexible connectivity solutions, reducing manual setup ahead of meetings. In addition, the LW500 has low noise level, operating at 32/28 decibels, for minimal interruptions during meetings. The low-maintenance meeting projector also offers Instant On/Off for quick turnarounds on turning it on or off. It also includes enhanced security features through Kensington Lock to discourage theft. Due to the LED light source, the LW500 provides a longer lifespan and reduces the need for any lamp replacement maintenance. Meeting should be focused on the business, project or discussion at hand, not the technology displaying it, said Houston Wei, senior director of BenQ North America. The LW500 provides a low-maintenance solution with stunning visual imagery to redefine visuals for meeting professionals and accurately display presentations in a variety of meeting environments. The BenQ LW500 projector retails for $699. Users can purchase the projector from BenQ.com, Amazon.com, BestBuy, B&H Photo, Adorama and ProjectorPeople. For additional information, visit https://www.amazon.com/LED-BUSINESS-PROJECTOR-WXGA-HDMI/dp/B0B8DYQDNH About BenQ America Corp. The world-leading human technology and solutions provider, BenQ is aiming to elevate and enrich every aspect of consumers lives. BenQ sells and markets technology products, consumer electronics, computing and communications devices. Founded on the corporate vision of Bringing Enjoyment N Quality to Life,'' BenQ focuses on the aspects that matter to most people today lifestyle, business, healthcare and education - with the hope of providing people with the means to live better, increase efficiency and enhance learning by providing people-driven products and embedded technologies spanning digital projectors, monitors, interactive large-format displays, audio products, cloud consumer products, mobile communications and lifestyle lighting. Because it matters. For more information about products and to purchase, visit http://www.benq.com. # # # "ExamSpark allows us to easily create items that align to our sequencing, deliver through our LMS, and see results immediately for our PLC work."Executive Director of Research, Evaluation, and Assessments, Dr. Zachary Conrad ExamSpark has been selected by Kansas City Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) to manage and deliver its district-wide benchmark assessments for the 2022-2023 school year. ExamSpark will deploy its full range of products to achieve the following outcomes: KCKPS assessment leaders will leverage the ExamSpark CMS to create and manage assessment content, then leverage ExamSparks LMS-based delivery engine, CAMPFIRE, to deliver assessments to students directly in their learning management system. Students will receive immediate feedback about their performance on an assessment; Educators and administrators will receive classroom- and student-level mastery data to help make informed decisions regarding instruction; and Assessment specialists will receive psychometric data obtained from assessment administrations that can be used to improve the quality of assessment content over time, leading to a better measurement of student mastery. KCKPS Assessments will consist of district-authored content, as well as content from IGNITE, ExamSparks bank of over 65,000+ proven, standards-based items. Our mission is to provide a unified solution for all stakeholders in the lifecycle of an assessment: content creators, administrators, educators, and students. In this design, everyone receives valuable insights that can dramatically accelerate the improvement of student learning outcomes. We are thrilled that KCKPS values our vision and our solution, and look forward to working with them closely this school year, said ExamSpark Founder and CEO, Kevin Campbell. We have data about student progress from different tools, but none at the standards level that ties to what the teachers are teaching through the guaranteed viable curriculum and what the state was assessing at the end of the year. ExamSpark allows us to easily create items that align to our sequencing, deliver through our LMS, and see results immediately for our PLC work. The ease of use, and to get exactly what we needed in such a short amount of time was impressive, said the Executive Director of Research, Evaluation, and Assessments, Dr. Zachary Conrad. ABOUT KANSAS CITY KANSAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS KCKPS is a nationally recognized urban public school district located in Wyandotte County. Reported through the 2020 United States Census, Kansas City, Kansas currently has a total population of 156,607. KCKPS is the largest school district in Wyandotte County and the fifth largest school district in the state of Kansas with just over 22,000 students enrolled. KCKPS has 4 Early Childhood Centers, 28 Elementary Schools, 7 Middle Schools, 5 High Schools, and 4 Alternative Schools, including Sumner Academy of Arts & Science which has been named #1 on U.S. News Best Kansas High Schools list. (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) and #6 on U.S. News Nations Best High Schools for 2021. ABOUT EXAMSPARK INC. ExamSpark Inc. engages in the production and delivery of (1) a SaaS-based platform for assessment and curriculum publishers that manages the development, licensing, and delivery of assessment content globally; (2) a robust assessment platform that can be used within popular learning management systems as well as Google Classroom; and (3) a standards-based item bank with over 65,000 rigorous items across the core-four subject areas. The result is a virtuous-cycle ecosystem that engages publishers, district and state administrators, educators, and students to holistically improve the value of and quality of assessment content, and as a result, better learning outcomes for all learners. Last week, Slingr, the leading low-code platform for fast, flexible, and future-proof web applications, shared their knowledge about the transformative power of low-code at an event hosted in payroll processor ADP LIFIONs office in New York. The talk brought together business development, product, and technical pioneers interested in learning how to level up their businesses with low-code. It was great to share our insights with a diverse group of experts from some of New Yorks most forward-thinking companies, said Grace Schroeder, founder, and CEO of Slingr. Low-code is fundamentally reshaping the way businesses develop software. And there was no better place to host this event than the office of ADP LIFION, a company building their next-generation human capital management (HCM) products on their low-code platform. Beginning with the basics of low-code, Schroeder shared how low-code prevents businesses from having to say no to a customers feature request. Through Slingrs platform, companies can adapt to the needs of their customers by quickly and inexpensively deploying the required features. Slingr unlocks a wide range of features, such as: Customer portals Optimized product suites Fine-grained integrations Custom workflows New technologies, including AI ADP LIFION shared its low-code journey with the audience. Low-code has enabled ADP LIFION to develop a next-generation global HCM product that can be extended, customized, and localized. Schroeder commented on ADPs excellence in the low-code space: ADP LIFION created a proprietary low-code platform to underpin their HCM suite. Low-code enables ADP to compete globally despite the need for hyper-local customizations that address unique geographic, legal, compliance, and workflow complexities. We believe that bolting on a low-code platform is a strategy we will ultimately see executed by many forward-thinking companies. With low-code, ADP LIFION easily creates new data models, integrations, and workflows. The company can also leverage low-code to develop time-saving automation using minimal amounts of code. Keep up with the latest Slingr updates by visiting our blog at Slingr.io/blog. About Slingr Slingr is pioneering the low-code revolution. Founded in 2011, Slingr is headquartered in Miami with 120 full-time developers in Mendoza and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Slingr has developed a low-code platform used by small and large businesses across various industries and use cases. The company also provides Slingr-centric professional services and staff augmentation. About ADP ADP offers industry-leading online payroll and HR solutions, tax, compliance, benefits administration, and more. Trusted by more than 920,000 clients, ADP has unmatched global experience. Proprietary platform Lifion by ADP is transforming a world of HR pain into valuable tools and meaningful experiences for millions of people worldwide. Herbacin offers affordable seasonal skincare solutions, as well as DONTs and DOs for getting skin prepped for the winter season. Herbacin, the family-run German beauty company producing botanically-based skin care products for over 100 years, offers affordable seasonal skincare solutions to the dry, flaky and itchy skin that often comes with the cold weather. Herbacin not only provides products rooted in nature, excellence and integrity, but also cost-effective solutions to the rapidly increasing prices of everyday personal care and beauty items. With holiday discounts from now till the end of the year you can give some great gifts, stuff those stockings and pamper your own skin this winter. Here are some DONTs and DOs for getting skin prepped for the winter season: Winter weather can alter the texture and elasticity of the skin. However, if you keep on top of your skincare regime, you can expect little to no changes, and Herbacin nourishing products can help. Here are some tips that Herbacin recommends incorporating as part of any beauty routine, which, paired with the beauty company nourishing products, can make the steps even more effective. 1. DONT take long, hot showers. Although they can feel great after a cold day, hot showers can strip your skin of essential oils, leaving it dry and flaky. Hot water damages the acid mantle and weakens the skin barrier. It can lead to dry skin or worsen it if you already have it. Stick to short, warm showers. DO moisturize your body. Defying wind and weather the gentle way, Herbacin Intensive Moisture Body Lotion contains a unique combination of active ingredients of glycerin and chamomile blossom extract, plus the intensively nourishing properties of aloe vera and vitamin E. Herbacin Intensive Moisture Body Lotion effectively protects skin against environmental influences such as extreme weather conditions (cold, wind and dryness), or low humidity caused by heating. Herbacin Kamille Intensive Moisture Body Lotion 8.4 Fl. Oz. $17.00 2. DON'T lick your lips! The lips are one of the most important areas to worry about as cold weather hits, yet they are often forgotten. DO use Herbacin offers a go-to lip balm that ends sore, chapped lips with gentle, effective protection for sensitive lip skin. Available in Original, Citrus and Mint, the lip balms are made with intensely moisturizing ingredients that relax the skin and protect it from drying out. Pure vegetable oils, natural beeswax, and active ingredients of chamomile from controlled organic farming - free of preservatives and chemical additives - help re-plump lips while keeping them soft and smooth. Suitable for sensitive lips, the lip balms are dermatologically approved. Herbacin Lip Balm 0.17 Oz. $4.00 3. DON'T go out without properly moisturizing! The best way to protect skin from drying out and becoming old looking before its time is to layer just like your clothing! DO enhance the skin moisture on your face by adding a serum. You can use a heavier day cream in winter but first and add a moisturizing layer of serum to your regimen. Herbacin Face Care Anti-Aging Serum includes a vegetable ingredient base that efficiently fights cold weather, environmental toxins, and free radicals, as well as the signs of aging. This innovative bio-active complex is a well-balanced care formulation containing the finest lipids of sweet almonds and shea butter. Anti-Age Serum 1.7 Fl. Oz. $40.00 4. DONT forget your hands. DONT use hand washes with harsh formulas. Overexposing hands to soaps, detergents and sanitizers with unkind ingredients can reduce natural oils and strip moisture from the skin. DO use moisturizing hand creams every time you clean your hands. Even the roughest hands can become soft and beautiful again with Herbacin Hand Creams Original, Soft, Intensive Moisture, and Unscented. Each formulation soothes, nourishes, and protects hard-working hands with the healing powers of camomile. Choose the one that best suits your lifestyle. MSRP for the 2.5 fl. oz tube ranges between $5.00 to $8.00 Not only can winter weather alter the skin's texture and elasticity, but indoor heating also compounds the effects of air dryness, so remember to counteract that by using a humidifier at home. Long before natural cosmetics became popular, Herbacin products were known and sought after for their quality and efficacy. Now, the brand has grown to become a complete natural face, hand, body, and hair care program, with all the products researched, developed, and produced at Herbacins own production facilities and research labs in Germany. For additional information on Herbacin, visit https://herbacinusa.com, or for samples of any of the products, don't hesitate to contact Lisa Guay at lisa@adinnyc.com or 239.770.6505. About Herbacin Founded in the heart of Germany in 1905, Herbacin created a very distinctive brand early on that still has its roots in nature. Cultivating its own plants and herbs for decades, the entire Herbacin line goes through dermatological testing at the companys facility in Wutha-Farnroda, Germany. This European botanically-based skin, hair and body care line is highly regarded for its commitment to product excellence and integrity. The full line includes: Herbacin Hand, Body and Lip Balms, The Wellness Line, Facial Care, Intensive Moisture, Shampoos and Shower Gels, Foot Care, and the Camouflage Mens Line. Herbacin products are kind to your skin and the environment. Herbacin is strictly against animal testing and unnecessary chemical additives. Produced locally, selecting fruits, essential oils, butter, spices or herbs, including from organic cultivation within the local region, together with all of the packaging 100 percent recyclable. ### Crowley's terminal at JAXPORT JAXPORT EXPRESS is a great example of the partnership we need to reach our sustainability commitments and be even more efficient in our supply chain operations and services Crowley and the Port of Jacksonville, Fla. (JAXPORT) have been awarded a federal grant that will support a $14.6 million project to reduce emissions and add electric-power equipment at Crowleys terminal. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded the grant under the Port Infrastructure Development Program. The funding will pay 50 percent of the cost, with Crowley matching 50 percent through JAXPORTs initiative, named JAXPORT EXPRESS. JAXPORT EXPRESS is a great example of the partnership we need to reach our sustainability commitments and be even more efficient in our supply chain operations and services, said Brett Bennett, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Logistics. As we continue our journey to reach net-zero emissions, moving to an electric fleet and more efficient terminal equipment will help us make a major impact in the Jacksonville community, where we already utilize lower emission fuels, and be leaders in our industry. We appreciate the support from the U.S. Department of Transportation, MARAD and JAXPORT and look forward to collaborating to reach our shared goal of a cleaner, decarbonized world. At Crowleys terminal, the project will add nearly two dozen zero-emissions equipment for cargo handling, including specialty yard tractors and forklifts, as well as related charging stations for Crowleys supply chain services. The grant also supports the addition of 160 refrigerated cargo charging stations (reefer plugs) to sustainability meet current and future growth needs at the port without using diesel as fuel. These emissions reduction efforts build upon Crowleys investments increasing the efficiency and sustainability of the Puerto Rico trade by deploying liquified natural gas (LNG) ships, four forthcoming LNG-fueled ships for the U.S.-Central America trade, and a state-of-the-art LNG bunkering facility at the terminal. The total grant award for JAXPORT is a $23.5 million grant to enhance sustainability initiatives at the port's Blount Island and Talleyrand marine terminals. Additional funding will support a $31.2 million purchase of new eco-friendly cargo handling equipment for the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal (JCT) at Blount Island. "We are grateful for the support of the federal government and port partners SSA and Crowley as we work together to do our part to make the supply chain cleaner and greener for our community," said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. "This investment marks a significant milestone in our initiatives to build the port of the future and move cargo in the most efficient and eco-friendly way possible." Equipment purchased through the EXPRESS project will be Buy America-compliant, spurring further investment into the growth of America's zero-emissions manufacturing capabilities. About Crowley Crowley is a privately held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company serving commercial and government sectors with more than $2.9 billion in annual revenues, over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet and approximately 7,000 employees around the world employing more U.S. mariners than any other company. The Crowley enterprise has invested more than $3 billion in maritime transport, which is the backbone of global trade and the global economy. As a global ship owner-operator and services provider with more than 130 years of innovation and a commitment to sustainability, the company serves customers in 36 nations and island territories through five business units: Crowley Logistics, Crowley Shipping, Crowley Solutions, Crowley Fuels and Crowley Wind Services. Additional information about Crowley, its business units and subsidiaries can be found at http://www.crowley.com. Were extremely proud to release the latest editions of these studies, which will serve as valuable resources for our clients and those they work with, said David M. Sullivan, Jr., Partner and Leader of the Architecture & Engineering Practice at PKF OConnor Davies. DGC, a division of PKF OConnor Davies, LLP, one of the nations largest accounting, tax and advisory firms, today announced the release of its 18th Annual Architectural and Engineering Studies. Launched on the heels of the 2022 Architectural & Engineering Summit, the two studies contain financial and operational data derived from the A&E firms that participated. The studies reflect the current state of the industry and provide important benchmarking data for firms to focus on to improve profitability and continue to grow and operate successfully in the current business environment. Were extremely proud to release the latest editions of these studies, which will serve as valuable resources for our clients and those they work with, said David M. Sullivan, Jr., Partner and Leader of the Architecture & Engineering Practice at PKF OConnor Davies. As these studies attest, the architectural and engineering industry has fared very well despite the economic turbulence of the last few years. Now more than ever, its crucial that firms have the tools and talent in place to maintain a strong financial foundation and grow their businesses. Through various measures of productivity and profitability, the studies provide an overview of the average firms results from operations in 2021. Members of the Firms dedicated Architecture & Engineering Practice have analyzed this data to identify trends in the industry using key indicators that firms can use to benchmark their performance against. This often leads to the identification of areas that firms can improve upon and best practices they should be adopting. As the studies reveal, the average A&E firm saw an increase in the breakeven multiple and overhead rate as firms spent more getting back to normal operations; albeit in a hybrid working environment. In addition, the war for talent continues. Rising base compensation rates and staff bonuses to meet employment demands also contributed to the increased breakeven multiple and overhead rate. Overall project profitability, as evidenced by the billing multiplier, remained strong. During 2021, firms continued to pursue the benefits provided by pandemic-relief programs, including the second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP2) and the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). These benefits helped strengthen many firms balance sheets, as evidenced by the strong working capital to net fee ratios depicted in this years studies. Working capital is the lifeblood of an A&E firm, and this strong position will help many firms weather future economic challenges. Lastly, this years studies also feature new statistics around IT, cybersecurity and remote working. To access, download and read the 18th Annual Architectural and Engineering Reports in their entirety, visit the following links: Architectural Report and/or Engineering Report About PKF OConnor Davies, LLP PKF OConnor Davies, LLP, is a full-service certified public accounting and advisory firm with a long history of serving clients both domestically and internationally. With roots tracing to 1891, the Firm has 18 offices in the United States and abroad. In the U.S., offices are located across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Florida, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where PKF OConnor Davies has recently merged in Boston-based DGC and expanded its footprint in the New England market. The Firm also has an office in Mumbai, India. The Firm has a dedicated practice serving the Architectural and Engineering Industry across the country and employs more than 1,400 professionals who provide a complete range of accounting, auditing, tax and management advisory services. The Firm is led by over 150 partners who are closely involved in the day-to-day management of engagements, ensuring a high degree of client service and cost effectiveness. The Firm is a top-ranked firm, according to Accounting Todays 2022 Top 100 Firms list and was recently recognized as one of Americas Best Tax and Accounting Firms by Forbes. PKF O'Connor Davies was named one of Vault's 2022 Accounting 50, a ranking of the 50 best accounting employers to work for in North America and ranked among the top 50 most prestigious accounting firms in America in a complementary Vault survey. PKF OConnor Davies is the lead North American representative of the international association of PKF member firms. PKF International is a network of legally independent member firms providing accounting, tax and business advisory services in over 400 locations in 150 countries around the world. With its tradition, experience and focus on the future, PKF OConnor Davies is ready to help clients meet todays ever-changing economic conditions and manage the growing complexities of the regulatory environment. For more information, visit http://www.PKFOD.com. Bryan Daugherty Scalable blockchain could be an upgrade to today's internet, allowing direct verification of data, eliminating the middleman, and reducing transaction fees for consumers. Bitcoin has a sketchy reputation thanks to media reports about the downsides of crypto markets. It's painted as an environmental risk, with the University of Cambridge estimating that bitcoin has generated 200 million tons of carbon emissions in the 13 years since its invention.(1) Additionally, crypto markets are increasingly seen as platforms for scammers and predators who get rich by stealing from users on apps like Coinbase.(2) The common perception is that blockchain and the tokens like bitcoin are speculative financial instruments that do untold damage to the environment. Enter disruptor Bryan Daugherty who explains to Karla Jo Helms, host of the Disruption Interruption how to get beyond the scams and use blockchain and bitcoin for business. He has spent his 25-year career working with data security and blockchain applications. In 2022, he said THAT'S IT I'M DONE WITH THE STATUS QUO and went to work with the Bitcoin Association in Switzerland as a Global Public Policy Director. In that role, he demonstrates to regulators how crypto markets have overshadowed the true purpose of bitcoin. The original Bitcoin White Paper by Satoshi Nakamoto describes an honest network that provides microtransactions and data security. The tokens are simply tools to access the underlying technology: smart contracts, automation, data integrity, data storage, and data analysis. Bryan explains: Most regulators and online users don't realize that all data is vulnerable. It can change and does change. Blockchain systems provide highly secure, resilient systems for data immutability. Blockchain systems have stagnated because they can't operate at scale yet. If blockchain technology could reach the kind of transaction processing capacity of companies like Visa, blockchain applications could expand beyond crypto markets. The environmental concerns about blockchain would actually decrease with greater use. It takes the same amount of C02 to process a thousand transactions as it would to process 10 million transactions. There's no need to build more blockchain processing facilities to expand use. The per-transaction energy cost would decrease with increased transactions. If companies could use blockchain for transaction processing, they could get real-time data about their customers and speed up customer service improvements. Creators could use blockchain-empowered social media platforms to retain verifiable, monetizable ownership of their work without a middleman application like Facebook or Youtube. Scalable blockchain could be an upgrade to today's internet, allowing direct verification of data, eliminating the middleman, and reducing transaction fees for consumers. Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you'll hear from today's biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about change and how they overcome opposition to adoption. Disruption Interruption can be listened to via the Podbean app and is available on Apple's App Store and Google Play. About Disruption Interruption: Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping and logistics, and more and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors, and when did they say, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews bad a**es who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits and not-so-common that are changing our economic markets and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist in success, despite arrows in their backs at http://www.disruptioninterruption.com. About Karla Jo Helms: Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception. About Bryan Daugherty Bryan has an extensive professional history in technical business development, having held several senior account executive positions throughout his career most recently at leading IT company Whalley Computer Associates. An active participant in the blockchain community, Daugherty has developed applications for Bitcoin SV in his spare time, with pressBIT, a set of Metanet-inspired WordPress plugins, earning him a place at the first Bitcoin SV Pitch Day in Seoul, South Korea. He is the co-founder of the world's leading blockchain distribution channel and serves as the Global Public Policy Director for the Bitcoin Association in Zug, Switzerland. His website is https://bryandaugherty.net. References: 1) Sparkes, Matthew, Bitcoin has emitted 200 million tonnes of CO2 since its launch, New Scientist, September 28, 2022, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2339629-bitcoin-has-emitted-200-million-tonnes-of-co2-since-its-launch/ 2) Merrill, Jeremy B., Zeitchik, Steven, Crypto scam victims seek to hold Coinbase responsible for losses, The Washington Post, October 14, 2022, https://wapo.st/3MCYPU8 Tim Rist, Founder of DORE Its our job to ensure that journey facilitates an unforgettable experience, generational wealth, and abundant living for our clients. DORE (Discover Oregon Real Estate) today announced its partnership with Side, the only real estate technology company that exclusively partners with high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to transform them into market-leading boutique brands and businesses. The alliance will ensure that DORE, a company that fully customizes the client experience, is powered by the industrys most advanced platform. DORE was founded by Tim Rist, a native of the Oregon market he serves. Rist got his start in construction at age 12 before becoming Oregons youngest principal broker in history at age 21. He marked his early career with a Rookie of the Year award; since then, Rist has procured 100-plus five-star Zillow reviews while generating approximately $180 million in sales volume. DORE, Rists latest venture, specializes in serving luxury buyers and sellers throughout Oregon. The DORE team encourages the journey of discovery that real estate inspires, Rist said. Its our job to ensure that journey facilitates an unforgettable experience, generational wealth, and abundant living for our clients. Partnering with Side will ensure DORE remains on the cutting edge of the evolving real estate market while continuing to deliver premium services to its clients. Side works behind the scenes, supporting DORE with a one-of-a-kind brokerage platform that includes proprietary technology, transaction management, branding and marketing services, public relations, legal support, lead generation, vendor management, infrastructure solutions, and more. Additionally, DORE will join an exclusive group of Side partners, tapping into an expansive network from coast to coast. Side provides state-of-the-art marketing, technology, administrative, and legal solutions that enable me to streamline my back-end systems, deliver more client value, and achieve a lofty company vision, Rist said. About DORE DORE (Discover Oregon Real Estate) is a force that strives to live on the edge of industry greatness. Its groundbreaking, top-tier marketing and data-driven approach comprise just a snapshot of how it remains creative and consistent. Driven to offer memorable experiences, uphold fiduciary respect, and deeply care for people along the way, the DORE team customizes every clients experience, which it approaches with the anticipation of discovery that real estate generates. Headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon, DORE represents buyers, sellers, and investors throughout the state. For more information, visit http://www.dore.llc. About Side Side is a behind-the-scenes brokerage platform that exclusively partners with top-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to create and grow their own boutique brands without the cost, time, or risk of operating a brokerage. Sides proprietary technology platform and premier support solutions empower its agent partners to be more productive, grow their business, and focus on serving their clients. Side is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.sideinc.com. 2023 Volkswagen Taos Prospective SUV buyers in Brookfield, Wisconsin, can get their hands on the 2023 Volkswagen Taos 1.5T SE at Hall Volkswagen. The vehicle is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a mileage rating of 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on highways. Furthermore, the SUV comes with additional features such as- Braking Assist Radio Data System 6 Speakers Audio Voice Recognition Blind Spot Sensor Cross Traffic Alert Rear Adaptive Cruise Control Multi-Function Display Multi-function Remote Keyless Entry with Panic Alarm Anti-Theft Alarm System Rear View Camera Stability Control Traction Control Remote Engine Start and more. The SUV has a starting price of $33,158. Buyers can apply for an auto loan on the dealerships website to purchase this vehicle. They are required to fill out an online application form, mentioning their personal information and employment history and submit it. The dealerships finance team will work with banks and other financial institutions to develop a loan package that best suits the applicants. Moreover, prospective buyers can also trade in their old vehicle and use the value obtained to buy a new Volkswagen model. All interested parties are requested to visit https://www.hallvw.com/ or call 262-782-5300 for more information. They can also visit the dealership at 19809 West Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI 53045. "With StoreConnect, small and mid-size companies CAN own their data," explains Mikel Lindsaar, StoreConnect CEO. "Equally important, businesses using StoreConnect still have the information that enables them to understand what their customers are doing in their store while being GDPR compliant." Google is the unchallenged leader of search engine traffic. Its free analytics tool, Google Analytics, automatically collects user data, including browser information, pages visited, operating system, user location, preferred language, and the user device's IP address.(1) While this data can be a powerful asset for eCommerce companies, it does not meet the EU's data collection standards. Italy, France, Austria, and now Denmark agree that Google Analytics violates GDPR privacy policies by passing user data back to the United States without adequate safeguards.(2) This puts American eCommerce companies in jeopardy of either not being able to operate in the EU or facing GDPR fines. Fortunately, Mikel Lindsaar, an Australian entrepreneur, has partnered with the world's #1 CRM platform to create StoreConnect. Small to mid-sized businesses can use eCommerce integration to seamlessly and lawfully operate in Europe. Included in the EU privacy debate were concerns that companies cannot comply with the GDPR by simply turning off Google Analytics cookies. It and similar services can still retrieve and record personal data through HTTP parameters or fingerprinting of a device or browser.(3) To comply with the GDPR, businesses need a technical understanding of what data is being collected, where it is going, who receives it, and how the data is protected. For millions of businesses that rely on Google Analytics, these EU rulings pose a serious problem. U.S. companies cannot operate in Europe without complying. However, if they try to set up servers in Europe and store data there, they are in conflict with the U.S. CLOUD act. American companies are required to provide U.S. authorities with any requested data on their servers, but this would be prohibited for any data stored in Europe. Fortunately, with the evolution of eCommerce into eCommerce 3.0, integrated solutions like StoreConnect provide eCommerce sales integration and channel consolidation. In addition to providing a single access point for a company's websites, content management systems, marketing platforms, and product management, it guards valuable customer data. StoreConnect maintains customer data within a business' own systems. This allows small to mid-size companies to continue to benefit from analytics while remaining GDPR compliant. "With StoreConnect, small and mid-size companies CAN own their data," explains Mikel Lindsaar, StoreConnect CEO. "Equally important, businesses using StoreConnect still have the information that enables them to understand what their customers are doing in their store while being GDPR compliant." About StoreConnect Mikel Lindsaar, CEO and Founder of StoreConnect, is an experienced technology entrepreneur whose mission is to infuse small and medium-sized businesses with the power to be successful in eCommerce 3.0 and scale to meet growing demand. Small businesses can't waste time setting up their business on a platform only to repeat the process by changing platforms when they want to scale, nor do they want to waste time figuring out how to integrate multiple platforms. StoreConnect (built on the World's Number 1 CRM, Salesforce) gives clients a complete, powerful, configurable eCommerce and CRM solution where they can manage their website, online and in-store sales, provide amazing customer service, run all their digital marketing campaigns, and have up-to-date detailed metrics, reporting and full understanding of their customer. They were awarded Salesforce's 2021 International Partner Innovation Award of the year for the Retail sector and are changing the ease with which small businesses are run with a manageable price tag. StoreConnect is Time. Well Spent. Visit https://getStoreConnect.com/ References: 1. Google Analytics Help Center. "[GA4] Data collection." Accessed October 9, 2022, Analytics Help, support.google.com/analytics/answer/11593727?hl=en. 2. Robinson, Blair. "Google Analytics Runs Afoul of GDPR." July 7, 2022, The National Law Review, natlawreview.com/article/google-analytics-runs-afoul-gdpr. 3. Roosa, Steve; Ritzer, Christoph; Martin, Nadege; Jansen, Jurriaan; Rosenzweig, Daniel; Schuitema, Naomi; Filkina, Natalia; Ghebali, Barbara. "European rulings on using Google Analytics and how it may affect your business." February 14, 2022, Data Protection Report. dataprotectionreport.com/2022/02/european-rulings-on-the-use-of-google-analytics-and-how-it-may-affect-your-business/. Lake County Winegrowers The Commissions collaboration with both Simonit & Sirch and FELCO promises to deliver a comprehensive and immersive educational experience, one that focuses on pruning arguably the most important of all viticultural practices and its critical role in vine health and vineyard sustainability. Internationally renowned for providing cutting-edge, first-quality durable pruning tools, FELCO will support Lake County Pruning School participants in proper pruning tool selection, maintenance, and servicing of their FELCO tool. FELCO USA, in collaboration with the Lake County Winegrape Commission and Simonit & Sirch, intends to raise awareness among winegrowers and vineyard employees in the Lake County, California, winegrowing region on topics such as vine pruning, training, and growing quality vineyards. Choosing the most suitable tools for the safety and comfort of those who work in the vineyards is essential to premium winegrape growing, explains Jennifer Thomson, FELCO California Representative. We have received such a positive response to the launch of Lake County Pruning School, and we are so excited to have industry leader FELCO a company known around the world for quality pruning tools contribute their knowledge and resources to make the program even more robust for our regions vineyard teams, says Debra Sommerfield, Lake County Winegrape Commission President. The Lake County Pruning School comprises a theoretical introductory online lesson and three days of practical hands-on lessons in the vineyard two days during the winter for vine pruning and one day during the spring for shoot thinning. The program provides in-depth fundamental principles applicable to all grapevine training systems, such as controlled branching, vascular flow, cuts and crown buds, and protective spare wood. The Commissions collaboration with both Simonit & Sirch and FELCO promises to deliver a comprehensive and immersive educational experience, one that focuses on pruning arguably the most important of all viticultural practices and its critical role in vine health and vineyard sustainability, says Sommerfield. The utilization of FELCO tools ensures precise and clean cuts in the vineyard and leads to sustained longevity and consistent production in vineyards, states Thomson. FELCO tools are engineered with superior ergonomics, which lessens muscle fatigue and increases productivity. One FELCO tool will last a lifetime, reinforcing overall cost savings for employers who outfit employees with FELCO tools. FELCO maintains a market research department whose purpose is to anticipate the needs of its various markets and to respond with tools that are perfectly adapted to the evolving needs and requirements of end users. FELCO offers 27 single-handed pruning shear models based on hand size, cutting diameter, and application. Both right-handed and left-handed models are available, as well as fixed and rotative handle options. Lake County Pruning School participants will utilize their own personal pruning tool of choice, ideally suited to their hand size and in good working condition. Lake County Pruning School attendees will learn to properly select tools based on ergonomics and hand size, as well as cutting diameter and type of work, be it either annual pruning or conversion pruning, single-hand pruning shear, or lopper models. Daily, ongoing, and annual maintenance of the tool will be a focus, as well as tool dis-assemblage, cleaning, and re-assemblage. Attendees also will be instructed on how to properly and safely sharpen tools to maintain the longevity of the blade, as well as selecting and sourcing genuine FELCO replacement parts. Employers sending five or more employees can receive a 10 percent discount by using a special promo code during registration. Contact events@lakecountywinegrape.org for the code. Register now: https://www.lakecountywinegrape.org/news-events/events/lake-county-pruning-school/ We look forward to meeting with local community association trustees and sharing our insights and best practices weve gleaned from our collective decades in the industry, said Mike Grey, president, New England, FirstService Residential. Join FirstService Residential, the areas leading residential community association management company, at the New England Condominium Expo on November 3 at the Boston Convention Center. FirstService Residential associates will join more than 200 exhibitors and close to 2,000 industry professionals and residential community association board members for New Englands largest condo, HOA, and apartment expo. We are delighted to be participating in this important event, said Michael Mendillo, president, FirstService Residential. This expo offers a great opportunity for those serving on a condo or HOA board to gather new insights and network with industry experts. This years expo features sessions covering association management trends and topics, and opportunities to share, learn, network and discuss challenges and solutions. FirstService Residentials team is participating in two sessions. The first one: The Green Way, will begin at 10:30 a.m. and features Sean Jordan, CMCA, AMS, director of property management; Adam Graber, director of business development, Summit Energy; Thomas G. Shields, CLCS, vice president of business development, Brown & Brown Insurance; and Dillon Brown, associate, Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, P.C. The panel of subject matter experts will discuss climate change, rising fuel costs, incentives, and more. Further, vice president, FirstService Residential Noushig Hagopian, CMCA, AMS, is participating in the Conflict Management in Divisive Times session beginning at 1:30 p.m. This session will cover defusing tension and hostility in meetings, the impact of social media, what constitutes harassment, and how to deal with antagonistic residents. Participants will also include Dean Lennon, Partner, Marcus Errico Emmer & Brooks, P.C. and Frank A. Flynn, Esq., Managing Partner/Owner, Flynn Law Group. We look forward to meeting with local community association trustees and sharing our insights and best practices weve gleaned from our collective decades in the industry, said Mike Grey, president, New England, FirstService Residential. ~ http://www.fsresidential.com ~ About FirstService Residential FirstService Residential is North Americas property management leader, partnering with more than 8,600 communities across the U.S. and Canada, including low-, mid- and high-rise condominiums and cooperatives; single-family communities; master-planned, lifestyle and active-adult communities; and mixed-use and rental properties. HOAs, community associations and condos rely on their extensive experience, resources and local expertise to maximize property values and enhance their residents lifestyles. Dedicated to making a difference, every day, FirstService Residential goes above and beyond to deliver exceptional service. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (FSV), a North American leader in the property services sector. Visit http://www.fsresidential.com. As a Gold sponsor of the 2022 Steve Hammond Homebound Hustle 5K & 1 Mile Walk, hosted by Family Promise of Morris County (FP Morris), global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP celebrates its 17th consecutive year supporting FP Morris. It is an honor to continue our support of FP Morris, an organization that makes a real difference in the lives of many New Jersey residents, said Greenberg Traurig New Jersey Shareholder Barry J. Schindler, co-chair of the firms Global Patent Prosecution Group. Over the years, Greenberg Traurig has donated over $250,000 to FP Morris. I am proud of Greenberg Traurigs long-term commitment to an exceptional organization that provides essential services to the community. The event, set for Nov. 5, in Central Park of Morris County, honors the legacy of former FP Morris Board President Steve W. Hammond, a long-time advocate of equity and equality for the Morris County community. FP Morris is a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the crisis of homelessness faced by Morris County families. All funds raised will further FP Morris mission to end homelessness and housing insecurity. Greenberg Traurig has been a critical ally for over 17 years in supporting Family Promise Morris as we serve those in need in Morris County said Joann Bjornson LSW, chief executive officer of FP Morris. Whether through pro bono work, financial contributions, volunteer time, or otherwise, they have always been and continue to be a true friend to the agency and our neighbors experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and associated health and wellness impacts. Greenberg Traurig is indeed a law firm with heart. About Greenberg Traurigs New Jersey Office: Established in 2002, Greenberg Traurigs New Jersey office has grown into a team of nationally recognized attorneys who provide legal advice to international, national, and local business and technology clients. The New Jersey offices practice areas include Complex Commercial and Class Action Litigation; Hatch-Waxman Litigation; Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation; Product Liability & Mass Torts; Corporate; Restructuring & Bankruptcy; Construction Law; Franchise & Distribution; Immigration & Compliance; Intellectual Property & Technology; Labor & Employment; Real Estate; Tax; and Private Wealth Services. As a significant contributor to the firm's international platform, the New Jersey team offers clients both the know-how and geographic reach of a global law firm combined with the dedication and responsiveness of a local firm. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2500 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021 and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, and NLJ 250. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy program certifies that the firms U.S. offices are 100% powered by renewable energy. The firm is often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com. About Family Promise of Morris County: Family Promise of Morris County is a non-sectarian, not-for-profit organization dedicated to ending the crisis of homelessness and housing insecurity faced by Morris County families and individuals by partnering with other public and private agencies, religious congregations, and community volunteers to provide shelter, case management, and mentoring services leading to independence. Areas of service include Shelter, Housing, and Outreach through programs such as Our Promise Drop-In Center and the Navigating Hope Mobile Outreach Unit. For more information, visit http://www.familypromisemorris.org or follow @familypromisemorris on social media. Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP is a finalist in four categories for The American Lawyer (Am Law) Industry Awards: Corporate Purpose Award, Best Business Team, and the Regional Litigation Department of the Year awards for Georgia and for New Jersey. Am Law is to hold an awards ceremony Nov. 10. Am Law noted that the awards not only honor the inspirational work of attorneys, but also aim to celebrate ways in which the profession is innovating and better meeting client needs. We are honored to be recognized among the top law firms and leaders as part of the American Lawyer awards, which celebrates our commitment to achieving the best results for our clients, Greenberg Traurig CEO Brian L. Duffy said. Equally as important, we are gratified that these recognitions spotlight our dedication to serving our communities and the importance of bringing together our Greenberg Traurig family after the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Executive Chairman Richard A. Rosenbaum said, We are constantly committed to adding value and elevating our excellence, year after year. This past years great success on behalf of our clients and in our pro bono work is the direct result of our continued implementation of our core values of innovation, collaboration, hard work, and dedication to exceeding our clients expectations. Greenberg Traurigs pro bono effort to assist refugees following military crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine, was named a finalist for the Corporate Purpose Award. The award honors an organization that has defined and executed on an initiative or overall mission that supports the well-being and welfare of its members or other stakeholders. With the launch of a global training program, more than 100 Greenberg Traurig attorneys have assisted over 118 families of Afghan refugees (over 580 individuals) in the filing of humanitarian parole applications within a nine-month period. The Best Business Team award honors those teams that have had an identifiable impact on their organization, according to the publication. The firm was named a finalist for the 2021 Mel on Wheels Getting Together Tour, conceived as a way to reconnect the workforce after nearly a year of remote work. Rosenbaum and Duffy traveled the United States and then Europe in a customized recreational vehicle visiting thousands of Greenberg Traurig employees at a total of 29 stops across 15 different states and five different countries. The tour was made possible through the combined efforts of various firm business departments, including technology, human resources, marketing and communications, and finance, as well as firm leadership. The Regional Litigation Department of the Year awards recognize the best litigation department in seven different states, according to The American Lawyer. This is the fifth year in which Greenberg Traurigs Atlanta Litigation Practice was named a finalist in Georgia, having won the category in 2018 and 2021. The team was recognized for its successful representation of major global companies and leading corporations in several large mass torts and multicase litigations across the United States for clients including Becton Dickinson, Sandoz, Medtronic, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and PeachCap Tax & Advisory. The New Jersey litigation team was named a finalist for the second time, recognized for its success in defending long-standing clients including Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, HSBC, Verizon, Samsung, and Marriott Ownerships Resorts, Inc. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2500 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021 and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, and NLJ 250. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy program certifies that the firms U.S. offices are 100% powered by renewable energy. The firm is often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com. I am thrilled that Delaware Today Magazine honored Fred with this well-deserved recognition, said Diane N. Ibrahim. Frederick H. Mitsdarfer, III, an associate in global law firm Greenberg Traurig LLPs Real Estate Practice in Delaware, will be honored as a Top Lawyer by Delaware Today Magazine. According to Delaware Today Magazine, Top Lawyers are the best attorneys in their areas of practice; honorees are determined based on a survey of local attorneys. I am thrilled that Delaware Today Magazine honored Fred with this well-deserved recognition, said Diane N. Ibrahim, managing shareholder of the Delaware office. Fred has been a tremendous asset to our Real Estate team since his addition to the firm in July. Mitsdarfer assists clients by drafting, reviewing, and negotiating the various documents related to a wide range of commercial and industrial real estate transactions, including purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, lease agreements, easements, joint venture agreements, development agreements, security instruments, legal opinions, and other real estate related agreements, as well as helping with all facets of due diligence, including title. Mitsdarfer also represents clients in virtually all aspects of real estate development to obtain approvals, including interfacing with state and local officials. He helps clients navigate the complexities of the processes required to obtain variances and special use permits. Mitsdarfer represents clients in land use and zoning matters before various commissions, boards, and other bodies to pursue necessary land development approvals. About Greenberg Traurigs Delaware Office: Greenberg Traurig opened its Delaware office in 1999 in response to the unique and increasing role Delaware plays in the needs of the firms national and international clients. Greenberg Traurig Delaware offers clients a full complement of attorneys who address real-world business problems by advising clients on the legal aspects of complex corporate and commercial matters and litigating in all of Delawares federal and state courts, including the Court of Chancery, the Complex Commercial Litigation Division of the Superior Court, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2500 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021 and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, and NLJ 250. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy program certifies that the firms U.S. offices are 100% powered by renewable energy. The firm is often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com. A social worker helps relieve people's suffering, fight for social justice, and improve lives. Skillet Truth provides this help in a spiritual context Author Ruth Etta Coleman shares how God empowers women (especially mothers) to overcome anything in Skillet Truth: Warrior/Slave ($14.49, paperback, 9781662861772; $6.99, e-book, 9781662861789). On the surface, Coleman is a successful, educated woman with an upstanding family and a respectable place in society. Behind that image, however, is a history of family dysfunction, a disabling accident, single motherhood, and a host of other challenges she has faced. By sharing her story, she hopes that others will see how Gods intervention makes all things possible. A social worker helps relieve people's suffering, fight for social justice, and improve lives. Skillet Truth provides this help in a spiritual context, said Coleman. Ruth Etta Coleman is a social worker with a BAS, MSW and MCJ. She is a founder of L.E.A.P and the NIA Centre in Grand Rapids, MI and has been awarded the title of One Hundred Most Influential Women. She is currently working as an executive consultant and grant writer. She and her husband, Pastor Wayne Coleman, share three children and reside in Paterson, New Jersey. ### Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Skillet Truth is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com. I have seen God work in wonderful ways in people. Author Dr. Ronald Thorington shares powerful stories of hope from 50 years of ministry in Miracles of Grace: Understanding and Experiencing God's Grace ($21.99, paperback, 9781662858765; $32.99, hardcover, 9781662858772; $9.99, e-book, 9781662858789). In this powerful book, Dr. Ronald Thorington inspires others through moving testimonies and miraculous stories about real people who were saved and changed by miracles of grace. Readers will be enthralled to hear him explain how specific kinds of miracles can happen when God works His divine power to bring extraordinary change in the lives of His children. Thorington unlocks the mystery of Gods grace, a crucial component in transforming lives, and declares that there is hope for everyone to become a new person. His in-depth Bible study and fifty years of ministry work reveal many of the hidden wonders of this grace. Read about people who were thought to be hopeless cases and how Thorington witnessed the joyous salvation of these individuals. When asked what inspired the author to write this book, Thorington said, I have seen God work in wonderful ways in people. Dr. Ronald Thorington has accumulated more than fifty years of ministry experience. In 1976, upon graduating from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, he accepted the challenge to start a church in Buffalos inner city. Thorington holds a masters degree in Bible and a Doctorate in Pastoral Ministries Experience. He has ministered as an evangelist, teacher, youth pastor and faithfully served as the lead pastor of Victory International Assembly of God in Buffalo for 46 years. During this time, the church has been a beacon of light in the city. Through a strong emphasis on evangelism and discipleship, many have come to know Jesus Christ as their savior and have become dedicated disciples. Many of these disciples have gone on to minister in other locations. Thorington and his wife, Susan, have lovingly reached out to the Burmese and African immigrants in Buffalo. As a result of their ministry, three African and five Burmese churches were birthed. They have spoken at leadership conferences in the United States, England and Africa. Thoringtons ministry resources can be found at Digging Deeper with RevRon on Facebook, YouTube and on the website, diggingdeeperwithrevron.com. In addition to his love of preaching and teaching, his hobbies include reading, watercolor painting and playing chess. ### Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Miracles of Grace: Understanding and Experiencing God's Grace is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com. Mercy College has received a two-year $465,398 grant from the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C), an arm of the National Security Agency (NSA). The grant will be used by College faculty and staff to design a reliable method of reducing cybersecurity gaps that lead to data breaches and to develop a training course at Mercy College for delivering the technology. The grant stems from the NCAE-Cs mission to create a collaborative cybersecurity educational program to engage experts in the field in solving the rising problem of data breaches. Mercy College has been tasked with addressing the human component in security breaches, especially those involving individuals, such as hackers or former employees, who break through security systems to access sensitive data. Usman Rauf, Ph.D., assistant professor of cybersecurity, will serve as principal investigator (PI) on the grant. He will be assisted by co-PI, Zhixiong Chen, Ph.D., director of the Cyber Education Center at Mercy College, which has been designated by the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence on Cybersecurity Defense Education. According to a recent data report from Verizon, up to two-thirds of breaches are not discovered until a year or more after the incident. By then the damage is done, well before strategies for detection and deterrence are in place, said Rauf, whose 2021 paper on the subject was published in the journal Future Generation Computer Systems. We propose to develop a system of detecting irregular or unexpected behavior that should be flagged as a threat. Once identified, an automated process will alert the system administrator and other authorities, enabling earlier intervention and minimizing the damage caused by the breach. In a second phase, the team will design a novel masters level course, Cyber Threat Analytics, that will offer training in observation, analysis, and application. In the pilot program, Mercy College students will use state-of-the-art techniques and pipelines to learn how to detect and manage insider threats in a variety of scenarios. The team also expects to research and publish papers on multiple aspects of cyber threat analytics. We are confident that the outcomes of this project will be of great benefit to industry and academia, Chen said. Mercy is proud to have been awarded a grant from the National Security Administration and for the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the countrys cybersecurity, said Mercy College President Tim Hall. Through this grant, Mercy also looks forward to giving students the ability to learn in-demand industry skills that will benefit them upon graduation. About Mercy College Founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy College is an independent, coeducational college that offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs within five schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The vibrancy of the College culture is sustained by a diverse student body from around the region. The College offers campuses in Dobbs Ferry, the Bronx and Manhattan as well as online offerings. Taking the time to obtain patents on our products is our way of showing our confidence in our products, said MiEN Company President and CEO Remco Bergsma. We conduct significant research so that we can effectively design furniture pieces that have a positive impact on learning." MiEN Company announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued patents for three of the companys furnishing designs: the MUST+ Sit-2-Stand Table & Lectern, FFL chair series and FLEX Steps modular lounge and seating unit. Four other products are patent pending. Taking the time to obtain patents on our products is our way of showing our confidence in our products, said MiEN Company President and CEO Remco Bergsma. We conduct significant research so that we can effectively design furniture pieces that have a positive impact on learning. Our unique, innovative products provide enormous value in learning spaces all over the country, and our patents confirm this value in an official way. A list of MiENs patented and patent-pending products includes: Patented Products Patent No. D921408: MUST+ Sit-2-Stand Table & Lectern The MUST+ Sit-2-Stand Table and Lectern is a perfect option for incorporating sit-to-stand desks in learning spaces. Whether schools add the MUST+ to the media center, modern classroom spaces or a makerspace, its innovative and versatile design of increases student engagement by allowing increased mobility and functionality. Patent No. D912429 was issued for the designs in the FFL chair series: FFL 4-Leg Chair This chair features a traditional four-leg base supporting a sleek and modern new chair shell. Available in a variety of colors, the chair has quickly become a classroom favorite. FFL Cafe Stool The lightweight, durable and easy-to-clean stool is a contemporary and sleek option for any cafe space or common area. FFL Counter Stool Like the cafe stool, the counter stool is a contemporary and sleek solution for learning space. FFL Lab Stool The colorful, sturdy and easy-to-clean lab stool is a sleek new option for lab or makerspace environments. FFL Pneumatic Swivel Chair This height-adjustable and easy-to-maneuver swivel chair has become a staple for the office and the active classroom. FFL Reverse Cantilever Chair The chairs smooth contemporary style is designed as a flexible classroom solution that can foster a collaborative class environment. Patent No. 11,350,754: FLEX Steps The FLEX Steps modular lounge and seating design can be customized to accommodate any learning environment, including libraries and common areas. MiENs innovative construction method allows units to be disassembled to fit through narrow doorways and makes it easy to replace just one seat or panel if fabric is punctured or damaged. Patent Pending Products HIH Pneumatic Stool Designed for any activity table or student desk, the pneumatic stool is available in two different height ranges that can be operated with a single button. The stool features a self-balancing base and an octagon-shaped seat that can easily hang from any classroom desk. L2 Tilt Dual Purpose Teacher Station The tilt desk is a sit-stand solution that allows users to transition from sitting to standing in seconds. Its modern design includes details that facilitate ergonomic work and fit seamlessly into any learning environment. KIO Tinker Table This 360-degree mobile bookcase doubles as a workstation, and it also provides storage and workspace for classrooms, media centers, makerspaces and STEM/STEAM spaces. The middle of the tabletop opens to reveal an inner compartment for storage. Additional storage is located on the exterior of the table for quick access to materials. KIO 360 Bookcase This mobile bookcase has adjustable shelves on all four sides, offering an abundance of storage. MiEN will be displaying a selection of its patented learning space furnishings, as well as several of the patent-pending products, at the EDspaces 2022 conference and exhibit, November 2-4. Conference attendees can visit company representatives on the EDspaces exhibition floor at booth #827. Were looking forward to introducing more educators to our products, said Bergsma. Its our mission to create future ready learning spaces that promote student engagement and creative thinking while reflecting the core culture of the school, and we are proud to highlight our top products at EDspaces this year. About MiEN Company MiEN is a global company serving the education industry with innovative furniture products and services that promote and support active and interactive learning environments in engaging and functional ways. An American company with a strong European influence, its products and services represent the ideas and collaborative efforts of an expert team of suppliers, designers, and engineers. Built strong and durable using eco-friendly, sustainable materials, its products rank high in the industry in meeting the demands of creating dynamic and collaborative learning environments. For more information go to https://miencompany.com # # # Teri Flicker, a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, has completed her new book Through Her Eyes": a riveting tale with a backdrop of war and peace, takes readers from the 1920s through the 1970s. Flicker writes, This book touched the very soul of my life as it is about the life and times of my grandparents. I reside in a small town in Florida and love the life I live here. My one and only child, an amazing daughter, lives next door with her wonderful husband and our granddaughter. My husband is supportive and my eternal rock. I have family that stays in close contact and fabulous friends that bolster me and complete my life. To say simply that I love my life does not seem to do it justice, but it will suffice until a better word comes along. Please enjoy my storyor I should say my grandmothers storythe way I did, and appreciate that there are real love stories out there. I am fortunate that I got to share in hers and that I have one of my own. Published by Page Publishing, Teri Flickers intriguing story begins in the middle of the Great Depression and the rebirth of a nation, and as the love story of Florence and Frank unfolds it carries the reader with it in both America and Europe. Throughout Florences life, the music and changing times altered her and all those around her. During this one lifetime, the world experienced changes that would take music from big band to rock and roll and the information age from newspaper to the nightly news watched on a television set in your own home. It is amazing to witness how much Florence changes along with the world she lives in. Readers who wish to experience this eye-opening book can purchase Through Her Eyes" at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Effective communications can result in better selected study sites and drive trial recruitment and patient retention, saving time and money in clinical trials. Competition within the drug development industry continues to intensify and competing for clinical investigators and trial recruitment is no exception. While pharma and biotech companies invest heavily in marketing approved drugs, they often do not employ that same market research and marketing expertise when it comes to targeting, positioning and communicating the value of clinical trials to study sites and patients. The research data underscores the high stakes and urgent need for companies to improve the clinical trial process. Effective communications can result in better selected study sites and drive trial recruitment and patient retention, saving time and money in clinical trials. Register for this webinar to learn: The pros and cons of a local recruitment model through a site network; How a solid patient recruitment database can help find the right patients faster; The benefits of integrated site and patient recruitment offerings and when they work best; How various recruitment options work to ensure diverse representation in trials; And if some therapeutic areas are better suited to the various recruitment options available. Join Dr. Torsten Sernau, MD, Vice President, Medical Strategy, Accelerated Enrollment Solutions (AES); Dr. Riaan van Tonder, Vice President, Site Network, AES; and Michael Stratton, MBA, Executive Director, Patient Recruitment Operations, Sites and Patients Center of Excellence, Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD), part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, for the live webinar on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 11am EST (4pm GMT/UK). For more information, or to register for this event, visit The Changing Face of Trial Recruitment: Site-Only and Recruitment Provider Options. ABOUT XTALKS Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers. To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/ Contact: Vera Kovacevic Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371 Email: vkovacevic@xtalks.com Bob Knott, CEO, Velosio Bob is a highly respected leader that shares our core values and has a distinguished record of driving growth in the B2B technology sector, // Joseph Longo. Velosio, a leading cloud business applications partner for mid-market and emerging enterprise businesses, announced today that 30-year technology industry leader Bob Knott has been appointed as chief executive officer effective October 31, 2022. Bob will succeed Joseph Longo, who will transition to an executive chairman role, active in the business on a full-time basis. Bob is a highly respected leader that shares our core values and has a distinguished record of driving growth in the B2B technology sector, said Velosio current CEO, Joseph Longo. After working with Bob as a board member it became evident that we could accelerate growth by capitalizing on Bobs success in digital cloud services and benefit from his experience in taking a company of our size and growing it significantly. Velosio has a rich history as a business applications partner, recognized for their ability to tailor ERP, CRM and other business applications to the needs of specific industry verticals. Over the last decade, mid-market companies have placed increasingly higher value on data and the digital experience and as a result, digital services represent the fastest-growing segment of Velosio services business. Velosio is a powerhouse, notes Bob Knott, incoming CEO. Their industry business and technology expertise along with considerable IP, consulting and indirect channel business has positioned the company for explosive growth. Im excited to be a part of that and looking forward to working alongside Joe and the rest of the Velosio team. Bob Knott left his role as principal and national leader at BDO Digital USA in April 2022 and joined the Velosio board of directors some months later. Prior to his two plus years with BDO Digital, Bob served as president of SWC Technology Partners, a company with a similar operating model to Velosio that drove sustained double-digit growth and profitability. My focus on day one will be tapping into the expertise this organization already brings around enterprise business applications and tailoring adjacent solutions to improve decision making, automation of business processes and meeting market changes with agility," Said Knott. "Our focus, as always, is helping our clients grow and succeed. ### About Velosio Velosio is a leading business applications partner specializing in cloud services and industry-specific ERP, CRM, data-driven analytics and digital transformation solutions for mid-market and emerging enterprise businesses. As one of the largest Microsoft partners in North America, Velosio supports the entire Microsoft business solutions portfolio, including Dynamics and Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Microsoft 365 and Azure. Velosio is the only Microsoft Cloud Distributor that specializes in Dynamics 365, providing licensing and support to hundreds of growing Microsoft partners and over 4,000 clients. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Velosio encourages community involvement and a people-centric culture of over 450 employees throughout North America. https://www.velosio.com Modern-scale Pearl River formed 30 mln yrs ago: study Xinhua) 15:44, October 31, 2022 BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Researchers from Chinese and American institutions studying sedimentary records from the northern South China Sea recently determined that the modern-scale Pearl River was formed 30 million years ago. Scientists have done a lot of research on the evolution history of the Pearl River. Due to the lack of continuous and high-resolution sedimentary records over a long geological time, its evolution history had been poorly understood. Researchers from the Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Louisiana State University and other Chinese and American institutions used sediments from the latest deep sea drilling core in the northern South China Sea in this study. They reconstructed the evolutionary history of the Pearl River by tracing changes in clay mineral assemblages and Strontium-Neodymium isotopic compositions of the sediments. The study, which was published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, found that the modern-scale Pearl River drainage system was formed 30 million years ago and began to play an important role in the evolution of the sedimentary environment of the northern South China Sea. Tectonic deformation, mainly the elevated southeastern Tibetan Plateau, contributed to the topographic reversal in the South China Block, thus promoting the westward expansion and formation of the main body of the Pearl River, according to the study. (Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Hongyu) With 971 publishers registered from 92 countries, the 12th Sharjah Publishers Conference, which runs for three days ahead of the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair, got off to a busy start on Sunday morning, October 30. Visitors were welcomed by Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, who praised the flexibility and ability of the industry in finding novel solutions to the many challenges confronting publishing. Bodour Al Qasimi, president of the IPA and founder/CEO of the Kalimat Group and the PublishHer network, gave an inspirational keynote. Promoting diversity and inclusion has been on the top of her agenda in her time leading the IPA as, she said, we need new voices and fresh perspectives to help us tackle complex questions such as sustainability, freedom to publish, copyrights [and] data driven publishing. This years SIBF Guest of Honor is Italy who will next be at Salon du Livre in Paris and then be the market focus at Frankfurt. The first business session saw a panel of publishers, LeeAnn Bortolussi of Giunti editore, Carlo Gallucci of childrens specialist Carlo Callucci editore and Marco Sbrozi of Hoepli, in conversation with Jacks Thomas, guest director of Bologna Books Plus, the general trade extension to the Bologna Childrens Book Fair. Data provided by the research department of the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) shows that the Italian publishing industry to be the sixth largest in the world and the fourth largest in Europe, with 2021 showing growth of 10.7% over 2020 and 10.2% over 2019. Last year, some 85,000 new titles were published in Italy, 15% of them translation: the main language of origin is English (61%), followed by French (16%), German (8%) and Spanish (4%). While buying of foreign rights by Italian publishers has been declining, the sale of Italian rights abroad has increased over the past few years. European countries represent the main market for rights sales, but Arabic-speaking countries now account for 4% of all rights sold by Italian publishers and there are, said Bortolussi, lots of grants available to help with the cost of translation. She sees a trend in rights sales in light-hearted, humorous fiction alongside more serious nonfiction, particularly self-care and sale-improvement titles. With childrens books accounting for around 11% of the market overall, the sector is growing rapidly, said Gallucci, particularly in the pre-school age range. With Arab-speaking children the second largest group in Italian schools, in 2018 Gallucci launched a partnership with Kalimat to publish dual-language Arabic/Italian childrens books, a program that has proved a success. Italy's program at the fair includes about 20 authors and illustrators, artists and chefs, as well as a collective national booths that will be hosting 15 publishing houses offering as complete an overview as possible of the Italian publishing and cultural world. The presence of so many Italian publishing professionals at this years book fair reveals the importance they place on growing rights sales to and from the Arab world. The second day of the conference began with a talk between Karine Pansa, vice president of the International Publishers Association, and Perminder Mann, CEO of Bonnier Books U.K., in a discussion of publishing and representation. Mann said that there is a commercial, social and moral imperative for publisher to produce lists of books that speak to every reader. She added that the commissioning editors tend to come from a narrow demographic who have a traditional view of what a makes for a quality book. Mann said that the company has invested in a great deal of unconscious bias training to counteract this tendency. She cited the genre of smart thinking, a category of business-oriented self-help that was an area where being able to address a diverse audience offered an opportunity for publishers. In addition, Bonnier Books is launching a series of live and video-recorded events called Open Books, that aim to explain and demystify career opportunities in publishing. The aim is to reduce barriers to entry for the industry, said Mann. As part of a push to publish a greater diversity of modern and commercial love stories, Harlequin has announced that its flagship romance imprint HQN Books will be renamed Canary Street Press. The imprint's focus is still on romance, said Harlequin representatives in a release, but its intent is to explore more versions of happy ever after. The Canary Street Press name was inspired by the Canary District, an historic area in downtown Toronto that has undergone a renewal explained Harlequin editorial director Susan Swinwood. The district exemplifies a modern, revitalized community with a rich heritage, and that is what Canary wants to be for its longtime readership and the next generation of romance enthusiasts, she explained. Harlequin, though part of HarperCollins since 2014, remains based in Toronto. Canary will publish titles in mass market paperbacks as well as trade and hardcover formats. The new imprint will launch in February 2023 with Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fishera collection of three stories that will be published as one printed volume for the first time. Titles scheduled for a summer 2023 release include include Even If the Sky is Falling, Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up, The Secret to a Southern Wedding, and Exes and Prose. The imprint will publish around 40 to 50 titles a year. Canary Street Press will be a destination imprint for romance of all kinds, said Loriana Sacilotto, executive v-p and publisher of Harlequin Trade Publishing (HTP Books), in a statement about the name change. She explained that the publisher is adding new and fresh voices to its existing author list as it focuses on bringing new readers to the romance genre. See below for a description of Canarys upcoming titles: As the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX is celebrated in 2022, curator Jason Hasty wanted to use the milestone to honor the vast success of UGA womens athletics. This exhibit at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library explores womens sports from the 1920s through the implementation of Title IX in 1972 and highlights some of UGAs greatest female athletes and coaches. Members of All Souls Church in Brattleboro make wreaths and other holiday decorations on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, for the annual Holiday Bazaar that will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bazaar has been going on since the late '70s and people can also buy handmade g WILLIAMSVILLE Arch Bridge is back in business after being replaced in an approximately $4.6 million construction project that occurred over You are the owner of this article. Michael Harte, owner and manager of Astral LLC, is sworn in prior to testifying during a case filed by the Bennington State's Attorneys office trying to hold landlords accountable for repeated criminal activity at their properties. Photographer / Multimedia Editor Has been working as a photojournalist since 2007, before moving into newspapers, he worked with an NGO called Project HOPE. He then went to work for the Press and Sun-Bulletin in New York, and then in New England working for the Brattleboro Reformer. In this May 12, 2022 photo, President Joe Biden, left, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, right and leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) arrive for a group photo on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Phnom Penh next month for two regional summits, according to the White House, which said the trip will underscore Americas enduring commitment to Southeast Asia amid a growing rivalry for influence between Beijing and Washington. Biden will join leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, for one of the last summits of Cambodias chairmanship of the group, as well as the East Asia Summit, which has historically also included leaders from Russia, China, Japan and India and Australia. The Nov. 12-13 trip comes amid a flurry of summits, with Biden also scheduled to attend the G-20 Leaders Summit in Bali, Indonesia, from Nov. 13-16 as speculation percolates about Russian President Vladimir Putins plans. But it will also be the first trip to Cambodia by a U.S. president since Barack Obamas visit the last time the country served as chair of the 10-country bloc in November 2012. That proved a frosty affair, with Obama pressing Prime Minister Hun Sen on his regimes human rights abuses during tense meetings but otherwise avoiding overt criticism. The Cambodians just want to get through this time without a blow-up, said Gregory B. Poling, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Their last time hosting ASEAN in 2012 was a nightmare they served as the proxies of China and wrecked consensus, and theyve been hearing about that for a decade. For the first time in ASEANs then 45-year history, the 2012 summit in Phnom Penh closed without a joint statement, with Cambodia ending the blocs consensus position that disputes over the South China Sea be negotiated between Beijing and the bloc as a whole. The shift came two years after an upgrade of ties between China and Cambodia. By comparison, so far this year, theyve done well, Poling said. Thereve been complaints but theyve managed a difficult time coming out of Covid, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the crisis in Myanmar, he said. If they can just get through this final summit, they're going to breathe a sigh of relief: It'll be the Indonesians turn to deal with it. One-on-one with Biden? It is not clear if Hun Sen will meet privately with Biden during the two summits. During a speech on Sunday, the prime minister only confirmed Bidens plans to attend the summits and gave no further details. If the pair meet, all eyes will be on the approach taken by Biden the seventh U.S. president to serve in office since Hun Sen became prime minister in the wake of five years of political repression that dismantled Cambodias democracy and pushed Phnom Penh closer to Beijing. A lot has changed in Cambodia since Obamas visit. Most prominently, the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which almost beat Hun Sens party at the disputed July 2013 national election, was banned in the lead-up to the 2018 vote. Its leader, Kem Sokha, was arrested for allegedly planning a color revolution under direction from the U.S. government, and remains on trial for treason five years later. In this Feb. 15, 2016 photo, President Barack Obama greets Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen at Sunnylands estate ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Rancho Mirage, California. (Mandel Ngan/AFP) The spate of repression has not abated, with Hun Sen last week threatening to ban the Candlelight Party a remnant of the opposition that his government banned five years ago if it does not distance itself from comments made by exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy. Biden will be walking a fine line, said John D. Ciorciari, a Southeast Asia expert and director of the Weiser Diplomacy Center at the University of Michigans Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He said that Hun Sen would seek a more accommodating U.S. posture on governance. Since Obamas 2012 visit, Ciorciari noted, Hun Sens government has cast aside a pretense of democracy and engaged in political abuses that require stern U.S. criticism. But since American officials also fear driving Cambodia even further toward Beijing, he explained, the tone of Bidens visit may not be dramatically different than that of Obamas. Upgraded relations But the trips focus will remain the dual ASEAN and East Asia summits. Notably, the United States and ASEAN are expected to officially upgrade diplomatic relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership during next months meeting, after Chinese-ASEAN ties were similarly upgraded during last years summit in Brunei, when it chaired the group. Collin Koh, a research fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said Biden would likely only engage with Hun Sen to the extent needed to help shore-up ties with the 10-country regional bloc he currently leads. The trip is mainly for the Biden administration to demonstrate its commitment towards engaging ASEAN, not so much Cambodia per se, Koh said. Cambodia happens to be the destination because its the current chair of ASEAN and is hosting the ASEAN summits. He added that he doubted there would be substantial changes to the strained U.S.-Cambodian relationship coming out of the summit. While both sides might pay lip service to improved dialogue, Koh said, its difficult to imagine how Cambodia-U.S. relations can overcome the cumulative trust deficit that has built up over the recent years, especially as Phnom Penh continues to deepen its engagement with Beijing. Ultimately, Bidens trip says more about the rivalry between Beijing and Washington, which Phnom Penh is in a fortunate enough position to exploit, said Sophal Ear, the author of Aid Dependence in Cambodia and an associate professor in global political economy at Arizona State Universitys Thunderbird School of Global Management. This is about showing ASEAN love when China is both embracing and arm-twisting ASEAN, Ear said. Cambodia's goal is to once again project to its people and the region that it is loved by the U.S. and respected by the U.S., while of course maintaining its ironclad friendship with China. Poling from the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Bidens trip to Phnom Penh after five years of U.S. condemnation of Hun Sen will in any case serve as a testimonial to Western foreign policy failures. The U.S. vastly overestimated its leverage to affect change in Cambodia, he said. If sanctions, or trade restrictions or diplomatic naming-and-shaming were going to have an impact, they would have by now. The U.S. and Europeans just don't have the influence they think. The firm says it won't stop people leaving, but that the situation is now under control, with free food available. People with suitcases and bags leave a Foxconn compound in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province on Oct. 29, 2022, in this photo taken from video footage and released by Hangpai Xingyang. Taiwan-invested iPhone maker Foxconn has promised buses for workers who want to leave and free food for those who stay on its Zhengzhou campus, amid a mass exodus of employees following a COVID-19 outbreak at the plant. Videos uploaded to TikTok showed dozens of people carrying luggage along highways around the Foxconn plant, with cases of instant ramen and bottled water laid out at the roadside by unknown donors. Another clip showed people with luggage scaling barbed-wire perimeter fences to leave. Some complained that they had been "left to die" after testing positive and being placed in isolation with no reliable food deliveries. An employee who answered the phone at the Zhengzhou factory on Monday didn't deny reports of a food shortage, but said the company had meals "ready for distribution." "We have been working [on food deliveries] all along," the employee said. "The government is also helping out." "We do have [lunchboxes] available for distribution whenever [needed]," they said. "We have been providing free food all along." In one TikTok video, a woman in a mask cries, saying she has tried calling local emergency services, but they "declined to do anything." "Does anyone actually care if we live or die? the woman asks. "I don't have the energy to climb into the top bunk; I'm just squatting here on the floor." Another says: "Nobody answers if you @ them in the group chat. The employee helpline is useless, too. I don't know what else to do now." Warnings by text A person who answered the phone at the employee helpline said they had tried to warn employees by text which quarantine centers had no medical care or food deliveries. "We are doing our best to send those responsible out [to the quarantine centers] to see what's happening on the ground," the person said. "That's why we need people to tell us the address they are registered at." Asked if online reports that as many as 20,000 Foxconn workers had fled the Zhengzhou plant, the person replied: "I don't really know about that, because I'm not [in Zhengzhou]." Workers have broken out of #Apples largest assembly site, escaping the Zero #Covid lockdown at Foxconn in #Zhengzhou. After sneaking out, theyre walking to home towns more than 100 kilometres away to beat the Covid app measures designed to control people and stop this. #China pic.twitter.com/NHjOjclAyU Stephen McDonell (@StephenMcDonell) October 30, 2022 Screenshots of an apparent social media message from Foxconn Communist Party secretary Su Dongxia on Sunday showed Su acknowledging that the company couldn't manage the COVID-19 outbreak without help. "There are more than 200,000 people in Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant, which makes it less of a company and more of a complex society that is very hard to manage," the message said. "Since the outbreak, Foxconn has been trying its best to mobilize resources internally and work hard to deal with it, with little external support," the message, which was widely reported on Chinese social media, said. "Just arranging food and drink for hundreds of thousands of people across more than 10 square kilometers is a pretty arduous task, yet we had employees turning volunteer to serve up hot lunches to hundreds of thousands of people," Su's message said. "Do you know quite what that takes?" But Su appeared to admit that the company's efforts hadn't been enough. "The fact that we couldn't do this alone has meant we were forced to allow factory employees to go home," the message said. "This company doesn't have the resources to control public opinion, so some of the negative information you see may also be true," the message said. "But make no mistake: our company's a lot cleaner than the rest of society." Hometown welcome China Business News reported that authorities in a number of nearby cities and counties, including Yuzhou and Xuchang, had written to Foxconn employees with household registrations there saying they are prepared to welcome them back to their hometowns. But anyone wanting to go home should send their details in advance to ensure services and isolation facilities could be delivered appropriately, the report said. Provision varied, with some requiring recent, negative COVID-19 test results, and other offering isolation facilities at the user's own expenses. Beijing-based political commentator Ji Feng blamed the chaos at Foxconn on the current insistence on Communist Party leadership in the private sector. "When the interests of the party and those of companies are in conflict, party officials will always choose the party," Ji told RFA. "When the interests of the party conflict with human need, they also choose the party." The Global Times newspaper, which has close ties to Communist Party paper the People's Daily, said employees who choose to remain at the factory will be "guaranteed a normal life and working environment," with their health and safety fully protected. "For employees who want to return home, to ensure their safety, the administrative committee of Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone and the company will organize staff members and vehicles to serve their needs," the paper cited a company statement as saying. Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant is currently in a bubble system, with daily COVID-19 tests, free meals for all employees, a 24-hour-care helpline and volunteer services, the paper quoted the company as saying. "This outbreak spread fast, but the viral load is low. So far, no serious infections have occurred at the Zhengzhou campus, and the situation is generally under control," the statement said. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. China is rebooting a Mao-era institution that once functioned as a pillar of the socialist command economy to prepare for future "decoupling" from the global economy, analysts said. Heralding a major step away from the market-oriented economic policies of the last 40 years, the 20th Chinese Communist Party congress earlier this month saw the elevation of Liang Huiling, who heads a state-run system of "supply and marketing cooperatives," to the party's Central Committee, amid other signs that leader Xi Jinping is steering the country away from market economics and closer to a state-dominated economy. "This is a return to the [state-run] collective economy," economic commentator Chen Jun told RFA. "It's pretty scary -- they don't want an economy any more. They may decide they don't want private companies any more." Chen cited recent losses on the Shanghai stock market, as well as plummeting prices of luxury apartments in the city. "They are also controlling the movements of the population around the country using the pandemic [tracking app]," Chen said. "They are transferring energy consumption to heavy industry and military-linked companies." "They don't care about the economy -- [they think] ordinary people will be fine if they get enough to eat," he said. A senior Chinese media executive who declined to be named for fear of reprisals said the supply and marketing co-op system, which used to run general stores in rural areas as late as the 1980s, was never abolished, even though the market economics instigated by late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979 eventually replaced it with commercial supply chains and distribution networks. He said he expects the government to use it as a fall-back logistics and supply system to ensure emergency preparedness and food security in the event of worsening relations and further economic decoupling with the rest of the world. "The supply and marketing cooperative system has always existed, and never died out this whole time," the executive said. "They aren't very efficient, but nonetheless they are a national supply and logistics channel." "Its first job is to ensure daily supplies of certain goods, but it has another purpose, which is to ensure supplies in extreme circumstances," the media executive said, adding that the system could be used if the country was at war, particularly engaged in a military invasion of the democratic island of Taiwan. "They already have one set of extreme circumstances in mind, which is that they will attack Taiwan one day," the media executive said. "Then, we will have to be self-reliant when our connections with the rest of the world are cut off." Quiet comeback Hunan-based current affairs commentator Li Fang said the government has been quietly restoring funding to the supply and marketing cooperatives in recent years, hiring new people, but without trumpeting the plan in the state-run media. "They are making a quiet comeback, from the central government down to provincial governments, without much fanfare," Li said. "Maybe once our relations with Western countries have completely broken down, the economy will decouple and go back to being the planned economy of days gone by." "They know that it could come to that," he said. "Maybe they haven't felt the time was ripe to talk about this before now." Official budgets show a massive boost in funding for the supply and marketing co-op system since Xi initiated a reboot in 2016, reaching 2.3 billion yuan (U.S. $315 million) in 2016 and 2.87 billion yuan (U.S. $393 million) in 2017. While the All-China Federation and the regional supply and marketing co-ops have published detailed regional budgets since then, RFA has been unable to locate a nationwide spending figure for more recent years. But an official who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals said the actual funding flowing to the nationwide supply and marketing cooperatives system has been several times as much listed in official budgets. One of the aims is to bolster domestic supply chains to weather international sanctions of the kind imposed by the rest of the world on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in February, the official said. The government plans to use the supply and marketing cooperatives to prepare for economic emergencies and combat readiness, the official said. Xi wrote in the official ideological journal Qiushi in July: "We need to deepen the comprehensive reform of supply and marketing cooperatives, improve the system and optimize its functions, changing its way of working." Meanwhile, guidelines issued in June 2021 called for a comprehensive financial and logistics platform to serve rural credit needs and supply chains, with local governments ordered to make the reconstruction of the marketing and supply cooperatives -- which are effectively state-run entities despite the name -- a political priority. A resident of the central city of Wuhan who gave only the surname Cai said most supply chains currently run pretty smoothly, with a range of goods readily available in supermarkets, chain stores or via online shopping. He said the government reboot of the supply and marketing cooperatives suggests the government is preparing for shortages at some point in the future. "They have to protect their regime first and foremost, and you can see they are maintaining stability, no matter what it costs," Cai said. "They don't care about disrupting the lives of the people for a party congress, so do you think they will care about it [in future]?" State news agency Xinhua reported in July that supply and marketing cooperatives reported steady sales growth in the first half of this year, citing figures from the All-China Federation. Nationwide sales rose by 19.1 percent to nearly three trillion yuan (U.S. $435 billion), with online sales of agricultural products and sidelines rising by 33 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. They are accused of killing current and former military officers, along with city officials The 10 people arrested by Myanmars junta, who are all alleged members of the Inya Urban Force, in a compilation photograph from a junta-controlled newspaper on Oct. 31, 2022. Myanmars junta says it has arrested seven men and three women for carrying out a series of killings in Yangon. A statement released on Sunday said the 10 were members of the Inya Urban Force who were taken into custody between Oct. 1 and Oct. 6. The junta said the group was behind the killings of former Brig. Gen. Ohn Twin and his son-in-law, ex-Capt. Ye Tayza in their home in Yangons Hlaing township on Sept. 24. Members are also accused of killing Maj. Kaday Phyo Aung on April 10 and the murders of several Yangon ward administrators. The Inya Urban Force confirmed some of its members had been arrested but did not give the number. It said the rest of the group went to the Thai-Myanmar border to avoid being captured. RFA has not been able to confirm independently whether the 10 people named by the junta are all members of the anti-regime group and was unable to contact the Inya Urban Force to verify the claims. According to data compiled by RFA, nine serving and former military officers have been killed in the past 11 months. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) said nearly 16,000 people had been arrested since the coup on Feb. 1 last year, with 12,783 still in custody. The reclaimed reefs and rocks house airfields, radar installations and possible missile silos. In this Oct. 25, 2022 aerial photo, buildings and communication structures are seen on the China-built artificial island at Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea. New images have emerged showing airfields and other structures on some of Chinas artificial islands in the South China Sea that the U.S. said had been fully militarized. Getty Images photographer Ezra Acayan obtained access to flights near a number of reefs and rocks that China has reclaimed and turned into military bases with radar stations, airstrips and artillery installations. The photos taken on Oct. 25 show another dimension of the Chinese artificial islands, up to now mostly captured on satellite images. U.S. Indo-Pacific commander, Adm. John C. Aquilino, said in March that China had fully militarized at least three artificial islands including Mischief Reef, Subi Reef and Fiery Cross, all in the Spratly archipelago that Beijing claims historical rights over. Life on Fiery Cross The Getty photos provide extensive details of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) facilities on Mischief Reef, Gaven Reefs, Subi Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef and Hughes Reef - six of the 15 Spratly features occupied by China. Fiery Cross Reef appears to be one of the most developed, with a fully operational airfield, hangars, other large buildings and radomes, or domes with radar equipment inside. A new type of building spotted on Fiery Cross, as well as on Mischief and Subi Reefs, is a garage-like structure that may be sheltering missile launchers, according to analysts. My guess is that the sea-facing garages are for angled cruise missile launchers, Tom Shugart, adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, wrote on Twitter. Another analyst, Tyler Rogoway, editor of The War Zone defense news portal, said they could be used to house, service, and rapidly deploy launchers used to fire surface-to-air, anti-ship, or surface-to-surface missiles. Shugart also noted some other details such as a car driving around Fiery Cross and someone walking down a street. It's not crowds, but it's also not nothing, he wrote. Three weeks ago Chinese state media reported that there is a growing population of more than 5,000 officers and soldiers stationed on islands and reefs that China occupies in the South China Sea. In this Oct. 25, 2022, aerial photo, an aircraft is seen on the tarmac of the artificial island built by China at Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea. (Photo: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Radomes and gun turrets In one of the pictures of Fiery Cross, a KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft is visible on the runway. The image of a KJ-500 on the runway is compelling and confirms that the PLA is still regularly flying aerial patrols off the islands, Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told RFA. That has been ongoing since 2020, he added. According to The War Zones Rogoway, the KJ-500 and other intelligence-gathering and submarine-hunting aircraft frequently operate from the airfield there. Radomes, gun turrets and close-in weapon systems for detecting and destroying incoming missiles and aircraft are common features on all the artificial islands. On Subi Reef, the main runway is being blocked by several objects, possibly vehicles, or carts. This is an unsafe act, hostile to anyone else flying in the area as pilots of an aircraft in true distress may not see the blockade and crash, according to Shugart. This once again puts the lie to the idea these islands were built for the navigational safety of all, the Fort Hood-based analyst said. They're military bases, period. In this Oct. 25, 2022 aerial photo, buildings, airstrips and communication structures are seen on the artificial island built by China in Mischief Reef in Spratly Islands, South China Sea. (Photo: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) China and five other parties claim parts of the South China Sea including the features which, according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, are reefs and rocks and not islands. By law, reefs and rocks have much more limited rights to natural resources than islands. Beijing has developed at least seven artificial islands, creating 1,295 hectares (3,200 acres) of new land since 2013, according to the CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. On a trip to Washington in 2015, Chinas leader Xi Jinping said China does not intend to pursue militarization" of the artificial islands in the South China Sea but critics say they greatly expand the offensive capability of the PLA and threaten other countries in the vicinity. Another major land rights dispute is coming to a head on the site of a 2020 clash that left a popular local leader and three policemen dead in Vietnams Dong Tam. According to the Facebook page Dong Tam-My Duc-Hanoi, authorities in the village, 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Vietnamese capital, plan to build a new cultural house to stage events for locals. There is already a cultural house on the land but authorities want to demolish it to make way for the new one. However, parish priest Father Joseph Nguyen Van Thoan told RFA the site was classified as Church land in 1956. He said the documents state: "The provincial administrative committee agrees to grant the land to the parish church to use for worship and for monks to live and carry out religious work." Local authorities occupied the land in 1972 and Father Thoan said there have been several attempts by the Church to secure its return. When Father Vien returned to the parish in 2012, he sent a petition to the local government to ask for the land to be given back, he said. Since returning to the parish in 2018, I have submitted 12 petitions to the Hanoi city government to request the return of the land to the parish and to have enough outdoor religious space, but the government still hasnt resolved the issue. A parishioner said the attempts to organize religious events on the land are often prevented by local authorities. Last year, parishioners set up a theater stage, statues and Christmas decorations but the authorities sent people to dismantle them. The land rights issue in Dong Tam has been brewing for many years. The Vietnamese Air Force built an airport on 200 hectares (494 acres) close to Dong Tam and locals claim another 50 hectares (124 acres) was taken over by Hanoi authorities, who planned to sell it to the military-owned Viettel Group. In 2020 about 3,000 policemen were sent to Dong Tam to put an end to protests over the land. Police shot and killed Dong Tam village elder and land rights campaigner Le Dinh Kinh and arrested 29 people for killing three policemen. There is still disagreement about the police deaths with some arguing they were shot accidentally by their colleagues. No bodies were produced as the police said they had been burned in a well by locals. Two people received the death sentence and one was sentenced to life in prison for killing the policemen. Others received sentences ranging from six years to 15 months probation. All land in Vietnam is owned by the state but there are often clashes between authorities and locals who are living on the land, farming it or using it for religious purposes. Doctors for former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili have recommended against transporting him to the Tbilisi City Court building from a clinic where he has been treated since May despite his desire to take part in a hearing in a case against him. Saakashvili had expressed his desire to be transferred to the court to attend the hearing on a charge of illegal border crossing filed last year, and it had been expected that he would speak at the trial. But his attending physician said it would be inappropriate, based on the fact that he could not take responsibility for the possible deterioration of Saakashvili's health during the transfer. Judge Nino Chakhnashvili decided on another postponement of the trial after receiving the doctors' recommendation. Court hearings have been repeatedly canceled or postponed because the 54-year-old Saakashvili, who held two separate hunger strikes earlier this year, has been unable to appear in court for health reasons. Saakashvili, who served as Georgia's president from 2004 until 2013, is the founder of the main opposition United National Movement (ENM) party. The ENM believes that the authorities are trying to conceal the state of Saakashvili's health. Representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party disagree, saying that Saakashvili's public appearance would only be a publicity stunt. Saakashvili, who cannot move independently, had decided that he would arrive at the trial in a special wheelchair, according to one of his lawyers, Shavla Khachapuridze, who added that his condition was "serious" and that his defense team had been told by phone from abroad that arsenic was found in his blood. Nika Melia, chairman of the ENM, said that had Saakashvili appeared in court it would have confirmed the conclusions of several foreign experts who have spoken about the deterioration of his health and would have confirmed the comments of people who have visited him that his condition has deteriorated sharply since his transfer from prison to the Vivamed clinic. The authorities do not want this to be disclosed to the public because it would conflict with "propaganda" circulating in the media that Saakashvili and his defenders have exaggerated his condition, Melia said. Saakashvili was convicted in January 2018 in absentia of abuse of office and sentenced to three years in prison. Later that year he was again convicted in absentia of abuse of office and sentenced to six years in prison. He was arrested on October 1, 2021, after he returned to the country to rally the opposition ahead of local elections. Saakashvili and his supporters say all his prosecutions were politically motivated. Georgia has been plagued by political paralysis and escalating tensions between Georgian Dream and the opposition since parliamentary elections in 2020. The crisis has been exacerbated by the arrest of Saakashvili, who doctors say suffers from severe post-traumatic stress and anorexia that most likely developed after his hunger strikes. They said in May that he needed urgent and complex neuro-psychological and physical treatment. Even before Saakashvili was transferred to the Vivamed clinic his relatives, friends, and colleagues demanded the authorities allow him to travel abroad to receive medical treatment. The coaches of the U.S. and Iranian soccer teams have said that they do not want to get caught up in a game of political football when their sides clash for a chance to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup. "I envision the game being hotly contested for the fact that both teams want to advance to the next round -- not because of politics or because of relations between our countries," U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said ahead of the November 29 showdown at Al-Thumama Stadium in Qatar. "Our preparation starts with a good rest, refresh the minds, and put all the complementary and garbage things outside of our minds," said Carlos Queiroz, the Portuguese head coach of Iran's national team. But as the two coaches attempt to keep the focus on the playing field with either team assured of advancing to the next round with an outright victory, a political fever pitch looms over the game pitting two countries that severed relations more than 40 years ago and are open rivals on the world stage. The World Cup has been a showcase of discord in Iran since the tournament kicked off on November 20, with Tehran's deadly crackdown on ongoing anti-government demonstrations leading to fresh U.S. sanctions against Iranian officials and dividing the country's fan base. The Iranian team has faced immense pressure from the authorities and protesters alike to take sides amid the demonstrations, which are seen as one of the greatest threats to Iran's clerical establishment since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The nationwide demonstrations erupted following the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian-Kurdish woman who died shortly after she was arrested for allegedly violating the state-mandated requirement that women wear the hijab, or head scarf. According to rights watchdogs, at least 450 people have been killed and more than 15,000 detained in the government crackdown. Some fans have honored Amini's memory by wearing "Mahsa Amini-22" shirts in a nod to her age when she died. In an apparent sign of solidarity with demonstrators, members of the Iranian team did not sing the country's national anthem ahead of their first game, a 6-2 loss to England that was blamed partly on outside distractions. But the players did join in singing what anti-government demonstrators have called the "blood anthem" ahead of the second game, a 2-0 win against Wales on November 25. While that result was cause for mass celebration, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reported from Qatar that a group of pro-government fans who waved the flag of the Islamic republic harassed and intimidated a group of Iranian supporters who aired their grievances against the clerical regime. Following the Wales match, a former coach of the U.S. team, Jurgen Klinsmann, came under fire for his postgame comments. Speaking as a pundit on the BBC, Klinsmann said the Iranian team "worked the referee." "They work the linesman and fourth official, they are constantly in their ear," he said. "There were a lot of incidents we didn't see. This is their culture, they take you off your game." Queiroz -- who coached Iran during two stints from 2011 to 2019 and was once hired by U.S. Soccer to develop a road map for the United States to win a World Cup by 2010 -- responded with a torrent of tweets defending Iranian culture and his team. He said Klinsmann's comments were a "disgrace to football." Just days before the decisive group match, the U.S. Soccer Federation triggered a row when it temporarily displayed Iran's green, white, and red flag without the emblem of the Islamic republic in a social-media post. The Iranian government responded angrily, with Iran's hard-line Tasnim news agency calling for the U.S. team to be kicked out of the World Cup and suspended for 10 games. The post was eventually removed, with U.S. Soccer explaining that the intention had been to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights" by displaying the Iranian tricolor without the emblem for 24 hours. Back in Iran, former members of the Iranian national soccer team have apparently been punished for supporting the ongoing demonstrations. Voria Ghafouri, who has been an outspoken critic of the Iranian establishment and was surprisingly left out of this year's World Cup squad, was reportedly arrested on November 24, just days after expressing sympathy for Amini's family and calling for an end to the violent crackdown on protesters in his and Amini's native western Kurdistan region. Iranian state media reported that the 35-year-old Ghafouri had been arrested for "insulting the national soccer team and propagandizing against the government." Ghafouri earlier this month tweeted that "it is better to die standing than to live kneeling." In June, he was accused by an Iranian official of being a Kurdish separatist after the player tweeted the word "Kurdistan" twice. Iranian media reported that Ghafouri has been released on bail. But rights groups said he had been transferred from western Iran to a prison in the capital, Tehran. Pressure has also been placed on an Iranian soccer legend, Ali Daei, who said he chose not to travel to Qatar due to the government's crackdown and said on social media on November 28 he had received "numerous threats against myself and my family in recent months and days." The Black Reward hacktivist group, which has targeted Iranian government institutions and infrastructure, added to fears that Tehran was targeting fans by leaking recordings this week purporting to reveal an Iranian pro-government militia commander saying that Qatar had provided a list of Iranians who had purchased tickets to the World Cup, allowing the Iranian authorities to identify 500 individuals known for anti-government activities. While Iran could progress with a draw on November 29, it cannot afford to lose if it wants to advance to the last 16. The United States has no option but to win. The U.S. players have said they were unaware that U.S. Soccer had planned to publish its controversial flag post, while also publicly declaring their support for women's rights. The day before the big match, U.S. coach Berhalter was apologetic for the flag post but also insistent that he was not focusing on the controversies leading up to it. "Of course, our thoughts are with the Iranian people, the whole country, the whole team, everyone, but our focus is on this match," he said on November 28. Kyrgyz authorities have frozen the bank account of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, soon after they blocked its website for two months when the broadcaster refused to take down a video of one of its news programs that reported on clashes at the border with Tajikistan. Representatives of Demirbank confirmed to Radio Azattyk on October 31 that they had received a notification from the State Committee on National Security (SCNS) to freeze the account. Radio Azattyk has yet to be given an official statement on the move. LISTEN: Joining host Bruce Pannier to discuss the situation in Kyrgyzstan are Leila Nazgul Seiitbek, a lawyer and chairwoman of the NGO Freedom for Eurasia, and Saniia Toktogazieva, a constitutional lawyer and associate professor teaching international law at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek. The Kyrgyz government made the decision to block the Radio Azattyk website on October 26 after RFE/RL refused to take down the video, produced by Current Time, a Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Officials claimed the segment "predominantly" took the position of the Tajik side. The decision was based on the Law on Protection from False Information, a piece of legislation that drew widespread criticism when adopted in August last year. RFE/RL has rejected the accusation, with President and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Fly saying the company "takes [its] commitment to balanced reporting seriously" and that after a review of the content in question, "no violation of our standards" was found. RFE is appealing the decision. In solidarity with RFE/RL, independent Kyrgyz media outlets on October 28 posted a black screen on their webpages for several hours with the caption "No news today. Media under pressure in Kyrgyzstan" and also refused to cover news stories about the government the whole day. The Kyrgyz government's decision has also been criticized by some Kyrgyz lawmakers and rights activists who have called for the government to repeal it. Earlier this month threats were made against RFE/RL journalists during a demonstration in Bishkek at the office of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service. Most of the participants of the action covered their faces, avoided the camera, and refused to answer questions about their demands. Ilimbek Israilov, the organizer of the demonstration, threatened to spray gasoline on RFE/RL reporters and use force against them. Israilov is known for his involvement in the organization of numerous rallies to support the former deputy chief of the Customs Service, Raimbek Matraimov. In 2019, an investigation by RFE/RL, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and Kloop implicated Matraimov in a corruption scheme involving the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars out of Kyrgyzstan. Oleg Tinkov, one of the most successful entrepreneurs in post-Soviet Russia, has renounced his citizenship over his aversion to the war in Ukraine. Tinkov, who resides in London, posted a photo on his Instagram page on October 30 of what appears to be an official document renouncing his Russian citizenship. I have taken the decision to exit my Russian citizenship, Tinkov said in the Instagram post. I cant and wont be associated with a fascist country that started a war with their peaceful neighbor and [is] killing innocent people daily. Tinkov, 54, jumped at the chance to start his own business following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, launching the household appliance retail chain Technoshock and later food producer Daria. He used the profit from those businesses to launch the brewery Tinkoff, which he later sold to beer giant Inbev for $200 million. He then founded Tinkoff Bank, an online financial lender that listed its shares on the London Stock Exchange and turned him into a billionaire. Tinkov, who has been undergoing treatment for leukemia in the U.K., was among the only high-profile Russian tycoons to come out against the war, calling it crazy in an April Instagram post. Russia has cracked down on any criticism of the war and, later that month, Tinkov sold his bank to Kremlin-friendly billionaire Vladimir Potanin. Tinkov said in his October 30 post that he hoped other prominent Russian businessmen will follow him so it weakens Putins regime and his economy and puts him eventually to defeat. However, Russian tycoons run the risk of arrest and losing their domestic businesses if they criticize the war. That is not the case, though, for Russian tycoons living outside the country and who make their money from businesses registered abroad. Nikolai Storonsky, the billionaire head of the London-based financial technology firm Revolut, has allegedly renounced his Russian citizenship as well, it was reported on October 30. Storonsky, 38, is the son of Nikolai Storonsky, a senior official at Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom, who was born in Ukraine. Storonsky, who also holds a U.K. passport, has been a critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying it was "not just horrifying, it is almost impossible to believe." "I would like to make clear, publicly, what Ive felt privately from day one: War is never the answer," he wrote in a blog post at the start of March, only a few days after Russia initiated the conflict. "This war is wrong and totally abhorrent. I am horrified and appalled at its impact, and I add my voice to those around the world calling for an immediate end to the fighting, and a commitment to diplomatic solutions. Not one more person should die in this needless conflict," he added. Despite originally being from Ukraine, Storonsky's father was sanctioned by the Ukrainian government earlier this month over his position as director-general at Gazprom Promgaz -- the research arm of Russias state-owned gas company. Storonsky is a co-founder and chief executive officer of Revolut, which designs application software for money transfers and related financial services. Bloomberg estimates his worth at $6.7 billion. 5 A woman stocks up on water in a store in Kyiv following a Russian missile strike on October 31. Ukrainian officials claim to have shot down 44 out of 50 missiles, although that could not be independently confirmed. Videos on social media appeared to show several missiles being intercepted in the skies above the capital. KHARKIV REGION, Ukraine -- Standing in a trench not far from the Russian border, a drone operator from the Ukrainian military unit Khartia didn't look up at the sound of Russian shells slamming into the ground a few kilometers to his left. Instead, his attention was fully focused on trying to get an experimental Ukrainian-made long-range drone off the ground. It was one of the few afternoons that week when the weather was good enough to fly. None of the team of three drone operators that day was a computer whiz. "Guard," who wore a big beard on his tattooed face, was a top-flight competitive bodybuilder before the war. "Lego'' worked as a civil engineer. "Kim," the wiry young man trying to troubleshoot the drone, worked in real estate. For security reasons, all three went only by their call signs. As drone operators, their role as roving intelligence collectors puts them at the epicenter of resistance against the Russian invasion, now in its ninth month. Their journey from green recruits to veteran soldiers shows how much Ukraine has achieved, but their stories also show just how far Ukraine has to go in matters ranging from weapons to intelligence. Drones play a vital role in the war in Ukraine, with both sides using them in large numbers to gather intelligence, correct artillery fire, and drop bombs. Yaroslav Markevych, the terse drone unit commander for Khartia, described the combination of drones working with artillery as the "most important pair" in offensive operations and one of the keys to Ukraine's stunning September counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region. "It is precisely because there are drones that one can advance very quickly," he said. Ukraine is training hundreds of drone operators every month, and Ukrainian social media is awash with volunteers fund-raising to buy drones for military units. With their body armor, medical kits, and hydration packs, and with Kalashnikov assault rifles in their hands, Guard, Lego, and Kim look like combat soldiers. Their work, though, includes far more staring at computer screens than their appearances might suggest. "Civilian life helps -- you're used to sitting at a computer for a day," said Lego. The name stems from his job as an engineer, where his work included projects at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, now in ruins following a devastating Russian siege. On a typical flight day, they'll fly their camera-equipped drone over Russian positions, bring it back to their lines, and return to their base to upload their flight camera's data into their computers. The team then begins the painstaking process of identifying the location of Russian vehicles and bases. In order to find Russia's often well-camouflaged equipment in their footage, they first use artificial intelligence to identify square objects. They then pore over the footage for hours, examining it closely for signs of targets. Even small discrepancies may point to a Russian tank lurking under cover, such as whether the leaves in a certain area are dry while all the others are fresh. After that, it's up to their command and artillery units to identify which targets to hit. Once a target is selected, the operators will make a flight to confirm the target is still there. The double confirmation is necessary to avoid wasting precious artillery shells from Ukraine's limited supply, the operators said. Often standing just a few kilometers from their target, they'll observe where Ukrainian artillery rounds land. Then, using Ukrainian military maps on their tablets, they'll coordinate with the artillery to adjust fire using Starlink, a portable Internet terminal created by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk. This cycle of field work and analysis can be exhausting. "For a week we'll sleep just two hours," Lego said. "We'll fly till 7 p.m., then go to the base, and then analyze 3,500 photos from the flights." With the right equipment, they can be successful. Kim said Ukrainian artillery units using U.S.-supplied weapons like the M777 howitzer could land a direct hit with only three shots. The drone operators had high praise for Western weapons, especially the U.S. HIMARS rocket system and Excalibur GPS-guided artillery shells. But frustration is frequent. In the trench on a crisp late-October day in the Kharkiv region, where Russian forces still hold patches of territory in the east after the Ukraine regained large swaths of land in the counteroffensive, Kim hailed down a passing drone team from another unit an hour or so into his efforts to reboot the drone. Using their laptop rather than his own, he attempted again to get the drone running. The drone remained on its crate, the ailerons on its long white wings uselessly flapping up and down. WATCH: A Ukrainian mortar team takes pride in accurate strikes, even at a distance and at night, aided by drones that provide the exact location of Russian troops and military equipment. The mere necessity of using an experimental drone on the battlefield is an indicator of the supply problems that Ukraine's drone units face. Ukraine has added to its stock of military drones, but demand still far outpaces supply. Speaking to Ukrainian media in June, one Ukrainian drone company CEO said only about 20 percent of the Ukrainian military's demand had been met. For want of better supplies, the unit, like most drone units in Ukraine, relies heavily on commercial quadcopters better known in the United States for their applications in wedding photography, hobby videos, and the like. With these drones, there are only minuses, Markevych said when interviewed earlier in the city of Kharkiv. An IT entrepreneur and ex-politician, he has been working with drones since 2014, when he fought against Russian-backed anti-Kyiv forces in the war that began that year in the Donbas, south and east of Kharkiv. At the most basic level, the drones themselves are not made for the rigors of trench life or warfare -- and can be made inoperative by anything from bad weather to Russian shrapnel. And once a drone is launched, Russian electronic warfare units can also easily break the remote signal by which the operator controls it. "We lose a lot of drones," said Markevych. Perhaps their biggest disadvantage is how close they require operators to move to the front line. The practical range of the commercial drones operated by Khartia is often around three kilometers, plus whatever zoom capacity they have. Russian artillery pieces far outrange this, with Russia's self-propelled howitzer capable of firing almost 25 kilometers. "As long as we're using these household appliances, we're forced to work on the zero line," Markevych said, referring to the first and most dangerous line of Ukrainian positions. Even if drone operators get their drones up without getting killed, all that work can go to waste if the artillery they're working with isn't up to the task. Some of Ukraine's many Soviet-era weapons can be horribly inaccurate. After peppering everywhere but the target with shells, Kim said, one artillery team they were working with simply gave up and chose another. Technical issues aren't the only problem. Coordination between units can also falter at times. Due to rotations, a unit at the front line may have little idea of what lies ahead. To paper over these issues, the drone unit members introduce themselves at every new position. "We come in and set up contacts with everyone," Lego said. "We make friends." As if to prove the point, Lego exchanged phone numbers with one of the members of the drone team who'd stopped to help them with the loan of the laptop. With the failure of the second team's laptop, though, Lego, Kim, and Guard had had enough. Working together, they took the model's wings off and placed it back in the enormous gray box before heaving it into the bed of their pickup truck. Amid what he said was heavy Russian resistance around Svatove, in the Luhansk region, where Ukraine's counteroffensive finally slowed, Lego reflected on the potential impact of Russia's new military mobilization, which began late last month and could eventually send up to 300,000 conscripts to Ukraine. "We're fighting the war out of our pickup trucks," he said, highlighting his team's need for more armored vehicles to take the place of the civilian cars they often use. "It's going to be really tough for us." Welcome to Wider Europe, RFE/RL's new newsletter focusing on the key issues concerning the European Union, NATO, and other institutions and their relationship with the Western Balkans and Europe's eastern neighborhoods. To subscribe, click here. I'm RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak, and this week I'm drilling down on two major issues: What obstacles could slow down Finland and Sweden's NATO accession? And is Brussels edging closer to punishing third-party countries that help Russia? Brief #1: What Could Spoil Sweden And Finland's NATO Accession? What You Need To Know: Twenty-eight out of 30 NATO allies have now ratified Sweden and Finland's protocols of accession to the military alliance. Which two opted out? Turkey and Hungary. But there does seem to be some movement in Ankara and Budapest. According to Hungarian officials, the parliament should vote on the issue at the end of November and wrap up the process before Christmas. As for Turkey, which so far has chosen to see how Finland and, more importantly, Sweden implement the remainder of the trilateral memorandum signed in Madrid in June, there are also some signs of a window of opportunity opening. Deep Background: The thing to look out for this week is the likely trip by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to Ankara. It comes after the new Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, had what he called "a constructive phone call" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week. Kristersson recently indicated he was ready to travel to Turkey "as soon as possible" and Erdogan confirmed a meeting will take place even though no date has been set. Ankara will certainly look at how quickly and keenly Sweden implements provisions from the June memorandum. The previous Swedish government delivered on some aspects of the pact: A 2019 arms embargo on Ankara was promptly lifted, and there have been moves to stop financing and support for Kurdish groups in Syria. But those were the easy parts. The question now is how to deal with the trickier challenges, namely Sweden clamping down on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and extraditing people Turkey deems to be terrorists. Both Finland and Sweden have long classified the PKK as a terrorist organization, but in the memorandum they committed to "preventing activities of the PKK and all other terrorist organizations and their extensions, as well as activities by individuals in affiliated and inspired groups or networks linked to these terrorist organizations." Exactly how to identify so many members of this network is anyone's guess, but Sweden -- home to an estimated 100,000 people of Kurdish origin -- will probably have to be more vigilant. Drilling Down The extraditions will be the real litmus test for Sweden. So far, two extradition requests have been approved, but it is still unclear how many more Ankara is seeking. Numbers circulating in the media have ranged from 18 to 73 people, but officials I spoke to say what Turkey is looking at more than anything is Swedens willingness to at least entertain the requests. The new Swedish government, established in mid-October after a tight election win a month earlier, might find it easier than its predecessor to deal with Ankara for several reasons. The three right-wing parties that make up the minority government are all staunchly pro-NATO, which wasn't the case with their main governing predecessor, the Swedish Social Democratic Party. They might also find the extraditions easier to swallow considering its no longer an electoral issue and Swedish Kurds have traditionally been left-leaning -- in other words, they're not a hugely important voting base for the right-wing parties in power. Notably, Amineh Kakabaveh, an Iranian-born Kurd and former peshmerga fighter who in the previous Swedish parliament was an independent deputy and political kingmaker, lost her bid for reelection in the latest polls. The government, however, relies on the support of the far-right Sweden Democrats to secure a working majority. The Sweden Democrats have switched their position on NATO and are now in favor of joining, but the partys anti-immigration rhetoric and swipes against Islam could create further tensions with Ankara. When can Sweden and Finland finally become members? Some officials say everything could be done and dusted by the end of this year, but the process could very well spill over into early 2023. It's worth considering, too, that Erdogan is set to fight a protracted presidential election next June and the Finns head to the polls in early April. According to EU diplomats familiar with the issue, there is a renewed willingness to sort this out well before then. Brief #2: What's Next For EU Sanctions? What You Need To Know: In the latest sanctions package imposed on Russia, adopted by the European Union earlier this month, the bloc opened up the possibility of targeting individuals and companies in third countries for helping EU entities circumvent the restrictive measures imposed on the Kremlin. This could become an important tool to use against countries in the bloc's neighborhood; it would also be a significant U-turn for the EU. After having railed against the United States for applying and threatening companies with secondary sanctions for years -- including some EU firms -- Brussels now appears to be moving in the same direction in an attempt to choke the Russian war machine through its secondary and tertiary partners. Deep Background: Even though Brussels is edging closer toward to what is known as sanctions extraterritoriality, there are still limits. While any potential future measures apply equally to EU and non-EU actors, there must be a clear EU link. Thus, the measure is only applicable to people or companies if they help EU people or companies circumvent EU sanctions on Russia. In that respect, they lack the sweeping global scope of U.S. secondary sanctions and would likely lack the same depth. For example, Brussels would only target a company or person with visa bans and asset freezes, whereas Washington can cut off any sanctioned entity entirely from its financial system, creating much larger economic consequences and reputational damage. The main question remains, however, as to whether extraterritoriality measures will be used at all; so far even the United States has refrained from using its secondary sanctions toolkit in relation to third countries' dealings with Russia. Drilling Down The EU diplomats I spoke to on the condition of anonymity indicated that the move to broaden the scope of EU sanctions should primarily be read as scare tactics to force third countries into aligning with the EU position on the issue. Some countries, notably EU candidate countries Serbia and Turkey, have not followed Brussels' lead on sanctions to date. Brussels, however, remains reluctant to target countries in its neighborhood, the main thinking being that it doesnt want to be seen as pushing them away from the bloc. Diplomatic capacity is another potential obstacle. So-called sanctions evidence packages need to be prepared by member states and the European External Action Service, the EU's diplomatic service, which is already working overtime to find reasonable legal grounds to target Russian industries. Investigating third-country dealings might be too much of a bureaucratic strain. In many ways, Brussels is missing its own version of the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers and enforces American sanctions. Then there is the issue of legality. Even if evidence packages were to be prepared, they must also stand up to a potential challenge in the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Once again, Washington appears to have a smoother setup, as hinted at by one high-ranking EU diplomat: "The EU is accountable to the ECJ; the U.S. is accountable only to God." If the EU manages to overcome these hurdles and decides to use the new, widened scope, who will be targeted? That's anyone's guess, but it was telling that it was Cyprus and Greece who were allegedly instrumental in pushing for the bloc going toward extraterritoriality. Does that mean Turkey might be in the crosshairs? In a leaked European Commission document assessing the impact of the EU's Russia sanctions so far -- a document seen by RFE/RL -- Turkey, alongside China, is mentioned in a subchapter on circumvention with the text stating that "the value of Turkey's exports to Russia nearly doubled since the second quarter [of 2022]." The document also states that "exports of some member states to Turkey have also risen sharply over 2022." Looking Ahead This week will be a bit slower due to the All Saints holiday on November 1, marked across some parts of Europe. There are still, however, two meetings in Germany to watch. On November 3, the leaders of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia will be in Berlin to sign three agreements. One agreement enables people from these six Western Balkan countries to only use IDs to travel across their respective borders. The other two agreements will ensure mutual recognition of university diplomas as well as vocational qualifications. And on November 3-4, G7 foreign ministers will convene in the German city of Munster. Talks will mainly focus on Ukraine, including more potential sanctions, financial aid, and weapons deliveries. We are slowly approaching the end of the year, and that usually means one thing in Brussels: summit time. In December, the EU squeezes in yet another meeting: a first-ever EU-ASEAN summit slated for December 14. Diplomats are already working on a draft leaders' statement for the meeting, and the war in Ukraine will likely feature prominently. The EU was badly damaged by accusations, largely from the Global South, that its sanctions on Russia caused food prices to soar worldwide. And in the latest draft leaders' statement, seen by RFE/RL, Brussels is pushing for language that states that "we condemn the use of disinformation by Russia on this crucial issue, aimed at distorting the link between global food prices and Russia's actions in Ukraine." The draft statement adds that "in this context, we recall Russia's blockage of Ukrainian ports, the deliberate destruction of Ukrainian agricultural facilities, and Russia's restrictions imposed on its own export of agricultural products and fertilizers." Thats all for now. I really hope you enjoyed the first edition of Wider Europe. To subscribe, click here. Please feel free to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have. You can also follow me on on Twitter @RikardJozwiak. And you can always reach us at newsletters@rferl.org. Until next time, Rikard Jozwiak In a new twist in a tumultuous race, San Marcos Unified School District Board challenger Christina Linden has obtained a temporary restraining order against her opponents husband following a confrontation at a street fair. The incident emerged from what has become a bitter race in San Marcos first district-based elections. In these races, voters choose representatives for specific areas of the city, a strategy intended to increase diversity of representation. In the first race for Trustee Area E, in the northern part of the school district, however, both candidates are Latina Democrats who would appear to be like-minded colleagues, but have emerged as adversaries in a bare-knuckle political brawl. Advertisement The latest clash led to Lindens request for a restraining order against Daniel Finkenthal, the husband of school board president Stacy Carlson, pending a court hearing on her complaint. The court action follows an argument at the San Marcos Fall Festival Sunday, when Finkenthal approached Lindens booth about a missing campaign sign. A video of the incident shows Finkenthal arguing with representatives at Lindens booth about the sign and other campaign issues, but doesnt include footage of the alleged assault. Linden said Finkenthal grabbed her phone while she was recording the exchange, and pushed her as she tried to retrieve it. He physically took my property and was very aggressive, very threatening in his behavior, she said. I dont know what anyone is capable of, so if hes willing to do that in public, of course I would want to protect my family and my kids. Finkenthal and Carlson said they had not been served the temporary restraining order yet, but Finkenthal obtained a copy from the courthouse Thursday. They said they had not had a chance to review it and couldnt comment on its allegations. I actually dont know what shes alleging, Carlson said. I havent seen it. We havent been served. She made sure that the media got it before we got it, which is kind of strange. If youre so terrified of somebody that you need to get a temporary restraining order, you think you would make sure they get it. The San Diego Union-Tribune received an emailed copy of the restraining order from the Linden campaign Tuesday, and independently obtained the document from the San Diego Superior Courts North County Division. In the restraining order request, Linden alleges that Finkenthal made profane and derogatory comments, would not leave her campaign booth, then grabbed her cellphone. The temporary restraining order requires Finkenthal to stay 100 yards from Linden and her family, as well as their home, schools and workplaces, and to surrender any firearms. Those restrictions are valid until a court hearing on the complaint, scheduled for Nov. 2. Carlson said Linden and her campaign volunteers are the ones who are stoking conflict between the candidates. I understand that I am a public figure, but I also have a right to privacy, she said. These people have done everything they can to invade my privacy and incite people. I dont think that people like it. I dont think that voters like it. I dont think San Marcos likes it. The election has been unusually rancorous for a school board race, particularly for San Marcos, a North County suburb known for its stable civic life and subdued politics. Linden has taken aim not only at Carlsons voting record, but also at her personal finances and educational background. Her campaign sent media outlets copies of legal documents about financial disputes regarding Carlsons home, and posted those on her website. Last month, Lindens campaign noted that Carlson, who had listed a degree in business administration from Vanguard University in Orange County, had not actually completed graduation requirements. Carlson attributed the conflict to a misunderstanding with the college, and said she had made up the required credits in 2002, and believed that she had earned her diploma. However, after meeting Vanguard officials following Lindens complaint, Carlson said she is taking steps to finalize her degree. Lindens involvement in the school districts politics and her disagreements with Carlson began before she ever ran for office. In October 2016, she was one of two plaintiffs in a lawsuit demanding district elections for San Marcos schools. The suit filed by Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman alleged that disenfranchisement of the Latino community is so complete, that it is believed that no Latino has ever been elected to the district board. Carlson, who had served on the board since 2014, disputed that, pointing out her ties to Latino civic groups, and her fathers Mexican heritage. In spring of this year, Linden began contemplating a run for school board, and in August she filed papers for her candidacy. An active member of parent teachers organizations with her childrens schools, she said her chief platforms have been increasing community influence with the school board, and adding busing routes, in order to reduce the distance that students must walk to school. Out of the gate, Linden took aim at Carlson, delving into opposition research. Lindens campaign released financial paperwork on her adversary online and to news outlets, probed Carlsons school records and protested her endorsements by the San Diego Democratic Party and the San Marcos Educators Association, the districts teachers union. Michael DeVries, president of the teachers union, said Linden was scheduled for an endorsement interview in May, but did not show up. Linden said she had a scheduling mix-up, but felt the union should have held the interviews later, after the candidate filing deadline. The union endorsed Carlson, a decision that DeVries said is supported by her school board record. Our feeling is that she has been an advocate for both students and teachers during her tenure on the board, and we feel she will continue to do so, he said. Christina Linden had the opportunity to meet with us for our endorsement process, and she did not. DeVries said the vitriol of this race has surprised him, even after 11 years as union president. Weve been involved in a school board campaign every year, he said. Ive never seen a campaign like this one, that the Lindens are running. Ive never seen one thats this dirty, where theyve made it this personal. When Linden posted the names of teachers slated for layoffs on her Facebook page, DeVries asked her to take them down, saying it was upsetting the teachers. Linden said this week that she had since removed the names, but as of Thursday, the names were still posted on her page. Linden countered that the union is protecting its interests in the election, not the political high ground. Stacys campaign is run by the union, Linden said. This is the first time a candidate has ever challenged the union directly. They call it acrimonious because I disagree with their candidate. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question: Quarterly Open Debate Tomorrow morning (28 October), the Security Council will hold its quarterly open debate on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland will brief. Representatives of Israel and the Observer State of Palestine are expected to participate. The increasingly volatile situation in the West Bank is expected to be a key focus of tomorrows meeting. Recent months have witnessed the intensification of violent confrontations between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinians during frequent IDF raids in several locations in the West Bank, including in the cities of Jenin and Nablus. (Israeli security forces have intensified their operations in the West Bank since earlier this year after a string of terror attacks in Israel.) The recent period has also seen reports of an uptick in shooting attacks against Israeli military checkpoints and soldiers. On 25 October, five Palestinians were killed in Nablus in the context of an operation targeting sites which the IDF identified as belonging to the Lions Dena recently formed, cross-factional, loose coalition of Palestinian militants based in Nabluswhich has claimed responsibility for the 11 October killing of an Israeli soldier. Israeli officials have also accused the group of planning and attempting to carry out attacks in Israel. Palestinian media outlets and accounts cited by Al Jazeera have said that two of the Palestinians killed during the 25 October raid were unarmed barbers who were on their way home from work. In an 8 October statement, Wennesland expressed alarm at the deteriorating security situation. He urged Israeli and Palestinian authorities to restore calm and avoid further escalation, a message he is expected to reiterate tomorrow. Several Council members are likely to express concern at the high number of Palestinians, including children, who were killed and injured by Israeli security forces during IDF operations in the West Bank. According to an 18 October statement by Acting Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) Lucia Elmi, since the beginning of October, 15 Palestinians, including six children, have been killed by Israeli forces during search-and-arrest operations, exchanges of fire, or in confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the West Bank including East Jerusalem. The statement notes that [i]n some instances, those killed did not appear to pose a concrete or imminent threat to justify the use of lethal force, raising concerns of excessive use of force. A 16 October OCHA report said that thus far, 2022 is the highest year for Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank, compared to the same period in the previous 16 years. Tomorrow, members may urge the Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and proportionality in the use of force. Members are also likely to condemn all acts of terrorism and call on actors to avoid provocatory actions and rhetoric. According to a statement by US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price, during a 25 October meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Blinken stressed the US concern over the upsurge of violence in the West Bank and the loss of both Israeli and Palestinian lives, while emphasising the need for all parties to urgently de-escalate the situation. (The meeting took place in the context of Herzogs 25-26 October visit to the US, during which he met with other US officials, including President Joe Biden.) The US may echo these messages at tomorrows meeting. Wennesland and some members may also express concern at the heavy movement restrictions imposed by Israel in some areas of the West Bank. According to Elmis 18 October statement, following the killing of two Israeli soldiers at checkpoints in Nablus and East Jerusalem earlier this month, Israeli forces imposed extensive movement restrictions, limiting access of many to health care, education, and livelihoods. In a 25 October letter to the Security Council, the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, Riyad Mansour, refers to these restrictions as a siege and the collective punishment of the entire Palestinian civilian population in Nablus. In the letter, Mansour urges the Security Council to act to ensure protection to the Palestinian people and ensure accountability for all the crimes that have been perpetrated against them. Council members may be interested in an update on Wenneslands engagement with Israeli and Palestinian stakeholders and his assessment of the prospects for de-escalation. According to a 16 October tweet, Wennesland held constructive meetings in Nablus and Jenin to discuss the worsening security situation and how to restore hope for a political solution. Tomorrow, some participants may say that the current escalation and the risk of its further deterioration underscore the need to restore a political horizon and the urgency to resume negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. During the 28 September Council meeting on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Ireland expressed concern at the alarming increase in settler violence, Norway condemned any and all settler violence and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) underscored the need to stop attacks carried out by settlers against Palestinian communities. The US identified violence inflicted on Palestinians in their neighbourhoods by Israeli settlers among examples of actions that exacerbate tensions, adding that settlers are escorted by Israeli security forces during some of these incidents. In light of several recent reports of incidents involving violence by Israeli settlers, these and other members may raise similar concerns tomorrow. Members may also reiterate previous calls on Israel to cease all settlement activities, to stop evictions and demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures and to respect the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem. Tomorrow, Wennesland and Council members may welcome the signing on 13 October of the Declaration of Algiers by 14 Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, and may stress the importance of taking further steps towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation and the holding of elections across the oPt. The declaration recognises the Palestine Liberation Organisationwhich is headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbasas the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and includes a commitment on holding presidential and parliamentary elections within one year. In a 15 October statement, a spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the declaration and urged all factions to follow up on its commitments, including the holding of elections. (On 29 April 2021, Abbas indefinitely postponed Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections, originally scheduled for 22 May 2021 and 31 July 2021.) At tomorrows open debate, some members may refer to developments in the wider region. For instance, some may welcome the recent agreement on the delineation of the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon. The negotiation process concluded today (27 October) with the handing over by Israel and Lebanon of separate letters to US Department of State Senior Advisor for Energy Security Amos Hochstein, who mediated the indirect talks between Israel and Lebanon that led to todays agreement. UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka received the coordinates of the maritime border from Lebanon and Israel that will be deposited at the UN in New York. - Takeda to Solely Conduct promotional activities for Two Products from April 2023 (Scheduled) - Shionogi to Transfer Intuniv Tablets 1mg/3mg and Vyvanse Capsules 20mg/30mg Regulatory Approvals to Takeda OSAKA, Japan, October 31, 2022 - Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; President & CEO: Christophe Weber; hereafter "Takeda") and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; Chief Executive Officer: Isao Teshirogi, Ph.D.; hereafter "Shionogi") announced that Takeda has exercised the option right, originally granted to Shire (integrated with Takeda in 2019), to re-acquire full rights to the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder therapeutic agents Intuniv Tablets 1mg/3mg (hereafter "Intuniv") and Vyvanse Capsules 20mg/30mg (hereafter "Vyvanse"), as specified in the license agreement for co-development and co-commercialization in Japan between Shire (merged with Takeda in 2019) and Shionogi, concluded in November 2011. This option exercise by Takeda will terminate the license agreement for co-development and co-commercialization of Intuniv and Vyvanse. Takeda and Shionogi have concluded a basic agreement for transfer of assets, etc., based on the option exercise. Shionogi will receive a one-time payment in fiscal 2023 to which it is entitled pursuant to the basic agreement. The license agreement for co-development and co-commercialization of Intuniv and Vyvanse will terminate at the end of March 2023. From April 2023, Takeda is scheduled to solely promote both products. For a period to be determined, Shionogi will continue to hold regulatory approvals for both products, and the timing of the transfer of distribution operations and the succession of regulatory approvals will be mutually agreed. Takeda and Shionogi have been co-promoting Intuniv and Vyvanse for patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The two companies will continue to work closely together for a smooth transition of the two products. In addition, both companies will continue to work to ensure stable supply of the products, provision and collection of product information, and proper use during the period until the activities are fully transferred to Takeda.What a tragedy. A young reporter #SadafNaeem died while covering the long march of ex-PM Imran Khan. I appeal to Channel V to look after her family as she died in the line of duty. All TV channels must ensure life insurance and training. Deepest condolence with the family.
Mazhar Abbas (@MazharAbbasGEO) October 30, 2022